What's the opinion of the voice of Natalie Dessay?

[Lance]

I've been listening to Dessay's all-Schubert iieder album on Sony-Germany with pianist Philippe Cassard, [41988]. She seems more effective in the less dramatic songs. Dessay, born in 1965 had what is presented as an illustrious career before she left opera in 2013. She is married to the bass-baritone Laurent Naouri.

Just curious about your opinions.

Note: (Courtesy of Wikipedia)
Vocal Problems:
During the 2001–2002 season in Vienna, she began to experience vocal difficulties and had to be replaced in almost all of the performances of La sonnambula. Subsequently, she was forced to cancel several other performances, including the French version of Lucia di Lammermoor in Lyon and a Zerbinetta at the Royal Opera House in London. She withdrew from the stage and underwent surgery to remove a vocal cord nodule in July 2002.

[John F]

Dessay recovered from the condition and operation well enough to return to opera in 2004, and continued to sing at the Met and elsewhere until 2013, when as you say she retired from opera to begin a second career as a stage actress (spoken theatre), for which she had trained before switching to singing, and cabaret chanteuse. From this I expect that since 2013 Dessay's activites must have been in France - certainly not here.

I saw her in Vienna as Zerbinetta in "Ariadne auf Naxos" and in that and other operas at the Met, "Arabella" and "La Fille du Régiment" and, I think, "Giulio Cesare." She was a fine singer and actress and something of an acrobat.

Some of her Schubert is on YouTube and frankly I don't think it measures up. The voice has become unsteady, the interpretations are pretty neutral, and some of the repertoire is ill-advised: "Erlkönig"? For comparison, here's "Du bist die Ruh," a lyrical song which I'd think would suit her very well, but she sings the phrases toward the end too loud and rather crudely:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6fDPlnjuM8

For comparison, here's Elisabeth Schumann:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1j4gyx8wkk

Maybe it's unfair to put Dessay in this repertoire beside a great artist at her best, but there it is. Thanks to recordings, everyone is in competition with everyone, like it or not.

[Lance]

John, thank you. You have confirmed what I have thought and observed.

[maestrob]

Her "Fille du regiment" and Lucia at the MET were both outstanding, IMHO. But Schubert? I, too, have my doubts.

[lennygoran]

We've seen her at the Met several times and thought she was wonderful. I often play my VCR tape of this moment when she dances and sings incredibly! Regards, Len

[John F]

Note the warship in the background of this production of Handel's "Giulio Cesare."

[lennygoran]

Note the warship in the background of this production of Handel's "Giulio Cesare."

True but I couldn't get over her dancing and so in step with the other dancers! Regards, Len