What is the hardest operatic piece for a soprano out there?

Question

What is the hardest operatic piece for a soprano out there?

Answer 1

The answer to this question is highly subjective, however here is one for your consideration:

Merci, jeunes amies (Bolero - I Vespri Siciliani, Giuseppe Verdi)

Answer 2

You may need to redefine your question slightly - do you mean hardest opera, or aria ?



As far as operas are concerned, Puccini's tale of a 16 year old geisha with the voice and stamina of a Valkyrie is notorious for its demands upon the soloist in the named role of Madama Butterfly. And Richard Strauss's heroine from Ancient Greece, Elektra, is another requiring it's soprano heroine to have almost superhuman reserves and power.

Answer 3

In the Wagnerian operas, two I believe are the most difficult - both for a DRAMATIC soprano: not a coloratura nor lyric.



These being Isolde in "Tristan und Isolde", and Brunnhilde in "Die Gotterdammerung".



The complete "Tristan" is I believe (uncut) a rounded 4 hrs. in length; that of "Die Gotterdammerung", a little over 4 1/2 hrs.



Principally what makes the Wagnerian roles so difficult ("hard") to sing, is the power a singer must possess to project and be heard over an approximate 110 piece orchestra: no easy task. And, ENDURANCE: Act I on "Die Gotterdammerung" is only 5 mins. short of 2 hrs. in length.



A You Tube video of the final scene of "Die Gotterdammerung": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmX9N8C8nko



Birgit Nillsen - the most famous Wagnerian soprano of her day - was once asked by a journalist, "what's it take to sing the role of Isolde"? Her response, "comfortable shoes". This is a portion of the "Love Duet" from Act II of "Tristan": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ch3o0qV6TiA







Alberich

Answer 4

It depends on the type of soprano. For coloratura soprano a contender has to be Zerbinetta's aria from Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos.

Answer 5

Turandot's "In questa reggia" gives the dramatic soprano a workout with its grueling tessitura.