Renée Fleming - Signore, ascolta!

[huhas1]

Absolutely incredible..

[Priestessss]

Why You all hate so much that woman ?? Is she sleeping with someone's husband, or what?? Maybe she killed someone's kid ?? It's stupid to criticize a great singer t - I bet - no one of You is better - Or maybe all of the mean comments comes from another lady singer which is worst, and have no chance to make a carrier like her - I pity you jealous guys - You are poor ... ;/

[koffieputih]

magnificent voice!!!!! especially on those high, soft note at the end of the aria. Such a heartbreaking tone...

[sganghiforever]

assolutamente splendida e tecnicamente perfetta!

[wopliala]

Singers like Fleming are so rare to find nowadays.

[TrevorDaniels]

I usually do not like Flemming, but this is nice...

[VideosAlcides]

Signore, ascolta! Ah, signore, ascolta! Liù non regge più, si spezza il cuor! Ahimè, quanto cammino col tuo nome nell'anima, col nome tuo sulle labbra! Ma se il tuo destino, doman sarà deciso, noi morrem sulla strada dell'esilio. Ei perderà suo figlio... io l'ombra d'un sorriso. Liù non regge più! Ah!

[bodiloto]

voce fuori repertorio !

[boysoul1]

@bodiloto forse..ma è splendida

[kokkelifiinu]

Only, that she is doing this better than Caballe.

[MrCafiero]

Breathy! GROSS! Listen to real singers singing it like Caballe.

[Anibaal]

I like the version of Licia Albanese. This version is very dramatical.

[khamikins]

love this version. but I think Caballe might be better

[sievep]

I'm normally not a fan, but I really enjoyed it.

Guys, who cares who is number one or two? If you enjoy it, good for you. It's so not worth the energy to argue it

[eddyarias2]

This was a studio recording and therefore excellent recorded, Caballe demonstrated her skill live, but I've never heard Fleming sang this aria live. Therefore Caballe is No.1 and Fleming No.2

[dks880]

Excellent!

[SigridCaro]

Does anyone know if there is a recording of Janis Kelly singing Liu? This is a recent review of a live performance:

Turandot‚ Dorset Opera

Sunday Times (July 2007)

'Janis Kellys Liu was spellbindingly sung and heartrending. '

[roweman2]

so.

much.

love.

[Turandot5]

Красиво!

[QuiRan82]

Beautyfully sung... brava!

[osucollegebuckeye]

TE2LEETD loves this

[babydrane]

beautiful!

[caspiman]

wonderful rendition and beautiful voice! A little bit too mature for Liu, but still beautiful. I loved the last B, left on (original?) piano/pianissimo, without the traditional showcase crescendo.

[darnmat]

i don't know why but i beg people to realize that comparison is not necessary. it's an individual thing for all of us... this is not sports... this is art that is filtered by how a soul sees it in an individual manner... oh well... opinions are just opinions, not necessarily facts...

[darnmat]

Breathtakingly beautiful...

[mjmacmtenor]

This is some of Ms. Fleming's best singing. Sometimes she can seem a bit mannered to me and her voice a bit "covered", but her diction is excellent here. I like the simplicity of her singing (it suits the character) and her final Bb is amazing.

[dolcefico]

No real sense of connection to what she's singing, the anguish, the conflict, the sacrifice, but pretty nice sound. Caballe owns this one, then Price!

[mrsexy300]

Now how the heck would you know if she felt a connection to what she is singing or not? That may be your opinion and you are perfectly entitled to it but why can't you simply add the words "in my opinion" instead of making an evaluative and judgmental comment? In like this version better than Caballe's BUT that is only my opinon:-)

[dolcefico]

I love the passion that opera on YouTube excites! You were able to discern easily that what I wrote is opinion; this coupled with the facts that I have no technical objection to her performance and my use of the word "sense" would make the inclusion of "in my opinion" redundant. This is a matter of personal taste: I may taste metal, you leather, but the key is to know whether we're drinking red wine, champagne or coca-cola. Okay, those last allusions were shamefully self-indulgent....

[mrsexy300]

Forgive me, I interpreted "no sense of connection" to mean SHE had no sense of connection to what she was singing, not that YOU sensed no connection. Mea culpa. But you're right about the passion - it leads to a lot of offen - SENSE -itivity:-) I saw Fleming live (Strauss)about 6 months ago. My wife plays in the orchestra so I went backstage to pay my respects and found her to be very down to earth. But the voice in the hall - heavenly. Shimmering, irridescent and creamily sensual

[dolcefico]

No apology necessary! Lucky you with a wife in the orchestra: I'm envious that you met her--i.e. Rene, and your wife, too :) I've heard her over the years at the Met in different roles and she does produce perhaps the most beautiful sound of any soprano today, often with a deeply felt characterization. I may not agree with some of her characterizations, for which any performer is only partly responsible, but I respect her commitment and integrity as an artist. And yes, that voice!

[musoph21]

does flemings voice carry well in the hall?

[mrsexy300]

Yes. It is not big but, similar to Pavarotti, seems to shoot out like a golden arrow. I heard her Marschallin and she carried over the orchestra with ease.

[suzanneetmoi]

@musoph21

Yes, it does, and don't listen to anyone who says that she has a "small" voice. Renee is a full lyric (Sings many Spinto roles) and can be heard in the biggest of houses. Singers with true "small" voices like Natalie Dessay and Juan Diego Flores have that special " PING" which enables them to be heard way in the back too!

[darnmat]

I can't believe that this rendition is compared to Caballe... Their obviously different... this is not sports... this is music filtered by individual preferences... it may be true that you respect fleming's integrity but this criticsm is highly unnecessary. you are listening to yourself, not fleming. thank God that you are not a write in a newspaper column.

[dolcefico]

You're probably right! Who the heck cares: it is beautiful sound. Fleming is one of the best we have now, and I'm glad we have her.

[philiprichardson]

I'm not always a fan of Renee but this was the best Signore I've heard on here - her breath control at the end, not breathing after Ah and holding the note perfectly in tune for so long, its really quite amazing.

[CelloVoice]

I've heard so many records of this Air of Liu, but this record fully represents my thinking about this Air's interpretation!!

[CelloVoice]

At least one good record of this beautiful Liu's Air!!! I've heard so many and so different records, but this is the record which got my attention with it's purity and it represents my way of meaning for this Air!!!

[wedidntknow]

wow! this is awesome... There are lots of liberties taken in studio recording... there an artist really get a chance to interpret the song outside the context of the opea and use the imagery in which they identify. If you heard the same aria sing the same way you would get bored. thank GOD for risk takers and people like renee who are willing to take them and make beautiful music out of it.

[shinjitsu85]

Find the translations. The last few words may shed some light on the sostenuto in the end. You have to understand the piece and what she's singing about. If you know some of that info, it sort of gives some perspective on why an artist might have choosen to sustain certain notes. Also, latraviata1853 is right about this being a CD version. If this were the opera, she wouldnt have time to sustain the note and start crying before the last notes are heard from the orchestra (which is in the score).

[mynightwish28]

in response to the question why does she hold the last note so long, there's a joke about sopranos holding notes too long because they just like to hear how pretty they sound. (i'm a soprano, so i of all people should be allowed to make this joke).

[cuaya6]

fuuuuuuuuck you :)

[cuaya6]

that was meant for mynightwish28 :) / remarkable rendition!

[renethel]

yeah i'm a soprano myself i hear that joke a lot! lol

i just love it when Fleming sustains notes b/c her voice is angelic.

[915mridd]

Many great sopranos wanted to sing Liu; this is one of the very best.

[dwightkschrute80]

Angelic!

[Chilair1]

They are both famous for a reason. I just this caballe is better for this stuff.

[shinjitsu85]

But if you listen to Caballe's pitch, she's flat. Dont get me wrong, i think she did amazing job, but her intonation is off. Renee's Signore, Ascolta is absolutely on head when it comes to musicality and pitch. It's amazing.

[Chilair1]

you're right, but this was done on a CD, so it could've been several takes before she got it right. Renee is AMAZING don't get me wrong, but singers are human. I'm sure on Caballe's album it would be a perfect bflat as well.

haha I always think convo's like this are a lil funny because honestly: who cares! they are both some of the best singers ever to exist! What critique could I possibly have to say about them!!

[shinjitsu85]

You're totally right. Who cares? Have you checked out the recording with Sutherland, Pavarotti, and Caballe? It's pretty awesome.

[Drelnis]

Caballe's studio recording? LONG, perfect last note. (Thought I wished she had sung Ah Pieta instead of Ah ah ah)

[khamikins]

I love Caballe's version as well the lsat note was amazing..but I think she was focusing on tonal quality more than wording...both are fabulous!

[Drelnis]

lol yes I own a DVD of Caballe singing O Mio Babbino Caro and though she sang it most beautifully, it's like she forgot the words and so many points. I mean, someone like her should have gotta the aria down in her head anyway, guess she's just so concentrated on the tone so much she skipped some syllables :P

[CharlotteinWeimar]

Glad you noticed! Caballe is much more subtle on her studio recording than in the live concert. I love this aria so much. Puccini wrote it beautifully in character for Liu, with an exquisite ending for the orchestra and it seems such a shame to spoil it.

[543johnson]

I'm not knocking Fleming, but isn't it kinda late for her to be singing Liu? I will say that I like the B-flat at the end; it reminds me of Caballe' and Ricciarelli.

[latraviata1853]

If you're referring to her age, I'd agree with you, but she recorded this aria for a compilation CD in the 90s.

[latraviata1853]

I agree that it's better to sing what the composer wrote, but the note isn't that long, and this is from an arias CD, so I think she just wanted to show off her chops.

[CharlotteinWeimar]

To show what Puccini composed, the printed vocal score of this aria is now posted,

[kngiht84]

You said the same thing on the Caballe post, hehehe

[CharlotteinWeimar]

Lovely sound, but why the over long last note? That is not what Puccini wrote. He indicates that the orchestra alone should have the closing phrase.

[sschimel]

Personally, I think Moffo sang the best version, so you're both wrong. :-)

[dolcefico]

Moffo's Liu was something special!

[andrecueca]

i believe its a matter of opinion...its wrong to say that she is better than caballe because it sounds so diferent renee herself said that caballe is amazing and inspired her in her career. but i have to say that renee´s piani are not the same as caballe´s