Anyone interested in watching a candid Kathleen Battle and Wynton Marsalis, check out "Kathleen Battle, Wynton Marsalis: Baroque Duet". It's a documentary about the making of "Baroque Duet".
@MariaCallasLegend Callas never had HALF the technique Battle has. Callas' top register was awful, just loud screams. Callas' never had a real trill, just a disgusting tremollo trill, her timbre was the most horrible(cavernous, boring) in recorded-opera history. Didn't matter if Callas was singing "Ah no giunge" or "Vissi D'Arte" she always sounded the same. As a singer, Callas was a complete mess. A good actress, but just it. If you want to hear a great Assoluta, listen to Edda Moser.
@MariaCallasLegend Battle is the best in everything she'd ever sang. She is the only soprano ever invited to sing in the New Year's Eve Concert in Vienna by Karajan. Time Magazine stated "Kathleen Battle is, surely, the best lyric coloratura in the world." She sang for two Popes. She has an agility that most sopranos only dream of. NYT stated "listen to her voice is the greatest gift of all." She has a gorgeous, silvery, smooth and sweet voice, has perfect technique and was so pretty.Perfection.
@elgatosucio Let us be content to say, she has been the best soprano ever. But her voice is going its natural way, leaving her recordings and our memories as a great gift.
I love the way she sings this, though the first version of this I heard was by Maria Callas, who so far, has been the only one to make me cry during this aria
The wonderful thing about this aria is that it can be sung beautifully by light or heavy voices! That's the beauty of music... it can be sung by so many different people but still have the same message. I am a light lyric soprano (I'm only 17 so it could and probably will change!) with agile qualities, and I've heard light voices sing this just as excellently as heavier, darker voiced performers.
Always great to read the comment for a laugh. Who could have imagined there were so many professional singers out there with time enough on their hands to lend us their expertise and critique every single video on YouTube?
If you sing the vowel "O" a glottal sound would put a HARD edge on it, like a "HO", where the desired sound would be smooth, like "OH". Portamento is a vocal slide between two pitches. Scooping is beginning a note beneath it's pitch, then sliding up to the correct pitch. Diction refers to how clearly a word sounds when a person is singing.
The feeling of the "u" vowel allows a healthy adduction of the vocal cords without too much pressure at the glottis. Vibrato shouldn't wobble.
they say she is bipolar... I really don't know but if it is true I am sure the would end up throwing herself into the Arno's River if she thought the guy was going to stay with her. I know at the end of this aria says if the love is in vain she will die... so dear heart, don't try things that are too slow, change some of the lyrics and how about suggestions such, a bullet in my head, jumping out the Empire State and you could do this one singing the last note of the aria Sempre Libera.
@ohsnapitsme59 How much do you think she could do some Capella of ave maria? My grandmother's sis just passed away and we are looking for someone can sing here ... its a simple chapel here in Brooklyn. We are going to have some food after that, potato salad, fry chicken, soda ;-)
I have heard Kathleen several times in live performances, and although the color of her voice has darkened, she still sounds great. Yeah, she does seem to have breathing problems, but she is also heavier and now in her 60's....can't stay young forever. The audible gasps are something that she has always had, but it is more pronounced. I am sure her extra weight and age are factors.
While the rest of you are arguing about only God knows what, I will replay this magnificent piece, as it is simply beautiful. Her voice is Heaven sent.
Why not simply follow the beautiful advice you share and "wish all beings should be happy?" The ad hominem attacks betray, in your words, a "core of unfullfillment" that attempts to minimize another.
@zamyrabyrd - Yes we can see that. And why do you respond to me that you didn't specify anyone?
If it is particurlarly meaningful, I can also respond to you (like you did to me) that "I didn't specify anyone, could be Imelda Marcos or Husni Mubarak."
Spoiled beings become happy when they don't make outrageous demands on others. They don't anymore have a core of unfulfillment that needs constant exposure, fame and praise to replenish it.
Though Kathleen Battle has many performance videos here, some frequently come to make ad hominem attacks, often veiled under a literary pen. Those ad hominem attacks betray, in your words, a "core of unfullfillment" that needs to minimize another.
The irony, of course, is that some come to these performance videos and criticize her for unflattering behavior and express how people should act, all the while making ad hominem attacks.
I am trying to understand how a person can can begin a beautiful thought like "wish all beings should be happy." Then end with another ad hominem attack. Irony of ironies.
Like the Buddha said "wish all beings should be happy". Apart from that, there are hundreds of thousands of workers in music - teachers, secretaries, even cleaning staff - who don't acheive fame or even praise for one reason or another but who are plodding along helping others to listen and enjoy. The top of the pyramid is supported by a vast infrastructure. Some are gracious and acknowledge it. Others have hissy fits and demand a different hotel because the cooks put peas in the pasta!
1 out of 4 viewers did NOT like this particular clip. Some videos with Battle are quite nice like the Voice of Spring with Karajan 20 years ago. In general colleagues do not diss one another in the spirit of "do unto others as it will be done unto you", particularly younger singers like Graves who would be silly to antagonize a possible source of support. Beverly Sills said when Battle was fired that she was very afraid, not unusual for those unsure of themselves in such a stressful position.
Graves gave UNSOLICITED praise for Kathleen Battle. Keys invited Battle to sing at two of Keys' recent high profile events. Bono was visibly moved and impressed at Kathleen Battle's at a charity event for music industry professionals. These are facts. The "[Graves would be silly to antagonize" is a truism, but has NO factual basis for application in THIS case.
To paraphrase another contributor on another video, we often come to youtube to listen/view singers for pleasure and Kathleen Battle is one of the few that is targeted for ad hominem attacks.
Those who do not wish to offer constructive criticism should simply state, "I PERSONALLY DISLIKE HER". That would be more FACTUAL than statements such as "comes from wrong side of tracks" or "thinks she can be a bigger diva by abusing her colleagues."
Light sopranos are as richly abundant as their mezzo soprano sisters. If they are lucky to get good coaching and the right push at the right time, they can have a career in limited repertoire. But uneasy is the queen who wears a crown especially if she comes from the wrong side of the tracks. Her more talented peers with bigger voices get the juicier roles. But she thinks she can be a bigger diva by abusing her colleagues. Thank God Volpe at the Met put up with none of that and got rid of her.
@zamyrabyrd - Since you critic her technique and suggest she does not perform the song as written, Bravissima's question about your musical education and performance experience is fair.
It's also interesting that you teach voice and have students. May we see videos of you and/or your students?
@kinddude Anyone who charges money for tickets is fair game for criticism. I really think you do not have the capacity for objective assessment, since the objective criteria I put down, went right through your ears. Your argument will be a reductio ad hominem, in other words, attacking the messenger. Therefore, I will not play your game.
@zamyrabyrd - Speaking of being objective, this is what you write: "I really think you do not have the capacity for objective assessment [ad hominem argument], since the objective criteria [your opinion] I put down..." Then you actually project onto me the very behavior you accuse me of when you state, "Your argument will be a reductio ad hominem."
No wise person would insult me. And no disingenuous, unkind person can.
@kinddude Some people think they may be "kind" but they are not. My professional opinion is a person who dismisses objective criteria for singing not being met and not being important -accuracy, breathing, scooping (Battle's trademark) - doesn't have enough musical education (therefore capacity) to understand what is being spoken about. People can like perfomances, good or bad, for whatever reasons. That is your right. But nearly 70 people didn't like this one.
@zamyrabyrd - The second ad hominem argument you write about me ("some people think they may be "kind" but they are not" -- while avoiding the fair questions about your musical education and experience.
If a person bases their "objective criteria" and "professional opinion" on certain musical "know"-ledge, if it is at odds with other clearly professional opinions (eg. Graves, Keys, Bono, Bravissima), it would help you support your opinion, which may be valid.
@zamyrabyrd - "It would help you to support your opinion, which may be valid..."if you wouldn't mind sharing with us your academic and professional background in music.
It's also interesting that you teach voice and have students. May we see videos of you and/or your students?
@kinddude Why don't you post videos of yourself? If a singer is flat, no one has to give his or her CV to back it up for pointing it out. This is not a fair question but a stupid, provocative one.
@zamyrabyrd - "It would help you to support your numerous assertions and opinion, which may be valid..."if you wouldn't mind sharing with us your academic and professional background in music.
I did find it interesting that you teach voice and have students. And it would have been neat to see videos of you and your students. You state that my request was stupid and provocative. Oh well...
@zamyrabyrd - @zamyrabyrd - I've not met anyone hesitant to back up their professional credentials, IF they are true.
If you were willing to share you academic and professional background in music, that would actually help your argument -- especially if it is important to you to show that you know "something" about music and have some authority to disabuse people that she isn't as talented as music professionals like Graves, Keys, and Bono believe her to be.
Performers past their prime frequently get applause not for what they are doing presently on stage but as a summing up of their career. Callas' singing of the O Mio Babbino after her voice was gone was pretty pathetic, even in a lower key. It would have been better to spare herself and the public the embarassment.
As a singing teacher, I don't need a mass reaction or a publicity interview to tell me what my own ears do. Compared to other sopranos, I think she was overrated anyway.
@zamyrabyrd - Denyce Grave's comments were not solicited and she knows "something" about singing; Alicia Keys chose a singer that she felt would do the song justice. Your singing teacher ears are at odds with audiophiles and Bono if you feel the standing ovation for her singing of Miss Sarajevo was not performance of the song.
It's interesting that you're a singing teacher. May we see videos of you and/or your students?
@kinddude With 68 dislikes out of 231, this is about 25% percent dissenters, so I am not alone. By way of comparison, Battle was nowhere near Leontyne Price, Jessie Norman or Marian Anderson. She was famous though for her prima donna tantrums. There was a T shirt going around: " I survived the Battle". Enough said.
@zamyrabyrd - When you mentioned you teach voice (especially as a source of authority), a person would be naturally curious to hear what you and/or or you students can do.
In addition, you use the "as a singing teacher" lead to suggest that your musical knowledge comes from a more informed point of view than widely respected members of the music world.
Mozart is frequently cited as being much more difficult to sing than Puccini whose writing is very voice-friendly. To add to the collection - yet another scoop at 1:25 and taking a breath between 'vorrei morir', ungrammatical musically and textually. There are too many mistakes in this short aria that would not pass in a conservatory examination. Above all, her rushing ahead of the orchestra disqualities this performance as professional, whatever large fee she was getting for this appearance.
@zamyrabyrd I am very interested in knowing where you get your information from and which of these you sing? And while I am asking questions, which conservatory are you a product of? or perhaps still studying at?
@zamyrabyrd Do you know how old she is? I'm sorry, but I don't see how you can sit there, listening to this performance and just criticise, criticise, criticise. Is that your profession? Music critic? Kathleen has more than enough performances which are incredible - both technically and musically - to allow for her to falter somewhat as she get older. She clearly did the best with what she still has...and despite the heavy breathing, it sounded pretty good to me.
@JonathanGardnerTV 60 is not old for a singer, pace Monserrat Caballe, Magda Olivero, etc. If a pianist dropped so many notes, one would not hesitate to complain. There is so much wrong with a relatively simple aria, that just by presenting it with pomp, orchestra and costumes while charging good money for tickets pull the wool over the eyes of public. It is up to those who know something about music and singing to disabuse them and recommend they save their money instead.
@zamyrabyrd Ermm, 60 is certainly getting on for a human-being...and as a human singer then yes, Battle is somewhat old. Secondly, you can not compare a piano - a mechanical instrument - to a voice.
@zamyrabyrd A pianist's performance is not dictated directly by their health or age - as a singer's is much more likely to be. Battle can make money off of a so-so performance. Tough. She's earned the right to. Jealous?
@zamyrabyrd - Some claim to know "something" about singing & suggest that Kathleen Battle doesn't deserve the recognition or audience she has, as it seems you do.
Others also know "something" about music. One praises her in a recent interview (Denyce Graves); another asks her to sing with her at two separate important events (Alicia Keys); another gives her a STANDING ovation at a recent performance -- the only one of the event (Bono).
LOL...STAY PRESSED, AND HATERS TO THE LEFT. Please, do post links to your resumes and stage experience. Oh, wait! I bet you experts don't have any, right?
You should be so lucky to be La Battle's water girl, or to hold Ozawa's baton. Idiots.
Hello everyone! If you are studying this aria I have an accompaniment and a diction video done by a professional company for study on my channel here on youtube. I hope you will take full advantage of it! =) Cheers!
As a singer, I fail to see the issue. Some prefer heavier voices, but that's subjective. Kathleen does an excellent job with an "old warhorse". Her delivery is spot on, diction is good, notes are clean, there's no glottal or scooping and her portamento's are lovely. Name one contemporary, a classical singer who started in the early 70's that consistently sings as well or is still active? Saw her 2 months ago in Cincinnati and At 62 she still has it. That commands respect!
@bravissima1 First, this is a relatively easy aria for sopranos who learn it when just starting out. "The notes are clean." At 0.14, the Eb in caro is barely there and pronounced like aah in cat, not Italian. Some of her other O's betray an English background, also dipthonging the andarEH at .45. She is rushing ahead of the orchestra since she can't sustain these short, easy phrases. One of her typical scoops at 1.28, at 1:57 the voice is wavering. This would not pass in NY Paris or London.
@zamyrabyrd This aria, much like Mozart is "easy" to sing poorly, not easy at all to sing well. It's all about long arching phrases which she delivers. The scoops you speak of are portamento's, found in the score pending the edition used. If you are going to fault her diction, the only thing you could accuse it of is being placed a little brightly, not uncommon for her or any other light soprano. I stand by my words and add that far worse has passed in all the places you cited!
@bravissima1 - The input of a person who has the sheet music and a personal understanding of the art of singing (being a singer) is truly valuable. Most intellectualize how a singer "should" perform. Only those who sing or who have listened to countless singers describe how challenging singing is, can people begin to understand and appreciate artists like Kathleen Battle whose technique, quality of sound, artistry, and diction are still better than many 1/2 her age...
Has been conductor and has been soprano, pretty pathetic. How are the famous diva tantrums? They usually fizzle out with the decline of the voice. She never had any class just a blown up ego.
Kathleen Battle is a typical "soubrette soprano. Norina, Gilda or Despina - theese are the roles for Her. "O mio babbino caro" is far too demanding for her weak voice.
I do not like it. She is pretty good in some other pieces on you-tube. Here she is pretty bad. I do not like much her voice in general. It seems to be too weak and much too light.
So for you, more black american divas come to mind than white, but they as a group do not dominate.
FWIW, if person A can mistake person B for misquoting and splicing a sentence that person A just read, it is understandable that a person would not remember the black diva and american diva and black american diva comment made two weeks ago, after several other discussions have occurred.
Jewelmarkess. Ok. So here is what you said, though you mention, " it was my mistake in omitting the word American in this particular quote." Where should the word "American" be inserted?
"I mentioned that I only look at American singers, as I don't believe you can talk about dominance of any group of singers from any one country in the world, and when I look back to last 50 years, more names of black divas come to mind. This is purely subjective."
@kinddude Go back to the first comment I made in this conversation from 2 weeks ago, you'll see the word American there in almost the same sentence. In fact, throughout the conversation (with the exception of this one comment) I was pretty clear in that 1) among great AMERICAN (!) divas only during last 50 years, there are more great black divas than great white divas 2) there are too many great divas in the WORLD from all backgrounds to talk about one group's dominance.
wow i would never have recgnized her simply by her looks - her voice still sounds youthful, however, it is visible her voice has gone into major decline since she has not been singing regularly for the last several years. Its a shame - she didnt have the maturity to get over herself and her stardom - unfortunately she has paid the price in the long run, but she will leave some pretty incredible performances as her legacy :)
wow i would never have recgnized her simply by her looks - her voice still sounds youthful, however, it is visible her voice has gone into major decline since she has not been singing regularly for the last several years. Its a shame - she didnt have the maturity to get over herself and her stardom - unfortunately she has paid the price in the long run, but she will leave some pretty incredible performances as her legacy :)
@boysoul1 Comunque, sì: del suo peso non me ne frega nulla, era solo per fare una battuta; in circolazione non la vedevo più da un bel po'... e poi te la ritrovo gonfia come un topo :-). Ci sono altre cantanti che col tempo sono ingrassate MOLTO più di lei ma che, al contrario di lei, hanno mantenuto la voce. Cattivo? :-D
@opricnik no non sei cattivo.Sei realista! ah comunque dicevo per dire.Lo so che scherzi! :P Purtroppo molte cantanti non sono in grando di capire che bisogna studiare per tutta la vita,che non si deve andare fuori repertorio,e che tutti abbiamo i nostri limiti.Poi chissà che succede a certi cantanti.Sono umani e invecchiano come tutti! ahahah gonfia come un topo ahahahha mi fai morire dalle risate..ma dove le prendi certe espressioni! XD
@boysoul1 Dalla provincia di Livorno, ecco da dove le prendo. E riguardo il repertorio: sai darmi una spiegazione alla Violetta della Dessay? O dobbiamo scomodare qualche grande scienziato per avere una risposta... ? :-D
It saddens me to see her like this... In the words of Beverly Sills, " [Her] voice had a long, nonstop career. It deserves to be put to bed with quiet and dignity, not yanked out every once in a while to see if it can still do what it used to do. It can't."
@PianistandFencer I'm not a professional, but I do know that it doesn't sound the way I THINK it should sound. This song usually gives me chills, but not this time. It doesn't sound fluid, there's no emotion and she doesn't do that thing where the note is loud and then fades out.
@rellenoz I understand, and I do agree with you - but we both need to remember she's 60 in this performance. As much as i wish she could still sound like the old Kathy, she never will again - her voice has gotten heavy from stress and fatigue, rather than that light celestial sound it once was. Regardless, she was once one of the greatest singers in the world, and who she was and the music she made won't ever be forgotten.
@PianistandFencer - What did you think of her performance of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot from this same concert? By the way, wonderful quote from Ms. Sills who is actually referring to herself, lol. It begins, "My voice had a long, nonstop career" -- about 33 years according to wikipedia. Not bad. Not bad at all :-)
@kinddude That's the reason behind the brackets. Using a quote for your own means by replacing the subject in brackets in order to put the quote into your own context...but I guess you may have missed the point. Thank you for your effort to enlighten me, however - shows you were paying attention.
Anyway, I think Kathy's voice is beautiful, but this concert, and all of the ones I have heard of her in her late 50s and 60s are disappointing. Just my opinion. I still love her and her artistry.
" It saddens me to see her [KB] like this... In the words of Beverly Sills, " [Her] voice had a long...yanked out every once in a while to see if it can still do what it used to do. It can't."
Given the context and how antecedents usually work in a sentence, I naturally believed that it was a quote about Kathleen Battle. It is a great quote and thanks for sharing. It was also interesting though that [She] had not been talking about [her].
"It saddens me to see her like this... In the words of Beverly Sills, ' [Her] voice had a long, nonstop career...not yanked out every once in a while to see if it can still do what it used to do..."
Based on the grammatical concept of the antecedent, the majority of readers would not have guessed Sills was referring to herself...unless the original quote intact, "My voice had a long..."
I thanked you for the quote and clarified for myself & maybe others.
@kinddude or simply trying to flaunt your 'knowledge' (or most likely google search)? I made that comment a long time ago and there really was no need for you to single it out in order to get a little attention.
@PianistandFencer - Were you not the one who judged me by stating that I am "simply trying to flaunt [my] 'knowledge' ..." and "get a little attention"? If clarifying that Sills was speaking of herself is "flaunting knowledge" and "getting a little attention" , we very much see things differently.
FWIW, I try to self reflect and ask myself if I am judgemental and hypocritical. I know I fail from time to time. How about you? Do you self reflect? Do you fail from time to time?
@PianistandFencer - Great. Glad you are not getting so upset, simply because we clarified that Sills was referring to herself, since is still such a great quote. Take care.
Please delete this terrible presentation, she was the most beautiful and her voice was the most charismatic all times ever. What a pain I have to see what can happen with us all human race. She doesn deserves this insult. Let her be who was many years the great Kathleen Battle. Please
@Gotthard38 This past weekend Kathleen Battle performed with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra where she sang "Una voce poco fa" -- it was incredible -- agile, light, stunning. She went on to perform a handful of Strauss Lieder including a stunning Morgen. Pieces that were far more difficult, yet pulled off better than this performance. All performers have off performances. Kathleen Battle's voice has changed with age, but this is just an off performance.
I guess that at that age, travelling 12 hours by plane does tire a body system. It's just too bad it had to be recorded. Over all, she did have a great career and she was able to give extraordinary performances most of the time.
Her breathing maybe ATROCIOUS, her diction crap and her technique not much better here B U T my dear lord, the beauty of her voice still shines through and that's something to "like"
I don't care it's still beautiful!!! You all are tripping because you can hear her breathing!? Who gives a fuck! it's still a beautiful rendition and performance by the one and only Kathleen Battle! Some people are just so petty. Let'd hear yours or can you please sing it the way you think it should go so I can give you my honest opinion? To all you petty ass haters, geez!
@That1xguy Like you, the rest of us are entitled to post our opinions (althouh I haven't read anyone cussing you out because of yours). Get a grip and save your obscene rhetoric for elsewhere. It's ridiculous for you to take other's comments so personally.
That wasn't her breathing like that, they added it on to mess up her performance. Look close and you can see that she isn't taking the deep exhausted breaths you hear.
i feel sorry for her voice....over used or just a part of not using it for a long time...correctly. her voice needs to rest and long sleep and don't smoke.
In her prime she was wonderful, but this recent performance magnifies her weaknesses - exaggerated breathing (really bad!), weak tone within the staff (almost inaudible at times), and a tendency to "overround" vowels above the staff. Neverthless, there are flashes that reveal the beauty of her silvery sound and her ability to communicate simply and directly (when not overdoing the divaness).
Terrible. She is an ex-soprano. no more voice, an uncertain sound, no breath. Appalling performance in a comparatively "easy" aria usually sung by "old"voices without much trouble.
Added to that a strong english accent. She'd better retire.
@dfgrbtr Maybe she is just the only black singer that has gotten good enough breaks to be heard by you. You have not heard all the black operatic singers that are trying to make a career for themselves in opera.
@Hemmeditha Woah, I've heard others, I didn't like them. It doesn't mean you can't love them. I can think of Grace Bumbry, though, she made quite a good Carmen.
And I think that white voices do not match with black music either. Or folk music from India, for instance. So what?
You know that's one big problem with the world. When you say black, you're regarded as a racist. And yes there are physical differences between races. When did I tell you one is generally superior to the other?
@dfgrbtr Each culture produced musical geniuses that set trends. Geographical boundaries and tribalism kept those musical trends within each culture. Globalism now gives artists access to all musical styles and artists should perform in the genre of their choice regardless of race. The problem is that some people still have boundaries on their minds. White music, black music...give me a break. You are stuck in tribalism and are an equal opportunity racist.
@originalszalonna Ha Ha Ha!!!!! You just proved my point! I'm not a JEW you idiot. Are you a member of the KKK, the Tea Party, or just a die hard, ultra conservative republican. You guys always deny what you are, but you aren't smart enough to hide your true natures. You have chains on your brain.
@Hemmeditha I can imagine you desperately browsing the net looking for keywords like blacks, racism etc. to leave I'll-tell-you-what comments under videos that have nothing to do with discrimination...
You know what? I'd rather have, what you named as, chains on my brain than letting it fall out.
@dfgrbtr I rarely watch YouTube but your comment was so offensive that I had to respond. You still are clueless or just refuse to admit to yourself who you are. Taking chains off your brain would cause the brain to have increased blood flow and open up to new learning and broadened appreciation. It would not fall out. I'm sure you truly believe you are not a racists and bigot, but you are. You are offensive.
@dfgrbtr I forgot about you only to find 2 post from you this morning. You provided the thoughts, I just labeled what you said. People like you limit other people. If an audience feels only whites are good at one type of music, Indians another type, etc., artists are limited in what they can express. All music belongs to the world, not just to certain groups of people. Your preferences stem from who you are, not from the performances of the artists, whatever their race.
@Hemmeditha Says who? A member of a nation that thinks Europe is a country and can't locate their own country on a world map? (Now this is a stereotype. Happy?) :D
@dfgrbtr Obviously not isolationists like you. Most musicians consider music a universal language. I'm a musician and you are one of those people who makes the world a difficult place to live in. National and ethnic pride are fine, but exclusivity is not. Many of the world's major conflicts stemmed from one group of people acting superior to another. DNA say NO!!!! Everything you say confirms what you are so why don't you wear the labels with pride.
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Anyone interested in watching a candid Kathleen Battle and Wynton Marsalis, check out "Kathleen Battle, Wynton Marsalis: Baroque Duet". It's a documentary about the making of "Baroque Duet".
AJS95060 2 days ago
blessing to the ears
Theklstuff 1 week ago
88 dislikes ?!? are they on drugs ?!?! go back to your mediocre bullshit world assholes
carlafierro7 1 month ago
maria callas in 1974 was far better than that awful intepratation...at thge begginging she cant even sing!!!!!!!Awful!!!She has NO VOICE!!!!
MariaCallasLegend 1 month ago
@MariaCallasLegend Callas never had HALF the technique Battle has. Callas' top register was awful, just loud screams. Callas' never had a real trill, just a disgusting tremollo trill, her timbre was the most horrible(cavernous, boring) in recorded-opera history. Didn't matter if Callas was singing "Ah no giunge" or "Vissi D'Arte" she always sounded the same. As a singer, Callas was a complete mess. A good actress, but just it. If you want to hear a great Assoluta, listen to Edda Moser.
pedrofribeiro 1 month ago
@MariaCallasLegend Battle is the best in everything she'd ever sang. She is the only soprano ever invited to sing in the New Year's Eve Concert in Vienna by Karajan. Time Magazine stated "Kathleen Battle is, surely, the best lyric coloratura in the world." She sang for two Popes. She has an agility that most sopranos only dream of. NYT stated "listen to her voice is the greatest gift of all." She has a gorgeous, silvery, smooth and sweet voice, has perfect technique and was so pretty.Perfection.
pedrofribeiro 1 month ago
The best soprano ever.
elgatosucio 2 months ago
@elgatosucio Let us be content to say, she has been the best soprano ever. But her voice is going its natural way, leaving her recordings and our memories as a great gift.
zzausel 2 months ago
I love the way she sings this, though the first version of this I heard was by Maria Callas, who so far, has been the only one to make me cry during this aria
Poet2916 3 months ago
If any of you pack of bad mouthers were half as good at what you do
as Miss Battle is at what she does, then you would have some credibility here.
But you are nowhere near as good t what you do, are you ?
Put up
or
shut up.
tracyb934 3 months ago
The wonderful thing about this aria is that it can be sung beautifully by light or heavy voices! That's the beauty of music... it can be sung by so many different people but still have the same message. I am a light lyric soprano (I'm only 17 so it could and probably will change!) with agile qualities, and I've heard light voices sing this just as excellently as heavier, darker voiced performers.
Bethalaine 4 months ago
quite lovely
dziady1 4 months ago
horrid.....no volume, running out of breath. can't listen to it.....
goknur1977 4 months ago
Her voice, though somewhat darker, is still quite beautiful, and she has certainly "grown" into the stereotypical appearance of an opera singer.
davehshs 5 months ago
Always great to read the comment for a laugh. Who could have imagined there were so many professional singers out there with time enough on their hands to lend us their expertise and critique every single video on YouTube?
jjnow23 6 months ago 7
If you sing the vowel "O" a glottal sound would put a HARD edge on it, like a "HO", where the desired sound would be smooth, like "OH". Portamento is a vocal slide between two pitches. Scooping is beginning a note beneath it's pitch, then sliding up to the correct pitch. Diction refers to how clearly a word sounds when a person is singing.
The feeling of the "u" vowel allows a healthy adduction of the vocal cords without too much pressure at the glottis. Vibrato shouldn't wobble.
robertslistening 6 months ago
It's impressive at her age that she stills has quite a tight vibrato. Sounded lovely.
robertslistening 6 months ago
Why do i get the feeling that could sing this aria, while doing her gardening, during the spring with the greatest of ease.
MrJeffreydunson 6 months ago
they say she is bipolar... I really don't know but if it is true I am sure the would end up throwing herself into the Arno's River if she thought the guy was going to stay with her. I know at the end of this aria says if the love is in vain she will die... so dear heart, don't try things that are too slow, change some of the lyrics and how about suggestions such, a bullet in my head, jumping out the Empire State and you could do this one singing the last note of the aria Sempre Libera.
RonaldBarone 6 months ago
She was always a wonderful artist. Beautiful line and expression in her singing. To bad she was crazy as a loon.
Giovannifabuloso 7 months ago 5
As for all her critics, listen to her a Capella version of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot...at the same concert. It brought me to tears!
ohsnapitsme59 7 months ago
@ohsnapitsme59 How much do you think she could do some Capella of ave maria? My grandmother's sis just passed away and we are looking for someone can sing here ... its a simple chapel here in Brooklyn. We are going to have some food after that, potato salad, fry chicken, soda ;-)
RonaldBarone 6 months ago
Her voice may not be what it once was but whose is at her age? Whatever she did she has paid the price. I still enjoy her voice.
ohsnapitsme59 7 months ago
molto piacevole...... e poi un'artista può piacere o non piacere, ma MAI criticato!
MegaNino60 7 months ago
Such beauty, brings tears to one's eyes.
NickYagyu 8 months ago
thank you
beforeourveryeyes 8 months ago
Kathleen Battle is amazing!
BWNonBM47 8 months ago
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I like her voice!
merdenele10 9 months ago
How sweet.. Kathy always moves my heart like this, with tears.
Beto246 10 months ago
I have heard Kathleen several times in live performances, and although the color of her voice has darkened, she still sounds great. Yeah, she does seem to have breathing problems, but she is also heavier and now in her 60's....can't stay young forever. The audible gasps are something that she has always had, but it is more pronounced. I am sure her extra weight and age are factors.
TrevorDaniels 10 months ago
@TrevorDaniels
listen the Caballe performans, similar weight and age, different results
tubadiaz 9 months ago
she seems to be very out of breath
yiudiumui 10 months ago
Kathleen's angelic voice and superb delivery triumph through what has sadly and obviously become a physical struggle to perform.
4drcoop 10 months ago
While the rest of you are arguing about only God knows what, I will replay this magnificent piece, as it is simply beautiful. Her voice is Heaven sent.
winsome1235 10 months ago
There are countless renditions of "O Mio Babbino Caro" This is one of the best.
jayrloves 11 months ago
Why not simply follow the beautiful advice you share and "wish all beings should be happy?" The ad hominem attacks betray, in your words, a "core of unfullfillment" that attempts to minimize another.
kinddude 1 year ago
@kinddude I didn't specify anyone, could be Imelda Marcos or Husni Mubarak.
zamyrabyrd 1 year ago
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kinddude 1 year ago
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kinddude 1 year ago
@zamyrabyrd - Yes we can see that. And why do you respond to me that you didn't specify anyone?
If it is particurlarly meaningful, I can also respond to you (like you did to me) that "I didn't specify anyone, could be Imelda Marcos or Husni Mubarak."
kinddude 1 year ago
Spoiled beings become happy when they don't make outrageous demands on others. They don't anymore have a core of unfulfillment that needs constant exposure, fame and praise to replenish it.
zamyrabyrd 1 year ago
Though Kathleen Battle has many performance videos here, some frequently come to make ad hominem attacks, often veiled under a literary pen. Those ad hominem attacks betray, in your words, a "core of unfullfillment" that needs to minimize another.
The irony, of course, is that some come to these performance videos and criticize her for unflattering behavior and express how people should act, all the while making ad hominem attacks.
kinddude 1 year ago
I am trying to understand how a person can can begin a beautiful thought like "wish all beings should be happy." Then end with another ad hominem attack. Irony of ironies.
kinddude 1 year ago
Like the Buddha said "wish all beings should be happy". Apart from that, there are hundreds of thousands of workers in music - teachers, secretaries, even cleaning staff - who don't acheive fame or even praise for one reason or another but who are plodding along helping others to listen and enjoy. The top of the pyramid is supported by a vast infrastructure. Some are gracious and acknowledge it. Others have hissy fits and demand a different hotel because the cooks put peas in the pasta!
zamyrabyrd 1 year ago
1 out of 4 viewers did NOT like this particular clip. Some videos with Battle are quite nice like the Voice of Spring with Karajan 20 years ago. In general colleagues do not diss one another in the spirit of "do unto others as it will be done unto you", particularly younger singers like Graves who would be silly to antagonize a possible source of support. Beverly Sills said when Battle was fired that she was very afraid, not unusual for those unsure of themselves in such a stressful position.
zamyrabyrd 1 year ago
Graves gave UNSOLICITED praise for Kathleen Battle. Keys invited Battle to sing at two of Keys' recent high profile events. Bono was visibly moved and impressed at Kathleen Battle's at a charity event for music industry professionals. These are facts. The "[Graves would be silly to antagonize" is a truism, but has NO factual basis for application in THIS case.
You generally dislike her. Got it.
kinddude 1 year ago
To paraphrase another contributor on another video, we often come to youtube to listen/view singers for pleasure and Kathleen Battle is one of the few that is targeted for ad hominem attacks.
Those who do not wish to offer constructive criticism should simply state, "I PERSONALLY DISLIKE HER". That would be more FACTUAL than statements such as "comes from wrong side of tracks" or "thinks she can be a bigger diva by abusing her colleagues."
kinddude 1 year ago
Light sopranos are as richly abundant as their mezzo soprano sisters. If they are lucky to get good coaching and the right push at the right time, they can have a career in limited repertoire. But uneasy is the queen who wears a crown especially if she comes from the wrong side of the tracks. Her more talented peers with bigger voices get the juicier roles. But she thinks she can be a bigger diva by abusing her colleagues. Thank God Volpe at the Met put up with none of that and got rid of her.
zamyrabyrd 1 year ago
@zamyrabyrd - Since you critic her technique and suggest she does not perform the song as written, Bravissima's question about your musical education and performance experience is fair.
It's also interesting that you teach voice and have students. May we see videos of you and/or your students?
kinddude 1 year ago
@kinddude Anyone who charges money for tickets is fair game for criticism. I really think you do not have the capacity for objective assessment, since the objective criteria I put down, went right through your ears. Your argument will be a reductio ad hominem, in other words, attacking the messenger. Therefore, I will not play your game.
zamyrabyrd 1 year ago
@zamyrabyrd - Speaking of being objective, this is what you write: "I really think you do not have the capacity for objective assessment [ad hominem argument], since the objective criteria [your opinion] I put down..." Then you actually project onto me the very behavior you accuse me of when you state, "Your argument will be a reductio ad hominem."
No wise person would insult me. And no disingenuous, unkind person can.
kinddude 1 year ago
@kinddude Some people think they may be "kind" but they are not. My professional opinion is a person who dismisses objective criteria for singing not being met and not being important -accuracy, breathing, scooping (Battle's trademark) - doesn't have enough musical education (therefore capacity) to understand what is being spoken about. People can like perfomances, good or bad, for whatever reasons. That is your right. But nearly 70 people didn't like this one.
zamyrabyrd 1 year ago
@zamyrabyrd - The second ad hominem argument you write about me ("some people think they may be "kind" but they are not" -- while avoiding the fair questions about your musical education and experience.
If a person bases their "objective criteria" and "professional opinion" on certain musical "know"-ledge, if it is at odds with other clearly professional opinions (eg. Graves, Keys, Bono, Bravissima), it would help you support your opinion, which may be valid.
Ad hom arguments don't help.
kinddude 1 year ago
@zamyrabyrd - "It would help you to support your opinion, which may be valid..."if you wouldn't mind sharing with us your academic and professional background in music.
It's also interesting that you teach voice and have students. May we see videos of you and/or your students?
kinddude 1 year ago
@kinddude Why don't you post videos of yourself? If a singer is flat, no one has to give his or her CV to back it up for pointing it out. This is not a fair question but a stupid, provocative one.
zamyrabyrd 1 year ago
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@zamyrabyrd - "It would help you to support your numerous assertions and opinion, which may be valid..."if you wouldn't mind sharing with us your academic and professional background in music.
I did find it interesting that you teach voice and have students. And it would have been neat to see videos of you and your students. You state that my request was stupid and provocative. Oh well...
kinddude 1 year ago
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kinddude 1 year ago
@zamyrabyrd - @zamyrabyrd - I've not met anyone hesitant to back up their professional credentials, IF they are true.
If you were willing to share you academic and professional background in music, that would actually help your argument -- especially if it is important to you to show that you know "something" about music and have some authority to disabuse people that she isn't as talented as music professionals like Graves, Keys, and Bono believe her to be.
kinddude 1 year ago
Performers past their prime frequently get applause not for what they are doing presently on stage but as a summing up of their career. Callas' singing of the O Mio Babbino after her voice was gone was pretty pathetic, even in a lower key. It would have been better to spare herself and the public the embarassment.
As a singing teacher, I don't need a mass reaction or a publicity interview to tell me what my own ears do. Compared to other sopranos, I think she was overrated anyway.
zamyrabyrd 1 year ago
@zamyrabyrd - Denyce Grave's comments were not solicited and she knows "something" about singing; Alicia Keys chose a singer that she felt would do the song justice. Your singing teacher ears are at odds with audiophiles and Bono if you feel the standing ovation for her singing of Miss Sarajevo was not performance of the song.
It's interesting that you're a singing teacher. May we see videos of you and/or your students?
kinddude 1 year ago
@kinddude With 68 dislikes out of 231, this is about 25% percent dissenters, so I am not alone. By way of comparison, Battle was nowhere near Leontyne Price, Jessie Norman or Marian Anderson. She was famous though for her prima donna tantrums. There was a T shirt going around: " I survived the Battle". Enough said.
zamyrabyrd 1 year ago
@zamyrabyrd - When you mentioned you teach voice (especially as a source of authority), a person would be naturally curious to hear what you and/or or you students can do.
In addition, you use the "as a singing teacher" lead to suggest that your musical knowledge comes from a more informed point of view than widely respected members of the music world.
kinddude 1 year ago
If the soloist wants a faster tempo, then the orchestra should follow suit. Why was Ozawa fucking with her?
erginakif 1 year ago
Ain't half some pretentious twats on these threads! Just enjoy for fuck sake!!!!
jimdivax 1 year ago
Vangelis really unlocked her voice.. Check out Mythodia
zjbeast 1 year ago
Mozart is frequently cited as being much more difficult to sing than Puccini whose writing is very voice-friendly. To add to the collection - yet another scoop at 1:25 and taking a breath between 'vorrei morir', ungrammatical musically and textually. There are too many mistakes in this short aria that would not pass in a conservatory examination. Above all, her rushing ahead of the orchestra disqualities this performance as professional, whatever large fee she was getting for this appearance.
zamyrabyrd 1 year ago
@zamyrabyrd I am very interested in knowing where you get your information from and which of these you sing? And while I am asking questions, which conservatory are you a product of? or perhaps still studying at?
bravissima1 1 year ago
@zamyrabyrd Do you know how old she is? I'm sorry, but I don't see how you can sit there, listening to this performance and just criticise, criticise, criticise. Is that your profession? Music critic? Kathleen has more than enough performances which are incredible - both technically and musically - to allow for her to falter somewhat as she get older. She clearly did the best with what she still has...and despite the heavy breathing, it sounded pretty good to me.
JonathanGardnerTV 1 year ago
@JonathanGardnerTV 60 is not old for a singer, pace Monserrat Caballe, Magda Olivero, etc. If a pianist dropped so many notes, one would not hesitate to complain. There is so much wrong with a relatively simple aria, that just by presenting it with pomp, orchestra and costumes while charging good money for tickets pull the wool over the eyes of public. It is up to those who know something about music and singing to disabuse them and recommend they save their money instead.
zamyrabyrd 1 year ago
@zamyrabyrd Ermm, 60 is certainly getting on for a human-being...and as a human singer then yes, Battle is somewhat old. Secondly, you can not compare a piano - a mechanical instrument - to a voice.
JonathanGardnerTV 1 year ago
@zamyrabyrd A pianist's performance is not dictated directly by their health or age - as a singer's is much more likely to be. Battle can make money off of a so-so performance. Tough. She's earned the right to. Jealous?
JonathanGardnerTV 1 year ago
@JonathanGardnerTV Dancers and singers who are past their prime reitre and leave the stage for the new generation.
zamyrabyrd 1 year ago
@zamyrabyrd - Some claim to know "something" about singing & suggest that Kathleen Battle doesn't deserve the recognition or audience she has, as it seems you do.
Others also know "something" about music. One praises her in a recent interview (Denyce Graves); another asks her to sing with her at two separate important events (Alicia Keys); another gives her a STANDING ovation at a recent performance -- the only one of the event (Bono).
Fascinating.
kinddude 1 year ago
is that actually Kathleen Battle???????
Mspraisegirl1 1 year ago
@Mspraisegirl1 I'm not so studied as you, but this voice is the lightest of those listed on this aria. It's lovely.
cptlhll 1 year ago
LOL...STAY PRESSED, AND HATERS TO THE LEFT. Please, do post links to your resumes and stage experience. Oh, wait! I bet you experts don't have any, right?
You should be so lucky to be La Battle's water girl, or to hold Ozawa's baton. Idiots.
mmeetoilenoir 1 year ago
Hello everyone! If you are studying this aria I have an accompaniment and a diction video done by a professional company for study on my channel here on youtube. I hope you will take full advantage of it! =) Cheers!
classicalgal14 1 year ago
As a singer, I fail to see the issue. Some prefer heavier voices, but that's subjective. Kathleen does an excellent job with an "old warhorse". Her delivery is spot on, diction is good, notes are clean, there's no glottal or scooping and her portamento's are lovely. Name one contemporary, a classical singer who started in the early 70's that consistently sings as well or is still active? Saw her 2 months ago in Cincinnati and At 62 she still has it. That commands respect!
bravissima1 1 year ago 29
@bravissima1 First, this is a relatively easy aria for sopranos who learn it when just starting out. "The notes are clean." At 0.14, the Eb in caro is barely there and pronounced like aah in cat, not Italian. Some of her other O's betray an English background, also dipthonging the andarEH at .45. She is rushing ahead of the orchestra since she can't sustain these short, easy phrases. One of her typical scoops at 1.28, at 1:57 the voice is wavering. This would not pass in NY Paris or London.
zamyrabyrd 1 year ago
@zamyrabyrd This aria, much like Mozart is "easy" to sing poorly, not easy at all to sing well. It's all about long arching phrases which she delivers. The scoops you speak of are portamento's, found in the score pending the edition used. If you are going to fault her diction, the only thing you could accuse it of is being placed a little brightly, not uncommon for her or any other light soprano. I stand by my words and add that far worse has passed in all the places you cited!
bravissima1 1 year ago
@bravissima1 - The input of a person who has the sheet music and a personal understanding of the art of singing (being a singer) is truly valuable. Most intellectualize how a singer "should" perform. Only those who sing or who have listened to countless singers describe how challenging singing is, can people begin to understand and appreciate artists like Kathleen Battle whose technique, quality of sound, artistry, and diction are still better than many 1/2 her age...
kinddude 1 year ago
@bravissima1 Renee Fleming
doobeedoo58 4 months ago
Has been conductor and has been soprano, pretty pathetic. How are the famous diva tantrums? They usually fizzle out with the decline of the voice. She never had any class just a blown up ego.
zamyrabyrd 1 year ago
Kathleen Battle is a typical "soubrette soprano. Norina, Gilda or Despina - theese are the roles for Her. "O mio babbino caro" is far too demanding for her weak voice.
paweljaworskiRTS 1 year ago
Meh. It has nice moments, but her breathing is so urgent and her timbre is too light for this piece...needs some 'umph'.
4piglite 1 year ago
Indiscutiblemente a perdido brillo y vigor en la voz, pero su canto es bellísimo.
Rafufo56 1 year ago
I do not like it. She is pretty good in some other pieces on you-tube. Here she is pretty bad. I do not like much her voice in general. It seems to be too weak and much too light.
Nushika9 1 year ago
LOVES IT
SandrineSoprano 1 year ago
always dumbasses have to make everything about the color of someones skin
ItaWeed 1 year ago 9
So for you, more black american divas come to mind than white, but they as a group do not dominate.
FWIW, if person A can mistake person B for misquoting and splicing a sentence that person A just read, it is understandable that a person would not remember the black diva and american diva and black american diva comment made two weeks ago, after several other discussions have occurred.
kinddude 1 year ago
Jewelmarkess. Ok. So here is what you said, though you mention, " it was my mistake in omitting the word American in this particular quote." Where should the word "American" be inserted?
"I mentioned that I only look at American singers, as I don't believe you can talk about dominance of any group of singers from any one country in the world, and when I look back to last 50 years, more names of black divas come to mind. This is purely subjective."
Thanks!
kinddude 1 year ago
@kinddude Go back to the first comment I made in this conversation from 2 weeks ago, you'll see the word American there in almost the same sentence. In fact, throughout the conversation (with the exception of this one comment) I was pretty clear in that 1) among great AMERICAN (!) divas only during last 50 years, there are more great black divas than great white divas 2) there are too many great divas in the WORLD from all backgrounds to talk about one group's dominance.
jewelmarkess 1 year ago
ugh! i love her... but can you please count and follow the beat?!!!
sickdawgdarn 1 year ago
What happened to the corni at the beginning????? :-DDDDD
BimmelBimmel 1 year ago
Simply she is not as good as before.
ksflau 1 year ago
She is not good here. She seems to be in short of lung capacity.
jamesings 1 year ago
Poor Kathleen she had a cold or something.
Uruguruh 1 year ago
She's still got it.
castodivo 1 year ago
I love her voice!
kittypride2 1 year ago
Strange. I still hear a beautiful soprano, despite her respirtory problems.
MrJustin2782 1 year ago
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wow i would never have recgnized her simply by her looks - her voice still sounds youthful, however, it is visible her voice has gone into major decline since she has not been singing regularly for the last several years. Its a shame - she didnt have the maturity to get over herself and her stardom - unfortunately she has paid the price in the long run, but she will leave some pretty incredible performances as her legacy :)
magymae 1 year ago
wow i would never have recgnized her simply by her looks - her voice still sounds youthful, however, it is visible her voice has gone into major decline since she has not been singing regularly for the last several years. Its a shame - she didnt have the maturity to get over herself and her stardom - unfortunately she has paid the price in the long run, but she will leave some pretty incredible performances as her legacy :)
magymae 1 year ago
not her best performance.....
lngabrie 1 year ago
Mediocre
Caractecus 1 year ago
Boia! S'è inchiattita! Pare un cotechino... E poi sentite che italiano: Mi piace è béééllo, bèèllo.
opricnik 1 year ago
@opricnik ma dai! che ti frega del suo peso...cmq ahaahaha mi hai fatto ridere..sei simpatico/a... ciao!
boysoul1 1 year ago
@boysoul1 Simpatico, Simpatico. :-) Stefano.
opricnik 1 year ago
@opricnik ahahah ok! grazie della precisazione :P ciao!
boysoul1 1 year ago
@boysoul1 Comunque, sì: del suo peso non me ne frega nulla, era solo per fare una battuta; in circolazione non la vedevo più da un bel po'... e poi te la ritrovo gonfia come un topo :-). Ci sono altre cantanti che col tempo sono ingrassate MOLTO più di lei ma che, al contrario di lei, hanno mantenuto la voce. Cattivo? :-D
opricnik 1 year ago
@opricnik no non sei cattivo.Sei realista! ah comunque dicevo per dire.Lo so che scherzi! :P Purtroppo molte cantanti non sono in grando di capire che bisogna studiare per tutta la vita,che non si deve andare fuori repertorio,e che tutti abbiamo i nostri limiti.Poi chissà che succede a certi cantanti.Sono umani e invecchiano come tutti! ahahah gonfia come un topo ahahahha mi fai morire dalle risate..ma dove le prendi certe espressioni! XD
boysoul1 1 year ago
@boysoul1 Dalla provincia di Livorno, ecco da dove le prendo. E riguardo il repertorio: sai darmi una spiegazione alla Violetta della Dessay? O dobbiamo scomodare qualche grande scienziato per avere una risposta... ? :-D
opricnik 1 year ago
@opricnik ahah beh...vogliamo parlare della Norma della Gruberova e di(quasi)tutte le esibizioni della Netrebko? XD ..povero mondo in rovina...
boysoul1 1 year ago
It saddens me to see her like this... In the words of Beverly Sills, " [Her] voice had a long, nonstop career. It deserves to be put to bed with quiet and dignity, not yanked out every once in a while to see if it can still do what it used to do. It can't."
PianistandFencer 1 year ago
@PianistandFencer I'm not a professional, but I do know that it doesn't sound the way I THINK it should sound. This song usually gives me chills, but not this time. It doesn't sound fluid, there's no emotion and she doesn't do that thing where the note is loud and then fades out.
rellenoz 1 year ago
@rellenoz I understand, and I do agree with you - but we both need to remember she's 60 in this performance. As much as i wish she could still sound like the old Kathy, she never will again - her voice has gotten heavy from stress and fatigue, rather than that light celestial sound it once was. Regardless, she was once one of the greatest singers in the world, and who she was and the music she made won't ever be forgotten.
PianistandFencer 1 year ago
@PianistandFencer i second!!!
couturesixfour 1 year ago
@PianistandFencer - What did you think of her performance of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot from this same concert? By the way, wonderful quote from Ms. Sills who is actually referring to herself, lol. It begins, "My voice had a long, nonstop career" -- about 33 years according to wikipedia. Not bad. Not bad at all :-)
kinddude 1 year ago
@kinddude That's the reason behind the brackets. Using a quote for your own means by replacing the subject in brackets in order to put the quote into your own context...but I guess you may have missed the point. Thank you for your effort to enlighten me, however - shows you were paying attention.
Anyway, I think Kathy's voice is beautiful, but this concert, and all of the ones I have heard of her in her late 50s and 60s are disappointing. Just my opinion. I still love her and her artistry.
PianistandFencer 1 year ago
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@PianistandFencer - When you wrote:
" It saddens me to see her [KB] like this... In the words of Beverly Sills, " [Her] voice had a long...yanked out every once in a while to see if it can still do what it used to do. It can't."
Given the context and how antecedents usually work in a sentence, I naturally believed that it was a quote about Kathleen Battle. It is a great quote and thanks for sharing. It was also interesting though that [She] had not been talking about [her].
kinddude 1 year ago
@PianistandFencer - You wrote:
"It saddens me to see her like this... In the words of Beverly Sills, ' [Her] voice had a long, nonstop career...not yanked out every once in a while to see if it can still do what it used to do..."
Based on the grammatical concept of the antecedent, the majority of readers would not have guessed Sills was referring to herself...unless the original quote intact, "My voice had a long..."
I thanked you for the quote and clarified for myself & maybe others.
kinddude 1 year ago
@kinddude or simply trying to flaunt your 'knowledge' (or most likely google search)? I made that comment a long time ago and there really was no need for you to single it out in order to get a little attention.
PianistandFencer 1 year ago
@PianistandFencer - "First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye."
kinddude 1 year ago
@kinddude Great advice for some self-reflection you should probably be doing.
PianistandFencer 1 year ago
@PianistandFencer - Were you not the one who judged me by stating that I am "simply trying to flaunt [my] 'knowledge' ..." and "get a little attention"? If clarifying that Sills was speaking of herself is "flaunting knowledge" and "getting a little attention" , we very much see things differently.
FWIW, I try to self reflect and ask myself if I am judgemental and hypocritical. I know I fail from time to time. How about you? Do you self reflect? Do you fail from time to time?
kinddude 1 year ago
@kinddude with much reverence and sincerity, and that's exactly why I'm not getting so upset over such a simple issue.
PianistandFencer 1 year ago
@PianistandFencer - Great. Glad you are not getting so upset, simply because we clarified that Sills was referring to herself, since is still such a great quote. Take care.
kinddude 1 year ago
Ms. Kathleen Battles is #1.
TheUgreenagreen 1 year ago
Great, superb job Excellent performance Keep on going U never age Beautiful job & stay beautiful
shrrryl 1 year ago
Please delete this terrible presentation, she was the most beautiful and her voice was the most charismatic all times ever. What a pain I have to see what can happen with us all human race. She doesn deserves this insult. Let her be who was many years the great Kathleen Battle. Please
Gotthard38 1 year ago
@Gotthard38 This past weekend Kathleen Battle performed with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra where she sang "Una voce poco fa" -- it was incredible -- agile, light, stunning. She went on to perform a handful of Strauss Lieder including a stunning Morgen. Pieces that were far more difficult, yet pulled off better than this performance. All performers have off performances. Kathleen Battle's voice has changed with age, but this is just an off performance.
kinddude 1 year ago
It looked like she wasn't well. Too bad for the audience.
wsamran 1 year ago
I guess that at that age, travelling 12 hours by plane does tire a body system. It's just too bad it had to be recorded. Over all, she did have a great career and she was able to give extraordinary performances most of the time.
hullguy123 1 year ago
@hullguy123 MOST?
couturesixfour 1 year ago
@hullguy123 Good points.
kinddude 1 year ago
even her breathing is Beautiful!
TheUgreenagreen 1 year ago
Une voix comme le pétale d'une rose ! Merci Madame Battle
saturne46 1 year ago
Her breathing maybe ATROCIOUS, her diction crap and her technique not much better here B U T my dear lord, the beauty of her voice still shines through and that's something to "like"
JonathanGardnerTV 1 year ago
I agree that this isn't her best performance, but it is still pretty decent. Can't beat Kiri te Kanawa, though..
tzechuk 1 year ago
I don't care it's still beautiful!!! You all are tripping because you can hear her breathing!? Who gives a fuck! it's still a beautiful rendition and performance by the one and only Kathleen Battle! Some people are just so petty. Let'd hear yours or can you please sing it the way you think it should go so I can give you my honest opinion? To all you petty ass haters, geez!
That1xguy 1 year ago 2
@That1xguy Like you, the rest of us are entitled to post our opinions (althouh I haven't read anyone cussing you out because of yours). Get a grip and save your obscene rhetoric for elsewhere. It's ridiculous for you to take other's comments so personally.
v1x4g2 1 year ago
Would someone please enlighten me as to what happened to this soprano's career, not to mention her voice. This is not the artist I remember at all!
v1x4g2 1 year ago
oh my.....
allstatebass 1 year ago
That wasn't her breathing like that, they added it on to mess up her performance. Look close and you can see that she isn't taking the deep exhausted breaths you hear.
dacianey3 1 year ago
@dacianey3 nooo, sorry, thats her.
jorlando91 1 year ago
Loud breathing and all, I loved it. Very sweet performance, indeed. Thank you very much for sharing :)
YaelBerman 1 year ago
no no no..please..
uranoinpesci 1 year ago
i feel sorry for her voice....over used or just a part of not using it for a long time...correctly. her voice needs to rest and long sleep and don't smoke.
pacificfist 1 year ago
In her prime she was wonderful, but this recent performance magnifies her weaknesses - exaggerated breathing (really bad!), weak tone within the staff (almost inaudible at times), and a tendency to "overround" vowels above the staff. Neverthless, there are flashes that reveal the beauty of her silvery sound and her ability to communicate simply and directly (when not overdoing the divaness).
mjmacmtenor 1 year ago
Terrible. She is an ex-soprano. no more voice, an uncertain sound, no breath. Appalling performance in a comparatively "easy" aria usually sung by "old"voices without much trouble.
Added to that a strong english accent. She'd better retire.
tysa888 1 year ago
Somebody please remove this - This is portraying a voice we dont know from Kathleen Battle! Goodness its terrible!
SoulNotes1 1 year ago
how old is she here?
cantanteporsiempre 1 year ago
@cantanteporsiempre The video is said to be shot in 2008. That makes her 60 here. :)
dfgrbtr 1 year ago
@dfgrbtr Thank you!
cantanteporsiempre 1 year ago
She still has such a tinkling bright voice... Pure delight.
(Shall I say she's the only black singer who is able to sing operatic pieces truly well. I'm no racist, it's merely an opinion.)
dfgrbtr 1 year ago
@dfgrbtr Maybe she is just the only black singer that has gotten good enough breaks to be heard by you. You have not heard all the black operatic singers that are trying to make a career for themselves in opera.
Hemmeditha 1 year ago
@Hemmeditha Woah, I've heard others, I didn't like them. It doesn't mean you can't love them. I can think of Grace Bumbry, though, she made quite a good Carmen.
And I think that white voices do not match with black music either. Or folk music from India, for instance. So what?
You know that's one big problem with the world. When you say black, you're regarded as a racist. And yes there are physical differences between races. When did I tell you one is generally superior to the other?
dfgrbtr 1 year ago 13
@dfgrbtr Each culture produced musical geniuses that set trends. Geographical boundaries and tribalism kept those musical trends within each culture. Globalism now gives artists access to all musical styles and artists should perform in the genre of their choice regardless of race. The problem is that some people still have boundaries on their minds. White music, black music...give me a break. You are stuck in tribalism and are an equal opportunity racist.
Hemmeditha 1 year ago
@Hemmeditha You're probably a JEW, I guess. XD
originalszalonna 1 year ago
@originalszalonna Ha Ha Ha!!!!! You just proved my point! I'm not a JEW you idiot. Are you a member of the KKK, the Tea Party, or just a die hard, ultra conservative republican. You guys always deny what you are, but you aren't smart enough to hide your true natures. You have chains on your brain.
Hemmeditha 1 year ago
@Hemmeditha I can imagine you desperately browsing the net looking for keywords like blacks, racism etc. to leave I'll-tell-you-what comments under videos that have nothing to do with discrimination...
You know what? I'd rather have, what you named as, chains on my brain than letting it fall out.
This is a fantastic performance. That's all.
dfgrbtr 1 year ago
@dfgrbtr I rarely watch YouTube but your comment was so offensive that I had to respond. You still are clueless or just refuse to admit to yourself who you are. Taking chains off your brain would cause the brain to have increased blood flow and open up to new learning and broadened appreciation. It would not fall out. I'm sure you truly believe you are not a racists and bigot, but you are. You are offensive.
Hemmeditha 1 year ago
@Hemmeditha Will you stop posting things that are not related to this video, if I let you think I'm racist, offensive and stuff? Happy now?
You may discuss this in private, if you wish (and if I wish to go on at all... there's no point, though).
This has nothing to do with this lovely performance.
dfgrbtr 1 year ago
@Hemmeditha (You call me offensive, although it's only you who uses labels as idiot, racist, bigot and so forth...)
dfgrbtr 1 year ago
@dfgrbtr I forgot about you only to find 2 post from you this morning. You provided the thoughts, I just labeled what you said. People like you limit other people. If an audience feels only whites are good at one type of music, Indians another type, etc., artists are limited in what they can express. All music belongs to the world, not just to certain groups of people. Your preferences stem from who you are, not from the performances of the artists, whatever their race.
Hemmeditha 1 year ago
@Hemmeditha Says who? A member of a nation that thinks Europe is a country and can't locate their own country on a world map? (Now this is a stereotype. Happy?) :D
dfgrbtr 1 year ago
@dfgrbtr Obviously not isolationists like you. Most musicians consider music a universal language. I'm a musician and you are one of those people who makes the world a difficult place to live in. National and ethnic pride are fine, but exclusivity is not. Many of the world's major conflicts stemmed from one group of people acting superior to another. DNA say NO!!!! Everything you say confirms what you are so why don't you wear the labels with pride.
Hemmeditha 1 year ago
@Hemmeditha Theeeere you are... XD
dfgrbtr 1 year ago