Customer Reviews

Rosa Ponselle Sings Verdi

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Rosa Ponselle was a major singer at the Metropolitan Opera in the late nineteen teens through the 1930s. The liner notes point out that her debut at the Met was with the legendary Enrico Caruso. She retired when still in good voice in 1937, at about age 40 (she was born in 1897). The notes say: "Ponselle's rich dramatic soprano voice covered the entire range evenly, making of her the 'female Caruso,' one of the greatest voices of the century."

Three cuts surely suggest nice artistry. "D'amor sull'ali rosee," from Verdi's "Il Trovatore," shows her voice off to good effect. Recorded in 1918, when she would have been 21 or so, her rich dramatic soprano is deployed effectively. Indeed, there are several decent trills in this piece. She floats some nice piano higher notes. There is a nice final trill and a soft high note.

Another piece from "Il Trovatore," "Tacea la notte placida," was recorded in 1922. This is nicely and richly sung. Her dramatic soprano voice works well in this piece. She demonstrates smooth transitions from lower to higher register. In the latter portion of this work, she shows nice vocal agility. All in all, well done.

Finally, her version of "Ritorna vincitor," from Verdi's "Aida." Again, her voice does justice to this well known work. She also displays a nice characterization in her singing.

All in all, this represents a really good introduction to the work of Rosa Ponselle. Her dramatic soprano voice ranks very highly among the sopranos of the early part of the 20th century. This CD is recommended for those interested in learning more about the singers of that era.