The softer phrases do not come as naturally to him.
Now and then in softer phrases, her sound turned pale, and her pitch faltered.
The Swiss mezzo-soprano Yvonne Naef was also inconsistent, singing Marguerite with lovely subtlety in softer phrases but tremulous tone and unstable pitch in full-voiced outbursts.
At times during the 20-minute final scene, in which Salome, deranged with twisted desire, fondles the severed head of Jochanaan (John the Baptist), Ms. Voigt's singing was patchy, especially during some soft, subdued phrases.
Mr. Brown gave these standards his unmannered attentions, but his closed tone and soft phrasing let some air out of the balloon.
"But her very soft phrases are encouraging our leaders to oppose new leadership".
She brought ethereal sound and a searching character to the soft phrases of "Ah, fors'è lui".
"Rude am I in my speech," he says early on, "and little bless'd with the soft phrase of peace".
But his true baritone qualities shine in Billy's reflective moments, when Mr. Rhodes shapes high, soft phrases with tender lyricism.
