Part II - Your Favorites: FIORENZA COSSOTTO

[litotomico]

I want this to play in my head forever. xD

[minnie888444]

Unfortunately, bad choice, not a great rendition. She was young and the role is tremendously difficult. The high G is harsh both times. She was MUUUUCH better in the live performance at the La Scala opening that same year. This aria has its peculiarities, it is very high, the singer has to arrive safely at the G from a very high segment, it requires excellent technique and much work over many years.

Cossotto is a mezzo I admire very much, I heard many great recordings of her.

[andrea585ny]

Where have all the great dramatic Italian mezzos gone? I think Cossotto may have been the last. How depressing.

PS - why only four stars? I think maybe people are judging her by her appalling personality rather than by her wonderful singing

[periodictable47]

I don't think anyone else except Dmitri Hvorostovsky has such a purely beautiful voice.

I do wish people wouldn't judge artists on account of their personalities, appalling or otherwise. The right to judge anyone on personality ought to be limited to those who might have suffered from it personally - say, been the person's spouse, child, or household servant.

[BGSourgas]

I once thought she didn't exactly sound like an obsessed, desperate mother.. but what do i know

She certainly held a rock-solid technique when others started getting away with all kinds of mischief

class act

[MegaSpana]

Ho visto Cossotto in tutto il mondo cantando Amneris, Santuzza, Azucenna, Seymour, ecc. Era, e rimane, il più grande mezzosoprano drammatico del doppo II Guerra. La potenza e la bellezza della voce erano uniche!

[moghedien13]

as always i agree for the most part with the comments made, but everyone should check the post on here of cossotto singing solo un pianto from medea on here. an outstanding rendition and for her i think more nuanced than usual.

[01music01]

I heard her live in Norma with Caballe. They were both great. I think Cossotto is the best mezzo of all times. May be only Obraztsova could be compared to her. Great voices, real dramatic mezzos.

[yesIamKom]

yes, I agree with you. She and Obraztsova were two greatest Verdian Mezzos in 70s, even of all times. I prefer Obraztsova, but Cossotto was great too, so powerful. What a pity that Obraztsova isn't in this list.

[01music01]

UNEXPECTEDLY I FOUND ANOTHER GREAT MEZZO, POSSIBLY THE GREATEST ONE. ORALIA DOMINGUEZ. I AM WORKING ON GETTING AS MANY HER RECORDINGS AS POSSIBLE. WHAT A VOICE!!!

[lpvcrcd]

I heard her live in Cavalleria when the Met toured Detroit[1971 or 1972] Beautiful golden focused tone- large voice Enjoyed it immensely :being Cav is one of my 3 favorite operas [Boheme and Rigoletto the others] Miss Cossotto was perfect for the Rusticana role

[dollenberg]

Musical politics aside - this was a great mezzo - not always perfect but a truly great artist.

[TheWisemonkey8]

Its a grand, powerful throusbread of a voice. The last great Italian mezzo warm and loving regards my friend in music.

[clytemnestre1]

Brava Mrs Cossottto for every liric characters youy have sung.

We still enjoy to listen to you. You are great!!!

[LordMgls]

I've already heard better, but this version is also very nice.

[tenorvoicefan]

Lassen wir mal das ganze Geplaudere unberücksichtigt...Tatsache ist und bleibt, eine große Stimme, die das ganz große Pech hatte, gegen eine noch viel größere ansingen zu müssen. Und gegen die Dramatik und Expression der Callas, gegen die feinen Nuancen und unterschwelligen Doppeldeutigkeiten der Callas ist ihre Stimme halt eindimensional. Und trotzdem, Ms. Cossotto bleibt ein große Stimme und eine tolle Künstlerin, wenn auch immer ein runner up!

[Herur22]

I have that video of Trovatore and I was impressed by Cossotto singing this aria.

I am not sure about that anecdote with Norma. If one singer sings badly, why should also the other one give a bad performance?

[100Singers]

From this point of view, you´re right. But later Callas reported, that Cossotto ignored the sign from her to end the line together unisono, when Callas (who held her hand during the phrase) gave her a little squeeze. It´s the usually way to end up in sync - and it seemed, Cossotto simply ignored it. That´s the story how Callas AND Zeffirelli told it.

[Jeanne90275]

I'm not saying you're wrong, but...are you sure

it was Callas & Zeffirelli? I've always heard it

was Giulietta Simionato & Zeffirelli who made

that claim, not Maria Callas.

[100Singers]

Zeffirelli said, Callas told him so - but in public, Callas herself never gave an offical statement. One may found some direct allusions in Kestings "Maria Callas"-monography and in several essays from the Earl of Harewood, John Ardoin and other critics. Callas never spoke bad about colleagues in the public - as far as I know... Mike.