Saw Rysanek from her early years at the Vienna State Opera to her last Klytemnestra in Houston and had lunch with her at that time. Always surprised that she is not a tall woman, but WHAT a gigantic and amazing voice. The intensity was extraordinary.
This was glorious. Domingo's heroic and lyric Lohengrin is superb. His Wagner repertoire is very enjoyable & I've loved his Parsifal, Tristan & Siegfried. Leonie Rysanek is a thrilling soprano with a huge voice and this scene was wonderful. Thanks for sharing.
@dziady1 Ridiculous statement. What you mean is you prefer Vickers voice. Arrogant nonsense like that keeps people away from opera because of self-styled 'aficionados' like you. Vickers never sang Lohengrin so your 'knowledge' rather comes apart at the seams doesn't it?
Domingo actually sounds pretty good here. Actually in some ways the German repertoire probably suited him better than the Italian, with his short top.
Several videos show that Domingo was outstanding as Lohengrin but the role did not seem to suit him and he sang it only a few times. Too high for too long? Melchior, a much more baritonal tenor with a lower lying voice, sang the part many times, however, he never sang Meistersinger for the reason stated above.
I think you are incorrect about Domingo and his Lohengrin performances. He first sang it as early as 1968 in Hamburg but dropped it. I saw him TWICE at the Metropolitan during different seasons in two separate productions. There is a marvelous DVD from Vienna w/Abbado conducting and Studer as Elsa.He recording under Solti w/J.Norman is superb.His slightly accented German made him perfect as the "foreigner" that was the Swan Knight. It was one of his favorite roles all over the word.
Of course Leonie's screams are incomparable and highly dramatic, but the woman very rarely sang in tune in her life. She, Renata Tebaldi and Zinka Milanov have sung more off-tunes than Madonna, they never learned how to tune their voice according to the pitch and I dont think this ever mattered to them
Nevertheless she is a formidable Ortrud (who cares let alone who understands! bad intonation in our days - not even musicians themselves most of the times)
Despite the sharpness, still better than Leonie's Met Ortrud which was done at roughly the same time. What an incredible singer!! Who was the Elsa in this production? We only see the back of her head.
Sharp sopranos sometimes caused by big support, laudable head resonance generating upper partials that seem to pull the voice up higher than the pitch the singer hears and controls. Does not happen in small voices. More an acoustic phenomenon than a technical problem. My opinion only.
wonder what it is that big soprano voices do sing sharp...Nilsson did,Gwyneth Jones as well.Here though,Leonie Rysanek is VERY sharp, but as others have said-so what,she is still a joy to hear, and at least she didn't sing flat, because that is NEVER acceptable,or pleasnat to listen to! lol
I think she wants to produce a lot of sound and in her effort to keep the voice in a high position she keeps the intonation too high as well... Well, only for her I would by that.
I don't think Nilsson with her ideal pitch ever had that...
Neither my beloved Gwyneth who has been charged with "shaky" intonation occasionaly, but not of going sharp...
However, the two women Gwyneth and Rysanek where dear friends and felt very close to one another artistically.
Wonderful! I don't matter how sharp she is, she's so intelligent as an artist that even her flaws become admirable ... The malice and hate are imbued within the singing to thrilling effect. We are run out of singers like Rysanek!
I don't know if the poor recording is to blame, but Rysanek's performance is not that great. In any case I always though that Placido Domingo has nothing to do with the 'heldentenor' role required for a Lohengrin, a Siegfried or a Siegmund etc.
As no doubt you are a Wagner fan you will realise that Lohengrin and of course parsifal alike are characterized as more lyrical than dramatic. Before you scorn me there is no lack of the dramatic in lohengrin yes. But as wagner himself was a fan of the italinate style of delivery which domingo has in spades.. I think your statement is erroneous. As you can no doubt glean from the colouring that he has applied to his voice he is fully aware that he is portraying a wagnerian role.
Rita Gorr was rather sharp in this role, too (in fact, she was often criticized for occasianal shrillness in her high notes)...but like Rysanek, it was a glorious voice and any sharpness shouldn't stop us from enjoying their Art (with a capital "A"!).
I like, how Leonie's screams end exactly on 22:22:22 :D
btw: She sings gorgeous!
TheFeuerzauber 3 weeks ago
Saw Rysanek from her early years at the Vienna State Opera to her last Klytemnestra in Houston and had lunch with her at that time. Always surprised that she is not a tall woman, but WHAT a gigantic and amazing voice. The intensity was extraordinary.
rumpwrestler 1 year ago
This was glorious. Domingo's heroic and lyric Lohengrin is superb. His Wagner repertoire is very enjoyable & I've loved his Parsifal, Tristan & Siegfried. Leonie Rysanek is a thrilling soprano with a huge voice and this scene was wonderful. Thanks for sharing.
MastersoftheOpera 1 year ago
Not too bad by Domingo's standards.
gratecourt 2 years ago
Poor Placido always following
in the footsteps of Vickers..
always the bridesmaid , never quite
the bride .
dziady1 2 years ago
@dziady1 yes now hes following in the steps of Cappucille singing Simone Boccanegra. Like Nixon he will have toi be dragged screaming and kicking.
tenorismo 2 years ago 2
@tenorismo You mean, "cracking & forcing"!!! He still needs to add Boris to his ever-growing megalomaniacal repertory!
DonPaolissimo 1 year ago
@dziady1 Ridiculous statement. What you mean is you prefer Vickers voice. Arrogant nonsense like that keeps people away from opera because of self-styled 'aficionados' like you. Vickers never sang Lohengrin so your 'knowledge' rather comes apart at the seams doesn't it?
SteveBell1942 1 year ago
@SteveBell1942 Thank you! I too am tired of these "aficionados" who know nothing...
Dymension 1 month ago
Domingo actually sounds pretty good here. Actually in some ways the German repertoire probably suited him better than the Italian, with his short top.
ShawDAMAN 2 years ago
Rysanek explose tout... Pour quelqu'un de mon âge la voir ça fait quelque chose.
isabelle070209 2 years ago
Several videos show that Domingo was outstanding as Lohengrin but the role did not seem to suit him and he sang it only a few times. Too high for too long? Melchior, a much more baritonal tenor with a lower lying voice, sang the part many times, however, he never sang Meistersinger for the reason stated above.
Samurai9 3 years ago
I think you are incorrect about Domingo and his Lohengrin performances. He first sang it as early as 1968 in Hamburg but dropped it. I saw him TWICE at the Metropolitan during different seasons in two separate productions. There is a marvelous DVD from Vienna w/Abbado conducting and Studer as Elsa.He recording under Solti w/J.Norman is superb.His slightly accented German made him perfect as the "foreigner" that was the Swan Knight. It was one of his favorite roles all over the word.
eastsunrise 2 years ago
Yes, she sang sharp. But, she gave me goosebumps! Anyone who ever heard her in the theater, which I did only once, will never forget the experience.
Ruffiello 3 years ago 2
Of course Leonie's screams are incomparable and highly dramatic, but the woman very rarely sang in tune in her life. She, Renata Tebaldi and Zinka Milanov have sung more off-tunes than Madonna, they never learned how to tune their voice according to the pitch and I dont think this ever mattered to them
Nevertheless she is a formidable Ortrud (who cares let alone who understands! bad intonation in our days - not even musicians themselves most of the times)
LohengrinT 1 year ago
Rysanek es magnifica hasta en sus desafinadas! es tan apasionada q las desafinaciones q produce son un deleite!
xyvp 3 years ago
Versungen und vertan!
Papawrangel 3 years ago
well I love this sacred monster.
agabusdawatchman 3 years ago
Me encanta Placido como Lohengrin y también Rysanek es magnífica
tatyana1965 3 years ago
Rysanek went sharp because of the high position. Notice when she goes up she really raises the cheek muscles.
Dymension 3 years ago
Despite the sharpness, still better than Leonie's Met Ortrud which was done at roughly the same time. What an incredible singer!! Who was the Elsa in this production? We only see the back of her head.
jerryindc 3 years ago
Sharp sopranos sometimes caused by big support, laudable head resonance generating upper partials that seem to pull the voice up higher than the pitch the singer hears and controls. Does not happen in small voices. More an acoustic phenomenon than a technical problem. My opinion only.
hedgechair 3 years ago
Upsetting ! But Meier find better a true singing line in this terrifying passage !
taillia 4 years ago
well know fact:
sopranos sharp
tenors flat
pfeliks 4 years ago
..with the notable exception of Birgit Nilsson. She always sang a bit flat in between C and Eb in the middle.
The trade off was of course thunder on tiop.
The big voice is a mystery to most voice teachers. Ultimately they have to move sing quick pasages and float as well as smaller ones.
lovelymess 3 years ago
Not at all a fact. All kinds of singers flat and sharp. Has to do with many things including technique and tension.
Dymension 3 years ago
wonder what it is that big soprano voices do sing sharp...Nilsson did,Gwyneth Jones as well.Here though,Leonie Rysanek is VERY sharp, but as others have said-so what,she is still a joy to hear, and at least she didn't sing flat, because that is NEVER acceptable,or pleasnat to listen to! lol
vickersman 4 years ago
I think she wants to produce a lot of sound and in her effort to keep the voice in a high position she keeps the intonation too high as well... Well, only for her I would by that.
I don't think Nilsson with her ideal pitch ever had that...
Neither my beloved Gwyneth who has been charged with "shaky" intonation occasionaly, but not of going sharp...
However, the two women Gwyneth and Rysanek where dear friends and felt very close to one another artistically.
CONTESTAR 4 years ago
Yes, and I love both Rysanek and Jones.
What they gave in performance goes beyond studying the notes! They were great artists.
profgv 2 years ago
Not a SINGLE note in Leonie's last phrase was sung in tune, but WHO CARES!......I can't get the goosebumps to go down.....absolutely DEMENTED
pfeliks 4 years ago
Wonderful! I don't matter how sharp she is, she's so intelligent as an artist that even her flaws become admirable ... The malice and hate are imbued within the singing to thrilling effect. We are run out of singers like Rysanek!
Homoclassicus 4 years ago
HOW I AGREE! Well said.
profgv 4 years ago
Leonie in the definitive role of Ortrud...OMG i'm speechless!
Dramaticmaleprano 4 years ago
I don't know if the poor recording is to blame, but Rysanek's performance is not that great. In any case I always though that Placido Domingo has nothing to do with the 'heldentenor' role required for a Lohengrin, a Siegfried or a Siegmund etc.
dddprates 4 years ago
Lohengrin is a Jugendlicher Heldentenor (Light Dramatic Tenor) role. Go search for the Fach article on wikipedia,
Liwah 3 years ago
that is why Jonas Kaufmann is the greatest Lohengrin we have ever heard...
LohengrinT 2 years ago
Huh?
Dymension 1 year ago
Will someone tell this guy that this is Wagner NOT Verdi.
Stellavox 4 years ago
As no doubt you are a Wagner fan you will realise that Lohengrin and of course parsifal alike are characterized as more lyrical than dramatic. Before you scorn me there is no lack of the dramatic in lohengrin yes. But as wagner himself was a fan of the italinate style of delivery which domingo has in spades.. I think your statement is erroneous. As you can no doubt glean from the colouring that he has applied to his voice he is fully aware that he is portraying a wagnerian role.
kamikazekate 4 years ago
completly agree-here Domingo is quite acceptable, and quite believeable singing jugendlicher heldontenor roles.
vickersman 4 years ago
OMG Leonie did it! I absolutely love her!
Dramaticmaleprano 4 years ago
Glorious. but my God, that was sharp even for her. Glorious all the same.
chacowhacko 5 years ago
Rita Gorr was rather sharp in this role, too (in fact, she was often criticized for occasianal shrillness in her high notes)...but like Rysanek, it was a glorious voice and any sharpness shouldn't stop us from enjoying their Art (with a capital "A"!).
phanface 4 years ago