Lilli Lehmann - Marten Aller Arten

Beautiful recording of Lilli Lehmann, from 1907. She shows not only her wonderful dramatic coloratura and her high D's but also she had a good low register as well with well supported low B's.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• lilli
• lehmann
• maria
• callas
• rosa
• ponselle
• soprano
• dramatic
• coloratura
• mozart
• seraglio

[LohengrinT]

-Impressive voice... at last a Legend of the past who does not sing off-tune and amateurishly as 99% of the singers of the past do.

-I do hear a bit of a problem in her diction though. The great Joan Sutherland habit (I eat half of the consonants cause Im too hungry today) is present :)

-How old is she here?

-wow she transposes upward the last note huh?

[primohomme]

This is from 1907, so she must have been 59.

[gayoperadude63]

She was nearly 60 when this was recorded! Having sung Norma, Aida and Brunhillde through out her career!

[mimziemimz]

Such solid and effortless singing comes only as a result of perfect knowledge of your craft and constant practice to maintain your shape. Another reason why she sounds so fresh at her age. 

[mimziemimz]

Thank you so much for posting this!I am amazed by the fact that her voice sounds so well on such an early recording.This is the first time I've heard a female voice from this time that actually sounds (I'm assuming) so close to the real thing and is actually enjoyable to listen to.I'm reading her Meine Gesangskunst now and this sound clip just proves that this amazing woman left nothing to chance and never stopped working on her voice - something very few singers do today.

[ChristophePhilippe]

This is a remarkable document. Some press agents, managers, and impresarios try to make something of singers today who seem to be versatile. But they're rarely truly versatile. Lehmann was amazing. If all you heard or knew was this recording of hers, you might conclude that she was a lyric-dramatic with strong coloratura. We know, of course, that she was much more.

[ChristophePhilippe]

@LohengrinT I try to restrain myself in making negative comments, but I couldn't hold back. Bolena is a long opera for the soprano. Netrebko managed to "say" something in a few places, but for the most part, she gave a competent reading, no more, no less. I suspect that people are making more of it because it's so rarely performed. Maybe she will grow into the role, but there's no reason to think so. All her performances are pedestrian. She never says anything.

[LohengrinT]

@dougbalt

Netrebko has an Immensely talented voice that she only manages to control well and to its full potential in not all of her performances. I truly loved her Bolena - it suits her ideally. Her Va infelice is the best I have heard after the famous Callas-Simionato duet.

An artist that is called to perform characters with mythical proportions in the Theatre has to maintain some distance, to create an aura of mystery around him. That is what we adore :)

[dougbalt]

@LohengrinT They're trying to increase the audience base and make it more appealing to today's youth, so that the art form becomes more sustainable. But I see your point. You're right that today's singers seem to hide behind their technique. The one major exception to that is Netrebko, who now after her baby is somewhat chubby and still sells out performances at the Met.

[LohengrinT]

@dougbalt

also the singers... their companies tell them to make a "human face" so they go on Youtube film themselves talking to their fans about what lipstick they use... I mean can u imagine Garbo, Gardner or Callas on Youtube discussing their eyeliners? lol

We need Goddesses in Opera - opera is Mythology - we dont need the lady from the near hair shop who happened to have an Eb6 inside her throat ;)

[LohengrinT]

@dougbalt

live HD, DDDD, HQ etc etc and u fall asleep the moment they open their mouth

Opera is Passion, without passion pfff

Singers of today sort of hide behind their technique... which sometimes approaches perfection but that is not enough. Today's singers are x10 more technical than yesterday's, still no passion, too afraid the voice will go wobble