Amneris- A Callas masterclass

[janejones11]

And If only Callas had recorded Amneris. How incredible that would have been !

[janejones11]

She's a wonderful teacher. Great insights.

[vitroz]

WHAT A VOICE!!!!!!

[vitroz]

@agingbeauty Please tell her that her voice is extraordinary and what a WONDERFUL contribution she has made to the art of singing. I would give my left *#$% to have such a voice and to be able to use it with such grace and class. Maria must surely be proud

[tetrazzini]

What an exiting masterclass !! I love Sheila Nadler's voice, so passionate and generous. Callas advices are very precise, honnest and kind, and it seem really helpful to the student. Callas is very implicated in her role, and she succeed to make Sheila Nadler give her best.

[voceangelo]

Madame Nadler is rising to every challenge that Madame Callas presents. Amazing clip!

[pointemeout]

just hearing her voice say "nothing is impossible....don't give me that" makes me cry. i needed to see this

[SandrineSoprano]

Nice Masterclass, from a real master...

[Sorrentodellesirene]

A Godness of voice and interpretation!! Callas had not a liked timbro ( it was mettalic and strenge) But her technique was perfect on her. Her interpretations was drammatic and realistic. A idol of music

[georgerannie]

What an Amneris Callas would have made.

[VisualGrower]

thank you for posting this. i listening this video like every 2 months. its really relaxing me.

[foropera]

@VisualGrower : relaxing you? :-) Good!

[tenorcarlos]

Thank You for posting... So interesting, and so much to learn!

[sillyboydeux]

"You should always be beautiful" really means that the singer by this time has the role "in voice" and shouldn't be freaked out over note values. Otherwise they have not rehearsed properly. For an actor to "prepare" means every aspect of the character is accounted for, and no less, probably more, for an opera singer. I sang in Paris with just 2 songs and I rehearsed them 8-10 times a day for 4 weeks. When I went out I was able to ad lib with the public before, and the songs sang themselves.

[jrr1234567890]

that's one lucky girl, callas as her teacher!

[babydrane]

She is the teacher singers need. SO many teachers are disparaging, She really imparts knowledge rather than just putting students down. Teachers (and singers) should take note.

[Zva26]

Callas once briefly considered performing Amneris during her active career, but as was said at the time, "What soprano on the face of this earth would DARE sing Aida to Callas' Amneris?" One truly believe it. Callas would have mopped up everyone on the stage as Amneris....for sure!

[raigekimaru]

@Zva26

it would be funny having Tebaldi playing Aida and watching Callas own her ass =P

[Zva26]

@raigekimaru You ware so right. Callas' Amneris would have have been a lawnmower and ANY soprano's ass would have been the grass. No soprano in her right mind would have sung Aida to Callas' Amneris. But what a thrill it would have been to have heard the great Divina sing this wonderful role. Callas' Amneris would have walked off with the whole show - no matter WHO else was singing.

[raigekimaru]

@Zva26

they'd pretty much have to change the plot so that Amneris got Radames instead of Aida =P

[Zva26]

@raigekimaru Not really - Callas reveled as a woman scorned - look at Medea. Whatever the case, had she sung Amneris, she STILL would have had the last word in the opera ===== "Pace" . She'd have had the opportunity to finish the opera with one of those fabulous Callas low chest notes! I wish she'd have at least recorded some of Amneris' music, possibly the Aida/Amneris interview scene, the Rhadames confrontation Scene, and of course the Judgement Scene.

With Corelli!!!!!! DYNAMITE!!!!!!

[raigekimaru]

@Zva26

mmhmm, Corelli + Callas = GOLD!!! and actually I was just kidding, we both know that would be totally ridiculous if they changed the opera that much =P

[Zva26]

@raigekimaru I consider Callas to be THE vocal artist of the Twentieth Century, which doesn't mean that I don't admire others like Milanov, Caballe, Price, Tebaldi, Sutherland, and of course, Nilsson. However ---- Callas possessed something that no one else did -- magic, excitement, phrasing, conviction, musicianship, and to my ears, an outstanding vocal endowment, especially between 1953-1960. Even after that, she recorded some amazing stuff! La Divina forever!

[raigekimaru]

@Zva26

Callas was a trully dramatic individual. if you look at her as a person, many of the roles she played were almost exactly like her in real life =P

[Zva26]

@raigekimaru - I doubt whether Callas ever knew real happiness or satisfaction as a human being. Her work was her life and her life was her work. She's left a legacy that will forever be the bar by which others will be judged. In a way, she's done us no favor because she has no successors. There was no one like her before and none like her after. I mean...... her Norma, Medea, Lucia, Traviata, Anna Bolena, Pirata, Lady Macbeth, Sonnambula, Rosina, Armida......can opera go any further???

[nutty42]

@Zva26

How true.

[bbmt7dh7]

"there is nothing impossible. don't give me that."

lol.

it would've been the experience of a lifetime to be in the same room with her, let alone have a masterclass with her.

[corellithebest]

AMAZING! I like listening to Callas teaching her how to sing this piece! Everything she tells her is so very true, especially when encouraging her to pay attention to what the words mean.

[CharlotteinWeimar]

Simply wonderful. And Sheila still has a great career. Thank you for this exceptional posting.

[DivaDeb1234]

You should look beautiful always!!

[Operaman41]

WHAT a VOICE!

I hope she got to do AMneris a number of times! I think Callas was Wonderful.

Again Wonderful voice would luv to hear her sing Mon Cour!

[Pasunsoprano]

Agingbeauty,nobody's exploring here. The student is very capable of singing this role and the comment of Callas is friendly and professional,the way you speak to a colleague. She works on interpretation,not on registers. Amneris is difficult,because of the tessitura and the powerful character, where you got your conclusions is anybody's guess! You can't conclude what the student felt or what Callas was thinking. Anyway,any Amneris-singing mezzo can learn a lot from this post,so thanks Foropera!

[foropera]

Thank you, that's what I thought, a professional singer can get something from this beautiful shapening of the role.

[filippovonreutter]

agingbeauty,

What can you tell us about this frowning Sheila ? ("Nothing is impossible") She already here has such an interesting voice!

One hopes (unlike some of the others at Julliard with Callas) that she went on to a rewarding career.

[DemisLian]

excellent post! I agree with everything, just one correction on the video description please: Medea IS a royal princess, she is no Santuzza or Manon Lescaut!

[foropera]

Well about Medea, I thought that her quality of goddess, grandaughter of the Sun was proeminent on her royalty,and in the idea of Callas, I would believe that would have separated a civilized Egyptian princess from a barbarian one;-). But, yes, she is the daughter of the king of Colchydia.

[DemisLian]

Yes, she was a princess, I wouldn't call her barbarian though, I wouldn't call Aida barbarian either (she was a princess too, no?).

Also I meant that musically she is more noble than Santuzza. Let's not forget that Cherubini's Medea belongs to Classisism and is closer to Norma, Armida, La Vestale etc, rather than the Verismo roles of Santuzza, Nedda, Iris, Suor Angelica, Minnie.... (I don't know where exactly to place Amneris in all this).

[zimnaya]

It is wonderful to hear Callas - the intelligence above all, but her total understanding of each word. The moments when Callas bursts into song are splendid, and perfect. She says, 'You should look beautiful always...' a great piece of advice!

[mariasarda]

Tu nous manques, Maria. Le soleil s'est éteint sur la scène depuis que tu nous a quittés. Reviens !!!!!!!!!!

[christineannemarsden]

Inspiring!

Wish I could see the faces as they sing but hearing will have to do

[kerri78]

Brava!Brava!

[Greatfan]

This is not commenting any mail in particular but quite in general. I am shocked as to how many silly persons seem to know it all about singing. In Master Classes no prima donna can make anything to CREATE TALENT. There are many people who criticize real divos and they are forty and have not sung a single note in an opera house. Nothing is too much for them to criticize ! Callas, Nilsson, Domingo. Why don't you admit your mediocrity instead of throwing mud ?

[GPasta]

I was there. Callas gave true master classes, not excercises in ego as some others.

[birgitnilsson]

you are absolutely right Giuditta,I couldn´t agree more.

By the way, that sheila nadler did not seem very clever.....

[annalinvill]

Thank you Maria

[gemarus]

She was considerate with the Soprano I thought. A great quality. I loved it when Callas burst into song.

[DivaDeb1234]

Yes, I agree , she was very considerate, kind and encouraging and very insightful and correct about what she was telling her.

[AristonMenHudor]

There are so many absurd responses here. It proves the dictum that stupid people should not even be allowed to praise good ones. Kallas was in full command of her Art. Her confidence stems from virtue, and her knowledge. Her ideas about the beautiful, and display of the passions with taste are unmatched. You crickets! You always have to make some noise, and put in your 2 cents. Plebians, you rocks, you stones, you worse than senselss things. Tacete.

[DivaDeb1234]

Did you call people crickets? LOL

[ma34xl]

operacollector needs 2 take his pyschosis pills & stop bashing the most RADIANT HISTORIC ARCHANGEL to ever grace the art of Music. Even 30 years after her death.. Maria Callas lives & forever will live on.

[LouisXIV85]

La più grande cantante di sempre, un'interprete incomparabile, una voce grandiosa, un'artista assoluta.

[nights4dreams]

Ahh.. This is my favorite of her masterclasses. "Nothing is impossible..." Gotta love her attitude. Thank you soo much for posting!

[Ruxton]

If you dislike her so much why bother coming here to slam her. Many of us have an entirely different opinion to yours but we won't try and ram our views down your throat.

[foropera]

I understand: you have to express yourself... Do you feel better now?

[AristonMenHudor]

You have no right to say anything. Tragedy should never look ugly - that is perfect. That shows taste, supreme, sublime. She was an artist, and she knew what you haven't the slightest idea about: Art. Art must always avoid the ugly, especially in tragedy. What taste! What judgement! (No response please. Know your place, you worm!)

[pulpo1972]

hey, operacollector....why are you so angry with the world? Callas left an invaluable legacy to art, passion and honesty in her interpretations...why slamming her like that?

[martafloria]

You are such an idiot if you do not like it do not listen to her!! She is wonderful!!! Not perfect but a true genius!!! If you want to insult her do it elswhere !!!Please!!!

[nights4dreams]

As soon as you placed that comment, users suddenly bustled in ATTACKING BACK AT YOU! Do you realize that? I'm not saying you should like Callas. I only ask that you respect her.

[sabibu]

thank you so much for posting!!!!

[jesusgeebus1234]

Gosh, I wish Callas never died....What an insight....

[tallamande]

she is wonderful

[atpa5021]

she was not an instructor but knowing the possibilities of a voice and having the spiritual instinct of singing she gives a masterclass

[DanBarthy]

YES, MARIA CALLAS IS THE OPERA!!!!

[jjcbss]

*sigh* I wish there was an equivalent of Callas in my field of study... She's amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!

[filippovonreutter]

What is your field of study, JJcbss?

There is always ONE Callas. Must be. In lucky times (sometimes) even TWO. Otherwise how is a field to go on? It dies. Excellence inspires and (with the proper student) breeds: excellence. You must search for it (or change fields): Best Wishes.

[yogamilan]

Ha ha, what an amazing comment! Thank you!

My field is religious studies. There were plenty of geniuses, but at present, nobody equivalent to the genius of Callas.

Have a happy new year.

[filippovonreutter]

Interesting how over the course of one year a jjcbss can turn into yogamilan. Amazing! I can imagine the difficulty of finding your St. Augustine in this secular age, but remember that Callas came orbiting out of nowhere when bel canto had been declared all but dead. Good luck. Keep searching.

[Jokanaan]

Can you imagine Callas telling you, "Nothing is impossible. Not for *you*..."? It's like in the Rigoletto master class when she told the baritone, "You've got the voice and you can do it." It's the kind of thing you'd remember for the rest of your life.

[foropera]

She was warm and positive, which I think at that time was a great and real proof of generosity; cause she was suffering hard of loosing her own life, her own voice.

[doktordrakator]

Even breathing in the air that Maria Callas is breathing out makes you a better singer and artist, let alone a better person...

[gvjps123]

She's so brillant. Her insights are musicality are spot-on.

[LouisXIV85]

The simple difference between the two singers is that Sheila was of course a great artist but Callas was a genius; that is to say that as Blake said the genius start where rules stop!

[clearandsunny]

Eh? Eh? Eh? Intimidating and self-aggrandizing. Nadler seems to know more than the instructor, reminding her about breaths, phrasing, etc. If you want an example of a good master class, listen to Domingo or Milnes.

[liebermex]

OF COURSE NOOOT!!! They are differents, and as that , they have their owns points of view OK?

[DivaDeb1234]

I disagree. She is encouraging and she really cares about the student. !

DIVADEB

[filippovonreutter]

clear and sunny from a year ago:

The proof of the pudding lies in the singing. We hear the impressive Nadler improve before our very ears. If such improvement is the price one must pay for self-aggrandizing intimidation; Avanti (but thanks for the Domingo-Milnes tip)

[MrCafiero]

These are great because they show us how masterclasses should be conducted!

[Italia1987]

i wish maria callas could have given me some pointers!! she is amazing!

[AmatureComposer]

Is it Callas who sing this tenor's low E-flat?

[xafnndapp]

No, it's Eugene Kohn

[silvr94]

no... usually the accompanist sings missing roles...

[utubesucks2003]

fierce

[vitroz]

Maria and Sheila should have done this together on the stage!

[Weillfanatic]

Thank you for posting this by the way. Just wonderful. Beautiful pics of Maria too.

[danjay9]

more please, more of maria`s masterclasses on the net :)

[Caskader]

Such greatness! Callas hollering in Italian making it sound like the truest thing in the world.

[MAPIAKALLAS]

How impresing OH maria you were great even teaching what a wonderful job she did lovely....

[foropera]

You are talking about Sheila Nadler as a Mezzo? I don't really know about her now, did she change her tessitura, as a contralto?

[Weillfanatic]

He is saying Callas should have become a mezzo.

That's quite a voice Nadler's got there. This is how I aspire to sing (well I can dream can't I :-)

[Joeleole]

Why didn't she become a Mezzo she would have done Amneris so well. IT's so interesting listening to her giving these masterclasses. Thanks muchly!