Alceste-Gluck- A.C.Antonacci

First aria of Alceste, in Gluck's opera, "Grands dieux, du destin qui m'accable". The big dramatic recitatives are arias in themselves too!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Gluck
• Anna-Caterina
• Antonacci
• Alceste

[sor1952]

I agree. The vibrato is ugly and distracting. She probably would not sound in tune if she had to relinquish it. The music is ruined.

[RobBrooksMusic]

I love classical singing but there is something about her voice, not gentle or easy listening, and her vibrato is wild, I don't like it. Obviously she must be good though because she is famous. Does she normally sing like this?

[hchristopher1]

OK, have it your way.  Bye.

[bramoditrionfar]

unsteadiness is not a matter of taste - it is there, or it isn't

[hchristopher1]

Farrell was a dramatic soprano, and a brilliant singer. Antonacci is a different vocal type, which is harder to categorize, but certainly her voice is smaller than Farrell's. But as Alceste, I could never believe in the theatricality of Farrell, while ACA can sing almost anything, and I understand her INTENTION. This is not to start a squabble with you. We all have our tastes, thank God. I must have a higher tolerance for what you call her "unsteady" phrases. I'm a rabid ACA fan.

[bramoditrionfar]

I admire Antonacci, and she has some very fine and well-thought phrases here, but goes very unsteady in places - and the pitch suffers accordingly. Her french comes and goes. I can't get Eileen Farrell out of my mind in this aria!

[hchristopher1]

We can all have our tastes, then. Some prefer vanilla ice cream, some prefer cognac. What I don't like is public squabbling over singers. We can agree to disagree. I have von Otter's Alceste, and also that of Callas. All bring something interesting and different to the role. Antonacci is interesting in Gluck, according to me. Thank you.

[GoldenAgeSunshine]

Thanks. Then, maybe she's been living in the suburbs ... At any rate, what I hear here in this particular excerpt is quite bad, not at all in line with Gluck's fabulous creamy, round and grand vocal line. Wrong repertoire. Thanks for your comment anyway.

[hchristopher1]

Odd, that you don't understand her French, she's lived in Paris for at least the past 10 years. . . .I'm american and I understand almost every word. . . .

[hchristopher1]

Look past your preconceived notions of what Gluck "should"

be, and look at the drama and personality this amazing singer brings to these roles. They said the same thing about Callas in Gluck. Open your minds! Antonacci is a miracle.