Caro Nome - Rigoletto Contest - Valerie Masterson

[ThePeplow]

What a tragedy that this superb artiste has given us so few recordings.

[Tsaraslondon]

Funny how people still refer to Valerie Masterson as a Gilbert & Sullivan soprano, when in fact she only sang G & S at the beginning of her career. She was a leading soprano at the English National Opera and at Covent Garden for many years, singing roles ranging from Violetta to the Governess in Turn of the Screw. She was also well known in French opera, and was one of a line of British sopranos, loved by the French in their own repertoire. Her career was actually truly international.

[CaptFitzbattleaxe]

@Tsaraslondon One reason VM is associated with G&S is that she made far more recordings for the D'Oyly Carte (6, many of which are the best G&S recordings around) than she did in grand opera. Apart from recording Cleopatra and La Traviata, most of her work is found in live opera recordings like this one.

Anywho, she was wonderful, definitely one of my favorite sopranos. Gorgeous tones, sincere interpretation.

[vipate]

she was one of the best! 5/5

[mrrk]

Such, pure & wonderfull singing, and she looked so pretty too. She plays Gilda to perfection. 5/5

[songbirdwatcher]

To me she was the ideal representation of the best of the ladylike British school of lyric soprano singing with its emphasis on utterly pure intonation, cool limpid phrasing, and good manners. VM had something unique, too. Tho very flexible, her voice was a bit short so I don't really think of her as a coloratura. But Gilda is a good role in this regard, more of high-light lyric.

Voice 5/Character 4

[VMDICKS]

I was pleasantly surprised to find this Gilbert and Sullivan interpreter singing Verdi. I think her performance rates high marks for execution and vocal technique. A delightful Gilda indeed.

[martafloria]

I don't think she cares much about what she is singing but her voice is lovely and blends with the orcherstra well!!! Singing=4/5 and characteriztion=2/5

[rawdonqueen]

I actually like her timbre very much, but she seems uninvolved. 4/4

[hotazzoperastud]

I am guessing she was better in act III and IV. This is a general reading. 4/4

[Orfeus80]

She doesn't seem to care for some lower and middle register passages but she looks nice on stage. 3/3

[patjan92]

4/3

[bejun]

Valerie Masterson has been the best singing hight notes, in the other hand she found it difficult to sing the low ones. Her colatura were brilliant, for instance at mozart's serail and handel's Giulio Cesare 4/5

[deviafan]

Bright tone, although it needs more focus. It seems to get the better of her. Her top notes seem strained, maybe this wasn't her best part. Pitch problems are a problem. 3/4

[sevoflurane]

I find her rendition slightly querulous. 3/2

[mdancer01]

4/3