Montserrat Caballe as Cleopatra "V'adoro, pupille" G. Cesare

[bjmiceli]

Here on YouTube, most people seem to be very down on Caballe in the excerpts from this role. I think she's great. No one is perfect in any role. Caballe may not be spot on in the florid singing, but she brings so much to the rest of the role and, it must be said, she does appear to be making the florid parts expressive, not just showy. I admire her for undertaking this role.

[Holderlin]

Pure vamp, indeed. No category, no style, no Haendel. Just Caballe.

[OperaMystery80]

What on earth is she sitting on ? Why do they have her looking more like Turandot than Cleopatra ? Bizarre!

[tomclaudetom]

C EST QUOI CE JULES CESAR?????

[tomclaudetom]

magnifique montserrat mais quel drole de jules cesar bizar

[cantorga]

The ornamentation in the da capo section leaves woefully much to be desired. It sounds as though she just didn't care, wanted to take her bows, get off stage, and hit the sangria. She's barely there. Beautiful voice, of course, but where's the spontaneity? Compare with the total involvement of Sills, who makes the fioritura sexy (it IS a seduction aria, after all), and MEANINGFUL

[johngotwalt]

pure vamp !!!

[johngotwalt]

where can I get that gown ?

[newwindow7]

She is amazing. I am a her fan but as far as this piece, she is the best.

[Ellevius]

This is really beautiful singing.

[saltburner2]

Marvellous!

A few weeks before this I was at the Liceo for La Boheme with Carreras and Cotrubas!

[mavickymico]

Sin palabras... Espectacular!!!

[Geolojazz]

Wow! The ornamentation she does second time through...so effortless and gorgeous...<3

[arbekina]

La música me encanta y la escenografía es senzillamente preciosa. Impresionante Caballé!!

[Vanchy58]

Es toda una reina y dama Montserrat brava brava y mil veces mas brava maestra !!!!

[motardbear15]

i can't hear this aria with Monserrat without crying !!!! I am always falling in tears...She is a real Goodess

[GeorgiNM]

You see!? It is really extremely emotionally effective...

[fan2jnrc]

She's not beautiful, she wears a ridiculous costume and... with all that, you're seeing a true goddess. Wonderful...

[GeorgiNM]

Certainly there is a point there, but I would note that Caballe has a very interesting and often expressive face, and this bit is a really successful part of an otherwise difficult to get used to production. They opted for grandeur and the costume fits perfectly here.

[GeorgiNM]

Oh and the singing is really to make anyone cry at such artistry.

[stuartylad]

Thanks for this Onegin. I've watched so many of your videos now I'm sure it's bordering on stalking! lol

thanks for this from my favourite soprano of all time.

interesting fact... Joan Sutherland says in her biography that she and Montserrat used to leave Covent garden and have double fish and chips after performances. Hmm, all that grease and they both sang like that! makes you sick! LOL

[Jeanne90275]

Fantastic performance! That said, this is such a rarity I'm wondering why it isn't available on DVD. And...I can only find 1 CD with Caballe singing this aria, a poorly recorded (poor as in poor audio quality, not poor singing) "Giulio Cesare." Does anyone know of another album where Caballe included this aria? I have most

of her major albums, and there's no "v''adoro

Pupille" on any of them which is surprising

because her version is simply stunning.

[johngotwalt]

can you play vinyl ?? there are two versions, one from a Carnegie recital (great sound) and the other from God knows where. I've transferred the Carnegie record to CD. (btw, the Carnegie version is way superior to this one).

There's always Battle and Sills to check out.

[Jeanne90275]

Thanks. Can't play vinyl, but I might be able to

find the Carnegie recital. Probably it was from

an American Opera Society concert. The other

one you mentioned may be from a concert at

Iona College,1967. She sang so many "rarities," I just surprised she didn't include this one on one of her albums...so beautiful! Thanks for the info:-)

[tervito]

She *pours* herself -- mind, heart, body and soul -- into this music. This isn't my style of Händel singing, but she obliterates all objections with finesse, senstivity, and peerless style.

[dynamicstuff73]

YEEEEEEEESSSSS!!!! The Recapit! Ia Stunning! This is what opera is all about! I love it!

[miltiadis333]

The person who plays Julius Ceasar must be Lundgren, since only him could carry THIS Clepoatra.

[EmilyGreene1984]

I love how they use a baritone for Julius Caesar instead of a contralto. Although a countertenor would be good.

[EmilyGreene1984]

Who is the person playing Giulio Cesare?

[Jeanne90275]

I believe it is Justino Diaz.

[iotaeleze]

What a body!!!

[mstuartg]

Her recapit. is incredible. Talk about beauty - there are few finer.

[phantomangelfire08]

She makes it seem positively effortless.

[harmoniques]

What a voice !!!

[mstuartg]

I still have goose bumps. Have you ever heard a singer whose recapitulations are more exquisite.

[Ctmagnus]

i like hearing the Cleopatra sung with rather more power than one might get out many who sing this role. Finely sung legati, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.

[mrlammermoor]

she looks like a drag queen and the portamanti are completely out of style

[RachelHipp]

while they are beautiful, the portamenti are rather different...

[Lanark8]

Lets not forget that ALL voices have natural breaks... this is incredible. One word 'panissmio'... none can do this like Caballe. None. My warm and kind regards,

[Samurai9]

I am certain that no one else has sung this piece more beautifully. Compare this version to others posted on YouTube. Caballe's uniquely lovely voice, smooth legato, amazing breath support, and innate expressiveness gave her tremendous advantages in this kind of music although she did not have the agility or extreme high notes of a true coloratura soprano.

[KILLERADVICE]

Very good Caballé : still in her great period... Beautiful and expressive voice !

[johngotwalt]

I have a video of her and diva Horne singing the Barcarolle outdoors in Golden Gate Park c. 1980, both holding huge bouquets of balloons with arms around each other. To die !! Can someone guide me how to post it on You Tube ??

[johngotwalt]

Let's get real --

we all want to BE her, right ??

Ever seen her Paris Opera costume as Turandot ??

[johngotwalt]

before she started even to sing,

she did just breathing excercises for about 3 years with teacher Kemeny.

Imagine these fat-assed Yonkers would-be Met divas doing same ??

Montsy is the LAST Prima Donna !!!

[sam0xin]

p.s.PERFECTION + LIVING LEGEND = MONTSERRAT CABALLE

[sam0xin]

Does any 1 knows if this version were recorded on DVD or CD ? I'm crazy for MONTSERRAT' She is UNEQUALED since 1974 ( I was 10 YO)- Norma...with Jon Vickers!!!

[cantanteporsiempre]

I LOVE HEEER!!!

[grdzelli]

One of the all time greats; period! Her singing of this aria gives me chills.

[MusicaParola]

Caballé siempre ha sabido lo que puede y no puede hacer; poniendo a un lado su instrumento, ella posee un enorme conocimiento de todos los períodos y estilos musicales. Nadie sabe cómo la Cuzzoni (primera intérprete en 1724) cantaba este tipo de música. Caballé no va a satisfacer a todos, pero qué gran placer es verla como Cleopatra.

[LASCIATE1981]

NO no está fuera de estilo.............lo hace soberbio especialmente sus pianissimi.......lo que pasa es que estamos acostumbrados a escucharla en el repertorio belcantistico italiano y por eso su voz en este repertorio se escucha rara, pero lo hace estupendo

[yaniraem]

BRAVISIMAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!

[Cercidiphyllum]

Bliss.

[motardbear15]

I agree with the "critics" about the Haendel'style , but here we have Caballé at her VERY BEST ! I remember the first time I saw that video : I was absolutely "amazed" and without voice in front SUCH A PERFECTION , just tears were running , tahnk you Monserrat , just for "that" Tank you SO MUCH !!!!

[Jvanella83]

Montserrat is my favorite female singer, however I can honestly say this is not one of the best Arias I have ever seen her do. On the other hand who am I to judge her interpetation I guess. Hmm*

[andrewoconnorblue]

the top when its drawn back is extraordinary, but the rest to me sounds flat. like seriously quarter tones here. And it is uncharacteristically slow

[Dramadicto]

I LOVE Montserrat Caballé... but I agree... I's out of style. Nobody is perfect :(

[kassandra1977]

Caballe is a great singer singer, of course. But in this production she is one of the worst versions of Cleopatra I've ever heard( and seen ).Full of mistakes, wrong frases,no text interpretation.Boring, wrong and out of style.Haendel is much more exciting than that.

[liviabrescia]

Sono daccordo con kassandra.Caballe grande interprete ma il barocco non è questo,manca ogni abbellimento,opulenza espressione tipica di questo periodo,boh!!

[liviabrescia]

oh sorry i wanted post it in pubblic comment:-)))

[longwoka]

This is just amazing... she is a sensation with a great mastery of her art.

[apodyterion]

Wow, the static and stylized character of the performance somehow adds to its power.

[Samurai9]

A stunning performance. Caballe knew how to use repose to draw in the audience. You do not have to dance around the stage or mug to project the music and emotion.

[benjaminvox]

that was gorgeous. i saw this on video a million years ago and i knew there's a reason why i remembered loving it. Justino Diaz is a handsome and virile Giulio Cesare too. what a voice, both of them!

[pirocagrande]

I like her 'legato + intensity + and dynamics that usually are absent in so called 'baroque' singers...there's no reason to sing baroque with less emotion or lack of romanticism. It is great what she does.

[D9l3tt]

Her legato is seamless!! Her colors are extraordinary! Wonderful, orginal ornamentation.... This is spectacular singing...yes, perhaps tastes today are faster, but I like her natural portamentos. I'm glad we have mezzos and countertenors for Cesare, though. Voce, voce, voce!

[tamerlano]

Actually I think it is really beautiful. The pianissimi actually sound more connected here than the usually do with this singer.

[lesboreades]

La veu més sensual de tota la història de l'opera!

[Motetftw]

If Cleopatra looked like this and is trying to seduce me, id probably commit suicide and im shocked the singer portraying Cesar didnt...besides, i dont like how she had to practically slur to the high notes. The slurring is really tacky and shows bad musicianship in my opinion, but i do like her embellsihments in the repeated A section.

[micioamilano]

sometimes her pianos are sooo piano that you have to make a great effort in order to get to listen! I don't know if it's my computer or if it is really so...

[gheeah]

beautiful and sweet...