10 sopranos try to hold a really long note - Maria Stuarda - Preghiera

In an interview done by bass Jerome Hines, soprano Beverly Sills talks about breath exercises and sining long phases, replying to this question 'How long could you hold this?' Sills states, "I don't know.... but there are several pirated recordings of Maria Stuarda where there is a high B flat or B, which is sustained over the chorus in the prayer. I don't know how long that goes on, but it was one that I had to go back to train for, because it starts out pianissimo and then goes into a great crescendo, at the end of which you needed as much steam as you had when you started. I actually worked on my breath control consciously for the first time in maybe 15 years. I went back to doing exercises so that I could carry that note. It was quite interesting, because on nites when I was very tired I could not.... no matter how hard I tried, when I pulled out every trick I could think of... I could not sustain that note. So sometimes even the technique lets you down if your exhausted."

Category:

Music

Tags:

• opera
• donizetti

[erin129]

So Mariella Devia is 61 and a half, she's been singing professionally for 36 years, and she still puts sopranos half her age to shame. God bless her forever. And bless you for sharing all these wonderful videos :D

[DesMesures]

Très intéressant cette comparaison. Elle permet de voir que Madame Devia est absolument championne toutes catégories de ce répertoire : tenue de souffle incroyable (pas de reprise d'air avant la montée de la phrase et ce malgré un tempo très lent), son filé époustouflant, phrasé élégant et émotion. De plus elle est la seule à ajouter un contre-chant d'une beauté à couper le souffle (mais pas le sien !!) à la reprise du choeur. Brava Madame !

[Buzzgurit1]

@erin129 I am missing cristina deutekomm witch is the best of all

[delmoral73]

Caballe the winner first Devia second holding the note as long as they could....

[stedmantx]

There is certainly some lovely singing in this clip. Alas, Beverly Sills is not included in the comparison, perhaps because there is no video of her in the role. But you can get the audio of it. From purely a duration standpoint Sills wins with only a short breath after that first high note and then holding the second higher note much longer than any of the singers, some of which don't even attempt it. There is also a poignancy in Sills' tone that surpasses the singers in this clip. Sills was p

[pointemeout]

Devia. si. si. si.

[liguten]

Caballe et Devia sont les meilleures. Mais Caballe domine grâce au velouté de sa voix et aux piani incomparables. Brave Mesdames

[aircat29]

Caballè rocks!!!

[miphki67]

There are many excellent Maria Stuardas here, but Devia really knows how to do it. All the others stay far behind.

[rdsteyer]

The absolute soprano who siging this aria at the best long was Beverly Sills

[LjubljanaSI]

in my view, Devia is the most convincing executer of this looong note ;)

[bpicaud1]

Caballé is the winner for the longest note ( about 23 seconds ! ), and Marielle Devia is an incredible, fabulous singer (... and get the silver medail with 21 seconds !).