O don fatale - Don Carlo Contest - Giulietta Simionato

[karitsischannel]

Superb!

[Adinacapricciosa]

È un soprano Falcon!

[mjmacmtenor]

One of the things I love about Simionatto's version is her mastery of the range. She moves from a full chest sound (for low notes) to a rich middle mixed voice and a ringing free top. Shirley Verret is another good example of this. Too many who sing this are weak on the very top or the very bottome (it is a VERY wide ranging aria). Some have a very strong middle, but are lacking in the extremes. Brava Giulietta!!

[cantanteporsiempre]

@mjmacmtenor Interesting

[ploplisphilin]

I sat through Nadja Michael's Lady Macbeth and found her totally inadequate. Yes, she was praised for her intense acting, shapely body, etc. Unfortunately the woman sang flat, had little to no flexibility in her voice to sing the coloratura that Verdi wrote down, her Italian diction sounded like German, etc. I understand that she is a "star" according to many critics and fools in the audience.

[pippofan123]

Há inúmeras grandes vozes, cujo desempenho mantém sempre um alto nível mas sempre há papéis que soam melhor nessa ou naquela voz. Com as mezzo acontece o mesmo - Cossotto como Amneris, Baltsa como Carmen - só para citar alguns exemplos, são fantásticas, levando-se em conta ainda, o gosto pessoal do ouvinte. O que distingue a Simionato das demais é o altíssimo nível que ela mantém em TODOS os papéis. Tudo o que ela fez foi fantástico. Não apenas bom, mas ÓTIMO. Cante para os anjos, divina.

[HappyHounde]

A truly great artist.

[operaoaf]

The definitive Verdi Mezzo!

[dngrbunny]

And the winner is Blanche Thebom =) !

[mongemark]

the queen of all mezzosoprano

[rhapsodyaaa]

jajaja es increible las estupideces que dicen aqui,, simionatto es una mezzo dramatica cossotto no es lirica, aparte simionatto tiene una registro agudo mucho mas solido que la cossotto otra cosa la voz de simonatto era enorme tanto como la de corelli o la de callas

[rhapsodyaaa]

increible registro agudo el de esta mezzo y la mas interesante que aun antes de retirarce todavia mantenias estas notas, aparte cabe destacar su capacidad interpretativa

[VolkgartenBySquirrel]

Eboli's role sounds tremendously difficult in this scene. The artist has to portray the entire emotional swing from the selfish woman in (doubly unrequited) love, through a most unpleasant self revelation, to a woman exchanging a last shred of identity to get someone else off the hook. Eboli is having to make decisions, perhaps for the first time in her life, on someone else's account, and it's driving her insane. All in less than 5 minutes. Amazing, demanding piece of Art. What a performance.

[ducadimantova83]

mitica giulietta!1 Riposi in pace immensa artista

[barneswriter]

RIP in peace...............

[paulostroff99]

Awesome

[MrJuan541]

Esta gran cantante es mi mezzo soprano favorito de todos. He pasado muchas horas escuchando a esta gran dama incomparable. Ella es increíble y un testamento inmortal al gran canto.

[MrJuan541]

Esta gran cantante es mi mezzo soprano favorito de todos. He pasado muchas horas escuchando a esta gran dama incomparable. Ella es increíble y un testamento inmortal al gran canto.

[jusaeglos]

que susto!!!

[Coloraturissimo]

Requiescat in Pacem , rispetto.

[lhrlyc]

REST IN PEACE GIULIETTA

[lhrlyc]

RIP GIULIETTA sadly missed

[thisizjoey]

Giulietta Simionato RIP

[mozart200657]

R.I.P. Giulietta

[aukai102706]

R.I.P. you will be missed.

[TreblesBasses]

Love the chest tones!

[mongemark]

mancano all'appello:

Stignani, Nicolai, Archipova, Ludwig, Verrett, Meier, Borodina

per citare tra le più grandi degli ultimi decenni che hanno cantato anche Eboli

ma ci sarebbero anche la Nave, Baglioni, Valentini-Terrani

alcune invece non le avrei incluse ma...de gustibus

[TommyHaegin]

Listen to her and to our newest "Superstar" Nadja Michael with you eyes closed and then tell me who is the more true Eboli.... enough said. And if Michael claims to be soprano then Simionato must be coloratura+  ha ha...

[lhrlyc]

there is also concert footage of Callas in 1962 ... electric

[JPD060486]

Is Shirley Verrett not included in the contest??!!!

[CandyHaleLinton]

A true artist who looked for, and found, the full beauty of Verdi's music, exposing each phrase with meaning, beauty and refinement. Thank you

[operachad]

Almost 100 years old in a few months and still going strong. She was always phenomenal in everything she did, especially in Verdi. Love her!

[AuthenticFeirce]

One of the best.

[luigipavabartolotti]

grande interpretazione e grande tecnica fanno della simionato la migliore cantante del 900 insieme alla cossotto,la cosa che le rende onore è stata lasciare le scene in tempo prima che la voce si rovinasse cosi il publico l'avrebbe ricordata sempre magnifica,un bacio giulietta

[egymagyar1111111]

coloraturafan you are crazy in the best sense ever, this Simionato is La simionato we loved, as Adalgisa at side of Callas and forget the Universe, just have Bellini as Beethoven taught us, thanks thanks thanks

[asterissima]

many thanks for your video. simionata - one of the most great mezzos in vocal history, like Stignani, Cossotto, Horn, Baltsa and a few others: excellent quality of voice, perfect technic,

great temperament!

[Leonnidik]

Verdi in full voice.Delicious.

[carloge77]

bravissima!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!11111

[Drelnis]

We should stop trash talking these glorious divas of the past, their art is already engraved into history, they'll be remembered forever and nothing we say or do will change their art. Get over not liking Callas, or Simionato, or Scotto, or whoever! They're already standards for today's singers.

Let's say bad things about Netrebko instead :)

[timsuffolk]

hehehe

[RVP57]

@Drelnis Oooh, where do we start...?

[magicmonkichi]

@Drelnis

hahahahaa. Well put and I couldn't agree more~ ^_^

[raigekimaru]

@Drelnis

so it's not alright to disrespect older singers, just younger ones? that's a rather ludacris philosophy if you ask me. why not simply respect the singers but evaluate them to one's liking? makes a lot more sense and is a lot more honest

[UtochkinaKaterina]

@Drelnis They are not standards, they are just divas of the past. And some of them had technical issues(Callas for example)

And I hope people will soon realize that saying bad things about Netrebko is becoming typical in the first place and also doesn't show that today's public is open-minded...

[jdpotc123]

@Drelnis you are forever my hero! bravo bravo!!

[cantanteporsiempre]

is this remasterized? cause there´s something about the sound

[zol040]

Perfect!

[796824]

Good but EBE STIGNANI is the best

[AulicExclusiva]

Simionato, even at 52 and near retirement, wipes the floor with all those ridiculous Slavs with wobbles the size of railroad tunnels.

That being said, the greatest Eboli by miles was Ebe STIGNANI.

[birgitnilsson]

rather stupid thing to say...wipe out your ears.stignani screamed...and no words, only "ahhhhhhh" and "oooooooooo"...hahaahahaa

[AulicExclusiva]

Keep listening to Maria Callas' brutish screaming and YOU won't have any ears at all!

[Andante735]

Stignani screamed??? Well, congratulations, you are the first and only person that's EVER MADE THAT COMMENT. It's embarrassing just to read that in print - I can't imagine what it must be like to be as ignorant as you. You should change your name to something more appropriate - Nilsson shouldn't be associated with you.

[andrea585ny]

Wipe out your ears and stick to what you know (I'm thinkin Verdi ain't it) Stignani was a true Verdi mezzo if ever there was one. She expressed it all - the drama, the urgency, the ugliness, the humanity...

Her live "condotta ell'era in ceppi" posted

here (along w "o don fatale") send chills up my spine.

Andante735 is right and I'll go one further,

that's the only negative comment I've ever read on any Stignani post. Again, congratulations.

[Andante735]

Thanks for speaking up!

[zanyatoy]

This is the BEST playing of this part! It's even better then Callas's playing. Simply wonderful voice!!! Brilliant!

[ducadimantova83]

IMMENSAMENTE MITICA! la Simionato dimostra capacità, coloratura e soprattutto perfezione!!!!!!! Grandissima Mezzosoprano!

[mariasarda]

Quelle autorité, bon sang !!! On entend presque Callas dans son timbre, parfois... SUBLIMISSIME !!!!!!!!

[pasfresh123]

The voice is not at its prime, but omg, what an interpretation! This is great Verdi singing.

[operaappassionate]

The greatest Eboli of the times is missing in this list:

LUCIANA D'INTINO !!!!

[Operaman41]

I thought Grace Bumbry was a great Eboli!

[operaoaf]

She combines incredible emotion and powerful notes that never sound forced.

[vergoti20]

high notes are small and her voice has many color changes, her voice isn't great

[AulicExclusiva]

High notes are SMALL???? Have your poor ears seen, mate.

[cantanteporsiempre]

it´s so easy to critizice when you do not stand on a stage and have the commitment to sing this great roles, you all people shut the hell up and lisent humbly, and learn. and I agree with the last comment, Barbieri was a great mezzo.

[Nacidodelmar]

Yes, I think she's a great artist and she sang Adalgisa from Norma often with Maria Callas.

[assindiastignani]

@cantanteporsiempre Giusto, giusto e ancora giusto. Sono stuffo anch'io dell' ignoranza e arroganza di tutte queste Opera Queens. Come diceva mia nonna: Bada se vuoi criticare i grandi. O falo meglio, o stai zitto!

[cmhmuscle]

Bumbry? Oh please. .........she was truly awful

[vully70]

Sure, Simionato didn't have technical perfection of Cossotto or Verrett, she had register breaks, a not always beautiful or strong middle register.

But she is an overwhelming performer, her "oh mia regina" is heartbreaking, her energy in the end exiting. And her high notes are as thrilling as can be (there still is the rumour that she substituted Tebaldi's peak notes in Karajan's Aida recording.

An altime favorite: 5/5 +

[DivaDeb1234]

I think her technique is every bit as good as the others....just my view...

[wotanman]

Absolutely! Not her best role for whatever reason (Verrett is perfect for Eboli) as I suspect Simionato was more of a lower-centered or "true" mezzo, but in practically everything else I've heard Simionato she was AMAZINGLY consistent and technically sound. I've rarely if ever have heard a recording of Giulietta sing "off" and I can count the number of well-recorded singers in that leaugue on one hand. If only we could hear more Simionatos today.. shit, I'll take ONE... sigh.

[patjan92]

Well Put. I couldn't agree more.

[pasfresh123]

I agree in general. In Anna Bolena, she was much better with Gencer than with Callas, just one year apart.

[hillevifan]

Where is the Marie-Ange Todorovitch version? I love her and I would like to hear it!

[coloraturafan]

I was asked to remove it by the artist. So I did.

[hillevifan]

OOOO sorry... would it be possible to send it by message or email?

[tomi1927]

Have none of you people ever heard of Fedora Barbieri truly one of the great mezzos....

[DivaDeb1234]

So far cossotto 1975 is my favorite

[jicontios]

Weak rendition.Big Verdi parts are heavier than Simionato voice.Hers is a rossinian mezzo voice type.

Cossotto reings supreme and aalone as Amneris, Azucena and Eboli

[BeauTenor]

Hardly. Verrett and Bumbry were both amazing in all 3 of those roles. Far better than Cossotto, especially the top register. On top of that, they were both better women than Cossotto, who from everything I ever heard was NOT a nice colleague.

[jicontios]

And you are nice beauTenor ?Perhaps nice, handsome? may be.Sent me a photo.

What you are not is a good conosieur of voices.I don't want to be rude with Miss Bumbry but do you know what is Bumbry compared with Fiorenza Cossotto ? It is a pygmie, a toy singer

[AmatureComposer]

I'm not sure you really heard Cossotto top notes. Have a look at her rendition of this aria and compare it to Bumbry's veil song - Bumbry is constantly off-tune. Cossoto had an immense top register, which enabled her to record Santuzza in the best studio recording of Cavalleria Rusticana.

[BeauTenor]

If you say so. It always sounded short and flat to me, with less spin than someone like Verrett. And WHY would I compare Cossoto in O don Fatale to Bumbry's Veil Song? The arias are written in and demand a completely different kind of singing. Bumbry had her unstable moments, but all in all, she had one of the great voices ever, IMHO.

[AmatureComposer]

mmm...

I compared recordings of two different arias, simply because there is no recording of the veil song by Cossotto in youtube. I know it's not an ideal comparison. But I see you got my point;)

Let us avoid arguing about stuff which is a matter of taste.

[courtneybaritone01]

Exactly! Cossotto couldn't hold her own again either Verrett or Bumbry. And what can't be argued is that those two certainly had a better sound than Fiorenza's often nasal, unattractively produced voice.

[BeauTenor]

Yup, and the way Cossotto produced her top (also Kathleen Battle, who has the same sort of technique), was very manufactured. Compare that to Bumbry, who (although having a sometimes unpredictable top) had a completely natural way of producing the voice. Verrett as well had a facility on top that you just can't make if you don't already have it.

[Klassizismus]

Cossotto did also some mean things to Callas!!

[osvaldoutube]

Una de las mas bellas voces de todos los tiempos.

[bertoluccio]

Stop whith Stignani!When this woman sings,everybody must Keep silence.

[Sieglinde84]

Brava Giulietta!

Cent'anni!

[johndlabella]

It's not always good idea to judge vocal color, size orvolume from video. This voice, much brighter on tape than most other large voice, was probably MUCH larger in the hall than most of the recent singers in this contestP. The placement and resulting clear diction and evenness of line is so far beyond what I hear nowadays that it is dismaying. "Ah" should not sound like "uh" as in dumb. Simionato, live, must have been stunning. Or rather "Stahning".

[saverioorlando]

Your reasoning is perfect.

[jicontios]

Totally wrong.Simionato voice wasn't rich, wonderful.Her voice was very uneven and it was small on top

[Dymension]

Um, you weren't there...trust me, you and I are the same age...

[jicontios]

Of course you write Um because you have very little idea of voices and singing.Cossotto dramatic singer, very big voice, eveness throughout her register, big top, beautiful voice.Simionato: rossinian mezzo, NOT beautiful voice, uneven voice , full of holes in the middle and TINY top

[Dymension]

I have both Bachelor and Masters degrees in Vocal performance, and my teacher was Virginia Zeani. I hardly think that I don't know voice. I agree that Cossotto is the dramatic singer and that Simionato was more lyric. There are, however, many different approaches to casting and Simionato was certainly a valid choice. Not the best, but a valid choice nonetheless. You can't speak of absolutes in opera because we would not have any singers left!

[jicontios]

Dymension I don't want to offend you but your teacher wasn't a great singer.Virginia Zeani never could make a major career because she was a very out of tone singer and in her time she was unable to match with the great sopranos of the '50s and 60s.

[BeauTenor]

LOL...of COURSE you want to offend him. You wouldn't say it otherwise. You're perfectly capable of NOT saying offensive things, but you chose to anyway, MORENO.

[jicontios]

Cossotto is the greatest mezzo of the century along with Ebe Stignani, this is not argueably.And Giulietta Simionato rendition of O don fatale is very weak and dissapointing.Simionato Amneris is not a great thing too.

[jicontios]

Did you know what Gianadrea Gavazzeni told to Fiorenza? Once Fiorenza was complaining about Bumbry and Verrett and Gavazzeni told: "Fiorenza, you eat those two blacks with salad!".Gavazzeni told that, not me

[courtneybaritone01]

Wow, I have never heard such nonsense. but, let's look at this... who had the bigger career? Bumbry and Verrett wore Cossotto out! THAT my friend CANNOT be disputed! And all three sang the same rep!

[jicontios]

Zeani complete career at the Metropolitan were only 3 days.3 Traviata perf with NO success.Career on disc was not posible for her as well

[DivaDeb1234]

I think she was one of the best choices! Who can sing Eboli like that. Maybe a handful in the whole world.

[jicontios]

Virginia Zeani career speaks of that.She sang only small parts at LaScala

[Dymension]

She did the world premier Blanche de la Force, she sang Aida, Traviata, Tosca, Butterfly, Manon Lescaut with all the great people. That's not to say she was perfect. She wasn't. But Tebaldi, Gencer, Callas, etc. couldn't be everywhere at once. Again you can't speak in absolutes, because there would be no singers left. A mezzo friend of mine singing at the Met simply hates Cossotto. I disagree with her, but everyone is entitled to their opnion. You should allow people that priviledge

[saverioorlando]

Bravissima Un vero mezzosprano agile e potente.

[trepicioni]

potente ? Simionato voice wasn't powerful and it was very uneven.The top was carried easily but SMALL

[saverioorlando]

Follie,follie!

[sevoflurane]

???

[saverioorlando]

I wrote FOLLIE, because at live Simionato's voice was rich,wonderful.

[sevoflurane]

I was replying to trepicioni! I mean: the voice wasn't powerful? That's ridiculous!

[63Attila]

If you heard Ebe Stignani sing this aria, there might not be any contest.

[lg213]

4.5/2 (she's synching the movements to a recording for pete's sake!)

[SwingShoes]

Simionato is one of the best Mezzo's that ever lived. It was a full, rich voice. She had high notes of any good soprano which is clearly evidenced in her performance of Gli Ugonotti where she goes toe to toe with Corelli and has the record for longest applauds at La Scala.

[Rossalita]

5/5!!

[Elisabetta611]

Singing: 5

Acting: 3

[kmillard]

Birgit Nilsson has an excellent reorded concert version of this aria (but I don't know about video.) Maria Callas also has a very good video version posted here on youtube. Don't forget Waltraud Meier as well.

[viverito]

Anyone who gives this less than 5 stars is crazy !!!!

[kmillard]

I'm probably a little on the kooky side but..... 4.5/3.5. The highest notes were not quite as secure as some others I have heard and I prefer the Eastern European sound on this aria. Characterization loses points as well, since it's all arms extended to the audience and her transition to "O Ciel, e Carlo... Gran Dio! etc. has no logical basis since she does NOTHING that reveals to her his fate such as picking up the execution order.....

[anaolga]

S=4.5

CH=3

[cantanteporsiempre]

I´ve heard that Simionatto was really a soprano with no high notes, I love her whatever she was mezzo or not

[paragod333]

She always said that she was a mezzo with a good top and advised others not to think that they were sopranos. She said that to hirley Verrett who recounted it in her autobiography. I think she was right.

[ioSonoCallas]

Grande trés grande, immense artiste. Grande époque, on ne verra jamais plus une telle magnificence, un tel éclat!

[Dymension]

This is great! My god, Shirley Verrett's version is missing from this fantastic group...

[kmillard]

It wouldn't have been in range of winning anyway. To me her tone was dry and her squillo lacked the dramatic intensity of Grace Bumbry and several others.

[Iareto]

Verrett lacking squillo?!? Really? I've never heard that from listening to her. And her top notes are far superior to nearly anyone in the contest.

[benderpm]

Very good; however, the last note was awful!

[DramatisPersone]

5/5. Golden and magnificient.

[janejones11]

I've always liked GS's plush, smoky, distinctive sound. Aside from the wiry top notes, this is very good vocally. The interpretation is passionate and Italianate.

4/4

[enderezo]

Simionato voice has many holes in the middle, uneven voice and her voice on top was very little, dissapointing.2/3

[felipecunha]

5/5

[pertile1981]

Why have not d'Intino in la scala 1992 with Muti?She is a great mezzo-soprano.

[Orfeus80]

I've never admired her uneven voice and here she looks and sounds old. Having said that, the singing is exciting, meaningful. 4/5

[Timishead]

4.5/3

[Otellogv]

Although this is lip synched to a recording from the early fifties (if I am not mistaken), it's excellent theatre. Simionato is in a class of her own and is undoubtedly THE Eboli of the century. Her acting skills were untouched and she has an incredibly ripe mezzo voice, which was capable of encompassing some soprano roles (Valentine in Les Huguenots/Gli Ugonotti). 5 for singing and 5 for characterisation. Brava!!

[caspiman]

one of the best!

5/5

[contediwarwick]

4.5/5

[courtneybaritone01]

who in the world is conducting this? all over the place musically! I love Simionato though. 4.0/5

[watchstone]

I wasn't drawn in here as I was on other performances. 4/4

[lyside1]

grandissima simionata icastica nel ruolo..verdianissimaaaaaaaaaaa­aaa

[sevoflurane]

Amazing Giulietta! She really knows waht she is doing: every word uttered as a painful cry of her soul. The "sound" of a perfect diction adds to the beauty of the musical line. 5/5 and a bit!

[ariodante76]

Not bad for a contralto. Her diction is clear, middle/low notes great, but something about her delivery seems a little hammy. Then again, Simionato comes from a different age of singing.

4.5/4

[ombreross]

@ariodante76 she was a mezzo (one of the greatest ever) and not a contralto.

From a different age? and then???

[rawdonqueen]

Her middle and lower voice are gorgeous, and the passion very moving. 5/5

[hotazzoperastud]

Passion such passion! This is sung so well, with the exception of some tight top notes. 4.5/5

[curiequ]

4/4.5

[patjan92]

5/4.5