Stravinsky - The Rake's Progress - "No Word From Tom"

[phoenix0glance]

The wig is a disaster, don't know her real hair, but it must have fitted better!

[bigboy1black]

she is amazing 

[luvbucket]

ah, what fun. kinda under on the C at the end, but hey, she's not afraid to act, at least.

[anneayer]

Her diction is pristine.

[katieboyd1]

i am very outnumbered here but I completely detest this. I much prefer the Cathryn Pope and Felicity lot versions. Pope brings out all the beauty and lyricism in the music with a smoother vocal line, and Lott captures more of the urgency and despair in the situation whilst still appearing optimistic about her future. Upshaw is just screaming half the time, she doesn't connect up all the dots in the music

[daniellesoprano]

@katieboyd1 - Felicity Lott? You mean the 1975 version with the London Phil? Those are the most languid tempi I've ever heard called urgent.. and I think it's commendable that Dawn takes acting risks to approach a young, terrified, passionate version of Anne that I find to be plenty urgent.

[fluffynamedkimba]

super.

[0lsenchannel]

she is the best

[ReneeFlemingTheBest]

almost perfect



[marcinhutek]

Dawn Upshaw is the best anne trulove!!!!!! My favorite!!!

[papoocanada]

saw it at its Metropolitan Opera première in 195X, dont remember, with Eugene Conley and Hilde Gueden. I loathed it. Then throughout the years I've started to appreciate it and now really love this unusual opera.

[squaresyourtrue]

@papoocanada It really did bomb at the Met, didn't it? The avant-gardists hated it because the music was so deliberately simple, but it wasn't a crowd-pleaser either (even with show-stopping arias like this one) perhaps because it can seem so cold and intellectualized and ironic.

I loved the score from when I first heard it, but I can understand why it didn't take off originally. Though I don't quite know why it provoked so much anger at the time. Maybe it was the staging as well as the music.

[heather3157]

Every single time I hear her sing this, it gives me goose bumps! AMAZING!

[cdoggiefizzle]

My favorite on youtube.

[nickbigd]

I've admired her recording of this aria for such a long time. I think she is just a perfect Anne.

[Rudziewicz]

Hah. She's cheating in at times. Funny.

[costa7902]

Great performance, much better than her older version of it.

[laraandlars]

she plays the character a little too frantic for my taste. She is the heroine and needs to act like one. Too much arm flailing.

[cocosanti69]

HOLY PERM!!!

[CrystalFlames]

this is a crazy hard aria.

kudos to Ms. Upshaw!

[bloodyIla]

Oh my God.

This moves me.

[JAYJAY1000000]

She is wonderful, superb performance!

[MattQ88]

This is amazing. My only critique is that the conductor did not pay attention to Stravinsky's metronome markings.. at all. But still, brava!

[g4thz]

But he does give the orchestra an incredible sense of vulnerability. Look. Most people just play these notes (see the recent Cardiff winner &co.). These people are actually saying something.

[316xsteph]

The LA Philharmonic played this song this year!

simply AMAZINGGGG

[lpw0021]

I really love this.. I've always really enjoyed Dawn Upshaw, but she has never been one of my "top" sopranos. This, however, is probably my favorite performance of this difficult aria. SHe plays it great, and, her voice works at this stuff. Brava!

[urgrad03]

This is certainly not the best I've heard Upshaw, but I still favored this video for her lovely interpretation of the piece and the wonderful staging.

[owenboi66]

She's amazing. She manages to keep the sound clear and forward, without distorting the vowels too much. Saw this opear at Covent Garden last night. The soprano was wonderful, but I couldn't hear a lot of her words. Upshaw shows that it can be done!

[newhotmailit]

marvellous!!!!!

[hillevifan]

could you please post the epilogue?

[manidonno10]

It is amazing to compare this version with her 1990 recording! A totally different take (especially in the aria), but equally valid and jaw-dropping.

The woman is flawless.

[Bendmac525]

The scary thing is that along with being able to blow the audience away with a Stravinsky piece, she has the same effect with Glitter and be Gay, lighter jazz/musical theater-style music, and anything else from Berg to traditional cultural music.

I can't really think of anyone with more range than her. Kristin Chenowith is right up there, but I still prefer Upshaw.

[hillevifan]

I(sorry)hate Kristin Chenowith as a singer but LOOVE her as an actor. Upshaw is THE better of the two- no question!

[Bendmac525]

Don't apologize; I can see where you're coming from. Kristin Chenowith has a slightly odd voice than can tend towards the shrill side...

I agree with you - Upshaw is my personal favorite either way.

I just had Chenowith's performance of Glitter and be Gay in my head, which I (personally) think is extremely good. Though Upshaw's is as good, in a different way. I really shouldn't compare them, they're really not that similar at all.

[pinkpowerangervp]

I've heard this piece many times but NEVER like this. Dawn Upshaw is absolutely brilliant. I have chills like its the first time I've ever heard it. Astonishing!

[tealsinging]

wowowowowwowowowo...Ya just gotta love Dawn!!!!!!!

It's so great to hear music done justice!

[Song27]

One of my favorite Dawn moments! What can be said? Everything is evident in the performance.

[Foly90]

magnifique!

[emilyforddirks]

where and when was this performance?

thanks!

[Liga123567]

thank you for posting! It´s splendid!!!

[sagalat]

Splendid.  Repays the effort to acquire a taste for this (to me) "New Music." Upshaw astounds

[hillevifan]

Thanks!!!!! I've loved Dawn Upshaw since the first time I heard her in Die Zauberflote!!!!!!!

Thanks for posting!!!