Montserrat Caballe sings "In questa reggia" from Turandot

[singinciaran]

No no no not for her voice, no spin, no colour nothing! Listen to Nilsson.

[MarioLubenov]

Je n'aime pas Montserrat Caballe dans ce rôle ; il y a deux versions, l'une extérieure et l'autre très intériorisée et vibrante d'émotion, celle de Nilsson et celle de Ghena Dimitrova. Dimitrova, qui était modeste, ne voulait pas être enfermée dans ce rôle. Montserrat est toujours à la limite de la justesse.

[eugenelohks]

dont like the tenor much...

[31122051]

@eugenelohks : " the tenor " is Giuseppe Giacomini, probably one of the best dramatic tenors of his own generation.

[mtrav95]

That she sang the role this well so relatively late in her stage career is a tribute to her musicianship and how well she took care of her voice. Not one Turandot today could hope to match this, even if the role is not exactly in Caballe's range.

I have yet to hear a Turandot these days with vocal warmth and the sheer power to pull off this area.

[GABYCONSTANZA]

@mtrav95 I much agree! She's quite something else! Some of them really bring such horror to the role lol

[DivaDeb1234]

She sounds terrific !

[Aperlaeh]

not for her voice...

[StCorentin]

I was in Palais Garnier to see Caballé in Turandot (my second opéra performance) in 1981.

She have not really the voice for the role, but that's a great souvenir.

[Dymension]

One has to respect that she and Scotto were the same age and by this time Scotto was washed out and Caballe could still sing roles out of her fach decently without a wobble. Unfortunately by the end of 1982 her troubles really took off, but considering her debut was in 1956, I she earned her vocal troubles...

[ilpremio2008]

my god, she takes off the words in every high frase! simply embarassing. I am italian and I can't understand a damn word.

[OperaFino]

Yes, I agree: it is different from most Turandots, more delicate but certainly wonderful.

[stematt100]

Ok she is no dramasoprano but one cant help to love the way she puts her own mark on this aria. The pianissimo before the great hi notes after 4.30 is really her trademark and i just wanna say: go girl youre the best!!!

[GoldenAgeSunshine]

Vocally astonishing but Caballé is NO Turandot! And she doesn't sing or even enuciate the words clearly. THis is done in order to accomodate her own vocal projection (beautiful, though!) but out of place in Turandot. Anyway, a great Lady.

[tena2]

I have to say that I love people like you. Very educated, very respectful an giving nice opinions. I congratulate you. You are some of the few like me that makes this web page worth still to comment on. Thank you for you nice words to Caballé. I think she does a very musical job here but as you well said, she is not Turandot. Worth to listen to. Thanks again.

[GoldenAgeSunshine]

Thanks so much to you. Well, respectful people who know about music and the voice are rare, too rare, alas. See the negative response my feedback has generated! You know that the absolute aficionados cannot distinguish truth from sublimation ... Thanks for your appreciate comments. Again, Caballé is a great Lady, but out of place here. Best.

[tena2]

I could not care less about the negative feed back you got. I get it all the time. I get along with others negatives comments but I do admit that some people should not be allowed to use this site. As I said, good on you. regards.

[GoldenAgeSunshine]

Thanks again, Tena2: I also hope that younger generation will, one day, understand what opera is all about ...

[Dymension]

Caballe did that with every role she sang. Turandot is no exception. She preferred a beautiful sound, drama through the music rather than the parola....

[LobsngDmchoi]

This isn't the cal canto approach--it's the musical approach to an aria that is often just belted. If not belted, then the lyrical parts are neglected, along with the phrasing. I heard her sing the entire role in San Francisco about the same time as this perf.--it was a revelation. She and Pavarotti got standing ovations! If I recall correctly Hendricks was a fine Liu.

[bsok1289]

she must have ridiculous arm muscles. they are up the entire time. and i like her "bel canto" version.. just another variety of the role. her voice is just so wonderful in the song. and her C is drop dead gorgeous.

[tenor220]

I generally love Caballe, but after listening to Nilsson her Turandot just depresses me. Her voice is far too lyric for this role in my opinion. It was still very nice, don't get me wrong. This role just requires a larger more dramatic powerful voice then Caballe's.

[MastersoftheOpera]

I love her costume but not her performance

[yodavidnavarro]

It's like a Bel canto version of Turandot. But Caballé's voice is gorgeous!

[1970heinz]

Ma non esiste, rinuncia ad 1 parola su 3, questi non sono gorgheggi belcantistici... Al confronto, Joan Sutherland la eseguì molto più correttamente.

[oloferne84]

"Quel grido e quella morte"... orgasmic!!

[courtneybaritone01]

I wonder why she got into the odd habit of not pronouncing text? She sometimes just does vowel sounds. Like in Pace mio dio from forza, she does something like maledi---o---e

[courtneybaritone01]

I hasten to add- she sounds GREAT!

[rlee1976]

She's careful, yes, and it's nice to see her just popping out those high notes as opposed to the more coupe de glotte stuff she normally does. She wouldn't last long on the glottals with this one! But this is much better than hearing the run your truck through the vibrato Marton, I love Marton, but that vibrato is SOooo wide, it's just laughable nowadays!

[gustavogabilondo]

yes, she is yelling all the time but her interpretation is correct

[federicoxxl]

Maravillosa la Caballé. Su interpretación es sublime y además justo para su voz, como ella es un poco gritona le queda perfecta.

[RuSSIATUMBAI]

La Superba ! ! !

[luiswob2]

The best moment 3:47 - 3:59!

[Shahrdad]

Wow, a Turandot that actually sounds like a beautiful desirable woman! I wouldn't have guessed the part to be well suited to Caballe, but she sings the high notes without ever pushing and sounds lovely all the way to high C.

[leadoffeohippus]

A rookie opera fan knows that Nessun Dorma is a great piece of music. A true opera fan knows that In Questa Reggia is THE MAIN EVENT of this show.

[SiEtIn1]

Caballe's last phrase: " gli enig... i oooooo eee aaaa iii aaaaaa!!!"

[vocalissimo1]

Caballe was a great singer in certain roles, but her addiction to interpolating pianissimi in the face of the composer's very clear intentions to the contrary is a self-indulgence at its worst. I'm not sure Turandot is one of her happiest impersonations. At 4.50, and 5.25 she is very clearly flat. The tenor is sharp at 5.37, and they are both painfully under the note at 5.49. Caballe's climactic high B at 3.40 sounds undervoiced. At 3.37 the second syllable of mor-te is completely lost.

[leoperarm]

BEAUTIFUL! BEAUTIFUL! BEAUTIFUL! Caballé, one of the best sopranos ever to have been recorded!

[felsineo1]

caballe' has the voice of a 'lark' the most melodious voice.turandot is the most demanding role of all puccini's heroines and she does a splendid job even though i would agree with a previous comment:cabelle'/liu' nilsson/turandot.nilsson rendition cuts poor calaf(wonderful corelli) into small pieces and with an unparalleled gusto. montserrat's 'tosca' is to die for(i think the only soprano who at the end of 'vissi d'arte' keeps 'remuneri and cosi' together), her 'norma', exceptional: VOCE D'ORO

[Johnny1206]

I love Caballé but Turandot is not suited to her beautiful mellow voice...

[erar01]

Beautiful version. Perhaps Nilsson with her laser sharp and powerful, but yet effortless voice has made me narrow minded of what kind of Turandots I prefer, but this version with plenty of sotto voce and bel canto is a nice contrast. Actully I think Caballe is ideal as Liu next to Nilsson's Turandot, exactly due to that contrast of their voices.

[Orozcomen]

stupenda caballe !!,la mejor soprano del siglo pasado sin duda,no hay ninguna como ella,!!! bravo Caballe!!!!

[SVENSKSOPRAN]

But surely she could have at least attempted some consonants above the passaggio!

[altodivo]

nope!

[SVENSKSOPRAN]

She carries well, it is very musical, follows the composers intents mostly so what is the problem?? She is one of the great singers for heavens sakes

[SVENSKSOPRAN]

And why wouldn't this be a role for her? Birgit kind of became inseparable from this role which is absurd. Callas perhaps created the best Tosca ever, doesn't mean nobody else can do a great Tosca or that everybody should try to imitate her (though many have tried)

[sam0xin]

I Love this WOMAN! The Best Soprano ever! The best pianos,the best fortees,the best crescendos and diminuendos ever,beautiful,rare,pure and unique voice.. Real Bell Canto !God Bless Montserrat!

[yodavidnavarro]

This is not a role for PPP...

[sam0xin]

Everyone search in utube_____ Montserrat Caballe "Casta diva" Norma Orange 1974_____

You'll be listen THAT PERFORMENS for good....

I guarantee it !.

[calciumhound]

spectacular control, dynamic versatility and tambre contrasts. certainly her prime

[pejafe]

caballe es lo masssss!!

[Chrysothemis]

I can't stand the way she skips the text. And I don't even speak Italian.

[sbellato]

Nem todas as sopranos tem uma voz imensa como de Eva Marton, isso não significa que não possam cantar a Turandot, também não nascem Evas Martons em grande escala....a voz de Caballé é maravilhosa, linda demais, qualquer coisa que ela cante ficará lindo!

[sbellato]

maravilhosa!!

[iriisblue]

Caballe is in peak form here. The control in her delivery is most welcome in this repertoire. She's a shade under on some of the pitches, but it happens. And for those who want a bigger tone, Nilsson was not bigger--just brighter. Caballe is also punishingly far upstage, but still holds her own with Giacomini.

[DivaDeb1234]

I think the tenor here sings under pitch..not Caballe. And I'm not really a big Caballe fan. But she is very impressive in this production.

[tenor220]

i agree, the tenor part doesn't sound quite right

[revwalsh]

I must agree with dannymaestro. Caballe is magnificent here, but in understanding the nature of Turandot-she is an Ice Princess who refuses to be owned.This aria tells us what we need to know about her and I don't think anyone portrays that with such steely control and brilliance as Nilsson. She understood the rage Puccini created in Turandot. How can anyone expect that aria to be carried out softly? Turandot is my second favorite opera (Tosca#1)But Nilsson is my favorite Turandot-hands down!

[mtrav95]

I've heard plenty of Turandots live, most allegedly in their prime, and none compare to Caballe here, and at this point she was widely considered in the later stage of her stage career. She has amazing control, vocal color, tonal beauty, and a distinct timbre. Sure, a few wobbly parts here and there, but Caballe past her prime is far better than most singers today during their prime. Amazing!

[paulprocopolis]

Right voice... wrong voice?? Who cares? This is a wonderful bit of singing - technically rock solid and exquisitely phrased. Here is a refined Turandot who, when heard alongside the more traditional 'belters', presents the role from a different but equally valid pespective. (I don't think 'many tones' are flat - maybe just a few near the start.)

[paulprocopolis]

Whoops, that should have been 'perspective'!

[derrickguy]

such beauty of tone and exquisite control! i just wish the size of the voice was a little bigger and more dramatic. i don't think Turandot must sound overwhelmingly dramatic, but she cannot sound too pretty, given her warped psychology!

[oprah22]

that's why Marton in her 60's has a wobble and Caballe in her 70's is singing just wonderful...goes to show technique is almost everything

[emmatoth]

As an opera singer I'm very aware in the theater is not a democratic institute!

The # 1 boss is the conductor. If somebody as a big star has her or his own style, tempi, etc., it is true the conductor follows and allows!

Usually. I have seen bloody arguments, when the singer refused to do what the Maestro dictated!

You are right. Listening one more time the tempo doesn't seem to me too fast.

Maybe I was sleepy the other day...

[emmatoth]

Agreed. Caballe mastered her voice in a superb quality. Turandot 'In questa reggia" lately just a scream. But in the interpretation of this angelic but powerful voice is for me the REAL music of Puccini. The tempos are a little bit to fast for my taste, conductor's fault.

[CONTESTAR]

I cannot think that a conductor can decide the tempi without discussion when the star of the evening is Caballe in the peak of her career...

However, I don't agree that they are fast. They seem natural and flowing. The others usually do them too slow.

[dannymaestro]

Well, this is singing. Many of the other Turandots here on youtube shouts and barks very much. Dimitrova and Marton for example, but I like it. It´s heavy. This is another way to do it, and I didný think that I would like it but I do. Brava Caballé. Still, Birgit is number one and Gwyneth Jones her runner up, in this role!

[cris88acquario]

Questa é la mia VERA Turandot!! Caballé for ever... tutto il resto (quasi) é fuffa. La versione integrale con la Caballé e Carreras é sublime.

[marioj34]

Dear deluxdeluxxx, you should have heard on scene Caballé, you

would have can be changed opinion often saw it in various roles,

certainly, often annoyed with the consonants... but which beauty, equalized forever. It is easy to criticize, when it is criticizable. Well the good evening.

[OettingerCroat]

now it's true that she didn't have the intensity of say, Nilsson, or perhaps even Tebaldi, and it's also true that this role isn't exactly designed for her, but she had vocal perfection and agility and grace that Nilsson could never ever BEGIN to dream of having.

Listen to that seamless transition to that GLORIOUS B at 4:49, without a breath or even a sense of restraint. and then see how long she holds it, while keeping her vibrato fully in check.

¡viva montserrat!

[ketillflatnefur]

i love montserrat!!! but many tones are flat, absolutely no attempt at diction from f# on up. the "glorious B" wobbles so because she takes the f# on "morte" pianissimo, she has grace Nilsson does not? there's every reason why nilssons turandot is world famous and montserrats is appreciated by many of us. stop denigrating someone one just to put some one else up, it's not necessary I love them both for what they each bring to the role and art of singing.

[genfox3]

La has tomado con la Caballé, si no te gusta lo màs fàcil es que no la escuches y que dejes de decir tonterìas. LA CABALLE técnicamente es superior a la Callas, voz màs pura y eso sì peor actriz. Si la Caballé hubiese tenido la vida privada-social de la Callas y la belleza de Netrebko ( que es lo ùnico que tiene la rusa,pq su es voz aguda y monocorde) estarìamos hablando de la mejor soprano de todos los tiempos, pero no ha tenido el marketing de estas ùltimas. Aun asì, gorda muy gorda fue ùnica

[genfox3]

comentario para deluxdelux.....También hay que reconocer que es mejor LIU que turandot.

[andrecueca]

oh my god callas had flaws people...she wasnt perfect...these callas crazy faggot maniacs have to learn that she was no godess...caballe IS in the hall of the greatest and that not even you can change.

[iValkure]

Callas was great singer but not for this role that she had sing in early stages of her carrer - she hated singing Turandokht and in fact she blamed her loss of her voice partly to singing such verismo roles of Puccini. Caballe is also a great one.

[iriisblue]

Turandot is not verismo, and Callas lost her voice because she had a very flawed technique.

[eddiecat]

I think there are a lot of tone deaf subscribers to this website.Caballe had an exquisite voice.

[redbonemix84]

Ummm that's just rude and tacky. Sorry but I feel that people like you who perpetuate that ideology must be corrected immediately. There are plenty of skinny singers who will never be invited to perform where she turned down. Let's give credit where credit is due. Netrebko sings rather poorly and she is the size of Cabelles ankle. Weight does not have anything to do with singing ability on either side.

[birgitnilsson]

A very caraeful approach to this deadly aria.This is not a role for this lady.She should have stuck to belcanto

[babycatcher2004]

I feel Montserrat did an OK job of this. On the other hand, I think Giacomini is dead in the water!

[bellatrix58]

Let us be humble friends!! All of them are great Divas. Who is the best Turandot??

Nilsson, Caballé, Dimitrova, Marton, Callas, Raisa,Southerland. It is a matter of pure personal taste.

[Royalorgans]

I am A Joan Sutherland Fan, And all though Joan sutheland does a good job with turandot, Birgit Nillson comes first and Joan Sutherland comes after.

[oprah22]

tell that to bing

[matthi68]

this is a complete new version and a good exdample for singers nowerdays.....leave out every text, sing even vocals, and any lyric voice is getting dramatic....

[viewofyou]

:) I don't really like people critisizing and judging great artists behind their desks! That is the nonsense!!!

[oprah22]

Nilsson and Dimitrova are the greatest Turandot of all time no one can ever natch them in that aria not even Callas

[hypnotizeed]

Caballé has a lovely voice, and Sutherland made it pretty good, but these aren't recordings u come back to.Callas in this role is a joke, and Marton has an ugly,harsh voice that ruins this opera, just as the regular comments are on Martons Elektra: ugly and worthless. There is a reason why all musicwriters in the world, refers to Nilssons turandot as the greatest of them all. Because she simply is!! Why do todays singer calls here a force of nature? Cause she was, and shows that in turandot!

[alceste66]

what?? Callas is a joke? Marton a ugly voice??

But where is your brain?? in the toilet seat maybe...... YOU ARE JOKE STUPID SHIT.

[kngiht84]

That's true, I wouldn't want to hear Callas tackle with this role, it's simply too big for her voice. Nilsson nailed it, however.

[dolcefico]

Callas started her career singing the dramatic repertoire:  she recorded Turandot for EMI with Serafin at the baton; I believe Schwarzkopf is the Liu. Callas is an interpretative genius without equal who possessed a massive voice. (Marton lacked proper vocal control--pity!)

[rogernldw]

That's true that I belive you will sing Turandot better than Callas

[rogernldw]

If you want. I can sing Turandot just for you

[hypnotizeed]

Oh seriously Nabucco, u cant say that Marton is the greatest Turandot, that is nonscense. Birgit Nilsson is the greatest of them all, everyboy else sucks, no one could sing turandot as Nilsson, she made it over 300 times!!! if it wasn't for here, the role wouldn't be sung today. No one take the high notes as Nilsson, and no one has a voice that cuts thru the orchestra as Nilsson. Both tebaldi,Sutherland,Caballé,Dhi­mitrova and Marton drowns and Nilssons kills them all!!!Viva La Nilsson the queen

[Operanut9]

hypnotizeed,

You make a good point. Turandot was practically a forgotten opera until Ni Isson made it apopular "overnight" sensation. She made this opera popular. Those Callas fantics who claim she was so great in this role ought to stop and think who it was that packed them into the opera house to hear it, certainly not Callas.

[CONTESTAR]

I adore Callas and Nilsson. I am not going to fight with you the opera buff hysteria on who's the greatest soprano.

However, if the interpretations of Eva Turner, Lotte Lehmann, Maria Jeritza, Inge Borkh, Maria Callas (even if you hate her she was at least modestly "famous"...) -to say nothing of the tenors tackling Calaf- lead you to deem Turandot "A-Forgotten-Opera" ....then we most definitely live on a different planetary system!

[Shahrdad]

To the contrary, Callas was singing Turandot all over Italy and South America (though she hated the opera) long before Nilsson. Nilsson definitely made Turandot a huge hit, but to say it was a forgotten opera is just incorrect.

[Operanut9]

It was in 1961 that the MET mounted Turandot for Nilsson. According to the MET, it had been 31 years since it had been performed there. Callas's career was almost over by 1961. WHERE were the Met Turandot productions for Callas if she had been makaing such a smash in the opera? It was Nilsson's production at the MEt in 1961 that put Turandot on the opera map. Now, everyone wants to try to sing the role including a oneshot studio attempt by Sutherland, but Nilsson, alone sang it world wide.

[fugu111]

Her is enormous! Ghena Dimitrova is most distinguished!!!!!!!!!!

[daniellipton1]

One of the finest instruments of the century.

[corellilover]

you can not care about the diction when you have to sing a high c like here

[InformedListener]

I tell you-- this Ms. Caballé was afraid of nothing!!! Good shot at Turandot. Though the voice isn't really big enough to fit all the role's demands, her delivery of the phrases is excellent. I wish more of the big sopranos would sing this aria's phrases beautifully like Caballé and Sutherland, and not like bellowing cows, ya know? Thanks for posting!!!!

[swe50]

Oh no! Dear operafanatics, this is out of Caballe´s realm. I stick to Birgit Nilsson´s unsurpassed interpretations.

[543johnson]

Only Caballe' could find some way to put a pianissimo into "In questa reggia." Listen to the end of the second 'Quel grido e quella morte!'

[opera1dan2]

I was just thinking that too! Interesting that though she had a big voice, it still does sounds a little too small for this role.

[Liwah]

Why does the tenor sing 'Gle nigmi sono tre...' as 'Glieiiiioooooooooooooeeeee eeee...'

And the yellow make-up looks AWFUL and kind of racist.

Caballe is amazing but not Turandot.

[KevinFromSD]

Because he does not want to (or cannot) sing the consonants!! Trained singers are taught to focus on the vowels when singing, and to "sing" the consonants as fast as possible, especially the plosive ones. I suggest you read on the subject of "sonority" (in wikipedia for example).

[Liwah]

Trained singers are also taught to sing with good diction and enunciation.

It's even harder to enunciate the consonants when singer so a singer who can sing well and has proper diction is superior.

[rogernldw]

Yes I agree with you. Because You are Turandot herself.

[oprah22]

Birgit Nilsson is the GREATEST Turandot of all TIME!!! she had sheer power and projection when performing

[nabucco0]

the greatest turandot was Eva Marton..without a doubt

[oarystys]

Superbe caballe...

[00ceroalaizquierda00]

está un poquito desafinado en algunas partes o me lo parece a mí?¿?¿?...

[Liwah]

It's interesting seeing a different kind of Turandot.

That tenor's diction is awful.

[zurriuss]

I love that voman!

[veramour]

A kinder, gentler Turandot... Miss Caballe is a glorious singer.

[dhng1982]

Haha.. Better than Nilsson. What a joke! Caballé was a great singer, no doubt about it, but she wasn't a dramatic soprano and wasn't great in that repertoire. She managed as Turandot - that's how far I'm willing to credit her for.

[Liwah]

I know it's not really in character for icy Turandot but 3.50 - 3.55 is just beautiful.

[DIVOTENOR]

I love this woman but it sounds a little boring to me. I like a little more of a harsh sound like Nilsson opr Dame G Jones

[FoggyRoad81]

Sorry I had a brain fart, she's not better than Nilsson. As she so often does she gets lazy at times in the middle with her phrasing and its not as sharp as it needs to be. She doesnt seem to know what to do when doesnt have sheer vocalism to work out.

[Ralphsson80]

Nilsson is the best Turandot ever, but i like Caballé very much. Caballé is better in singing more lyric arias, she's the best Liù in Turandot ever, for example!

[FoggyRoad81]

Price is the greatest Liu. But I think Caballe's Turandot is even better than Nilsson's in certain ways. She doesnt sacrifice power, and yes she doesnt have the steel, but its just great singing. And she makes you think Turandot is truly saddened by the story of her ancestor.

[Greatfan]

Caballé is a great singer and she could cope with Turandot, but what is found as a virtue ( her latin, bel canto approach ) I find it as a minus. Turandot is harsh. Caballé produces an almost motherly sound. I prefer Raisa, Cigna, Marton, Kuchta and of course NILSSON. Kuchta came the closest to both womanhood and icy hate. A pity she was always underrated.

[birgitnilsson]

Did you know Kuchta??? that´s a surprise.I heard her a couple of times. She was a excellent.

[MichailusB]

Giacomini, although being a very good tenor, was not very good... And I still think Montserrat is better Liu that Turandot. But it is only my feeling

[Dymension]

I agree that Giacomini is not his best here. Indeed, he got better as he aged, so that by '87 through about '97 are his best years.

[ivansperanza]

Nilsson was Nilsson.Caballe is far behind in every aspect.

[rogernldw]

Nilssom is also far behind you in every aspect

[fantasual]

Nice to see the passionate side of turandot well delivered. But it's missing that drammattic punch of her main character of the icy princess. This is in my opinion definately for a drammattic soprano's voice not the spinto voice.

[supermen26zg]

SUPER,a much better recording live at stage, then on CD studio recording, Caballe perfect singing this aria, she is THE BEST in all OPERA SINGING HISTORY.

[fajamaqui]

Finally a Turandot Italian style. With beautiful and powerful voice. It contributes shades that singing like Nilsson, Borhk or Marton cannot because its song is germanic. Rosa Raisa, the original Turandot, was also a singing belcantist just as Caballé

[racascan]

This is seriuos awesome! wow yeeeeee

[jokenruth]

Excelent, wonderful!!!