100Singers's video: 100 Singers - PILAR LORENGAR

Pilar Lorengar, Soprano (1928-1996) Puccini: MADAMA BUTTERFLY "Un bel di vedremo" Conducted by Giuseppe Patanè / Recorded 1966 My personal opinion: The popularity of a singer also depends not least on his charisma. One of the most likeable personalities among the world-famous sopranos was Zaragoza-born Pilar Lorengar, who has built and followed her career with diligence, intelligence and continuity. She chose the ensemble theater, even still in days when she was already an international star. Unusual by today's standards was her long collaboration with the Deutsche Oper Berlin (1958-1991). "It gave me the chance to grow organically into a part and make a role my own in weeks of rehearsals ...", Lorengar once said. When the new house opened in 1961, she sang the role of Donna Elvira in Mozart's DON GIOVANNI alongside Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, who admired her much: "Her voice caught me up with its golden ray, because it was a human being who sang from it." (Please allow me a personal note: I was able to speak with Pilar Lorengar in 1978 after a gala concert in my hometown. She was actually very ladylike and almost a little shy). But unlike Fischer-Dieskau, I would not describe her voice as golden, but more silvery shimmering with a noble and very feminine timbre. It was not a silver that reflected the warmth of the Spanish sun (as with Montserrat Caballé), rather it was a slightly roughened silver like the surface of polished metal, caused by a distinct fast vibrato that was sometimes a bit distracting. Though the sound of her voice was very pleasant, on closer listening her singing often seemed a bit nervous, even flickering. Metaphorically speaking, Pilar Lorengar at times appeared like "a hunted deer on the run". Feminity and shyness: An interesting mix for roles such as Debussy's Mélisande or, of different calibre, Puccini's Mimi and Butterfly. Even in good mood arias (for instance "Chi il bel sogno di Doretta" from LA RONDINE), Lorengar sounded a bit worried as if under mental pressure. You can literally hear a heart beating faster in her genuine singing ... Pilar Lorengar devoted almost six months per year to Berlin, where she sang a wide range of repertoire: Mozart, the lyrical Wagner parts, French and Italian heroines of Gluck, Massenet and Puccini. Later she added Verdi's Élisabeth de Valois in DON CARLO, Violetta in LA TRAVIATA and Alice Ford in FALSTAFF. Her roles in Slavic operas (simply wonderful her "Song to the moon" from Dvořák's RUSALKA) are especially recalled in the splendid recording of Smetana's THE BARTERED BRIDE, which she made in German language 1962 under Rudolf Kempe. Her partner was Fritz Wunderlich at his best. "It is an inspired, brilliantly sung performance that comes as close to the ideal as you can get at all with a translated text ...", wrote a German critic. Indispensable for fans of Pilar Lorengar are two recitals she recorded under Giuseppe Patanè (1966) and Jesus López-Cobos (1979) - indispensable all the more, because the soprano has hardly had the opportunity to took part in adequate complete opera recordings. Her name gained attraction only after she made her Metropolitan debut in 1966 as Donna Elvira ("beautiful and of extraordinary grace", wrote John Gruen) and was cast as Pamina by Georg Solti for his recording of DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE - unfortunately an unbalanced performance in which many international singers (Cristina Deutekom, Stuart Burrows, Hermann Prey) do not harmonize with each other. Lorengar's rendition of Pamina's bitter-sweet G minor aria "Ach, ich fühl's ..." is elegiac-expressive (despite the said occasional flickering) and the only true highlight of this instable production. Very interesting is her interpretation of Donna Anna's "Or sai chi l'onore" from the second recital. The dramatic scene with its eruptive moments doesn't quite fit to Pilar Lorengar's voice, but she knows to master it with concentrated and energetic tone emission, giving the impression she is a spinto soprano. She was also able to manage the demanding role of MADAMA BUTTERFLY, a true "killer" (Renata Scotto). Already from the year 1961 a recording with highlights is available, again with Wunderlich. Lorengar also sang (in German) an Italian Puccini heroine in her first complete opera recording (1960): As the mortally ill Mimi in LA BOHÈME (next to Sándor Kónya's soppy Rodolfo) she is the only one in the cast who gives her role profile and depth of soul - and it should be noted that her German was almost accent-free already then. The closing words belong to Gustav Rudolf Sellner, former director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin: "If I had to give a prize to a singer whose voice resonates with what is called life, full of warmth and truth ... I would give it to Pilar Lorengar."