Joan Sutherland with verismo and...

[Sarastro]

Thank you; I see.

Mike

I hope I was not too rude? 

[knight66]

No...I try to read things too quickly; no problem.

Mike

[Tsaraslondon]

Sutherland did to an extent specialise in Handel when she was fairly young. But to our ears now, she would not go down well in most Handel, her voice being too generous, she swamps the music I feel.

Mike

That said, I have yet to hear a more thrilling version of Let the bright Seraphim, than Sutherland's version on The Art of the Prima Donna. The soldier tir'd, from Arne's Artaxerxes is pretty stunning too.

[Lilas Pastia]

That said, I have yet to hear a more thrilling version of Let the bright Seraphim, than Sutherland's version on The Art of the Prima Donna. The soldier tir'd, from Arne's Artaxerxes is pretty stunning too.

Yup. That Arne aria is one that JS owned.

Sarastro: you're quite right, but remember that many baroque composers would have killed to have her sing in their operas. So, even though she brought too ample a voice to many baroque parts (including much Handel), she also had a uniquely full and shining instrument that was made to sing those extraordinarily florid and challenging pieces.

About Mozart I agree: Q of N's music was simply too nimble and incandescent stuff for her when she sang it. Maybe 10 years earlier? Her voice is probably the one that most noticeably darkened and gained weight in her maturity. A total transformation. Plastic surgery of the vocal chords  .

[Tsaraslondon]

About Mozart I agree: Q of N's music was simply too nimble and incandescent stuff for her when she sang it. Maybe 10 years earlier?

But her Donna Anna (the earlier one, on the Giulini recording) is superb.