Olga Borodina - Don Carlo - O Don Fatale

[bodiloto]

Questa è la voce del soprano drammatico.

[RedbeardNC]

LMAO Beyonce

[slapfleitun]

BRAVA

[Transoxiana94]

Absolutely terrific! There`s an entire rainbow of colours in her voice. So much drama coupled with a gorgeously dark voice and very clear diction. And I can barely tell how beautiful her high register is. And the low one... takes my breath away. Long live the dramatic mezzos!

[raaadja99]

Comparing Beyonce to Borodina made me laugh very hard, even though she is a very fine pop singer, comparing her to a first league dramatic mezzo is truly embarassing. Even for her...

[dramamezzo]

This list of comments inspired an entire blog for me because I can't believe the extremes of opinion covered in review of this one video. It is dramamezzo.wordpress the Opera Awareness post. they won't let me post the link but I think it is important to understand how voice types are classified.

[TerrancePogue]

I beg to differ @ Star raft..... If you notice the score... the Amneris and Eboli dont really live in the high parts of the mezzo just has a couple moments... Beautifully done....

[TommyHaegin]

I simply detest it when mezzo's or alto's push their lower register. Just listen to what she does at 1:12. It is such a turn off and display of bad taste. When I hear this I just cringe. If I was in charge, such an Eboli I would never cast, sorry.

[ididete]

@TommyHaegin Luckily you are not in charge. With your petty anal-compulsive taste, good singers would never get a chance.

[TommyHaegin]

@ididete Hahahahaaa!! :D

[ididete]

@TommyHaegin Thanks for not being mean :) You must be a happy person.

[selinaaalion]

she belts over the orchestra with such ease, completely beautiful. dramatic mezzo sopranos are so fun to watch.

[StarRaft]

you know this is really not the kind of aria she should be singing; she doesn't have the high notes or temperament for this or amneris (note at 1:08, how she aborts that high note). gorgeous voice, but not for her the dramatic verdi mezzo parts.

[arnulfo481]

brava!

[chichovifil]

Sorry,but that cant be a mezzo.She is a very big soprano and fantastic singer,but not a mezzo.I like her nevertheless.

[melisandedebussy]

esta sii que es un mezzo y dramática, fantásticaaa!!!

[aztap130]

Wikipedia has this tagged as a prime example of a "Big" dramatic mezzo-soprano voice, and I must agree.

This is absolutely goregous

[calsie0]

@aztap130

yeah, i agree!

[laupernaranjolabelle]

True Dramatic-Mezzo.

Wonderful!

Brava!

[otagui1]

Great voice! Brava!

[bogdankos]

ah, those colours in the voice of borodina... they just make me melt.

[cantanteporsiempre]

yes, a russian voice, big, creemy, scary lol. Great singer

[cantanteporsiempre]

BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIG VOICE

[writetogus]

Borodina is a Goddess! Who is this Beyonce?  Can she cook?

[bravazingara]

my comment was for a particular user

[BenPookyXCore]

she has a beautiful, creamy, deep rich voice, i love it very much :).

[kmillard]

Are we really discussing Beyonce and Borodina in the same sentences?????

To get back on point, this is possibly the most "contralto-ish" version of this aria besides Ewa Podles and I just love Borodina's rich burgundy wine-like coloration in the voice. She really makes an awesome Delilah because of her rich organ-toned chest voice although she's really awesome here with some top notes that would make more than few dramatic sopranos jealous.

[MissSovietBones]

@kmillard I would say the most contralto like version of this song is definitely Dame Clara Butt - do check her version out if you can. In my humble opinion, she has the deepest and most weighty voice in a contralto that I've heard.

[mongemark]

one of the best voices of the world ... she is a really force of nature ..the first sibem aaaahhhh...IRONTHROAT (powerful and beautiful) ... i have listened in theatre Barbieri, Bumbry, Cossotto, Casolla, Zajic, Verrett, Obratzova Horne and many others great voice but Olga...is a real mezzo...

[JuillHope17]

there were issues in the middle, but overall (and especially in the final section) this was pretty fucking amazing. that being said, everyone else with super negative comments should really grow up, because they're immature and not needed at all.

[MoiraeErinyes]

Stunning...

[visitthemmore]

Agree with you, HappyHounde

[HappyHounde]

ok. All you blabber mouths. When you are singing with a full orchestra to a full house as she is then I will listen to your silly comments. She is a good example of a dramatic mezzo.

[TheReturnOfStephan]

Thanks for posting this video.

It SOUNDS great, and, for me, that's all that matters.:)

[796824]

Listen to Ebe Stignani and Fiorenza Cossotto sing this aria. This lady was unable to hold the top because she makes the middle voice too thick

[melinat]

Excellent performance!!

[pepperkitty81]

Amazing!!!!

[DivaDeb1234]

She makes it sound so easy ....and it's not!

[gretchenamspinnrade]

Gabba02, thank you for adding this!

Do you, by chance, know when was this recital of hers?

[aydahr]

beyonce is dramatic mezzo soprano too!

[Destatur]

beyonce? :))) no...actually she is a non-operatic soprano!

[sarahblasuma]

i bet she could sing opera, though. she has strong enough pipes for it.

[Destatur]

meybe with intense classical canto lessons yes...

[tagliavini]

I like your sense of humour

[bravazingara]

seriously....not, to each it´s own...

[violasinger]

she may be a dramatic mezzo. But this is a different genre and the techniques couldn't be more different. It would take a singer like beyonce at LEAST 1 year to get this good.

I'm not saying that she doesn't have what it takes, I'm saying that it is like telling a classically trained ballet dancer to go out on the stage and krump, and vice versa. both may be very good at what they do and the may have the tools required to do what the other is doing, but it's gonna take time to get to that level

[AaliyahLiveVideo]

I doubt it.. Beyonce hasbeen classically trained.. She could sing opera if she really wanted.. Of course she'd have to train some more.. But it wouldn't be that hard.. If you compare this woman's voice to beyonce's.. Beyonce wins hands down

[violasinger]

Not that hard? are you even a singer? God, this makes me wanna punch someone in the face! But I'm not gonna, I'm just gonna calm down and say that I'll believe it when I see it.

I'm over reacting, I know, I guess I'm just passionate about this

[AaliyahLiveVideo]

Yes.. I am indeed a singer.. I have been singing all of my life and taking classical training for most of it. So yes indeed, there is NO reason for you to over react like you did

[IfYourMomWereATaco]

If anything, violasinger under-reacted, and that's not even a word. I guess I'll be the first to say it then: YOU'RE RETARDED. First of all, perhaps the most brilliant mezzo-soprano still singing today should never be so violated by any association with Beyonce- why you would ever bring her up here is a mystery to me. Secondly Beyonce would be laughed at by any opera buff if she ever dared to try and make the crossover and that's just the way it is.

[AaliyahLiveVideo]

Who the hell do you think you are? Beyonce has classical training.. She is an AMAZING vocalist.. Even if she doesnt sing opera NO ONE can deny the fact that her voice is among the greatest of our generation.. Listen to her vibrato and how agile and strong her voice is when she belts.. And her lower notes aren't airy, they are strong.. and her head voice is so strong that she doesn't have to flaggeolate to get past c#6 like most other singers

[IfYourMomWereATaco]

That's fantastic, pookie. She's a lovely pop singer, and she can shake her little booty in a pair of stilettos. But you're trying to argue that Beyonce could perform this aria better than Olga Borodina, one of the leading operatic mezzo-sopranos around. Now, normally I'd get much more defensive on behalf of and crude on behalf of Ms. Borodina than I have already, but given that you've clearly demonstrated that you are, in fact, retarded, I'm willing to be a bit more lenient on the matter.

[IfYourMomWereATaco]

And for my sake, if you'd be so kind as to cite where in my first two replies I accused Beyonce's low notes of being breathy, that would be lovely, seeing as I have no recollection of ever typing any such thing. I'm struggling to see the relevance in that anyhow.

[ReignEra]

u definatley know alot about singing.. go girl!

[bravazingara]

don´t ever compare a pop singer to an opera artist! seriously...it makes you look pretty ignorant

[IfYourMomWereATaco]

Oh, and you've been "taking" classical training? You have no idea how stupid that makes you sound. There's also a major syntax error in the phrase "So yes indeed, there is no reason." I'll leave you to figure it out for yourself.

[AaliyahLiveVideo]

BITCH SHUT THE FUCK UP!

[IfYourMomWereATaco]

rawr! you get feisty when you realize you've made an ass out of yourself!

[KlTIIE]

Troll.

[johnwillattplant]

And now I have to apologize to saraeltoyou!

Sorry, I am a novice at youtube and I realize that you and I are aiming at the same target.

I thought you were claiming that Olga had no

credentials as a 'classically trained singer' - then I saw the history of this debate. In any case, viva Olga - and consider my polemic directed towards anyone who doesn't appreciate her!!

[johnwillattplant]

Re Saraeltoyou's comment. Olga Borodina sings this aria better than anyone else on the planet.

As an opera composer myself, and as one who has spent 53 of his 63 years listening to opera, I am not speaking out of ignorance. Your comment seems mean-spirited and ungenerous - comparable to someone who would claim that Bessie Smith does not know how to sing the blues. This is an astounding and soulful performance of one of the most challenging arias in the entire repertoire.

[Iareto]

You think she sings this better than Zajick? I love her, but I feel Zajick's instrument is the best on the planet for any voice type at the moment.

[saraeltoyou]

Just because someone has had classical voice lessons does not mean that they are a classically trained singer.

If Britney Spears learned to sing an aria and took a voice lesson or two, does that make her a classically trained singer?

I think not.

[ilbacioditosca]

Excelso!!!!

[saraeltoyou]

are we really comparing Olga to Beyonce?

This is a joke I hope.

And no, there is no way that Beyonce is a classically trained Mezzo, sorry.

I can't believe I had to write that. lol

[FemaleVocalLover1975]

Actually she is. She took classical training when she was a little girl until she got into the industry.

[iValkure]

Shw started awfull with a grave alto voice and towards the end she warmed up to higher more mezzo levels - overall good singing for Olga: but the conductor and the orchestra lack a thing or two - the trumpet player should get shot !!

[damskooo]

mhhh so she is the same kind of singer like beyonce omg thats so cool alto i dont see bee singing this but she is a mezzo 2 just like kat deluna

[sweetalker79]

Olga is a classic dramatic mezzo. Beyonce couldn't sing over an orchestra if her life depended on it. Don't insult Olga by comparing her to such trash.

[damskooo]

trash sorry bee aint trash 150 awards speak different and patti mimi nippy mary j bige bono shakira alicia agree fool

[CONTESTAR]

I don't think anyone is trash, but let me tell you that Callas lost the only competition she ever entered to an accordeonist.

Judging as you do we should all be listening to Paul Potts.

Just because some fit a market and this market gives them all the coverage and/or awards the market itself has invented doesn't mean we are all idiots.

with all respect to the people you mention.

[hardtechnoboy]

Without her manager father, Jay Z and her bad blond weave, Beyonce would be as famous as Solange.

Don't EVEN get me started on the awful House of Dereon!  Even Stevie Wonder called those clothes awful.

[jaflemin]

Hahahah!!! Cruel but insightful. I like it!

[agnellodei]

so I guess mcdonalds is better than salmon and veggies since it is more popular.

[damskooo]

incase you did not not bee is also a fully trained mezzo soprano singer so i dont know

[Antoniac123]

Your kidding right? I have to assume so since you can't construct a sentence.

[AuthenticFeirce]

SHUT UP

[hermanzoon]

I heard Olga sing Amneris in Aida at the MET in about 2000, and she stole the show. She proved the opera should have been titled "Amneris's" or "Amni's Angst" or something other than "Aida".

[TeeCf23]

I think opera music is weird, like what the heck are you talking about? Wasting such a voice, if you can really sing, do good music!

[hermanzoon]

ah! For a minute there I thought you were being serious.

[yomemegurl]

good music? most modern music is shit.

opera really portrays emotiona nd it is oen of teh most beautiful forms of music.

[trumansf]

U r an ignorant idiot, opera is older then the world, do u know when it started? Without opera there would be no music, everything came out of opera!!!!!

[TeeCf23]

sorry if i may have insulted a few 'opera fanatics' but im not firmilar with that type of music, and i have done my research and i have learned opera is the mother of all musics and people are paid millions to be classically trained in opera, i listen to r&b/pop/hip-hop which devries from opera [using the voice, controls hitting high notes, blahh blahh]

- its weird at first for me... but i 100% stand behind my previous comment (my opinion)

its hard to understand the words..

[SilverRaine]

The type of music that plays today, good or not, are generally sung by people with generic voices. nothing special. In opera, they are trained to be as amazing as they are and to find their real voice. (lol, hard to explain that one) but i do understand where you're coming from. i only find opera nice if you can actually understand the lyrics. kind of like screamo, in a way, LOL.

[TeeCf23]

sooo can i have my thumbs up back now? lmao im gettin paranoid checkin evrydfay -'s are killin me =[

[Iareto]

I used to be in the same boat as you until I started taking lessons. Now opera and I are inseperable. Opera takes time and good ears to appreciate. Mind you, this is REALLY heavy opera to be starting out with.  I started out with Pirates of Penzance. It's in English and it's pretty funny if you're into that kind of British, ridiculous humor. You should check it out.

[violoner]

Hmm, hard to understand. I'm going to assume that you only speak English then?

[etyrmi]

what a voice. she sounds like a tenor in the low range =) i'm impressed. and such beautiful phrasing.

[xDARKESTxSOULx]

She is a great dramatic mezzo soprano!

[141407078989]

yeah... almost contralto! with better highs than Eva Marton and better lows than some tenors, She ROCKS!!!

[operawiz]

olga is the bomb!!

[glasskimono]

i think i just fell in loveeeee

[WhandaGlam]

Olga Borodina mi Idola!!!Diosa!!!espero conocerte algun dia!!!

[AmatureComposer]

When was it recorded?

[godivapaw]

WOW!!!!! Olga Borodina is FABULOUS!!!

[BDSCalgary]

I like her very much indeed. Yes, we are lucky now to have some super good contraltos. And yes, Zajick is a knock out in this role. Borodina was wonderful in everything I have seen her in.

[ezayitas]

She isn´t a contralto. She´s a mezzosoprano.

[AmatureComposer]

In Russia they don't really distinguish altos from mezzos. Look in the Mariinsky's official site. The mezzos are singing all the alto-roles from the russian repertoire, and there are many (Marfa, Konchakovna, Vanya, Olga...)

[ezayitas]

Yes, I understand but Russia isn´t the world. Anyway... when she started she didn´t sound like that. I just heard her in the köln Philarmonie and she was incredible. Love her voice.

[sirmercutio99]

She sounds more like a contralto in this. Kind of voice that would be great for Ulrica.

[mm9913]

WOW, a contralto indeed with an amazing extension reminds me of the Polish contralto who bills herself as the worlds greatest contralto, name escapes me.

[ezayitas]

She isn´t a contralto... she is a mezzzo.

[tanynzh]

she's Ewa Podles, the Polish contralto

[AmatureComposer]

MMM... no she isn't.

They look quite different to start with (except for body weight perhaps), and they also sound different - Hear Borodina's low notes. She mixes the lower register much more gradually. I prefer Borodina, but it's a matter or taste.

[141407078989]

look for "Ewa Podles Eboli Don carlo O don fatale" and see they're not the same

[eboli2805]

terrible.... whats that??? borodina??? are you sure???? she is fatt here....i am not sure that s borodina.... thats terrible.....poor verdi!!!

[bravazingara]

she hasn´t been thin for a long time...

i , however, think that wasn´t her most valuable quality

[foropera]

Ouf!!When is it from? I saw her in Paris Opera in 2000, in Eboli and her high note was much easier, and longer. She has a wonderful voice, for sure, but I don't think that it is well took here, I find her very very thick of sound.

[Orfeus80]

Wonderful. Some sliding to the notes but otherwise passionate, powerful and her slavic accent adds something personal to her singing.

[mariogorga]

Zajick was another good Eboli,but I like Borodina voice more.

[mariogorga]

Borodina is probably the best mezzo we have around today!

[sopracuto]

yes...she's good...but i prefer luciana d'intino's rendition...go check my video response...

[mariogorga]

You know what I like about these slavic singers are a bit like the old italian school,they love to sing with the chest voice.I love D'Intino as well.

[schicchi1160]

Have you seriously never hear Zajick?

[Weillfanatic]

Yeah, I agree, Zajick has it all over anyone else in this rep.

[ezayitas]

uh-uh... she has a beautiful voice and is a great singer but there are at least three that are big rivals... starting with Dolora Zajick

[francotenelli]

Great voice!

[rjw0886]

Where and when was this performance?