Edita Gruberova - Handel - Let the Bright Seraphim

[mykchk1]

Anybody knows which concert is it and where can we get it? Great stuff. thanks.

[cantorgasma]

Admirable in every possible way. It just wasn't EXCITING! I'll take Kiri, thanks.

[DCFunBud]

Now that was singing!

[rrgallo]

Such ease....

[rrgallo]

Such easy...the runs are so cleanly executed....

[mountainsong100]

Absolutely spot on pitch...perfect. Articulate and effortless. Yes, Monserat and she are a class act. I heard Monserat Caballe many times at the Met. And at her debut at Carnegie Hall when after her recital, she came to front stage with guitar in hand and sat on the stage legs over the edge and played guitar to the amazement of everyone. She brought the house down. Those were the glorious days of great singing.

[lukaserik]

Absolutely amazing voice, so clean. Edita Gruberova and Monserat Caballe are my favorite sopranos. They sing beautifully.

[muzetta100]

Шоб я так пела)))))))))

[Rainarr]

Die 'poster' dürften überhaupt KEINE Ahnung von der SangesLeistung EINER Gruberova haben!

[izzyt63]

Gruberova is a miracle! There seems to be nothing she is incapable of singing-wise!

[acitipo]

Muy bonito, pero la ultima nota sobre aguda la hace muchisimo mejor, con mas cuerpo las notas redondas JOAN SUTHERLAND LA STUPENDA!!!!!

[diradour]

Best version

[shadowblue746]

Beautiful singer

[Shahrdad]

I think she and Sutherland have the most effortlessly sung versions of this aria. I never heard Gruberova live, but I have heard that her voice sounds more vinegary on recordings than it did live. Her breath-control and length of her phrases here are amazing. When you think she should be running out of air, she does a wonderful creschendo at the end of the phrase.

[AsksOneThing]

@Shahrdad And there's no strain on her face in those impossible creschendos. She just stands there all calm like, "Ain't no thing!"

[piolinve]

the best interpretation of this aria, and you can understand the words!

[bigus]

EG one of the most beautiful lyric soprano voices of all time imo.

[OrpheuCe]

excellet ....but i do prefer yet Joan Sutherland

[JumpStreet1983]

To me, his is *FAR* superior to Kiri Te Kanawa's version. I know Kiri was made a Dame of the British Empire for singing this at Princess Diana's wedding in 1981, but I find her voice too heavy for this coloratura piece. Edita & Kathleen Battle are the best singers of this aria I've heard so far!

[young95]

I agree that this performance is technically superior to most others, but I nonetheless feel disappointed with it. It seems to lack the fire--the soul, if you will--of others that are perhaps not as precise, but which reach inside you to that place where the music resonates.

[cairnhowff]

@young95  Remember...this is Handel, a period when music was technical and not meant to move the soul, like later romantic operatic pieces were designed to do

[young95]

@cairnhowff.....I think you are confusing substance for style. Your statement that it is, "...not meant to move the soul..." is refuted not only by Handle's own writings, but also by the fact that it was liked so well in its era that it still survives 250 years later. In essence, for your statement to be correct, one would have to belive that the people and composers of that era were lacking in emotion.

[cantorgasma]

@young95 I totally agree with you. For me, Kiri te Kanawa is the ideal.

[ferreiraamf]

Melhor interpretação de Let the Bright Seraphim que ouvi. (Better interpretation that i heard... )

[pianomags]

Glad I can't see all the spammed comments. I like this one a lot becaue you can hear every word and it sounds so easy for her because it is - her voice naturally sits very high. But tempo is way slower than usual.

[liedvondererde]

I think she sings Mozart better than Handel...this really is awfully slow.

[MirrPL]

No, no, no. This won'd do. Good but not even close to for instance Sutherlands brilliance. I have never understood why Gruberovas name has risen so high. Unquestionably very good but plain in comparison to many others.

Even Fleming does this better with a failing technique.

And then...that cleavage never fails :D Is it there as a plan B? Sorry, that was harsh.

[einmomolein]

I love her, but this one's just.... well... maybe she was ill

[talmadge1926]

Let the bwite theraphim in burning rowth - aaaaargh!!!!

[clasirico1]

Posiblemente su mejor versión.

[donatello1]

She has been one of my favorites since 1986. That's when a close friend by the name of

John Weber said..this is is singing!

Thanks John John..

[Laramie1224]

This is very nice. I love how she gets every note out very clearly and her melismas are legato enough without being too "mucked up", for lack of a better word/phrase. Some other recordings of this piece have too much vibrato in the melismas and are too heavy.

But, oh my, the cleavage. No ma'am.

[moghope]

i have just listen Dame Te Kanawa, Fleming,

Gruberova and Dame Sutherland to sing Handel´s Seraphim. I love the thrill between trumpet and soprano in this aria. Unfortunately you can hear it only with Gruberova and Sutherland. First two ladies doesn´t sing light enough for this aria

[MandyJMaddison]

I agree with your comments, but Battle's version is also wonderful.

[leoperarm]

PERFECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­

[Royalorgans]

Perfect, do you give me permission to knock on your skull so that your brain can tell you ear what sound good and what dont. this is aweful, The tempo is too slow and the reason why it is that slow is becuas she cant sing it faster without messing up the words. If you want to knwo who sound the best, then listen to the great joan sutherland

[leoperarm]

I like both you moron. And I'd rather know a rock's opinion than yours.

[Tigermuc]

Perfection and lightness is hers!

[saxamaphoneguy1]

I can see a lot of Gruberova in Diana Damrau. Perhaps Ms. Damrau took to her for inspiration? I think Diana has a more personal style, however... but don't get me wrong, Edita is a legend :-)

[Chilair1]

I wish she werent showing that cleavage.

In anycase, I love hearing her do coloratura. Its a thrilling voice.

[prosdocimo]

OMG! - is there something she CANT sing? She is just AMAZING

[nessie96]

Edita Gruberova is magnificent in this piece. I remember when she recorded this years ago with Wynton Marsalis on trumpet. She has superb control and marvelous musicality...love it, love it, love it!!!!

[AsksOneThing]

I can NOT believe I just saw her do 1.06-1:19 in one breath with that much control. I am speechless with admiration. Speechless.

[estercunha]

yeahhhhhhhhhh this is amazingggg

[mrluistena]

@AsksOneThing I am too, she is not as recognised as She should be. She is a wonderful opera singer.

[ichmalealsobinich]

That's why for a long time I had the impressionthat opera is boring, even that of Handel. Editha sing the aria with clean intonations but like many opera divas with no expressions or even emotions. She has totally herself under control. too much control but no life! Good for the greyhaired audience but boring for young music fans who want to be open minded for the classic works. De Niese and Kennedy are perhaps on the right way although they are disregarded by the purists.

[moghedien13]

This also in concert. Its harder to stay in character here especially seeing as this is an oratorio piece but on stage she is most engaging without sacrificing anything vocally. Not everyone can be a Bartoli, who I also adore, lol.

[leoperarm]

I am a young music fan, as such, I understand that this is Handel and during the time of this composition, the singer acted the recitative and showed his vocal abilities during the arias, even if he/she stood still onstage...that was perfectly acceptable. More than that, this is an ORATORIO, so there is no staging nor stage indications. I find this absolutely beautiful.

[thespis148]

Exquisitely ornamented and delightful listening. BRAVA!

[Papageno777]

I totally agree with all of the above - great breath control.... clean runs, round tones... good speed not so fast as Kiri, nor too slow... and in the correct key!!

Kudos

[UrsulanChild]

This sounds very good! And the English poses no problem for Edita.  Her vocalism is so-o-o-o-o-o clean...thanks so much for posting!

[swanningaround]

I agree with the comments here. It is interesting to find with a successful performance such as this, there are no detractors. Edita certainly has a clear voice. I can see why people compare her to Joan Sutherland. Again, this recording and this singer are brilliant.

[dorianprince]

coloraturafan, thank you so much for posting this video. This is by far the best performance I have heard of this piece. Gruberova's breathing in those long runs is absolutely extraordinary. It is also so unusual to see such wonderful co-ordination between the soprano and the trumpet. Please post some more!

[Ctmagnus]

Yeah well Handel is "good healthy" music for anybody to sing I think. I do wish she had sung a Cleopatra on stage at some point. Missed opportunity I suppose.

[Orfeus80]

this suits her so much more than bel canto. Handel keeps her under control

[operaeater]

orfeus you're funny, do u know that?

[Orfeus80]

yes, thanks.

[wvtrumpet]

Man, I remember when she recorded a version of this with Wynton back in the late eighties.

[novascotiawill]

I am familiar with that recording; I have it. It too is great, but the soprano was Kathleen Battle.

[mwalsh2008]

Wynton recorded this with BOTH Gruberova and Battle. I have the Gruberova version and actually prefer it--HERESY!!!--to the Te Kanawa version.

Mike

[novascotiawill]

Very interesting... I didn't know about the Wynton/Gruberova recording! I would love to hear that now... Thanks for letting me know this :) I really enjoy this video recording; Edita's musicianship and delivery are impeccable, I think...

[nessie96]

Yes, and it was kicking all the way....simply fabulous!!!!

[11235eureka]

Fantastic!

[hillevifan]

Who is the conductor and Soloist on Trumpet?

[hillevifan]

Best version ever

[KevinFromSD]

OMG I've always thought that Ms. Gruberova is an excellent soprano, but not this great! I'm completely blown away by her virtuosic singing and vocal technique & quality. Her rendition of this piece is better than Ms. Sutherland's.

[Jabe88]

IMHO, I think Mrs. Gruberova's rendition is more lively (than the one by Dame Sutherland) because of the orchestration (because it is more lively itself), but I prefer Sutherland's singing...

But of course I am not demeaning Gruberova's talents. She is indeed a great soprano

[mrrk]

Sorry , but no one can touch Sutherland in this music. Sutherland's tone is much warmer and the voice much more full.

[sediziosevoci]

No, nobody can touch her. We leave her to you!

[KevinFromSD]

What a powerful performance!!!

[operadude32]

Hearing her sing this I would love to have heard what she would have done with Handel's Cleopatra and Alcina! Brava!

[sschimel]

The best singing I've ever heard from her. All of her bad habits are absent here.

[hillevifan]

What bad habits are those?