Coppia Iniqua - Anna Bolena Contest - Mariella Devia

I have always loved Donizetti's Three Queen Operas, and Anna Bolena is a good place to start. I choose the final cabaletta for this contest Coppia iniquia. Unfortunatly, Anna Bolena isn't very common in the video format, so I had to include two sopranos whos video was part of a highlight collection, and therefore, the arias are not complete, these artists are Devia and Takova. I think this aria makes for an interesting contest. Once again a 1-5 rating for singing and characterization. These are the singers and dates of performances:
Luciana Serra - 1997
Nelly Miricioiu - 1999
Katia Ricciarelli - 1986
Olivia Stapp - 1980
Dimitra Theodossiou - 1999
Darina Takova - 2005
Hyejin Kim - 1997
Leyla Gencer - 1978
Edita Gruberova - 2000
Mariella Devia - 2007

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Devia
• opera
• donizetti

[primohomme]

Ignorant people, in operas such as these, the low Bb (that is dodged or taken an octave up by these lesser singers) is far more important than stupid interpolated high Eb's!!!

[coloraturafan]

Did you copy and paste that statement from another post? Anyway, what makes your an expert on Donizetti and this cabaletta, to say what notes are more important than others? After seeing your comment on the Il Pirata video, I have to admit you are no expert in this field. I would suggest that you not call people ignorant and then go around posting ignorant comments yourself.

[primohomme]

As a matter of fact, yes, I am something of an expert, I am a musicologist, I am very familiar witht he so called "assoluta" roles...in which you need kinda of a mezzo-soprano chest voice as well as a high soprano top. Those roles are not Lucia or Amina, you cannot do a strained throaty burp of a low note in the most dramatic phrase and then expect to be redeemed by a squeak at the end of the aria.

[coloraturafan]

Primohomme, I am sorry after reading you steady stream of uneducated comments, either you are the stupidest musicologist out there, or a liar. Do you understand anything about how the singers and even composers of this music changing the line and the variations to fit a specific persons voice. Does the name Malibran ring a bell? Wonder why there are Malibran versions of so many aria's and opera's? Because she was an important singer and they wanted to adjust the line to fit her voice.

[primohomme]

Bellini adapted the part of the soprano in "I Puritani" for Malibran, making it into a more mezzo friendly tessitura. Also Donizetti made the role of Maria Stuarda that is pretty lyrical more flamboyant for Malibran. But Bellini opposed to Jenny Lind performing Norma because she couldn't sing the low Bb or trill so low, and to Grisi doing Norma because she couldn't make justice to the role. One thing is altering the vocal line, other thing is corrupting it.

[coloraturafan]

Primohomme, are you sure you are a musicologist? I have to double check... Jenny Lind sang Norma when she was 15? She was born in 1820, Bellini died in 1835, so she would have had to been 15 for him to dissapprove of her singing in his opera (at any rate her early career in Sweden is usually thought to be 1838 to around 1843 when she made a success in Germany, so I would doubt if she ever sang for Bellini).

[midlochblidloch]

you have no discernment, I don't think I want to discuss this topic with you.

[sediziosevoci]

We, Italians, would call you "Testa di cazzo". But I am sure you know that already.

[TeressaByrne]

All I have to say is, in regards to that final high note - you GO, Ms. Fierce Thang.

[dougbalt]

@primohomme I agree with you on this one. (I know two years is kind of after the fact, but Netrebko is going to be debuting this role at the Met next season.) The bottom of Devia's range is quite weak, and she lacks the flexibility and the drama needed for many of these roles. Anna Bolena is not Lucia or Amina, and you need a much stronger bottom and middle for this role.

[crazymoon81]

Mariella Devia wins this contest, it's obvious. As usual. She wins the majority of the contests: Maria Stuarda, Lucrezia Borgia, etc...She is...simply the best.

Anyway, she was 59 years old in this video,,,

[giant469]

Vedi, FraSarn, io cerco di non avere divinità né religiose, né liriche. Adoro la Callas da sempre, ma non ascolto mai i suoi raccapriccianti concerti degli anni '70.

Un cantante d'opera è come un atleta: quando è finito il suo tempo deve ritirarsi. La Gencer degli ultimi 10 anni non arrivava più a saldare i registri vocali, la Sutherland di Anna Bolena (Decca) è una macchia sul suo blasone, la Gruberova si sta rendendo ridicola: ma lo hai ascoltato il finale di Lucrezia Borgia a Monaco?

[FraSarn]

Mah, non nego affatto che la Mariella Devia sia molto brava in questo ruolo, ma non andrei a scomodare divinita' del belcanto come Gencer, Sutherland o Gruberova. Questo tuo e' un commento molto poco rispettoso della maesta' di queste cantanti. :-)

[giant469]

Finalmente una Cantante con la C maiuscola che ha capito alla perfezione come interpretare Anna Bolena (come Donizetti voleva si interpretasse Anna Bolena: chissà perché si tende a dimenticare che quest'opera fu concepita per la voce di Giuditta Pasta). E a 50 anni di distanza dalla prima callasiana, se ne sentiva la mancanza.

Un'Anna Bolena senza le gutturalizzazioni d'una Gencer, senza lo spiagnucolio perenne d'una Sutherland, senza il manierismo e l'innaturalezza espressiva d'una Gruberova.

[adballet]

Prima donna's voice, prima ballerina's arms.

[LittlePasserotto]

inossidabile.. beata lei

[DiegoMartinazzoli]

Beh.. slittamenti a dire il vero ne sento pochi. Comunque la Gruberova di 20 anni fa non slittava per niente. Penso non sia un modo di cercare le note,,,, perché io di certo non le cercherei così. Forse perché con l'età ha una minor capacità di mobilizzare aria polmonare e deve "risparmiare" fiato.... Oppure può essere una scelta di gusto...