Customer Reviews

Lily Pons: Coloratura Assoluta

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I saw her perform once many years ago. She had the audience on their feet through out the performance. This remastered CD is truly a work of art. I wonder why she never get the credit she deserves by historians for she was the brighest star at the Met for many years performing to a packed house. She had a tonal quality to her voice that has never been duplicated.

This could have been recorded yesterday, the sound quality is excellent and without blemish. By far the best recordings of Pons I have, and I would like to have others. She reminds me of Jo, separation of notes, clear, real trills, a range to rival Sumac, flexibility to perfection, and always that today neglected once standard fare of the coloratura, the requisite leap to the top note at the end of an aria. And a pretty sound. I love this album.

People who claim that other so-so coloratura sopranos are 'top' ones simply have not heard the real things. One such is undoubtedly Lily Pons.
With the likes of Rita Streich, Mady Mesple, she brings much color to the repertoire of a lirico leggiero coloratura. Nor do I understand why coloraturas of this genre should 'force' themselves to become a dramatic coloratura in the like of Callas, Sutherland, or Gencer.
This dual-CD is an ultra-fine collection of coloratura arias and songs. Pons was particularly strong in the French repertoire.
Some reviewers draw parallel of Pons with Sumi Jo.
I don't think Jo owns a voice of Pons' color, though she is also exceptional in the genre of lirico leggiero coloratura. Perhaps the only soprano of this genre that was comparable with Pons in terms of agility is Streich. However, Streich's strength was different - her strength was in the German and Russian repertoire. This surfaces when you compare the Russian song 'Nightingale' recorded here with Streich's in her 'Waltzers and Arias' album.
I find to be particular interesting Pons' 'La Fille du Regiment' extracts. Though not a dramatic coloratura like Joan Sutherland, Pons was able to bring out the different vocal nuances and expressions in the four different arias of Marie, and with even better verbal inflection than did Sutherland!

I got this for Mom's birthday as this is one of her favorite sopranos. I play the CD's in the car as we drive and while I have heard Lily Pons before I must say this 2 CD set has really introduced me to her amazing athletic versatility. What a voice! And brilliant technique. The selections are perfect.

I love that Columbia reissued the CD's so they look like the original LP vinyl record labels. To those of us who grew up with vinyl it's comforting. This set has a booklet which is also very old school. It's a very classy product.