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BBC Music Magazine: Modern divas fail to hit BBC top spots as greatest sopranos ever 13 March 2007
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| A poll carried out by BBC Music Magazine to find the greatest sopranos ever, has revealed that the top ten does not feature any of the world’s current opera stars. |
Some of the country’s most revered opera and music critics were asked to draw up a list of their top ten sopranos of all time. The total combined list featured over 90 different singers, but not only did the final top ten not include any current opera stars, the top 20 failed to recognise top sopranos of today such as Angela Gheorghiu, Renée Fleming and Anna Netrebko.
Hugh Canning, Opera Critic for The Sunday Times, commented: “I can’t help feeling that Gheorghiu, Fleming and Netrebko suffer from being at the top end, artistically, of a heap of ‘classical’ recording artists, which includes such manufactured careers as those of mezzo Katherine Jenkins. The problem for them is that they have to compete in the same recording market but also have to retain credibility in the opera-house and concert hall.”
The Greek soprano Maria Callas (1923-1977), by far the most famous and controversial operatic artist of her time, was voted the greatest soprano of all time.
Oliver Condy, Editor of BBC Music Magazine, commented: “It’s intriguing to see that none of today’s divas feature in the top ten. Is it because they aren’t worshipped and respected with the same Hollywood zeal as they were fifty years ago? Or perhaps we still need to give the likes of Renée Fleming and Angela Gheorghiu a chance to prove themselves? Or is it that today's opera stars simply don’t compare to the likes of Maria Callas and Joan Sutherland? Whatever the reason, our panel have certainly provided a fascinating insight into what the experts really think, and what makes a great soprano.”
The 20 greatest sopranos ever are featured in the April issue of BBC Music Magazine.
-ENDS-
NOTES TO EDITORS
The BBC Music Magazine 20 Greatest Sopranos of all time are:
1. Maria Callas [1923-1977]
2. Joan Sutherland [b1926]
3. Victoria De Los Angeles [1923-2005]
4. Leontyne Price [b1927]
5. Birgit Nilsson [1918-2005]
6. Montserrat Caballé [b1933]
7. Lucia Popp [1939-1993]
8. Margaret Price [b1941]
9. Kirsten Flagstad [1895-1962]
10. Emma Kirkby [b1949]
11. Elisabeth Schwarzkopf [1915-2006]
12. Regine Crespin [b1927]
13. Galina Vishnevskaya [b1926]
14. Gundula Janowitz [b1937]
15. Karita Mattila [b1960]
16. Elisabeth Schumann [1888-1952]
17. Christine Brewer [b1960]
18. Renata Tebaldi [1922-2004]
19. Rosa Ponselle [18987-1981]
20. Elly Ameling [b1933]
The expert panel
• John Allison Editor, Opera Magazine
• Kate Bolton Radio 3 Producer
• Catherine Bott Radio 3 Presenter and Soprano
• David Brickbill Historic Recordings Specialist
• Hugh Canning Sunday Times Opera Critic
• Andrew Farach-Colton Writer, Editor
• Hilary Finch Music Critic, The Times
• Howard Goldstein Music Professor at Auburn University, Alabama
• George Hall Writer, Editor, Translator
• Ashutosh Khandekar Editor, Opera Now Magazine
• Nick Morgan Freelance Radio Producer
• Richard Morrison Times Music Critic
• David Nice Writer, Biographer
• Anna Picard Chief Music Critic, Independent on Sunday
• Anthony Pryer Music Lecturer, Goldsmith’s College, London
• Michael Scott Rohan Author, Editor
• Jan Smaczny Professor of Music, Queen’s University, Belfast
• Geoffrey Smith Radio 3 Presenter
• Michael Tanner Spectator Opera Critic
• Robert Thicknesse Former Time Opera Critic
• Barry Witherden Freelance Critic
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