Joan Sutherland - 3 Hoffmann Heroines - Olympia

[pipposback2]

"Sing all three roles in Hoffmann? My dear, would you pay me three salaries?" - Maria Callas

[andrecooper555]

Was that a trill or a wide tremolo? A wide tremolo is all that many singers can manage but not the great Sutherland! So what was that? An intended comic effect? A bad night? Or a bad/different trill for her (but a superb trill in most people's arsenal)? ....How could I say it was a "bad" trill??? It was a fast alternation of 2 notes...so it was a good trill, but not as "tight" as normal for her.

[leprincebeaumont]

Che dire? La più grande di tutte! Favolosa!

[altanotte]

The voice was like a laser beam even at this stage in her career. The overly fast tempo did not bother her at all. Great comic acting too. Brava!

[highbaritone]

This is a final dress rehearsal for a live performance that never happened, Thanks to an industrial dispute. I was there in the lobby when it was announced that the performance was cancelled. A very sad day to say the least, as you can see it was to be televised. So we have a little history here of Joan at about 56 singing all the rolls. Really the only one who could have in her time. A one of, just like the other great other singers who stood out!

[TreblesBasses]

WHERE IS THIS?

[DazFromOz]

This is at the Sydney Opera House. It was the dress rehearsal. The performance was supposed to be broadcast live but was called off because of a musician's strike. So we're very lucky to have this record of her in the three roles, even at this late stage of her career.

[operagirl529]

too fast, but beautiful!

[iriisblue]

Sutherland had the greatest technique ever. As for her diction, it's just opened vowels, which almost all high voices employ to some degree. The Dame had this aria transposed down 1/2 step for this final engagement, which took place in 1985 on the eve of her 60th b-day. So, she sing's high D's instead of E-flats. Big deal. She's entitled to it. As for Tebaldi, on the only major role I know of her transposing was Traviata, and only the first act, which many soprani do.

[beejayem76]

I prefer him as Les Patterson

[Giorwell]

Eso es maestria de canto y lo demas son tonterias!!!!! Bravo por LA STUPENDA!!!

[Ulrica75]

E' un po caotica!!!

Non si capisce cosa faccia, e mancano anche delle note!!!

O mamma mia!!!

[leprincebeaumont]

@Ulrica75 ma ti rendi conto delle stronzate che hai il coraggio di dire? più rispetto per un mostro di bravura cha a 58 anni si permette di cantare così strepitosamente bene Olympia!

[flicfan416]

As far as i'm concerned, Joan could just stand still on stage and not sing at all, and I would still enjoy it more than Maria Callas

[operagirl529]

agreed but callas was one of the greatest actresses of the century. thats what made her famous, not her voice.

[andrecooper555]

@operagirl529 Callas did have dazzling coloratura, and great drama in her voice. You don't have to see her to hear her "acting". Her voice may be an acquired taste, but once you acquire the taste you love it can't get enuf of her....not all of her recordings were great tho...even if you've acquired the taste.

[LeCoconut]

@flicfan416 bahahaha agreed! and i dont even really like sutherland!

[yglofmi]

@flicfan416 really? she is so ugly!

[aircat29]

@flicfan416 ME TOO BUT CALLAS IS CALLAS...

[flicfan416]

@aircat29 Yeah, I agree, a lot of my anti -callas remarks were made ignorant of her earlier recordings. She now holds a very large place in my heart

[JEANHIKER]

Joan is so bad here! I've seen her in better performances. She's flat lots of times, out of tune sometimes. And the interpretation is horrible. I think she's too old to kid as a doll.She could acare anyone like that. That's a crazy doll! It's strange. I did'nt like it. There are other sopranos there who do it more convincingly. She's poor! Woe betide her! Maybe it's the effects of age!!???!?!

[liebestod11]

Mom! I hate that doll! It scares me!!

[thomastmwc]

I dislike the doll song..... bad melody

[Elgranbajo]

Taht IS why she was called La stupenda...bravissima! I´m impressed. she was about 58 y.o. And even all of those movements on the stage couldn´t avoid a magnificent vocal line, excellent fiato and amazing tessitura...Wow

[widorfan]

ye4ah i thought this was in E bu8t its in Ab . its lucrezia Borgia and Bell song that are in E

[VirnAlfakyn]

Obviously whomever says Dame Joan Cannont act has never seen her preformance as Olympia

[Lohengrin]

fabulous example of a voice that aged in a totally unique way: wide tremolo at middle notes (00 34, 00 38, 3 08 and 3 12) while coloratura and high notes remain intact with a fantastic resonance, clarity and volume. I dont know a single other voice that only the middle voice developed tremolo while the top register remained intact

[iriisblue]

The mid-voice tremolo you observe did not appear in later performances. For example, the 1986 LUCIA and others. Here, though, factors to consider are that this is a dress rehearsal (most singers very tired; many often mark) and this is, essentially, Sutherland's warm-up. She did not do pre-performance vocalizing. But, yes, the entire status of the instrument, and its size, remained remarkably intact for 40 years.

[Lohengrin]

the tremolo in her middle voice appeared in 1976 and remained "intact" till her end... it is enormous in her Regardez les ces yeux in her studio performance of Esclarmonde (i think its 1978???) Only the top register+coloratura remained healthy The middle voice was terribly aged especially after 1980

[33blueberries]

The woman knew how to sing, and her deployment of the head voice is *incomparable* to any other singer on record (that I've heard), but the middle was droopy (splitting hairs) even in 1964, if you listen to the Norma recorded in that year. If I were to put words to it, I'd say that it's something to do with that role (because you need more power in the middle-low end for Norma, something the head voice doesn't provide) and something to do with the, ahem, Bonynge obsession with legato.

[DazFromOz]

A little bit of trivia - the performer playing Spalanzani at the harp is none other than a very young Anthony Warlow is one of his early appearances for the opera before he went on his huge successes in Les Miz and Phantom.

[DazFromOz]

I was there the night this performance was cancelled due to a musician's strike - it was going to be recorded for TV but they had to call the whole show off. How angry do you think the audience was??!! All I can say is thank you thank you THANK YOU for this tiny glimpse of what we all missed out on. They just don't make sopranos like her any more!!

[ritchiereech]

She was 58 when this was recorded, and this performance is still awsome. She could do a glorious Olympia. The best.

[meltzerboy]

Quite a big doll with a big voice, but a glorious one and sung with comic flair. Who else can sing this aria with such agility? Some critics thought Sutherland's Olympia superior to her Giulietta and Antonia.

[FABRIZIO82]

How could one thank you enough for all these gems. Gracious me, this is maybe the most glorious singing ever recorded.

[g420730a]

Wow,so rare! We always see the concert performance of the doll song by Sutherland, but not the full stage performance. As usual, her performance was incomparable! Favourite Olympia.

[Hako2004]

In her prime Sutherland's Olympia was incomparable. No one can make the trills and staccatti with the same precision and brilliance. Her Olympia is also so much larger than the pip-squeak variety.

[nicevidbro]

I admire her a lot, but i never liked her Olympia, though. =S

[marioegorga]

Coloraturafan, I can't thank you enough you do bring back so many wonderful memories , seeing Joan live was just unforgettable.

[marioegorga]

Coloraturafan, I can't thank you enough you do bring back so many wonderful memories , seeing Joan live was just unforgettable.

[andreasscholl]

This so wonderfull....ha ha!

Love her in this.

Later in the career, but still the best.

Hail La Stupenda!!!!!!!

[magicmonkichi]

hahaha yay! Thanks Coloraturafan! I'm surprised the applause wasn't more intense.

[drdre333]

She does a good job reigning in the huge instrument to do this, though it's a stretch for me... I love the seamless connection to chest voice (rare for her around this part of her career) just near the end at the lower part of the run...

[Jabe88]

Indeed, fantastic!

[yiudiumui]

i love this...she's fantastic