parterre box

85 comments

• Constantine A. Papas says:

  Scotto still remains the Mimi and Butterfly of my lifetime. And I’ve seen so many but none comes close to her.

  on February 26, 2009 at 11:30 PM
• Krunoslav says:

  Cocky Kurwenal squawked:

  “Freni could never do high floats? I certainly disagree with that. I don’t think there was a single gap in Freni’s technical arsenal.”

  Well, please point to an actual Freni pianissimo, then, particularly on a live recording. Lovely vocalist within her means.

  on February 27, 2009 at 10:11 AM
• La Cieca says:

  Krunoslav: Here Freni may be compared to Netrebko, in that while the high detached pianissimo never is accessible to them, they both do use a piano “color” on high notes at times. There’s no big difference in volume, but the timbre is softer and less brilliant. I honestly believe that for most high pp markings, this alternative would be acceptible to the composer — particularly if the attempt at a floated tone would result in a “dead” (vibratoless) or off-pitch note.

  I stand by my position that the high detached pp is a vocal trick, nice if you have it or can acquire it, but not necessary for complete artistry.

  on February 27, 2009 at 10:28 AM
• Inquest O'Redger says:

  You are so right Krunoslav. I always suspect those recorded pianissimi were achieved with judicious stepping back from the mic or with a bit of knob-twiddling.

  This is not to say that Freni isn’t delightful. There is something rather unsophisticated about her, though, which is an innate part of her appeal. Scotto is a much more self-conscious artist in both a positive and negative sense. Both were divas of my youth (though I only saw Scotto once, in concert), but while Scotto still exercises a fascination I feel that there is little left to discover in Freni’s art. Maybe she’s just too goddam normal!

  on February 27, 2009 at 10:30 AM
• Throbbing Resurrection says:

  Sorella di mia madre voi siete inesorabile.

  on April 11, 2009 at 2:25 AM