Anna Tomowa-Sintow - Madama Butterfly - Tu tu, piccolo iddio

[Salomes7Veils]

She was truly exceptional. Beautiful timbre and size walked hand in hand. What an instrument! Not to mention the interpretation. She was a real artist.

[kalloused]

A voice rivaled only by that of an angel

[MingnonDunn]

Exceptional voice and rendtion.  Freni was my favoriite, although she never performed Butterfly on stage. Tomova is her equal.

[marctenor]

THAT was beautiful singing! Thanks for posting this.

[Englishtenor2]

Check out the DVD of her in Andrea Chenier with Domingo - brilliant, as always...

[68bobsport]

I am a HUGE fan of this singer, but I had never seen this video before. Thanks for posting it. Examplary legato, and her voice just oozes pathos. She was a great Verdi-Strauss-Mozart soprano (...I think she's unrivalled as Ariadne, Amelia (Ballo) and the Rosekavalier Countess...), but in an interview she once said Puccini was her favourite. Seeing this video, I can see she put her heart and soul into it.

[scarpia1965]

Excellent!

[benjaminvox]

thank you for posting this, from the bottom of my heart. Tomowa-Sintow is and always will be my favorite soprano. her technique is superb in the way she can color that huge voice of hers, and she always sings with her heart. it's the best of both worlds. it's so sad that her career isn't better documented in recordings.

[Orfeus80]

An excellent Puccini soprano. Where are these full firm voices nowadays?

[carullo47]

excellent soprano Anna Tomowa-Sintow, indeed.

But, please, for example, consider the excellent roumanian soprano Angela Gheorghiu

[Orfeus80]

I like full, firm, strong voices in Puccini. Angela acts beautifully but her voice is way too weak for my taste.

[carullo47]

I respect your tast but, sincerely, I d'nt understand: Are Puccini female characters particulary strong? Liù in Turandot, Mimì in Boheme? Butterfly itself? Dramatic characters,surely, but not so strong! Please, enjoy "Tosca", also in DVD, by Gheorghiu, Alagna, Raimondi, directed by Pappano.

[Orfeus80]

For example someone like Freni had what I mean by a firm full voice and strong enough to be heard over a puccini orchestra. Dessi in her prime was as good as Freni. Tebaldi in her prime could sound both fragile in fragile roles like Mimi and had plenty of power for Tosca so I don't necessarily link strong voices only with strong characters. A gifted singer can scale down her voice. As for strong characters, Puccini's girls are no Lady Macbeth but they have their own will.

[liamandsarah]

Freni was a small voice in real life. Her voice for Puccini was excellent on recording, but she was not a big voice to excel and orchestra.

[Orfeus80]

With Gheorghiu I feel there is often more breath than tone coming out of her chords. As if I need her to support the tone a bit more. Her Tosca on video works well but in London the audience complained she couldn't be heard over the orchestra. Great persona but what about the voice? Recordings can be misleading and we've all learned to judge singers based on the records but we have to hear them on stage to fully understand if the role suits them vocally. Cheers

[Orfeus80]

With Gheorghiu I feel there is often more breath than tone coming out of her chords. As if I need her to support the tone a bit more. Her Tosca on video works well but in London the audience complained she couldn't be heard over the orchestra. Great persona but what about the voice? Recordings can be misleading and we've all learned to judge singers based on the records but we have to hear them on stage to fully understand if the role suits them vocally. Cheers

[fuzmiq]

Wow!!! Just Wow!!

[operaboy81]

Great singing. The set and the lighting is quite extravagant. I had no idea she did this role.  I heard that Anna Tomowa Sintow is a favorite of Karajan. I wonder why her voice isn't on more cds.

[operamusicfan]

Because after Karajan's death his favorites were overlooked by everyone since Karajan wasn't very loved. Quite an idiotic thing, if you ask me.

[Rospaint]

@operamusicfan You`re right certainly. Tomova is a VERY powerful singer and musician and she gives a wonderful impression of sincerity and warmth... She is a real star. Shame - that those great ladies of Karajan opera were overlooked after his death. I`d also mention here my favourite Agnes Baltsa. I suppose these two great women were too dignified - true artists! - for "making their way" in opera life. And must be respected for this.

[filiodecallas]

Extraordinario sonido! La escena es pésima.

[Davidoff1Gustav]

I heard her several times.. she has an incredible instrument, in the solos it was sweet and light and gorgeous, but then in a chorus scene there was this almost foghorn strength in the voice that carried over everything.. amazing woman

[ComaLies225]

This piece always gets to me. Now that I heard Anna Tomowa I think i'll listen to some of her more

[ciociosan]

OMG! I thought I was gonna die!

[cantanteporsiempre]

wonderful voice, wonderful legato, wondefful tone, brava anna

[Moundfreek]

Very interesting. I'm studying the roots of Miss Saigon, I found this lovely.

[Dymension]

The voice is just so brilliant and vibrant! Love her...

[operawww]

Anna Tomowa-Sintow is one of my favoutive singers. I never forget her Tosca at Carlo Fenice.