Anne Sofie von Otter - opera gala concert

A very rare gala concert, with mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter, recorded all on the same evening from a radio broadcast, capturing this beloved singer in superb voice. Recorded circa 1989, orchestra and conductor unknown.
Featuring arias from:
Le Nozze di Figaro
La Clemenza di Tito
Faust
Samson et Dalila
Carmen
L'Italiani in Algeri
La Cenerentola

[robertspencer]

The best mezzo of her generation by far.

[orion]

Safe and lyrical. This stage she was in the middle of a road as her success was all based solely on her stage presence as a boy and her ideal training in bienséance. That's the aspect of singing that is somewhat tensionless and calm. Pleasingly in tune and full of decorum and ease. Sadly Sofies instrument never went past that. The Carmen and Dalila are bland yet cleanly done. Her chest voice and indeed volume has always been weak in this pale, beautifully lyric mezzo. Even in the Rossini her lower notes just dont have much color. Often she sounds completely like a lazy soprano. Von Stade had a similar issue/position yet had more voice and worked in some more appropriate tensions by the 1990's. The volume at the top once her vibrato calmed out of the 70's grew even if her rep did not much.
Von Otter increased rep but the technique did not evolve past her student days really. Lyric Mozart mezzo this one. Her Strauss elsewhere unerwhelming. Professional but really look at the tradition and time and time again Von Otter is annoyingly safe even childish in her insouciance all too often. She was a delicious as Cherubino & Dorabella. Yet that is not difficult. Here you can hear her chest voice coming out to play in this recital. Indeed perhaps she should had built up the voice more as it had real possibilities in 1989. That said some voices are solely temperate. This was one of those. This recital is delightful and non threatening. Interpretations stretchy and pleasant. Very smooth timbre. That's it. Is it enough? No, but it still stands. Perhaps listening over a lunch or being out in the garden kind of thing. One of the safest opera singers of her generation is more like it. Bienséance.