Joan Sutherland - Esclarmonde (2)

La Stupenda singing a beautiful aria from Esclarmonde by Massenet

Regarde-les, ces yeux plus purs que les étoiles!
Regarde-les, ces lèvres et ce corps!
Regarde-le, ce corps que ta faute a perdu sans retour!

Il ne t'a pas suffi de posséder dans l'ombre
l'épouse qui t'offrait des voluptés sans nombre!
Tu veux la contempler! Sois heureux, tu la vois!
Mais c'est pour la première et la dernière fois!
Roland, tu m'as trahie! Roland, tu m'as perdue!
Regarde-moi pour la dernière fois! Hélas!

Joan Sutherland with Giacomo Aragall in a San Francisco production of Esclarmonde in 1974.

Also, a curtain call after Esclarmonde at the Metropolitan Opera, 1976, with Huguette Tourangeau, John Carpenter and Jerome Hines.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Joan
• Sutherland
• Esclarmonde
• Massenet
• French
• Opera
• Aragall
• Bonynge
• Aria

[raigekimaru]

@emma41093

that's because it's written for a dramatic coloratura soprano. most so called dramatic coloratura roles are really written for

1) larger lyric coloraturas (Violetta, )

2) assolutas (Norma, Lady Macbeth)

3) dramatic sopranos with agility

Esclarmonde is different. like taking the dramaticism and vocal weight of Turandot and the agility of a Lakme and throwing them into the same role. you HAVE to be a dramatic coloratura soprano to sing Esclarmonde =)

[emma41093]

Such an impossible role to sing, and she makes it sound EASY!!!!! Bravo la stupenda!!!! RIP.

[esclarmonde1]

Joan Sutherland cosidered Esclarmonde to be her finest role and with Giacomo Aragall they make a fabulous operatic pair. Bravi

[bpicaud1]

La Stupenda est toujours digne de son surnom. La seule chose qui lui fait défaut est la clarté d'une diction hélas pâteuse. On ne va tout de même pas lui reprocher de ne pas posséder le contre-sol que Massenet avait écrit pour Sybil Sanderson...

[GoldenAgeSunshine]

The ONLY version matching precisely what Massenet had in mind when he created this gruelling role for US soprano Sybil Sanderson, but Dame Sutherland had a far larger voice than Sanderson's! It's AMAZING and this is THE reference recording of Esclarmonde. RIP

[1802Elisa]

Oh yes! I have the CD´s. Wonderful with Aragall.

Where did you get these pictures. Is it possible that you can mail me. This is really unbelievable.

Thanks a lot!

sissi.jelinek@chello.at

[LingaChakra]

Such a beauty! Thank you so much for posting Esclarmonde pieces.