Ewa Podles - Habanera - Carmen - 1995

Ewa Podles - Habanera - Carmen - 1995

Category:

Music

Tags:

• opera
• bizet

[jtg10795]

@AceofGallifrey A Rosina I can understand (as long as she shows off her good low notes) but even the thought of a soprano Angelina makes me cringe. Soon these sopranos are going to start moving from Carmen to Dalilah to Orlofsky and then who even knows where. There is a such thing as too much soprano.

[Aetion]

I have heard Carmen with soprano and mezzo soprano. But it’s the first time I hear it with a contralto. Ewa Podles is a phenomenon.

[1blacklab]

She is fantastic, though this is no her best role. And she deserves a better chorus and orchestra!

[Aquanater]

This sounds like the song Clarabelle and Goofy sang in "Mickey, Donald, and Goofy as the Three Muskateers!" :D hehehehe

[AceofGallifrey]

@EmilyGreene1984 It does seem unlikely, doesn't it? I wouldn't have believed it could work myself until I heard them done! I'm opposed in general to sopranos taking mezzo/contralto roles on principal (mainly because I'm just not a fan of sopranos, period) but with just the right performer, it can really be spectacular. Just as one can have a mezzo Lauretta or Cleopatra (I know, but it's been done) and make it spectacular, one can (with luck) manage to find a really excellent a soprano Angelina.

[EmilyGreene1984]

@AceofGallifrey I can't imagine a soprano playing either the roles of Rosina or Angelina. Those two roles are, IMHO, Rossini's gift to contraltos - because it allows for them to portray the playful ingenue or the innocent, good girl (which are often played by sopranos in most operas). I think the contralto or mezzo voice adds a certain sincerity to either role.

[77Opera]

Quelle voix unique!

[maytelovesmetal]

Que impresión!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[AceofGallifrey]

@jtg10795 Which of course is related to why some singers, even if they're the proper voice type, simply can't bring a certain role to life, whereas they absolutely sparkle in others. Which, in turn, opens up the door to that wonderful realm of concert repertoire (also known as "humanity's greatest gift to opera singers").

[jtg10795]

@AceofGallifrey Exactly, and so much of what a character can be comes from that certain depth in that certain voice type

[AceofGallifrey]

@jtg10795 No arguments there! I know a young dramatic soprano who is understudying the role, and while it certainly works well enough (she has a rather extraordinary bottom range, especially for a soprano), it just... well it lacks depth.

[jtg10795]

@AceofGallifrey I guess if it was a dramatic soprano and she had the low notes I could get through a performance, but still nothing beats a mezzo or contralto Angelina