Kathleen Battle: Oh Quand je Dors - Liszt 08 / 17

[@haroldleboeuf8648]

Truly one of the most beautiful voices in any music.

[@bogofusion]

I laughed out loud at some of the comments below. She doesn't roll, her face actually moves to articulate the lyric, etc etc. despite the fact that this performance is exquisite in the extreme. Her face beautiful throughout, and her sound DIVINE. Thank you Opera buff for posting.

[@pictorelle]

Une voix magnifique, bien sûr... mais rassurez-moi, c'est écrit en français ?

[@mikekarren5010]

As always pure perfection as only Kathleen can!

[@laurizconarroz]

This is so beautifully done. One of my favorite pieces.

[@MrInterestingthings]

She amazes me and I'm not even a singer . All musicians can recognize amazing phrasing and musicality !

[@WGARVA]

A beautiful voice at its peak. ❤

[@pianotalent]

OUT OF THIS 🌎 WORLD!!!!!! THE BEST INTERPRETATION 👌!!!!! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@hermajesty52]

Absolute perfection. Saw her live at a Shea’s matinee in 1986. Absolutely flawless.

[@southwestpiano]

Love the tempo, phrasing and overall interpretation

[@rosachang2553]

Very sweet and beautiful rendition.

[@jade03092007]

Merveilleuse interprète et une voix sublime

[@becauseIhaveto100]

This is perfection. Thank you, AJS95060.

[@bbxlabcdefgab9864]

Beautiful❤

[@Shoreseeker2]

Absolutely extraordinary! Need I say more?

[@pianotalent]

Yes...more... OUT OF THIS WORLD 🌎!!!!! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@germanquintero10121946]

MAGNIFICA

[@Erickfrancois12]

Superbe 😊

[@ЛюдмилаШилова-к8и]

Bravo!!!🌹❤👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@sohwa825]

Brava❤️🌹🌷

[@지젤-l1w]

best of best

[@МаркМаркие]

Diva !

[@ChagoWilson]

Happy 72nd Life Anniversary Thursday, August 13, 2020 Our Dearest Soprano, Kathleen Battle

[@StRaymondtheRude]

I am mystified by Marie Hall's remark that R's are not rolled in French. Not in spoken French, but definitely in sung French. Am I misunderstanding her use of the word "rolled?" I can only find one rendition of this divine song on KZbin sung by a native French singer--that by Marie Devellereau--but I hear plenty of rolled R's in her performance. I've always felt that Kathleen Battle was the ideal singer of this song due to her ability to sing softly: after all, the poet is sleeping.

[@MickeyZeVrai]

+StRaymondtheRude You're right. I'm french, and even if I was not, just knowing french music and singers is enough to know that french Rs are rolled, I wouldn't say always, but almost all the time. As for the written length, I don't know the score, but seeing this bad faith and envy, I wouldn't be surprised that what she calls "off timing" is simply extremely amplified rubato, which can be bad sometimes and sometimes marvelous... Not knowing the score, I think this performance is wonderful though.

[@MickeyZeVrai]

+MickeyZeVrai About misunderstanding, I don't think so, some of the rolled Rs by Sandrine Piau in Debussy's songs are sufficient counterexamples to invalidate Marie Hall's remark.

[@MickeyZeVrai]

+MickeyZeVrai Or even Crespin' singing.

[@williamsnyder4338]

My partner sez (the guy from rural New York State to whom Parisians apologize for their accent) that the difference between sung classical French (Racine and opera French) and spoken French is very delicate. Offenbach's operettas vary between the two: Offenbach's ORPHEUS can be translated as ORPHEUS IN HELL, ORPHEUS GOES TO HELL, or GO TO HELL, ORPHEUS! depending upon emphasis and/or how open or closed one's vowels are. I tried to make him demonstrate, but they all sound the same to me.

[@listen.to.your.heart.and.win.]

StRaymondtheRude , not rolled in classical singing only.

[@marlyharris]

Magical and exquisite; I certainly understood her French pronunciation. Perhaps not echt but it works for this peasant.

[@renegaderunner332]

Kathleen Battle! Enough Said.

[@jojo-qk5xn]

愿沉睡于此乐中不再醒来

[@apelsinasabaeva5974]

❤❤❤😘😘😘👍👍👍😍

[@christinakay2012]

Gorgeous, although I'll never understand how she sounds so good with all the weird jaw/lip stuff going on....

[@BrianDonaldMcKay]

The problem lies with her extremely soft articulation of consonants, I believe.

[@BrianDonaldMcKay]

Technically and artistically great but a French audience would be hard put to understand her.

[@Erickfrancois12]

Melomane41 tres Bon francais

[@IsabellePETIET]

@@Erickfrancois12 oui excellent!

[@fayeasteraceae5468]

Too bad she's such a diva the Met banned her from singing there ever again

[@ChagoWilson]

Its very strange that you people who find it necessary to criticize Kathleen Battle never utter a word of deserved criticism regarding Maria Callas - the queen of drunken, unprofessional diva tantrums and conflicts with conductors, musicians and personal staff!

[@herrbrucvald6376]

i feel like i'm listening to an operetta voice.....

[@Annasather]

!mrdunn brucvald wtf does that even mean

[@WGARVA]

She's a fucking opera singer. Hello.

[@mariehall3540]

Her voice is pretty, but the Rs are NOT rolled in French. I am very embarrassed for her. She has so many pronounced and rolled Rs, as if she is singing in Italian. Also, her timing is off - she does not follow the written length of all of the notes - quarter, half, etc. Otherwise, her high notes are nice with a floating feeling. I can't believe though that she is all the Met with such rolled Rs in French. It is like nails on a chalkboard. :)

[@katherinemueller4882]

+Marie Hall With respect, this is actually quite typical of French song. It is true that Rs are not rolled in spoken French, but it is common practice to roll them when singing, both in France and elsewhere.

[@ericjosephvario150]

Especially in opera singing!

[@ianloney1541]

Yes the spoken French R is basically inaudible when sung so often it is rolled

[@fern3482]

Marie Hall every voice teacher I've had has said that when singing in french, Rs are rolled even though you wouldn't speak it that way because the french R is swallowed and would have a negative effect on your tone

[@bogofusion]

Marie Hall Bull sh*t