Elena Cernei Sings “Voce di Donna”

Surfing around YouTube I came upon this rendition of the aria ‘Voce di donna’ from Ponchielli’s LA GIOCONDA sung by the Romanian contralto Elena Cernei.

Cernei is one of those nearly-forgotten operatic names. She made her debut with the Metropolitan Opera in a performance of SAMSON ET DALILA on March 17, 1965 singing opposite Jon Vickers. Three days later she was a last-minute replacement for Irene Dalis as Amneris in a matinee broadcast of AIDA. At the time I was a huge Irene Dalis fan and, listening on the radio, was annoyed that an unknown was going to substitute. But I rather liked Cernei’s very plummy, chesty sound despite a few errant moments in terms of pitch.

In December 1967 I saw Cernei for the first and only time, also as Amneris (photo above) opposite Gabriella Tucci and (another undeservedly forgotten singer) Flaviano Labo. This was my first-ever AIDA in the House; in my diary I called Cernei’s voice “impressive”; I also noted that the conducting of Thomas Schippers was “not good”. I wonder what it was that I disliked about it?

Cernei made a commercial recording of Dalila which I had on LP. With her voluminous chest voice she was quite good as I recall. I do not seem to find it currently available though we sold it at Tower in a budget CD reissue.

Cernei sang 21 performances at the Met appearing with such greats as Leontyne Price, Renata Tebaldi and Franco Corelli. It was fun to come upon her name on YouTube and to hear her voice again.