Casta Diva - Norma Contest - Joan Sutherland

Finally it is here! The Norma contest! Everyone was asking for this one, and it a fun one to put together. There are a lot of sopranos here! So take your time and give them all a chance. Again we will use a 1-5 rating for singing and characterization. These are the singers and dates of performances:
Joan Sutherland - 1964
Dimitra Theodossiou - 2007
Hasmik Papian - 1999
Anait Mchitarian - 2003
Edita Gruberova - 2007
Ann Netrebko - 2007
Shirley Verrett - 1988
Yasuko Hayashi - 1992
Barbara Frittoli - 2004
Lucia Aliberti - 1991
Mara Zampieri - 1990
Ghena Dimitrova - 1987
Gilda Cruz-Romo - 1984
Monica Pick-Hieronimi - 1997
Adelaide Negri - 1988
Fiorenza Cedolins - 2003
June Anderson - 2006
Maria Guleghina - 2004
Marina Mesheriakova - 1999
Georgina Lukács - 2003
Montserrat Caballé - 1977
Ana María Sanchez - 2003

Category:

Music

Tags:

• sutherland
• opera
• bellini

[giant469]

You're right, Distefano: I wondered "where is Callas" as well, since the Divina sang this aria several times in front of a camera. But I soon realized why she's not there: including Callas in such a contest would be like asking Federer to take part in a tennis tournament for beginners...

[BPJamaica]

Her voice is remarkable.... almost unbelievable. Her style is, however, lacking as much as her voice is amazing. Where is the intent, the pacing, the diction.... her phrasing is questionable at times, and aside from acting, that to me is Callas' strength. People seem to pass by her phrasing a lot more than they should... that's the reason she was great!

[CaptFitzbattleaxe]

@leslielandberg This performance derives from a Bell Telephone broadcast. Whatever staging is here was prepared for just this one aria, which is one reason the staging nothing out of the ordinary. The singing on the other hand -- WOW.

[AnnaSimonyan]

Anait Mchitarian 5

[iskenderuna]

@CaptFitzbattleaxe you are of course right - my brain was working a tone down too when I wrote that!

[CaptFitzbattleaxe]

@iskenderuna Actually, Sutherland is singing it in G, the original key. F major is the lower version, which usually isn't as convincing. (Callas' interpretation would be an exception, of course.)

5/5 - I was pleasantly surprised at her interpretation here, which is almost as compelling as her fabulous voice.

[paulostroff99]

@FeelinMinnesota Caballe had a far more pleasant voice than Callas,and far better diction than Sutherland. All three were quite different but all were great.

[FeelinMinnesota]

@paulostroff99 Caballe has 1/4 of the size in ehr voice required to sing Norma.

[marena9]

Dear Lord, what a woman! Amazing, light cooratura and all, but still, for me, she has the best interpretation od the aria...even Callas bows put...

[amareloamarelinho]

MY FAVORITE SINGER. This aria is perfect in her voice.

[SandrineSoprano]

Loves it...

[john5748]

Caballé has perhaps a more agreeable voice and her italian pronunciation is far superior than Sutherland's.

But Sutherland is vocally more in order IMHO