Ach ich liebte - Valerie Masterson - Serail Glyndebour

[steffino2]

Perfect! How can somebody not like this version? 18th century coloratura has to sound effortless, just like this. I think that her acting is OK, why should she run around, hysterically overacting like a bad soap opera actress while singing this extremly difficult music?

[Tenortalker]

This is Constanze's first aria and fiendishly difficult - she literally walks out onstage and has to have such a high level of technical control. Masterson is very moving and one cannot blame her for looking upset when she is singing about the pain of love. A very great artist , let's be grateful we heard her!

[nectenorboi09]

Hmm, unlike most people here, I actually think this is a fine performance - Masterson sings with her customary elegance and well-bred reserve. I think that she certainly has the top notes and tessitura for this aria, but she's handling its difficulties in a more restrained manner than we are accustomed to hearing. Perhaps the voice is slightly light for the role, but I certainly would never call this a bad performance!

[moghedien13]

i never liked masterson and she still isnt a favourite of mine, but she earned my respect with her marten aller arten and she continues to so here. more than a fine performance.

[jrhblack]

have to agree with vanzofaust - she's a beautiful woman but not well costumed here, and I do think she sounds and looks very anxious at the end. The fiercely demanding tessitura is not well suited to her at all - she is really struggling from 4:41and 4:58 to 5:00 is desperate. I yield to noone in my love for and admiration of the art of this still under rated soprano but I don't think this is a good showing for her.

[vanzofaust]

In my opinion, she has to concentrate too much on the singing to be concerned with the interpretation and the expression on her face and her demeanor don't reflect at all what she is singing about. It sounds to me as though the aria doesn't sit well in her voice. She uses a very catch as catch can technique to get through the high tessitura coloratura in the second part.

[Luckynumber78]

I disagree intensely. Her performance is a highly studied study in dignity as she puts this character across. She is one of the very best acting sopranos on tape, and a glance at some of her other work will show you her range, acting-wise. I'm not qualified to speak technically about her singing, but I felt that that coloratura bit was handled elegantly, kept at the same sweet tone as the rest of the song, unlike most singers put in a giant crescendo there instead of the milder tones of defeat.

[vanzofaust]

Valerie Masterson is perfect in so many roles and her acting is the best. I've seen her live many times and her Marguerite in Gounod's Faust is second to none. To see her frozen here and looking worried during the entire aria is disconcerting. Sometimes well-meaning friends give singers bad advice regarding roles. Of course her voice sounds as lovely as always, but sorry but I really do feel (see/hear) that Konstanze isn't a role well-suited to her voice and I stand by my original comments.

[Luckynumber78]

I meant no disrespect to you by my disagreement. My assumption was (and still is) that the discomfort is not hers, but that of the character. If there is anyone who can fake utter ease of mind and comfort, it is a trained singer, and so there isn't a kernel of doubt in my mind that she was at ease. I do very much envy you for having seen her live! I'm sure that was just too divine! Obviously, I intended my comment just as a show of my personal opinion, and by no means do I wish to stifle yours!

[PecsMstr]

Like her "Marten" aria, her slow, methodical acting performance is inspired! Where most sopranos act over dramatic, a small head turn from her is so deep in emotion that I feel she walks the tighrope between music and theatre - VERY DIFFICULT.

[Luckynumber78]

Couldn't have said it better myself (though, obviously, I tried!).

[PecsMstr]

You said it BEAUTIFULLY!

[Luckynumber78]

:-D

Well, both of our comments notwithstanding, the most eloquent proof to our point is Masterson's inspired performance in the above video!

[2trans90it]

Really superb singing of Mozart's magnificent music; outstanding performance, non-pareil. Pity, though, about the fussy, irrelevant, third-rate stage setting and direction and the phoney costumes. Masterson shines brilliantly through all this irrelevance.

[roccosings]

beautiful voice, but the German is a bit off. Schoos is with an oo vowel, not open 'o' as sung here. Loos and Schoos should rhyme.

[greenharmonium789]

Where is the drama?

[OldHollywood1]

I think she has an excellent instrument but I wish she was a better actress

[Iandaoperaman]

Having seem Valerie many times on stage, there was never any suggestion that she wasn't a good actress. Indeed, her characterisations were as brilliant as her singing was beautiful. What must be remembered is that sometimes an artist has to do exactly what the director requires which can, as in this clip, be slightly static, but these show piece arias are predominately about the music.

[angelus2002]

Fried Gold.

Thank you for posting another clip of my favourite soprano.