Malena Ernman - Non piu di fiori (Mozart, La clemenza di Tito)

[PippaHayes1]

Lovely!

[raigekimaru]

this is considered a soprano role? doesn't sound like it to me

[primohomme]

@raigekimaru

It's a manquee Assoluta role, it is sung by mezzo sopranos (who usually avoid the high D in the terzetto) or dramatic coloratura sopranos (who can't project the low G in this aria).

The first aria of the role is like a "spinto" coloratura and the range is lyric coloratura mezzo (B3-A5), the terzetto is truly lyric coloratura soprano (F#4-D6) and this aria is more towards a coloratura contralto range (G3-G5).

[BZBlaner]

One of Mozart's famous basset-horn obbligatos with the accompanying lower tessitura :) Mozart was a genius of character portrayal (defeat and guilt). I love how Malena drives all these low notes in a contralto-manner, especially the low lying phrases from 3:17 to 3:40. Who else do you like in this aria?

[primohomme]

@BZBlaner

My favorite Vitellia is Julia Varady, who sings both the first act aria with good "spinto coloratura", the terzetto with coloratura to high D is handled with ease, and "Non piu di fiori" is sung chesty and resonant on the low laying phrases.

I also like Edda Moser, though her chest voice is not big and resonant she certainly knew how to project the lower notes by using mask resonance using an edgier brighter sound instead of her usual spinto soprano color.

[BZBlaner]

@primohomme Besides the G3 in this aria, how low does it go down between 3:17 and 3:40? A3?

[primohomme]

@BZBlaner

Yes, a bunch of phrases between A3-E4, contralto tessitura :)

[BZBlaner]

@primohomme Thanks :P

[primohomme]

@BZBlaner

The first aria of the role is like a "spinto" coloratura and the range is lyric coloratura mezzo (B3-A5), the terzetto is truly lyric coloratura soprano (F#4-D6) and this aria is more towards a coloratura contralto range (G3-G5).

I just got the score and I'm having fun analizing it :)

[BZBlaner]

@primohomme It truly ranks up there as one of Mozart's most difficult roles then?

[primohomme]

@BZBlaner

I think so...everybody thinks the queen of the night is OMG so difficult, but the coloratura fir Konstanze or Giunia (Lucia Silla) is much more challenging and much longer.

And range wise Queen is D4-F6 (2 octaves & minor 3rd), Konstanze B3-D6 (2 octaves & minor 3rd), Giunia B3-E6 (2 octaves & a P4) while Vitellia is 2.5 octaves with swinging tessitura, spinto weight and coloratura.

[BZBlaner]

@primohomme It's usually the Damrau worshippers and the other mental retards who mention Carmen when asked about opera LOL.

[raigekimaru]

@primohomme

queen of the night is overrated (not to mention CONSISTENTLY sung by the wrong voice type >.>)

PS: did Callas ever sing Vitellia?

[primohomme]

@raigekimaru

Well, Queen of the night is for Germanic dramatic coloratura, someone like Edda Moser is perfect for it, but voices like that are rare so it's more usually sung by lyric coloratura voices like Natalie Dessay.

Callas never sang Vitellia, which is a shame because the role would have fit her like a glove...but at the time she was performing in her prime very few Mozart operas were often performed, and la clemenza di Tito wasn't amongst them.

[Dogaradodia]

Certified Intergalactic! I like her high notes.