Renata Tebaldi & Franco Corelli in -"Aida"-

[dawes777]

Splendid!

[giacomo473]

La Tebaldi sempre più grande - che note di mezzosoprano - una magnificenza sentirla - Quanto ci manca

[mrluistena]

wow viva tebaldi

[Bquillamus]

What a marvelous performance! Tebaldi as Mezzo did it very well.

[dangmills]

Shoot me if you want... but Tebaldi and Callas sound so similar in the lower registures, but Tebaldi's tone in the middle and higher registures are lighter and sweeter (though you can't compare her high notes to Sutherland and Sumi Jo)

[MrArthurovenezuela]

Increíble...La bella voz de Tebaldi cantando Amneris...claro, en 1972....definitivamente es la voz más bella del Siglo XX. Y su interpretación como mezzosoprano me sorprende....¡Qué maravilla!

[corellithebest]

I have this CD, so I think it's a kind of recital. Another mezzo role she sings there is Laura from La Gioconda, the duet with Enzo. Then they sing the first great duet from Manon Lescaut, then the duet from Adriana, and last, the duet of Paolo and Francesca from Francesca da Rimini. It's really a rarity! It's astonishing with what competence she sings in mezzo tessitura! And of course, Corelli is AWESOME throughout, as usual.

[ertzike]

thaks.

a huge surprise for me.

outstanding !

[Patpoussin]

Even if I prefer her as Aida with Mario Del Monaco (1952), I must say that she stays still "the" Diva.

[krakowjak]

Does anybody knows which orchestra is playing and who the conductor is?

[claraprellitensky]

Orchestra della Suisse Romande, Anton Guadagno conducting, recorded in Genoa, september 1972

[NewJersey5858]

@claraprellitensky I love Maestro Guadagno

[Operaddict]

Tebaldi is a great Amneris here. She was also a great Aida...however, she always struggled with her top notes...and was quite often flat. I believe this is because she, like so many Italian sopranos, employed so much chest voice and overly brightened middle notes that it brought her top down. But here, age, and years of singing as described above made her a formidable mezzo soprano. To be able to have done both...no small thing. Corelli, as usual, is astounding.

[OettingerCroat]

totally awesome... my favourite soprano, singing one of my favourite mezzo roles

[SiEtIn1]

who was aida then? was this a concert performance? i am comfused

[jmccracken1963]

@SiEtIn1 This is from a Decca/London LP of duets sung by Tebaldi and Corelli. See some of the more recent comments on this duet for further details.

[LittlePasserotto]

una vera signora... non si può non amarla.. una tale interpretazione non lascia dubbi sulla grandezza di entrambi

[LeonoraPasiniani]

Very Cool! Amneris in Tebaldi,s interpretation is wonderful!

[Hjadlowker]

Wow! I can't believe it. It really is Tebaldi singing Amneris (at first I thought it was a typing mistake)... and with Corelli! Wonderful! I'd never had imagined... all those chest-notes,,, better than many mezzos! What a singer! A rare document and real singing lesson indeed.

[jmccracken1963]

@Hjadlowker Not only that, but this recording also has Tebaldi and Corelli in the Princess/Maurizio duet from ADRIANA LECOUVREUR, the Laura/Enzo duet from LA GIOCONDA, part of the Francesca/Paolo duet from FRANCESCA DA RIMINI, and the Act II duet from MANON LESCAUT (which they had sung at the Old Met Farewell Gala on 16 April 1966). It's a GREAT recording all around: Tebaldi, Corelli, and Guadagno!!!

[claraprellitensky]

Tebaldi gives a lesson an oustanding masterclass how to sing Amneris.

And in GREAT voice in 1972

[tomzoricic]

I prefer her as Aida from 1952. with Mario Del Monaco (their first recording for DECCA)

[pedoni5]

I agree with Pappone60,

VivaMariaCallas there are hundred videos of Maria, you should praise Maria Callas and be honest.Many Callas fans can't stand Tebaldi was singing so well in the '70s yet.

[pedoni5]

Totally untrue VivaMariaCallas, NO screamed at all! she sings two SO beautiful SI bemole...limpido e GRANDE SI bemole

[VivaMariaCallas]

Knowing how the two could sing in their primes, this is slightly sad to listen to. Corelli's voice is still, for the most part, in tact, but all the intensity is gone. Tebaldi's voice here is in shambles, with the registers noticeably broken, the timbre icy and artificial (the middle is better at the less forceful sections), and the high notes screamed. Musically and interpretively, she isn't that interesting either. Her Aidas in her prime are infinitely better in every sense.

[pappone60]

Sbagliato VivaMariaCallas, Tebaldi two Bflats are not screamed at all, her two final Bflats would be the envy of most mezzos who sang Amneris.Great Bflats.Her interpretation has much strenght and is much exciting than most Amneris.I understand your bitter commentary because at that time (1972) Callas had stopped singing since seven years ago (1965) and Tebaldi voice remained powerful in 1972.I understand you, no problem

[VivaMariaCallas]

I'm sorry, but I have heard several mezzos sing this with much more excitement & security. To say that her voice & interpretation is strong is to completely undermine the exceptional standards Tebaldi set for herself in her prime. This is interesting because she had never sang it before.

And guess what? Tebaldi is one of my favourite singers. My commentary is not bitter: it is simply objective. Just as I acknowledge Callas's over-the-top wobble in the 60s, I acknowledge Tebaldi's vocal decline.

[VivaMariaCallas]

If you love Tebaldi as you claim, try listening to her objectively. To cherish a singer's art is to acknowledge both the strengths and acknowledge the weaknesses. Tebaldi had a most beautiful and a most powerful voice in her prime, but her undertaking of heavy roles like Gioconda clearly damaged her voice, particularly, because she had to artificially pump up the voice and change her technique for the worse.

[pappone60]

Tebaldi is the greatest Gioconda , her '67 studio version is something TOP and her many "lives" Giocondas are amazing.She sang Gioconda after more than 22 years of her opera debut (1944) , in 1966/67/68 and in blossomy voice, in top form and she never harmed her voice

[65attila]

@pappone60

I Love Tebaldi bit she disfigured her voice in Gioconda. I prefer

Milanov. Farrell. Cerquetti and Bumbry. In 1971 as Desdemona in

Philly the vocie was shattered., I left so sad as at her best IMO her sound was the most beaitiful I ever heard.

[jmccracken1963]

@pappone60 Tebaldi was, indeed, an OUTSTANDING Gioconda, both vocally and dramatically, but "THE greatest"? "One of the greatest" is more accurate, in a vocal pantheon which would also include Zinka Milanov, Anita Cerquetti, Rosa Ponselle, Eileen Farrell, Martina Arroyo, Grace Bumbry - and, yes, Maria Callas, too. It's sad that one can't field a decent FIRST cast for LA GIOCONDA today, much less find acceptable artists to "cover" for the lead singers.....

[pedoni5]

VivaMariaCallas: You has to write highly about Maria Callas, there are hundred of Callas videos in youtube.Tebaldi Gioconda was something incredible, she achieved an strepitosso sucesso , never heard a Gioconda so powerful like Tebaldi, La voce di Renata era sfarzosa troppo grande since her youth but since around 1956 onwards her voice became too large, even bigger.When she sang Gioconda her voice was gigantic

[pedoni5]

I heard Renata Gioconda at Naples in december 1967 and the sucesso was monumental.Much later I heard her to perform in Italy in 1976 and her concert was a wonder, her voice was technically very well fited, of course choosing the right and exquisite programme of songs and antiche arias for the limitations at that time of her career more than 30 years singing

[pappone60]

You speak so lightly and so erratic things.Callas voice started to become thinner as long ago as by 1954 and in 1959 her top was gone(I don't know what do you intend to speak of a Callas career in the '60s if her only '64 Tosca and Norma comeback was a disgrace and only one year 1964/65)

[pappone60]

You heard several mezzos to sing this with much more excitement and security ? I don't.

Simionato seems a anemic pygmie with a voice full of holes and a very small voice on top.Only Cossotto and Stignani were great Amneris and Tebaldi work on disc as Amneris is simply stunning.Her interpretation excells even Cossotto's and Tebaldi two final Bflats are awesome and her low notes terrific

[VivaMariaCallas]

You're saying that there has been 2 great Amneris in Aida's 100 year+ history? Simionato WAS a great Amneris. How about Bumbry? Dominguez? Barbieri? Minghini-Cattaneo? Please.

Tebaldi never harmed her voice? Her singing heavy roles like Gioconda, while thrilling, wrecked her voice via excess breath & tongue pressure. You think that Tebaldi's Ballo from 1970 is sung in a voice equal to that of her 1950s Toscas, Butterflies, Maddalenas, Desdemonas, etc? Please. That's not doing her justice,

[VivaMariaCallas]

And what does this have anything to do with Callas? My brief mentioning of her was just to draw a comparison. You probably do not understand why people refuse to admit Callas's vocal problems, saying that it is unimportant. Why do I keep on saying that Tebaldi had a vocal decline? Because she had one.

[pappone60]

Callas had a major vocal decline very early, by 1959 her opera performances were conted with the finger of one hand.Tebaldi took and year off in 1963 and came back, iy you play her '62 Berlino Otello you will notice Renata voice is intact, she took an year of for private life matters

[pappone60]

After Gioconda, she sang Adriana in 1968/69 season with great acclaim too and sang Manon Lescaut (that it is a matinee broadcast with Joahn Alexander where Tebaldi is excellent), Toscas, Bohemes.After 1970/71 season she reduced her opera performances enough to concentrate mostly in concert work

[jmccracken1963]

@pappone60 Better than the 1968 broadcast of MANON LESCAUT is the 1/17/1959 broadcast, with Tucker, Guarrera, Corena, and Anthony, with Cleva conducting. By 1970-71, she was also having vocal problems (crisis of nerves, perhaps), and she sang ANDREA CHENIER that season, but cancelled her scheduled TOSCA appearances for both that season and the next. She did not sing well at all as Desdemona in OTELLO in 1972-73, and the Met bought out the remainder of her contract.

[adolfoa1961]

@jmccracken1963 I couldn't say which Manon I like more , I like both the '59 with Tucker and the '68 with Alexander broadcasts. The '68 is very interesting how after singing 39 or 40 Gioconda performances alltogether (in the '66/'67 and '67/'68 seasons) she sings this '68 Manon with the voice technically very well fited, only one can notice the middle of the voice tremble a bit, but just a little, but she sings wonderfully in '68 Manon.

[adolfoa1961]

@jmccracken1963 : The june 1970 Un ballo in maschera the same, her voice is techniccaly very well studied and fited and it is an oustanding opera recording. It is true that by the end of 1970 (october/december) she sang around 9 Chenier preformances and she was in poor voice.

But in 1972 duets album with Corelli, this one she is in good form again, as she is in her 1973 Arie Antiche, of course , well in concert work , she alwayas found the best for her voice in any period of her long career

[pappone60]

Amneris WAS NOT a very good Simionato role.Your commentary shows yout little idea about voices.Simionato voice is too lyrical for big Verdi roles like Amneris, Azucena and Eboli.Simionato Amneris is weak.There were only two great Amneris: Stignani and Cossotto.

[VivaMariaCallas]

Yes... so weak that her Amneris opened the 1956 La Scala season to great success and that her Azucena was an integral part of one the greatest performances of Trovatore (1962 Vienna with Price & Corelli).

But I guess I must take your word. Only two great Amnerises in the past 137 years. What a credible argument.

[pappone60]

Your answer has no weight at all.

Ricciarelli sang Aìda and Ballo and recorded it , SO ??? and she is a disaster.

Simionato voice is very uneven and her voice on top is too small to sing Amneris and too lyrical for Azucena

[pappone60]

Tebaldi was singing wonderfully by 1965 and she decided to sing Gioconda in 1966-68, she sang it many times, around 40.She did a masterwork, her assumption of the role is incredible and vocally in great form.

[pappone60]

Her Ballo in maschera with Pavarotti is very well sung and she had another success with Falstaff in 1972.

[VivaMariaCallas]

How does Ricciarelli have anything to do with this?

From what I have read, Tebaldi was extremely frightened by 1972, not knowing what direction her career would turn. The Met tried their best to help her out, even suggesting her turning to mezzo roles (she flat-out refused). The Ballo is a by-product of this. It would have definitely been more successful had she recorded it in the early 60s. Amelia would have benefited from her trademark femininity.

[VivaMariaCallas]

You're right: Simionato's artistry was horrible. That's why she starred in countless La Scala opening nights, and that's why she appeared in many of Tebaldi's recordings for Decca. Give me a break. Her TRADEMARK is her seamless voice. But, then again, how could she have been good? Afterall, there were only two great Amnerises in Aida's 137-year history.

This conversation is over.

[pappone60]

You made a terrible mistake.Giulietta Simionato voice is one of the MOST UNEVEN voices ever listened !

[VivaMariaCallas]

Sure, whatever.

[jmccracken1963]

@VivaMariaCallas I agree with your comment about Tebaldi (and, sad to say, it applies to Resnik, too) as far as the recording of UN BALLO IN MASCHERA is concerned. My question is: did Tebaldi sing Amelia at all on stage? I know that she never sang it at the Met, and that is not one of the roles which comes immediately to mind when I think of Tebaldi.

[VivaMariaCallas]

@jmccracken1963 If I'm correct, Tebaldi refrained from singing Ballo, Don Carlo, & Cavalleria live because she felt that they were too heavy for her voice. And she probably wouldn't have sung Aida at all had it not been for Toscanini!

[jmccracken1963]

@VivaMariaCallas Very true, although she did very well IN THE RECORDING STUDIO with both CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA and DON CARLOS (though I'll bet that, if Solti had had his "druthers," that recording would have included more of the cast which actually sang it at Covent Garden - but Bruno Prevedi, Peter Glossop, and Gwyneth Jones were not the kind of "big-name" artists that Decca wanted (and I say that taking NOTHING away from the contributions of Bergonzi and Tebaldi and even Fischer-Dieskau)).

[adolfoa1961]

@VivaMariaCallas :Tebaldi didn't interest to sing Don Carlo on stage simply because Elisabetta is not the main character, the protagonist of the opera.It is an opera for men.And Cavalleria , she recorded it in 1957 in glorious vocal shape and she thought singing it in the '60s but she preferred other roles.Think she sang many operas more much difficult than to sing a Cavalleria. (Aìda, Forza, Gioconda, Requiem, etc)

[adolfoa1961]

@VivaMariaCallas And Isabel di Valois is not very demanding role. Think Madama Butterfly and Manon Lescaut are totally much more demanding, not to mention Aìda the most difficult role for a soprano, following by Forza and Gioconda the most heavy one (not as difficut as Aìda but heavier).

[tHEnOOSEsWINGS]

Both are 50/51 respectively. Renata Tebaldi has extraordinary and strinkingly beautiful evenness through her register with that warm dramatic intensity. Thank you for your video and the impressive photographs.

[MusicaParola]

There is a pronounced change in color and timbre between the upper and lower registers. She fairs better, at this stage in her career, in the lower range. The sublime Aida of 1950 just doesn't quite make it as Amneris in 1972. Anton Guadagno conducts L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, supporting as best as he can these great artists past their prime.

[pappone60]

Tebaldi Amneris recording is terrific.1972 and the voice remained huge, she sing two glorious Bflats at the end, amazing Bflats, no color changes in the register at all, the low notes are terrific but not chest, it is her natural 1972 voice

[pappone60]

She is a greater Amneris than several very famous mezzos in the role.A pity she didn't record till the end of judgment scene.Corelli is very good too though less imaginative than Tebaldi's great creation

[clymnestre]

Thanks to Onegin65 for listen again to that both artists Tebaldi and Corelli! Thanks a lot