Beverly Sills once said in an interview that if you hit four out of five of the high F's in "Der hölle Rache" you were having a good night. The director heard she'd said that and told her she would hit all of them. Turned out that was sufficient motivation. My voice teacher in high school coached a professional coloratura, and when she was having an off-day, she'd take that aria UP a half step. I could never even come close to that note. I'm with you, amazed that anyone can. There may be a woman out there who can perform both, but I'd say she's rarer than the genius Elizabeth in the story. ;) (The reference to Gauss in the story also amuses me, but that's because as a mathematician's daughter I grew up hearing about Gauss.)
I apologize if I came off harshly about the subject, by the way. That story is a favorite of mine (and I like those operas too - Figaro in particular was my gateway into opera).
I apologize if I came off harshly about the subject, by the way. That story is a favorite of mine (and I like those operas too - Figaro in particular was my gateway into opera).