Don Pasquale Contest - Beverly Sills

[pedrofribeiro]

Battle wins the contest. For sure.

[Tenorbravo]

Beautiful voice, charming stage presence and very secure technique.

Brava ! wonderful indeed! Brava cualidad unica . Ms. Sills always shows how well she understands the caracter she is interpreting. Take a close look to her face. BRAVISIMA.

A force of nature! Magnificent! ORIGINAL AND uNIQUE.

[numberonefilmfan]

I was at this performance!!!! :) It was the first opera I saw at the Met.

[castodivo]

I feel like too many singers are out there trying to impress us. If they're young, they're trying to gain attention. If they're old, they're trying to prove they still got it. But Sills... you can just tell that she wasn't out there trying to impress anyone but herself. She did this because it was fun. She had the technique, she had the acting chops -- so when she went on stage, all she had to do was relax. Watching her effortlessly sing at that stage in her career is such a joy.

[gwright199]

Ugh....everything is wrong with this video....why the f--ck is Mrs Garret from "the facts of life" smoking a More? And the ugly vibrato you could drive a truck through? she sounds like a slutty grandmother who waddled on to the wrong set....just bad, bad, bad.....listen to Battle for a superior interpretation.

[dialectgirl]

You didn't include Lucia Popp on the list? Aww!

[nclysander]

First of all, let me say that Beverly is my very favorite soprano and has been since I discovered her at age 15. But this was one year before her retirement and she wasn't really in the best of voice - lots of wobbling. And the soubrette act isn't working for her as much anymore. I would love to give it full points, but in fairness to the other singers in the competition, 2.5/4 is more like it.

[ilovecm]

This is Bubbles at the end of her carreer. She still has it though. She didn't have a hevy voice... I don't know where that came from. It's wasn't small either, but she wasn't a dramatic coloratura. She would have had a few more years on her carreer, but she sang Elizabeth that shortened her carreer. She wrote and said so her self by 5 years or so. She didn't care... she wanted to do it, and so she did... it was amazing!

[Feisenbach]

Not at all convincing - she looks like an old grandmother. Her voice sounds old, too. The fast coloratura is very clear though, and she has absolutely no problems with high notes. What she does from 4.55 - 5.12 is completely unnecessary and pointless - but so typical for Sills ( and Sutherland for that matter ). This is just show off with brings nothing to the music besides disturbance.

[elisarig]

I heard that her "real" voice was more suited to heavier stuff but she made the decision to do the more popular, higher coloratura centered roles knowing that there was a potential to shorten her career. Is that true? I always enjoy listening and watching her, she seemed so sweet and genuine.

[dominonermandi]

Actually, according to interviews with the lady herself she indicated that her voice was more suited to the lighter, higher coloratura roles, but shifted into lower, heavier coloratura things knowing that they'd shorten her career. Though it can also be argued that once she got famous, she was already nearing the end of her career and it was really just a decision just to do the things that really inspired her because longevity wasn't a concern. :)

[podimusicus]

I adore you, Bev, but I'm not sure about this...I'll listen again.

[gypzyjz]

This is really awesome. When do I NOT love anything that Bubbles sings??

Ummm, never.

5/5 Love love love!

I don't like the cigarette though - bad for your vocal health.

But that's not her fault - it was the stage director's idea.

[gwright199]

What's Mrs Garett from the Facts of Life doing here singing opera? And trying to act like an ingenue -- mmm, not working at all for me. Voice sounds "hooty" (does she have a beat in her voice?) and lacks the charm of K Battle.3/3

[Ronizetti]

Contest, my dear there is no contest! SILLS hands down ... the first opera/aria I ever heard, sung, here by Beverly - the love affair has never ended. Thank you BEVERLY! BRAVA .. She was Norina.

[godivapaw]

20\10!!!!  BRAVA!!!!

[numberonefilmfan]

The first singer/opera I ever saw at the Met, I'll never forget it.

[meltzerboy]

Sills had such a dynamic stage presence. Her ability to command the stage compensates, to a certain extent, for a diminution of her vocal powers. 4/5

[Costantino80]

Simpatica!!!

[misterbigboy]

Her voice is a little too mature sounding for this role. She sounds a little creepy here. I love her voice, but I can't get over the creep factor of this voice for this character. Fantastic voice quality, great passion.

Voice: 4-5

Character: 3

Overall B

[spsp2sp3sp3dsp3d2]

I own one of her earlier recordings of this and I think she sounds quite young here. She's so bubbly and girlish too, but that cigarette does not make her look more glamorous to me. 5/5

[Shabran87]

This is my favourite Norina! Beverly Sills simply is Norina here! Stunning performance! 5/5!

[zacharybr]

5/5!

[jamesotek]

5/5 Beverly! Beverly!

[dutchtallguy]

America's Queen of Opera. I am a fan. Though I prefer her more dramatic role's (Stuarda/Bolena). A pitty she died not that long ago. A voice that you can recognise out of a thousand. Even at the end of her career she makes this aria her own. 5/5

[janejones11]

This is right before her retirement, so she has lost vocal freshness, but what an artist! She is charming, funny and incredibly musical. A truly great performer!

Singing: 4 Characterization: 5

[sevoflurane]

There are good singers, there are exceptional singers and then there are artists. Callas, Devia, Dessi, Sills... will always get a 5/5 in my book!

[petelovesbevsills]

Stunning, adorable, incomparable, bubbly Beverly!!!!!! 6/5 (ok, I know it has to be out of 5 but this deserves a 6!!!!)

[Orfeus80]

4/4. Classic Sills' fun

[sediziosevoci]

Really great! 5/5

[tinyvoicedgheorghiu]

Singing 4

Characterization 5

[Jabe88]

Beverly is utterly great.

5/5

[sschimel]

Sheer perfection, even if late in her career. 5/5

[marioegorga]

I love you Bubbles 5/5

[rawdonqueen]

She sings very well and the characterization is priceless. If iremember right, Alfredo Kraus took part in this telecast. Could you give us any of his performance?  5/5

[patjan92]

Brava, Beverly! 5/5