Sediziosa voce poco fa
La Cieca was just recalling that soon after she arrived in New York back in 19-mumble-mumble, she screwed up her courage to audition for that most august of impresarios, Ira Siff of La Gran Scena Opera. Back in those days your doyenne thought she had what it took to be a great prima donna (including the avoirdupois, actually) and so, as they say, sing it she did. Dear Ira showed patience bordering on the masochistic as La Cieca screamed her way through her warhorse arias: “Suicidio”, “Pace, pace mio dio”, “Dich teure Halle,” “Una voce poco fa” and (yes!) “Casta diva.” And would you believe that after this half-hour of torment, the dear man asked quietly, “So do you have anything else prepared?”
Well, looking back on it now (as well as she can remember) La Cieca realizes that in fact, she didn’t have anything prepared, particularly the “Casta diva,” and so ended your doyenne’s lyric career. (The rest of the story you know: as a frustrated performer, she naturally became a critic.)
Now, where was I going with this? Oh, yes. The lovely and talented Beau (you know him from the comments) has prepared for you, cher public, an audio quiz on a Norma theme. Here are 11 singers performing “Casta diva.” If you can identify them, send your answer to lacieca@parterre.com; the first correct entry wins the traditional amazon.com gift certificate. If none of you get all 11 correct (as if!) La Cieca will choose a winner from the entries with the most correct. The contest will end on Friday, February 8 at midnight.
“I could sing Oroveso tomorrow- it’s a question of color and tessitura.”
sorry, andre, i disagree with most of your guesses. oh my god, bumbry’s timbre is so distinctive, how could you think she’s #4? she’s not in this clip for sure. and #7 is not caballe for sure. it’s grubie, i think.
i don’t know, i don’t hear gencer here either, but then i’m used to gencer’s weird barking and screaming — maybe she has a more placid side i haven’t heard. i don’t hear sills either, but then, what do i know…
La Cieca’
I am sorry that the list of singers was posted. I thought I was submittting an entry. I am just beginning to join the group. I’ll try better, later.
Lucky Pierre, Bumbry was Norma here in my city, Rio de Janeiro, in the early 80s. I have the pirate recording and her Casta Diva sounds really similar to that (btw, she was functional in this role, nothing impressing). And simply don´t agree to use words like barking and screaming next the name of Leyla Gencer, one of the great singers that ever was on stage! She was a most emotional and versatiles singer opera has produced and if she was invited to make studio recordings, she would greater than Callas and Sutherland.