O don fatale - Don Carlo Contest - Nadja Michael

[4114224]

The only reason I can imagine that this performance was included in the contest is because coloraturafan wanted something to clearly come in last place. -5 out of 5. Although, I love the rasp at the end of the C-flat!

[cbrown6660]

Love you coloratura but there can be no O Don Fatale contest with out Shirley Verrett!

[nestorfabianpz]

I liked it a lot! Not my favorite but she has one single element that in my most modest others lack, she holds the high C long enough for us to enjoy that wonderful climax! She has a very strong sense of theatricality and interpretation! BRAVA!

[gotthelf100]

Sieht so die große internationale Karriere aus?

[SatanAteMySocks]

@gotthelf100 Frau Michael wird nun auch die Eboli an der Hamburgischen Staatsoper singen - in eben dieser Inszenierung, übrigens - als Einspringerin für ein Ensemblemitglied. Ich bin gespannt.

[gotthelf100]

Im April folgt dann noch die Marie im "Wozzeck". Darstellerisch wird sie sich in dieser Rolle austoben können. Aber gesanglich ist das wohl einer der allerschwierigsten Partien in der gesamten Opernliteratur, an die sich nur sehr wenige, technisch hochversierte Sängerinnen wagen. Bei Frau Michaels Technikignoranz muß man dadurch verheerende Stimmschäden befürchten. Im übrigen singt Frau Michael 2011 sonst nur noch die Medee in Brüssel und gibt 1 Konzert mit Wagners Wesendonck-Lieder in Prag.

[venetianformula]

Can she sing anything on pitch? If this is professional singing, we are in trouble.

[blauauge2]

die stimme ist schon jetzt hinüber. schade , tolle künstlerin.

[gotthelf100]

Schade, Doch wenn man einfach auf die Technik pfeift und in kurzer Zeit alles mögliche bunt durch den Gemüsegarten singt, braucht man sich nicht zu wundern.

[7inga7]

I like this voice!

[alecs1976]

this is awful...

[delosreyesgavikanes]

TENOROTI, you can have your opinion about her singing, but listen to the Vienna audience, I think they have heard the best of the best and their reaction is very positive, about she sleep around, You are mistaken and you should not give this kind of opinion when you don't know the person. I happy to know the lady and can tell you, you are wrong 100%. She is a very dedicated artist and mother of two beatiful girls

[Zva26]

@delosreyesgavikanes - I just saw her Lady Macbeth this afternoon in Chicago and she was stupendous. She moved on the stage like an anaconda. She's a great stage creature and her voice has a spooky and very dramatic quality.

[jocmuc1]

ich bin ein fan von ihr.

als eboli kann man ihre technik sicherlich bemängeln und auch die möglichkeiten ihrer stimme.

aber gestern abend habe ich ihre medea in corinto von g.s.mayr in münchen gesehen und gehört.

mit dieser karriere ist es noch lange nicht vorbei. sie ist einfach grandios und ich bin gerne bereit, den einen oder anderen ton in die tonne zu treten, für diese

bühnenpräsenz und diesen unglaublichen sexus.

ich will oper ja nicht nur hören, sondern auch sehen.

[gotthelf100]

Na ja, das sehen wie ich die meisten bestimmt ganz anders anders. Wer nur ein wenig Gehör hat, den gruselt es bei so einer Aufnahme. Da kann auch das äußere Erscheinungsbild nichts wettmachen. Natürlich geht es bei der Oper zuallerst ums Hören, sonst sollte man sicher lieber aufs Musical verlegen, da läuft ohnehin alles über Mikrofon und Mischpult.

[gotthelf100]

Für 2011 ist mir bekannt, daß Frau Michael nur an zwei großen Opernhäusern engagiert ist: In einigen Vorstellungen des "Tannhäusers" an der Deutschen Oper Berlin (wo ihr Auftreten gesanglich schon bei der Premie ein Luftnummer war und die Inszenierung auch keinen Spielraum für spielerische Brillanz hergab).

[gotthelf100]

Also: wer auch nur ein wenig Gehör hat, für den ist diese Aufnahme der reine Graus. Da rettet auch die vorzüglichste Bühnenpräsenz nichts. Für den echten Opernlieber geht es natürlich zu allererst um das Hören:

Stimme, Chor und Orchester.

Weitere Anmerkungen siehe oben.

[philipc67]

Some lovely notes in the middle of the notes, the rest is a disaster. The top is screamed, the low notes inaudible. The production looks horrible, the black dress, blood, barefoot, YAWN! Also, personally I think DON CARLO doesn't work in French. The drama disappears. In Italian, it is simpler and more direct.

[tenorotti]

Look at these sets and staging. Another "happy" production. Poor singers. As for Michael, everybody in the business knows she slept her way to where she is. Listen to Simionato, Barbieri, Stignani and more recently Cossotto, Bumbry, Verrett. That's mezzo singing! We're on our way to rock bottom.

[FoggyRoad81]

OMG. This is an absolute trainwreck. And for those who say she is dramatically thrilling, BULL! She is overacting, Verrett showed how to physically and vocally thrilling more than this horrific, swooping, uncontrolled vibrato mess. The high notes are screamed this is DISGUSTING.

[TommyHaegin]

Schauspielerisch ist sie super, sieht auch unbestritten gut aus, aber beim Singen hat sie einige Defizite... mal schauen, wie lange das mit ihrer Karriere geht. Könnte recht schnell vorbei sein bei der mangelhaften Technik.

[Quotenwagnerianer]

Schauspielrisch gibt die gute ja wirklich alles. Selten eine so gute Operndarstellerinn gesehen. Aber... lass uns beim Gesang ja mal beim deutlichsten anfangen:

Warum hat die eigentlich keiner ihrer Gesangslehrer mal zum Logopäden geschickt um ihr das Lispeln weg zu trainieren?

[yesblanche]

Ok...well I think this particular performance is pretty awful...but she is in high demand at a number of the world's top houses, so she must be doing something right.

I'm going to check out some of her other performances here on youtube before I write her off as a subpar artist, perhaps Eboli just isn't her role.

Also, coloraturafan I wish you had included the incomprable Shirley Verrett, and I think I speak for us all in saying thank you for your many great posts.

[Gigglingatagas]

Hmm. There are times when the color of the voice is quite lovely, and she is a rather impressive stage personality. Whether for "effect" or necessity, the extreme top notes are screamy and shallow. I've heard that she's moved to soprano roles, which does not seem to suit where the voice naturally lies.

Still, a fascinating performer and truly exciting!

[operaoaf]

This is MACABRE!! All that blood!

As for the singing, I don't know what to say. She sounds so strained at the top.

[owenboi66]

More of a singing actress. It's true that technically she's less than perfect - but theatrically it's quite exciting.

[atzedeno1]

She has a great voice and great looks and an unbelievable acting talent

she just can´t deal with that big voice! I´m really sorry for her, that she changed so early into the soprano fach AND süße Dein s-fehler geht mir sowas von auf den Keks!

[aguacun]

I think the problem is not an early change to soprano but to sing that kind of soprano roles so early. She sounds to me, in the middle register not that big for dramatic roles

[swiftsboy]

Awful !!!

But sadly this is what passes for great singing in 2008, (amongst those who don't know).

I was going to book for "Die Todt Stadt" at Covent Garden in 2009,but as she is singing I think I will pass.

[vully70]

Quite exiting performance, but vocally problematic. Sreamed high notes, wobbling vibrato, frightning voice problems for such a young artist.

As for the rating: 2 for singing, 5 for acting

[DivaDeb1234]

This is like a car wreck...it's just so horrible but you can't take your eyes off of it. I'll say again....OH MY NO !

Where is the legato? Where is the singing!!!!

Hello...this is opera...Opera is singing..!

[agabusdawatchman]

A very nice singing actress..she shows that she's married to the art.

[WilhelmMeister01]

Lots of screaming, little singing. 1/1

[gypsycafe]

3.5/1 (What's with the blood?)

[wenarto]

she scratched herself so harsh that she is bleeding...it shows the intensity of her guilt?

[sschimel]

As always, Coloraturafan has introduced me to a new singer. Unfortunately, I don't own a car at the moment, or I wold drive through her wobble.

2/2

[tenorbear60]

"Drive through her wobble..." now THAT was funny! Welcome to slopera - take a pretty young thing, put her in a nightgown, slap some blood on her (for no damn reason) and call it Don Carlos in French. What's up with these new, skinny opera b****es? They look 24 and sound 64. Trash - 1/1

[sschimel]

Well, I agree with you on everything. Everything is cast now with an eye for HD broadcasts and DVD sales. Don Carlo was written, by the way, in French for the Paris Opera. French is the original language. There's a great recording of the original 5 act French version with Domingo.

[happyactor6]

AH! What is happening with that wobble in her lower register. It's almost a trill. The high note sounded pretty good though, the support was nice. 2/3

[rowley555]

Horrible singing. too bad. the natural voice is not bad. No technique. Ok so she's pretty. But I go to the opera to hear good singing and not to have my ears assailed like this. Give me a Zajick, or a Bumbry.

[Elisabetta611]

My, another gal singing an aria in a nightgown. Urgh, how ORIGINAL!

I despise that production. 1/1

[tenormcgee]

if the tongue wasn't in her intestines, it would sound a hell of a lot better

[panos990]

Very interesting voice, phrasing and singing. Theatrically marginally conceived and more marginally executed, but so special singing.

4,5/3,5

[welfensdorf]

Wonderful modern production, beautiful Eboli, I love Nadja Michael

4/5

[DivaDeb1234]

Oh my NO !

[dutchtallguy]

I truly miss the authentic costumes in this production. I believe this is one off the lesser mezzo's in this competition. She has a small voice and her top register laks conviction. 3/3

[DivaDeb1234]

I miss the costumes & the furniture!! LOL

[benben203]

Diva Deb, you are so cruel, how could you rate her ONE star with this stellar singing! Your videos are crappy, sideway, your french is bad, and you telling this wonderful singer ONE star. Go back and rate her 5 star twice you bitter and jaded opera singer.

[DivaDeb1234]

ben ben..

with you ...I just consider the source!

LOL

[benben203]

seriously, rating this world class caliber singer ONE star shows that you have no music taste - also judging from your videos, you ought dare not rate her ONE star. Come back and rate her 5 stars twice.

coloraturafan, block divadeb1234 or she would rate everything better than her performance ONE star.

[emmagoodwill]

You can hear that her voice was once very beautyful. But now her looks carries her carrear. I realy can´t immagine, that she sings now soprano paeces like Tosca!!!

[slobone]

Yeah, sorry, 2/1. But hey, at least for once Eboli has some beauty to curse...

[DramatisPersone]

1.5/3. the producer/director should have been sacked... does well considering.

[Tanagra64]

An insult to Maestro Verdi, if you ask me...

2/2

[anaolga]

couldn't agree more

1/1

[janejones11]

What an absolutely dreadful production! What moron decided Eboli should cut her self, twirl around like a hyperactive child, and have stark white walls behind her ? So, so silly. Anyhow, the singing doesn't make up for the production, and there is no hope of a good characterization with this set and direction.

2.7/2

[rawdonqueen]

Abysmal. 2/2

[felipecunha]

2/2

[watchstone]

Well, this can't compare to "real" opera by any stretch of the imagination. 2/2

[ariodante76]

The epitome of eurotrash in the opera world. So many horrid cliches- the stark walls, fetal-positions on the floor, self-inflicted wounds. I could go on for days.

2/2

[BeauTenor]

What in gay hell is this? Anorexic looks, anorexic voice. See what happens when directors put looks over voice? She should sing a joint concert with Netrebko. No, no...and no. 1/1

[curiequ]

2.5/3

[patjan92]

I can't even imagine what the rest of that production was like. I hope they had medics on stand-by. 1/1

[DivaDeb1234]

LOLO

I had to go back and watch!

OUch!

Man that hurts!

DIVADEB