Anna Netrebko had a baby - voice change

[Ciel_Rouge]

It is in Russian.

I can read Russian I would love to read that interview. Besides, the Russians seem fascinated with newly gained sexual liberty so this is another factor that kicks in. I guess journalists from crappy mags would not understand anything from opera so she had to feed them something As for the diction, I can only speak English, German and Russian so if there is any other language involved I do not get it anyway And yet, I enjoy the emotion being conveyed, and yes - the musicality If any of the singers you respect revealed some shocking news from their private lives, would that make their singing any different?

[knight66]

On a mixed disc to celebrate DGs anniversary, there is a track I have just listened to of Netrebko singing Verdi's 'Sempre libera', I could make out just about every word and her diction was OK. It had not the relish of the language that is displayed by some other singers, but it was not a lazy performance in terms of the diction.

Different singers obviously have different starting points. I don't believe that Joan Sutherland started with the words, they rarely seemed to count for a great deal. Jon Vickers clearly treated the words as being as important as the notes. It depends just what the singer is trying to convey and what the listener is listening out for. So, for some Sutherland is the greatest of singers, for others she is a bland canary.

Turning to Kiri te Kanawa, a woman blessed with so many qualities, but not often one that communicated urgently the meaning of what she was singing. However, her best and most communicative work seemed to occur when she was inspired or lead by specific conductors.

Caballe is another who can be inspired to use words that really count, but at other times with a conductor who I feel was unlikely to be firm with her, she would moon all over the place.

Perhaps Netrebko has yet to discover that special musical relationship to inspire her. I did see her in concert duet on YouTube some time ago and she was both singing and acting beautifully....unfortunately, I don't recall what it was.

She is a variable singer and I am unclear what it is that makes her better sometimes than others in specific works. But in general, I don't see the Guilda/Lucia axis as being her territory and I have frequently felt her colouratura technique to be slightly lacking.....which is to say, very noticeably lacking, as any failing whatever is like a row of front teeth with one missing.

Mike

[zamyrabyrd]

Ciel, I don't think it's a secret that women may end up with bigger feet after having a baby! Shoe shops accommodate most women just fine -- shoes are offered in many sizes. It's just if one starts out with big feet (I have a firm understanding ), having them get bigger can be a problem.

Pregnancy can do weird things, but any woman (or man) reading a good book about pregnancy will find out what the weird things are. And the "weird" is relative, after all -- it's not weird, really, that these things happen; it's just that if they happen, it's only during a particular time when a woman is in this particular condition, so it's "weird" only in contrast to all the time a woman spends not pregnant. I doubt very very much at Netrebko didn't know her voice might change some before she got pregnant.

Re: voice, I have in the (now distant) past sung soprano, but I've always preferred singing lower. When I was in fourth grade, I wanted to learn harmony, so declared my alto-hood then, and unless I was placed in a soprano section by a choral director -- which happened a few times -- I've sung the lower voice. I don't like my high sound; my low voice is much warmer. Pregnancy made my range expand, down a little, but especially up. The audition I mentioned in my previous post resulted in me winning a seat right back in the alto section, as a low alto (alto II). That auditioner, who had certainly heard my voice before, hadn't heard the top of my voice because that top hadn't existed for me before.

Actually, I lost my voice for 6 weeks in 1987 because I was screaming so much during the delivery process.  I never knew the real explanation about increasing shoe sizes, that is, because of relaxin but I'll tell my mother since she said every child brought on an extra half size.

As for the voice changing because of pregnancy, I suppose every woman's experience may be different. However, I don't see how the vocal chords change and this is really the indicator of pitch.  Women's voices frequently have more extended ranges than is usually suspected (even by the person herself) until one goes into serious training.  There may be some blockage caused by some muscle tension that may be released by such a vigorous physical process.

I found most women, mezzos and sopranos, can reach a D below middle C when the "coast is clear". This doesn't mean that one should sing down there. But I usually say that it is like the lower end of the piano, hardly used, but part of the instrument anyway.

As for the upper end, this is really a matter of development and use. Mezzos should be able to reach a high Bb but that doesn't mean they should sing in the soprano section. I had a real problem with a mezzo student whose choir director was so happy to have her with the sopranos (who as untrained could not sing as high as she could) but her own comfort zone was lower.

In short what distinguishes mezzos from the higher singing sisters is timbre. A certain consistency in tone is what is needed for say, Lieder. In general this means a third lower than the high voice versions of the same music.

Best regards,
ZB

[Lilas Pastia]

Quite interesting, Owlice and Zamira - many thanks.

On the subject of voice timbre, I was reflecting this morning (while driving) that soprano Suzanne Danco is always referred to as the  possessor of a high voice whereas, in fact, she sang Donna Anna and Cherubino, Melisande, Jocasta (Oedipus Rex), Ellen Orford and Marie (Wozzeck). None of these roles lies particularly high. Some are indeed usually cast by mezzos. Nonetheless, Danco's timbre was described as 'pure, silvery', qualities that would suggest a singer whose fach lies in the higher lying roles.

In reality, tessitura had nothing to do with the roles she sang. It was the timbre that carried the impression.

[Sarastro]

If any of the singers you respect revealed some shocking news from their private lives, would that make their singing any different?

Not at all. Nothing can make mediocre singing different. Nothing but the singer's aspiration.

My point is comprehensively stated above. It is up to you whether to reject it entirely or take it into consideration. Well, here are the interviews: 1, 2 (if you can get the subtle irony). I think I've had enough of Netrebko.

[owlice]

Thanks for that information and viewpoint, Owl.  I was especially interested in how your range expanded; that tells me that pregnancy and giving birth probably had a very positive effect on your abdominal muscles.  Tell me, are the "singing" muscles down there the same muscles you use in delivering a baby?  Or nearly the same?

jochanaan, no. Giving birth is a short-term exercise opportunity, and it takes regular exercise of a muscle to strengthen it. Thank goodness labor and birthing don't last THAT long!! The best exercise I ever did for singing was playing flute when I was young; that taught me how to breathe, how to use my diaphragm, so though I was a terrible flute student, I did get something out of the experience that served me well for many years.

However, I don't see how the vocal chords change and this is really the indicator of pitch.

ZB, hormones. Hormones affect vocal cords, which accounts for the generally deeper voices of males in contrast to females. Of course that's not the only thing that can affect vocal cords, as you yourself found out in 1987! (Ouch!)

I can reliably hit the D below middle C, but, just as with the D two octaves above, don't know that I'd refer to my hitting those notes the same as singing them; bludgeoning is likely a closer description!

[knight66]

Perhaps this is the partnership that inspiers her to give of her best.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36vm2VoXuXA&feature=related

Mike

[jochanaan]

...The best exercise I ever did for singing was playing flute when I was young; that taught me how to breathe, how to use my diaphragm, so though I was a terrible flute student, I did get something out of the experience that served me well for many years...

My experience parallels yours; I learned more about real breathing from my oboe teacher than from any of my voice teachers.

[Lilas Pastia]

The baby has a father:



Erwin Schrott, baritone. Uruguayan born, he seems to have a good carreer of his own, although probably not on the same level as Anna's.

On this pic, he reminds me of George of the Jungle.

[Ciel_Rouge]

Indeed, I learned about it soon after starting the thread. A good opportunity to take a closer look at him. Any recordings?

[Lilas Pastia]

Yes, already an official 'debut' recital by Decca. Check here. Click tracklisting and the play button at the top will let you hear good chunks of the arias. And of course you can check all these shirtless pictures...

[Wendell_E]

Several DVDs as well, including Figaro in two different productions of Le Nozze, from Covent Garden and Zurich.

[Sarastro]

I heard him live in Don Giovanni -- supposedly his trademark role -- but it was rather mediocre. How depressing. :-(

[Lilas Pastia]

He's probably hired because of his George of the Jungle looks.



That's Brendan Fraser for those whose culture doesn't encompass 'easy' family entertainment . My kids used to love the film.

[Ciel_Rouge]

I suppose it would be a good idea to actually hear the voice instead of pooping straight away just because he is sorta goodlookin'. I would not like an opera world replaced by pop nonsense based on appearance but I suppose we shouldn't overdo it the other way either. To all who have not made the effort to actually sample, please take a LISTEN and give me your honest opinion:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnJNy0iEQtE

I actually like the 1:50 part but maybe it's only me

[zamyrabyrd]

Erwin Schrott as Toreador (uncertain as to what language):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yQWmxrmDBA&feature=related

Enough Latino strutting around though to make it believable--the jacket comes off at around 3:26 to wave at an imaginary bull.

ZB

[Lilas Pastia]

He hams it up shamelessly, but it's very entertaining. Nice. I wonder about the amplification. I suppose it helps.

Hvorotovsky doesn't have the low notes for the aria. Its vocal compass is huge and it takes a real basse chantante to do it justice. A standard baritone is often out of his depth here.