THE TEN GREATEST SOPRANOS Heard Live 8 Regine Crespin

I first became aware of Regine Crespin on hearing her recital disc containing "D'amour l'ardente flamme" and the aria from William Tell, "Sombre foret" sung in French. The common opinion then was that French sopranos had shrill, pinched voices and the nasal language was not conducive to good singing. Crespin demonstrated that was nonsense. Her luscious, peach like tone was alluring and I couldn't wait to hear her live.

At Covent Garden she sang a sensuous, seductive Tosca and her ample voice easily filled the house. Her recital at the Royal Festival Hall was a revelation. Beginning with Handel's inspiring "Dank, sei dank" she sang a variety of Lieder and songs including some from the ravishing Nuits d'été; her recording of those songs is to this day unequalled.

She returned to Covent Garden to sing Leonora in Fidelio. I thought she was magnificent, singing with a radiant freedom. But her neatly tailored costume, with white cuffs above perfectly manicured hands, failed to conceal her voluptuous curves and, chiefly because she was not Sena Jurinac, the critics failed to appreciate her. Shame on them.

She is clearly the finest French Soprano of our time and possibly longer, and has graced roles from both the Italian and German repertoire with her flawless tone and alluring interpretations.

With friends I stayed behind to see and photograph her at the Stage Door after Tosca. She was very tired but waited patiently as one flash bulb after another failed to work.

She was a truly great singer and a gracious lady, very much missed.

The first of three song settings by Maurice Ravel of poems by Tristan Klingsor

ASIE - ASIA Ancient and marvellous land of nursery tales, I would like to leave with with the schooner ... for the islands of flowers ... to see Damascus ,,kto see beautiful silk turbans above dark faces .. to see Persia and India and China .. to see princesses and scholars and to see murderers smile as they are executed ... I would like to see paupers and queens, roses and blood and deaths from love or hate ... and then to return to recount my adventures to those who would know of my dreams.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Ten
• Greatest
• Sopranos
• Regine
• Crespin
• Ravel
• Asie
• Berlioz
• Nuits
• D'Ete
• Tosca

[greve]

Just listen to this - fantastic. (I am sorry not to have heard her live.)

[CharlotteinWeimar]

She really, truly was this gorgeous. I cannot imagine who has voted this down less than 5 stars as it is an unsurpassed performance.

[CharlotteinWeimar]

My opera loving friends and I always thought of her as peachlike, both is her very feminine, gracefully curvaceous person and in the flawlessly smooth, beautifully rounded timbre of her voice.

[CharlotteinWeimar]

If you heard this great singer live, please post a description.

[SuzelleDeGrace]

Il y a longtemps que j'écoute Crespin. Elle est suave et sensuelle. Très très beau et clair pour cette magnifique musique.

[wolfmusic]

I can only agree, this is perhaps the greatest recording/performance of this work, the coming together of Composer and Artist to produce something as sumptuous and beautiful as this. Thank you for postin this.

[Raggedy9]

@CharlotteinWeimar I heard her Didon in the first complete American "Les Troyens" in Boston in the 70s. Overwhelming--one of the best performances I have seen in my lifetime. The voice was huge and flawless. I would describe it as having the sheen of copper. Perfect legato, perfect expression of the words, perfect balance of poise and passion demanded by Berlioz.

[mwdot12]

How I wish I could hear her live, and the other fabulous divas of her time. I want a time travel machine....and all I would do is listen to the wonderful divas! Such a beautiful mark on the face of opera.

[Agorante]

I heard her live many times. She was one of my favorites. She had a huge voice but very easy - no strain. I particularly remember her Sieglinde. I think the Brunhilda was Nadezda Kniplova - another real big voice. When Crespin sang Der Manne Sippe I got a flash or a flush or something. I was crying whatever it was.

[robertdonkers]

She definately is in my top 10

[DivaDeb1234]

There used to be a very nice video of Regine Crespin singing this aria with orchestra in black and white. I even had it in my favorites by now it's gone out of my favorites and it is not to be found anywhere on you tube. I am so sad not to have it ..I guess the owner took it off. I have forgotten who the owner was.

[arrassip]

Very easy. The Cd of Decca Recitalcontain this aria. There is no classification for the performance. There is no classification for his french. Listen how she pronouce "puis".

[DivaDeb1234]

There used to be a video of Crespin singing the entire aria "D'amour L'ardente flamme". I can't find it anywhere...!! Do you know where it may have gone !? It used to be in my favorites and now I can't see it.

[Glenmed]

I have Janet Baker's rendition of the Shéhérazade cycle. It is beautiful. But now, having been enthralled by Regine Crespin's matchless tones in this, I can only hope and believe that these superb ladies greatly admired each other. TY

[agingbeauty]

Yes. I heard her live. One of the greatest voices of the 20th century. Also a very beautiful woman with unique personal charm , charisma and phrasing. An operatic miracle ! I heard her as Sieglinde,Didon,Cassandra,Char­lotte,Duchesse de Gerolstein,Tosca,Kundry, Mme. de Croissyand many concerts.