Lucky me. I did see her live. As the Kostelnichka in Jenufa, Munch 1972, and later in Mahagonney at the Met. Her Kostelnichka was mesmerizing and terrifying.
Too bad I, like many, never heard her live. The voice in the theater in far more impressive than recordings. I'd kill to have heard her live in the 1955 Bayreuth Fliegende Holländer with Knappertsbusch where at the end she sang high notes that sounded like they would've cracked the windows. In Act 1 of Lohengrin, it's been said that she almost stole the show: even though she had very little to sing, she had such stage presence that she attracted the audience's attention constantly...
Varnay reigned in the german repertoire! Her Brünnhilde, Isolde, Senta, Ortrud, Kundry, Elektra, Klytämnestra were all of the highest standard. She was also a distinguished recitalist.
Astrid Varnay is less a voice more a force of nature....an act of God....I heard she still does cameo roles in Munich...anyone know if this is true....
Unfortunately no, she passed away sept.4, 2006 in Munich at the age of 88, ironically the same day as Ingrid Bjoener, who is the Elektra here. Her last performances were in 1995.
Kinda ruins the effect to see that the actress portraying Kytemnestra (brilliantly) is such a charming, beautiful lady! Many thanks for the video. This is what YouTube is all about!
The Elektra is Ingrid Bjoener. It was a production from 1971 or 1972 by Guenther Rennert. I saw it is 72 with Bjoener as Chrysotemnis, Nilsson as Elektra, and Varnay as Klytemnestra, sawallisch was the conductor then, it was the greatest performance of anything I ever saw.
Feel so lucky to see this.
coryisawake 5 months ago
I saw her in Paris in Elektra in 1977.... mit BIrgit Nilson inter der leitung von Boehm...
franckieparis16 10 months ago
indeed...a very good Klytemnestra...by voice and performance!!!!
sinistraearl 1 year ago
omg she is scary as hell!!! =S
raigekimaru 1 year ago
@raigekimaru
in fact, I like her more as a contralto than I did as a soprano =P
raigekimaru 1 year ago
I love this voice
cantanteporsiempre 1 year ago
what a great singer-actress!!!
mannvishnu 1 year ago
what a laugh at the end!
Joeleole 2 years ago
From which year is this?
nikodemus7777 2 years ago
I'm not sure, but about 1985
schwani 2 years ago
grande clitemmnestra!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
waltermontani 2 years ago
who is Elektra in this production?
Anibaal 2 years ago
Ingrid Bjoener
schwani 2 years ago
These old broads new how to deliver !!!
DivaDeb1234 2 years ago 2
it would appear her voice dropped considerably into the contralto range.
raigekimaru 2 years ago
whoa. her voice really dove into the deep end in her later years.
raigekimaru 2 years ago
her expressions are just priceless!!
thanx for posting :P
symyu 2 years ago
Bravo Varnay!!
She is the most loveable Klytaemnestra for me, I wish I'd come across more Astrid Varnay recordings...
symyu 2 years ago 2
Tears in my eyes. Seen her as Herodias in Essen. She sat in a wheelchair and was the center of interest. Unforgettable, moving, a sweetheart.
Altonahh10 2 years ago
Lucky me. I did see her live. As the Kostelnichka in Jenufa, Munch 1972, and later in Mahagonney at the Met. Her Kostelnichka was mesmerizing and terrifying.
Mawrdew 3 years ago
Too bad I, like many, never heard her live. The voice in the theater in far more impressive than recordings. I'd kill to have heard her live in the 1955 Bayreuth Fliegende Holländer with Knappertsbusch where at the end she sang high notes that sounded like they would've cracked the windows. In Act 1 of Lohengrin, it's been said that she almost stole the show: even though she had very little to sing, she had such stage presence that she attracted the audience's attention constantly...
walkure48 3 years ago 2
I agree... being in my early 30's i can only rely on old wonderful recordings.
Lanark8 2 years ago
AWESOME!!!
jetjaguar 3 years ago
5 stars, love it, love it, love it.
wenarto 3 years ago
Recitativi and Speech which are the big natural wonders! They have been great and unique! Total crazy women - good!
Heraopera 3 years ago
best senta ever!!!!!!!!
cesare1906 3 years ago
bravo VARNAY!!!!!!!!!!!!
xyvp 3 years ago
Varnay reigned in the german repertoire! Her Brünnhilde, Isolde, Senta, Ortrud, Kundry, Elektra, Klytämnestra were all of the highest standard. She was also a distinguished recitalist.
Johnny1206 3 years ago 2
astrid varnay was a theatrical genious
Lohengrin 3 years ago 2
That lady is just AMAZING!
ortego11 4 years ago 3
Astrid Varnay is less a voice more a force of nature....an act of God....I heard she still does cameo roles in Munich...anyone know if this is true....
albafango 4 years ago 4
Unfortunately no, she passed away sept.4, 2006 in Munich at the age of 88, ironically the same day as Ingrid Bjoener, who is the Elektra here. Her last performances were in 1995.
schwani 4 years ago
Kinda ruins the effect to see that the actress portraying Kytemnestra (brilliantly) is such a charming, beautiful lady! Many thanks for the video. This is what YouTube is all about!
Cramnella 4 years ago
force of nature..
dare57 4 years ago
Awesome find! I wouldn't mind adding 10 more years to my age for a chance to experience her live on stage just once. Thanks for posting this! :o)
SDCmorg 4 years ago
'wow! where do you get this stuff?
what year is this from?
rakewell2 4 years ago
This was part of a programme called "Astrid Varnay looks back" for Bavarian TV, the year was later than I thought, january 1988.
schwani 4 years ago
so she is 70 years old in this production?! OMG!!! She's amazing!
have you any more details of this production? Who's the Elektra?
rakewell2 4 years ago
The Elektra is Ingrid Bjoener. It was a production from 1971 or 1972 by Guenther Rennert. I saw it is 72 with Bjoener as Chrysotemnis, Nilsson as Elektra, and Varnay as Klytemnestra, sawallisch was the conductor then, it was the greatest performance of anything I ever saw.
schwani 4 years ago
And Bjoerner and Varnay passed away in the same week last year! I'm really sorry I never got to see either of them live on stage. Thanks for posting!
SDCmorg 4 years ago
Absolutely stunning! MANY thanks!
felipecunha 4 years ago