Until now Callas was my favourite. She still is, but now i fell in love with Rosa Ponselle. Her voice goes straight to the heart!! It is so incredibly clear!! Her technique is perfect, i think!!The difference to la Callas is, that Ponselles voice is so smooth! No cracks! But so much expression, soul!!! I still love Callas, also because we have more recordings of her, luckily, but Ponselle is so much better! She has the voice of an angel! Forget Renata Tebaldi!(who was also a great singer)
@ChaudeB have you also heard Rita Streich sing this? She really sounds like a nightingale rather than a soprano singing! Faultless. My favourite sop is also Callas because she moves me like no other. But I also love Amelita Gallicurci, Conchita Supervia and so many others who trained so devoutly in those days and it showed. The duet Ponselle does with EZIO PINZA - ALZATEVI... LA VERGINE DEGLI ANGELI - LA FORZA DEL DESTINO on this site is sublime.
Again, you are ignorant about the facts. She wanted to sing Adriana Lecouvreur because she love the opera and thought that it had never been given a fair chance in the United States. It had nothing to do with the tessitura. You are so completely uninformed. You really do not have a clue about singing.
I can understand how you might find her voice (as well as Chaliapin's) so overwhelming that they get in the way of the music. But it is so beautiful. Check my posting of the Ernani aria.
You really do need to learn about what great singing is all about. All of the greatest singers proclaimed Ponselle's voice a gift from GOD. The great Tullio Serafin said that he had only worked with 3 miracles in his life. They were Rosa Ponselle. Enrico Caruso, and Tita Ruffo.Ponselle is absolute perfection!!!
Leave God out of it, big mouth, and analyse the facts of her career, that's all you need to do.
In 1936 she demanded that Edward Johnson revive Adriana Lecouvreur for her, because Adriana's tessitura is notoriously easy. When Johnson refused, she quit opera forever. FOREVER. She was only 40 years old.
Ponselle herself referred to herself as a freak of nature. You can discuss great singers objectively as well as subjectively. For example, as great as Caruso and Gigli were, I've never been able to warm up to them completely. But I certainly appreciate and understand what a phenomenon they were. Criticism is based on personal criteria and different qualities are important to different people. Some of us, including me, just don't care for the sobs and strained high notes of many Italian voices.
this is wonderful, but for some reason this seems like a higher piece which would be an odd choice for her later in her career since she nt only had a high c phobia but a deteriorating upper register early on. i guess its just proof of great artistry that is quickly vanishing these days.
Haha Im a baritone and I actually have a good upper register, but I have a high note phobia as well since u asked. I hate to go over a G and sometimes even an F sharp.
I knew Rosa Ponselle in the last years of her life. I thus can speak with authorty about her. It is a myth that she did not have a sold high C. Ponselle always had a very solid high C in her voice. She often said that herself. There was one time in her career when she was suffering from a cold and her voice cracked on O Patria Mia. That is where the muth comes from. Her upper register never deterioated at anytime. You are sadly misinformed.
Well in that case im very glad that i am wrong. it only adds further, yet unnecessary, support to my belief that she was the greatest singer ever. since u knew her though, is it true that she did indeed have a phobia of high C's?
No. She did not have a phobia of the high C's. When she cracked while having the flu it was upsetting to her and she remembered it for the rest of her life, but she was very confident in her singing.Her voice is just perfection. I am a singer myself and everytime I listen to her recordings I am still in awe that such a magnificent sound could come from a human being.
You obviously do not have a clue about what great singing is. You also very much uninformed about Ponselle's voice. She had a very solid high C and it was never flat. Before you make such statements you should know what you are talking about. Ponselle is the perfect example of a seamless scale
Stop huffing and puffing and answer the substantive facts I submitted, available to all and undeniable: Why did she avoid Aïda? Why were her electrical attempts at O patria mia never issued?
Because after 1924 her voice started to go down. That is why she quit opera at age 40, and why in the Villa Pace recordings she sounds like a baritone.
You have your facts all wrong. i knew Rosa Ponselle. She was a friend of mine. I can speak with authority on her. She never had any problems with her voice . That is a myth. Ponselle was a true Dramatic Soprano. She had an extreme range in her voice.She had amazing chest tones and could at will darken the voice or make it as light as a feather. She never avoided Aida. That is a myth. Ponselle's voice is an example of a seamless scale. She retired because she fell in love and got married. .
Actually I am 54 years old. My birth year is wrong in the system and I do not know how to change it . I was born in 1955. I knew Ponselle in the last several years of her life. Knowing her was the greatest experience of my life. She was a very warm down to earth lady. I miss her
Ponselle capitalizes on her tonal beauty, even registers, and perfect legato in her performance of this beautiful song. Lily Pons also made a wonderful recording of it, late in her career (1950, I believe), in Russian.
Thank you very much, merrihew, for this exquisite recording. Ponselle is my favorite soprano, no exceptions. Of course there are a lot of wonderful ones, past and present, but Ponselle was unique. I've always been very passionate about her voice and artistry. I think I have all her 78s and other recordings.
Ponselle's voice might be slightly different from what it was earlier, but still incredibly fully balanced with perfect, warm rendition disregarding the octave.
***** 10 *****
tukilala 1 year ago
more than wonderful! I've never heard her voice come through so well before. It's like hearing her for the first time all over again....
Greatheil 1 year ago
Until now Callas was my favourite. She still is, but now i fell in love with Rosa Ponselle. Her voice goes straight to the heart!! It is so incredibly clear!! Her technique is perfect, i think!!The difference to la Callas is, that Ponselles voice is so smooth! No cracks! But so much expression, soul!!! I still love Callas, also because we have more recordings of her, luckily, but Ponselle is so much better! She has the voice of an angel! Forget Renata Tebaldi!(who was also a great singer)
ChaudeB 2 years ago
@ChaudeB have you also heard Rita Streich sing this? She really sounds like a nightingale rather than a soprano singing! Faultless. My favourite sop is also Callas because she moves me like no other. But I also love Amelita Gallicurci, Conchita Supervia and so many others who trained so devoutly in those days and it showed. The duet Ponselle does with EZIO PINZA - ALZATEVI... LA VERGINE DEGLI ANGELI - LA FORZA DEL DESTINO on this site is sublime.
AEmylia24 7 months ago
Wonderful!
Does everyone have an english text of this song?
opernair 2 years ago
Again, you are ignorant about the facts. She wanted to sing Adriana Lecouvreur because she love the opera and thought that it had never been given a fair chance in the United States. It had nothing to do with the tessitura. You are so completely uninformed. You really do not have a clue about singing.
Giovannifabuloso 2 years ago
I first met this song in a magical performance by Nina Koshetz.
As usual, Ponselle does not move me at all, though she did have a fabulous voice, that's for sure. She's one of my blind (or deaf) spots.
AulicExclusiva 3 years ago
I can understand how you might find her voice (as well as Chaliapin's) so overwhelming that they get in the way of the music. But it is so beautiful. Check my posting of the Ernani aria.
merrihew 3 years ago
You really do need to learn about what great singing is all about. All of the greatest singers proclaimed Ponselle's voice a gift from GOD. The great Tullio Serafin said that he had only worked with 3 miracles in his life. They were Rosa Ponselle. Enrico Caruso, and Tita Ruffo.Ponselle is absolute perfection!!!
Giovannifabuloso 2 years ago
Leave God out of it, big mouth, and analyse the facts of her career, that's all you need to do.
In 1936 she demanded that Edward Johnson revive Adriana Lecouvreur for her, because Adriana's tessitura is notoriously easy. When Johnson refused, she quit opera forever. FOREVER. She was only 40 years old.
AulicExclusiva 2 years ago
Lets be civil. Be specific about why you prefer some voices over others.
merrihew 2 years ago
Ponselle herself referred to herself as a freak of nature. You can discuss great singers objectively as well as subjectively. For example, as great as Caruso and Gigli were, I've never been able to warm up to them completely. But I certainly appreciate and understand what a phenomenon they were. Criticism is based on personal criteria and different qualities are important to different people. Some of us, including me, just don't care for the sobs and strained high notes of many Italian voices.
merrihew 2 years ago
I heard a recording of her singing at her 80th birthday, and her voice was still wonderful.
toscadonna 3 years ago
this is wonderful, but for some reason this seems like a higher piece which would be an odd choice for her later in her career since she nt only had a high c phobia but a deteriorating upper register early on. i guess its just proof of great artistry that is quickly vanishing these days.
moghedien13 4 years ago
Mr. moghedien13! Which phobia have you? It would be very useful for the each world to speak about it.:-))))) Thank you in advance!
M.
maldoror26 3 years ago
Haha Im a baritone and I actually have a good upper register, but I have a high note phobia as well since u asked. I hate to go over a G and sometimes even an F sharp.
moghedien13 3 years ago
I knew Rosa Ponselle in the last years of her life. I thus can speak with authorty about her. It is a myth that she did not have a sold high C. Ponselle always had a very solid high C in her voice. She often said that herself. There was one time in her career when she was suffering from a cold and her voice cracked on O Patria Mia. That is where the muth comes from. Her upper register never deterioated at anytime. You are sadly misinformed.
Giovannifabuloso 3 years ago
Well in that case im very glad that i am wrong. it only adds further, yet unnecessary, support to my belief that she was the greatest singer ever. since u knew her though, is it true that she did indeed have a phobia of high C's?
moghedien13 3 years ago
No. She did not have a phobia of the high C's. When she cracked while having the flu it was upsetting to her and she remembered it for the rest of her life, but she was very confident in her singing.Her voice is just perfection. I am a singer myself and everytime I listen to her recordings I am still in awe that such a magnificent sound could come from a human being.
Giovannifabuloso 3 years ago
In her entire Metropolitan career, Rosa Ponselle sang Aïda only 14 times, of which exactly TWICE at the Metropolitan Opera House itself.
Her electrical takes of the Nile aria were never issued, because the high C was flat every time.
She had a panic of that High C, all right.
AulicExclusiva 2 years ago
You obviously do not have a clue about what great singing is. You also very much uninformed about Ponselle's voice. She had a very solid high C and it was never flat. Before you make such statements you should know what you are talking about. Ponselle is the perfect example of a seamless scale
Giovannifabuloso 2 years ago
Stop huffing and puffing and answer the substantive facts I submitted, available to all and undeniable: Why did she avoid Aïda? Why were her electrical attempts at O patria mia never issued?
Because after 1924 her voice started to go down. That is why she quit opera at age 40, and why in the Villa Pace recordings she sounds like a baritone.
AulicExclusiva 2 years ago
You have your facts all wrong. i knew Rosa Ponselle. She was a friend of mine. I can speak with authority on her. She never had any problems with her voice . That is a myth. Ponselle was a true Dramatic Soprano. She had an extreme range in her voice.She had amazing chest tones and could at will darken the voice or make it as light as a feather. She never avoided Aida. That is a myth. Ponselle's voice is an example of a seamless scale. She retired because she fell in love and got married. .
Giovannifabuloso 2 years ago
Ponselle died in 1981. You claim you are 29. Do the math.
merrihew 2 years ago
Actually I am 54 years old. My birth year is wrong in the system and I do not know how to change it . I was born in 1955. I knew Ponselle in the last several years of her life. Knowing her was the greatest experience of my life. She was a very warm down to earth lady. I miss her
Giovannifabuloso 2 years ago
I know people who knew her as well and speak very fondly of her.
merrihew 2 years ago
Comment removed
AulicExclusiva 2 years ago
Ponselle capitalizes on her tonal beauty, even registers, and perfect legato in her performance of this beautiful song. Lily Pons also made a wonderful recording of it, late in her career (1950, I believe), in Russian.
meltzerboy 4 years ago
Wonderful singing. Rich and warm! Brava.
paulostroff99 4 years ago
Thank you very much, merrihew, for this exquisite recording. Ponselle is my favorite soprano, no exceptions. Of course there are a lot of wonderful ones, past and present, but Ponselle was unique. I've always been very passionate about her voice and artistry. I think I have all her 78s and other recordings.
stan724 4 years ago
I feel exactly the same way about her.
merrihew 4 years ago
. Ponselle's dark chocolate, velvety sound, fabulous breath control, and exquisite evenness of tone, are hypnotic when combined with this music.
janejones11 4 years ago
Ponselle had a gloroius voice, glorious middle and low notes specially.This is GREAT !What an artistry, I do love this song
moreno2394 4 years ago
Ponselle's voice might be slightly different from what it was earlier, but still incredibly fully balanced with perfect, warm rendition disregarding the octave.
kspm01 4 years ago
Thanks. Yes, a perfectly seamless voice with an incredible range. Will upload some more tomorrow - too hot to go outside.
merrihew 4 years ago
This is GREAT !!!! what a glorious voice !and what an artist !
potrobsas 4 years ago
What a voice Ponselle had. So rich and even. More please.
mrrk 4 years ago