O don fatale - Don Carlo Contest - Violeta Urmana

This contest idea was suggested to me after the Favorita contest, and I was instantly impressed. This is not the typical bel canto contest that I usually put together, but I really love this aria. I have put together a collection of some really great artists, I hope everyone enjoys. Again a score of 1-5 for singing/characterization:
Giulietta Simionato - 1962
Eva Marton - 1988
Sonia Ganassi - 2007
Ildiko Komlósy - 2000
Fiorenza Cossotto - 1975
Grace Bumbry - 1984
Elena Obraztsova - 1978
Giovanna Casolla - 1992
Marie-Ange Todorovitch - 2003
Nadja Michael - 2004
Tatiana Troyanos - 1980
Biserka Cvejic - 1967
Violeta Urmana - 1997
Dolora Zajick - 2000
Agnes Baltsa - 1986

Category:

Music

Tags:

• urmana
• opera
• verdi

[tenore23]

@raigekimaru and wrong again

2. Norma is a mezzo role. it was originally written for Malibran, who was a techically mezzo, since writers of the time actually called her that. It can be sung by a Falcon because Malibran was riding the cusp between soprano and mezzo, which is what a Falcon soprano actually is.

The "original key" is a fallacy. Malibran suggested the transposition and Bellini himself did it, thus, there is no original key since both options come from the composer.

[tenore23]

@raigekimaru Wrong.

1 A falcon is a falcon named after Marie Falcon, the French soprano who created a host of roles at the opera. A Falcon soprano is a soprano with a short top, plain and simple. The color of the voice does not necessarily play into it. Bumbry was a Falcon soprano and her voice was semi bright. Obrazova did many Falcon roles and her voice was bright.

[raigekimaru]

@tenore23

1) a Falcon is a dark voice, Violetta's voice is bright as hell

2) Norma is dramatic coloratura soprano, not falcon (dramatic coloratura with a strong lower register, but dramatic coloratura, especially if the sung in the original high key like sutherland) =)

[gyorgy11]

@raigekimaru Actually I have changed my mind since I have heard her sing more, that wonderful Aida from the Met a few months ago. Best Regards,

[raigekimaru]

@gyorgy11

you think so? have you heard her verdi requiem or odabella? no mezzo could sing those.

[TommyHaegin]

I hear no "suffering", no (com)passion in her singing. She sings the notes but that's it. As good as no dynamic range other than loud or louder. Maybe some is due to the poor conducting. But I'm not too impressed.

[Dymension]

5/5

[Dymension]

Hello! I just saw her Tosca in Chicago and she is definitely one of the best Toscas I've seen, even if she's a little cool acting wise. She nailed all the high Cs and sang a beautiful Visi D'Arte.

[cantanteporsiempre]

que director de orquesta tan malo. Very bad conductor!! The orchestra is too forte at the end, when whe needs more contrast.

[andrewszig]

Dear All!

I just heard Urmana in the NY Met performance HD in Verdi's Aida, she has changed to Soprano lately, and her acting was very convincing at the same time. I was able to meet her personally as well, and she is a really nice person. She is new shining star on the sky of Opera today. Enjoy....