Here's something you might be interested in.
Elena Obraztsova survived the siege of Leningrad as a young girl and managed to become number four of five on this impromptu list of unique and beautiful singers. She also became one the first Russian singers to emerge from behind the Iron Curtain to international fame.
She was evacuated during the battle across the frozen Lake Ladoga. During the maneuver, two other trucks broke through the ice and sank. Elena’s grandmother died of hunger during the trip.
Obraztsova’s parents weren’t impressed with her voice and her father is rumored to have thought it to be an ugly sound. They tried to sway Elena toward technical school but she failed to be accepted. She applied to music school and was one of three students to be accepted out of 100 that applied.
The range of Obraztsova’s voice defies reason. Her bottom notes aren’t just masculine sounding, they are downright baritonal. Her top notes are full and exciting. She is equally effective singing the contralto-ish Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix from Samson to the soprano killer Vissi d’arte from Tosca.
In my opinion, it is in the role of Santuzza from Cavalleria Rusticana that Obraztsova is unsurpassed. Her voice appeared to be formed for this role in the womb. She also had enough life experience to bring the dispossessed Sicilian Santuzza into full blooded life on the stage.
Once again, this is a voice that we never forget or confuse with other singers after we’ve heard it. Elena Obraztsova had a "freak of nature" voice. It was deep as deep can go, huge and dramatic but always warm and beautiful.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJX0b9ZChYk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MPnbpa4Sss&feature=relmfu
Complete film of Cavalleria with Obraztsova and Domingo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6UTvydx9K0
Elena Obraztsova survived the siege of Leningrad as a young girl and managed to become number four of five on this impromptu list of unique and beautiful singers. She also became one the first Russian singers to emerge from behind the Iron Curtain to international fame.
She was evacuated during the battle across the frozen Lake Ladoga. During the maneuver, two other trucks broke through the ice and sank. Elena’s grandmother died of hunger during the trip.
Obraztsova’s parents weren’t impressed with her voice and her father is rumored to have thought it to be an ugly sound. They tried to sway Elena toward technical school but she failed to be accepted. She applied to music school and was one of three students to be accepted out of 100 that applied.
The range of Obraztsova’s voice defies reason. Her bottom notes aren’t just masculine sounding, they are downright baritonal. Her top notes are full and exciting. She is equally effective singing the contralto-ish Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix from Samson to the soprano killer Vissi d’arte from Tosca.
In my opinion, it is in the role of Santuzza from Cavalleria Rusticana that Obraztsova is unsurpassed. Her voice appeared to be formed for this role in the womb. She also had enough life experience to bring the dispossessed Sicilian Santuzza into full blooded life on the stage.
Once again, this is a voice that we never forget or confuse with other singers after we’ve heard it. Elena Obraztsova had a "freak of nature" voice. It was deep as deep can go, huge and dramatic but always warm and beautiful.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJX0b9ZChYk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MPnbpa4Sss&feature=relmfu
Complete film of Cavalleria with Obraztsova and Domingo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6UTvydx9K0