Bellini's Romeo: Entrance aria (V Kasarova in Dresden 1998)

[Agnetich]

Ahhhhh. That IS something great...

What a pity she is going to retire the role...

And what a pity I don"t see any chances to watch the said Munich performance...as well any other Vesselina"s performances.

*cries bitterly*

[trousermezzo]

Excellent! This music really suits her. I wish I could see this on stage!

[SDCmorg]

I hope you'll get to, matie. :o) She's apparently planning to retire the role in Munich in 2010. I hope they'll tape it for DVD release or something.

[Arashi110]

Dunno how anyone can say she has "small voice". Do they have ears or what? This spinto blast can knock the gates out!! Truly amazing in contrast with the voice she's speaking with.

All right, I'm off to my Prayers Corner™! ;))

[rrreverb]

This is absolutely, absolutely mind-blowing. Her characterization is wonderfully palpable. I had my first taste of her I Capuleti studio recording today. It's fabulous, don't get me wrong, but she sounds so much more alive here. And those low notes ! Thrilling, indeed. Ah, how I lament the fact that I'll probably never see her on the stage... !

[SDCmorg]

No worries, mate. I'm of the same opinion. :o) I didn't think there could be a more real to life Romeo than what I heard in the RCA CD until I heard this air-check from Dresden. It's been stuck in my stereo for like...forever. ;o)

If you can make it to Munich in 2010 or 2011, I think she's singing a farewell run of this opera there. G'luck!

[rrreverb]

Man, it's a full 24 hours later, and this is still the only thing I've been listening to all day long. I'm a newcomer to Frau Kasarova, still in that "honeymoon period" when I simply can't get enough of her.  (Although I have a feeling that's not going to go away... !) I wish they'd release a DVD recording of her Romeo. This might be blasphemy, but I adore all those glottal attacks that she smooths over in her studio recordings. *sigh* I'm completely smitten.

[SDCmorg]

Heh. Yup, she takes a lot of craps for the glottal attacks and register breaks and low chest voice, but her use of them is what makes her so fascinatingly different. And they make her characterization so convincing.

I'm glad she dares to be different and be both loved and hated for it rather than just singing conventionally like most other singers do and be uncontroversial about her style. Critics come and go, but original artists like her are unforgettable. Thanks for stopping by! :o)

[Arashi110]

As we all are, mate,! ^_~ She's fabulous! *goes off to drool*

[Arashi110]

Holy sh*t, HOW can a WOMAN have an attitude many men can learn from?! Her first "Ostinati! E tal sarà" just sweeps me off my chair! *_*

[SDCmorg]

Heh, it'd take a retarded fool to mess with this Romeo indeed, matie. Some other Romeo's sound like he'll slap you.... this one will literally bite your head off and roast the rest of ya' in an open flame. Makes me want to bolt for the door and hide under a bed or something. :o)

[Arashi110]

Ah, that's not actually what I meant. You're right, of course, but I admit I was swept off my chair by a fit of hormones rather than fear. ^_~

How're you doing, by the way?

[SDCmorg]

Da testosterone! Da testosterone! ;o)

[Arashi110]

I like this and the Paris version much better than the one on the CD, probably because of the magnificent 'Sì, costerà!' in the end when her mighty voice soars above the orchestra and the choir. What a spinto, wow! I think she could knock the gates out with it. %)

I hope I'm not plaguing you with my constant ramblings. ^^'' It's just I've nobody else to talk to about Kasarova and opera in general. If it's bothering you, I apologize.

[SDCmorg]

No worries, matie! I love it. :o) She (like her mentor, Gruberova) is quite underrated here, I think. I keep bugging my local opera house to engage her on a bel canto or baroque opera, but nothing comes of it. :o( It's great meeting another fan of great singing-acting! :o)

[SDCmorg]

I love this air check more than the CD, too. It's more electric (she's more spontaneous than most on studio CDs, but even she is better live). Our critics dislike her 'disconnected' low notes, I love the way she uses them in live shows. They 'jolt' me in just the right way to highlight Romeo's passion, you know. :o) And I bet those who think she has 'small voice' just hadn't heard her live... ;oP

[Arashi110]

If I were Giulietta, I'd immediately fall for this Romeo, too. O:)

[SDCmorg]

She is amazing, ay? Attitudes and passion flowing through every note... a woman-killer! ;o)

[Arashi110]

Yep! I gave some excerpts from her recording to people, completely unfamiliar with the idea of Romeo as mezzo, and they too said 'Wow, what a Romeo!'.

[SDCmorg]

You know, I'm praying that either Paris Opera or Dresden or Chicago had video taped a performance of this opera with Kasarova's Romeo! There isn't enough DVDs of it, and none is to my liking yet. If the 'Tosca' of Tebaldi could surface after some 50 yrs... there's gotta be a video of Kasarova's Romeo somewhere! :o)