Gesu Bambino - Kathleen Battle and Frederica von Staade

[adabee]

Thanks you for posting this, so much.

[lovemypiano111]

This is my favorite carol of all... sang by two of my favorite singers. Who cares what they are wearing. Their voices blend perfectly, it's amazing

[varadero1839]

@lovemypiano111 Grateful to hear from you, and I must agree! You're so right; their voices together make this piece a real treasure! Thanks for writing, and Happy Holidays!

[Mike98861]

whoa those are some giant sleeves!

[xMSxHNx]

officially my new favorite christmas carol

[varadero1839]

@xMSxHNx And why not? Just joking, but they made an amazing pair, did they not? I'm so happy and honored to hear from you! Please, when you've the time, try and view the balance of this concert. Two of my friends were actually in the male chorus and spoke highly of the experience. Thanks so much for writing!

[russedav5]

Frederica von Staade is a class act grand dame for sure! Fabulous video. I pray the text for this lovely work might be posted too. I'll look for it online and may do it myself in a later post. Thanks so much.

[HawneyChile]

Ms. Battle is one of the most ungracious people whom I've ever met. Her reputation precedes her, indeed. V. Jenkins, Oxford, UK.

[xenassidekick1216]

what an amazing duet!!!!!

[varadero1839]

@xenassidekick1216 Hi xenassidekick1216, and thanks so much for your comment. Sad, and I may be wrong, but I think this concert was their only joint performance. If I'm wrong, please let me know. Meanwhile, great to hear from you!

[Gomi717]

@xenassidekick1216 Ha dado Ud en el clavo.¡¡¡ Extraordinario,que calidad,que voces!!!

[magisterludi92103a]

Clothes? What clothes??? How can anyone "see" anything when the ears and the heart are being treated to this glimpse of Heaven?

[varadero1839]

@magisterludi92103a You restore my faith in human nature, and common sense! Performances/Performers like these should only be considered for their magnificent talents. Grateful to hear from you!

[ScienceReasonBelief]

Personally, I'm a bigger fan of von Staade's sparkly green dress... and I think it's actually a more daring choice. Red, sure, almost anyone can wear it... but green? Much harder to pull off.

[ScienceReasonBelief]

Given that this was in 1992, the sleeves were very much in fashion at the time!

[varadero1839]

@ScienceReasonBelief Hooray! The voice of reason is finally heard! Thank you for your comment. Thanks also to Rouben Ter-Arutunian, designer for Ms. Battle!

[ScienceReasonBelief]

@varadero1839

Ter-Arutunian had died in October 1992, so this was likely the last dress he made for her.

[MrAndredekock]

@varadero1839 Lol! Luckily they didn't HAVE to stand real close next to each other as Ms von Stade was already pressed for space. An unusual ensemble but quite charming too ..... except for Ms von Stade that is. Just joking guys. Bravi to the two of them on beautiful singing.

[acitipo]

Excelente y brillante duo, dos de las mas celebres del belcanto cantando este clasico italiano que en el pasado las grandes voces, la cantaron : Caruso, Gigli, Pavarotti, Alva.....

[katmomsinger]

I don't care how beautiful it is, the sleeves are hideously distracting. Sorry, but it makes a difference.

[Vagalume1949]

Correcao: Ja as conheco de algum tempo atraz(mais de 15 anos) no Carnigie Hall em New York. Thanks.

[Vagalume1949]

Lindo. Cantam juntas porem se ouve bem definida a voz de cada uma delas. Ja as conheco de longo tempo atraz, no Canning Hall em New York.

[dmpetrick]

Don't get catty. Her sleeves are a statement of her impeccable style. Do you pay to see someone up there looking boring? It's not like she's got diamonds dripping from her or her her in some elaborate do. The music and singing are delightful, and as someone said, a wonderful offering to the Lord.

[varadero1839]

@dmpetrick Thank you dmpetrick! You've pretty much cut to the chase! Given their incalculable talents, these two could have presented in almost any venue, even dressed as itinerant apple-pickers, and it wouldn't have made a difference! Talent and Genius will always shine through.

[Smiinon]

@varadero1839 If I had the chance to wear that to some occasion, I would. And I wouldn't think twice. Opera singers can get away with any kind of fashion.

[varadero1839]

@Smiinon Thank you Smiinon! I guess what most folks forget is that her outfit might have been a table-cloth, red/white checkered, and she'd still have sounded magnificent! Thanks for the wonderful clarity of your statement! You're very kind!

[candidnt]

@varadero1839 I'm sorry for sounding overly flippant with my comment. I do love this piece; this is in fact my favorite recording of Jesu Bambino (and I have several!). I don't really give a hoot about her outfit, I just think it's very comical. This is such a wonderful performance that my mother was inspired to purchase the recording for herself. I'm grateful every day that you chose to post it. Merry Christmas!

[varadero1839]

@candidnt HI candidnt! Merry Christmas to both you, and Mom too! As for her outfit, though a little outlandish, was designed by one of the big "fashionistas" of the day, Rouben Ter-Arutunian, who provided many of her costumes. Hoped viewers could forget the sleeves, and concentrate on that spectacular voice. There are no "grays" with Ms. B. People either love, or hate her. That's life. All that really matters, vile tales notwithstanding, is how she sounds. I could listen to her sing forever!

[pwhitmore84]

They mix very well together, definitely impressed.

[Kaileo1]

You know most people comment on the red satin dress with the life preservers on the arms that Ms. Battle is wearing... and it IS epic. But how perfect a contrast is that shimmery green sheath vonStade is working?!! Two completely different dresses yet amazingly in balance!

[rlee1976]

Pure musical beauty and joy. Come on, guys, let's save the comments about Battle's reputation. That goes without saying, we all know what happened.  Let the MUSIC sing out, not the backstage temper!

[jintag]

Get a load of that red dress! Looks like she's going to float away! hahaha

[MisterHowe]

Perhaps Ms. Battle is just struggling to cover up her bulging biceps. Outward appearances of physical fitness are not the norm in the opera world. That said, a sphere with a 2-foot circumference on each arm is a pretty bold approach to the problem.

[sweettbat]

haha true...but we ARE talking about a soprano here. of course battle's sleeves are huge...to put as much space as possible between herself and that nasty mezzo without seeming obvious. what a feat for her to actually share the stage with someone...i wonder if she ate the children one by one after it was over. :)

[Kaileo1]

@sweettbat: believe it or not, I hear that Battle and vonStade get along quite well!  Who would have thought!?

[Smiinon]

@sweettbat HAHAHAHAHA

[xenassidekick1216]

i love this version!

[888edfajardo]

I love the duet! What a great offering to the Infant Jesus!

[v1x4g2]

Thanks for the laughs, candidnt and Jaredpaul54. Hillarious!

[miracleshaven]

Jared Paul, I laughed so hard when I read your comment. I have been watching videos on Youtube for years now, and have never bothered to add to the "litter" of comments. But yours was quite humourous and I just had to drop a note and thank you for making me laugh!

[candidnt]

One of these women has gone on to international renown, consistently sold-out concerts, and the admiration of singers everywhere. The other went down in spectacular flames (which breaks my heart, because Kathleen Battle's voice is so pretty). Just goes to show you that talent isn't everything...but what Miss Battle lacks in decorum, she makes up for in huge fuckin' sleeves. You could've saved lives on the Titanic with those things.

[komodiakarma]

Candidnt.. I love your comment.. CRACK UP..And I agree that Battles voice is so pretty.. But your comment makes those sleeves worth the fact that she wore them. I still love Battle. Maybe she just needs a charm course and a sleeve reduction. lol

YOU WIN COMMENT FOR THE DAY that cracked me UP!

[acotw67]

candidnt:

Should they have performed "Nearer, My God to Thee" as an encore?"

Your comment made me enjoy this video even more,thank you.

[Bahia82]

You dont know much about battle if you thought her career died in 1994, and that first sentence of yours is the description of battle career

[JaredPaul54]

Christmas seems to bring out the best in most of us..... there's a saucer of milk in the kitchen for the catty in the group. No offense meant to cats.

[ricpech]

malibu64, I was tempted to ignore your absurd comment, but your choice of words just confirms your lack of ANY credibility and knowledge fo the classic voice... there´s no upstaging, just beautiful, perfect harmony from two great voices!!

[acitipo]

Bravisimas!!!! la mejor version que he escuchado en voces femeninas!!!!

bellisima!!! Gesu bambino.

[malibu64]

I think the bitch with the giant sleeves found it necessary to dress and sing like an idiot to upstage von stade... it didnt work.

[bsok1289]

COMPLETELY agree.

[wellasang]

What a waste of comments. It does not sound it builds up.

[hullguy123]

Why being so mean... don'T you know every sopranos' nature is to have a bad temper? I have rarely encountered any soprano that did not show their stress near the end of a production by being impossible to everyone.

[x4812k]

this is beautiful!!!

[gilraen789]

What a joy to hear two of my favourite singers together,especially at this time of year. Thank you varadero1839!

[StephanAOTTO1]

Miss Battle always sounds like she's just stepped out of Heaven!

Thanks for posting!

[michaelsong99]

@StephanAOTTO1 Thank you for saying this about Kathleen. People often forget about how she sounds and dwell on the negatives she has done. Nobody knows what she has gone through. I do not wish to make excuses for her.