Callas: "D'amor sull'ali rosee" from "Il Trovatore"

[sangeles2526]

BRAVA!!!



[sevilla184]

Montserrat Caballe is better......La Superba

[callasfan100]

i have her on my player i listen to her all day where ever i go

i cant live without her voice shes my life

[Nacidodelmar]

D’amor sull’ali rosee Vanne, sospir dolente: Del prigioniero misero Conforta l’egra mente… Com’aura di speranza Aleggia in quella stanza: Lo desta alle memorie, Ai sogni dell’amor! Ma deh! non dirgli, improvvido, Le pene del mio cor!

[Tenortalker]

How well she was singing at this stage in her career - surely her greatest years? Trills , pianissimo filati, the voice spinning a golden legato. Everything to express Leonora's unhappy plight. I wonder how Verdi would have reacted, for surely she came close to his heart and intentions in this score.

[Operaddict]

Callas had that rare ability to BE the words and music...not just SING them. She inhabited the text so much so, that you lost yourself in her performance, suffering and rejoicing with her in whatever she sang. Sadly her voice declined as she lost that low, in the body connection to her support, and started singing higher and higher in her throat. This connection is difficult to describe. But when it is strong and working, a singer can do anything. Lose it and there is nothing left.

[paulostroff99]

Beautiful music and well sung.TY James,and eleanorgloria for posting

[CanadaPisces]

What wonderful expression and vocal ability! Thank you Caro for the posting!

[plutarco7890]

@CanadaPisces many thanks for sharing

[LohengrinT]

-From a pure vocal/technical point only two singers approached Callas in this most difficult aria: dame Joan Sutherland and Leontyne Price (in that order).

-From an Interpretive point of view no-one up to today even came close to Callas

[vergoti20]

@LohengrinT : The C on minute 5:05 is a little and clear screamy whistle and on minute 5:13 the Bflat again a false note, Callas could not sing above F major without using the falsetto (that it is a curse in singing !) she was an impostor

[vergoti20]

@LohengrinT ???? mice ate the tongue ?

[Wrightthang]

So beautiful. What a magnificent artist! Bravo!

[pointemeout]

words could never describe the tremendousness of this all:

Callas, mi divina, gracias! The passion and precision at the end of this piece nearly had me crying.

@eleanorgloria:

words also couldn't describe how thankful I am that you uploaded this.

muchas muchas gracias tho!!

[necessarydiva]

She presses her chest when she sings, check it out. I love her but she makes me nervous.

[pointemeout]

@necessarydiva

it's ok to be nervous when listening to La Divina. I used to be the same way. her greatness isn't believable for the first while but after you accept that she really was just perfect...the nervousness will be replaced with the warmest feelings your body has every experienced. trust moi :]]

[AliciaDupres]

@necessarydiva Well, I would not say that she presses her chest. She has a sort of huge scarf, or how to call it, covering her shoulder and she keeps it wrapped around her. The whole concert she kept it this way, which actually was a very elegant and stylish way of solving the problem "what to do with my hands while singing".

[DaveDeCathay]

The restraint in her singing brings out the suffering to extreme. Many might be voilceless or sound terribly harsh with such a heavy use of chest notes, but her strength has reached beyond human. It makes one forget how long she's been gone or even the footage made in back and white. This quasi-whimpering, quasi-whispering monologue has made a princess' maid come to life... The one and only Divina!

[vandrops]

@DaveDeCathay

What a BULLSHIT. I think you're deaf, silly and one fact is sure: you're an asshole!!!

[blkmichaux]

Are you kidding me!!?!? That was simply PHENOMENAL!!

[Aetion]

The whole world’s beauty in a voice!

[MAPIAKALLAS]

DIVINE MONSTER BRAVA DIVINA

[Miloslav1987]

The most beautiful and touching version of this aria is Stefka Evstatieva's interpretation. Check it out!

[rodlarocque]

The best! Brava Maria

[jimjam88]

maraculous

[Sotzume]

How ridiculous to tell Maria Callas that her "posture" was bad and affected her voice....Callas was a musical genius and understood the composer's intentions in every breath she took and every not she sang. It was not a beautiful voice in the conventional sense...but what genius is "conventional"? Callas was able to plumb the depths of the soul....and the sound was magnificent even when flawed...because it was human in the best sense of that word.

[braveheart030]

I love Callas! It looks like she's standing on a chess board.

[deutekomefran]

Escuchad la version de Deutekom. Es magistral.

[FerdinandMetz]

@deutekomefran Callas en Deutekom vergelijken ?

[toscadonna]

Her posture is bad, and it cuts off her singing. She sings very well here for leaning over so much and basically cutting out a good part of the opening in her throat. She was so amazing, and I can't believe no one helped her out technically in the later years.

[Shahrdad]

@toscadonna, Several singers including Curtin and Fleming have said that they think the posture you see was her way of compensating for the strength she lost when she became thin. Sutherland as well mentions that Callas' sound was bigger when she was fat, and later on, when she tried to reproduce the same fatness of sound, her body was too frail to support it. Her posture didn't cause the vocal trouble. Her reduced physical strength cause the posture here and the vocal problems later on.

[Shahrdad]

@deepplots Actually I have researched and seen all videos of Callas many times. I am also an MD who specializes in the breathing mechanism. Over the last 30 years, I have slowly come to believe that Callas's vocal problems all have their root in her excessive weight loss and her inability to completely compensate for the resultant loss of physical strength. The 1962 videos clearly show her struggle for breath support with the forward shoulders and the sinking sternum with every phrase.

[MarcoCallas]

@toscadonna Someone has already replied to your comment, and very well indeed. You might need to look up the word 'posture' in a good dictionary and read some books about vocal technique.

[hernytc]

increible dios que interpretacion callas y caballe las mejor de la historia genialidad talento se me eriza la piel!!!!!!! brava

[404Orion]

I Disagree about her voice being annoying .. Her Voice is Shocking like Splashing Cold Water on your Face & it's a key part of why she is such a Compelling Artist , One thing i can say is i NEVER Suffer through any of Callas' Peformances

[VantisDoroHall]

Nice jewelry!

[yodavidnavarro]

Vocally is quite annoying...But believe me no one can show human emotions like Callas did! She's a total marvel!

[philipc67]

Even though her voice is now slightly over the hill (she had just sung her last really great vocal performance, the Dallas MEDEA in November) and lost some volume, the technique and sheer musicianship never cease to amaze me. As for characterisation, she manages to portray Leonora's anguish and despair without taking a single step and while barely moving her hands. The "Miserere" segment is also admirable.

[kgarmaker123]

I dont agree that she was "over the hill" What i think is that she was NOT supporting her high notes, like she did in the past, and as a result was using throat muscles for it instead.. I am disturbed that she backs away from high notes, rather than sings into them. I thiink if she could have fixed this .. support issue she could have sung a long long time. It is still beautiful singing.

[feveroo7]

who can sing LIVE nowadays except some soprano, BUT noone has her technique,,,she is way different, something is unusually great in her,,,

[johngotwalt]

do you know her final scene from Il Pirata ?? Listen and weep, my friend

[johngotwalt]

hey feveroo7 - do you know the voice of Anita Cerquetti ? Listen to her Ebben Lontano; die; go to Heaven

[johngotwalt]

Callas WAS opera

[feveroo7]

Calllas still IS Opera...

[johngotwalt]

Exactly !! -there's been no one since

[Elisabetta611]

That look on her face as she hears Manrico's voice.....pure LOVE. She breaks my heart again and again....May the angels keep her and may they learn from her how to sing....

[freespiritQC]

Callas was not a singer neither an actress, she was a supernatural artist, from head to toes, from birth to death. la prima donna assoluta.

Blessed are we who can see it, feel it and appreciate it.

[pointemeout]

@freespiritQC

your comment brought tears to my eyes. so concise, yet so precise.

fabulosa Callas!

[gomongio]

Superb!!

Callas is the only soprano who can make me feel exactly the role's feelings with every sound she does. She's the greatest ever in that matter.

[AlexanderNievsky]

Voi americani / ingelsi dovete stare solo zitti che i vostri cantanti quando cantano in italiano fanno cacare ... siete solo delle gran checche

[NKWIAM]

I listen and listen to Callas and can't seem to hear what everyone else hears. To me she screeches and has a funny nasal tone. Maybe if I keep at it someday my ears will pick it up. Please, those of you who worship her don't gang up on me, I know this is akin to treason.

[domitian]

I had the same sentiment, but if you get past the tone and listen to the interpretation that's where she's definitely amazing. I'm saying this and I'm not even a complete fan of Callas. Also some context would help, if you listen to a lot of singers before her time she definitely added powerful interpretations to all the roles she undertook. You should listen to the Julliard masterclasses if you want some insight into her musical interpretations. She's very meticulous about her choices.

[diuscorvus]

Her voice has gotten acidulous by this point, but her voice in 1953 and earlier is ample, rich, and not at all screechy. I'd especially recommend you listening to the 1950 Mexico City version of this aria, also on youtube. And, as domitian has pointed out, the interpretation here is tremendous.

[AlexanderNievsky]

Acid is what you smoke in early morning

[Marroiamaxu]

Part I-Let me tell you my experience when I got the Callas Addiction 17 years ago:

I loved Caballe, she was my favorite-I was just starting to listen to opera...then I watched Philadelphia, you know the "La Mamma Morta" scene and all...

I was thinking to myself: -what the heck of a voice is that? So weird? Diferent but annoying because it lacked the "velvet", the "roundness" throughout the range and the homogeneity of registers that nowadays (80 up to now) is being so demanded from all singers

[Marroiamaxu]

Part II-as you might notice, the sound of sopranos changed from the 50's-60's and 70's to what we hear today. In my opinion all sopranos today sound all the same and seem to have come from all the same schools. The timbres are not identified imediately because they all have that same roundness and 'scuro' in the voice due to technique so the result is a "mass production" of perfect sounding sopranos. (hope so far you are following me). Callas had a unique timbre herself plus a bel canto techniq

[Marroiamaxu]

Those two main elements joined by natural magetism and great acting are responsible for that AURA on her singing. Opera is not only voice. Opera is acting with voice instead of spoken word. Callas is quintessentialy the amalgamation of the 2 arts (music and drama) The voice yes (compared to what THEY want today) is acid, sometimes screamed, full of diferent tones and breaks and colors. But the important is how she managed all that to work harmoniously, so nothing sticks out as a "FLAW"

[Marroiamaxu]

Part IV-Nowadays if a soprano tries to act like her, people will say she's imitating her or out of control on stage. Callas set a standard of how to impersonate a character and unfortunately no one can copy that..but some singers can look up to her and do it their own manner. A few singers I find simply amazing on stage:

Shirley Verrett (known as ' La Nera Callas', Renata Scotto and a few more here and there. You have to listen to Callas and forget about today's standards of vocal production.

[Marroiamaxu]

Part V- There's one thing though. I noticed for example that singers that are too into technique and vocal production and distant from the drama and acting are usually not fans of Callas. They cannot unfocus of the fact that her voice is nothing like Angela Gheorghiu, Renne Fleming or Ana Netrebko type of sound. These last 3 women are the set as example of tone and technique today in universities (I heard that a lot). So my advice to you is to relax, if you cannot see it that's it.

[Marroiamaxu]

Part VI- But if you get the "bug" of Callas, I can garantee to you that you will never listen to other sopranos the same way. You'll become critic and find a million things to complain about how they sanf this or that, or that they do not have this or that on theis aria or acting. Such operas like Macbeth, Armida, Norma, Medea..God....you'll never think there will be anybody else in the world that can do the same.

[sasylatin]

LOL! HAHAHAH! You are so right!

Im obsessed with her!

Im trying to collect as much dvd's & any kind of video document of hers i can possibly get!

I cant find much CD's with her..but im so determined I wont stop untill i get at least 2 full operas with her in them!

[Apollogranforte]

I am surprised to hear that. EMI have re-issued all her studio recordings.

Good luck with your search.

[TheMrMaz]

There are dozens and DOZENS of "complete operas" that are available!!Just call the nearest EMI Records Head Office to you and they will tell...WHAT am i TALKING about!!!!Google "Callas full recorded operas for sale" and you'll see,LoL!!Enjoy...!!

[TheMrMaz]

That's because there ISN'T "anyone else in the world"...SINCE Callas!!!!No one gives you the dazzling array of unsurpassable colors and use of voice and interpretation that Maria does!!I'm starting to not even bother listening to anyone else...it's a complete WASTE of time!!!!

[gomongio]

@TheMrMaz I did agree with you, completely. I've tried to hear other singers but it's worthless... Maria is the only worthy... I'd like to have access to this concerto recording here in my country: I'd buy it with no hesitation...

[mextliit]

@TheMrMaz I know I am the same...she ruined it for all the rest

[Marroiamaxu]

Part VII-The 'others' will always be missing something or what's worse, SEVERAL things compared to La Divina.

You will become so demanding that even the most complete voice (technically and attribute wise speaking) will be lacking something. Once you get to that you'll know you've been bugged'

Good luck on your search

Good luck on your search!

[Kavawatti]

You 're soooooooo right!!!!!!!!

I've been "infected" and now I search but not find anything barely similar... SHE was the GREATEST!!!!!!!!!!!

[robertdonkers]

After listening to so so many sopranos singing this aria, it is such a treat to listen to Callas's intepretation again. Simply special

[canzonettasullaria]

She was unbelievable, simply unbelievable!

[CONTESTAR]

I was on my "Trovatore" trip today and sat here with youtube listening to gorgeous artists.

Now I clicked on Callas and first time after more than an hour I realised that in Trovatore almost everybody finds tragic death and that Leonora in this aria is not showing off pianissimi but genuine suffering.

When others sing "Non dirgli ...le pene del mio cor" I hear "Tell everybody how great I am!"

With her I hear exactly that; "Don't tell him my sufferings!"

I can't hear anyone else. Case closed

[eleanorgloria]

I adore Callas her characterization is beautiful but my favourite singer of D'amor is Anna Moffo, though she did not sing the cabaletta as far as I know. Who else did you like?

[CONTESTAR]

Other than Callas, for pure beauty of delivery and sound, I admire Leontyne and Montserrat.

[eleanorgloria]

Montserrat is my second favourite.

[tneprescintr]

@eleanorgloria second that.

[Nacidodelmar]

@eleanorgloria Callas just the only real DIVA... the VOICE, the Glamour, the Drama... just the Pathos!

[claudiovirginio]

D' amor sull' ali rosee

On the rosy wings of love,vanne, sospir dolente:go, pained sighs:del prigioniero miserogo to alleviate the sick mind conforta l' egra mente...of the wretch that lies imprisoned...Com' aura di speranza

Like a breeze of hope aleggia in quella stanza:linger in that room:lo desta alle memorie,wake him up to remembrance,

ai sogni dell'amor!o dreams of love!

Ma deh! non dirgli improvvido,Yet do not imprudently le pene del mio cor!

reveal the woes of my heart!

[divinafan2]

wonderful, but i prefer her 1950 rendition (mexico city).

[VMDICKS]

This aria is my own special favorite in all of the standard repertory. Milanov and Callas deliver it superbly each in their own style.

[willthrillws]

She cut her eyes at that prompter!!!

[Medea59]

Es mag technisch Perfekte geben, es gibt vielleicht Sängerinnen, die höhere Tonlagen erzeugen können..... und dennoch erreicht nicht eine von ihnen jemals Marias Klasse! Ihre Musikalität ist und bleibt unerreichbar! Und ihre Interpretationen eines jeden Stückes, welches sie je gesungen hat, wird niemand jemals besser vortragen können!

[MarcoCallas]

I agree with you (sorry, my German is not good enough, so I'm writing in English). This is one of Callas' best renditions of this aria. I'd say that the voice, on that performance, was not at its best, but she had the faultless technique that enabled her to sing no matter what. The phrasing, the legato, the trills, the gestures, the atmosphere she manages to create to portray Leonora are just incredible. Such artistry is indeed very rare nowadays just as it was then.

[Lohengrin]

rare in our days? I'd say non-existing in the century

[MarcoCallas]

I totally agree, Lohengrin. It was an understatement. ;-)

[bonanplu]

non-existing in the century such a female dogas a singer! dog Callas shares the crown of the greates female dog along with Leyla Gencer!

Here when acn listen one of the most dreadful sounds ever to come out from an ill troath, Callas C is an harrowing scream of a dog !

[AlexanderNievsky]

... so who is the best soprano in the century in your opinion? Share it with us that we can also find a good animal definition for her voice. Are you a singer, too? or you are just a bla bla bla bau bau bau ?

[canzonettasullaria]

Genau, Medea59!

[saverioorlando]

Trills,legato,large register,elegant acting for Leonora.

[jerodo4330]

trills: ok she was a soprano leggero.

lagato: too flawed

large register : the C she screams here is one of the worst notes ever heard.

elegant acting: she looks much alike a witch

[vassilis80]

Ton kako sou ton kairo. Asxete empathi vlaka.

[Lohengrin]

ahahahahahhahahahahahahahahah

agorina mou esy

[sevoflurane]

Do trills characterize a soprano leggero? Since when?

[jerodo4330]

correction:

legato: very bad legato, too flawed

[callastoujours]

Best artist ever performing the greatest soprano aria ever written.

[sinfoniettab]

This is lovely of course but I personally prefer Brigitte Fassbaender's Azucena (with Domingo and Blowright) and wish someone would upload it! It's so much more restrained and darker - as it should be.

[willthrillws]

You do realize this aria is sung by Leonora right?

[ariodante76]

what does Azucena have to do with Leonora? Inquiring minds want to know...

[eddi1178]

Simply beautiful, wonderful, without words...

[vassilis80]

Makes me shiver. Wherever u are, my Fair Lady, thank you...

[oPeRa1923]

we love you, Maria Callas...

we'll treasure all your greatest performances... VIVA LA CALLAS!!!