The Greatest Operatic Soprano on record

[@paulobezulle]

Thank you so much for sharing, Mr Radames!

[@jambones100]

Thanks for this. I also worship Destinn. Her O patria mia and her Trovatore duet with Martinelli are unequalled in my opinion. Like you, Florence Easton thought her the best.

[@draganvidic2039]

FABBALOUS ‼️😋🌹

[@nicolesingssongs836]

Love Emmy Destinn

[@wilsonwatt9283]

This is quite stunning given the technical recording skills available in her prime. Her open tone and her excellent diction plus a clear understanding of the character are marvelous.

[@kimmillard9445]

Original Minnie in La Fanciulla del West. Great choice because it's a BIG sing.

[@pohlpiano]

The unimitable Ema Destinnová, there is also a beautiful movie about her Božská Ema (The Divine Emmy), not sure if it was ever published with subtitles. In the movie all vocals are not old, though, but newly recorded by Gabriela Beňačková.

[@TheLuisims]

Quite a unique voice. Really powerful, regarding the recording limitations. I can only imagine how she really sounded back in the day. What’s your thoughts about the most “beautiful” soprano voice? Claudia Muzio warms my heart, and Lucia Popp too, even though I’m not fond of her singing technique

[@stone8193]

Mister radames, it is estimated that tetrazzini sung to a crowd of over 100,000, maybe even up to 300,000 with no microphone in the open air. Do you think this feat is possible? If so, what do you think destinn or Caruso could do, being more dramatic voices than tetrazzini?

[@draganvidic2039]

Tetrazzini was not a dramatic soprano, she was a coloratura.

[@iria.arias.soprano]

@@draganvidic2039 is saying that Caruso and Destinn had more dramatic voices, not that Tetrazzini was dramatic. Stone is wondering what would a dramatic voice do if a coloratura like Tetrazzini could sing for ~300,000 in open air and still be heard.

[@tobiolopainto]

Back then, without planes or other noises of modernity, people knew how to be quiet. Teddy Roosevelt (not a dramatic soprano) spoke to a crowd of over 100,000 and was heard. Now, everyone in the crowd has phones, there are planes, subways, trucks and cars. Today's ambient noise is more than then.

[@pianomaly9859]

She certainly wasn't chicken Tetrazzini to sing to a crowd of that many people.

[@moonlightelf591]

Seriously IT'S NOT POSSIBLE. Opera House could not fit THAT many.

[@Pachinanonim]

Destinn esta a la altura de los mejores pero Ponselle esta en un podio mayor.

[@OperaClassicaEuropa]

interesting choice. I do not know if I agree, but it is amazing that Destinn and Jeritza both came from the Czech republic. The B flat at the end?

[@RadamesAida2Operalovers]

+Opera Classica The big voices were really hard to record. Most singers were pulled back for high notes and moved forward for softer notes. The high note is really big. Full of core(squillo). It may sound a bit strange but it is great, coordinated singing. Historical descriptions of Destinns voice is testament to her great singing.

[@henrygingercat]

I recommend Weidenfeld's biography where he recalls evenings at Covent Garden before WW1 especially Destinn and Caruso in Aida as unsurpassable. And he was probably right. My only caveat is that the recording technology of the day seems to be swamped by her huge voice.

[@RadamesAida2Operalovers]

Thank you. I will look it up. Big voices were far harder to record. Thank you for listening.

[@henrygingercat]

Sorry, not Weidenfeld, it was Victor Gollancz's "Journey Towards Music" -well worth a read.

[@RadamesAida2Operalovers]

I looked up Weidenfeld. I was confused because he was born around the time of Carusos death. I will look up Victor Gollancz. Thank you again.

[@sandy02668]

I’m opera lover ✅🥰

[@johnfalstaff2270]

It's always good to know...

[@moffattF]

Nellie Melba takes some beating IMHO😊

[@marksmith3947]

Proof that Melba was better: have you ever had a dessert named Destinn? I rest my case

[@partituravid]

How can you limit it to one?

[@beachfanatic2010]

Great voice. I still believe Callas was better before 1953.

[@edgargonzalezpineda4795]

Mariah Callas was not a dramatic soprano.

[@beachfanatic2010]

Edgar Gonzalez Pineda Callas was the biggest voice of history! FAR BIGGER THAN ANY OTHER SOPRANO!

[@edgargonzalezpineda4795]

@@beachfanatic2010 🤔🤔🤔nah. Good try though. She was good but her voice is actually lighter.

[@beachfanatic2010]

Edgar Gonzalez Pineda No you are trying it! Callas was the epitome of a dramatic soprano. Have you heard her Lady MacBeth? 😁😁😁😁

[@edgargonzalezpineda4795]

@@beachfanatic2010 yes and that's proves that she does have a big voice but like I said it's not as big as a true dramatic soprano.

[@spatslondon3888]

Not in the class of Celestina Boninsegna, though. Check her Edison recording of Pace Pace. I put it up on KZbin.

[@RadamesAida2Operalovers]

I love Boninsegna, I have been a fan of hers for years. But Destinn is far better. Her voice has a higher development, and is larger and richer. I like this version of Casta Diva. Historically Destinn was more famous. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hn3LqWWNhZWJpNU

[@alanshaw3699]

Kirsten Flagstad

[@eberlinpascal2837]

Ce n'est pas sa voix ,et sa technique ,qui sont tout à fait correctes ,mais c'est le style qui me gênent un peu ,et aussi l'aigu final qui est très laid ( mais peut être est dû aux techniques d'enregistrement de l'époque ? )

[@ralphoperaphile]

Je suis d'accord; c'est étrange, mais je ne suis pas ému par sa voix de la même manière, par exemple, que Muzio me ravit - et vous avez raison; la dernière note aiguë est affreuse.

[@eberlinpascal2837]

@@ralphoperaphile ah oui alors Claudia Muzio c'est tout de même autre chose ! Et même plus ,son art du chant n'est pas du tout démodé pour nos oreilles contemporaines.Pour moi c'est une très grande ,comme Ponselle.

[@tenore8]

Great. But THE greatest? Not so sure.

[@RadamesAida2Operalovers]

+tenore8 This singing series was challenging, because all the greatest singers were in the acoustic recording era. It is very difficult for anyone especially the average listener to discern the quality of the voices. We have to try to imagine how the voices would sound with modern recording techniques. We can use the quality of the accompaniment as a clue to how much better the voices would sound. Essentially, Destinn was chosen as the greatest singer because of her vocal development. Her voice has the best development and coordination of registers out of all the singers. Just listen to the middle of her voice and hear how rich and developed it is. Sometimes you get the impression that there is no difference between the middle of her voice and her chest voice. Destinn's voice is very balanced and she can sing anything loud or soft. If you listen to the many recordings she has made she really was a master. It is very rare for a dramatic voice with such weight and size, to do what she did and sing such a varied repertoire. From Mozart to Strauss. There were many great sopranos of extraordinary abilities. Destinn was just supreme. Unfortunately she was not born in an era with better recording abilities.

[@larrywoods6318]

It was ok, but certainly not the greatest in my opinion. The last note was not good!

[@RadamesAida2Operalovers]

The last note was great. It was just big, the recording technology makes it hard to grasp the reality of the instrument. It takes time for people to understand that. Do some research on this great singer.

[@AjaNile]

Sounds painful to sing.....

[@stone8193]

Aja Nile painful? There’s almost no tension whatsoever. Singing loud like this takes long intense training. But she’s not straining her voice one bit and it’s perfectly free. This would have felt as easy and relaxed as simply speaking

[@enzocardinale5028]

A dog...

[@kyleaustin7045]

You?

[@trudischleifer7245]

@Barone Vitellio Scarpia 😂