Search - Leontyne Price :: Original Album Classics

A SUPREME VOCAL ARTIST

Sung-chao Cheng | Taiwan | 01/29/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The 5-CD set of Leontyne Price's original albums has finally arrived from AMAZON.COM today. I should have written something about her a long time ago, but couldn't find a chance to till now. Leontyne Price has been sitting on the No. 1 chair of my most loved soprano since 1970; my fondness of her arts has not dimmed but instead grows with time.

When it really come time to write something about her, I find myself if not at a lost is rather hesitant. I may sound insincere if I overdo it or those who read this review might say, "who do think you are anyway." Well, my music education is practically none. But a few decades of appreciation of vocal music, I believe I know a thing or two of the art of singing. Still, I really should refer or quote famous persons in the music world to enhance the credibility of my writing.

On the back cover of Leontyne's debut album of operatic arias by Verdi and Puccini, known to her admirers as "THE BLUE ALBUM", in the 12" vynil era of course, Paul Hume of the Washinton Post wrote of Leontyne: "They come no greater, few anywhere near so great." He further wrote that her voice is like a banner, spans from one corner of the hall to the other far corner of the hall. That pretty much describes how great she is. Elisabeth Schwarzkopt who sang in Don Giovanni with Price said that "She (Price) has an unusually beautiful voice and she understands Mozart music well." Mady Mesple, the famous French coloratura, was in New York in the 70's and caught her Madama Butterfly said that, "Physically she (Price) is completely out of place for the role, but no matter, at the end I cried my heart out", and the interviewer asked her why so many singers admire her so, and Mesple said, "Because she has wonderful technique and a heart as big as the house." Reynolds Price, writer and essayist wrote that "Leontye Price is the finest soprano of our time." I have heard that Renee Fleming has said something very nice about Price in her book, but, unfortunately, I haven't got a chance to read it, so I can't say anything about it.

Now, let's talk a little about the five CDs, I already have them all, the arias I mean. The reason I bought the set is that I want to send it to my friend in Bangkok. I can't describe aria by aria to you; all I can say is that all the arias are beautifully sung, many exquisitely delivers. I can tell you that when she is good she make a feast out of a big aria. She is one of the very few gifted with a beautiful instrument and have the intelligence to use it to interpret the music effectively at hand. May I say that she is the only (may be very, very few) singer whom I can listen to all day without being bored. Her singing is almost always exciting, She is called the Aretha Franklin of the opera world for this very reason, EXCITING. Those of you who still hesitate about her, better hurry up and get yourselves copies. Disappointment won't be the word for you. Thank you."