Natalie Dessay - Vocalise

Dessay is magical with her ethereal interpretations of this gorgeous music. Tho I'm an ardent opera fanatic, many opera singers are just too forceful with this kind of music. Natalie's voice floats, caressing the phrases.Nearly 50 years ago Anna Moffo recorded Rachmaninoff's Vocalise and since then I never heard a version that could compare to hers.....until now.This album is also sure fire for introducing people to find music and fine singing. Have made converts easily.Operafilly

This lady sings vowels better than anyone ever recorded. It is a pleasure to hear her sing. The Goddess of Music, in my eyes.

Just a very delicate and yet powerful, beautiful, feeling full voice. We first heard Natalie at Jordan hall and needed to have a CD of her.

This is a beautiful collection of songs and wonderful recording of the Rachmaninoff Vocalise.

I'll be honest. I heard this CD played on Brazilian radio. Had I not done so I probably would not have wanted to buy it, as on the face of it it would have appeared to have been not really my "cup of tea" as the British say.I have to admit the art of the coloratura soprano is one I have never paid a great deal of attention to, but such is the startling originality of tone and sheer technical brilliance and artistry of Natalie Dessay that I listened to this spellbound. Almost none of her repertoire I was familiar with. You could say they are mostly minor late romantic pieces but there are some absolute gems among them . Rachmaninov's lovely, sad but intensely melodic Vocalise. Le Rossignol et la Rose by Saint Saëns. Les filles de Cadix, a perfect piece of faux-espagnol, both passionate and amusing at once, by Delibes. Ravel's tantalizingly brief Vocalise en forme de habanera and Granados' quintessentially Spanish La Maja y el Ruiseñor ( untranslatable this, The Lady and the Nightingale is far too prissy). My favorite of all, however, was the Russian folk song arrangement, The Nightingale (yes, Nightingales feature very strongly on this CD!), which manages to combine country simplicity with ravishing technical bravura. I wish I could have understood the words, perhaps the CD will provide a translation. If you enjoy singing of any sort you have got to love this. My only complaint is that she did not include a couple of pieces in a different style. Mozart's Queen of the Night for example.

I never even heard of Natalie Dessay until I picked up this CD at a thrift store. She has an elegant, classic voice and sound to be listened too.Her vocal performance has wide range but filled every song with passion and understanding. You can hear her very clearly with every syllable.The eleven songs here feature her perform at the highest level of excellence. She is perfectionist with her music. I never heard of her until a few days ago. I'm sure her name is better known in the opera world but I feel that she isn't known enough to be appreciated by non opera aficionados like myself.

Acclaimed French coloratura soprano Nathalie Dessay quited the operatic stage in October 2013. This event prompted me to review her much earlier release of coloratura album ‘Vocalise’.The album begins with Rachmaninoff’s ‘Vocalise’ and this is the title piece, followed by several others of the same genre, and a few more in the nature of coloratura showcases. It does not requirement recounting the vocal range of the repertoire chosen, suffice to say that they fit snugly and soundly in the coloratura high soprano category.It is important to note that while in the latter part of the 20th century and 21st century there are relatively few light coloratura soprano albums, back in the early to mid-20th century, such singers dominated the operatic stage – Lily Pons, Erna Berger, Mardy Mesple, Rita Streich, Reri Grist, Roberta Peters, Edita Gruberova, Beverly Sills, Arleen Auger, just to a name few. As for Dessay’s exact contemporary, there is Korean coloratura soprano Sumi Jo. Unfortunately for Dessay, her vocal demise is considerably shorter than this short list.This collection of arias, recorded when Dessay’s vocal problems were still non-existent, represent her finest coloratura outputs. The voice is crystalline in quality, though not exactly ethereal in the sense of Mesple. The intonation is good, matching Auger’s, but the high notes are pushed and not as light and free as her contemporary Sumi Jo. The timbre is warmer, and she has more colour than Jo, though not as rich as Streich. In terms of agility, Dessay owns high dexterity, not surpassing Grist or Sills in this regard.Generally speaking, Dessay fares best in the high to medium high register, but not the highest reaches, where she often resorts to pushing, and hence her considerable vocal problems in the latter part of her busy career.This is an useful documentary of one of the finest and most popular coloratura sopranos of the late 20th century, and can be enjoyed as such. For sheer vocal enjoyment, go for Rita Streich’s ‘Waltzes and Arias’, or the rarely heard Dilber Yunus’s ‘Coloratura Album’ under Ondine.

This is a wonderful collection of coloratura pieces. Dessay is tremendous technically, and, though the voice can be a bit thin at times, she is absolutely stunning in this repertoire. As a coloratura-in-training, I am listen in awe as Dessay fools her audience into thinking this is simple stuff! While it may seem to be on the verge of heresey, I much prefer Dessay to Joan Sutherland (though she is indeed La Stupenda) and even enjoy listening to her over Sills. The reviews which comment on Dessay seeming to have a less-than solid sound and comparing her to Fleming may be forgetting that this type of literature cannot afford to sound weighty, nor can the voice perform optimally with a weight up in the rafters! Though I think Fleming is a fine singer, I personally prefer listening to Dessay, and I certainly learn more from the experience. This is an incredible album and a true accomplishment. Also, if Dessay is your cup of tea, check out the recording of Lakme with Dessay in the title role-wow!

One of the soprano voices that most pleases! Among the top singers these days, in my opinion. This record is most pleasurable.

An excellent selection of songs from a singer whom I had never heard of until the day I ordered this CD; and I only heard her voice quite by chance. If you like sopranos you'll probably love Natalie Dessay!JSS

Oh this record will be something special in your record collection . Very good . I liked a lot.

Such a wonderful voice, and such a presense.

Exceptional CD, Natalie @ her best. Berlin orch. also.