Rachel Willis-Sorensen: Song to the Moon from Rusalka by Dvorak

For almost 40 years, the Richard Tucker Award has been granted to an American singer poised on the edge of a major national and international career, with a list of winners that reads like a who's who of American opera stars, including Renée Fleming, Stephanie Blythe, Lawrence Brownlee, Matthew Polenzani and Christine Goerke.

[@cashelnd]

Several posts on this page have commented on the special quality of the timbre of Willis-Sorensen's voice, and I agree -- I suppose it's fair to say that all artists who reach this stature have something distinctive about their instrument, but then there are some whose voice is instantly recognizable (to name just a few: Fleming, Dessay, Radvanovsky, Te Kanawa), and I think Willis-Sorensen is in that company. An extraordinarily moving voice.

[@lukasmaxa6387]

As a Czech I admire how she sings in my native language. I have just seen her in cinema - "Il Trovatore" - and she is really perfect.

[@liguoriify]

I witnessed her last night in the role of Rusalka at San Francisco Opera, which will live as one of the most memorable opera performances I've ever seen. She is breathtaking, superbly in control of her extraordinary instrument. I am definitely a new fan. Bravo, Rachel!

[@vincec8218]

Michelle Bradley will sing Elvira in Ernani with San Francisco Opera in 2020. I heard Bradley as Aïda a few weeks ago at San Diego Opera. She was quite good.

[@vincec8218]

Check out soprano Kasondra Kazanjian. She is a young soprano, 30 years old, from San Diego County. Her voice is marvelous.

[@shulamithrabinowitz5822]

How I wish that I could view the opera Rusalka which I love. However in South Africa it was never performed although we had a very fine new opera house and very fine singers., many of which had trained overseas. This year in Perth it was produced at our opera house, but due to old age I was sadly unable to attend. This is a beautiful heartfelt rendition Thank you.

[@christiaandhooghe]

That timbre is so personal and warm. Reminding me a lot of Renee Fleming and the Dutch soprano Charlotte Margiono. Great musician!

[@celestianna]

i was lucky enough to witness her sing this role on stage at SF Opera just this past weekend. she owns it in this video, but seeing and hearing her live is something else! brava!

[@vincec8218]

Michelle Bradley will sing Elvira in Ernani with San Francisco Opera in 2020. I heard Bradley as Aïda a few weeks ago at San Diego Opera. She was quite good.

[@Rosangela161]

Exceptional voice. Thanks

[@dab505279]

Yes indeedy, super - the vocal and the passion that comes through.

[@lomfidi]

Beautiful!

[@xxsladexx2670]

Sei una soprano meravigliosa! !

[@bravostar2]

Brava!!!! what a voice!!

[@wm.traynor1143]

Beautiful!👏👏👏

[@shin-i-chikozima]

My heart is quivered by the outpouring of the heart of Water,s Spirit in love .

[@len0rmand_guy417]

The voice tone somehow reminds me with Jessye Norman 😢

[@shin-i-chikozima]

素晴らしいね！せつせつと歌い上げていますよ。あなたのやさしき魂が人の心のしこりを解きほぐしてくれることでしょう。美声が心に染み込んでいきますね！

[@irinadz]

The guy that’s turning the pages for a pianist has the sceariest job ever...

[@RHS_video_club]

does anyone have an idea what microphone that is being used on the piano?

[@mariopinot9187]

Nice .

[@YadaiDelacruz]

Su voz me recuerda a Renée Fleming ♡♡

[@adriennefuller4984]

also great Frederica von Stade! Adri xx

[@irinadz]

3:00 😳 She’s human!!! ❤️

[@ollyschumann]

😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣

[@richardvergara]

Does anyone else think she sounds just like Renee Fleming?

[@draganvidic2039]

R. Benedict Vergara No, this is a much bigger voice leaning towards jugendlicher dramatischer german repertory. Fleming’s is a creamy lyric, maybe some similarities in timbre but not so much else.

[@greatmomentsofopera7170]

In the hall her voice is actually the same size as Fleming, or smaller in my experience. Her Marschallin and Meistersinger Eva were decidedly small scale at ROH. Her Gutrune a few years ago was perfection however. I don't think she sounds much like Fleming, the vibrato is tenser. She is capable of wonderful things.

[@draganvidic2039]

Great moments of opera Ok interesting! She will not try to sing belcanto I guess... Fleming’s is of course produced in a perfect way so it should project accordingly.

[@greatmomentsofopera7170]

As you can tell from my channel, I am a huge Fleming fan, but now that she is no longer singing opera and past her prime, I am always looking for the next great soprano. Rachel Willis Sorensen is definitely one of the best of the next generation, but I'm not sure if she is a true great... She's still very young though, so has time to develop. I love this Wagner: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f5Coc6Cee9tjbNU so hopefully she will develop fully into this repertoire.

[@draganvidic2039]

Great moments of opera Hope she doesn’t jump into a too heavy roles too fast. It’s popular and you can go directly to Norma and then sound strident as Tosca... (Yoncheva)

[@martinlang4479]

She can come and sing that for me any time she likes. Great control. A tad slow.

[@captebbtide]

She'll charge a fee, of course. These opera folks don't just sing for their supper. It's how they make their living.

[@vincec8218]

check out the young soprano Kasondra Kazanjian...she has an amazing voice

[@jeffreymafereka9477]

Pianist needs legato

[@jjh2456]

I want her to sing the Queen of the Night. She’s got the voice for it, and has pretty good coloratura.

[@dudeforcaster8630]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, seriously? Better to remain silent and thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.

[@vincec8218]

Check out soprano Kasondra Kazanjian.

[@yon8378]

Too much vibrato. Not evident in aby of her other recordings that I have heard

[@jeffreymafereka9477]

Pianist needs legato