Une superbe voix québécoise que j'ai eu l'infini honneur de connaître à l'époque où elle n'étudiait pas encore en chant, et déjà elle avait une voix émouvante, riche et était très talentueuse. Marie-Nicole, tu es fantastique et jamais je n'oublierai les prestations qui m'ont fait littéralement aduler ta voix.
Il n'existe rien de plus beau qu'un contralto en opéra (enfin chacun ses goûts mais pour moi, ce fut la première saveur de l'opéra) et Marie-Nicole Lemieux est absolument merveilleuse !!!!
Stunningly beautiful and humble. I feel the same awe when listening to the amazing ANDREY NEMZER singing SAINT FRANCIS PRAYER. Such humility and inspiration!
have seen her in Paris debuting at the Theatre Champs Elysees alongside the great Larmore in Orlando Furioso - she was full of life and sang beautifully despite her nervousness. The 2 brought the house down followed an exclusive reception at a restaurant nearby. What a memorable night that was! Hope to hear more of her!
Thank you for sharing this lovely instrument and interpretation. I will be purchasing this artist's recordings for my library. I especially enjoy the transparency of this instrument while it maintains its consistent richness.
@lucihila Calling soprano, mezzo or contraltos is like using termns like violin, viola or cello in a score. Is necesary for classical singing because people are also musical instruments and not everyone has the same colour, tesiture, sound, etc. What I'm trying to say is that is not the same to use a violin than using a cello or a contrabass. So it would be a mess if we don't use those terms.
When she broke through, I wasn't particularly moved by Marie-Nicole's voice, but since then the voice's got much deeper and more dramatic. She's truly become a tremendous singer. Not as brilliant as her idole Maureen Forrester and definitely in the right direction.
If people discuss the vocal range of a particular singer it doesn't mean they are narrow - minded as lucihila says, for a narrow- minded person it'd be enough to simply enjoy or not enjoy the music.
Contraltos are between tenors and messo-sopranos. It is often possible to have a wider range, they can go higher or lower. For me, I can hit very low notes but the high notes I struggle immensely with. They hurt! But deep voices and notes are almost natural to me. It just varies.
@lucihila it's realy important to know de tipe of each person voice, a contralto it's a heavyest voice then mezzo and a contralto that sings a mezzo song can't give same entoation
I love it when classical music lovers get into online fights about who is (or isn't) the better singer and what constitutes a mezzo.vs. a contralto & countless other spirited discussions. I think Marie-Nicole is an amazing singer but I also think she sounds like a countertenor not a true contralto e.g. Ewa Podles or Kathleen Ferrier. Or a contralto I adore, Sara Mingardo. But for these Baroque roles Marie-Nicole is perfect.
@JRZGRL55 doesn't the the term countertenor refers to male singers who sing in either the mezzo or contralto range? she definitely sound like a contralto to me. Some voices are very deep like Nina Simone - would you consider Nina a countertenor or female baritone?
Perhaps I'll give it a go, Thank-you! I actually enjoyed her singing on the second listen, so it just goes to show, first impressions aren't always the most accurate.
I do not know why people "dissed" you for your opinion. I find that I do like her voice. I do not know if you heard her on her Handel Italian cantatas (I think that is it) CD. It is coupled with some instrumental chamber works of Handel too. It would be interesting to hear what you think. If you still don't like it then it is not a voice for you. Cheers and happy listening!
This is so well done. I am so happy that a Canadian singer is able to make it with the talent she has. I am singing this song and I am trying to do background work on it... I cannot find music for the recit anywhere, Or a translation. I am also trying to find information on the opera Farnace itself and I cannot. Any ideas?
To complicate matters, I suspect contraltos tend to be encouraged to market themselves as mezzos because that gives them much more repertory and better career prospects. A number of "mezzos" I have heard appear in fact to be "closet contraltos."
@shakingguy I think you're just giving names to give names. The only one in that set that I really feel has a true contralto voice is Marian Anderson. The others sound like lower mezzos, at best, to me. Hell, even Jessye Norman can kick out a low D (listen to her "Der Tod und das Maedchen"), but she's no wear near contralto-land.
@796824 Or...OR...YOU should listen to the ART of SINGING of several other artists besides the two dead singers you listed (whose artistry will nonetheless survive) and understand that music and tastes change. I'm sure the castrati of the era in which this aria was written would hate most people's singing of it since then.
@shakingguy I agree,esp re Kathleen Ferrier. Listen to her timbre & compare to Lemieux. Ferrier's is darker & more substantial esp in the mid to lower range.
very nice but its so obvious that Lemieux is not at all a contralto voice ! nice mezzo soprano. And if you want to listen real contraltos, go to listen Kattleen Ferrier, Marian Anderson or Nathalie Stutzman.
bella voce. why isn't she talked about? she belongs right up there with the likes of mingardo and stutzmann just to name a few. ill def take lemieux any day over that ghastly sonia prina.
omg... a fantastic voice... *closes eyes*...
so rich and textured.. warm and vibrant.. gorgeous sound
Une superbe voix québécoise que j'ai eu l'infini honneur de connaître à l'époque où elle n'étudiait pas encore en chant, et déjà elle avait une voix émouvante, riche et était très talentueuse.
Marie-Nicole, tu es fantastique et jamais je n'oublierai les prestations qui m'ont fait littéralement aduler ta voix.
Il n'existe rien de plus beau qu'un contralto en opéra (enfin chacun ses goûts mais pour moi, ce fut la première saveur de l'opéra) et Marie-Nicole Lemieux est absolument merveilleuse !!!!
Stunningly beautiful and humble. I feel the same awe when listening to the amazing ANDREY NEMZER singing SAINT FRANCIS PRAYER. Such humility and inspiration!
I didn't know her I've heard her sing on TV earlier today, she's amazing. Tres beau travail Marie-Nicole.
Merci Marie -Nicole Lemieux ,québécois de coeur nous aimons la sensibilité de votre interprétation
her sound is surprisingly warm and light for a contralto. A couple of her notes even sounded like a soprano. An absolutely lovely sound.
Beautiful soothing voice.
have seen her in Paris debuting at the Theatre Champs Elysees alongside the great Larmore in Orlando Furioso - she was full of life and sang beautifully despite her nervousness. The 2 brought the house down followed an exclusive reception at a restaurant nearby. What a memorable night that was! Hope to hear more of her!
Bravo! Superbe interprétation.
Un amoureux de votre voix et votre pertsonnalité
MARIE-NICOLE LEMIEUX la plus humble des Cantatrices à la Voix Incomparable et Chaleureuse !!!
🎶💕🎤💞
Thank you for sharing this lovely instrument and interpretation. I will be purchasing this artist's recordings for my library. I especially enjoy the transparency of this instrument while it maintains its consistent richness.
Exceptionnal artist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I really enjoyed my grilled cheese sammich, cold from the fridge, and a 40 oz plastic cup of Yerba Mate while listening to this beautiful voice.
Just lovely and rich and beautiful.
@lucihila Calling soprano, mezzo or contraltos is like using termns like violin, viola or cello in a score. Is necesary for classical singing because people are also musical instruments and not everyone has the same colour, tesiture, sound, etc. What I'm trying to say is that is not the same to use a violin than using a cello or a contrabass. So it would be a mess if we don't use those terms.
This girl has it all. She's like Cecilia Bartoli without being coy.
Brava ! Toll !
When she broke through, I wasn't particularly moved by Marie-Nicole's voice, but since then the voice's got much deeper and more dramatic. She's truly become a tremendous singer. Not as brilliant as her idole Maureen Forrester and definitely in the right direction.
This woman can really sing. She reminds me of Bartoli.
If people discuss the vocal range of a particular singer it doesn't mean they are narrow - minded as lucihila says, for a narrow- minded person it'd be enough to simply enjoy or not enjoy the music.
Very well put.... :)
Contraltos are between tenors and messo-sopranos. It is often possible to have a wider range, they can go higher or lower. For me, I can hit very low notes but the high notes I struggle immensely with. They hurt! But deep voices and notes are almost natural to me. It just varies.
@lucihila it's realy important to know de tipe of each person voice, a contralto it's a heavyest voice then mezzo and a contralto that sings a mezzo song can't give same entoation
I love it when classical music lovers get into online fights about who is (or isn't) the better singer and what constitutes a mezzo.vs. a contralto & countless other spirited discussions. I think Marie-Nicole is an amazing singer but I also think she sounds like a countertenor not a true contralto e.g. Ewa Podles or Kathleen Ferrier. Or a contralto I adore, Sara Mingardo. But for these Baroque roles Marie-Nicole is perfect.
@JRZGRL55 doesn't the the term countertenor refers to male singers who sing in either the mezzo or contralto range? she definitely sound like a contralto to me. Some voices are very deep like Nina Simone - would you consider Nina a countertenor or female baritone?
Perhaps I'll give it a go, Thank-you! I actually enjoyed her singing on the second listen, so it just goes to show, first impressions aren't always the most accurate.
Her voice only sounds like the Lowest end of a soprano voice. and she sounds mezzo whenever she go higher. Her Contralto voice is very unique
I do not know why people "dissed" you for your opinion. I find that I do like her voice. I do not know if you heard her on her Handel Italian cantatas (I think that is it) CD. It is coupled with some instrumental chamber works of Handel too. It would be interesting to hear what you think. If you still don't like it then it is not a voice for you. Cheers and happy listening!
@OlDoinyo This is one of the reasons I try to make sure all of my singers just sing stuff appropriate for their voice, regardless of fachs and titles.
Bella Donna , bella voce !!!
Most counter tenors have a different tone , more metalic , often with a hoot on higher notes .
@LuniaVideo That's right. Women are not sopranos, mezzos or contralto to degrade anyone. It's needed for the composers and that's it.
She sounds more contralto than Mezzo ! Anyway I'm going to read her biography on Internet.
Anyway I love her voice !
This is so well done. I am so happy that a Canadian singer is able to make it with the talent she has. I am singing this song and I am trying to do background work on it... I cannot find music for the recit anywhere, Or a translation. I am also trying to find information on the opera Farnace itself and I cannot. Any ideas?
I think I have a Contralto voice range because I can sing from way down on the scale up to middle C, and I fail at high notes .-.
To complicate matters, I suspect contraltos tend to be encouraged to market themselves as mezzos because that gives them much more repertory and better career prospects. A number of "mezzos" I have heard appear in fact to be "closet contraltos."
@shakingguy I think you're just giving names to give names. The only one in that set that I really feel has a true contralto voice is Marian Anderson. The others sound like lower mezzos, at best, to me. Hell, even Jessye Norman can kick out a low D (listen to her "Der Tod und das Maedchen"), but she's no wear near contralto-land.
@vankyre4 tiene usted razón
@alagloireduchant Merci pour la clarification.
She is definitely a Contralto. She definitely doesn't have the timbre of a Mezzo-Soprano.
Creo que es más mezzosoprano la señora Lumineux. Me recuerda mucho a la gran mezzosoprano rossiniana Marilyn Horne.
I thought Jaroussky was, actually!!
I'm hearing a dark and low Mezzo rather than a Contralto.
BRAVA! SHE MUCH BETTER THAN PRINA
Idon't find myself particularly moved by this voice, although the performance is very good. Am I missing something?!
voz muito bela, mas estou em dúvida se ela é contralto, tá mais para mezzo soprano
@796824 Or...OR...YOU should listen to the ART of SINGING of several other artists besides the two dead singers you listed (whose artistry will nonetheless survive) and understand that music and tastes change. I'm sure the castrati of the era in which this aria was written would hate most people's singing of it since then.
@shakingguy
I agree,esp re Kathleen Ferrier. Listen to her timbre & compare to Lemieux. Ferrier's is darker & more substantial esp in the mid to lower range.
This lady should listen to EULA BEAL, who knew how to sing
very nice but its so obvious that Lemieux is not at all a contralto voice ! nice mezzo soprano. And if you want to listen real contraltos, go to listen Kattleen Ferrier, Marian Anderson or Nathalie Stutzman.
LISTEN to EULA BEAL
I thought a contralto voice should sound lower, very close to tenor, not like that!
@vankyre4 dacordo
bella voce. why isn't she talked about? she belongs right up there with the likes of mingardo and stutzmann just to name a few. ill def take lemieux any day over that ghastly sonia prina.