Mirella Freni as Manon Lescaut "Sola, perduta, abbandonata"

[ElSalvador50]

Let me pick my jaw up off the floor now

[francescop1023]

La Scotto canta obiettivamente peggio, ma il suo " Non voglio morire" è da brividi

[neneorganico]

@francescop1023 Scotto è sdraiata con emozione, falso e clown

[normabelini1]

Bravisimo!!!!!

[kathowell08]

From Wikipedia: "She was a musically gifted child and sang "Un bel dì vedremo" in a radio competition at age ten. The tenor Beniamino Gigli warned her, however, that she risked ruining her voice and advised her to give up singing until she was older. She resumed singing at age 17."

I wished these other children that tried to sing opera at a young age (Jackie Evancho, Charlotte Church, etc) would listen to experts. STOP AND WAIT!

[DavidoffGustav]

one of the reasons i love this.. is she is singing live.. but is always in control .... you don't know that she is singing.. just acting.

[kaliman2025]

Mirella Freni the great veteran is no longer at her peak here, yet her performance is great and dramatic; she puts her heart and soul into everyone of her performances and passes those emotions on to the audience, that's one of the reasons we love her so much; the version of this opera that she did with Placido Domingo around 1983 is the best version I've ever heard; her "tutto e finito" is unique.

[Mixtupabit]

Puccini would have loved Freni..perfect for his "heroines" ..Turnadot excepted..Liu would have suited her better..

[DavidoffGustav]

@Mixtupabit she only sang liu... i just, like kjarjan would have loved to hear this fantastic voice sing touradot

[Lembas21]

Che Voce!

[alfonsorama1]

Yo estuve en esas funciones que canto Freni junto con el tenor Peter Dvorsky. Que recuerdos. Mirella estuvo increible, maravillosa.

[sefjet]

Yo también estuve en una de esas funciones. Que tiempos.

[EliseAnge]

BRAVA! BRAVA!!!!

[DavidoffGustav]

freni was best at what ever she took on wish she had sung Tourandot... such a rich and expressive voice

[MenaOperaHouse]

Grandisima, no hay una voz tan bella como la de la Frenni, MARAVILLOSA , aprendan a cantar con el corazon como lo hace ella, Gracias

[30martin082007]

Molto brava!

[bellinianodoc]

Bellissima voce, ma a furia di ricercare l'effettone, non solo non riesce a stare a tempo (...e in piedi), ma diviene anche enfatica e finta. E con una musica sublime come questa se l'interprete ci mette anche un pizzico di verità...

E poi naturalmente grandissimo Puccini: il dialogo fra i legni dell'orchestra è veramente da manuale d'orchestrazione.

[lealidellavita]

può avere gli acuti rotondi ma è totalmente fuori musica......il tempo è essenziale

[Connie193]

this is SO awesome!! really takes my breath away. Mirella is such a great singer!!

[powerinpraise2000]

I am not a Freni fan...but this is fierce. I like her in heavier rep.

[DavidoffGustav]

heavier rep? Manon Lescaut is heavy... hours of singing and then the major battle with the orchestra at the end of this aria... ?

[powerinpraise2000]

@DavidoffGustav meaning i like her in this. I like her in Manon Lescaut and Don Carlo and things more along those lines.

[TheBasilio]

@powerinpraise2000 LA mejor Elizabetha y la mejor Mimi

[ashtonky]

Simply Manon! All the others stay a step above.

[ZsaZsadoll]

Beautiful voice 10 out of 10 and wonderful acting too!

[MastersoftheOpera]

Mirella Freni e stupenda, e diva...una voce bella e dramatica....ella e veramente Manon Lescaut...io amo questa versione

[MrMusicOpera]

La superiorità della Scotto è palese.

La Freni canta con una patata in bocca, dizione ed ortepia totalmente assenti, cio si ripercuote ovviamente sulla qualità sonora.

La Maestra Scotto fa della parola un arma vocale e interpretativa, peccato che oggi si sentono solo cantanti ululanti.

[MrLupo23]

QUesto ruolo sembra fatto apposta per lei.

[mahlerichter]

Grande.....

[30martin082007]

Maravillosa, en un audio que oì en el programa de radio peruano "Antología Lírica" pusieron esta aria y en aquel audio se la oìa aún más intensa. Brava Freni!!!

[FenenaVerdi]

Renata Scotto è grandiosa, pero non per questi ruoli... Scotto non è mai riuscuta a fare gli acuti belli rotondi brillanti come la Freni. E qui, l'interpretazzione è da Dio.

Brava Mirella !

[primadivo]

this is a thing of wonder from a woman at 55.. a rare gem which any soprano should aim to be in this aria

[matiasbustafan]

Maravillosa... simplemente MIRELLA FRENI...

[opera1dan2]

I'm a massive Freni fan. I guess the way she chooses not to actually sing certain notes during the more passionate moments ight not be to everyone's taste. But when she does sing it's so beautiful that all is forgiven. I like her dramatic exclamations, but it's also nice to listen to an artist who sings each note, whilst still expressing the emotion. Brava Freni and thanks for the post.

[jprt1990]

Great stuff...and, as a neat coincidence, performed on the very day I was born!

[mwalsh2008]

Wow. Was there ever anyone better at portraying Puccini's ladies? Not that I can think of (except for Turandot, a departure from the norm). But Mimi, Manon, Butterfly, Liu, even Tosca--just about the best. And she was 55 here. Amazing.

[nclysander]

She was a great Mimi (pretty much the best) and Manon, but I don't believe she sang the other roles you mentioned onstage - certainly not Tosca and Butterfly. And she was probably wise in doing so, too.

[TelloCallas]

Freni es un milagro, increible, que emocion, que agudos.Lo mejor que he escuchado en mi vida.

[ecabsop]

"Amore aita" was amazing! Freni is a GOD!

[saturne46]

Magnifique chanteuse. Très forte interprétation. Bravo !

[gomongio]

Piú bella!

Freni is a great sopran and that's a great prove of that, in a role very well performed.

Puccini's sense of melodic tragedy kills me... I do love this aria and its dark atmosphere

[sarado88]

Bravissima!! La più grandi!! Fantastic Freni!!

[primu2002]

the best performance oh this role...

Sublime

[yes4albert]

Brava,Freni! When I first heard Freni sing this role on a Met broadcast, I remember thinking,

"This is the best performance of this aria I've ever heard." I still feel that way.

[0valfreya0]

mi favorita!...her passion affects her voice in a good way.

[dulcamara66]

Mirella E' Manon.. Mimì..Liu .Mirella è IL CANTO.

[longlifeluke]

credo che Puccini non poteva avere interprete migliore....sembra che l'abbia composta per lei...^_^

[FSebastiano]

Grandissima interpretazione, grande interprete, grande voce, anche se io preferisco la mitica Renata Tebaldi :)

[Orbazzano]

Divina!! La più GRANDE!!!

[macciboma]

Freni immensa interprete di questa meravigliosa

aria,a gusto mio ancor meglio,la Scotto pure

eccedendo in alcune spinte di voce.

[macciboma]

Grande Mirella canto sublime accorato, recita perfetta,bella voce. Ho un dubbio se ritenerla

la migliore in questa aria, ma la Scotto la

ritengo più brava anche se eccede nelle spinte di voce.Onore a PUCCINI per questa musica.

[11Believer]

Mi associo pienamente! La Freni è grandiosa ma Renata Sotto è un altra categoria!!!!! fa venire i brividi!

[macciboma]

Hai ragione anchio preferisco la Scotto.

[Gigglingatagas]

Plus, I love the hair flip at 3:12, haha

[Gigglingatagas]

Simply beyond compare. A voice I could listen to for days and days, and quite a dedicated actress. I'm always moved by Mirella Freni.

[herrwertheimer]

brilliant.

[skunk0z]

senza parole.... sei divina Mirella!!!

[GAIAMANON]

GRAZIE DI ESISTERE

[marialuisaloup]

... e EU (lucky me!) ESTAVA no LICEO !!!!! e nunca nunca mais me irei esquecer deste momento magico ! Obrigada !

[camandrula]

tutto e finito¡¡¡ qué maravilla y qué bien se coloca la melena¡¡¡¡

[cek1111]

I love you Freni

[Divariasings]

Thank you so very much for re-posting this amzing performance. The best "Sola Perduta, Abbandonata" I have every seen. The acting is superb! I love you Mirella!

[sarado88]

Fantastic soprano and actress.. Bravaaa!!!

[madaboutopera]

THE BEST! W MIRELLA

[Anakinjan]

My God, how old is she here? It's so amazing performance!!!

[jeferry]

She is 55 years old.

[fiori74]

incredible...!