Vocalist.org archive


From:  mikebarb@n...
Date:  Sat Sep 9, 2000  2:23 am
Subject:  Re: [vocalist-temporary] Miller's Soprano book: a partial review


Hello--

>
> > high, often pure-voiced songbirds. In contrast, the dramatic coloratura
> > fach sung by sopranos whose voices have some weight --rich lyric or heavier
> > (to me). Sutherland or Te Kanawa often sing roles of this fach.
> ...However, lest I misconstrue what you were trying to say in the
> above statement, Te Kanawa is in no way a dramatic coloratura. She is a
> lyric soprano, pure and simple.

<Blush> That seems to be what I wrote. Yes, of course Te Kanawa is a lyric
soprano, but one that can dabble in certain dram. coloratura roles. (One should
never write when tired--odd leaps of logic happen.) I usually feel a certain
affinty whenever I hear a lyric soprano voice. Not so with most other types.
When listening to a lyric soprano, I seem to be able to feel in my own body
what the singer is doing with hers--a physcial empathy.

That said, I do have a real interest in the different types of coloratura
sopranos, I even made a web page (my "practice" web page) on Maria Ivogun. I
loved Ivogun's voice from childhood, but I had no special knowledge about her or
her voice. She sang roles from both soubrette/coloratura and certain of the
dramatic roles. She was well known for her Konstanze and Queen of the Night
(besides many of the lighter coloratura roles). I wouldn't call her dramatic.
Not really. (Of course, old recordings can be misleading, and maybe I'm not
lisitening for the right things.) I can't even begin to imagine her singing
many of the roles that Miller listed as dram. col. I also recently started to
listen to some of her pupils--Rita Streich and Erna Berger.

> Examples of dramatic coloratures would
> include Joan Sutherland (the quintessential), Rita Shane, Edda Moser,
> Christina Deutekom, and Edita Gruberova.

Thanks for the additional names. This is what I wish Miller had included in hsi
book..

Barbara Roberts



emusic.com