She did Sesto's "Parto, parto" & Vitellia's "Non piu di fiori"in the cd "F v S sings Mozart Rossini Arias", Rotterdam Philharmonic Orch,De Waart conducting. Flicka is a phenomenon! Her middle and lower registers can move the most hardened heart while her upper notes just soar and soar so effortlessly. &she's so warm and kind, always with so much elegance. The minute she appears on the stage, the whole audience is captivated as was the case in her recent concert (with Ramey)in Vancouver.
Incomparable Frederica Von Stade. There are not enough superlatives to do justice to her performances. Another brilliant aria by Flicka from La Clemenza de Tito is "Ecco il Punto, O Vitellia... Non Piu di Fiori" uploaded by Operalover. Listen and enjoy.
I was at that concert, too -- the first time I've seen Flicka perform LIVE! Couldn't take my eyes off her! She was amazing, performing such a range of material, with her still-gorgeous voice. From heartbreaking ("Don't say a word") to deeply silly ("I bought me a cat"). She and Sam needed more than two encores, but maybe didn't have time to rehearse another with the VSO. I got to speak to her afterwards at the stage door to thank her for all the joy her music has given me over the years! Thrill!
When I feel down about all the bad things in the world, I try to remember that it also has people like Flicka in it. And then I feel better. She is an example to all of us of of what is best and noblest and loveliest in this world.
She just gets it *right*. I think this is from the recording with Yvonne Minton, Lucia Popp, and Stuart Burrows, and Colin Davis conducting. The whole thing is perfection.
I almost hate myself for nitpicking this absolute perfection of an aria from Flicka, but am I the only one who finds it a tad bit odd that while singing that ascending passage she holds on to the long "a" of "emenda" instead of letting a beautifully expressive "ah" soar at the final syllable?
