The "Son vergin vezzosa" Contest - Vincenzo Bellini - I puritani - "Son vergin vezzosa" (Joan Sutherland) (1960)

Bellini wrote so many absolutely irresistible arias that it is very difficult to choose the best one. Many will remember the genius "Casta Diva", the gentle Amina arias "Come per me sereno" and "Ah! non credea mirati", the glorious "A te, o cara"... The list goes on and on. But one aria stands out in the list of Bellini's arias: the quite delightful polonaise aria for Elvira from "I Puritani" "Son vergin vezzosa", a gentle piece, almost Rossinian in its peaceful happiness. One of my all time favorite arias, "Son vergin vezzosa" can be a boring showpiece in the hands of an average singer, but an imaginative artist can work magic with it. This "contest" includes renditions from the following singers: the sublime Amelita Galli-Curci, the virtuosic Beverly Sills, the silver-voiced Joan Sutherland, the wonderful Lucia Aliberti, the intelligent Mariella Devia, the powerful Montserrat Caballe, the high-flying Mado Robin, the artistic Maria Callas and the exquisite Sumi Jo. I do hope you enjoy this contest (the system is the same: the marks range from 1 to 5; there are two categories: singing/characterization; so your mark (+ comment :-) ) should look like this: (*/*))! Also, if you have the time, listen to all the versions, I think it's interesting to compare them all to see what makes each rendition so special. Thank you all in advance for your comments and opinions :-) !

P.S. I'm using this opportunity to say that I have come across some new versions of "Una voce poco fa" for the Youtubers to savour, I hope that I will be able to put them up as soon as possible.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Amelita
• Galli-Curci
• Beverly
• Sills
• Joan
• Sutherland
• Puritani
• Mariella
• Devia
• Montserrat
• Caballe
• Maria
• Callas
• Bellini

[kngiht84]

Ehm....where was she EVER a boring coloratura ?

[Fairpavel]

5/5. Here she's not a boring coloratura.

[swertyui]

i love her voice but her Italian pronunciation is terrible.

[Eiswirth1]

She was the best; no one can touch her.

[baird292]

Her voice is more pleasing to my ear.

[sakisv1971ath]

the best Sutherland's Son vergin vezzosa performing...accuracy,lightnes­s,sharp cadenza plunges,airy phrasing,diction...a masterpiece

[Drelnis]

By the way, why had LindoroRossini chosen this particular recording for the contest? I feel Sutherland's other iconic Son Vergin in her Puritani recording (with Bonynge and Pavarotti) is much more superior vocally, but then that is just my opinion :D Anyone else agree?

[Drelnis]

Ah yes, sorry I had experienced her Huguenot in a video recording in the late 80s, it was clearly not her best at all, but from the studio in 70s I have never heard of.

[vully70]

For this aria the perfect voice, phrasing and timbre.

5/5

Beautifull!!