Elly Ameling, 90 today
Daily Comfort ZoneThe unassuming Dutch soprano, an unforgettable lieder singer over four decades, has reached a milestone today.
We wish her a comfortable retirement.
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And nothing about Stuart Burrows yesterday?
Happy Birthday, Miss Ameling. You are the voice of eternal Springtime and Schubert for me.
And what fun it was to work with Elly 40 years ago. She was most faithful to her North American manager Sheldon Soffer, but always shared how the lovely Mr. Wilford or Mr. Shaw had come by her dressing room at Tanglewood to say hello, just to enjoy the anticipated overreaction.
My wife and I saw her and Dalton Baldwin perform at a small concert in Charlottesville, Virginia in the mid-1970s. Her performance of Scarlatti’s “Le violette” has played in our memory playlist ever since. What a wonderful career she had.
Her performance that is in my memory playlist (felicitous phrase!) is Schubert’s Der Hirt auf dem Felsen. Sheer magic.
I heard her in Alice Tully Hall in NYC early 1970s. Found out what it means to be enchanted!
Ms. Ameling was the soprano in my first Messiah recording (Marriner) and since then has remained a favorite. Always clear, precise, and tasteful, and in that recording you would never know that she wasn’t a native speaker of English.
Happy 90th birthday Ms Ameling! Your interpretation of Mozart’s Exultate Jubilate- exquisite!
One of Ameling’s rare opera roles was Ilia in IDOMENEO, which she sang in 1974 with the Washington Opera.
She was ideal for the gentle Ilia, and a total contrast to Maralin Niska as a fiery Electra.
If I have any appreciation of German lieder or French mélodies today, I owe it to Elly Ameling. Her recordings are treasures, each and every one. Happy Birthday!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB4LEuvth18
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcLi2U3B-GI
Not “lieder” as such: there is a wonderful recording of miscellaneous Bach arias with the great Han de Vries playing oboe, oboe d’amore and cor anglais. This inspired several programmes for my ensemble!
I first heard her on Karl Münchinger’s recording of the St Matthew Passion, and was blown away by her. The rest of the soloists are rather good too!!
A wonderful singer (whom I always bracket with Arleen Auger and Lucia Popp – all of them absolute gems).
She is the female version of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau!