o_O That ONE high note....
When Susanna Foster hits that one high note during the one opera sing. (And you know the one I'm talking about) I shudder....It sounds like she is screaming/gurgling.....
shareThat's a high G and I doubt many singers can even reach it, let alone try to sing it.
I think she sings that high note also on the Lux Radio Theater version of the story with Nelson Eddy, Foster, Edgar Barrier and Basil Rathbone in the Claude Rains role.
Well, it is so high it doesn't even SOUND good. My friends and me started laughing hysterically, got to figure it hurts the vocal cords.
shareWell, apparently it astonished musicians and she won a lot of acclaim for her singing in that role. On the DVD that I have, she mentions that she favors the Lux Radio Theater version where she was in better voice than she was at the time of recording the number for the film. I'll have to listen to that because I do have that version among some radio tapes.
She had offers from opera houses after the film but did not want to give up her Universal contract.
I have a program that is a piano on the internet, and I played the note she hits. She hits it well, but a note that high....just doesn't sound right. I guess because you never really hear it since it is VERY VERY high.
I personally don't like her singing voice, but I guess it is a matter of taste. I much prefer someone who can't hit that high and yet produces a better sound.
I will say this... the only other Christine that actually sings the part is Emmy Rossum. And while I think Emmy's voice is very sweet and youthful, there is no comparison between her and Susanna. Foster not only gets the distinction of being one of the first (and only) blonde Christines, but for carrying her own awesome vocals. High G's or not, I think her voice is quite pretty. Woo!
*munch munch*
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Emmy Rossum is super-shrill and bright-toned on her higher notes. I expected to like her in the part, and didn't. I was surprised that she had such a "professional" reputation going into the project, because her singing wasn't really any better than that of any moderately-talented high-school soprano, and I've heard some who were better.
Susanna Foster was... better? I don't know. Like I said, I haven't seen the movie in 15 years, and I'm just watching it now (the only time AMC is showing it this month). But she seems to look the most like Book!Christine was supposed to look.
It's because, if it's a top G (an octave above the treble clef, not the note just above it), that's in the whistle register. It's not used for sustained notes... I don't think most operatic roles even use it at all. The Queen of the Night in "The Magic Flute" comes close, as do a few other coloratura roles.
Of course, if it's the G that sits just on top of the treble clef, almost all sopranos can hit it, but it's at a break between vocal registers and some sopranos have trouble making it sound good.
I'm watching the movie right now, but I'm afraid I haven't been paying enough attention, and I haven't seen it in about 15 years otherwise.