Sutherland singing La Traviata

[Adinacapricciosa]

Il tenore é allucinante...la violetta piú dolce della storia!

[Tex01S]

The tenor is Anson Austin.

[Tex01S]

The production is the Australian Opera, Director John Copley with sets by Michael Stennett. The production originally staged for Kiri te Kanawa. Sutherland did a series of performances in Melbourne, but only one performance in Sydney when it was quickly put on because of illness in the cast of another scheduled opera.

[profgv]

I've never heard or seen a Sutherland Traviata that did not fall into boredom after the first act.

[JeeRant]

She is wearing a tent.

[sillyboydeux]

I adore her in this role, and I always have. She put everything she had as an artist into her Violettas. That's because her vague diction (only occasional) is well overshadowed by her complete devotion to every note and gesture, and that stunning, jewel-studded voice of her.

[MastersoftheOpera]

What a great necklace! I want one just like it!

[MastersoftheOpera]

What is this footage from ? Is this from a concert or a taped performance of Traviata ? What year ? Who is the tenor ? This is lovely, thank you for posting. This must be the only filmed Traviata for Sutherland. I love her voice here and costume. What a beautiful gown!

[CaptFitzbattleaxe]

@MastersoftheOpera It's from the 1978 documentary "Life of the Move." I'm guessing this scene was taped in Sydney specifically for the documentary. Also, I'm pretty sure the tenor is Anson Austin.

[CanadaPisces]

An excellent demonstration of Sutherland's outstanding vocal skills!

[marioegorga]

I was lucky to have seen this live !! ..

[Drelnis]

BTW if anyone wants to see Sutherland's Traviata video recording, I have parts of Act III, Tenessa La Promessa Letter Scene and Ah! Gran Dio Morrire Si Giovine, on my video channel :)

[A7madeus]

who is the tenor?

[asdfopera]

The tenor is Anson Austin. He was a young tenor whom Dame Joan must have been very fond of because she sang with him a lot after she returned to Australia.

[whenpigsfly2]

I think what you mean is that Dame Joan has all the uppper noteds fullly vcovered, that is supported, and the very light uppermost notes seems easily done. the non stretch- strain of Dame Sutherland is something I have not seen before. I have never heard her sing before nor have I seen any performance. this is what stikes me as highly natural to her voice or naturally gifted quality coloratura

[Drelnis]

I don't think there's any coloratura soprano with this rich vibrato and fiery coloratura anymore. Sumi Jo and Dessay are fantastic sopranos but their voice is just not like Sutherland, though I am not implying in anyway that they their voices are inferior. Don't even compare them to Netrebko though, she's singing Manon Violetta and Lucia and her running coloratura passages are just mushy. I can't see how people belittles Dessay by her nasal voice, and I can't see how Netrebko is a good Violetta.

[iriisblue]

The marketing of Netrebko as a bel canto singer is a sad testament to the decline of vocal standards on opera stages around the world. There are a gazillion coloraturas in history as good, better than and way better than Jo and Dessay, people few current opera goers have heard of. As the old Johnny Mercer song lyric goes about Hollywood, "where you're terrific if you're even good." So goes opera in our time.

[CatalinaDM56]

Thank you very much. I have been saying this for a very long time...these young women singing "Casta Diva" like they even have an idea of the technique needed to execute an acceptable performance!!!

[iriisblue]

As Milanov prophetically once said, "shuah, itz'eezy if you sing bad."

[CatalinaDM56]

Milanov knew what he was talking about...period.

[sillyboydeux]

@CatalinaDM56 Milanov was a woman. Sometimes.

[raigekimaru]

@Drelnis

I agree, Dessay herself would admit it. the only singer around whom might be a REAL dramatic coloratura soprano would be Mariella Devia, but I also agree that it isn't fair of people to hold every coloratura soprano to the standard of La Stupenda, whose voice became popular precisely because it was inhumanly beautiful. any singer without a freak of nature voice AND perfect technique has no chance of comparing to her.

[Drelnis]

@raigekimaru The successions of staccacti high Cs during the last passage of Sempre Libera is Sutherland's signature, not a single living soprano has done that!! :D

[CMOSjockey]

There is a recorded version of Sutherland singing Traviata. I have one. Or were you referring to video?

[Drelnis]

Yeah, I don't believe there is a full stage recording of Traviata either, that's a really really really awful shame since Sutherland is just so amazing on it.

[Baccalaureus79]

I wonder how she is able to sing one single note emprisoned in a robe like that! That thing must weigh stones! How can she ever move? Or breathe?

[RachieLizOpera]

Sutherland is amazing in this role. I do think other singers may have more beautiful voices, but with the coloratora stuff, Sutherland is amazing!!!! So many sopranos just kind of fake it, but she's really and truly singing every note. It's like she's got keys in her throat! Truly truly AMAZING.

[jakdaniels2]

guapo guao

[rudymargot]

New on here...totally blown away

[DazFromOz]

it's sad the video doesn't show the detail of this production, it was so sumptous and just breathtaking... when the curtain went up on Act 1 it always got a big round of applause. And with those two in it as well.... need I say more?

[HNCS2006]

this is THE favourite section of La Traviata sung by Joan Sutherland. so thank you so much for uploading it.

[TreblesBasses]

Who is this Tenor?

[oboistCONDUCTOR]

Hopefully there is people who record this fantastic musical moments anyway! otherwise...we have never seen this spectacular performance.Even a record

[yperangelo]

Bella voce Anson Austin. bravo

[domi2020]

Is this taken from a complete performance.? I believe Kiri te Kanawa was in Sydney doing this production with John Copley in 1978. I know of a highlight disc of the Tokyo performance.

[SueAnnNivens]

This pic is from the documental A life on the move, I´ve seen some images with Kiri, but it would be great to watch the complete opera! I have a highlight performance from the Tokyo tour with the Met, but the complete performance has never been released.

[domi2020]

U mean just pix or real of Kiri in the role?? That's amazing if that's the case- do u have it???

[domi2020]

thanks but is this a broadcast performance and are u from australia?? :))

[domi2020]

can anyone inform where this performance is from???

[SueAnnNivens]

I believe it´s from Sydney, 1978.

[marioegorga]

Thank you SueAnn, this is from Melbourne-Australia in 1979, the tenor is Anson Austin, the Flora was Heather Begg.The beautiful production by John Copley was created for Dame Kiri in 1978.

[django211]

Who's this guy she's singing with?

[remrom2]

theres one with pavarotti.  remus

[ariodante76]

Don't forget her first recording, conducted by Pritchard

[SueAnnNivens]

I´m sorry, I don´t express very well, I meant in video. There´s not a complete performance on video with Joan (well, there are rumors that there was one recorded in Tokyo, 1975, but the Met never released it.

[ariodante76]

Yes, there's also that Don Giovanni with Sutherland as Donna Anna that wasn't released, either. What gives? Sutherland is a marquee artist, and deserves to have all of her video performances released, I think!!!

[SueAnnNivens]

I totally agree with you! Actually, a couple of days ago, I sent a mail to the met, explaining what you just wrote. They told me that it was important for them to know what the people want to watch, so, if you want, I can give you the mail, so you can also write, asking for that glorious Giovanni, on 1978.

[ariodante76]

Sure, I would like that. Another performance that is criminally NOT on DVD is the joint recital given by Grace Bumbry and Shirley Verrett at Covent Garden, back in 1982 or 1983. Anyhow, I digress...

[goodday4guinness]

The MET is responsive to viewer requests? Not necessarily agreeable, but at least considerate? Cheers to that! Letters all around folks, let's get these great recordings on DVD!