I was there. In the public! 31.12.1993. It was incredible!!!!

Natalie Dessay said, in an interview, about this performance, that she knew about 1 week prior to the show that she'd sing this air. She had only a few days to learn it, and she was very anxious she could forget the lyrics. She confessed she had once to look at the prompter for the lyrics, and it can be seen on this video. Let's find when ;) No but seriously, to go on stage, with the Vienna State Orchestra, with only 1 week to master this air, with the fear not being able to remind the lyrics, and perform like she did, just WOW !!!

The background looks like a painting so beautiful

This version is impossible to surpass. Amazing in every aspect. Emotion, clarity, phrasing, high notes, coloratura. This will go down in history.

She sings like a nightingale !!!!!!

In 2024, still marveling at this wonder of a woman. She knew how to combine acting and singing in a way virtually no singer has ever done. Her peak vocal performances for me are this, glitter and be gay (the 199_ version), her lakme flower duet with delphine haidan, and of course, her majestic olympia doll song, and her zauberflote arias. Truly a force of nature.

THE HIGH F IS JUST INSANE!!! THIS VERSION IS HUMANELY IMPOSSIBLE TO SURPASS. HANDS DOWN

8:45 my God! That was angelic and crystal clear ❤️

Ms. Dessay is, in my opinion, one of the best coloraturas to ever exist. Her staccatos are without peer, and she sings with such fluidity that I can nary think of many who can match her.

Listening to this cleared my sinuses.

Natalie Dessay at her best is simply unmatched on her upper register. So light, crisp and fluid. While we are all impressed by how high coloraturas can sing, it's what they are trained for anyway. The quality that makes Natalie standout is how effortless she makes those notes sound. It's almost like she speaks with those high notes in her casual daily conversation with her friends.

Never can understand why the only way some people can promote somebody they like is by running down another. If you want to be taken seriously don't do it. Thus the person below who criticizes Dessay in order to promote 'his girls' shows that his criticism is invalid. The audience reaction kind of demonstrates their enthusiasm for this performance. This performance by Dessay is most certainly brilliant. That is not to say other singers cant do it brilliantly too, but due must be paid to Dessay for this exhilarating performance.

The best interpretation I've ever heard. Perfect lyric coloratura voice for this piece.

To me, Ms. Dessay makes that insanely high register sound and look more effortless than any other coloratura I've encountered. With so many, you can see or hear the tension and effort, but Dessay just doesn't appear to have to struggle. Just amazing. And she can do it legato, or staccato, whatever. No problem.

This blew my mind, seriously how is this a real song, Natalie just flutters higher and higher and sounds beautiful!

This is by far the best version & those high notes are insane!

2:56 AMAZING note!

Still no words how to describe her.... just beyond this world.

Brilliant --with emotion and real heart sung by the magnificent Mme.Dessay. None better.

she has unbelievable control over her voice. i love her voice!

Absolutely georgeous.

And here we are eighteen years later... and... she doesn't do the extremely high notes anymore, but in my, and many people's opinion she is better than ever in what she does sing. Her musicianship is phenomenal.

The fact that her A-flat is actually beautiful is insane. Such control and clarity. I'm floored by this video.

Her performance still blows me away, no matter how many times I watch her.

:o Dessay in her young brilliance... she had a few years there when she was at the top of her vocal powers in youth.... startlingly brilliant sound.

Натали Дессей-французская оперная певица(колоратурное сопрано)! Брависсимо!!! С уважением, Валерий Романов.

The spinning around at the end was so cute! (Obviously the singing and interpretation and everything else was perfect too)

The ending always gets me. She made that transition really well.

What a wonderful voice. Truly a gift 🎁 from Heaven. How blessed we are to hear it🙏

Never heard such powerful voice.

unbelievable!

Natalie by far sings Frühlingsstimmenwaltzer the best. No question. I LOVE THIS!

whoever disliked this is crazy

Stunning performance -wonderful coloratura.Just like a bird.

Couldn't imagine singing like that for that long. She has a very lovely voice.

Siempre vuelvo, siento que me estremece. Saludos desde Lima, Perú 🇵🇪

The Fruhlingsstimmenwaltzer -- "The Voices of Spring Waltz" - was a separate piece of music by Strauss, but - as can be seen here - it is sometimes inserted into the party scene of Die Fledermaus. The English lyrics: The lark rises into the blue, the mellow wind mildly blowing; his lovely mild breath revives and kisses the field, the meadow. Spring in all its splendour rises, ah all hardship is over, sorrow becomes milder, good expectations, the belief in happiness returns; sunshine, you warm us, ah, all is laughing, oh,oh awakes! A fountain of songs is rising, who has been silent for too long; from the brush sounds clear and light the sweet voice again! Ah, gently the nightingale lets stream the first notes, so as not to disturb the queen; hush, all you other singers! More powerful soon chimes her sweet voice. Oh, soon, oh, oh soon! Ah........ Oh, song of the nightingale, sweet sound, ah yes! Glowing with love, ah, ah, ah, sounds the song, ah and the sound, sweet and cosy, seems to carry a plaintive note, ah, ah rocks the heart to sweet dreams, ah, ah, ah, ah, most gently! Longing and desire ah, ah, ah lives in my breast, ah, if the song anxiously calls for me, from afar the stars twinkle, ah, ah in shimmering magic like the moons beam, ah, ah, ah, ah wavers trough the valley! As haltingly vanishes the night, the lark starts to sing, ah, the light she promises, shadows recede! Ah! Ah springs voices sound like home, Ah yes, ah yes oh sweet sound, Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah yes.

Amazing! Absolutely phenomenal technique and extraordinary musicality!!!

A shivering final....what a voice!!!!

She is my favorite, and she is so young in this!

I did not know this was Natalie's debut. After I heard Natalie sing the finale here, I stood at attention, called her "the Goddess of Music" and offered to her angels to carry her bags just so that I could hear her sing.... So far, I have had to console myself with a collection of every solo she has recorded, now in my music collection.

Dessay was amazing in her prime

I wanted to scream BRAVO at the end, beside Natalie only birds can hit those notes.

I can’t stop hitting the replay button it’s just so nice

I love her, she is by far may favorite. This presentation was at the begining of her carreer and yet we could appreciate her outsanding talent. The recorded version goes into perfection an I think it is one of her master interpretations.

Just incredible- vocal gymnastics-such a range, so pure, and such an actor to boot..

Can you imagine being one of the chorus...getting paid to listen to this?! I wish I had been one of them.

She is such a delight!!! Most expressive !! Funny in a way..her high notes !!! Much to enjoy !!!!

If you had never heard this performance and someone tried to describe what they had heard, it would be impossible. Absolutely not to be believed. A true collaboration with God.

Truly you cannot get a cigarette paper between Nathalie and Kathleen Battle. They are both on top of their game.

I love her high a-flats!

flexibulity and range of this music.wonderful

This lady is so wonderful. I live in Santa Fe--and saw her in La Sonambula, La Traviata and in concert (shook her hand, thanked her)--and at a local night club ere where I shook her hand again. She is so modest, no diva temperment. And my friend who saw her in Chicago at the Lyric echoes me. Sweet, kind, incredible talent. Class. Ms. Dessay the remote possiblitiy you are reading this--a BIG THANKYOU for your artistry and kindness!

WTH!! O_O i cannot understand how can some people think she is bad! she is one of the best soprano coloratura in the world! and her most amazing caracteristic is that she acts in a very incredible way, and she jumps and dances and does all that kind of stuff and she never lose control of her voice... see her performance as Olympia in Les Contes D'Hoffman.. simply amazing.. She is my favourite soprano and one of the opera divas :3

OMG! She make it look so effortless it’s just so amazing I can’t stop watching

This is where Natalie shines. I don’t like her in the doll song or queen of the night when you compare her others, but no one can touch her on a song like this

She's a nightingale with her colloratuur soprano. I got tears in my eyes.

reading comments while listening seems kinda relaxing

The most exquisite voice I have ever heard! I love this singer!!

I never get tired of watching this video!

I adore Dessay. I saw that Lucia at the Met and was completely blown away. It's only recently that I have noticed an enduring instability in her tone. Her acting and charm remain undiminished. I think a break from a stressful career would do her voice and herself a world of good. She has been in demand the world over for what, 15? 20? years.

She's fabulous!!!!!!

Beautiful. I love that she didn't skimp on that last note. Amazing

The ability to sing very high notes is obviously down to the thinness of the vocal chords and thereafter training. Natalie Dessay shows what a superb vocal technique she has in this performance and in others such as in "Lucia di Lammermore" but also her acting and comedic abilities in "La Fille du Regiment". If taken care of the voice can remain as a good instrument throughout a long career (I sing as a coloratura and my voice has gone up as I have got older - thanks to good teaching).

Absolutely incredible. This is a defining performance for Natalie!

Just magical... I could never tire of watching this clip.

Dessay in her prime was a monster of virtuosity

The man behind her's reaction when she sings the Ab!! :)

The things that she can do with that voice of hers! Amazing!!!

c'est incroyable, une voix comme ça!!!

This is just stunning. Shes amazing. The A flat at 6:54 sends chills down my spine.

Wow that was absolutely amazing! And so was her trilling. She makes it look so effortless, and I know it is not easy. That was a wonderful performance!

6:51 holy mother of god... O_o Not her fan, I'm more of a Damrau type but still, that is incredible

She is wonderful, I could listen to her all day. AMAZING!!!!

So beautifully done! She is a wonder to behold. It sadly took me a while to discover this. Even then I didn't realize how amazing this was. This is also probably one of my favorite songs to sing along with.

amazing, no one beats natalie on this piece!

This is so amazingly beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!! A true artist! BRAVA!

I love her here… she and Hallstein are my favorite lyric coloraturas.😊

She is fabulous.

Excellence pure-Much gratitude for this exceptional gift:)

SHE SINGS LIKE A BIRD. UM PASSARINHO CANTANDO STRAUSS

Thanks Again for this wonderful treat.

BRAVISSIMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mein Gott in Himmel -some debut ! Truly amazing. A Nightingale fluttering.Thank you for post.

That was AMAZING. Such ease and beauty. :) Delightful!

She is one of the reasons I train so hard to stretch my falsetto. im coming for that G6 sharp.

grandios, sprachlos machend vor 21 Jahren, jetzt noch genauso! Buntspechtin. Ein Gute Neues Jahr allen, die halbwegs lauterer Gesinnung sind!

Lovely control of her voice, she sounds lovely.

Fabulous!

The highest note was the Perfect A in this piece, it is not a G# nor Ab because I have her cd called Vocalise she have an Ab on her recording here in voices of spring. This is her one of her highest note in her history of singing.

April 2021 😍😍😍

MARAVILLOSA THE BEST

Simply incredible

Dessay à la grande époque, in Wien , so wunderschön gesungen... Wirklich die Frühlingstimmen klingen an unseren Ohren, meine Götter, warum hat sie aufgehört, so schön zu singen? Und der Graf Orlovsky, in der so schönen Stimme von Gabriele Sima. RIP...

Beautiful rendition! The song and singer are obviously a classic! She hits those high notes without difficulty. I wonder if she can still sing this after all those years. Anyway, bravo!

Incredible!😘

🌹BRAWISSISSISSIMO 💐MAESTRA!!!🍀

Assisto 70x7 vezes sem me cansar. Marvelous!!! Wonderfull!!! Divino!!!

Thanks again for this wonderful posting.

Outstanding ! She is one of the greatest French singers and probably the best I know…