Aida Contest - O Patria Mia - Leona Mitchell

[esquire2K11]

Yessss Leona!!!



[thevuitt0ndon]

Lol these comments are hilarious. Ignorance amongst adults...even-so, yes leona was a lil flat on the C, still an impressive performance given her age. At the end of the day, PRICE OWNS this piece! Ps. Foul language only makes one look like an idiot. #thatisall

[HU1914]

Brava Leona, You are indeed a Goddess!!!!

[boy170ful]

esta gente que pide? impresionante BRAVA

[Lindow]

I never understand why costume designers give Aida such lavish things to wear. She is a princess in a slave's position in the story for God's sake, Amneris is the princess. These way over the top attires take away from the meaning of the story and especially from the beauty of this particular aria and the way Verdi wrote it.

[Twisterjoe]

She was a personal assistant slave, not a field slave. A reigning princess could dress her personal slave in anything she liked, knowing the slave would never dare take it, or believe that she owned it. A royal princess' slave might even be a confidant and friend for all we know. Just possible.. Amneris is not Cruella deVille, just the loser in the love match.

[gustavoanmosura]

sois todos unos resentidos con las energias mal focalizadas.......me imagino que vosotros cantareis con una tecnica y voz muchisimo mejores que ella para criticarla....mamarrachos

[silvanero]

Beautiful singing, expressive phrasing, gorgeous voice....Love the sound and quality of Ms Mitchell's voice !!!!

[JessyeNormanFan]

I particularly like how she enunciates the text and the meaning she gives to the words.

The high C is truly a killer.

[LivaDena]

Miss Mitchell is yet singing into her 50's and still adding roles as well. Her voice is so much more beautiful than Freni's ever was. She was far more suited for Aida. I think Callas said she lost her confidence more than her voice on her comeback. Miss Mitchell was experiencing a bit of burn out at this time.

When she first sang Aida, there was no trouble with the high C, however at this time, she was having trouble. Not unlike Tebladi was in her late 30's. Mitchell was about 46 on this.

[ykaiilah]

I don't understand why there is not more talk about how good Leona was.

[Iareto]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I personally find Freni's voice much more beautiful than Miss Mitchell. She is very talented and I like her in a lot, but there's no reason to try and suggest she's better than an artist of Freni's calibre.

[Lindow]

Beware of that cleavage!

[naga22041980]

hot woman with sexy voice, beautiful skirt

[Chasson0318]

Okay, I wont bother.

[mm9913]

Mitchell definitely wins the rolling the r's contest, I heard her in this role at the Met earlier, I think it was 85 or 86 and she was excellent, here she is a bit flat and tentative, Sjambro is right, give her a break, hers was an amazing career by any standards, and when she was on she was sparkling.

[HU1914]

If you listen to all of the aidas,Tebaldi was wfefully flat on this note, Mirella Freni was a bit flat, however, we do not see you dismissing them as legitimate sopranos who were

capable singers. On some listings Callas was flat on some notes in Aida with Corelli.

[tamerlano]

I think the VOICE is naturally very beautiful, but she is out of her league here and nearly comes to grief in the ascent to the high C--which is woefully flat. The final high Bb is flat as well. She just sounds overparted and technically ungrounded. She rarely lets the voice out and prefers to sing piano for the most part. This works sometimes, but not all the time.

[silvanero]

Dear Tamerlano...I agree that the high C is a bit flat but I don't think she is "out of her league" This is a very difficult lyric aria not dramatic. It should be sung beautifully and lyrically not heavy and loud all the time. Ms. Mitchell succeeds in these qualities. If she sings too heavy, it would have been more difficult to keep the evenness and beauty in the top register. Every singer has a bad night. They are not machines.. Mitchell sings a very beautiful and touching O Patria Mia..

[BeauTenor]

Mitchell in her prime had a beautiful voice, but I'm not sure it was right for certain roles she chose. Although this particular aria, taken out of context, can be called "lyrical", don't forget that the ROLE is not something a lyric voice can usually attempt - the only exception I can think of would be Freni since she was so LOUD and could get over the orchestration. Aida is a spinto/ dramatic role.

[silvanero]

Yes Dear BeauTenor the ROLE calls for a dramatic thrust as well and Mitchell succeeds in that quality as well. I think she sings the best Triumphal scene. Her voice EASILY soars over the orchestration and the chorus. I really don't understand all of you "Haters" !!  YOu get out there and do it better !!! Freni was loud yes but louder is never better dear. Her high C in this aria isnt PERFECT either. Stop judging and start appreciating more.

[BeauTenor]

uh, you need to learn how to read. My post didn't say ANYTHING about her suitability for the role, and calling me a hater when you CLEARLY didn't read my comment (or maybe it's a comprehension issue) is STUPID. As for Freni being loud, I never said louder was better, but Freni was a MUCH better singer than Mitchell EVER was. Look at longevity. Freni was still ADDING new roles to her rep at an age when most singers are thinking of retirement. Mitchell couldn't equal that in a hundred years.

[olgamarga]

Dear silvanero,please asked in TeatroColón site

here in You Tube about Leona Mitchell perfoman-

ces.

[BDSCalgary]

I enjoyed her singing, always have, but in truth, that C was very flat, and not well prepared. Few singers sing what Verdi wrote and follow his instructions. Most either sing it all forte, or sing the entire phrase piannissimo, and breath in all the wrong places (like here), but few actually sing the line in one breath, starting piano, crescendoing as they approach the High C, then sing it piano and let it die away without rushing the phrase. It is super difficult, and becomes everything.

[Oaktownrob]

The performance here was marred, indeed, only by that unorthodox approach to that high c! Otherwise, it was a pleasure to hear La Mitchell's rich, warm and wonderful voice.Was this outdoors? Perhaps something flew in there.

[beejayem76]

Having had the pleasure of working with you on productions of Don Carlos, Turandot and A Masked Ball, let me assure you, she is EVERY bit the prima donna that everyone in the audience wants on the night! Now "semi-retired" I hope she is VERY conent with what she has achieved over a VERY long career, all over the world - with some of the BEST singers ever. Well done Leona!

[silvanero]

Dear Beejayem!! I read your comment about Ms. Mitchell and your having worked with her. Were any of those performances the ones in Australia? I love her singing and would love to hear or even watch her performances in Don Carlo and Turandot. Do you know if any exists that i can find somewhere? A Devoted Fan!!

[Andante735]

Oh this one is just too good to pass on. Her performances in Don Carlo and Turandot? Aside from the idiocy of letting her attempt those roles, that's the vocal equivalent of Madonna singing Violetta. Do you know anything about the vocal requirements for those roles? She's anything but a full-voiced lyric, let alone spinto! Even in her own "fach", she hoots and scoops from register to register - well, that's if she actually had a lower register, more often then then the Cyclone at Coney Island.

[Andante735]

Lucky for her she never attempted that music at Scala - she would have been booed and pelted with rotten fruit. I've seen it happen - brilliant! What Alagna got was the mildest version - Fleming got called a stupid american whore - in italian of course. Beverly Sills once said ( when asked about booing ) "if you pay to hear good singing, then let them know you're happy, if you get the rotten egg, then let them know about that too".

[ezayi]

You think you know and obviously you don´t know a SHIT.... anything about voices. Im sure you don´t even sing and if you do... certainly someone that or is frustrated and didn´t even got work in a choir because of lack of talent. IDIOT!

[Andante735]

Oh yes, you're absolutely correct - I know nothing. What's even more, I pale in comparison to your masterful command of expletives. Thanks for putting me in my place.

[ezayi]

Yes you don´t. And the fact that worked or work or who fucking knos in an angency doesn´t mean a shit to anybody. Obviously is attacking you cause you are a stupid ASSHOLE... YOU IDIOT!.

Putting you in your place?... somebody has to... you peehead!

[Andante735]

You're a very entertaining example of pathological anger and insecurity. It really shouldn't bother you this much what I write now should it? The unfortunate reality for you is that you have no logical way to verify what I do, and do not know. The bigger unfortunate reality, is that you're the frustrated, idiotic soul here, not me.

Good luck.

[ezayi]

Were you analyzing yourself when you wrote this to me you PEEHEAD?

[ezayi]

Sabes tanto que sabes a mierda... you idiot!

[Andante735]

She's beyond horrible, and I had the misfortune to hear her live on several occasions, one of which I left my seat and walked out in the middle of her butchered Manon Lescaut. She may have began with an attractive lyric voice, and a pleasant mid to upper range, but here is another example of her singing Verdi in the same manner that she would sing "Go tell it on the Moutain". I'm tellin' on the mountain she get's a big 0/0. I hope Leontyne never watches this.

[HU1914]

why in the world would you log onto this video to make this kind of comment if you disliked Miss Mitchell? Leave space for people who are indeed interested. What a racist remark, "Go tell on the mountain." I do know that Miss Price has said to Miss Mitchell that she is so proud of her and was one of the sopranos that she supported and listened to regularly.

[Andante735]

Racist remark? A black soprano singing a gospel song? That's like calling Di Stefano a racist for singing "non ti scordar di me". Yes, I dislike her intensely, and just as people who are worthy of praise for their art should be praised, those who are not should be told as well.

Miss Price may have said that when there was a voice to be proud of- that was a short period, if it existed at all.

[Andante735]

Either way, she's a horribly ungifted singer; generic, unoriginal,and basically had the level of talent generally reserved for 3rd rate stand-ins. The only reason she got as far as she did, was because she was screwing Herbert Adler.

[talmagedotson2]

The majority of the people who are viewing this video consider Leona Mitchell to be a great singer! You are a damn fool for making such accusations about her sleeping with Mr Adler. Unless you have proof, then you should shut your mouth, and go view other videos where you can unleash your venom on some other great black soprano perhaps Leontyne Price, Kathleen battle, Shirley Verrett, or Grace Bumbry. I am sure that you being such a critic you can find something to hate about each one of them!

[Andante735]

I'm the fool??Your praising someone who never had any business singing anything more advanced that Porgy and Bess,and I'm a fool? I've been working in this business for 20 years in artist management,and I can tell you it's common knowledge that if it were not for Adler,she would have never gotten as far as she did.

[Andante735]

If you equate good singing with unintelligible diction,scooping like a hoot owl from register to register a lower middle that's sounds like a doughnut hole,serious lack of intonation up top,then fine,that's your level of appreciation, and if it were me, I'd keep it to myself around serious musicians, or risk something way worse than anything I've said.

[silvanero]

Andante735!!

I'm shocked at the horrible things you said about Madame Mitchell! Shame on YOU! Remember! What goes around comes back around! You should have kept such horrible gossip to yourself about the Adler mess, unless you were there too. You don't seem to be much of a professional artist mgmt persona! You're a disgrace to that field. I hope Ms. Mitchell never reads your comments. I dont think the MET would have hired her so much if she was as horrible as you've described her to be.

[Andante735]

Don't be shocked, this is how we "talk shop" in this business. You've obviously not had much exposure. Au contraire, I hope Mitchell does read this. You think the Met always hires on the basis of talent? WRONG! They play politics with managers and the board just like any corporation. I'd rather be a "disgrace" to my profession, than the clueless pedestrian you are.

[talmagedotson2]

I am really amazed at the comments you have posted about about Ms. Mitchell. It's one thing criticizing her singing or artistry, but you have gone too far attacking her character and accomplishments. Are you a singer? If so, I bet you are a frustrated, bitter, and unfufilled one who didn't have much of a career! As much as I love opera, many of the people involved in the making of it, including the singers are some of the most snobbish, arrogant,self-righteous, narcissistic people on the planet.

[Andante735]

No, I'm not a singer, and yes she's dreadful. If you put yourself up on that stage, you're fair game, whether it's praise or pandering. I'm not a snob, I'm honest, and if I see a singer making a shambles out of the art that I love and respect, than I'm going to say it.

Learn the actual definition of Narcissism, and use in the correct context, and move on.

[talmagedotson2]

Andante 735, since you want to be a smart ass, narcisssism means undue dwelling on one's own self or attainment. Based on the words you have printed on this comment board, I think that definition fits you perfectly since your opinions are an extension of how you see yourself. Perhaps overly critical bitch who thinks their opinion is gospel suits you even better!

[Andante735]

I left you a lovely reply in your inbox. Enjoy it, and please refrain from any further exchanges - it's too much of a bore, and you're not very interesting I'm afraid.

[courtneybaritone01]

AMEN TO THAT!!! Who is this guy?

[Andante735]

Racist remark? A black soprano singing a gospel song? That's like calling Di Stefano a racist for singing "non ti scordar di me". Yes, I dislike her intensely, and just as people who are worthy of praise for their art should be praised, those who are not should be told as well.

Miss Price may have said that when there was a voice to be proud of- that was a short period, if it existed at all.

[ezayi]

Because he´s a great pain in the ass... a complete asshole... and sorry for my language.

[2muzikiluv]

WOW!!! She is singing! And those K cups...I enjoyed the performance.

[courtneybaritone01]

after all that good singing, she comes with that weird approach to the c. that was a let down, but otherwise good.

[Dymension]

Wow! I do think she's going to pop out! 4/4

[mariaperrucha]

At least Leona Mitchell voice is much larger than her countryfellow colleague Leontyne Price.Though better than Price, Leona Mitchell intonation on top was problematic and her articulation was bad, her voice lacked egde too, her high notes are not precise and are uninteresting

[courtneybaritone01]

??????????? Sometimes i just wonder what in the world is wrong with people's ears. But, you are entitled to your opinion however lame it may be! EEEEESH

[courtneybaritone01]

??????????? Sometimes i just wonder what in the world is wrong with people's ears. But, you are entitled to your opinion however lame it may be! EEEEESH

[HU1914]

Have you listend to the great Tebaldi, her intonation was really off in this aria in the 59 Aida and her high c was weird as well.

this doe not negate her contribution to the world, and this should not negate Miss Mitchell's as well. Her voice does not lack edge and it is very interesting, full of colors.

[hotazzoperastud]

Rich, dark, beautiful timber. Love her! 5/5

But she looks like she is gonna pop right out of that costume (didn't she have the same problem in the Met Ernani telecast?)

[Andante735]

Figures...

[hotazzoperastud]

Andante735,

What are you talking about. Figures????

Why don't you just shut your stupid mouth and let everyone enjoy the video? Your comments on this video paint a very ugly picture of yourself.

[ezayi]

He´s a PEEHEAD!... everybody knows that.