Customer Reviews

Joan Sutherland--Mad Scenes

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4 star:		(1)
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It was expected for a very long time a CD with MAD SCENES with Joan Sutherland as singer. Her skills as coloratura soprano are unbelievable. In these interpretations you can feel dramatism and emotions. Joan as Lucia always shines. In this recording you can find an improved characterization of this rol, but it is harder interpretation than the first ones. Her Elvira is sweet and bright, but I prefer a another of her permances that was directed by Serafin around 1960. Joan's first performance of Hamlet was around 1982 or 1983 with Sherill Milnes in the title rol. This was recording by DECCA. Actually it is very hard to find this recording. Maybe DECCA should restore it. The rols of Dinorah and Catherine were beatifully carried out by Sutherland, vacally and dramaticly. LA STUPENDA IS STILL THE BEST.

This CD features Dame Joan Sutherland in arias from 1962 to 1683. The compilation is a spectacular display of coloratura, mastered by the greatest coloratura soprano of the century.

The first 2 tracks are from I Puritani, recorded in 1973. The caballetta Vien, diletto is sung gorgeously. Dame Joan alters the cadenza in the second half of the caballetta, and concludes with a high E flat.

The Ombre legere aria is sung with visible ease, even though this aria is extremely difficult. Just listen to the final high E (huge and agressive), and be amazed by this phenomenal display of fireworks.

The mad scene from Thomas Hamlet is recorded in 1983, when Dame Joan was 57. It is impressive how she sings at that age! She sung when she was past her prime the way most of the sopranos nowadays sing like when they are in their prime. Indeed, the voice shows some signs of wear, but the high notes are there, the coloratura is fast, the characterisation is well handled.

The Lucia mad scene is from the 1971 recording, the best known of her recordings, although not her best. She is incredible in the Spargi damaro pianto when she concludes with a high E flat, that covers the orchestra and the chorus. She had a huge voice!

This CD stands as an avidence of how incredible La Stupenda was, and how her voice changed along the years.

Finally a recording of Joan's mad scenes. I find this cd interesting because it contains recordings from as far back as 1960, but it also include the hamlet mad scene that was recorded in 1986. The earlier the better, of course, by far. But I have to give it to dame Joan to record Hamlet at near sixty. It is extremely visible that the 1986 Sutherland had lost 1/2 of her voice and 1/2 of her technique. This recording has a lot of rare gems, including the mad scene from Dinorah, featuring a young dame Joan. And Qui la voce from the 1975 Puritani that is out of print, sung brilliantly.

Dame Joan, you're still prima donna assoluta. Even with impressive competition from Callas, Sills, Caballe, and others. They can't hold a candle to you.

You have the best trill,staccato,runs,arpeggios,and the most spectacular high notes in the world. And you have the most gorgeous tone as well.

On top of all that, you have a heart of gold. Now that's something that is unique among prima donnas.

The fact is Sutherland is the greatest coloratura soprano of our time. Even Callas fans agree with that. Sills is great too. But she is second best. Sutherland has a huge voice, huge high notes, a perfect trill, much faster staccato and fiorature. Only thing Sills has over Sutherland is her acting.
This "Fille" is universally regarded as a classic. Look at the Schwann catalog and you'll see it listed as essential. Sills is no mention at all. I wasn't going to say that but you deserve it. Man, putting on over 30 negative reviews of Sutherland, Callas, Renee Fleming and who know who else?
I was going to keep silent. But after repeatedly hearing this immature 12 year old jealous person bash Sutherland at least 30 times, I will not remain silent. NO one in this site I know go to Sill's opera reviews to bash Sills. And if they did, I won't agree with them.
You know that many fans of Sutherland are also fans of Sills. So your doing this is not making any friends.
I have to say this. All the opera books site Sutherland as the greatest coloratura of the last century. They also site Callas as the greatest singing actress of our time. They briefly mention Sills. If you don't believe me, go to the library.

This deserves at least a hundred stars. Stupendous singing by La Stupenda.

Sorry for not being current, or I'm too young. But who is Beverly Sills? I thought with Sutherland retired, the reigning soprano is Renee Fleming.
Whoever she is. Her fans are getting annoying. I'll be sure that I don't take any of their recommendations.

In a music 111 class, I compared divas Sutherland, Sills, and Callas all singing the mad scene from Lucia. I didn't say who was who.
It was my final project. And I handed a survey to see who is the better bel canto singer.
Sutherland--1971 recording
Sills-------1969 recroding
Callas------1955 recording
Here is the results.
1)Sutherland....40 votes
2)Sills.........07 votes
3)Callas........00 votes
I got an A on the project. And the students were astonished by Sutherland's mad scene by a huge margin, as you can see. NO one voted for Callas.
Without question, Sutherland is the best coloratura, at least with the Lucia mad scene. But this set has all mad scenes. Some even more difficult than the Lucia. I invite you to hear this, and make up your mind
Dont let some immature kid who just know how to call people names and bash Sutherland influence you. Listen to Sutherland. You will be a believer.

Sutherland knocks the socks off the listener in each of these selections. This is a fantastic introduction if you really want to know why Sutherland was the reigning queen of colouratura in her day.
Superb sound and recordings range from early 70's to early 80's.

This is an interesting album. The Puritani is from 1973, Hamlet from 1983 (wow!), and the Lucia from 1971. This is like a showcase of the later Sutherland voice. It's different from the younger voice. It's a darker, wiser tone. For starters, let's take the Hamlet scene. Not quite as many fireworks as the 1960 one, but the vibrato isn't so fluttery and kinda out of control. It's a slower, more steady and studied tone. She wisely omits some of the high notes (I mean, she's 57 for heaven's sake!). I consider a lesson in how to sing healthily and proper in the later vocal years. It's really a lesson to all singers to just hear her. The Puritani is magical. Just beautiful eerily cool music. The ornaments in the second aria are really quite amazing. And the high Eb at the end of Vien, diletto is amazing. Just that trademark Eb like she does in Traviata. Perfection. This Lucia is actually my favorite compared to her 1959 and 1961 ones. Now, don't get me wrong, each of those is wonderful in their own fabulous ways. The 1959 is fresh and bright and exciting. The 1961 is a clear understandable and beautiful tone with all the great ornaments she was working on as she was developing the role. I find this one super cool because it's just cool to hear how this voice can still have handle the demanding Lucia lines. Cause you see, her voice was getting heavier with age and it's just kinda amazing to hear "Wow! She's still got the chops!"