Hamlet-Mad Scene

[scostatisciagurato]

This is like discovering a diamond necklace in an old suitcase! These videos of her early years finally bring to light that although we all love Callas (most of us anyway), there were others like Joan and Sills who created their own legacies with just as much passion and commitment. This and the Norma trio from Vancouver would give a new listener a real sense of the voice at its absolute peak of beauty, power and style. And her French diction is superb.

[Paddy818]

She builds it to almost unbelievable delirium! Astounding! She and Sills owned this aria. Both were able drive an audience mad with their, what seemed like, improvisational embellishments! Pure spontaneous fireworks and a tradition sadly missing in our polito-artistically correct performances of today.

[bellini7verdi]

alucinantemente unica........la exquisitez dramatica y vocal mas grande de todos los tiempos.....todo un sonido excelso imposible de emular............la diosa vocal dramatica y romantica mas loca de todos los tiempos...............

[UnaverageAmerican]

This really is such a rare jewel. I'm so glad they recorded it back then or else we all would've missed out :)

[Richiesutherland]

Unbelievable. The technical mastery and delicacy combined with the gigantic size of the voice is something that cannot be explained. This is a gift from God. Sutherland does not need to beat her breast or put coal stains around her eyes--you know that she feels the depth of Ophélie's sadness. Totally romantic, and so much better than the post-modern idiocy these days--and then, the singing! The swoop up to high D# at the end alone is staggering.

[lastupidissimo]

SueAnnNivens, THANK YOU for the dedication... i have been watching this video for so long and only JUST noticed your dedication. Thank you, again x

[Homoclassicus]

I find her "Pâle et blonde" just simply moving and innocent. That's how Ophélie should move us, with her simple romantic dreams broken and her innocent and tormented delirium. I get thrilled with highly eletrical interpretations like Dessay's, but I can also admire the simple emotions and pitiful - not scary - madness Sutherland conveys in this scene. Actually my favorite part here are the lyric ones and the dramatic color Sutherland (like few others) could give to her high notes.

[biggayal51]

She is the greatest of the 20th Century. Will we ever hear a trill like hers again?

She is a vocal miracle!

[DazFromOz]

Really interesting comparing this clip to her doing it live (also on Youtube) about 20(?)years later - even with a much heavier voice she still sails through it. What an extraordinary technique. They just don't make divas like this any more (*sigh*)

[33blueberries]

Even below her best, she's still above anyone elses! Ha!

[SueAnnNivens]

I think that´s the wisest comment about Joan I´ve ever read, thank you!!!

[alexmacias]

Damn, the aria was cut in some of the most expressive passages!

Sutherland kicks ass!

[raymzi]

i love how she looks like a high school girl who just got dumped by her boyfriend at 5:16 talking about it with her nerdy bestfriend in the park... hehehe

love her!!

[Iareto]

The trill at 6:14 is outstanding even for Sutherland! This entire thing is UNBELIEVABLE.

[Lohengrin]

Magnificent singing. Beauuutiful costume (rare for Sutherland to wear beautiful costume), unbelievably silly movement and acting.

[mdancer01]

Magneficent

just listen her flawless technique

she is a miracle of nature

now i can see how perfect the human voice can be

God bless you Dame Joan Sutherland

Prima Donna Assoluta

[hisimperialmajesty]

She just seems to fling her voice about with such precision and with such ease...beautiful!

[meltzerboy]

Agreed, OperaBR, Melba is a tough sell on first hearing in many of her recordings. But how about the legato of the slow passages; this I think is incredible. Callas is also very good in those passages, particularly on her studio recording(s), and Galli-Curci, although in vocal decline, still has that haunting legato.

[jondavwal]

Just amazing. The most agile dramatic voice and the most powerful coloratura soprano. And probably one of the two or three most beautiful pure sound of all time. The combination is sadly one of a kind.

[meltzerboy]

No contemporary singer can sing this difficult piece as well. Sutherland excels in the technical aspects of graceful ornamentation, trills, scales, intonation, etc. I find the tempi somewhat rushed though, probably because of the exigencies of television. I Sutherland's legato is great, but prefer the 1904 recording by Melba, and those of Callas and Galli-Curci, in terms of their legato.

[OperaBR]

Strangely, I don't like Melba's famous 1904 recording of this scene. It's full of weird portamenti and histrionic effects of very bad taste IMO, although I do like Melba in most of her recordings. I also thought the fioritura sounded, albeit very agile, a little effortful in some passages, maybe intentionally to give a dramatic meaning to the coloratura.

[gypsycafe]

Dessay can

[scotsw12]

good for her, we're talking Joanie here though!

[33blueberries]

Not anymore she can't.

[mdancer01]

divine

flawless technique as always

thanks for uploading

[operadm]

OperaBR is absolutely correct. I have always enjoyed the "exciting technical skills", but Sutherland was more than that as this video demonstrates.

[OperaBR]

Sutherland at her best! Some singers and Opera fans should watch to this to learn how one can interpret traditionally but effectively. Her singing and interpretation are entirely romantic in the old but good sense of the word, creating a whole atmosphere of pathos and melancholy. The subtle vocal shading and colouring is also amazing. Besides, we have all the exciting technical skills that with Sutherland always helped to develop the melodical flow and not to show off!

[bellini7verdi]

@OperaBR fantastico comentario ........totalmente real.........de acuerdo contigo en todo........eres un ser fantastico si piensas asi...........