100 Greatest Singers: VIRGINIA ZEANI

[Ellevius]

Her voice is like an unstoppable tsunami, she should be called Virginia Seani ;)

How about L' Aphrodite, born of the sea, to keep company with

La Divina, La Regina, La Stupenda.

[Tsunade3Sannin]

@Ellevius how bout just Sick Nasty Awesome!? haha not as classy as the others, but its to the point.

[Ellevius]

It is time to place her where she belongs: to the very, very top.

[Ellevius]

She is certainly best.

The more I hear, the more I know.

[marcocito]

Les voix roumaines ont du soleil dans la voix!

[pereziana]

I love this colection, the possibility of hearing those singers I've just read in books!!!

[redo58]

Excellent choice, thank you so much...

[agnesnicolescu]

bravissima!



[mizofan]

I've been listening to a lot of the "100 Greatest Singers" now, and this is magnificent!

[baltoman24]

A superb artist, VIoletta was certainly one of her finest achievements. Surely places among the top 100 for me! Thank you for this gorgeous posting!

[linnybins]

I am a newcomer to Opera, having followed Maria Callas down a wormhole created from a black and white youtube clip of "O mio babbino caro" which I absolutely adore!! I now find myself here in music heaven (100 singers), and listening for the first time to Virginia Zeani. I am absolutely godsmacked to use an aussie term. Actually it's GOBsmacked, but I think the typo is more appropriate. STAND ASIDE CALLAS AND SUTHERLAND, I GIVE YOU ZEANI!!! Thank you for helping me discover her.

[cantorandopera]

This is a different performance than that posted by CharlotteinWeimar which is from a film. They each have a different flavor. But by whatever standard, they are both thrilling. I prefer the vocalism in this one.

[Raggedy9]

In addition to her great artistry and wonderful timbre, she is one of the finest voice teachers I have ever encountered. I accompanied some of her classes in the 70s at Indiana University, and every one of her students improved radically after two month's study.

[Needsanswers2010]

@Raggedy9

Where in the world can I get copy of the entire completed Maria di Rohan opera (with Zeani) in cd format? It's impossible to find except on ebay but the guy is selling fake copies. I can't even find vinyl versions of this opera. 

[Raggedy9]

@Needsanswers2010 I'm sorry, but I have no idea. Speaking of obscure repertoire, I heard Zeani live in 1967 in Verdi's "Alzira." The master himself called it his ugliest opera, but she was beautiful in it. It's one of the few Verdi non-comic operas in which the soprano and tenor live happily ever after. (Quick! name another one.)

[mapflu]

What an amazing voice.

[qklq42]

Virginia Zeanis high notes are brighter as te sun and her low notes are darker als a black diamond. Soon she wil be 85 years old. I wish her still many years. As I did Magda Olivero, who is now 100 yo. I am very curious of the presentation of Mr. Steven Smith from Canada. And I thank you, Charlotte, for your recoment. I have choosen her Piccolo Marat from 1962. I am very glad that I have the oportunity to honor her !

[basenjidiva]

It would be virtually impossible to infuse more emotion into the portrayal of Violetta than Zeani achieved. Exquisite vocality, bewitchingly delivered! Her rendition of this Brindisi sparkles more brilliantly than the Champagne!

Thank you for including this delicious sample of heaven, which I hope consists of chilled beluga caviar, sparkling Champagne, rich, dark chocolate... all bathed in... Zeani, of course!!!

[kelyn1994]

Bravissima!

[Webarton]

She is one of the best singers I have ever heard. Leagues better than Callas, I can't believe they are even being compared, very sad. Zeani is technically superior than 99.99% of sopranos of the past, even the famous ones. It is a pity that we cannot recognize the voices that truly deserve the front page.

[bodiloto]

Sublime Zeani Grazie .

[grig035]

I've just concluded an intense immersion process in the extensive Traviata discography. Having grown up deeply appreciating the finest Violettas who have survived on disc, like Ponselle, Callas, Freni, the younger Scotto, Moffo, Albanese (in Dress Rehearsal) and Sills, I don't mean to take anything away from these artists by saying that my recent hearing of over 50 different sets found me enthralled by the complete Zeani Traviata under Bobescu (made a decade after this excerpt) most of all!

[legato29]

I attended a masterclass that she gave last year and I must say I was surprised by how easily she manages to produce such a magnificent tone, especially at her current age! Amazing.

[CharlotteinWeimar]

A rare and moving live video of Virginia Zeani singing Manon Lescaut's 'Sola, perduta' has been posted by StuartLou. With his kind permission I have edited & re-presented it on my channel. It gives some idea of Zeani's stunning gifts. She was an intensely passionate interpreter with a voice of singular beauty & an unshakeably secure technique. Unequalled and UNMISSABLE.

[billyguns2]

Zeani's vocal emission was perfect and I happen to love the sound of her voice; she deserves to be included in any list of great singers.

[j72050]

..so many greats are overlooked....if there was no Callas, or her massive publicity....Zeani would be as popular as Callas....a huge slight hovered over the career of Zeani....

[corellithebest]

I know I already commented, but I simply can't resist the temptation to comment once more and say how GLORIOUS, RESONANT, RICH and SUBLIME her voice is, and I needn't even mention her interpretation ("what is expressed between the notes", to quote the great maestro Verdi himself). With her heavenly beautiful, and yet incredibly expressive and moving voice, she managed to create a sublime, subtle and vulnerable Violetta, a truly unforgettable tragic heroine!

[Scala977]

Zeani possesses exactly the right vocal physiognomy for the role of Violetta - vocal beauty, passion, nobility and vulnerability. Besides she truly looks the part as well. In short she has everything for the role and is able to make one believe that she IS the character.

[DorulCalator]

This is my favourite Violetta! Sounds perfect!

[Iareto]

Umm...she shows over two octaves of range here. Though I agree that I feel her voice sounds tired at times. But that's all singers. No one's perfect all of the time.

[liettennabenna]

I think Virginia Zeani is the greatest soprano of '900. Her voice is beautiful and hot, her diction is perfect. I love all her performances, and I have been the fortune to hear in Rome many times. W Virginia!

[Gotthard38]

Muchos son los llamados pero pocos los elejidos. Triste realidad.

[basenjidiva]

Absolutely spectacular rendition! This was Zeani's signature role, which she sang 648 times! In all, Zeani sang the lead in more than 60 different operas.

Bing had invited Zeani to sing at the Met, but she had to cancel as she was about to give birth to her son. Bing didn't invite her back for more than twenty years!

Following her stellar singing career, Ms. Zeani enjoyed an outstanding career, teaching at I.U., and retired with the rank of Distinguished Professor!

Brava Zeani!!!

[quakercub]

How sad that this wonderful artist is so overlooked. Sometimes it just comes down to being born at the wrong time. (between Callas and Sutherland)

[assindiastignani]

Not unlike the sublime Rosanna Carteri, Zeani was the victim of enormous jealousy directed at her by a few more famous colleagues who managed to keep her out of the limelight she so deserved. Another of  the many "insider" tips in the history of singing.

[asorescu]

She is exceptional. Please listen to her other videos on Youtube as well.

[forallyouknow]

I think this recording sucked. You can tell just from listening to it that it did not faithfully capture her voice. I am willing to bet anything that that voice of hers was just perfect live, the interpretation consummate, the squillo in the operahouse enough to knock people back into their seats.

[CharlotteinWeimar]

This is from the Decca studio recording LXT 5317 made in 1956 and forall is right, the sound is too hard. Her voice was, and still is, exceptionally vibrant. She used to make Covent Garden Opera House ring like a great cathedral bell, especially around upper g-b flat. She says rather charmingly that the engineers found it hard to "capture my vibrations". Curiously some of the live off-air radio recordings give a better idea of this great singer.

[rootedinfaith3]

BRAVISIMA!!!

Wow. I want to learn to sing on the breath like she does! I don't get to sing E's or anything because I'm a lyric soprano (C is the limit ha ha), but I definitely would love to grab those runs!

[forallyouknow]

Violetta's Sempre Libera has a D in it in one of the runs. Are you sure C is your highest limit?

[rootedinfaith3]

Funny you should ask- my voice teacher JUST told me today that I'm capable of a D. :) Lol I am so excited- my voice is truly hitting the most unbelievable of transformation breakthroughs!

[forallyouknow]

That's wonderful! I of all people would know the thrill of reaching another note, especially when you thought you had a limit (I'm a baritone, and I used to have only a C4, now I have an A or A#). Keep at it, and you will have a brilliant instrument on your hands!

[corellithebest]

I think she absolutely deserves that! It's a true pity she is so underrated! So superb an artist certainly would have deserved more! All her personality and soul pours out in her voice! Someone here on youtube who has recently met her in person told me she is nice,, charming and compassionate as person as well. So I am truly glad to hear she is, apart from being a superb high-class artist, a great human being, too. In short, I truly ADMIRE her!

[rhomp2002]

Just fantastic. Raises hairs on my arms to hear her.

[polemius01]

It's good to hear a strong voice, just singing the scena as full-blooded Italian opera without stressing too much the "ill" Violetta (indeed, I'd expect this Violetta to survive the last Act!).

However, as is my opnion with Tebaldi, I think that Puccini/verismo might have suited her better than Verdi.

[CharlotteinWeimar]

She started by singing the lyric coloratura roles and gradually matured into a spinto. Zubin Mehta encouraged her to sing Aida and she was celebrated as Manon Lescaut, Elisabetta and many more roles.

[polemius01]

Very interesting that she began as a lyric/coloratura. I wouldn't have thought that with the Traviata scena.

I thought Aida stressed Tebaldi to her limits. Did Zeani ever record excerpts from it? I'd be interested to hear how she dealt with "O patria mia," and not just the high "C." I find that aria to be one of my touchstones of Verdi singing.

On evidence, I think she would have made a great Elisabetta and Manon.

Thanks for the informative comment (love your Youtube name!).

[CharlotteinWeimar]

Thank you for responding. You will find arias from all parts of her repertoire on my channel, mostly taken from live broadcasts.

[SiEtIn1]

she dealt spectacularly with O Patria mia! i just came from that clip! lol try it

[polemius01]

I've heard it and I agree with you totally.

[ditogam]

Wonderful, please also see duet from Aida with Romanian mezzo Elena Cernei. Thank you for posting this video !!!

[796824]

Listen to "THE VIOLETTA" who was

MERCEDES CAPSIR

[CharlotteinWeimar]

petrof You are too young to have heard her live. Individuality of timbre, personality and dramatic intensity are just what she had by the bucketload. As Violetta she had it all, voice, looks, commitment, and she could work an audience into a frenzy.

[PopoliDiTessalia]

Such a great soprano! One the best Violettas ever. Thank you so much Doamna Zeani!

[GermanOperaSinger]

Excellent, excellent, excellent choice. One of the greatest. It is outrageously unfair that she never recieved the acclaim she deserved, but last time I checked, humanity is the epitome of unfair.

[pearlmuth3]

This is a great picture of her in the book The Twilight Of Bel Canto by Leoanrdo Ciampa he does a fine interview with her.

[Prissie28]

Wow. This woman is great! Never heard of her. But totally fantastic!

[sospello]

I would expect her to appear here eventually.

[CharlotteinWeimar]

Brava! Virginia, now 83, is happily still with us. She was a fabulous Violetta, dramatically thrilling with a hauntingly beautiful timbre. Cruelly under recorded, many of her off air broadcasts including all the totally unrehearsed Covent Garden debut, when she deputised for Sutherland, are posted on my channel. Richard Bonynge considers her alongside his wife to be one of the greatest sopranos of the 20th Century.

[VivaMariaCallas]

Undoubtedly one of the finest singers ever. Period!

[meltzerboy]

I totally agree with your assessment of the talent of Zeani and the fact she never achieved the worldwide fame she richly deserved. If I'm not mistaken, she filled in for an indisposed Sutherland in the role of Violetta and was quite a sensation.

[WiseMonki]

Amazing... such emotive projection and depth. Thank you, love this channel, one of my favs on YT. Always interesting to wonder who you come up with next... where is Janowitz...;)? My warm and kind regards,

[SENAFOREVER]

Oh yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!