Der Hölle Rache

[chickenfeet]

Two contrasting but dramatic versions of Der Hölle Rache.

First, Nathalie Dessay in Paris 2001

Followed by Diana Damrau at Salzburg in 2006

Comments

[lakme.livejournal.com]

Thank you for these; I like the Dessay version better. Not only does she have the real rage and fire of the Queen of the Night in her voice, but her notes are all very good, and I can't say the same about Damrau.

Sometimes an understated performance goes a long way, but I think the Queen has one basic emotion; rage, that Damrau doesn't express very well.

[linzq.livejournal.com]

I just saw Dessay at the Met on Thursday night. Opera has forever been spoiled for me, as I will never see anything even half as good again...

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

We are going to see her in La Fille du Regiment in April. She was hosting yesterday's broadcast of Peter grimes. She was quite charming.

[linzq.livejournal.com]

Oooooh, I'm jealous! Enjoy! :)

"Chacun le sait, chacun le dit..." She'll be very sweet!

[shezan.livejournal.com]

Dessay is 18th century Mozart; Damrau is Sturm und Drang Mozart. (Amusingly, the productions seem to match; the Salzburg one looks very Blaue Ritter-style.) Dessay is perfect, very very French, elegant, completely devoid of drama. Damrau's first high C is slightly wobblier, I'm less happy with the tempo overall (who conducted, in either case?) but by GOLLY has she got the drama right - and the sheer lung power. Her vocalising has dramatic power; it bullies and threatens from a great height; nothing like Dessay's ethereal prettiness. You can't even imagine Wagner's work rising from the first version, but you definitely get it in the Salzburg one. (He read nothing but the Magic Flute score while writing Parsifal.) So my vote goes to Damrau.