22. E Susanna non vien!... Dove sono - Carol Vaness (Le nozze di Figaro Met'85)

See the playlist for this performance
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=3BAB77289B0C9B7F

Date: 14 December 1985
Venue: Metropolitan Opera, New York
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Librettist: Lorenzo da Ponte

Conductor: James Levine

Production: Jean-Pierre Ponnelle

Figaro: Ruggero Raimondi
Susanna: Kathleen Battle
Count Almaviva: Thomas Allen
Countess Almaviva: Carol Vaness
Cherubino: Frederica von Stade
Dr. Bartolo: Artur Korn
Marcellina: Jocelyne Taillon
Don Basilio: Michel Sénéchal
Antonio: James Courtney
Barbarina: Dawn Upshaw
Don Curzio: Anthony Laciura

Category:

Music

Tags:

• le
• nozze
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• figaro
• opera
• met
• mozart
• carol
• vaness
• susanna
• non
• vien
• dove
• sono
• contessa
• countess
• almaviva
• aria
• soprano
• james
• levine

[PRoperafan]

What she was able to do with Mozart is similar to what Callas did with Bel Canto. That is, her recitatives were always expressive and not an afterthought. Her roles were fully realized and not a patchwork of beautiful arias. She never sang Mozart like many did and still do, like walking on their toes. Yes there are beautiful voices that can produced a heavenly sound in Mozart, but how boring can that be!

[benjaminvox]

Effortless, gorgeous sound, impeccabe phrasing. Brava.

[ea748]

@octavian1960

you're right. the trill failed. but whatever, that happens to everyone, even great singers.

[Mickybunch]

@Marlifan69 Couldn't agree more my friend. It tears at your emotions. Wonderful.

[Marlifan69]

Carol Vaness is great, my favorite Mozartian soprano. I can point out only one flaw: She does it all too well. It makes others look like nothing.

Indeed, she truly understands what Mozart intended with his arias.

[Pruticle]

The voice is exciting and thrilling to hear. Then, on top of that fact, she understands what the Countess is going through, which makes the performance riveting. This can not be said for quite a few other women who have played this role.

[MrLibraryfan]

Beautiful singing, remaining somehow very heavy, down to earth, except her vibrato. Orchestra exceeds needs for Mozart's expression as well and becomes fast romantic - there is no need for that much intensity. I prefer d'Harnoncourt's recording with Concertgebouw, B. Bonney etc.

[bonfadello]

Une actrice et une chanteuse magnifique !

[AmericanEvita]

Who cares if she didn't have a trill or fioritura/coloratura. Mozart would have loved her Countess. She has such emotional depth and is understanding of the character's anguish. She has a gorgeous voice and a soprano who can trill like a bird is really very boring and shallow. Carol Vaness is by far the best Countess, Elvira, Anna & Fiordiligi.

[octavian1960]

@zegermans750 Well, there IS a trill at the end of this aria... (see dme.mozarteum.at/DME/nma/nma_c­ont.php?vsep=305&gen=&l=1&p1=4­14 ) The problem (if any) is NOT that her vibrato sounds like a trill, rather her trill is not very good...

[Vincenzo2010an]

sie ist eine schone frau und sie hat eine schone stimme, aber allen ist zu alt.

[shantibel]

Sorry to disagree, but I don't see/hear the problem. Can you really not distinguishthe vibrato from the trill?

I think her phrasing is equisite, and her interpretation passionate and expressive. I have heard more delicate trills, yes, but she sings the part in a robust, warm-blooded and expressive way that gives scope to her wonderful voice.