The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #132736 Message #3004592
Posted By: GUEST,mauvepink
11-Oct-10 - 02:14 PM
Thread Name: Obit: Dame Joan Sutherland, soprano (Oct 2010)
Subject: RE: Obit: Dame Joan Sutherland
I have many recordings of both Callas and Sutherland. The thing that most seperates them is probably the time and technology of those recordings. So many of Sutherlands recording are much of a muchness but then, in fairness, so were the operas she was doing. Much of Donizetti is quite similar and he was hard on the soprano role.
Bellini certainly allowed more range and the chance of colouratura. By the time we get to Verdi and Puccini we find them using the tenor and baritone, along with mezzo and bass, in a kind of equal use. Verdi, I feel, was much harder on baritones than on sopranos and tenor, for instance, which is why good Verdian baritones are rarer (Milnes and Zancanarro probably being about the most expressive).
Along came Pavarotti and the repertoire got hoisted another step when he and Sutherland almost reignited the whole interest of duets from bel canto and the romantic era. Callas and di Stefano reinvented and different.
Thankfully the world has been left her voice. Sadly the opera world has lost her spirit and enthusiasm.
mp