Sempre Libera - Traviata Contest - Mariella Devia

[RaWrZzZz]

I love that she actually covers her ears. Its cute! She's not a very good actress, but a lot of her movements portray some of her characterisation.

[chicocucea]

You should consider Natalie Dessay's and Sumi Jo's versions of this very same aria

[gustopheles]

I'm disappointed she sang none of the turns, but this is the most enjoyable thing I've seen her do. I am by NO means a fan, and I usually cringe when I watch her acting, but you can't fault her voice.

[jmuslvr]

A wonderful artist. I wish that she would come back to the U.S. and perform again. All we get now are Netrebko and Dessay. (Sigh!)

[darlinglisa7]

Keep in mind she is 51 when she sang this! What an incredible lady and voice!

[Tenorbravo]

I SURE ENJOY LISTENING TO THE BEAUTIFUL PERFORMANCE...tHANKS COLARATURAFAN....

[grafab2001]

simply fabolous!!!

[coloraturafan]

lol... difficulty... I could not be more amused! hahahhaahhaha.. "sucks" HAHAHAHHAHA... OMG if you only knew how funny your comment was... !

[TheJayBee1988]

And you are an ignoramus!

[sevoflurane]

where is the difficulty? can you point it out? LOL.

[isinglouderthanu]

Anyone who has anything negative to say about this video or any other operatic voice i say to them... YOU try hitting a high E, F or G above the staff. As a matter of fact, why don't all the naysayers who challenege the artistry and talent of many of operas greatest treasure try to sing and number of arias posted on YouTube. Let's see how far you all get. Enjoy the talent and artistry of voices that surely come from the heavens.

[blichilde]

Quant'è brava... Una meraviglia

[ik4us]

its better to have a good voice than just an emotion without  a good voice lol

[12adorno]

unica devia, meravigliosa, ineguagliabile. thanks coloraturafan

[12adorno]

ma cara lanaturale perché non ti impegni un po' tu ad ascoltare e a guardare questa ( e tutte le altre) interpretazione della Devia. guarda se ti impegnassi un milionesimo di frazione rispetto alla sua bravura e alle sue capacità interpretative già capiresti qualcosa di questa grandissima artista. a volte basta poco: tu forse non lo sai, ma sgombrare il campo dai pregiudizi è tra le cose più semplici, basta avere onestà intellettuale e studiare, studiare, studiare.

[MisterSoprano]

Love Devia, even if not perfect voice for Violetta, in this aria sounds wonderful!

[taurusbs]

E' VERO LA DEVIA NON HA UNA PRESENZA SCENICA SOGGIOGANTE, ma quante cantanti cantano così bene, in maniera così impeccabile e hanno una carriera così lunga cantando a sessant'anni come cantavano a venti?

Se la Devia non vi piace non la guardate!

[semiramide1945]

I know she no longer sings Traviata, but all of us would be the poorer without her videos. I like traditional productions but I was blown away by the one of her in the mini-skirt! Sure shows off her great figure unlike what she is wearing here, though for me, I'd go to see her in a flour sack for the immense talent and truth she embodies in all her interpretations. Grazie ancora Coloraturafan per queste bel dono!

[sevoflurane]

she is in fact still singing traviata. two productions this year.

[semiramide1945]

Thanks sevoflurane, I beleive I saw a post somewhere where someone said she was no longer singing Violetta. I'm delighted to hear that. Now if I could just figure out how to get her back to the US! The Italians are lucky, but we worship the ground she walks on too, I need to come back to Italy to see her again. Here we have nothing= Thank God for Deviafan and Coloratura Fan's posts on you tube, treasures per tutti!

[sevoflurane]

She is going to be Violetta in Macerata in August and in Bergamo in autumn. I think she will also sing a Traviata in Tokyo next year. And I agree! Coloraturafan and Deviafan are fabulous!!!

[semiramide1945]

I have also recently heard that she'll be singing Anna Bolena in Ancona next season, as well as Puritani, perhaps in Catania. There are no superlatives left to describe her, only a sense of continued wonder at the extremely high standard she has set and continues to set with every succeeding year. I hope she never retires

[mm9913]

the Devia sound is fresh and young, quite nice on the ears. 5/4.

[lanaturale]

Tecnicismo solitario e basta. Per il resto una fraddezza glaciale. Sembra che l'interpretazione le scivoli sopra tra la sua totale indifferenza.

[augmas61]

4/5 grazie

[AlejandraDark]

brava devia!

one of the best real opera singers!

i love her lucia!

[operabuff1]

she is the greatest, but this is not her best Viletta

[asisecanta]

4/2

[Heraopera]

One of the best Traviatas I have ever heard live! She looks wonderful, she sung like a real woman and not like a shrill Netrebkoteenager who have to darken the voice (t sound more like a woman) and LA DEVIA have been artistic and individual !!!!!BRAAAAAAAVA

[forallyouknow]

very nice. absolutely no difficulty with her notes, but as the previous poster said, there is something very heavy and labored about her coloratura at some bits. at others, though, she is sublime. great acting!

[RobNYNY1957]

Basically, an excellent voice. But very labored coloratura, and the same downer personality that she brings to every role.

[spsp2sp3sp3dsp3d2]

I like the singing too, but the acting seems wrong somehow. She isn't acting happy. She isn't throwing caution to the wind, she's just tense and looks kind of angry and annoyed.

[spsp2sp3sp3dsp3d2]

You don't really notice her acting as much in the '04 modern production because the set is so distracting. I like that one more.

[magghot]

i love mariella...Great!!

[belcantokai]

She's great!

[sopranooriental]

u SHOULD add norah amsellem!!amazing traviata... teatro real madrid 2006!!available on dvd.. kisses!!

[Sukisha76]

Now by the sounds of it I am the only amateur here, because I thought she was lovely. Slightly heavy in some places but her mannerisms and intensity made me believe for a moment that she is Violetta.

[niku75]

Now that is singing without any problem vocally

[yiudiumui]

can't compare with joan sutherland

[sevoflurane]

No we can't. This is on a far superior level.

[DiegoMartinazzoli]

SONO TOTALMENTE D'ACCORDO

[palymusic]

brava! Molto bene

x musicalità tecnica ed espressività...

direi un'ottima esecuzione

:-)

[Dymension]

5/4

[peejes]

Her voice is a bit hard to listen to 3/4

[specialboy33]

Amazing. Unlike some of the older looking Violetta's that don't fit the bill very well, Devia conquers this performance. She is strong, believable, and most importantly she just sings. Unlike June Anderson she doesn't get caught up in the staging of the piece. The singing carries her through -- Unbelievable. Wish I could see this live.

[CandyHaleLinton]

Now THAT is singing!! Thank you so much.

[sparkupthequirk]

I can't help but fall in love with these stronger more intense Violettas. Sutherland is certainly "stupendous" but I prefer a more full voice for this role. But you can never convince a Sutherland fan of anything. I still loved it. 5/5

[oboistCONDUCTOR]

wonderful! elena

[Homoclassicus]

IMO her voice sounds too dark and heavy, what makes her coloratura singing sound less fluid and light to my ears (I don't mean she should have a leggero voice!). She clearly has a great technique, but somehow her voice sounds quite aged. That wouldn't be noticed in more mature roles, but in this aria I always expect a pure voice able to run through the embellishments with total ease and no seams. Her high notes are great, though, and her characterization is quite good. 3/3.75

[theodossiou1]

5/5

[ohmili1122]

Blah! These people are crazy. Devia is the surpeme diva. 5/5

[remrom2]

its a noise..i still go with joan s.

[isinglouderthanu]

with strain and uneven tone, you go with joan?!

[sottoipini]

Let's face it! Callas and this woman Devia are the true thing! 5/5

[cyrano3940]

All thses are magnificient...however try Angela Gheorghiu on the same aria, here on YouTube, and see how she can be even more magnificient !

[martafloria]

NO TRILLS!!

[fiesco75]

Her top notes are pure crystal! Great performance. 5/5

[sevoflurane]

Did you see the appendix to the contest fiesco75? She was younger and she was unbelievable. I still remember her debut in Traviata in Genoa. She held a long E flat while walking across the stage at the end of Sempre libera! And pronouncing "il mio pensier" so clearly! The emotion was great!

[boris1281]

4,3/5. Devia ia of course great, but I always have the feeling that its something I have already seen, heard etc. Still vocally she is a teacher of the best sort!

[SirGeorg]

I'm not saying her technique is not perfect, but I don't like her voice at all. 2.5/3

[coloraturafan]

Due to the comments about poor sound quality, I have uploaded a differnt version on Devia in this aria. This time from a 1994 concert, the sound should be better.

[deviafan]

Oh yes, I give her a 5/5!

[deviafan]

I am suprised by everyones reaction to this post. I always thought this was a great performance for her. I think the production itself is rather static. Sometimes these old dusty traditional productions leave the singer wanting more. If anyone wants to see Devia really take off in this role check out the 2004 Vick production from Verona!!! Mini skirt and blond wig aside, she is outstanding.

[Shabran87]

Maybe she is not Violetta...but her singing is just perfect. Grande Mariella! 5/4.

[AnnElliot]

The sad paradox of recordings... I agree that her voice is, unfortunately quite tricky to capture, especially in huge theatres like San Carlo.

[sevoflurane]

I got addicted to this video clip coloraturafan! I love the fact that even people that try to find faults in Devia's singing keep coming back!

[OperaBR]

Make sure I come back to listen to the replies to my comments. Unfortunately, as the discussion can't go on with rational thoughts and reasonable arguments, the comments start being more and more about the "I love it and it's perfect" X "I think you're wrong" thing. You should notice that I admire Devia's singing so much that I watch many videos of hers, it's just that I'm not a diehard fan of hers and prefer to be frank to my ears by writing what I do think. ;-)

[sevoflurane]

Yeah yeah...

[coloraturafan]

We're not all going to agree about singers, that's okay... in fact that is the reason I wanted to post these vidoes. So everyone could explain what they like and what they don't. I will say, I agree the sound is not good in this video. I am not sure why? It sounds better on my computer in the original avi format. Sometimes when you upload on youtube the quality looses something. I feel a little bad about that. But I think the singing here stands on its own merrits.

[sevoflurane]

Do not feel bad! Mariella's voice is really tricky to capture. Only Japanese seem to do a good job! When I first heard her on the radio I though the voice was just better than average (sic). She won me over in theatre with "Squallida veste e bruna". The modulations and the drama conveyed through the vocal subtleties are really amazing!

[gvjps123]

I've heard her sing this even better in other recordings. However, her technique is rock solid, the high notes are flawless and the coloratura is excellent etc. Artistically, she has never been my favorite though she understands the style and has a general sense of the character.

Singing : 4.5

Characterization : 3

[patjan92]

This is the third one I've listened to in the contest. I don't think I have to leave any room at the top for the other singers: 5/5.

[AnnElliot]

Anyway,Sutherland's performance is different in technicalities and I don't think it is a matter of flexibility on Devia's part but of other choices in singing.

[sevoflurane]

That's very true AnnElliot. And she "can" choose to sing pianissimi and filature because her vocal skills allow her to do so.

[AnnElliot]

Ok guys as much as I respect your opinions I don't agree. Some of the'faults'come from the recording and youtube,it is echoey and creates the impression of piercing high notes;as for the smudgyness,she sings certain passages less forte and they appear covered but you can see that all her choices in performing are backed by very sure attachi.

[OperaBR]

That's exactly why I said in my first comment: "Either the sound quality is very poor or Devia wasn't in a very good day". That's just it. However, I feel some of the singing didn't really sound steady, with bad sound or not. Just notice the first seconds, where the voice sounds as if it's not warmed up, and some vocal scales toward the lower register that really sound less accurate than they'd sound in usual Devia's singing. Anyway, it's a matter of opinion and perception. ;-)

[AnnElliot]

Absolutely, it's a matter of subjectivity, we can't all hear exactly the same things.However, I feel strongly about this Traviata because on previous posts here and on the full recording it does sound better. I also think you perceive the beginning like that because of where the cut was made (perhaps I will try and post the extended version, to compare)and see that the previous Ah,forse lui is really good, impossible to say she sounds not warmed up.

[OperaBR]

Thanks for the information, AnnElliot. I'll certainly listen to the extended version. I hope it's in better sound than this one. Anyway, as you all know, we must remember YouTube is just for fun! We shouldn't take things so seriously, after all, it's a contest, but it must be a joyful contest, and not a trial! hehehehehe

[sevoflurane]

That's right AnnElliot. And how many sopranos have the stamina to sing "A me fanciulla!" on stage after nearly 30 years of career?

[AnnElliot]

The long aria is posted by deviafan, i really think the Ah, forse lui is even better than the cabaletta, especially in characterization; maybe we should move the discussion there, just kidding :))

[meltzerboy]

I listened to this three times, trying to like it (as I loved her Elvira), but to no avail. And yet I cannot point to any specific faults in her singing; it's more a matter of omission. For example, the descending scales, grupetti, etc. lack definitive facility, in contrast to Sutherland's. Perhaps it's also the tone, which, to my ears, sounds a trifle harsh. There's nothing at all bad in the singing, just not exceptional. 4/4.5

[AnnElliot]

Actually this is one of her best Sempre Liberas, I don't know why her voice didn't sound as healthy or flowing to you OperaBR, it sounds very beautiful to me here. Then again, recordings don't always do justice to her voice which is very beautiful live. And though her lower register might have grown smudgy later on (in her career), I think she never lacked good trills. Anyway, this Naples performance ranks among her best Traviatas for me, 5/5 hands down.

[OperaBR]

Indeed, she never lacked good trills, but in this event she did. Just compare her attempt to sing trills in the middle range in "Degg'io voleggiare" to Sutherland's, for example. Besides, I thought her voice wasn't in a very good day because it sounded unsteady in some passages (as in the very first seconds), covered in some middle notes and slightly smudgy in some lower ones. A few high notes were also more piercing and less velvety.

[sevoflurane]

Good Lord! See what I mean? You must pay attention to the words! Violetta says "folleggiare"! Follie, follie! Remember?

[OperaBR]

Ops! I'm sorry. However, I don't feel in any way resented for that. After all, I didn't look at the libretto, YouTube comments for me are totally for fun and I waste as little time as possible in it. I know, Italians tend to be very tough on the respect for their language (after all, it's culturally very rich), but, you know, most people all around the world don't speak Italian and never will get Italian lessons. So I think it's a pardonable sin (after all, you said "Good Lord!")

[sevoflurane]

Is that why you write a poem at a time he he he?

[akitango]

@OperaBR

Mariella is the best dramatic coloratura in the last 20 years. I heard her traviata in bologna last month.This woman is 62 years old and that kind of singing is like a goddess. Bless her that she still may sing for years and years.This woman is EXCEPTIONAL Marco Ghent Belgium

[madmaxx70]

@akitango i'm first fan of MD but and she can be everything but not dramatic coloratura. Anyway, she is fantastic!

[OperaBR]

Either the sound quality is poor or Devia wasn't in one of her best days. The voice doesn't sound as flowing and healthy as usual. Her timbre sounds quite "matronly" for this aria. She lacks good trills and her lower middle range sounds slightly "covered" and smudged. But, as always, her coloratura is very accurate, her legato is great and her high notes are amazing. She puts a lot of excitement in the singing and her visual characterization is excellent. 3/4

[Orfeus80]

Here sempre libera sounds more than a pretty song in an opera. This one tries to say something and you know there will be more to follow. It's part of the drama yet the singing is of exceptional quality. The first time I noticed 'Dee volar'. 5/5

[hotazzoperastud]

This is what its all about kids! No one comes as close to vocal perfection as Devia. I have never understood how she didn't become more famous. This is Violetta, as Verdi wrote and as tradition has dictated. Flawless in all aspects. And that high Eb! My god, it just flows from the music with no lusty thrust or gasp... 5/5.

[sevoflurane]

Peerless! As they say in Rome: "la mejo!" Dynamics, coloratura, diction, attacchi all there. And she had just sung the two stanzas of the aria! 5/5