Ingeborg Hallstein's high G6 in Bell song Lakme

[rennes99]

Beautiful rendition! Thanks for uploading this gem :)

[prettycool997]

you know erika miklosa sounds like that at the end, you can hear her version of it here on youtube, it's not half bad :D

[prettycool997]

lily pons has that same quality I think when she sang lakme

[yamiko193]

Hallstein sounds wonderful in this recording, I think we can all agree on that much! So why does everyone feel the need to put down other extremely accomplished singers and compare them? Everyone's voice is different, so stop. Dessay, Damrau, Sills, Pons, Robin, Sutherland are all great singers with great careers. Obviously they each have strengths and weaknesses, but they are all pretty darn good!

[baltoman24]

An amazing beautifully nuanced performance. The aria is often maligned, but in contexts moves the story along; it is a beautiful as well as virtuosic vehicle.

[Carmela1881]

Perfection!

What year is this recording? I mean why is she singing in German?

[LohengrinT]

@Carmela1881

middle 60s I think - she sang the entire coloratura repertoire in German although she had a quite good italian and french diction

She is the highest class pure coloratura soprano I have ever heard - flawless technique and intonation, digital staccati as if manipulated with programme (listen to her Olympia)

[Carmela1881]

@LohengrinT

Totally agree about 'the highest class pure coloratura soprano'

I mean they stopped translating operas a while ago and started switching to subtitles... But in the middle 60s translation was a common practice...

Shame I haven't heard of her before. Thanks a lot for posting!

[Ariadne7710]

@LohengrinT This is THE most absolutely fabulous rendition of the Bell song I have ever heard!! Normally i find it a bit of a so what piece mostly used by robotic sopranos to show off their top notes. Hallstein interprets it so that if flows beautifully and makes sense. Even though it is in German it doesn't detract. It is just beautifully gorgeous. And the top notes are sheer delight. They are sang with a proper natural singing voice not with a forced screech!!!

[LohengrinT]

@Ariadne7710

Listen to her Olympia that I have also posted (the sweetest sound flow ever) and the Lied der Nachtigal video in coloraturafan's list - they are incredible

The less known repertoire she's been singing is extraordinarily beautiful

[Ariadne7710]

@LohengrinT I have listened to the ones you recommended and a few more besides and the sound she makes is so gorgeously sweet, silvery and so very pleasing to the ear you can listen to it for hours. As the saying goes "it is music to the ears"!!! And her high notes are also so beautifully crystalline, no screams, nothing harsh just lovely, lovely sounds. How come the likes of Gruberova, Sills and Devia are big international names and Hallstein doesn't have the same big name?? Is it just PR?

[LohengrinT]

@Ariadne7710

I really dont know - her coloratura is so fast and perfect it sounds digital - if she were making these recordings today we would definitely be discussing about electronic manipulation of her sound - but these were made in early 60s ...

Devia was an italian kid, that was all ;)) Sills had her divine moments in some of her roles in her very short prime (up to 1960), Gruberova was Zerbinetta and Costanze and that was all ;)

[Ariadne7710]

@LohengrinT Sure, Sills had a short period of great singing in a very limited rep but kept on for ages until she had no more that a couple of notes in her throat and imagined herself an Assoluta. Both Devia and Gruberova are still shrieking and scooping on and on with no sign of end on the horizon. That is what I mean. They have 5 good years in their prime and hang on for another 35 on the strength of that, croaking their way along and get away with it. Why do the Opera Houses keep hiring them!!

[reginabellestar]

@Ariadne7710 you are right, hallstein deserves great international recognition. unfortunately it will only be now through viral accounts that her legacy will start to live on. better late than never. But indeed Hallstein was not backed by machinations that other superstars had plus she also chose to make the most of her comfort. Hallstein may have opte to make most of her performances where the other superstars dont usually go to.

[Largo64]

Hallstein isn't as agile in the coloratura passages as Pons, but her voice is easily as good, and her intonation on the high notes, to my ear at least, is better.

[elbotkin]

wow! i've never heard her until now! she is perfect for this role.

[bf2019]

Hallstein is wonderful....i listen to most of the Mezzos...Vivica, Anna Bonitatibus, and Veronica Cangemi...(hehe God save us from the later works of the one who I will not name, after she stopped doing exactly what her mother told her...)....hehe...I now think I have a soprano of whom to be a fan....wow that was correct english and reads awful..hehe..a Soprano to be a fan of....yes!!! thanks LogengrinT

[LohengrinT]

@bf2019

Im not so sure I understand well what you mean but I have the feeling that YES you are correct :))

[LohengrinT]

@bellini7verdi

no more talk about the Queen of Pauses and the Queen of Bitches Joan Sutherland in my pages

Sorry - the witch is dead! :))

[gunsnhalen]

Thank you so much for this! i am a fan now=]

[darkblueangel1956]

MIRACOLOSO !!!! NIENTE ALTRO DA AGGIUNGERE !!!!

[thefuriouscynic]

This is amazing. Where did you find this recording? I've been looking everywhere for a recording of Hallstein singing the Bell Song since I heard this, but no luck. Any ideas?

[LohengrinT]

@thefuriouscynic

it was sent inside my email more than 10 years ago by an opera fan who wanted to show me her flawless technique and intonation as well as her effortless stratosphere. As you realize it is transferred from vinyl.

I used to have her Popoli di Tesaglia as well, it was gone with my last hard drive failure+youtube account delete

[Marmalade000000]

Holy crap!!! This woman reaches a high G6!!! I couldn't imagine the human voice can go that high! Phenomenal! The only other person who could reach notes this high to my knowledge, is Mariah Carey

[bigdigger87]

@Marmalade000000 Diana Damrau does High Gs in her Salieri recording but they are 2 very different coloraturas

[LohengrinT]

@bigdigger87

yes indeed Damrau isnt even a coloratura - tries hard but she isnt - not enough agility ;)

[bigdigger87]

@LohengrinT Why do you say that Diana is not a coloratura? Her entire repertoire is Coloratura repertoire mainly of the heavier type though. There is no way she could not be a coloratura and handle the Salieri, Candide, and Lucia repertoire...her voice is just heavier.

[LohengrinT]

@bigdigger87

the word heavy would imply she is a dramatic coloratura which is far from what she is... she lacks agility for a true coloratura, her voice stumbles in the runs that is not the voice of a real coloratura

[bigdigger87]

@LohengrinT I have gotten to see her live and it was glorious. She finished with Lucia began with Handel, and even did Zerbinetta's monologue. There are certain arias/roles/songs that just do not fit certain voices...I cannot wait for her to do Armida next year....I still disagree but to each his/her own opinion

[LohengrinT]

@bigdigger87

for Armida she doesnt even have the range

She is the only contemporary singer and the only German singer in the history of music whose teachnique is that faulty. It seems the german descipline is decaying as long with everything else in Europe :)

[bigdigger87]

@LohengrinT Ha!! She has G6 at her disposal easily, she breathes D6....Although I do agree that there is some decay is German discipline of today I disagree with your criticism. She has been singing very healthily for a long time now which is why her voice has maintained it's elasticity and power even with having a baby. We'll have to agree to disagree on this topic......although I am happy that you seem to actually have an educated viewpoint rather than a haphazard infatuation

[LohengrinT]

@bigdigger87

her Agility is not first class - Damrau's ofc... I dont know what voice she is and she may well sing a C7 and still not be a natural coloratura. Anyhow there is not a single singer in the world about whom I care less than Damrau

Hallstein on the other hand - now that was a Digital Coloratura - if she were singing today we would imply that her recordings were electronically manipulated (check my post of her Doll song - it is not real how fast she sings there)

[Serinia4melodic]

@Marmalade000000 and all sopranos of this world that don`t have health problem. Mariah reaches G7 :P but it`s not in head voice..

[AgnesRegina]

glorious, though it's interesting that she sang it in German instead of the original French. Her coloratura is just inhumanly perfect... those high notes shimmer so you can almost see them!

[LohengrinT]

@AgnesRegina

the intonation alone is Ambrosia for the Ears - makes all else sound off tune if u listen to this too much

She is the wonder of Intonation

[LohengrinT]

@bconsitt

she is exquisite - her lower voice was not atrophic also - and her face so beautiful - and so thin, like a model.

Incredible creature. Her Martern aller is posted by coloraturafan I wonder if Ach ich liebte exists in DVD too :p

[wenglishsal]

I must say that I found this enthralling, beautiful and totally magical.. what a voice.. :0)x

[primohomme]

Hallstein is a much superior singer to Dessay, even in Dessay's prime....

And now Dessay is a joke, jumping around like a trembling animal and showing her tits and pussy to hide the fact the lost her voice.

[dfgrbtr]

@primohomme I love the way Dessay used to sound like, but what she does now is just so sad. Sometimes she sings as if she was preparing for the role of a very bad Brünhild. Then she shows off her tits and stuff in the name of contemporary 'art'... What a waste. :(((

[LohengrinT]

@dfgrbtr

Dessay has given us the greatest Flower Duet in the history of the role in my opinion. Yes she was one of the greatest coloratura who ever lived. Someone (a friend?) should tell her that:

when depression knocks on our door we let dignity in ;)

[sujin00shin]

Why in German? The French is so much more beautiful...

[salmonfire]

i think as far as upper register really all the talented woman mentioned in these comments are roughly the same, but each one is different, Dessay.s intonation is forced on this song, it does not flow like honey as in Hallstein's version, Pon's is light and refreshing, Robin sing this with such power you would thing it was a Mad scene, it's astounding but her lower register is atrocious, a few of Hallstein's flourishes border on extrapolation, but fall exquisite on the ear, Jo is not a

[FrozenMermaid666]

This is the first time I hear Ingeborg Hallstein, and I must say, I'm so glad I found this video! She really has an amazing voice, especially in the Coloratura parts! :D

[henry10011966]

german is a horrible language for this aria,i have to know this ,i'm german ;-)

but she sung it wonderful!

[blackolds33]

Her version is absolute perfection.  NO ONE can top this. Period.

[monpitt500]

Astounding!

[Divina126]

She is wonderful!!

[ElFantadu]

Die beste Interpretation für dieses schwierige Stück, Ingeborg sei DANK

[CantoSemper49]

hahah Robin isn't atrocious! Her voice is a circus act, its flexible and capable of being thrown around very easily, especially so high in the air. Oh well, de gustibus non disputandum est!

[CantoSemper49]

Yes, its very easy to impromperly sing this aria, mainly because the sing must be a lyric coloratura. The only other sopranos who come close to touching the level of tonality are: Dessay, Robin, and I'm sure there are a few others, I just haven't heard them. Dessay and Robin are both extremely light coloraturas; thus the difficulty of this aria is reduced and tonality is fruitful.

[FrozenMermaid666]

@CantoSemper49 Check out Luisa Tetrazzini, she sounds amazing in this aria too! :)

[CantoSemper49]

I LOVE HER VOICE!!!! her high notes are completely in tune =]

[Donaukind]

I've got to see this opera. She's fantastic!

[operaholic001]

Simply perfect... she fires up my curiosity to dangerous obsessive levels ... Who's that artist ??

[farkas419]

Oh I'm so glad this was reposted! I was so disappointed when I looked on my playlist and it was gone!

[cymric1970]

Yay!!! It's back... Tks again, for reposting LohengrinT!

[killerbunny123123]

lololololol xDD

[killerbunny123123]

shes good but i prefer Dessay :)

[okebaram]

Yup Dessay is even better. FACT

[33blueberries]

@okebaram Dessay didn't so much sing as she did squeal. FACT

Use of past tense highlights that Dessay is, ahem, not what she used to be. FACT

[okebaram]

@33blueberries absolutely wrong! Dessay's voice is angelic, very melodious talented singing, far from squealing. You are highly biased. So who sang? Robin? I mean this lady sounds amazing, and I am not a big opera fan, but very few coloratura voices I've heard match the beauty of Dessay's even if that was her past

[33blueberries]

@okebaram I dont want to detract from Hallstein's stunning performance by entering into to great a debate about Dessay here, but I will say this: You say you are not an opera fan, and that very few coloratura voices you've heard match the beauty of Dessay's. Tell me, and I dont mean to be disrespectful, but how many coloratura voices have you heard?

[mysh80]

Thanks for uploading this great performance again. What a pity that the comments are lost, there was a translation of the piece... Shame on dead greek baritones and queens ;-)

[LohengrinT]

well I consider this clip my only true contribution to the Opera in youtube since when I posted this first Hallstein there was no other post of hers in Youtube. That is why I re-posted it.

Indeed the comments by the people were amazing :))

[GrafiteArgentata]

So glad I could listen again to this exquisite rendition of Où va la jeune Hindoue. LohengrinT, thank you so much for making me know this fabulous Artist.

[forallyouknow]

I think that's unfair. What's that queen's problem, anyway? Got a problem with someone sharing good music with the rest of humanity? Sheesh. What a *****.

[schattensand]

This reminds me how transitory all is what one does. You do a lot of work here and someone else bans your account.

I cant remember ever reading undecent comments by you. So what happened?

Please load up again Hallsteins arias.

They are all gone. I am so sorry for You.

[forallyouknow]

Didn't you upload this video before? What happened to the old one, and her 'Io non chiedo'?