Although there are several talented sopranos on the circuit at present, none of them have the sheer magnetism of singers of the past such as Maria Callas, Kirsten Flagstad, or Joan Sutherland.
That was the lasting impression left by the first of Antonio Pappano's four-part series on the origins, development and technique of opera singers. Many of the artists favored different roles: Callas was at her best with Puccini, while Joan Sutherland preferred a lighter repertoire. Jessye Norman was brilliant with Verdi, while Flagstad was a dab hand at Wagner. This did not mean that the singers restricted themselves to one or two composers; the program just suggested that they were particularly adept at one form of music over others.