Anna Netrebko sings "Al dolce guidame" Donizetti Anna Bolena Met 9.26.11

[Cissy97]

Slightly flat at 2:23-26. This is live, mind you.

[mozart200657]

Only a miracle created by marketing

[deadpoet50]

Anna was great as Ana Bolena, I heard the live transmission from the Met and it was impressive. Although I am only a fan, the critics felt the same. Bravo for Anna--she is not only a great singer but very good at acting. At this point she is in the prime of her career and enjoying it! 

[ROMAYATENEA]

stona , peccato , e manca il legato !,,

[Shahrdad]

@scostatisciagurato I agree with you. Her technique is not really up to the demands of this role. I don't think her training was as complete as it could and should have been before she hit it big. She has a beautiful voice and great instincts, but all the tools that a solid bel canto technique would give her just aren't there.

[kkp1066]

I am not going to join the chorus of those negatively criticizing Ms. Netrebko. After all, I would love to be singing at the Met. She has my respect for getting there in the first place. However, the best interpretation of this aria is Montserrat Caballe's version. Sheer perfection.

[Shahrdad]

@kkp1066 Caballe's version is beautiful, but she was never able to sing a trill, and this aria is chuck-full of trills.

[gestas60323]

@scostatisciagurato

great comment! unfortunately, "mother Russia" doesn´t care. She goes on singing bel canto

[jackiestotler]

I find all of these comments to be saddening. It's one thing to critique opera, a performance, an interpretation, but one must draw the line at fire-spitting. It saddens me to see all these opera lovers bashing all those who try to please them. I wish that some of you could feel the difficulty of singing that high. I applaud Ms. Netrebko, however, I regret to say I cannot applaud most of these commenters, for they disdain the artform. :(

[jirizika1962]

@jackiestotler Thank you for writing this. I have been enjoying opera music for ages and can hardly understand why Netrebko receives so many negative comments. I know much worse artist who receive positive comments. She has some weakness /who does not?/ but especially here in "Al dolce..." I cannot find anything "out of bel canto" in her singing. People are disgusting with all their unfair criticizing and many of them seem to be experts of bel canto however never sang a note... Cheers

[DanyelHawkes]

please, at least sing one note in tune

[gestas60323]

@DanyelHawkes

why should she? she´s got media hype - no matter what she does to poor Donizetti. she is the death of bel canto - and she triumphs! what a shame !

[giustizzera]

BRAVA

[fiorentina631]

just ok....

[sttar1982]

horrible 

[gestas60323]

@sttar1982

I agree

[Donizettimaniac]

Continued.

What I personally find totally inexplicable is that a person supposedly devoted to the art of opera, doesn't actually enjoy studying it. And publicly owns up to it, to boot! Isn't that a bit condescending? Or is this some kind of show? "I can sing major belcanto roles with virtually no homework, ergo I am a genius (and more so than Callas, who studied her ass off)".

[Donizettimaniac]

I think there's some (deliberate?) confusion here. Nobody called AN lazy. SHE called HERSELF "extremely lazy". SHE HERSELF said "I'm never study". It's HER OWN VERY WORDS. HER WORDS EXACTLY. And, if I am right, she was talking about opera. How much context do we need to understand such a crystal clear statement? What do we need facts for, if we have HER OWN WORDS? I know, it's a bit disillusioning to hear her say that, but SHE ACTUALLY SAID IT. Denying the statement doesn't make it disappear.

[Maripudelmonaco]

MONSERRAT CABALLE, Salle Pleyel , PARIS-1966, para qué comentar......

[summerrain206]

Continued.

I would also strongly recommend checking the facts about a person, before trying to imply some disrespect on their side. Check the number of concerts and records she has been doing recently before calling her lazy.

[summerrain206]

People, please, give it a rest! How can you judge about off-pitch/schmoff-pitch by a faulty youtube recording? Seriously!

And even if she says that she is lazy and takes 10 minutes to rehearse (although it is taken out of context) and after that she can go onstage of MET or other famous stages of the world and singing all night, does not it prove what a talanted musician she is? Did you ever sing onstage? Do you know how much sweat goes into it?

[operafantic]

Because I love Donizetti and this opera, I was moved when I heard this aria in the cinema. Netrebko sings Anna Bolena better than her other bel canto roles, which isn't saying a great deal. Her Italian was often comprehensible and she did some nice soft singing. But I agree that her pitch and musicianship are far from ideal. There are European sopranos who could sing it better (Serena Farnocchia comes to mind) but they aren't box office in the U.S. so Peter Gelb doesn't want them. Too bad!

[eep123]

She is singing quite off pitch here...just an off night I hope...

[BalinSilay]

Can someone tell me what happened there from 2:21 to 2:24??????????

[asdfopera]

@BalinSilay

maybe you could try explaining what you think happens?

[gillimut]

Wow! This woman is the Callas spirit come back in another life.

[Donizettimaniac]

@gillimut Hmm. To be Callas' spirit, it's not just enough to produce an interpretation that (perhaps) stands up to a Callas one. You need to produce such an original and groundbraking interpretation that will put Callas to shame, that will render her obsolete. This is exactly what Callas did with her predecessors and many of her contemporaries. You need to sweep away every old spirit like a hurricane. You need to be an opera revolutionary, just like Maria was. Does/can Netrebko really do that?

[MisterPapageno]

@Donizettimaniac But Callas didn't really swept her predessors: Tetrazzini, her teacher De Hidalgo were great singers with great technique. Callas has been very fortunate to sing Bolena because there were no matters of comparison (except one rapresentation for the premiere at Liceu de Barcelona in 1947). Calls swept away her contemporaries because she could sing something they couldn't. Netrebko hasn't got the technique and the Belcanto study on ther shoulder: she isn't even a musician!

[MisterPapageno]

@Donizettimaniac but she is very good indeed talking about her expensive things, clothes .... How can she even think to give a better rendition of Callas? Callas studied this role for years and practised it for years. Netrebko studied it in a couple of months (Wien) and now she has it in repertoire by one year. I am very angry with this IDIOTS that are not humble and have no idea of their singing faults and limit. Netrebko isn't a diva or a musician: she is just a mediocre woman trying to sing!

[Donizettimaniac]

@MisterPapageno Well, I think you should click on a youtube video entitled 'Anna Netrebko Documentary Part 2'. At 3:55 she says: 'Unfortunately, I'm extremely lazy, I'm never study, 10 minutes is the maximum'. She actually spells out to everybody what is instantly obvious from her perfomances. Compare this to Callas' Dallas Bolena, whose dress rehearsal lasted 7 hours and where Callas sang with a full voice one day before the actual performance.

[MisterPapageno]

@Donizettimaniac I both know this documentaries :) in fact I am really angry that this mediocre singer and musician (Netrebko) is compared to Maria Callas, who isn't just glamour and "diva" (really stupid adjective to refer to Callas that netrebko uses every time she talks about her) but is matter of HIGH study, HIGH method and GLORIUOS technique and interpretation (that makes youa musician instead of a simple "singing machine") as Joan Sutherland was too!

[tiara23j]

@Donizettimaniac I agree in this particular aria the lack of preparation is audible, the tuning is very inaccurate and rhythmically not ideal..

[spqrmor]

@Donizettimaniac Dear,are you inattantive one or shamless liar and AN's distractor?You threw out of the context (her documentary,part 2)that she was lazy AT HOME and she was never studying there more then 10 minuetes, just for her own rehearsals. We know well that she spends all her time at her rehearsals,the proof is her great works on the stage.Fling dirt enough and some will stick ?!

[Donizettimaniac]

@spqrmor Well, if it's normal and acceptable to you that a leading soprano studies 10 minutes at home before rehearsals (and out of laziness, for that matter), then it's fine by me.

[spqrmor]

@Donizettimaniac Well,that's why there is a big difference between you(domestic critic) and the great soprano of nowadays.

[caper064]

This is even better! Things do get lovelier the second time around.

[korts100]

She probably listened to Callas the night before and it did her brain in.

[chuntsiack]

This must be playing on God's iPod.

[augustine051]

So beautiful! A divine tool, Donizetti and she, to feel the presence of God!

[erginakif]

Great production! They were all off the damn chain at the gala! Superb!

[LohengrinT]

No super-star can be without haters - or is no superstar

Anna has found her Goddess- role in Bolena - and she is the only Bolena we will be listening to after Callas'

I almost said Divina at the end :))

[primohomme]

Gruberova who? Devia who?

Sorry dahling, between Callas and Netrebko, NOBODY has sung Anna Bolena as Donizetti intended it.

[BZBlaner]

@primohomme Isn't it astonishing how people will support that drag show put on by Gruberova, with all the wobbles, non-existent middle, and off-tune notes, then completely trash Anna's because she's absolutely gorgeous and has finally refined her technique to put on something amazing? Bye, bye Grubby!

[09avenger]

@BZBlaner - I agree. You see, they were anticipating Anna's total failure as Bolena. I remember their comments since a few years ago. How agitated they were to see her fail! Now they have to invent lies that there were boos at the premiere. Read comments on Drelnis's page.  I was at the premiere, there was an ovation after every aria. They must be very frustrated, poor imbeciles.

[BZBlaner]

@09avenger Anna has more fans and talent than her haters, so she has nothing to worry about. And this is coming from a person who wasn't much of a fan until hearing these fragile Donizettian melodies come to life.

[cygavin]

@BZBlaner What is amazing is that people don't see the exact same qualities in Netrebko.

Not a fan of her either, but at least Gruberova was consistent in her idiosyncrasies.

Netrebko's had a career for about 1/4 the time as Gruberova and her voice has had several major changes.

She is half-baked.

Were she fully-baked, the result COULD have had potential to be more than a mere cultural & marketing phenomenon praised (for lack of anything else) for the beauty of her person and of her tone.

[primohomme]

@cygavin

How dare you criticize Netrebko's vocal line when your fave Gruberova has been singing for DECADES without a voice? Gruberova was a fine light coloratura when she was young, but in the bel canto roles she is dreadful, and specially now she is 1000 years old and wants to sing the Assoluta roles without having a chest voice.

And her breathe capacity? Don't make me laugh, Gruberova becomes asthmatic and suffocated trying to sustain a Bellinian line

watch?v=Lsi7h9mBM1s

[BZBlaner]

@primohomme I didn't even bother replying to that psycho. Anyone who claims that Gruberova has maintained consistency in her idiosyncrasies over the course of her career should not be talking at all. The woman went from straight coloratura high soprano into the heavy Assoluta stuff believing she was the second coming of Callas lmao.

[Operaphile]

@primohomme Agreed, although I also insist Caballe (while not the Callas fiery coloratura) was a superb Anna and was the most ravishingly beautiful in those golden Donizetti contemplative moments. I wish Sutherland had sung it much earlier too. There's always the haters, but Netrebko really has stepped up to the role and surprised!

[primohomme]

@Operaphile

I am not mad at Caballe's Bolena, but I don't think she ever truly had the range to pull off the big bel canto Assoluta roles. Specially didn't have the top notes. Did she sing Anna Bolena before 1970?

I think her Elisabetta in "Roberto Devereux" in 1968 is quite good, but after 1972 I think her top notes became very strained and her pianissimi became disconnected falsetto

[kake1959]

a laughable performance. let's see how she destroys Roberto Devereaux in a couple of years.

[orewa14]

@kake1959

Please let us all know why it is laughable, where the ruins lie exactly. There is a Youtube of the Callas '58 studio recording for side to side comparison, we can refer your performance prescriptive to the MC rendition, and compare bar to bar. You may be of the opinion that both Callas+ AN murdered this piece, if so, again please explain. No opinion is "wrong", feel free..

[BZBlaner]

The only Bolena within recent memory who matters and brings life to Donizetti's masterpiece.

[ninawally1]

@BZBlaner

Totally agree!!!!

[Ariadne7710]

@BZBlaner It was only a matter of time before the AN haters started crawling out of the woodwork to slag her off as usual. She is the only one who has sang Bolena with any authority since Callas. They are just jealous because a)she has done a great job here and b) she is drop dead gorgeous. They can't say she can't trill any more because SHE CAN or that she can't hit top notes either because she can do that too. So they leave the specifics out. Hahahaha They are the laughable ones.

[cygavin]

@Ariadne7710 But my dear, the world would be lucky if her deficiencies were limited to the ability to trill and hit a high note.

THERE IS NO MUSICAL LINE-PERIOD. T Why? Because she is constantly gasping for breath.

And if you take a moment to examine the work of people who are not "drop dead gorgeous" (a discussion that has no place in real musical debate) you will find that UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS know how to sustain a musical line, connect phrases and unify a melody on the breath better.

[Ariadne7710]

@cygavin Great. If these undergratuate students are so amazing I am sure the Met will spot them immediately and hire them in no time at all and we will all be able to appreciate their skills. Anna got years of abuse for her trills, she got years of abuse for her top notes, now they have to look for new deficiencies. And as for being drop dead gorgeous I didn't bring it into the debate. It gets brought in repeatedly by those who say the reason she gets the best parts is because of her looks.

[spqrmor]

@Ariadne7710 One troll asserts she's bad in pitch, Another -she can't trill, The third is calling,just for fun, Her being cheapest bitch. The whole cohort of envy ones Are surely deaf and blind, They simply cannot put up with, She's famous,great and fine. To fight with idiots's absurd, They'll make a fools(of) themselves, The talent's always stands(for)itself, One greatest has last word.

[ruth425]

It's like a sweeter version. I don't expect the same operas to be done exactly like the previous productions. Netrebko keeps your attention from beginning to end and stays with you long after it's over!

[kitchavez]

Even though it's an old opera and an old setting, it's like a new one.

[09avenger]

I was very lucky to be at the premiere. I will never forget that night. So happy for you Anna. Bravo!!!!!!

[spqrmor]

@09avenger Brava Anna!

You're lucky indeed, I wish I could be there too! Please tell us more, what was the production itself? Was ms. Gubanova good as Seymour? And what do you think about other singers (Ildar Abdrazakov, Stephen Costello...)

Thanks.

[09avenger]

@spqrmor The cast was great overall. Ildar Abdrazakov was just fantastic. Stephen Costello, is good but I can think of a few tenors that I would like much more in that role. I never head Cubanova live before, her voice is huge and she did a perfect job. But for me Anna's singing overshadows every female part, so for Gubanova it must have been very hard. Unfortunately the production was very traditional and I think that a bit more colors in the costumes would not hurt, even for Tudor.

[Ariadne7710]

@09avenger Lucky you, I wish I could have been there. I will see the movie transmission on 15 Oct but being inside the theatre is always 10 times better. I will try to get tickets for the Feb 1 performance and go to NYC. Does anyone have any pirate footage to put on YT? That would be terrific for all of us to see.

[s99jonte]

It was an amazing evening

[pavelrysavy]

bravo Anna

[Ariadne7710]

Well done Anna!!!!! Bravaaaaa!!!!

[operagirlify]

thanks :)