The Quantification of the Diva: Upon Reflection

“Mirror, mirror on the wall, who are the greatest divas (Classic and Contemporary) of them all?”

And the mirror replied, “I’ll tell you right after the jump!”

What a week it’s been, cher public, and La Cieca (speaking on behalf of herself and Jay Caspian Kang) only hopes you’ve been enlightened by our little étude as much as we have found pleasure in bringing a little joy into your humdrum lives.

The scores have been tallied, and all that is left is to view the bubble graphs.

So, now that everything is settled, La Cieca is ready to entertain questions or to…. what’s that? You say the bubble graphs are less than clear in delineating a winner or winners? Oh, well, you’re right, of course, but aren’t all those colorful little bubbles lovely? How they remind La Cieca of the poster for the 1971 revival of No, No, Nanette!
no_no

Dear Loni Zoe Ackerman—whatever is she doing with herself these days? ….Oh, yes, of course: the diva rankings!

CLASSIC DIVAS

RANK	DIVA	SCORE
1	Leontyne Price	830
(tie) 2	Montserrat Caballé	825
(tie) 2	Renata Scotto	825
4	Leonie Rysanek	820
5	Jessye Norman	800
6	Régine Crespin	770
7	Tatiana Troyanos	725
8	Joan Sutherland	710
9	Christa Ludwig	640
10	Marilyn Horne	580
11	Hildegard Behrens	520
12	Mirella Freni	495

CONTEMPORARY DIVAS

RANK	DIVA	SCORE
1	Edita Gruberova	725
2	Angela Gheorghiu	705
3	Anna Netrebko	690
4	Karita Mattila	680
5	Renée Fleming	675
6	Cecilia Bartoli	605
7	Waltraud Meier	590
8	Dolora Zajick	530
9	Joyce DiDonato	520
10	Natalie Dessay	480

So, what have we learned, cher public?

Well, to begin with: it’s easier to be an older diva than a younger diva. Age adds to the “legendary” quality.

Retirement from the hurly-burly of the operatic stage perhaps adds a luster of soft focus to a diva, glossing over flaws that may have been more apparent when witnessed in real time.

Emotional Journey counts for a lot. Kunst and Stimm are about equally important, but you’d better have a lot of one or the other, or you’re no diva.

And for heaven’s sake, don’t be stingy with the Scandale!

La Cieca now invites the cher public to discuss the rankings, about which she is sure you will all be in complete agreement.

(Photo: Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera)

Jay Caspian Kang, who has delighted us so often at Free Darko, also may be heard tweeting at maxpower51.