JDD is a MEZZO with high extension. She would ruin her voice if she sang 'real' soprano roles. Leave her alone - she's one of the best singers in the world, at her continuing peak. (What she doesn't have is much lower extension - which is probably what makes people think she's a soprano. Hey, she's not Marilyn Horne, ok? Only one person is, thank goodness.)
@jeepgerhard212 I completely agree with you jeepgerhard212. A popular mistake is to class someone as soprano because they have high notes. If you listen to JDD's voice, yes, she does have a superb high register (as is evident in her tackling of Armida's 'D'amore al dolce impero'), however, the colour of her voice is that of a mezzo. Compare her light, bright tone to Susan Graham and Anne Sofie von Otter, who also have generous upper registers, rather than Ms Horne, who is a vocal phenomenon
@Otellogv [1] I have to disagree: a singer isn't confused to be a soprano by her higher notes, but by the colour of the voice, especially near the passaggios. Miss Di Donato (that I don't dislike because she is very professional unlike Ms Genaux or Ms Bartoli) is a soprano singing mezzos roles because not able to substain the very soprano higher notes. Her kind of vocality is called "soprano corto" - short soprano - and she coul be even confused with a light mezzosoprano, >>
[2] but really doesn't have the low mezzo register notes (which here sound very artificially darkened).
If you notice, her variations in the Da Capo are in a completely different medium range than the aria one, which really show the vocal nature of Ms Di Donato.
@MisterPapageno [1] I'm afraid you're misinterpreting my comment, MisterPapageno. Very often, female singers change voice types, switching from mezzo to soprano and vice versa - eg. Martha Modl, Helga Dernesch, Grace Bumbry, Shirley Verrett - and sometimes mezzos will undertake soprano roles whilst not actually being a true soprano - eg Christa Ludwig with Fidelio, Die Frau ohne Schatten and Der Rosenkavalier. I fear that your comment insinuates that Joyce DiDonato is actually soprano (cont'd)
@MisterPapageno [2] rather than a mezzo. The fact remains that many young singers are 'forced' into the wrong voice category for whatever reason. How many sopranos have you listened to that you think would sound more at ease in a mezzo role because of the core sound of their voice? How many times have you listened to a mezzo with a ringing top and thought 'I can hear a soprano in there'? It happens all too often even although we know that voice fachs should be determined by voice colour.
@Otellogv I am actually stating (not insinuating) that JDD is a soprano :P by the way, I agree with your last comment part, about the colour; but I am surely thinking at Sigrid Onegin, who sang as a contralto but she had a wonderful high register; or just think at Grace Bumbry, Shirley Verret (as you mention) and Fiorenza Cossotto too, who have been associated with their mezzo roles (more successful) rather than their soprano ones :)
@MisterPapageno Absolutely agree. There are certain singers who have stated their voices 'defied classification' but when listening to them, it is apparent that the centre of their voice is either lower or higher. Consider Regina Resnik, who switched from soprano to mezzo because she felt that the centre of her voice lowered and, hence, felt more comfortable as a mezzo. Sigrid Onegin had an unparalelled voice - not unlike Ponselle with its' seamless legato and creamy timbre - both amazing :-)
@MrRinaldo83 Joyce is a MEZZOSOPRANO not a soprano, absolutely and the part sung here is for a mezzo as clearly stated in the oratorio libretto; pls check also the website of the singer and you will see that Joyce is a MESSOSOPRANO
@MisterPapageno I absolutely agree with you here. Also, sometimes there are vague cases and people, even musical professionals argue about classification and quality of the voice.They should be allowed to do it. It's not a crime. But thebarroque blocked me just for thinking that Invernizzi is a mezzo. OK, she is a dark soprano, so what?Carosaxone also blocks people for nothing explaining for "stupid comments" but allows personal insults to Cangemi on his channel!Doesn't HE make stupid comments?!
@MisterPapageno But he is a professional himself, sings in the choir as a tenor, and thinks that he understands everything in baroque and singing! Even dedicated him channel to great Handel. Oh, I don't want to discuss carosaxone, but people should be allowed to express their opinions on what an artist does ON STAGE,if it's good or bad, beautiful or ugly without personal insults and not to be blocked for that! Others can disagree and argue, but some channel owners just decide what THEY want...
very nice coloratura, but the voice is not homogeneous between the low (very small for a mezzo) and medium (very good), and this piece is very challenging for a non contralto or a non mezzo... in fact miss donato is indeed a soprano!
The espression is very volgar, and most of the notes are open in the low register (listen to 0:11, 0:28, 0:42, 0:52, etc etc)!
Only true contraltos and low mezzo should sing this piece! :(
@baritonebynight And I saw Ms. Horne herself sing it in concert at Carnegie Hall in 1985 on Handel's 300th birthday. She, by the way, thinks Joyce DiDonato is as terrific as we all do.
I love the ornamentation.
franceseattle 10 months ago
JDD is a MEZZO with high extension. She would ruin her voice if she sang 'real' soprano roles. Leave her alone - she's one of the best singers in the world, at her continuing peak. (What she doesn't have is much lower extension - which is probably what makes people think she's a soprano. Hey, she's not Marilyn Horne, ok? Only one person is, thank goodness.)
jeepgerhard212 1 year ago
@jeepgerhard212 I completely agree with you jeepgerhard212. A popular mistake is to class someone as soprano because they have high notes. If you listen to JDD's voice, yes, she does have a superb high register (as is evident in her tackling of Armida's 'D'amore al dolce impero'), however, the colour of her voice is that of a mezzo. Compare her light, bright tone to Susan Graham and Anne Sofie von Otter, who also have generous upper registers, rather than Ms Horne, who is a vocal phenomenon
Otellogv 9 months ago
@Otellogv [1] I have to disagree: a singer isn't confused to be a soprano by her higher notes, but by the colour of the voice, especially near the passaggios. Miss Di Donato (that I don't dislike because she is very professional unlike Ms Genaux or Ms Bartoli) is a soprano singing mezzos roles because not able to substain the very soprano higher notes. Her kind of vocality is called "soprano corto" - short soprano - and she coul be even confused with a light mezzosoprano, >>
MisterPapageno 9 months ago
[2] but really doesn't have the low mezzo register notes (which here sound very artificially darkened).
If you notice, her variations in the Da Capo are in a completely different medium range than the aria one, which really show the vocal nature of Ms Di Donato.
MisterPapageno 9 months ago 2
@MisterPapageno [1] I'm afraid you're misinterpreting my comment, MisterPapageno. Very often, female singers change voice types, switching from mezzo to soprano and vice versa - eg. Martha Modl, Helga Dernesch, Grace Bumbry, Shirley Verrett - and sometimes mezzos will undertake soprano roles whilst not actually being a true soprano - eg Christa Ludwig with Fidelio, Die Frau ohne Schatten and Der Rosenkavalier. I fear that your comment insinuates that Joyce DiDonato is actually soprano (cont'd)
Otellogv 9 months ago
@MisterPapageno [2] rather than a mezzo. The fact remains that many young singers are 'forced' into the wrong voice category for whatever reason. How many sopranos have you listened to that you think would sound more at ease in a mezzo role because of the core sound of their voice? How many times have you listened to a mezzo with a ringing top and thought 'I can hear a soprano in there'? It happens all too often even although we know that voice fachs should be determined by voice colour.
Otellogv 9 months ago
@Otellogv I am actually stating (not insinuating) that JDD is a soprano :P by the way, I agree with your last comment part, about the colour; but I am surely thinking at Sigrid Onegin, who sang as a contralto but she had a wonderful high register; or just think at Grace Bumbry, Shirley Verret (as you mention) and Fiorenza Cossotto too, who have been associated with their mezzo roles (more successful) rather than their soprano ones :)
MisterPapageno 9 months ago
@MisterPapageno Absolutely agree. There are certain singers who have stated their voices 'defied classification' but when listening to them, it is apparent that the centre of their voice is either lower or higher. Consider Regina Resnik, who switched from soprano to mezzo because she felt that the centre of her voice lowered and, hence, felt more comfortable as a mezzo. Sigrid Onegin had an unparalelled voice - not unlike Ponselle with its' seamless legato and creamy timbre - both amazing :-)
Otellogv 9 months ago
Hello MisterPapageno you have in the right, Miss diDonato is a soprano not a mezzo...
MrRinaldo83 1 year ago
@MrRinaldo83 Joyce is a MEZZOSOPRANO not a soprano, absolutely and the part sung here is for a mezzo as clearly stated in the oratorio libretto; pls check also the website of the singer and you will see that Joyce is a MESSOSOPRANO
carosaxone 1 year ago
@carosaxone [1] In the score, Juno is a Alto, not a mezzo : miss Di Donato isn't a Alto!
[2] Ms Di Donato isn't a MEZZOSOPRANO!
Think you should study before speaking and blocking people!
MisterPapageno 9 months ago 8
@MisterPapageno I absolutely agree with you here. Also, sometimes there are vague cases and people, even musical professionals argue about classification and quality of the voice.They should be allowed to do it. It's not a crime. But thebarroque blocked me just for thinking that Invernizzi is a mezzo. OK, she is a dark soprano, so what?Carosaxone also blocks people for nothing explaining for "stupid comments" but allows personal insults to Cangemi on his channel!Doesn't HE make stupid comments?!
serenaluce 8 months ago
@serenaluce I don't even consider carosaxone anymore: he is just musically unrelevant.
MisterPapageno 8 months ago
@MisterPapageno But he is a professional himself, sings in the choir as a tenor, and thinks that he understands everything in baroque and singing! Even dedicated him channel to great Handel. Oh, I don't want to discuss carosaxone, but people should be allowed to express their opinions on what an artist does ON STAGE,if it's good or bad, beautiful or ugly without personal insults and not to be blocked for that! Others can disagree and argue, but some channel owners just decide what THEY want...
serenaluce 8 months ago
@serenaluce :) nothing else to say :)
MisterPapageno 8 months ago
@MisterPapageno :-)
serenaluce 8 months ago
very nice coloratura, but the voice is not homogeneous between the low (very small for a mezzo) and medium (very good), and this piece is very challenging for a non contralto or a non mezzo... in fact miss donato is indeed a soprano!
The espression is very volgar, and most of the notes are open in the low register (listen to 0:11, 0:28, 0:42, 0:52, etc etc)!
Only true contraltos and low mezzo should sing this piece! :(
MisterPapageno 1 year ago 7
@baritonebynight And I saw Ms. Horne herself sing it in concert at Carnegie Hall in 1985 on Handel's 300th birthday. She, by the way, thinks Joyce DiDonato is as terrific as we all do.
CharlotteTempleton 1 year ago
where can i see this video baritonebynight????
poupounakis 2 years ago
I think he meant he saw her live. There's unfortunately no video of this concert...
thecelticspirit 2 years ago
Saw her sing for the first time at Ms. Horne's 75th birthday celebration.....what a singer!!
baritonebynight 2 years ago