On Sun, 5 Aug 2001, Molly McLinden wrote:
> Lisa's aria from Pique Dame- Tschaikovsky
Is your Russian absolutely flawless? If not, you may want to skip this
one. To check, I suggest you "try it out" for some native Russian speakers
who will be honest with you.
> The Trees on the Mountain from Susannah-Floyd
>
> Il est doux, il est bon from Herodiade- Massenet
>
> Czardas- Die Fledermaus- J Strauss
>
> Jewel song- Faust- Gounod
Is your coloratura absolutely dazzling? Is your coloratura your biggest
selling point? If not, why would you use one of *the* most virtuoso
full lyric-to-dramatic coloratura arias in the canon? I'd be more
comfortable with you using one of Leonora's arias from TROVATORE to show
that you have coloratura ability - Leonora definitely needs coloratura
agility, but her arias don't automatically set off the warning bells in
the judges' minds that you're trying to prove that you are the next Joan
Sutherland. Other singers might disagree with me - but I tend to credit
my own voice teacher's advice (when I told her a soprano and I were
considering doing the NORMA duet in recital): The only reason to pick one
of the hardest or most virtuoso pieces of music in the canon is because
you absolutely believe you can do it better than any other singer(s) has
one it before.
>
> Vissi d'arte- Tosca- Puccini
I would avoid this one at your age. YOu may be able to sing it
beautifully, technically, but it's an aria that's associated with a
certain amount of emotional maturity that you may not be credited with at
your age (even if you feel you have it, the auditors/judges may scratch
their heads and wonder why you'd pick this particular Puccini aria, rather
than something less sophisticated, like "Si, mi chiamano Mimi" or "O mio
babbino caro", "Un bel di" from MADAMA BUTTERFLY (Cio Cio San is a role
that many full lyric and spinto sopranos make their solo debuts in)
or even Magda's "Sogno di Doretta" from LA RONDINE - indeed, I rather
wonder the same thing). Instead, if you don't like any of these other
Puccini suggestions, I'd strongly encourage you to use one of the
Countess's arias from LE NOZZE DI FIGARO (another frequent "debut" role
for full lyrics), or even "Come Scoglio" from COSI FAN TUTTE. If you
absolutely hate the idea of using Mozart for your Italian aria, how about
an early-to-middle period Verdi, either one of the better known:
Elisabetta from DON CARLO or Leonora from IL TROVATORE, or something less
well known - Gismonda from I LOMBARDI, Odabella from ATTILA, Abigaille
from NABUCCO, etc. In any case, I strongly URGE you to stay away from
Tosca in any kind of public performance until you're on the other
side of 30.
Karen Mercedes
...........................
NEIL SHICOFF pages
http://www.radix.net/~dalila/shicoff/shicoff.html
My Own Website
http://www.radix.net/~dalila/index.html
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ Singers are often so fired up after a +
+ a performance, they want sex instantly. +
+ - Jilly Cooper, SCORE! +
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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