I actually heard her in two performances of Donizetti's Lucia in 1988/9? in Manchester U.K, which she sang very well but without any of the traditionally inserted high notes.
@@chrisfinlay3274 I remember that. She got some very good reviews in the role too. She had been wanting a company to offer the role to her for sometime. Well done to Opera North for actually doing so and to Valerie Masterson for taking on such a challenge at a stage when many singers might be dropping the role from their repertoire. I believe she sang it in a specific edition which was sensibly well suited to her voice at that time? The great prima donnas of the19th century often brought their own versions of cadenzas , transpositions etc with them to the productions they sang in. The aim was to put the singer on their best day , to let them shine. Composers such as Donizetti allowed a certain amount of flexibility according to the artiste who was singing and different editions were the result of revivals of their works. Valerie Masterson was one of the hardest working , most talented and reliable of singers. She is missed on the operatic stage today.
