Jon Vickers & Leonie Rysanek in Die Walkure 1972

[Erik83474]

Vickers & Rysanek are for me the greatest tenor & soprano in history....

[bb1111116]

I love listening to this. It is all time great singing.

Vickers & Rysanek are also in my favorite audio recording of Otello.

[morrigambist]

They were at the top of the league, and we shall never hear their like again. Rest in peace, dear lady!

[SPTN58]

Vickers and Rysanek. They owned these roles and had precious few peers, either before or after.

[mish80]

This just brings tears to your eyes.

[Johnny1206]

I'm a big fan of Leonie Rysanek. I saw this great lady live as a magnificent Ortrud and a few years ago in Rio as Klytemnestra. I talked to her, asked her to sign all my librettos of Wagner and Strauss and she is my favorite singer in most of her roles.

[ChaunceytheGardener]

@Johnny1206 Must have been quite a few years ago (she died in 1998). She was very generous and accessible to her fans. I once met her in Madrid, and she invited me to visit her at her home on the Azores. Her husband videotaped our conversation. Wish I had a copy of that today.

[Ruffiello]

I, unfortunately, only heard Madame Rysanek once in the flesh. She portrayed Elisabeth in Tannhauser. It was THRILLING! Her voice was so round and soft in texture that I was reminded of the recordings of Rosa Ponselle. It was also radiantly beautiful and easily the largest instrument I have ever heard. Amongst other beauties, she hit a B natural in the second act that was astonishing. After the note began, it took me several seconds for me to realize that she was the only woman on stage!

[rumpwrestler]

I heard Rysanek sing all of her Strauss and Wagner roles. She was utterly amazing, totally involved. Glad i got to meet her in Houston with her Klytemnestra....what a lovely lady.

[sandiegosue]

It was 1962; I was 16; Vickers sang this piece; I was in love with opera for life!

What I adore about this clip is that is shows the absolute joy Vickers had for singing.

[aslom44]

amazing how he flipped out! and vickers was a good singer.

[PIPZZZ02]

Overwhelming. If this doesn't wring your withers nothing will.

Thanks for posting.

[Biogiant22]

Vickers is not Melchior, but is one of the best Siegmunds of the history.

[kuddelfranz20001]

Gänsehaut, danke

[TheSuro1968]

This video provides a clear example of how Wagner should be sang and not shouted. Truly remarkable

[profgv]

This is golden age singing. If you ever heard these 2 singers live you would get even a better idea of the intensity they brought to these and other roles for many years.

[tenore23]

Rysaneks greatness did not cover for her pitch issues. the fact is that she had ptch issues, period.

The fact that she had pitch issues does not make her a hag or any less great. She was great inspite of the pitch issues.

You queens need to learn a doze of reality

[wattever333]

wow! they also sang Otello together. very different.

why does she lean backwards? everyone tells us you must never do that. but then again, all the greats do it.

hey! he's wearing his Order of Canada medal! yay!

[OPERMUSIK]

Estos dos interpretes son realmente grandes.

Gracias por compartir esta maravilla.

Saludos.

[65attila]

Magnificent singing - thank you for posting

[opera10er]

2 of the greatest singing actors opera has ever seen. Perfection is boring and I bet they knew that.

[cleanears]

Take that Placido! Alas, these were the last of the great "serious" singers...

[hardtimesincountry]

Both Vickers and Rysanek take a lot of flak these days, I know. But I miss that kind of singer. They were not note perfect, they took certain liberties (Vickers's tendency to slide into notes, Rysanek's singing sharp) but their voices had individuality and character - unlike today's singing-machines. I'd take this pair anytime. By the way, they recorded a magnificent Otello with Gobbi and Serafin conducting - my favourite.

[DivaDeb1234]

I agree with you. Opera10 said it well. too much perfection is totally boring. I like to hear the personality of the singer ...and sometimes the slight flaws are great !

[malfada22]

Oh please they were both fabulous. Did you all see Leonie in Die Frau. She was fantastic.

[Hjadlowker]

Amazing! Wonderful! Unsurpassed! (Usurpassable?) Thank you Oeguin (once again!) Good work at putting the two clips together. Tood bad the "O süsseste Wonne" piece is missing.

[battletor4]

From a working bass: Jon Vickers is my favorite singer!

[DivaDeb1234]

As a non working mezzo , Birgit Nilsson is my favorite !! LOL But I love Vickers and Rysanek too.!!

[SiEtIn1]

@DivaDeb1234 how come? are you a lazy mezzo?

[DivaDeb1234]

@SiEtIn1 Yes !!

[Hasselfelde]

@SiEtIn1

[viverito]

Anybody who would call Leonie Rysanek a pitchless hack knows absolutely nothing about opera. I guess that is why she had such a huge career, why she sang all over the world with the best of the best singers and conductors, recorded so many operas and sang at the greatest opera houses the world over. I guess that is why when I saw her at the MET she got over 30 curtain calls and they had to bring the fire curtain down so people would leave.

[DivaDeb1234]

Wow....what opera did you get to see her in at the Met !!?

[johngotwalt]

Why did he have to be saddled with the likes of that pitchless hack ??

[SPTN58]

They were both unequaled in their repertoire. Thank God I was able to see them in their prime.

[VivaMariaCallas]

Both are undoubtedly very great in their respective roles, and this is a wonderful performance. But Mme. Rysanek... no scream?!

[coryisawake]

You can totally tell she was trying to repress her screaming inclinations!

[exackerly]

There's no screaming in a gala!

[Hasselfelde]

@exackerly

[tjfloyd]

I was lucky enough to hear both artists numerous times and I can only echo what others are saying; they are among the very greatest of their generation!! (Along w/ Nilsson, Ludwig, Caballe, Price, Sutherland, Lorengar, Crespin and not many others...)

[BGSourgas]

holy s*#t its like they really are brother and sister

[sambtrli]

While the Siegmund of Jon Vickers gives me goosebumps, Rysanek I can do without. She is ok when going high, but not when going low. Pay attention to the 'Du bist der Lenz'-entry for instance.

That said, a very very interesting performance.

[Labienus]

I was at the Bing Gala-but this is the first time I've seen this since then. Yes, that Gala has had a strange history of lack of availability after all these years. This performance played a huge role in my life-for in an era of so many extraordinary-now legendary singers-many of whom I had heard many times before this night-this was my first Vickers' performance (not so with Rysanek), but from that night I was a Vickers' fanatic- and saw many performances with him after that. Thanks

[sgnmath1234]

What I find so odd, and disappointing, is that the DG highlights record, which was released just subsequent to this historic event, excluded this duet!

[starrman22]

I have wanted to see this for years and if the conducting's nothing special, Rysanek and Vickers are very special indeed. Either singer is an elemental force of nature capable of blowing lesser singers off the stage, so it's wonderful to see them together and so well matched in intenstity and vocal prowess.

With the passing years, the whole gala has become of massive historic importance; I wonder if it will ever make its way on to DVD?

Meanwhile THANK YOU for posting this!

[Bobbo22]

There are many who criticize the vocal splendor of these two, but I don't think an argument can be made that they were not two of the finest singing actors ever to have graced the operatic stage.

[noosphere23]

Amen!!

[vickersman]

Two of the very best Wagerians in history.Vickers of course the best Siegmund ever,and Rysanek-just thrilling.Not just powerful voices but beautiful-a rare conmbination in this vocal field.

[Heraopera]

They have been such unique... big wonderworld of colors in their voices! Great! I lover her and her skillfull bright and placed tone and the sound of a woman with sex and heart! Great! Thank u!

[MusicalArtists]

Wow. What singing. What artistry. And what a thrill to get to see this video.

[tHEnOOSEsWING]

A big applause for Leonie Rysanek and Jon Vickers and their Walkure interpretations are absolutely remarkable. Thank you.