Maria Stuarda Contest - Ashley Putnam - Marisa Galvany

[MastersoftheOpera]

This Stuarda, New York City Opera 1981, was under the Direction of Beverly Sills, who had retired the year before. It used the same sets and costumes. Ashley Putnam looks lovely and has a lovely voice but I'm afraid she was very boring and she could not fill Sills' shoes in the role. Galvany as the Queen was nothing particularly special when compared to Eileen Farrell in the Sills recording with DG. I've heard this scene sung better. This was very dull.

[eastsunrise]

@MastersoftheOpera What do you mean UNDER the "Direction" of Sills? Sills was the head of the City Opera in '81.Your point being?So what?She did not direct this! Sills did not record Stuarda "with" DG, but for ABC/Westminster, not even a major label. DG now owns the rights to this recording.As for Farrell:she never sang this role on the stage. She sings all the notes in the recording but doesn't BEGIN to have the temperament of Galvany, let alone the high notes. Galvany had temperament to spare!

[Turand0t]

I am gonna do Elisabetta for my master exam in december. I must say I have fallen in love with Marisa Galvany's voice. What a powerful instrument! I'll give Galvany a 5/5. Ashley Putnam sounds great too.

[dawrldbmastage08]

i just did a masterclass with her at Manhattan School of Music, and she is absolutely fabulous. She talks about how during any scene she was so afraid she would be shaking beforehand. So even the greats get nervous. And she is such a good teacher

[sanyotsai]

my god, they both did the high D ending...that doesnt happen all that often.

[Elisabetta611]

Who wants "A New Sutherland"? How about unique personalities and voices for a change?

[wattever333]

if you mean Putnam is more pleasant to listen to than Anderson, I agree.

[gsavocal]

wow putnam had some pipes...

[1laboheme]

5/5 Hands down the best in this role!!!

[gmmix]

Maria Stuarda--like Lombardi, Attila, and Marino Faliero--contains some really powerful and melodic music and deserves to be heard more often. What a pleasure to see this video clip that includes Marisa Galvany, who also could sing COLORATURA leads--and had a 3-octave range. Thanks for this posting.

[riccardogrande699]

What ever happened to Ashley Putnam? She sang a disastrous Lucia in San Francisco in the '80s, was seen in the bars late at night drinking like a fish and smoking. Wonder if that's what did her in???????

[PutnamForever]

San Fran Chronicle, 11/6/81

By Robert Commanday

"Ashley Putnam was an exceptional Lucia."

"An original Lucia occurs rarely at this point in the work's history; yet she establishes Lucia right off as a romantic, idealistic girl; not as a fragile thing, easily shaken. In the rendezvous with her Edgardo, which Ptnam actually carried without letting her dominant security show, she gave Lucia a grace that became the real center of the character and our sympathy."

Funny way to describe a disaster.

[riccardogrande699]

Commanday didn't know his ass from a hole in the ground. I was in the chorus of that production. Her opening night was passable, the rest were downhill (including spectacularly missed high notes at the end of the mad scene). Oh well, that's what makes horse racing.............

[riccardogrande699]

P.P.S.

If Putnam was so fabulous, why did SF Opera never ask her back???

[PutnamForever]

Ashley Putnam starred in the world premiere of Henze's DAS VERRATENE MEER at San Francisco Opera in 1991.

[riccardogrande699]

Are you Ashley Putnam??

[PutnamForever]

I wish. I'm an opera fan with a lot of respect for the art form and the artists who serve it.

[riccardogrande699]

So am I and I didn't mean to dish her so. She was heralded as the "New Sutherland" in the early '80s and then appeared to crash and burn, at least in the bel canto repertoire. I was curious about this, as she obviously had (has??) a truly beautiful instrument. Does she still perform?

[gsavocal]

shes on the staff at the manhattan school of music now i believe.

[longskirt]

Excellent! 5/5. An absolute pleasure to hear this voice and see this performance. Bravo!!

[songbirdwatcher]

Both queens are wonderul! Ashely sounds so good -- she could have gone further with her big "Vil Bastarda" moment. If there was ever one phrase in a bel canto role for a soprano to push it, that's it!

[theotherclint]

Damn, the girl can sang! Why haven't I heard this before??? Honestly the first 5/5 ranking I've ever given on this.

[clintsingley]

5 of 5 for my girl Ashley Putnam!! That voice is smooth as silk.

[NatalieHeaiv]

Ashley gets 5/5 'cause she's awesome. Woman, sing your fabulous heart out.

[Top69Kitty]

SIX out of five...Five for the divine Ms. Putnam and at least one more for her adoring fans.

[seanpoonce]

5/5 for Ms. Ashley Putnam -- love her! She needs to come out of witness protection and knock us out with a live performance. Does anyone know if she has her own website?

[mishacalvert]

Her exquisite cheekbones and patrician bearing justify a 5 AND 5 on looks alone!!!

p.s. voice of a god

[empezzetta]

5/5, absolutely fabulous

[Washingtonian2]

5/5! Putnam is a class act. Just beautiful.

[tylerstoops]

5/5! Putnam is head and shoulders above the rest, especially in this rep. I've heard that if No Child Left Behind is renewed there will be a required Putnam listening test for high school exit exams. Let's hope it's true.

[relaks4]

5/5 - above and beyond all the rest. Putnam, forever!

[PutnamForever]

5/5! This is one of my all-time favorite Putnam performances!!! And Marisa Galvany sounds FABULOUS. Two great actresses in roles perfectly suited to their voices. Fire and music!!! I wish this were comercially available - truly amazing! Thanks for posting, Coloraturafan. (My favorite part is when Putnam slowly, menacingly advances towards Galvany - it's like she might incinerate her with her stare.) BRAVA!

[santabarbara08]

5/5 for singing/characterization

[iks180]

"5/5" for singing/characterization-perio­d!

[ethcallie]

5/5 beautiful voice, beautiful woman.

[kashatb]

Amazing!!! 5/5

[weasley9]

5/5 La Putnam reigns. No question.

[Gelaneinthemembrane]

5/5 Fabulous! What else can be said about perfection?

[lizawithans]

5/5 for dramatization and singing. Thank you, Ashley. It's a bonus that she's gorgeous!

[elizamaefox]

5/5. Easy.

[Operaforall]

Do you really need voters to tell you Ashley Putnam is the best at this role? 5/5 no contest.

[MaterDolorosa26]

5/5 This is the best.

[sschimel]

What ever happened to Ashley Putnam? She seemed to flame out rather quickly and she sounds wonderful here.

[weasley9]

Putnam is still kicking ass and taking names. She's now an internationally renowned voice teacher successfully running a private studio in NYC and teaching at Manhattan SoM. She starred at every major house in the world (Met, Covent Garden, La Scala, Paris, San Francisco, Chicago, the list goes on). Ashley is a STAH! Google "Putnam Forever" to visit the tribute site.

[sschimel]

I'm glad to know she's still kicking ass. I remember liking her a lot. I remember the success she had with "mary, Queen Of Scots", among other roles.

[mrlammermoor]

3.5/4

[BeauTenor]

5/5. Galvany is too fabulous. And the twin high E flats are to die for.

[albertogrilo]

Not E flats but hig D's

[BeauTenor]

LOL...wellp, that's what I get for assuming and not checking. Merci...

[WoDeGe]

4/4.

[anguimoto]

MUY BUENA IDEA!!!Asì podremos diferenciar las voces y actuaciones.Gracias.Antonio Molina.