The aria “Come scoglio” from Mozart’s Così fan tutte is a real test of a soprano’s skill, with long sustained tones, fast and rangy fioratura, and its infamous very wide range (and sudden shifts from high to low and back again). I first encountered it in an English-language performance by Eleanor Steber in English. No, this was not the full recording with Blanche Thebom, Richard Tucker, Patrice Munsel, et al. It was a recital disc – Eleanor Steber “Live at the Continental Baths” that I had checked out from the library. I later heard two live productions in the LA area – first, a student production at UCLA, and second, one in 1988 at LA Opera with sisters Maria Ewing and Carol Vaness (an outstanding Fiordiligi) directed by Peter Hall (who was married to Ewing at the time).
However, a recent episode of the podcast Countermelody reminded me of the great Ina Souez, who sang both Fiodiligi and Donna Anna in the inaugural season of the Gyndebourne Festival in the mid ‘30’s and became a star. The recordings of these 2 operas were their first commercial recordings. Her recording of “Come scoglio” is hard to beat. The voice is strong and even throughout the registers, the fioratura and wide dramatic leaps are both handled with confidence and ease, and her style (coached by conductor Fritz Busch) would set a standard for the 20th century.
I also learned things about Souez that I did not know. She is of Native American heritage. Born Ina Rains, she took the name “Souez” as a version of her maternal grandmother’s name (who was Cherokee). After her success, Souez returned to her native United States in 1940 – just in the nick of time – and served in the Women’s Air Corps during the war. After unsuccessful attempts to revive her operatic career in the US, she turned to jazz. She eventually got a job with the comedic band Spike Jones and the City Slickers. They were very successful and she made very good money, but she was the butt of his musical satire for over 10 years. (You can check out Spike Jones’s”Il bacio” (aka “Il Barko”) to see how low the mighty had fallen.) In the end of her career, she did finally return to singing concerts and teaching voice in San Francisco and then later Los Angeles.
The are many excellent excerpts from Così and Don Giovanni available. In addition, her recordings of “Casta Diva” and “Ernani, involami” are particularly fine. The full voice, wide range, and combination of legato and florid makes the Verdi aria an excellent display of her talent. Check her out.
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