Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Katherine Ciesinski & Kathleen Battle - Final Trio - Der Rosenkavalier

[theblueangel28]

sublime

[jaybirdfleming]

the opening phrases by Kiri are some of the best she probably ever sang! what a glorious video to have she and Kathleen singing this together. I enjoyed Katherine, but she does is out of balance.....not oversinging, just not blending. Thanks for this beautiful gem! Wow....I heard Kiri all over and followed her to Washington to the very end of her career to hear her sing "Vanessa."  :-)

[MrAndredekock]

Absolutely sublime! What a beautiful performance from three beautiful ladies with beautiful voices! Bravissimi!

[mrportobello]

what is the mezzo wearing? loooove kathy's dress. :)

[zamyrabyrd]

Battle's lighter tone gets lost in the sea of sound produced by the other two operatic voices. It doesn't pierce through like the Sophies of Sena Jurinac, Lucia Popp or Barbara Bonney, except with an occasional high Ab or Bb when the others are not singing.

[veeerooniicaaa]

Gracias por este video. Hermoso

[pheelme]

Wow! Dame Kanawa has such a beautiful tone, as does Ms. Battle. I think Ciesinski might have been just a tad too loud, but all in all it was a very wonderful rendition. 

[dmpetrick]

Kiri sings no role better. She IS the Marschallin and Kathleen is my favorite singer ever. She always steals the show with her clarity of tone and her fabulous gowns. What style! Many thanks to whoever posted this. You brought a smile and a few chills to a sad man's heart. And eternal kudos to Richard for the sublime music.

[RRydnew]

I guess those who like this video do not have taste not even in thier mouths.

[mkurnat]

What a fantastic performance... Kathleen Battle is so talented, it's a shame that she's such a tool.

[AbeokutaCity1]

What fucking divatude - here we go again! The only one I can decipher is yours!

[TheReturnOfStephan1]

What's radiating from these great artists is equally great presence, not 'diva-tude'.

There's a huge difference between the two.:)

[SarekOfVulcan]

25 years, and I still remember watching this performance perfectly clearly. Thanks for posting it!

[RRydnew]

Maybe its just me but I still feel the "Divatude" that permeates this preformance. Great singing but.....

[bcom11]

@RRydnew yeah...its just you...

[singinciaran]

Wow that was AMAZING! Bravi tutti!

[pianoandpipes]

Did anybody else notice how leading up to the 5:20 moment, Kiri really backs off and gets ready for our soaring moments?

Wonderful.

[Bahia82]

I agree the blending of voices here is the best on youtube its like cream and velvet together, also notice at "6:38" mark the nod Kiri gives Battle as she see's how moved battle is by the trio singing, I think they might have still had a little beef, but talent recognizes talent, and both had to admit that the other is one singing mother f*cker! LOL

[LeCoconut]

what attitude...i thought this was heavenly!!

i get goosebumps every time i hear this recording!

jenology1 is right, the blending is beyond beautiful!

[duaname]

What are you all talking about? The only one that seemed to push a bit to drown out the others was Katherine. All were great!

[RRydnew]

This would have been good only if Kiri and Kathleen would have left the "Divatudes" at home and sang thier best like katherine. Its just makes the level of good.

[jenology1]

this is a most beautiful blending of voices... I'm for KB but the greatness was shared by all three women. RL

[TheBlauauge]

kiri is greeeeaaaat !!!!

[JordanSean]

Thank you!!!!!

[coryisawake]

THANKS FOR POSTING THIS!

[domi2020]

Not sure that they are trying to compete against each other but Kiri and Kathleen Battle have never been friends since the 1983 Arabella. But still beauty dominates ALL!!!

[AbeokutaCity1]

@domi2020

Yeah when Kiri was the one who caused the problem.

[domi2020]

really??. what was the real goss??

[veranista]

amusing, sorry amizing

Isn't it funny when u see 3 opera divas trying to overshadow the other like this....

but I still love mostly because of batlle that was perfect as she always is.

[nacht22]

Wooow my teacher!!!!!!!

[silvr94]

who?

[newhotmailit]

wonderful!!! mrs battle looks like an angel and sounds as it!!! great dames!!!!

[operastar18]

Kiri's last high note blows everyone out of the water.....sticking to true opera beast fashion lol but Battle sound a bit tired :/ she doesnt sound as "fresh" as she does in the other version with VonStadde and Fleming

[TheAleph74]

I disagree: actually, I think Kathleen sounds much fresher here than in the later version with Fleming and Flika. Her voice comes out more naturally here. It's interesting how we hear differently.

[operastar18]

I guess tired wasnt the right choice of word. But now that I listened to it again she doesnt sound tired but more relaxed in this version, to me anyway. It is quite interesting how people hear things differently lol !!

[Lindow]

I love how Kiri's final high B overpowers everything else;-)!

[jhar26]

Kiri looks like the Goddess that she is. All sound wonderful in this - one of the most moving scenes in operatic history. I could listen to this all day.

[orfeo2003]

You're absolutely right, I've been listening to it for the last two hours over and over again. I just don't get enought of it!

[baritonebynight]

One of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written.

[tphowle]

Is it just me or does Kiri look a little bit like Bea Arthur in her "Maude" days in this? They all sound beautiful btw!

[Magniloquent1]

@tphowle Yes, she does, lol!

[angelitornado]

Three great Dames. Bravo!

[garconfrancais01]

god what a knock out body battle had.

the sound is gorgeous in this..all three.

[musicyh]

Oh my god...such pure beauty of sound from the three of them combined!

[mattskib]

Damekirilover - thanks so much for posting! It's so good to hear such a wonderful rendition (despite Levine's surprisingly slow tempi) and always great to hear such fantastic voices in their prime. It's a superb addition to the Te Kanawa/Battle Arabella duet (sadly only audio) already posted on here.

[rlee1976]

@mattskib

I agree... what the hell is with this draggin tempo?

[TatanBrown]

Three wonderful voices! Bravissimo!!! :-)

[Liriki3]

Fantástico. Obrigada por mais este vídeo, de todo desconhecido para mim.

[TheAleph74]

It feels like the first time I saw this clip! Amazing! Kathlees looks and sounds celestial. Kiri sounds celestial (lol). Brave!

[petelovesbevsills]

And so is the incomparable Beverly Sills such a gracious host of the show! So, we have 4 stunning greats in one video clip!!! Well done and this was just too lovely!!!!!

[damekirilover]

I think it is probably the only one video we can get currently of Dame Kiri and Ms. Battle sharing the same stage..........Katherine Ciesinski is here also very wonderful!

[thecelticinme]

Thanks :D