Top 10 contralto/mezzo-soprano singers

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

For better or worse, I've started something.

Marilyn Horne
Kathleen Ferrier
Janet Baker
Leontyne Price (as Carmen)
Yvonne Minton
Margaret Balfour
Gillian Knight
Lyndsie Holland
Sheila Rex
Norma Procter

[Petrushka]

A little more difficult maybe as it's so hard to see beyond Baker and Ferrier sometimes.

Janet Baker
Kathleen Ferrier
Jessye Norman
Maureen Forrester
Yvonne Minton
Marjana Lipovsek
Christa Ludwig
Jard van Nes
Marga Höffgen
Norma Proctor

[gurnemanz]

A little more difficult maybe as it's so hard to see beyond Baker and Ferrier sometimes.

Janet Baker
Kathleen Ferrier
Jessye Norman
Maureen Forrester
Yvonne Minton
Marjana Lipovsek
Christa Ludwig

In a rather lazy approach I'm nicking Pet's indisputable first seven here and adding:

Vesselina Kasarova
Nathalie Stutzmann
Sara Mingardo

[Madame Suggia]

Christa Ludwig
Maureen forrester
Ewa Podles
Jennie Tourel
Tatiana Troyanos
Eva Randova
Fedora Barbieri
Brigitte Fassbaender
Marilyn Horne
Ebe Stignani

[Richard Tarleton]

All/any of above plus

Shirley Verrett
Grace Bumbry
Fiorenza Cossotto
Giulietta Simionato
Ann Murray

........

[Zucchini]

Probably too young for most people here (she's in her 50s) - the magnificent, once seen never forgotten Waltraud Meier

[Petrushka]

... the magnificent, once seen never forgotten Waltraud Meier

Can only agree. I'd add Anna Larsson to the list as well.

[Black Swan]

This is an impossible task.

I agree with all the posts. For me.

Callas
Anna Larsson
Waltraud Meier
Katarina Delayman
Leontine Price

To add the the previous lists. I would struggle with making a list of 10.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Kathleen Ferrier (x5)
Janet Baker (x3)
Alfreda Hodgson
Paul Esswood

Agnes Baltsa & Anne Sophie von Otter

[Mary Chambers]

Lorraine Hunt Lieberson was pretty good.

[Zucchini]

Lorraine Hunt Lieberson was pretty good.

She was wonderful. She brought words and music beautifully together. When I heard she had gone I asked Cowan to play one or more of the Neruda Songs, which he acknowledged and duly did. The last is terribly moving.

[cloughie]

I do believe it said Alto & Mezzos so my list starts with:

Tatiana Troyanos
Cecilia Bartoli
Alice Coote
Helga Dernesch
Anne Sophie Von Otter
Frederika von Stade

Then to Altos

Yvonne Minton
Janet Baker
Kathleen Ferrier
Anna Larsson

Again outside the classical sphere there are

Roberta Flack
June Tabor
Elkie Brooks
Kiki Dee
Karen Carpenter

[DracoM]

I see BBC Singers aren't being nominated?

But can I add Maddy Prior?
And indeed, absolutely endorse the hugely missed in recording terms, Frederika von Stade.

[Honoured Guest]

June Tabor
Dame Hilda Bracket

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

June Tabor
Dame Hilda Bracket

Are they the new Breakfast presenters?