Lise Davidsen: Tiny Desk Concert
Музыка
Tom Huizenga | April 26, 2024
I knew we were in for something spectacular when the Norwegian soprano Lise Davidsen came to our Tiny Desk - especially when she could be heard, loud and clear, from far down the hall, warming up in our green room. Once she got to the Desk itself, to rehearse with pianist and Metropolitan Opera assistant conductor Bryan Wagorn, the sublime amplitude of her extraordinary voice rendered the space even tinier.
Davidsen’s voice, which is incongruously gigantic and intimate, has been called “one-in-a-million.” I was completely sold on the hype after only a few seconds of singing. A couple of us reached for tissues to wipe away tears of disbelief. The voice gleams like pure polished silver, powerful enough to surge past massive orchestras and yet capable of paring down to a single silvery strand of tone, perfectly supported to reach the rafters.
It’s all the more remarkable since Davidsen was already in her 20s before she saw an opera for the first time. Her warp-speed rise has taken her from a small town in Norway, where she played handball and strummed her guitar, to starring roles at the world’s finest stages.
She begins her set with Desdemona’s quiet supplication from Verdi’s Otello. It’s a prayer for the troubles of the world today, she explains. A moody song of unrequited love by her compatriot Edvard Grieg follows. And, saving the money notes for last, Davidsen closes with a rambunctious czardas from Die Csárdásfürstin. Notice the subtlety of phrasing when she extends the word “Heimatland” beautifully in the opening verse. She caps the aria with an electrifying high C. The audience, appropriately, goes nuts.
With a little luck and scrupulous care for her voice, Davidsen, only 37, is poised for a career we will be talking about for decades to come.
SET LIST
Giuseppe Verdi: “Ave Maria” from Otello
Edvard Grieg: “Zur Rosenzeit,” Op. 48, No. 5
Emmerich Kálmán: “Heia, in den Bergen” from Die Csárdásfürstin
MUSICIANS
Lise Davidsen: soprano
Bryan Wagorn: piano
TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Tom Huizenga
Director/Editor: Kara Frame
Audio Technical Director: Hannah Gluvna
Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Videographers: Kara Frame, Pierre Kattar
Audio Engineers: Neil Tevault, Josh Newell
Production Assistant: Elle Mannion
Photographer: Zayrha Rodriguez
Tiny Desk Team: Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Ashley Pointer, Hazel Cills
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
#tinydesk #nprmusic #lisedavidsen
Пікірлер: 64
I am touched by her affectionate connection to her pianist after each piece. She is quite engaged in the music and she does not forget the role of her accompanist in this beautiful set.
Such a warm, round voice for a soprano! Glad to see her on Tiny Desk Concert.
Beautiful voice, clean and vibrant. Lovely people, thank you.
As a Norwegian I am very conscious of how my fellow countrymen speak foreign languages, and especially English. I am impressed by how she doesn't have a typical eastern-Norwegian English accent when she speaks, but she does when she is singing Italian 😀
We had Lise Davidsen at Lyric Opera of Chicago for Jenůfa this past season (I’m an employee). I heard her in recordings before she arrived, but I cannot stress enough that this is a voice you MUST hear live. Incredible control and nuance meets a powerhouse instrument
Incredible!❤
Amazing…I also cried after the first selection. Lise is one of the most compelling singers from any genre I’ve heard. I would love to hear her sing Mozart’s Queen of the Night aria. And hey everybody, let’s not overlook the sensitive touch of her piano accompanist, not to mention his rousing solo on the last song.
Beautifully powerful and tenderly felt. This has made my Friday so much better. Thank you for sharing :-)
Woah, woah, WOAH! This much talent and volume might not fit into this tiny desk space! Holy cow!
Brilliant - thank you!
New to me and I love it 😍😍😍😍😍
well that was amazing
Perfection!😘💕🌹
This was lovely to my ears
Wow, her vibrato is spectacular. What a powerful voice!
Lise is amazing! thank you😊
Thank you, this feels so good inside me. My mind and hearts floats in poetry and evening laughs over tea.
@RobertSlover
20 күн бұрын
dork.
What a treat!! Thank you for this❤
Operatic ❤
Woah !!! That voice!
Chills all over the entire time 😮
No words!! thanks for this gift ;)
Bravo Tiny Desk!
Stunning 🤩
Beautiful!!
🌞🤸🏽♂️🫶🏼🖖🏼 Priceless!
Magníficos ambos...
Just wanted to comment here to proudly share that I've been sober for 1,679 days.
@TheRealDannAlexander
20 күн бұрын
🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘
@degas
20 күн бұрын
We care and are proud of you. 👊♥️
@Simargo
20 күн бұрын
Your dedication to getting better helps make the world a better place. Despite the challenges, you persevere, and that's admirable. Keep going!
@amandafeliciano542
20 күн бұрын
Keep counting! ❤
@jesusislukeskywalker4294
20 күн бұрын
@@amandafeliciano542🐥 im on day one ☝️ but im in the right place 🙏❤️ what i needed to hear
Awesome
amazing
Impressionante! Coisa linda!
Simplesmente perfeito ❤
❤
💛
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
@CuanDurkin I thought you would enjoy this concert. She sings a Hungarian piece as well. Maybe one day I can see you singing in a tiny desk concert (or live on stage)❤
♥♥♥♥♥
Amazing that the Norwegian composer's name was misspelled.
Wauw
Was that the sustain pedal creaking at the start there? (and sprinkled in through the more silent moments)
Operatic. No auto tuning
Brasil 06:09 am 😊
КАЙФ
Great voice but what you talking about Willis?
🚬😎 wow
That Was "different"?
mmmkay
Atrapante...
FAITHFUL FATHER IRREPLACEABLE RICKYBEAU SEE TIME SATURDAY 🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤😂😂😂
I'm here first
WE NEED AKON!
first
@comoane
20 күн бұрын
Get a more interesting life Pavan. You deserve it as much as anyone.
This is a pretty common, average, nothing special type of soprano voice. Nothing like Sissel K., her compatriot.
I don't like this-- she pushes too hard, the vibrato is too wide, there's a halo of squalliness around her voice. Which is all very exposed by this unsympathetic piano accompaniment, which gives no overtone support to the voice and leaves it unsupported, not radiant. Desdemona's prayer should be surrounded by Verdi's radiant clouds of violins. This has been scrubbed with a harsh brush. I'll look elsewhere-- with her reputation, this can't be representative.
Sorry but I hate it