In a message dated 3/26/2001 2:34:16 PM Eastern Standard Time, zdivina@g... writes:
<< As for other dramatic singers - historically - they all were trained to sing coloratura - and for the most part did it marvellously: Muzio, Ponselle, Eva Turner, Cigna (probably the greatest Norma ever), Cerquetti, Eileen Farrell, Stignani, Simionato, and countless others. Even Tebaldi, not easily associated with coloratura singing, had an excellent coloratura technique - as evidenced on her early recordings - a technique of which today's dramatics can only be envious. >>
mariella,
covering the male side of things...there were, towards the end of the last century a number of lower voiced males, karl ridderbusch, siegmund nimsgern and wolfgang schone who, in addition to being regulary sought after for wagnerian roles, were making quite a few recordings of bach's vocal works.
i think graham sanders, our resident heldentenor, mentioned singing either bach or mozart to make sure his technique was 'in line'. other dramatic voices (i think several in hines' 'great singers on great singing') mention singing bach and mozart as tests for technique as there are fewer places to hide in the works of these composers.
perhaps it is easier for more lyric voices to develope coloratura skills than dramatic voices (just as it is easier for dramatic voices to take the paint off the walls) but, the examples you have cited are just some of the dramatic voices that developed coloratura skills. marilyn horne had astounding coloratura skills and, had she not developed them, may have been considered to be a more dramatic voice than she was.
mike
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