Angela Gheorghiu - Chi il bel sogno di Doretta

[zany59]

chapeau!!!!!!

[rythmbaby]

i agree that sometimes her spelling slips a little and that she goes too low, but this is the best interpretation i have found so far!!

subtleness and strength in the same time

[darkstarr77b]

Attention hwhap13: I believe Leontyne Price is still very much alive. I also agree with you regarding her capability.

[hsfhpslp99]

A wonderful voice

[hwhap13]

NOBODY can sing that aria (di Doretta from "La Rondine") as Angela. Only Leontyne Price (RIP) could, but of all the singers alive Angela is the top. BRAVA!

[stephon327]

I absolutely love to here Angela sing this it's one of my fav's

Oh and Leontyne Price is still alive.

[JuillHope17]

leontyne price isn't dead, are oyu kidding me? that was one of the dumbest opera comments on youtube ever, sorry. but angela is AMAZIGN here, truly. there's some problems in her voice, and some pronounciation and vowel problems, but it gives her a beautiful difinitive sound... i only wish there was a recording of her singing this when she was younger, because vocal decline has subtly started to set into her voice, sadly... but when she was young and amazing, this would have been PERFECT.

[kincsem1]

true.. saw her in it at the Royal Opera House and she's note perfect- every action and expression as well. She's is so good value for you money if you ever get to go and watch her perform. Such tasteful interpretations as hers are rare; no wild flapping, inaudible low notes, tuneless vibrato or shrieking tops. Perfection.

[jgh37]

@hwhap13 Leontyne Price is still alive!!!!!! helloooooo!!!

[maharal7]

I just heard hear (live) in La Rondine. If anything, she was even better than in this video excerpt and sparkled throughout the whole opera. No mean feat, since Magda isn't an easy character to identify with!

[musoph21]

she hit that note at 7:15 like it wasnt anything...Angela is the best...so effortless!

[musKS53]

I have listened to this 2 pieces umpteen times ever since I came across Angela, and everytime I enjoy them thoroughly and replay them constantly in the course of the evening - the singing and interpretation are just about perfect. The singing is simply breath-taking! Thank You GrandMaestro for posting this!!

[filiodecallas]

Angela me encanta en muchas de sus célebres interpretaciones. Pero MOntserrat Caballé en este rol es única. Angela nos regala una personalidad especial por su sencillez. No es posada ni falsa, ni siquiera en su manera de cantar.

[nichtsleezy]

I prefer listening to Leonyne's and Kiris's voices for this aria.

[musoph21]

this is the best i've heard her. Beautiful phrasing...and beautiful pianniassimo notes. OMG. Angela is the best!

[gerryrains]

I have only recently become aware of Angela Gheorghiu, but listening to her on YouTube, I realize that listening to her has pleased be more than listening to any other soprano (yes, including Callas, Fleming, Price, et al). I even place her above Caballe, albeit by the slenderest of margins.

[rubenmsk]

I love this woman! !!!!!!

never I will tire to say it, she is one of the best singers of puccini currently, their high notes are prefects

[musKS53]

Such a rich great VOICE, such technical refinement, great musical rendition, stage presence and visual beauty and appeal to top it off - need I say more. She may not sing every arias and songs better than every other great sopranos, but she is my favorite soprano, as I derive such great joy from listening to her, and seeing her perform.

[musKS53]

Anyone know where I can get/buy this video?

[gerryrains]

You can download any YouTube video at no expense, assuming that you have any of the three XP OSs (Home, Professional, and Media Center Editions). You only need to download two small, easily installed freeware programs. The first, cinemaforgelite, downloads any YouTube video into the .flv format. Theoretically, it can change formats but this seems to be theory only and not fact. (to be continued)

[gerryrains]

However, since flvplayer1.33 does exactly what the title suggests, it plays any video in a .flv format. flvplayer1.33 (version is verrrry important) never fails. cinemaforgelite fails to download on occasion, but this occurs primarily with old recording, e.g. David Oistrakh, the great violinist who died in 1974. Use the Wizard with cinemaforgelite - the advanced option is totally unnecessary. (continued)

[gerryrains]

Once you have installed flvplayer 1.33 you don't ever have to look at the program or shortcut again. cinemaforgelite creates a subfolder called Video Downloads (just what it says) and when you double click on a video that you have downloaded flvplayer1.33 is automatically activated. Do install a shortcut to Video Downloads. As to buying the video I recommend Tower dot com. I hope that this helps you.

[gerryrains]

As of one hour after I posted the three above comments, the makers of cinemaforgelite have rendered the program unusable in order to sell a $50 substitute which, according to user reviews, does not work at all. I am now out a wonderful program which I am trying to replace. MY APOLOGIES TO ALL. BTW, flvplayer1.33 still works on all .flv videos that I have previously downloaded.

[lohengrinmadrid]

Nice... But, have u heard Caballe??? After hearing the miracle of Montserrat Caballe, let s talk...

[sancarlo]

I have to agree with CraigFrancisSoto here: when I listen to Caballe' in "Chi il bel sogno" I cry like a baby and I don't even know why, since the piece is not sad. It must be the combination of the beauty of the voice and the beauty of the music.

[Brewer1989]

I just don't understand how anyone can be a fan of opera and not love her

[laxjetbear]

I have a recording of Renee Fleming singing this aria. It is, without doubt, the best I have ever heard. Ms Gheorghiu I adore, but her voice records very sharply, like Callas'--razor-sharp w/a hard edge. But you MUST hear her (& her husband) to appreciate the beauty of the voice. I had always heard Callas' recordings were nothing like hearing her live, but never understood what they meant. I saw Angela & Roberto in "La Boheme. NOW I understand.

[musoph21]

I recently downloaded Renee Fleming's version of this song and i have to agree with you. It is beautiful. I think Angela's and Renee's version are both good but i have to admit that Renee's vibrato is out of this world. She's very soulful. I wish someone would post her version on her. Its so beautiful.

[sexybcl21]

Of course shes a great actress and has a wonderful voice. And her beauty is stunning! Love her!

[bramdm]

Does anyone has a video of her when she sings at this same concert the Brell-song?

[CraigFrancisSoto]

This is a very nice rendition of this brief,beautiful aria from La Rondine.Gheorghiu has a pleasing timbre and tone.However,seek out the recording Caballe made of this in the 70's. It is far and away the most beautiful interpretation of this I've ever heard.Her mezza voce and pianissimi singing on it is beyond description!

[OperaBR]

Both arias sound great in Gheorghiu's voice! Her pianissimi are some of the most beautiful and haunting sounds I've ever heard and her phrasing and style are unique. She's got a musicality that is rare nowadays, being able to convey dramaticism and emotion only through the colours and the phrasing. She does know how to sing Puccini! And Marguerite's aria is also lovely, for a lyric soprano I think her coloraturas are very spontaneous and beautiful!

[nuclearphyllis]

Thank you, Tenorboy. I stand corrected on both points.

[nuclearphyllis]

What's up with all the gay caddy remarks from you useless opera "snobs"?  The woman is doing what you all can't...get a life!

[Tenorboy29307]

Well, I think the remarks definitely have nothing to do with being gay and even less to do with golfing. :-)

[Tenorboy29307]

Very lovely.

[silveropera]

What's with the heavy chest voice in Magda's aria? Also, what's with the condor conducting? If he flaps his wings any harder, he's gonna fly away. Marguerite's aria is lovely.

[miroiruniversel]

Her first tempo is wird!

[puccinilover]

yeah not a good conductor hes not working with her it's almost like hes working against her

[weloveannanetrebko]

I prefer her and Renee Flemming's version of this to the previously mentioned Cabelle (sounds quite old, too strong and forced). I really like Angela Gheorghiu's voice and stage presence

[Villainesse1]

I didn't know Morticia Adams sang opera!!!

[Jitpring]

Of course saying this doesn't have snob value, but this lovely woman is every bit on the level of the greatest. See her legendary La Traviata performance on DVD. Simply phenomenal.

[orovalleydude]

Very interesing. I wonder why her upper chest drops and collapses at the end of each phrase, and why she pulls her upper lips over her teeth on some vowels? Caballe and Price never did that sort of thing.

[canadacub]

Very interesting indeed. Do you think she collapses her lips around something else, if you know what I mean? No teeth, please!

[Zerlin735]

That's exactly the way she got where she is - it's a known fact in the business. That and leeching off the success of her husband. To say this is the height of mediocrity is an understatement.

[docjocknola]

Funny...most people I know (ALL educated musicians) think Fleming is a manufactured, mediocre MESS

[DemonTaoist]

At least Fleming has manufactured her own beautiful voice instead of just using her immense talent to be a cheap imitation of sopranos past.

Gheorghiu is boring charicature of a soprano imo. Which is too bad because her voice is literally unbelievable.

[JDOopera76]

Fleming sounds like f*ing Miss Piggy!!! She does not manufacture "her own beauftiful voice"...if she sang without "trying" to sound "operatic" maybe she would be something, but really, listen to her speak, then listen to her sing - two COMPLETELY different sounds...that is just not right! And to be so revered for it! OMG

[DemonTaoist]

Whether she has annoying affectations or not, she sings with heart and soul Gheorghiu could only dream of. And for the record, Gheoghiu has her own incredibly annoying affectations. Just listen to her Rondine recording.

[orovalleydude]

She is charming and beautiful, but she does not standup against Caballe or Price doing this extremely challenging aria. This aria is one of the reasons that La Rondine is simply not done much any more.

[VerdianoBR]

Here she's really not in the same level as Caballé or Price, but in her studio recording she's the definitive interpreter of La Rondine's Magda. Her pianissimi are heavenly and her legato is simply unbelievable. You should hear her! Here, the advantage is that we can see her irresistible charm, but the pianissimi, while still wonderful, aren't as good as previously. ;-)

[corinaileana]

hello, hello...maybe Gheorghiu is not Caballe or Price, but at least she doesn't look like a kiosk. Overall, her voice and her looks and the way she keeps herself make her one of the biggest sopranos of the moment...and her repertoire is quite big, as well. She is warm and passionate, and this is what I want to see when i go to the opera, not walking kiosks that demolish the stage, no matter how good their voices are.

[AnnaOdry]

What a charming singer, what a beautifull voice!:)

[coryisasleep]

Lovely! Thanks for posting this!