Dame Kiri Te Kanawa sings Sir Henry Rowley Bishop (1786-1855): "Lo, Hear the Gentle Lark" James Galway/ Flute West Australian Symphony Orchestra John Hopkins/ Conductor Leeuwin Estate Concert Australia, 1990
I just listened to a version by Kathleen Battle - really lovely in spite of the excess volume on both piano and flute in places. I always thought Sutherland went overboard with extra frills, but maybe that's because my coloratura mother sang it without extras, as Battle does.
I'm glad Dame Kiri sang it instead of saying "oh some loser might prefer another singer over me so I won't do it." This concert took place in 1990.....the same year Dame Joan retired.
This pales into insignificance against the definitive version recorded 117 years ago by Dame Nellie Melba: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-LLmA0OTAU_w.html If only she could have been recorded on today's equipment.
@magicmonkichi Yes there is a bootleg copy of her La Donna del lago but sadly not the Bolena. I will jump to the moon if there was a recording of her singing the mad scene from Anna Bolena- her voice fits it like a glove!
It is a great deal better WITHOUT the speech bubbles. Res ipse loquitur. A memorable moment still talked about in the annals of music performance in Western Australia.
Dame Kiri has quite a nice bel canto technique. She did infact sing some Rossini (La Donnal del lago) as well as Donizetti's Anna Bolena in her earlier days in the late 60s. Perhaps she could have tackled more of that repertoire!
Dame Kiri is a very intelligent singer and knew what was right for her voice and what wasn't. This is one reason she sang very well into her early 70s.
I don't think the speech bubbles work. I have seen a version without them and it allows the video to speak for itself with the facial expressions from the performers, and the question from Dame Kiri at the end is perfectly audible. It was a memorable moment for Leeuwin Estate.
not really wowed. Considering the level of these 2 musicians, I really didn't get the feeling of a "polished" performance. Maybe they didn't get a chance to rehearse with the orchestra enough.... I don't know but it definitely seemed a little uncomfortable and ill-prepared.
