15 Dramatic Sopranos attempt the "Abscheulicher!" climax (B3-B5)

Part 7 of the "Dramatic sopranos sing..." series. Fifteen dramatic sopranos attempt the scales, coloratura, high Bs and low B in Leonore's "Abscheulicher!" scene from Fidelio (Beethoven). I think Leonore is quite an underrated role in terms of reputation, requiring a large-voiced soprano with good dynamics, the ability to sing florid passages, and an extremely even scale covering 2+ octaves.
Many of the artists here take a little liberty with the score. Here is the full score for reference: en.opera-scores....
Featured artists
Helene Wildbrunn
Frida Leider
Kirsten Flagstad
Hilde Konetzni
Anny Konetzni
Martha Mödl
Getrude Grob-Prandl
Astrid Varnay
Birgit Nilsson
Eileen Farrell
Inge Borkh
Gwyneth Jones
Jessye Norman
Catarina Ligendza
Nina Stemme
I know there is probably a quiet a few missing, but it was difficult to fit in many artists with this somewhat longer than usual excerpt.

[@dramaticsoprano5168]

Other notable performances: - Mezzo Marilyn Horne singing this scene: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y6Slc6V7iLyZeKc. She is the only one who I've heard sing the ad-libs at the end. - Christa Ludwig's famous rendition: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eXbHeZRqdsqggqs - Maria Callas teaching a student (and singing along): kzbin.info/www/bejne/i4fQfqijraaigM0

[@Garwfechan-ry5lk]

Martha Modl here sings like a Panzer Tank, but I saw her do this role in Vienna and I can tell you she was magnificent in that role. Acting as well. Great artist, nice to hear the Konetzni sisters as well. Frida Leider by a mile.

[@jasonblack4208]

Frida Lieder: a dramatic voice that always retained beauty and spin

[@pjenkins8206]

Astrid Varnay 💗

[@brunegilda2453]

Immer!!

[@МастерКлимат-щ4б]

Varnay is exellent! Her voice is the biggest.

[@babydrane]

I give this to Leider. Flagstad and Grob Prandl are also quite good.

[@ASerranobaritone]

Varnay is the queen in the low notes

[@EmilyGloeggler7984]

Of this list for this particular role - Frida Lieder, Eileen Farrell, and Hilde Konetzni deliver both the technique and passion for the role of Leonore.

[@filipporavizza3613]

ASTRID VARNAY ....... SUPER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@operaanimelover369]

My seven most favourite ones are Helene Wildbrunn, Frida Leider, Kirsten Flagstad, Anny Konetzni, Gertrude Grob-Prandl, Astrid Varnay, and Birgit Nilsson because they have secure techniques in both the upper and the lower registers. It would have been just as amazing to have Helena Braun, Erna Schlüter, Christa Ludwig, and Shirley Verrett on board because of how they can also let their voices carry over and orchestra. I would also like to make an observation about Leonore from Fidelio because I always prefer it when a dramatic soprano who can also do mezzo roles or a high dramatic mezzo who can also do dramatic soprano roles does this because she needs the chest tones and the high notes of Amneris, Azucena, Cuniza, Eboli, Santuzza, Tigrana, Turandot, Brünnhilde, Isolde, Venus, Ortrud, Elektra, Salome, and The Dyer's Wife.

[@dramaticsoprano5168]

Oh definitely, this made me realize how many artists I missed. Although not all the mentioned singers are dramatic sopranos (Braun and Schlüter for sure, however). I agree with your comment about these roles. I wish the “Die Frau…” was more popular pre-war. We never got the chance to hear many old school singers take on the Dyer’s Wife and attempt her super low notes.

[@wotan10950]

You have to admit that Beethoven didn’t know what the hell he was doing with this vocal writing. The phrases are almost impossible, and few sopranos really excel. (P.S. the only ones I saw onstage as Leonore were Verrett, Jones, Behrens, Mattila. I’ll have to check my notes, I seem to recall seeing Soderstrom. Oh, and Debora Voigt in concert, who was outstanding)

[@SleepingTurtle1]

yes thank you - as much as I love Beethoven, he really couldn't do opera

[@ColonelFredPuntridge]

@@SleepingTurtle1 Beethoven was a dreadful vocal-abuser. Notice how often non-professional choirs and choral societies do the Brahms _Requiem,_ the Mozart _Requiem,_ even the Verdi _Requiem!_ Why is it so unusual to see a choral society or non-professional choir singing the "Ode to Joy", perhaps with piano-accompaniment? Because the piece is impossible to learn and impossible to sing even after you've learnt it. The _Missa Solemnis_ too. The question is did he just not care, or did a vocalist break his heart when he was a kid? (There's only one exception I know of: the role of Rocco in _Fidelio_ feels pretty good in the mouth, most of the time.)

[@jondavwal13]

@@ColonelFredPuntridge As silly as it sounds, some musicologists believe the fact that he was deaf was extremely detrimental to his vocal writing. Honestly the vocals in the 9th are the ugliest thing I’ve ever heard. It can’t be done well. It’s just gross.

[@henrygingercat]

Well, horn playing has certainly improved over the years. Leider I thought the most dramatic, Flagstad the most secure and Gwyneth Jones was a pleasant surprise.

[@babydrane]

Lol Yes. Interestingly, the horns got better but not the sopranos. I also agree about Jones but it sounds like a studio recording where perhaps she was a bit less pressed to sing big.

[@dramaticsoprano5168]

@@babydrane Yes, it is a studio recording, which I guess is a bit unfair. The rest are all live except the first two (obviously - there were no broadcasts back then) and Farrell. Here is one of Jones' live takes for better comparison: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h3nSlWiNpK-LhLs (44:22)

[@babydrane]

@@dramaticsoprano5168 Not bad. I expected it to be a lot more strident and I was pleasantly surprised.

[@peteradaniel]

Gwyneth Jones was not a dramatic soprano. She was a lirico-spinto

[@wotan10950]

@@peteradaniel Just curious if you saw her onstage in the theater. My wife and I met her backstage, a slim, almost petite, woman, who spoke in a soft almost-whisper. My wife was confused. She asked me, “is that the same person who just obliterated the entire chorus and orchestra?” Sure sounded like a dramatic soprano to us. The only singer we ever heard make more noise was Eva Marton! And yes, I saw Nilsson too.

[@crisha721]

Frida Leider was my favourite. Gwyneth Jones, Astrid Varnay, Kirsten Flagstad and Birgit Nilsson were also excellent

[@ransomcoates546]

Many sopranos have said that the B natural is a scarier note than the C.

[@SleepingTurtle1]

Modl's B natural scared me

[@Tenortalker]

Gwyneth Jones sang the role a great deal early on in her career and it suited her well. Leonie Rysanek is another Leonore who merits consideration . There is a live which is better than her commercially recorded performance with Fricsay in terms of pitch. I like Leider , Varnay, Grob Prandl particularly in these phrases. Flagstad and Borkh for the complete role too. I am horrified by this Modl recording where she sounds as if she is ripping her voice apart on the high notes. Other recordings reveal her to be both a committed performer and in better form vocally.

[@marisapanzarin2910]

Gertrude had a very clear full bright sound for this i feel like her low register and high register were very seemless i felt she had the most meat as it were to the sound

[@joshuavandyne7334]

Karita Matilla was a thrilling Leonora

[@fr.jamesjohnson1567]

I give this round to Frida Leider for raw excitement and technical accuracy. Honorable mention to Anny Konetzni.

[@divinitesdustyx5312]

"Technical accuracy" yet she is non-existent on the low notes despite the advantage of a studio recording compared to others. Personally, I do not find her top notes great either because her vibrato seems shaky, but I know I am probably in the minority there.

[@fr.jamesjohnson1567]

@@divinitesdustyx5312 Sorry guys, have to disagree with you here. I agree with Leider’s interpretation. Her agitato is appropriate and her ppp bottom E on “reichen” really sets up the contrast with “Ich folg’ dem innern Triebe…” That bottom ideally should not be “exploded” or overly projected but diminished because what comes next is allegro con brio and you want the transition itself emphasized as much as possible. But on the other hand, Beethoven gives a lot of interpretative leeway in this air. Leider’s approach makes the most sense to me and she is the only singer who actually sings all the ascending notes of the run on Gatten cleanly & dead on. Big points for that!

[@dramaticsoprano5168]

@@fr.jamesjohnson1567 Wildbrunn is quite accurate in the final scale as well.

[@divinitesdustyx5312]

@@fr.jamesjohnson1567 A "ppp" or "diminished" note should still be projected. A quiet note HAS to be heard to give the intended effect. Many other singers here also sing it quietly but are ALSO able to project it.

[@dragicaklomp9810]

@Noack Somewhere nobody mentions her squally top, because she hasn't: het top is fine.

[@divinitesdustyx5312]

Modl always embarrassed herself when the tessitura raised a little or a little flexibility was called for. A beautiful voice with a little too much ambition.

[@ransomcoates546]

First time Mödl has been accused of having a beautiful voice.

[@divinitesdustyx5312]

@@ransomcoates546 I find her voice beautiful in the Liebestod for example.

[@ransomcoates546]

@@divinitesdustyx5312 I’m used to her being cited as a classic example of the ‘Kunstdiva’, who made her points by uncanny dramatic instinct rather than vocal splendor.

[@verdadeealegria4866]

I like modls voice. I ThinQ her voice is very dramatic.

[@pixelchords3201]

Flagstad, Grob-Prandl and Varnay are the best out of the 'modern era' singers. The older singers are hard to judge because of poor quality. I think Wildbrunn might have had the best coloratura. Leider sounds a little weak on the low notes.

[@ginopietracupa4305]

Astrid Varnay simply does not how to sing

[@ginopietracupa4305]

The best ones are Flagstad and Nilsson

[@pixelchords3201]

@@ginopietracupa4305 Varnay is definitely cleaner in the florid parts than Nilsson. They both do fine in terms of the range requirements.

[@BaroneVitellioScarpia1]

I wish Callas could record this aria too (in Italian of course).

[@johnpickford4222]

Barone: Even seven months it would have been impossible since she had passed. I wonder if the recording archives at EMI/Warner would have an unreleased test or taping she and Legge didn’t approve.

[@enthusedtosing9655]

Flagstad I thought was Nilsson!

[@johnpickford4222]

Enthused To Sing: Nilsson might appreciate a left handed compliment but not in this case!

[@clefnoteproductions6695]

Did Johanna Meier sung Fidelio? Are there recordings of Elinor Ross singing this?

[@dramaticsoprano5168]

Meier - She sang Fidelio, but there are no recordings (at least easily available) to my knowledge. Ross - Yes ( kzbin.info/www/bejne/bJPdlpaXmt2Abqs), great rendition.

[@ColonelFredPuntridge]

Gertrud Grob-Prandl is God.

[@johnpickford4222]

Theodore Shulman: Perhaps but her photo looks like a drag queen!

[@stevendaniel8126]

Awful.......

[@johnpickford4222]

Steven Daniel: What exactly is “awful”? The comparisons, your inability to appreciate Beethoven, you fail understand why someone would put together a video like this or you have nothing to do but make foolish comments?

[@pianoronald]

My favourites are Frida Leider, Inge Borkh and Gwyneth Jones. Other excellent Leonoras I heard were Leonie Rysanek, Christa Ludwig and Ludmila Dvorakova. But my favourite recording of the aria is Siobhan Stagg with Raphael Pichon with all appoggiaturas in place! And I hate the final „Liebe“ sung e - e instead of f sharp - e.