Kathleen Battle could have been huge. Had she stuck to the repertoire that best fit her voice like Tebaldi did, she would have had a career greater than any soprano on this list. Unfortunately, she strove to perform roles less appropriate for her extremely delicate voice proving harmful to her career. The best description of her voice I've ever heard was said by my college professor many years ago, "She spins diamonds in mid-air." After listening to her, you'll know exactly what this means.