Joan Sutherland - The Top Ten High E Naturals (E6)

Unlike high E-flats, which prompt a reaction of “Wow,“ high Es make one sit up in one’s chair and think, “Did that just happen?“ Since my last update to my JS high E & F collection, I’ve discovered that in her first recital, “Spargi di pianto“ alone of the mad scene is transposed from E-flat to E (!). Her 1963 I Puritani is similarly affected. I tried changing the pitch of both recordings to make sure it wasn’t Decca’s fault, but it just made her sound like a mezzo. So here’s a collection of Joan Sutherland’s Top Ten Sustained E6s: The Top 10 High Es 0:00 [1959 studio] Verdi: I vespri siciliani - Merce, dilette amiche (Bolero) 0:21 [1959 studio] Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor - Spargi d’amaro pianto (Mad Scene) 0:54 [1960 studio] Rossini: Semiramide - Bel raggio lusinghier 1:13 [1960 studio] Rossini: Semiramide - Bel raggio lusinghier 1:43 [1960 studio] Thomas: Hamlet - A vos jeux, mes amis 2:00 [196