Her voice has such a gentle vibrato on long notes, it's the most astonishing voice of her generation. What a lesson she gives in rhythm and tempo. Open that throat and let out the music!
She lived with her parents at 159 Springdale Avenue until they gave her permission to accept an offer from cafe owner James Ceriani to sing at his restaurants in New Haven and Ansonia.
John Ruggeri When you listen to Ponselle, even in these low tech recordings (for which, however, we are forever grateful), you know you are hearing perfection. How often can that be said?
Ponselle's reply to me about this recording in a 1978 interview: "It's all right, but nothing to write home about. The song isn't difficult--it doesn't require much range--but it needs to be sung very sensitively. I had to sing it into that damned [acoustical-recording] horn, so I had to do the whole thing forte and none of my voice's overtones come through on the record. Later, when I did it on my radio programs and I didn't have those obstacles to contend with, I used a lot of mezza voce, a lot of shading--and I just loved singing it."
Ponselle ignored all the acciaccaturas that have to be executed within the phrasing, of course that she found easy this piece. And all those ascending and descending scales, either she ignored them, either she executed them as clumsy as she coud. And the legato needed for this piece, inexisting for her... I am sorry, but if you compare this with a real Bel Canto trained singer as de Hidalgo, you can tell the difference th-cam.com/video/XlQymaO0ZkE/w-d-xo.html Best, Luis
Are you referring to her Columbia acoustical recording or her later “Chesterfield Hour” and other radio performances? Reviews of her performance of the song in Carmela’s and her Keith Circuit vaudeville act were at times critical of her “Kiss Me Again” because it was so unlike Fritzi Scheff’s and in at least one review the critic declared that she had the wrong voice for “Kiss Me Again.”
She was a soprano with a perfect balance between the three registers.It was only when she took on Carmen and began to overemphasise the chest register that she began to have problems. The Met were extremely ungrateful to refuse to give her Adriana Lecouvreur.We must remember that though she retired young,she'd had 19 years at the top of her profession 😊
That is totally false. Chest register did not do anything negative to her voice whatsoever. It is foundational to the voice. She always had a huge chest voice.
Please understand that even though Rosa could sing in a lower register very comfortably, it does not mean she is a mezzo! She is a soprano because the center of her voice is in soprano tessitura, enough killing young singers by wrong decisions. Hear her Carmen and you will see that even though she sings it, it does not sound the way mezzo would; that says it all. Everyone should sing their own repertoire. A girl cannot be a boy and no matter what you do, it will not be natural!
I agree. She was a dramatic soprano, thence she had a strong low register. Many times we hear sopranos singing arias written for a mezzo-soprano and vice-versa. Carmen's arias are only an example for that.
My boy went from singers to transsexuals in a sentence 😭😭 I must say I disagree ; if you can sing it well, then sing it ! Rosa's Carmen is very pleasing so I'm glad she sang it. It's dumb to let a label keep one from something they would like. Besides, there is not one soprano that can sing all soprano repertoire ; this is enough proof that there is plasticity in the labels. Each voice is unique, and some sopranos will do just fine in a few low-voiced roles, and vice-versa for contraltos.
I'm curious as to how you were able to reproduce this Dec. 30, 1920 acoustical Columbia with such clarity, such presence [played by the EMG acoustical phonograph or ??]. For me, a real "eye (ear?? opener) as to the music hidden in the grooves of those original Columbia Tri-color 78 rpms.
sachseco Your teacher was not in the mainstream. The public loved her Carmen and it was a huge financial success. Much of the criticism had nothing to do with her singing anyway. Her screen test for Carmen is here on You Tube. Fiasco? Are you kidding me? P.S. The final scene -- LIVE-- is also here on You Tube. Listen and hopefully rethink your voice teacher's pronouncements.
Lily Pons was next after her and then I would say Deanna Durbin who never really advanced far enough in her career to become an opera star but she had the vocal range I believe.
I don't think it would have been a shame to train her as a mezzo. she sounds like one to me with that colorful lower register. I think she would have been more comfortable and had a longer career.
It would have been, because she was a dramatic soprano. Many mistakes have been made in this line and have destroyed beautiful voices. Please don't forget that also Maria Callas was to be trained as a mezzo-soprano. Thank God, the mistake has been prevented in time.
Her voice has such a gentle vibrato on long notes, it's the most astonishing voice of her generation. What a lesson she gives in rhythm and tempo. Open that throat and let out the music!
My mom heard her sing in church. I love her Casta Diva. We lived in Meriden where she also lived for a good deal of her life.
She lived with her parents at 159 Springdale Avenue until they gave her permission to accept an offer from cafe owner James Ceriani to sing at his restaurants in New Haven and Ansonia.
There is a diva and There are singers
SHE is THE diva
SHE IS THE ONE
THE QUEEN OF QUEENS
Even Maria Callas said that Rosa Ponselle was the greatest!!
One of the GREAT ONES - this recording is amazing. The tonal beauty - absolutely even registers and glorious phrasing and dynamics are stunning.
John Ruggeri When you listen to Ponselle, even in these low tech recordings (for which, however, we are forever grateful), you know you are hearing perfection. How often can that be said?
They had voices then.
There aren't enough adjectives to describe her gorgeous singing.
RMPsumma So true, it's penetrating as of someone who struggled to become the star she was.
tears of pure joy when I listen to this thankyou so much I hadnt heard it in years
Ponselle's reply to me about this recording in a 1978 interview: "It's all right, but nothing to write home about. The song isn't difficult--it doesn't require much range--but it needs to be sung very sensitively. I had to sing it into that damned [acoustical-recording] horn, so I had to do the whole thing forte and none of my voice's overtones come through on the record. Later, when I did it on my radio programs and I didn't have those obstacles to contend with, I used a lot of mezza voce, a lot of shading--and I just loved singing it."
Ponselle ignored all the acciaccaturas that have to be executed within the phrasing, of course that she found easy this piece. And all those ascending and descending scales, either she ignored them, either she executed them as clumsy as she coud. And the legato needed for this piece, inexisting for her...
I am sorry, but if you compare this with a real Bel Canto trained singer as de Hidalgo, you can tell the difference
th-cam.com/video/XlQymaO0ZkE/w-d-xo.html
Best,
Luis
Are you referring to her Columbia acoustical recording or her later “Chesterfield Hour” and other radio performances? Reviews of her performance of the song in Carmela’s and her Keith Circuit vaudeville act were at times critical of her “Kiss Me Again” because it was so unlike Fritzi Scheff’s and in at least one review the critic declared that she had the wrong voice for “Kiss Me Again.”
Wow! Never heard a soprano rich like this!
She was a soprano with a perfect balance between the three registers.It was only when she took on Carmen and began to overemphasise the chest register that she began to have problems. The Met were extremely ungrateful to refuse to give her Adriana Lecouvreur.We must remember that though she retired young,she'd had 19 years at the top of her profession 😊
That is totally false. Chest register did not do anything negative to her voice whatsoever. It is foundational to the voice. She always had a huge chest voice.
Please understand that even though Rosa could sing in a lower register very comfortably, it does not mean she is a mezzo! She is a soprano because the center of her voice is in soprano tessitura, enough killing young singers by wrong decisions. Hear her Carmen and you will see that even though she sings it, it does not sound the way mezzo would; that says it all. Everyone should sing their own repertoire. A girl cannot be a boy and no matter what you do, it will not be natural!
I agree. She was a dramatic soprano, thence she had a strong low register. Many times we hear sopranos singing arias written for a mezzo-soprano and vice-versa. Carmen's arias are only an example for that.
My boy went from singers to transsexuals in a sentence 😭😭 I must say I disagree ; if you can sing it well, then sing it ! Rosa's Carmen is very pleasing so I'm glad she sang it. It's dumb to let a label keep one from something they would like. Besides, there is not one soprano that can sing all soprano repertoire ; this is enough proof that there is plasticity in the labels. Each voice is unique, and some sopranos will do just fine in a few low-voiced roles, and vice-versa for contraltos.
I wonder if that older lady sitting beside her is Luisa Tetrazzini.
Personally, I'm positive this lady _is_ Luisa Tetrazzini, though I might be wrong.
I'm curious as to how you were able to reproduce this Dec. 30, 1920 acoustical Columbia with such clarity, such presence [played by the EMG acoustical phonograph or ??]. For me, a real "eye (ear?? opener) as to the music hidden in the grooves of those original Columbia Tri-color 78 rpms.
She wasn't a mezzo. That is the point. She retired of her own accord.
No, she wasn't.
ACCORDING TO MY TEACHER OF MANY YEARS AGO, (HE HEARD HER IN PERSON). HER VENTURE INTO CARMEN WAS A "FIASCO", THE CRITICS HATED IT & SO DID MY TEACHER.
sachseco Your teacher was not in the mainstream. The public loved her Carmen and it was a huge financial success. Much of the criticism had nothing to do with her singing anyway. Her screen test for Carmen is here on You Tube. Fiasco? Are you kidding me? P.S. The final scene -- LIVE-- is also here on You Tube. Listen and hopefully rethink your voice teacher's pronouncements.
Her sister Carmella was a mezzo
Lily Pons was next after her and then I would say Deanna Durbin who never really advanced far enough in her career to become an opera star but she had the vocal range I believe.
I don't think it would have been a shame to train her as a mezzo. she sounds like one to me with that colorful lower register. I think she would have been more comfortable and had a longer career.
It would have been, because she was a dramatic soprano. Many mistakes have been made in this line and have destroyed beautiful voices. Please don't forget that also Maria Callas was to be trained as a mezzo-soprano. Thank God, the mistake has been prevented in time.
I really hate her highs, but I love her lows. Yes, she would be a perfect contralto
???????? Her entire voice is sublime !!!!