Well, not 'official', obviously, seeing as though this was advertised only on Opera-L, this blog, one small, elite private news group, and my Twitter and Facebook accounts.
The raw statistics: 70 people voted for 98 singers, of whom 49 got 1 vote, and 13 got 2 votes.
Many people expressed frustration that I limited it to 5, often adding a few also-rans. Many more commented that it changed from day to day. Several people tried to cast multiple votes for one of two particular singers.
Three bulletin boards/groups devoted to specific singers pimped their favourites, which I did not rule out. I don't believe it had a significant effect on the overall results, although it probably led to these singers being placed slightly higher (but those that responded did so in the full spirit with valid votes for 4 other singers, too).
On the blog, 68 singers were voted for; 31 once and 14 twice, leaving a clear Top 23. On Opera-L 66 singers received votes, 30 once and 9 twice, leaving a clear Top 19.
Between the two sources, there were some interesting anomalies - Opera-L placed Natalie Dessay, Piotr Beczala, Joseph Calleja and Susan Graham in the top ten; on the blog the first 3 were joint 24th, and Susan, nowhere. Ruggero Raimondi and Sarah Connolly similarly over-performed on the blog compared to Opera-L.
The overall winner was the joint winner on blog, and second on Opera-L. Mr. Second-Place was joint top and 3rd; the 3rd place singer won Opera-L and came 4th on the blog. 4th was 3rd (b) and 9th (O-L); and 5th was 9th and 4th. So I feel there is reasonable consistency between the results.
No one voted wholly for the top 5, but Alexandra W and ZSQ900 (both from Opera-L) got the top 3. Mary Victor, Jane Clay, Laura and Intermezzo got 3 of the top 5. Jan managed to get all their nominated singers into the Top 19, as did Irina, who only voted for 4. Only Jane Ennis declined to vote for anyone who made the final Top 19, but did cast a vote for someone who was joint 20th.
Of the top 23, 7 are tenors (including Domingo), 3 baritones, 5 sopranos, 5 mezzos (including Meier), 2 bass-baritones (including Raimondi), and 1 bass. Only two counter-tenors got one vote each (one from me - am I a secret seagull fancier!).
Five of the top 23 are British, but one born Russian and one born Canadian. 4 are German and 4 from the USA, both Russians now hold alternative citizenship. 15 are from Europe (from Wales to Siberia) and 8 from the Americas (from Argentina to Canada). Two South African singers feature lower down the list, but otherwise I can't identify any as being from Africa/Asia/Down-Under.
So, for the results!
The top ten female singers, with votes cast, are (with Blog/Opera-L breakdown in brackets)
Sondra Radvanovsky 11 (6,5)
Renée Fleming 10 (5,5)
Joyce DiDonato 9 (6,3)
Natalie Dessay 8 (2,6)
Anna Netrebko 7 (3,4)
Elina Garanca 6 (4,2)
Waltraud Meier 6 (5,1)
Sarah Connolly 5 (5,0)
Susan Graham 5 (0,5)
Anja Harteros 5 (4,1)
The ten top men are:
Plácido Domingo 23 (14, 9)
Jonas Kaufmann 21 (14, 7)
Dmitri Hvorostovsky 19 (9, 10)
Juan Diego Florez 17 (12, 5)
Rene Pape 13 (6,7)
Simon Keenlyside 12 (7, 5)
Marcelo Alvarez 11 (8,3)
Ruggero Raimondi 9 (7,2)
Piotr Beczala 7 (2, 5)
Jospeh Calleja 7 (2, 5)
which leaves the Top 23 thus:
1. Plácido Domingo
2. Jonas Kaufmann
3. Dmitri Hvorostovsky
4. Juan Diego Flórez
5. Rene Pape (I ought to have a picture of Rene but, despite chasing him down Las Ramblas, I don't)
6. Simon Keenlyside
7= Marcelo Alvarez
7= Sondra Radvanovsky
9. Renée Fleming
10=Joyce DiDonato
10=Ruggero Raimondi
12. Natalie Dessay
13=Piotr Beczala
13=Joseph Calleja
13=Anna Netrebko
16=Gerald Finley
16=Elina Garanca
16=Waltraud Meier
16=Rolando Villazón
20=Sarah Connolly
20=Susan Graham
20=Anja Harteros
20=Bryn Terfel
Finally, several people wrote that they weren't voting for Rolando Villazón even though they adore him - like me they were using the 'off sick' reason (because it made it easier to bring it down to 5!).
A few felt Thomas Quasthoff ought to at least get a honourable mention, although he rarely sings in opera, because of his considerable physical disability, but vocally he is amongst the current greats.
And what does this exercise prove? Not a lot, actually! But by limiting the numbers voted for to 5, I am sure I have created a situation where people feel that their 6th, 7th and 8th is unjustly overlooked. By arbitrarily cutting off at the top 20 I have omitted, for example Alagna and Gheorghiu, amongst other 'superstars'.
Pettily, I am actually peeved that Jonas Kaufmann is as popular on this blog as Plácido Domingo. And those who know me will be giggling that Sondra Radvanovsky (who I dislike muchly as a singer - although she seems a very nice person) came top of the women. The ones I voted for came 1st, 2nd, 16th, joint 37th and joint 49th!
I did not vote because I was pretty sure about the results.Domingo,Kaufmann,Hvorostovsky,Florez?How predictable and boring!!!Radvanovsky,Fleming,Dessay, Netrebko??? Yuck!!!
Olga
Posted by: Olga Hirsch | Monday, 09 November 2009 at 04:08
Your initiative was commendable!
One thing I cannot understand, though, is how come Leo Nucci isn't anywhere in the top 20? I see only a couple of people here who mention him. He is absolutely fantastic, a magnificent stage presence and a tremendously powerful voice. Was he not mentioned on the other 2 places where votes were taking place?
Posted by: Ivona Hecht | Monday, 09 November 2009 at 19:39
One thing I was trying to do was to demonstrate the fact that many well-liked and well-respected singers got very few votes, not because people dislike them, but because many of the people who do like them maybe don't like them as much as some others.
Some other people have asked me about the fate of the 'also-rans' so I prepared a summary of votes, in numerical order and in alphabetical order.
I'm about to do another post about this, highlighting different file formats.
Posted by: Gert | Monday, 09 November 2009 at 23:30