Joan Sutherland - Ocean! Thou mighty monster! (Score animation)

This exciting aria was written by Carl Maria von Weber for his opera "Oberon", written for the voice of the American diva Mary Ann Paton which we know very little of, I've been able to find out a little about her through American songs written for her in the early 19th century, where she was also called "Miss Woods". She was a celebrated Amina in "La Sonnambula" as well as Cenerentola in Rossini's opera, again showing that the assoluta roles such as this require a diva capable of being both high soprano and mezzo/contralto.

In this aria the requirements of the singer are tremendous, the tessitura shifts are very marked with moments in the low mezzo-soprano range (going down to the low B-flat) which must be declamated with strength, then sweet lyrical moments including a trill, then dramatic outbursts for soprano, arpeggios and scales requiring a dramatico coloratura soprano going all the way to held high C. Overally a very exciting piece, and in my opinion it shows Joan Sutherland's low register with its best support.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• joan
• sutherland
• richard
• bonynge
• carl
• maria
• von
• weber
• mary
• ann
• paton
• mrs
• woods
• assoluta
• soprano
• sfogato
• diva
• mezzo
• contralto
• coloratura
• dramatic
• giuditta
• pasta
• malibran
• isabella
• colbran

[kgarmaker123]

I have to say, other than she makes all the notes she chooses to sing.. Joan leaves me cold in the repertory... This role is for a dramatic soprano with coloratura. Not a dramatic coloratura, like Joan who will NOT sing into her voice unless it is a very high note.. This whole piece lacks emphasis...textual and musical. In spite of Callas' wobbles. I prefer her version.. She sings it like she means it.. and.. she sings into her voice.. I like the aria. for sure.

[primohomme]

@kgarmaker123

It's true, I used Joan's recording because she sings all the notes the right way, Nilsson and Sutherland are not my taste in it either, Eileen Farrell is also quite good but couldn't seem to find her recording of it except in tape.

[BeauTenor]

@kgarmaker123 oh please. can Callas ever do any wrong with you people? Callas was special, yes, but She had MANY faults and was far from perfect, in ANY repertoire. Sutherland has often been accused of being cold, but to imply that she lacks substance is stupid (at best). It has been well documented that Sutherland began her career as a dramatic soprano. She had a huge voice and could have sung anything she wanted.

[primohomme]

@BeauTenor

She was a great dramatic coloratura soprano, yes, but she was never truly the greatest in assoluta roles as Callas was. However, I chose her recording of this over Callas' because Sutherland sings it technically better.

[Fairpavel]

A very warm rendition. Good.

[kgarmaker123]

@BeauTenor You have got to be kidding? Norma? Wow, Callas, was the greatest Norma, ever.. the role sits in the middle of the voice.. and requires a great bottom too, along with a great deal of flexibility, dramatic intonation.. and. a top that won't quit.. it was an opera tailored to Callas, which is why she was the best, becuase it was a dramatic experience along with being a fabulous musical experience to.

[ChrisStockslager]

@kgarmaker123 At the bottom of the voice, hell no, Callas would win. I think middle would be a toss-up, but Joan's voice would overpower Callas' above B6 or so -- especially after 1956.

[kgarmaker123]

@ChrisStockslager That is not a test of whose voice/ vocalism was better. And I doubt very much that Joan could make as much sound on the bottom or the middle of the voice as Callas. But Hey, I like Joan.. She is just not A goddess for me.

[ChrisStockslager]

@kgarmaker123 To be fair, if you were a tall awkward Australian girl, would you really even try to outsing Maria Callas just barely having set foot into the operatic world? I'm sure by 1957 or '58, Sutherland, with more technique and confidence built up could have easily overpowered Callas on all but the lower notes.

[raigekimaru]

@primohomme

I agree with both of you. her voice was like a dramatic soprano with the tessitura taken up a minor 3rd and a freakish amount of agility (she puts ever other coloratura singer, male or female to shame with her agility and coloratura technique). that being said, sutherland singing dramatic soprano is kind of like a dramatic soprano singing dramatic mezzo. enjoyable, but lacking the deeper overtones and sounding "dry" in the lower register

[Zva26]

This gives a fairly good idea of the repertoire Sutherland originally intended to sing before she went into bel canto, inspired by Callas. Sutherland was NOT a coloratura soprano. She was a full sized dramatic soprano with a fabulous florid technique. Her voice was huge. Callas' two studio versions were recorded rather late in her career, but she DID use this as an audition piece when she was fourteen years old. She must have scared the wits out of everyone present! To sing this age 14!

[goodandplenty508]

This was a treat. I'm a huge Nilsson fan but Sutherland sang this with a bit more passion and beautiful color. Nilsson sounded a bit cold with less color to the notes. As for Flagstad, I don't know why she always raced through passages in the upper register like in the Narriative and Curse in Tristan & Isolde and in her version of this aria too.

[FeelinMinnesota]

It's great to hear her attmpt the supported sound of low notes.. Never heard her low register sound so good. Her middle voice has always been huge colorful, espectacular, but her low notes were almost inexistent, this is great. There hasn't been a better high register than Joan's in a soprano IMO. She had a beautiful sound, brunhilde size (according to reviews and people who saw her live) and unparallel agility,

[bellini7verdi]

una pasada de pasada.que portento de voz y de interpretacion....toda una leccion vocal...digna de lo mejor de lo mejor......lo demas son celos.......y vete a saber que mentes maas retorcidas