I love this in her voice! Unlike a voice with a lighter timbre, she doesn't have to work as hard to get that Carmen "force" and it gives her so much freedom to be extraordinarily delicate as well... delightful!
@jtg10795 I find that a bit of a hilarious statement, as Bizet intended the role for contralto or mezzo. "They" continually insist on casting sopranos in the role that is arguably the greatest gift ever given to contralto/mezzo singers, but in my understanding it was never intended to be a soprano role.
@AceofGallifrey I should have been more clear. I meant a contralto rather than a mezzo. In this case, because the decision to compose the role for a mezzo was to fit the dark timbre with the character. I viewed it thinking that one would think that the deep rather than dark sound of a contralto wouldn't fit the character as well. Does that make any sense? You are allowed to disagree. And soprano Carmens NEVER work and should NEVER happen.
@jtg10795 Ah, yes, that makes perfect sense. I'm rather unused to thinking of it in that way, as the first Carmen I ever heard was a contralto, but that's a rather excellent point. And no, there should NEVER be a soprano Carmen! I'm perfectly fine with a soprano doing the Habanera etc. as part of her concert repertoire, but when they insist on doing it in an actual staging... it's frightful!
@AceofGallifrey Well I'm glad I made sense there. And sopranos need to realize that having a bright, nice, youthful, innocent sound doesn't really make Carmen sound so terrific either...
@jtg10795 You said it! A soprano for Angelina or for Rosina... plausible. Perhaps even delightful, if the chanteuse in question has a solid enough sound. But for Carmen? I think not! Speaking as a mezzo who has been shunted aside repeatedly in favor of sopranos (for roles they were unsuited for), I find the current obsession with sopranos to be a little frightening.
@AceofGallifrey A Rosina I can understand (as long as she shows off her good low notes) but even the thought of a soprano Angelina makes me cringe. Soon these sopranos are going to start moving from Carmen to Dalilah to Orlofsky and then who even knows where. There is a such thing as too much soprano.
@jtg10795 Eh, a soprano Angelina is perfectly tolerable (but it does REALLY have to be the right singer, no sweet little lyric soprano), if not nearly as good as a mezzo. I just pray I never have to suffer through a soprano Marguerite or Charlotte- or GOD FORBID a soprano Ortrud! I would weep.
@AceofGallifrey I guess if it was a dramatic soprano and she had the low notes I could get through a performance, but still nothing beats a mezzo or contralto Angelina
@jtg10795 No arguments there! I know a young dramatic soprano who is understudying the role, and while it certainly works well enough (she has a rather extraordinary bottom range, especially for a soprano), it just... well it lacks depth.
@jtg10795 Which of course is related to why some singers, even if they're the proper voice type, simply can't bring a certain role to life, whereas they absolutely sparkle in others. Which, in turn, opens up the door to that wonderful realm of concert repertoire (also known as "humanity's greatest gift to opera singers").
@AceofGallifrey I can't imagine a soprano playing either the roles of Rosina or Angelina. Those two roles are, IMHO, Rossini's gift to contraltos - because it allows for them to portray the playful ingenue or the innocent, good girl (which are often played by sopranos in most operas). I think the contralto or mezzo voice adds a certain sincerity to either role.
@EmilyGreene1984 It does seem unlikely, doesn't it? I wouldn't have believed it could work myself until I heard them done! I'm opposed in general to sopranos taking mezzo/contralto roles on principal (mainly because I'm just not a fan of sopranos, period) but with just the right performer, it can really be spectacular. Just as one can have a mezzo Lauretta or Cleopatra (I know, but it's been done) and make it spectacular, one can (with luck) manage to find a really excellent a soprano Angelina.
WOW..what a BEAUTIFUL VOICE SHE HAS...Magnifique interprepation of Habanera from Opera Carmen. !! unmatched? Beautiful voice, charming stage presence and very secure technique. Brava, ! wonderful . indeed!
Such a Lusty voiced Carman!!! I love La Podles. Is this available on DVD? Also, could you possibly upload C'est Toi? C'est moi. I would LOVE to hear and see THAT!
Wow, I knew that this existed, but honestly, I was worried how Podles would look and act as Carmen (I don't have doubts about her singing, of course). Interestingly enough, she is pretty convincing. Just when I thought I couldn't like her more. :) Is there any chance you could upload Chanson Boheme? I would die to hear that one! :)
She is fantastic, though this is no her best role. And she deserves a better chorus and orchestra!
1blacklab 1 week ago
This sounds like the song Clarabelle and Goofy sang in "Mickey, Donald, and Goofy as the Three Muskateers!" :D hehehehe
Aquanater 3 months ago
Quelle voix unique!
77Opera 4 months ago
Que impresión!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
maytelovesmetal 4 months ago
I love this in her voice! Unlike a voice with a lighter timbre, she doesn't have to work as hard to get that Carmen "force" and it gives her so much freedom to be extraordinarily delicate as well... delightful!
AceofGallifrey 6 months ago
Listen to BESANZONI, TOUREL, ARKHIPOVA, SWARTHOUT, CASTAGNA, none of whom, sang ingolata.
MrSkylark1 8 months ago
I have heard Carmen with soprano and mezzo soprano. But it’s the first time I hear it with a contralto. Ewa Podles is a phenomenon.
Aetion 10 months ago 7
contralto + carmen should not work.....
but it so does.....
maybe not the best there ever was (im saying this due to the fact I don't have a favorite) but this is pretty damn amazing
jtg10795 10 months ago 2
@jtg10795 I find that a bit of a hilarious statement, as Bizet intended the role for contralto or mezzo. "They" continually insist on casting sopranos in the role that is arguably the greatest gift ever given to contralto/mezzo singers, but in my understanding it was never intended to be a soprano role.
AceofGallifrey 6 months ago
@AceofGallifrey I should have been more clear. I meant a contralto rather than a mezzo. In this case, because the decision to compose the role for a mezzo was to fit the dark timbre with the character. I viewed it thinking that one would think that the deep rather than dark sound of a contralto wouldn't fit the character as well. Does that make any sense? You are allowed to disagree. And soprano Carmens NEVER work and should NEVER happen.
jtg10795 6 months ago
@jtg10795 Ah, yes, that makes perfect sense. I'm rather unused to thinking of it in that way, as the first Carmen I ever heard was a contralto, but that's a rather excellent point. And no, there should NEVER be a soprano Carmen! I'm perfectly fine with a soprano doing the Habanera etc. as part of her concert repertoire, but when they insist on doing it in an actual staging... it's frightful!
AceofGallifrey 6 months ago
@AceofGallifrey Well I'm glad I made sense there. And sopranos need to realize that having a bright, nice, youthful, innocent sound doesn't really make Carmen sound so terrific either...
jtg10795 6 months ago
@jtg10795 You said it! A soprano for Angelina or for Rosina... plausible. Perhaps even delightful, if the chanteuse in question has a solid enough sound. But for Carmen? I think not! Speaking as a mezzo who has been shunted aside repeatedly in favor of sopranos (for roles they were unsuited for), I find the current obsession with sopranos to be a little frightening.
AceofGallifrey 6 months ago
@AceofGallifrey A Rosina I can understand (as long as she shows off her good low notes) but even the thought of a soprano Angelina makes me cringe. Soon these sopranos are going to start moving from Carmen to Dalilah to Orlofsky and then who even knows where. There is a such thing as too much soprano.
jtg10795 6 months ago 7
@jtg10795 Eh, a soprano Angelina is perfectly tolerable (but it does REALLY have to be the right singer, no sweet little lyric soprano), if not nearly as good as a mezzo. I just pray I never have to suffer through a soprano Marguerite or Charlotte- or GOD FORBID a soprano Ortrud! I would weep.
AceofGallifrey 6 months ago
@AceofGallifrey I guess if it was a dramatic soprano and she had the low notes I could get through a performance, but still nothing beats a mezzo or contralto Angelina
jtg10795 6 months ago 2
@jtg10795 No arguments there! I know a young dramatic soprano who is understudying the role, and while it certainly works well enough (she has a rather extraordinary bottom range, especially for a soprano), it just... well it lacks depth.
AceofGallifrey 6 months ago
@AceofGallifrey Exactly, and so much of what a character can be comes from that certain depth in that certain voice type
jtg10795 6 months ago
@jtg10795 Which of course is related to why some singers, even if they're the proper voice type, simply can't bring a certain role to life, whereas they absolutely sparkle in others. Which, in turn, opens up the door to that wonderful realm of concert repertoire (also known as "humanity's greatest gift to opera singers").
AceofGallifrey 6 months ago
@AceofGallifrey I can't imagine a soprano playing either the roles of Rosina or Angelina. Those two roles are, IMHO, Rossini's gift to contraltos - because it allows for them to portray the playful ingenue or the innocent, good girl (which are often played by sopranos in most operas). I think the contralto or mezzo voice adds a certain sincerity to either role.
EmilyGreene1984 4 months ago
@EmilyGreene1984 It does seem unlikely, doesn't it? I wouldn't have believed it could work myself until I heard them done! I'm opposed in general to sopranos taking mezzo/contralto roles on principal (mainly because I'm just not a fan of sopranos, period) but with just the right performer, it can really be spectacular. Just as one can have a mezzo Lauretta or Cleopatra (I know, but it's been done) and make it spectacular, one can (with luck) manage to find a really excellent a soprano Angelina.
AceofGallifrey 4 months ago
raffinata e magnifica,....commovente essenza di Carmen
bilancium 1 year ago
WOW..what a BEAUTIFUL VOICE SHE HAS...Magnifique interprepation of Habanera from Opera Carmen. !! unmatched? Beautiful voice, charming stage presence and very secure technique. Brava, ! wonderful . indeed!
Brava " cualidad única" Born to sing Carmen .
Tenorbravo 1 year ago
que impresionante es Ewa Podles, es bastante agradable su timbre de contralto, y su tesitura vocal tan extensa!!!!!!!
oscarze1000 1 year ago
She is great ! Thank you very much !
monfranciscabrel 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
I don't like the way they dressed her :/
But the voice - beautiful depth, great technique, just wonderful!
TheUtopia77 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
I don't like the way they dressed her :/
But the voice - beautiful depth, great technique, just wonderful!
TheUtopia77 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
I don't like the way they dressed her :/
But the voice - beautiful depth, great technique, just wonderful!
TheUtopia77 1 year ago
I don't like the way they dressed her :/
But the voice - beautiful depth, great technique, just wonderful!
TheUtopia77 1 year ago
she gives it sexy class act .
dziady1 2 years ago
please post her 1° aria :)
jovi1715 2 years ago
In the 2nd couplet she starts too early but the conductor lets a bar out so that she can go on....
larissamontero 2 years ago
wow, that's a singer! i had doubt, but ewa podles is fantastic!
sasky84 2 years ago 2
Love this! But what is the purpose of the dancing girls?
drnivek 2 years ago
Such a Lusty voiced Carman!!! I love La Podles. Is this available on DVD? Also, could you possibly upload C'est Toi? C'est moi. I would LOVE to hear and see THAT!
tenorman123 3 years ago
Wow, I knew that this existed, but honestly, I was worried how Podles would look and act as Carmen (I don't have doubts about her singing, of course). Interestingly enough, she is pretty convincing. Just when I thought I couldn't like her more. :) Is there any chance you could upload Chanson Boheme? I would die to hear that one! :)
lalagonegaga 3 years ago 2
Unique! Thanks for posting.
scarpia1965 3 years ago 3