Search - Joan Sutherland :: Volume #1: Early Years

Joan Sutherland?

Jamie Guille | UK | 01/29/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This disk is a MUST for any serious Sutherland enthusiast. The selections date from 1949 when the great lady was still in Australia to 1957 and you will be astounded at how different she sounded then compared with later years when she came to world wide attention. Here for the most part we are given examples of the steely, dramatic soprano voice which in those days Sutherland intended to nurture with a view to becoming a Wagnerian soprano. Many pieces are sung in English, including "Ritorna Vincitor" from Aida and there are several items from The Mastersingers of Nuremburg and one from Gotterdammerung. They are enchanting in a strange sort of way as it is unusual to hear Wagner sung by a beautiful voice, and she produces some revishing textures in places. The most interesting selections on this disk for me are from Emilia di Liverpool. We are treated to a "home rehearsal" of "Madre, deh placati, Ah! Di contento" with Richard Bonynge at the piano being admonished by Sutherland for plonking on the keys whilst she is talking to him. She delivers the whole aria (having been told off by him for not singing particular dynamics) and ends with her own unique assessment of her performance. There then follows the same aria taken from the subsequent live performance although this has previously been released on several lables. All in all, a very interesting disk, I look forward to volume 2."

Sutherland Rarities Indeed!

B. Bem | Washington, DC United States | 01/12/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is astonishing but is mainly of interest to Sutherland fans who have followed the complete career of this opera singer known as "La Stupenda." It contains recordings from her very early years, even recordings in Australia when she was still studying singing and had not yet gone to England to start her illustrious career. It is a thrill to hear the voice at such an early stage before she became a bel canto specialist. Some of the arias are sung in English instead of their original language, as was often done early on. There is even a snippet of a piano rehearsal with her coach/husband when not all goes well! This is called Vol. 1. Might we hope for another volume or two?"