There is only a year between Scotto (1934) and Freni (1935), but a what a difference in how their voices developed. Here Scotto is 48 and struggling to sing this very demanding scene so that she is just belting everything out and causing her voice to wobble uncontrollably. There is a recording of Freni here on YT in concert at age 50 (1985) singing this in what I believe is the finest I have ever heard this sung and interpreted and which puts this performance of Scotto's into a cocked hat!
Gorgeous! Both vocally and theatrically a great performance, a perfect mix of outstanding technique with humbling tragedy and regal dignity. In the absence of pre-set ideas about what Elisabetta exactly should sound like, I have to disagree with most comments below and simply laude this very credible and beautiful interpretation.
I'm not sure whether some of the posters are posers, but if they don't know Verdi from Cilea or Puccini, I would suggest some further music education classes. Having the privilege and pleasure of hearing her often in the Met, this was great theater and again incomparable dramatization.
This is a wonderfully heartfelt and detailed characterization. But it's not Elisabetta di Valois, it's some Puccini heroine. Still, hats off to Renata for her ability to dig into a text. And I have to agree with those who say that this was a bigger mouthful than she could vocally chew -- to her ultimate detriment. But she's certainly not alone in that regard.
Seeing Scotto was alway about the whole performance and production. She was never some singing armchair. Many of us appreciated that and would come away from the theater feeling as if we had experienced something meaningful. Brava!
No disagreement here. Callas sense of proportion, timing, held notes, was exquisite. Which is one of the reasons why she interpreted music better than anyone else.
La Scotto in peak form, sweet, fragile and vulnerable with stunning use of tone and phrasing. Brava Renata. Verdi will live as long as there is such commitment from his singers when interpreting him.
I do not like the scoopin method of arriving at pitches.. it takes her a long time to make the pitch .. trying to sing in a voice way too big for her natural voice.
fair enough. One man's "portamento" is another man?s scoop.
Then one calls in Fibonacci and the critics who can the proportions of division argue back and forth.
And you are absolutely right about the natural size of Baby Renata's voice. I heard her once sing Trovatore's Leonora in San Francisco's huge opera house. No comment.
Portamento, the correct use thereof, is how great voices establish legato, that and the way they breathe(without any sucking noises.. where the sound stops for a split second, they take in air and continue singing. The best example of correct portamento is Callas.. one of the reasons she was a great singer..She also for the most part breathes quietly. She too tried to sing in a voice too big for her natural voice... Joan Sutherland for instance, did not.
One last crucial element, however, which you fail to mention;
PROPORTION. Callas' sense (down to the tiniest fraction of that split second) was always exquisite. Regarding Joan Sutherland: No Comment. Excellent breath control. Dreadful mathematics.
A very good night vocally, actually some vocal problems crept up around this time in her career, but she is always a msot engaging, riveting artist. and shes a real italian in italian roles which is much more a rarity than it used to be.
Immensa artista la Scotto. L'unione tra dramma e musica è sempre perfetta nelle interpretazioni di Renata. Come attrice è meravigliosa, guardate bene il suo gesto quando recita "...illusion perduta!". Grande, grandissima artista, cara Renata, grazie!
I agree. A great, great artist! And what a gorgeous voice! Note how she colors her voice when she sings "La pace dell' avel!" Will they ever release this on DVD? It's a treasure!
She does not sound so good here - voice is too small for this aria.
A good singer but a lot of wobbles. This aria suits better Tebaldi-Callas.
tebaldicallas 3 months ago
There is only a year between Scotto (1934) and Freni (1935), but a what a difference in how their voices developed. Here Scotto is 48 and struggling to sing this very demanding scene so that she is just belting everything out and causing her voice to wobble uncontrollably. There is a recording of Freni here on YT in concert at age 50 (1985) singing this in what I believe is the finest I have ever heard this sung and interpreted and which puts this performance of Scotto's into a cocked hat!
MrAndredekock 3 months ago
Una interpretazione davvero SUBLIME!!!
grancoro 4 months ago
Gorgeous! Both vocally and theatrically a great performance, a perfect mix of outstanding technique with humbling tragedy and regal dignity. In the absence of pre-set ideas about what Elisabetta exactly should sound like, I have to disagree with most comments below and simply laude this very credible and beautiful interpretation.
mabemawi 1 year ago
I'm not sure whether some of the posters are posers, but if they don't know Verdi from Cilea or Puccini, I would suggest some further music education classes. Having the privilege and pleasure of hearing her often in the Met, this was great theater and again incomparable dramatization.
corelli2 1 year ago
This isn't Verdi, perhaps Giordano, Cilea or Puccini
anismedin 2 years ago 2
@anismedin It`s ART- simply.
Rospaint 1 year ago
I must say, she was quite a singing actress. Not the porcelain sculpture that many of her contemporaries were.
HulaGuyMN 2 years ago
This is a wonderfully heartfelt and detailed characterization. But it's not Elisabetta di Valois, it's some Puccini heroine. Still, hats off to Renata for her ability to dig into a text. And I have to agree with those who say that this was a bigger mouthful than she could vocally chew -- to her ultimate detriment. But she's certainly not alone in that regard.
shivastotravali 2 years ago 5
@shivastotravali It's Verdi
corelli2 1 year ago
@corelli2 no kidding
shivastotravali 11 months ago
@shivastotravali
I was going to post almost your exact same comment, but since you already have I'll just agree with you =D
raigekimaru 7 months ago
La più grande artista!!!
magdalarondine 2 years ago 6
Malgrado il fatto che non è ruolo per sua voce ......(un po debole comunque sopratutto l'inizio...) rimane un'interpretazione molto bella.
FlorentPanier 2 years ago
Seeing Scotto was alway about the whole performance and production. She was never some singing armchair. Many of us appreciated that and would come away from the theater feeling as if we had experienced something meaningful. Brava!
steven23lexny 3 years ago
No disagreement here. Callas sense of proportion, timing, held notes, was exquisite. Which is one of the reasons why she interpreted music better than anyone else.
kgarmaker123 3 years ago
La Scotto in peak form, sweet, fragile and vulnerable with stunning use of tone and phrasing. Brava Renata. Verdi will live as long as there is such commitment from his singers when interpreting him.
filippovonreutter 3 years ago
I do not like the scoopin method of arriving at pitches.. it takes her a long time to make the pitch .. trying to sing in a voice way too big for her natural voice.
kgarmaker123 3 years ago
fair enough. One man's "portamento" is another man?s scoop.
Then one calls in Fibonacci and the critics who can the proportions of division argue back and forth.
And you are absolutely right about the natural size of Baby Renata's voice. I heard her once sing Trovatore's Leonora in San Francisco's huge opera house. No comment.
filippovonreutter 3 years ago
Portamento, the correct use thereof, is how great voices establish legato, that and the way they breathe(without any sucking noises.. where the sound stops for a split second, they take in air and continue singing. The best example of correct portamento is Callas.. one of the reasons she was a great singer..She also for the most part breathes quietly. She too tried to sing in a voice too big for her natural voice... Joan Sutherland for instance, did not.
kgarmaker123 3 years ago
One last crucial element, however, which you fail to mention;
PROPORTION. Callas' sense (down to the tiniest fraction of that split second) was always exquisite. Regarding Joan Sutherland: No Comment. Excellent breath control. Dreadful mathematics.
filippovonreutter 3 years ago
A very good night vocally, actually some vocal problems crept up around this time in her career, but she is always a msot engaging, riveting artist. and shes a real italian in italian roles which is much more a rarity than it used to be.
moghedien13 3 years ago
Scotto memorabile in quest'aria: un connubio fantastico fra canto ed interpretazione. Meraviglioso!!!
Grazie, come sempre, Onegin65 per il video.
oden60 3 years ago 2
meravigliosa!!!!Brava renata!!!!
tebaldinelcuore 3 years ago 2
Great performance! Brava Renata!!
constantopoulos 3 years ago 3
Fine rendition.This role needs a stronger voice,with slow notes.
saverioorlando 4 years ago
BRAVA RENATA !!! sei unica!
scorpionic71 4 years ago
Immensa artista la Scotto. L'unione tra dramma e musica è sempre perfetta nelle interpretazioni di Renata. Come attrice è meravigliosa, guardate bene il suo gesto quando recita "...illusion perduta!". Grande, grandissima artista, cara Renata, grazie!
Cherubinetto 4 years ago 2
I agree. A great, great artist! And what a gorgeous voice! Note how she colors her voice when she sings "La pace dell' avel!" Will they ever release this on DVD? It's a treasure!
Klytemnest 4 years ago 2
they should there are so many wonderful telecast that should be at last released on dvd to look a the good old days of opera...
conmaleta 4 years ago 2
It's kind of hard. The same production was just released on DVD by DG, but with Domingo, Freni, Bumbry, Ghiaurov....
rrgallo 3 years ago
Condivido in toto quanto riportato da Cherubinetto.
oden60 3 years ago