Renata Tebaldi in Handel's Giulio Cesare - Da Tempeste

[a9z8a743]

There is NO old and new style. There is exciting singing, as here.

[NEBESHIKU]

Meh! Sung in slow motion!

[gavinfarkas]

I only wish I could have met her in person! However I don't like this on her.

[Lirico96]

Più veloce!

[SONIETCHKA]

Much too slow ! Ridiculous at this tempo. La Tebaldi has no coloratura.

[ildefonso1000]

Nono ale92 non mi piace l'interpretazione orchestrale, lei cmq è grande anche se non è il suo genere indubbiamente

[Ale92Bass]

Pensate davvero che sia così lenta per aiutare lei? Avete idea di che fiati servano per cantare un'aria del genere a questa velocità? Un'altra cantante si sarebbe spompata dopo due secondi... Ma lei è grandiosa e riesce a cantarla benissimo anche così lenta! Tebaldi unica e immensa!

[leprincebeaumont]

@Ale92Bass Sono d'accordo con te. La Tebaldi è una granda cantante ed è un peccato che non abbia affrontato più spesso Handel, magari con direttori con una maggiore consapevolezza stilistica, che certamente non le avrebbero inflitto tempi così letargici.

[primohomme]

Quite beautiful, too slow perhaps to help her sing the fiorature, but quite beautiful.

[AntW11]

slow but lovely

[ildefonso1000]

La potevano fa' un po' più lenta....

[MrLupo23]

@ildefonso1000 aahhahah

[MyMoffy]

Meravigliosa!

[DanyelHawkes]

agree with the tempo comment this is embarrasingly slow

[lalagonegaga]

Haha, what a surprise. :) It's actually quite good, althought it would have been much better if it was done in the proper tempo.

[OperaLover84]

Beautiful but boring...WAY too slow!

[celloswiss]

@OperaLover84 I completely agree

[SensusEtRatio]

Invece di dire stupidaggini si legga ciò che scrive il Celletti, il più grande critico musicale italiano....

[eddi1178]

Ma per favore che direzione!!e le colorature poi??Di sicuro Handel non era cosa sua!!

[SensusEtRatio]

La Tebaldi scelse di non affrontare il belcantismo: lo avrebbe conquistato... (Paolo Isotta). La più bella voce di tutti i tempi!

[gayoperadude]

how ever in listening to the whole thing, it seems very early with a crystal top she didn't have by mid 60's. Think this from about '49-52

[gayoperadude]

don't think Tebaldi's voiced moved that well, it may very well have been a tempo she chose

[giuseppecaruso2]

Pompei 6 Luglio 1950 La Tebaldi mette a disposizione del personaggio di Cleopatra non soltanto un timbro che da solo evoca regalità e fascino fisico,ma una duttilità di emissione,una gamma di colori e di sfumature, una tenuta di fiati ed una perfezione di legato veramente belcantistici.. la Tebaldi rileva una notevole predisposizione al canto di agilità e lascia udire alcuni picchiettati che sembrano bolidi come volume rispetto a quelli eseguiti dai soprani di coloratura..(Rodolfo Celletti)

[CHerbek]

Beautiful tone and musicality...just wish she could have done it a tempo.

[artdanks]

Much better than I would have expected.

[kassandra1977]

I am sure this tempo was some stupid conductor' s idea. What a tempo, MY GOD!!!I would die if I had to sing it so slow...it' s realy bad, but she has great voice anyway.( Where is the 2nd part of the aria?)

[hillevifan]

Knowing the style at the time she sang it- it was probably deleted.

[Lohengrin]

hmmm it is not untrue that this reading reveals that Tebaldi's voice did have agility. It is very difficult to bend a round thick column of sound, and it is faaar more difficult to learn how to bend it.

[Elisabetta611]

The tempo is WAY TOO SLOW. But Tebaldi sings well.

[hillevifan]

I agree

[KILLERADVICE]

It's an unusual and splendid performance of Tebaldi : perfect agility despite a powerful golden voice.

Bel canto was possible for her in the early 50's (cf ASSEDIO DI CORINTO - ROSSINI)

[xafnndapp]

Well, to call these "agility" is a bit too much (everything is half the usual speed!) but she does a great job with her wonderful big voice.

What year was that?

[KILLERADVICE]

Year was 1954.

To judge her "agility", you can listen to Traviata studio recording (end first act) and to the later live performances too.

[pedoni5]

The year is 1950 not 1954

[xafnndapp]

I have to say that listening to the her Sempre libera and to her (too late!) Casta Diva and Puritani'aria she does a more than decent job, if she would have had a better training in belcanto she could have also given very interesting excursion in that repertory.

[pedoni5]

The year is 1950 not 1954.

Bravissima Tebaldi

[operaboy81]

Suprisingly good. I didn't think she sang anything with agility. Her high notes were good here. She sang some Dramatic roles, which were too heavy for her voice. I think because of that she lost a couple high notes.

[espacecardin]

You are too young.Please don't post you you don't know.Just the opossite, Tebaldi prefered to sing less heavy roles for what she HAD the voice for.Her voice was incredible large

[espacecardin]

That's why she enjoyed of vocal longevity, singing by 1966-67 series of vibrant Giocondas in great shape, with all the notes!

[VivaMariaCallas]

Well, her voice wasn't dramatic. More lyric-spinto. It's not just about the size/volume; one has to take into account the weight. While her voice's weight is heavy for a lyric/spinto, I don't think it was as heavy as a dramatic soprano's.

She knew that. That's why she didn't sing things like Trovatore on stage. Gioconda (which she did well) was a stretch, and, actually, ruined her top.

[espacecardin]

Dramatic or spinto or lyrical is because of the color of the voice, not the weight.

Dramatic soprano has very big low notes and big middle but dramatic soprano voice became slender on top, examples Ponselle, Caniglia

[espacecardin]

Let's separate things.Leonora/Forza is much heavier and dramatic than Leonora/Trovatore and Tebaldi reigned surpreme in Forza, she did not sing Il Trovatore on stage because she didn't want (she recorded it asked for Decca and she is fabulous)

[VivaMariaCallas]

Well, I'm sure I've read an interview where Tebaldi says that the reason why she never did Leonora (Trovatore) & Amelia (Ballo) on stage was because they were too heavy/dramatic. She even initially hesitated to sing Aida.

[espacecardin]

Leonora/Forza is heavier and more dramatic than both Leonora/Trovatore and Amelia.

Tebaldi is the best Leonora/Forza, also Aìda

[Elisabetta611]

Her Trovatore Leonora is fabulous? What, with her murky coloratura and no existant trill? Oh PLEASE!

[espacecardin]

Gioconda was not an stretch for Tebaldi, Gioconda was a stretch for other smaller voices.Tebaldi '67 Gioconda studio version is excellent and there are around 15 "live" Tebaldi/Gioconda tapes where she is in great voice in all of them, in blossoming voice from top to bottom, she sang La Gioconda between 39 and 40 times

[VivaMariaCallas]

Tebaldi only started singing Gioconda because her teacher advised her to start singing more dramatic repertoire (since her voice had darkened). While a thrilling portrayal- and what chest- her high notes are very uncomfortable and, at times, extremely flat. The role, IMO, required too much push in the lower registers for her voice (although it's ok, for I think she was planning to retire soon anyways).

[espacecardin]

Tebaldi sings all Bflats, Bs and Cs as easy as if she we speaking of weather on her '67 Gioconda studio version, NOT even one note flat, there are also many Tebaldi Gioconda "lives" where her top is in glorious shape

[espacecardin]

Anita Cerquetti was a fine singer, she sang La Gioconda a couple of times around 1956/57 and recorded it in that year.She was only 26, whay happened ? In 1960 Boom Cerquetti career ended and she was only 29.

[VivaMariaCallas]

She herself said in an interview (which is available on YouTube) that the reasons were strictly personal. Which is too bad, for she was a fine singer.

[espacecardin]

Very few singers could sing La Gioconda.Arangi-Lombardi is only good but not as spectacular as Tebaldi/Gioconda.Tebaldi voice is bigger, carry great power and her top is huge

[espacecardin]

Milanov sang La Gioconda so many times in her career, however have you listened her many Gioconda tapes ? Milanov/Gioconda goes from lousy to mediocre or only acceptable sometimes.Milanov has no low notes, too covered (engolato) middle and her top is lyrical, clear, Milanov voice on top was NOT very big, her phrasing is very bad, nearly horrible interpretation

[VivaMariaCallas]

Milanov purposely avoided chest in many roles (including Gioconda) in order to preserve her top notes. I'm sure her Gioconda is not horrible. In the States, she was pretty much the Gioconda for a few decades. From what I've heard of it (Suicidio), it's beautiful yet overly restrained dramatically.

[espacecardin]

Milanov high notes (on her '57 studio version) are very BAD, all the Bflats under strain and thin.Milanov preserve top notes ? The best joke of the day.Play any of Milanov "live" Forzas , a disaster, all Bs naturals are screams, awful really

[VivaMariaCallas]

1957 is late Milanov, though (the lower register is more beautiful than in earlier years, though). Her high notes in 1930/1940 Suicidios are beautiful.

Her forza is beautiful. Quite frankly, her high notes there are beautiful. Just because she doesn't have the Italian timbre Tebaldi has doesn't mean that her voice is not good.

[espacecardin]

No VivaMariaCallas.There are 4 Milanov "live" Forzas plus her studio version and her high notes are BAD , VERY BAD in all of her Forzas, her high Bs cannot be forgiven.I am sorry

[VivaMariaCallas]

Well, I just heard two unbelievable Milanov Pace, paces with exquisite, precisely-placed, hurling high notes.

[espacecardin]

In the 53 New orleans perf Milanov's Pace is very mediocre, she even miss the last Bflat, the convent scene entrance and next very difficult duet with the bass is extremely BAD in any of her Met broadcasts, Milanov series of Bs are awful screams

[espacecardin]

There is a Milanov Pace recorded in the '40s where she is better, however no extraordinary.Milanov middle was engolato, you understand ? and her top was slender and screamy, her high notes lacked color

[espacecardin]

Marton and Dimitrova , both sang La Gioconda several times.Marton is better than Dimitrova, she had a better voice, Marton Gioconda is good but not more than this, only good.Dimitrova was a respectful worker but her voice was not great and she was not a great singer, Dimitrova never can be compared with the greatest sopranos of the last century

[operamusicfan]

Marton had a better voice? I didn't know that screaming and yelling was good singing. Dimitrova not only had a much larger voice than marton, but she also was able to go to inclredible pianissimi, that Marton could only dream of. In every role that they shared, Dimitrova was the winner.

[espacecardin]

Don't repeat it anymore operamusicfan till you learn a bit more.Eva Marton was better singer than Dimitrova and Eva voice was infinitely better than Ghena voice.Their careers speaks by themselves

[VivaMariaCallas]

To be honest, even though I understand why others like her, I find Marton's singing unmusical. All she does is sing loud. I much prefer Dimitrova.

[VivaMariaCallas]

Honestly, I find Marton's singing so unmusical. It's always fff. I much prefer Dimitrova.

[espacecardin]

VivaMariaCallas: Marton has a voice of better quality, Dimitrova voice has a tin sound, a cheap voice and Dimitrova was not a good musician either

[VivaMariaCallas]

I guess our tastes differ, for I don't like Marton's voice at all.

[espacecardin]

Marton instrument is great and she her technique was very good

[operamusicfan]

Ghena was the real artist. Live with it! And as far as careers are concerned, management and having major support from recording companies is what (unfortunately) really matters since the 80s. Look at major stars today. So, that's not really a criterion.

[espacecardin]

Now it happens Ghena Dimitrova did not make a career on disc JUST because she was superior, hahaha! I did not know a singer must be bad singer to record (as Eva Marton case).Please don't say nonsense things

[espacecardin]

Dimitrova was only a respecful singer but not an extraordinary singer, not a great vocalist and as an artist I 'm sorry but Dimitrova had NO personality.Eva Marton was superior in all sense

[operamusicfan]

By the way, no one was talking about Marton or Dimitrova until you brought them up. I feel a sense of insecurity about Evita rofl

[meltzerboy]

I suppose everything is relative and based on what version you are accustomed to hearing. My feeling about Tebaldi's singing of this aria is much the same as my reaction to Caballe's: it lacks the ease and brilliance that Sutherland, Sills, and Swenson display, although there is more agility than one might have thought. Worth hearing at least once.

[VivaMariaCallas]

This is surprisingly agile singing from Tebaldi. She copes with the coloratura surprisingly well- with much more ease than one would expect.

[clymnestre]

Singing like that must be an example for every young singer! That is a perfect voice line...

[vitellia]

Just about everything is "wrong" (tempo, style, cuts, orchestra, etc...) except for the voice itself, which is utmost beautiful. I'm positive she must have made a great Alcina, which's virtually coloratura-free, had she ever sung it.

[fueeego]

WOW !!! This is un-be-lie-va-ble, I never thought the hughe voice of Tebaldi was capable of singing with such "agilita".

[VivaTebaldi]

Very young Tebaldi - out of this world.