Change my mind about Joan Sutherland’s Norma

Joan Sutherland as Norma is something I’ve never been able to get.

All the notes are there, but it’s an absolute consonant-free zone. The way she dipthongs the vowels means the whole thing sounds like she’s singing under water. There’s no fire, no characterization. This clip also highlights something about Sutherland: she’s not very musical. There’s something so foursquare about the way she phrases. The most apt adjective I can think of for this is “soothing” and I’d never say that about any other top Norma.

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