Renata Tebaldi "La mamma morta" Andrea Chenier

[Maripudelmonaco]

Qué tonteria estar siempre enfrentando a dos maravillosas cantantes, tan totalmente distintas en su forma de interpretar.. para mí TEBALDI ha sido la mejor MADDALENA, personaje que ha cantado infinidad de veces,como no hay una NORMA, como CALLAS, y además compararlas en una ópera como ANDREA CHENIER, que MARIA sólo cantó una vez,pues no debía encontrarse cómoda. ME QUEDO CON LAS DOS Y CON ESO SE SALE GANANDO Y SE DISFRUTA ESCUCHÁNDOLAS.

[Operafiend22]

The voice sounds somewhat tight here and as a result she clips the ending of some of her phrases, but my gosh this is still an impressive performance.

[olbel]

Amazing!!!



[Sophiestelle]

An Angel of heaven!

[stubbweeb]

If you watch videos of Tebaldi she always tucked her chin down and tensed her face when she sang any high notes.  She sang gloriously, but was often gloriously flat! The hight note in this area should be a B Natural if sung in the correct key, not B Flat.

[rafbilza]

@stubbweeb Yet here she sings gloriously in pitch

[stubbweeb]

If you watch videos of Tebaldi she always tucked her chin down and tensed her face when she sang any high notes. She sang gloriously, but was often gloriously flat!

[zamyrabyrd]

From 4:19 to 4:40, the heaviness of the attack (the 'pitch-intensity" effect) gives the impression of flatness, uncharacteristic of Tebalid in general. Otherwise, at the end of the Bb it is in tune with the orchestra. Callas did not have a strident voice by nature (nor was she an dramatic coloratura) and her early recordings testify to this. For some reason Tebaldi never put herself through the grueling work of bel canto coloratura that Callas did. Otherwise they could have sung the same roles.

[oceans80]

I think she was flat on the high note at 4:19 - I think I can see a flash of worry across her face just before she has to hit that note. Regardless, what a performance... I do love La Tebaldi... love that wall of beautiful sound she produces.

[diaTeri]

тот кто не понимает что каллас лучшая ...безмозговый осел

[Adrien26able]

Renata Tebaldi, may your voice delight the Angels in Heaven!!!...You were the best!!!...

Adrien Alpendre PhD

New Orleans,

Louisiana

[opimasini]

seconda solo alla Scotto!

[guro63]

la Tebaldi es bueno, pero me quedo con la Callas, la voz y el estilo de Maria Callas es increible , ella actuaba con la voz, reia con su voz, lloraba con su voz, cosa que solo muy pocas han logrado

[guardianofcreation]

t

This is good but Callas is the best ever when it comes this aria!!!!!

[bariverdi]

Was she flat around 4:19?

[pagliaccio27]

@bariverdi Yes, she did sound flat to my ears on that high note.

[fll7181]

@bariverdi that's what i was thinking ... i think she was

[okylyc1]

@bariverdi Yes she was but still a good performance to me!

[orawal]

Such deserved applause and soooo humble! Pure perfection!

[dermann1]

troppi portamenti...............tropp­i

[nandesneto]

I think she's great

[joanabanyeres]

she was marvellous.

[dermann1]

in quest'aria, giganteggia solo una voce: quella della CALLAS

[jacopito2007]

io credo siano grandi entrambe. la Callas era più drammatica, ma la Tebaldi aveva un timbro favoloso.

[dermann1]

@jacopito2007 Non discuto il timbro, discuto il dramma nella voce, inesistente da parte della Tebaldi, pauroso quello della CALLAS.

[jacopito2007]

@dermann1 , sicuramente la callas aveva una drammaticità unica, in ogni caso io preferisco la tebaldi per il timbro ma la callas per altre cose , quindi... mi piacciono entrambe allo stesso modo, sono regine indiscusse.

La callas è diventata un mito soprattutto per il suo talento ma in parte anche per la sua vita e le sue vicissitudini, la fine prematura e via dicendo, questo senza nulla togliere al talento e al rigore allo studio enorme che possedeva.

[nandesneto]

why do people have to compare everything ???

[kuintesa]

callas #1

[opera75frfr]

Bien sûr la voix est belle, mais outre l'aigu terriblement limité -le si final est plus que bas!!- c'est la placidité inexpressive qui est frappante: même Caballé fait de cet air ce qu'il est aussi: un moment de théâtre.

[Aetion]

Wonderful singing and what an ovation!

Thanks Onegin.

[Shanniquitie]

neverending applause...she must have been floating

[Lauritz1]

Be still my heart. What a performance! Wow!

[kuintesa]

callas N 1!!!!!!!!!!!

[joanabanyeres]

No opera singer is perfect, especially in vivo...

[Aetion]

Agree.

[aronettoconiiff]

Well...Tebaldi is my favorite soprano forever...

[perfumedlife]

When i hear andrea chenier i can only think of one and only madalena. Tebaldi.

[perfumedlife]

Thank you so much Onegin for these gems.THANK YOU.

[callastoujours]

The last B natural is not in the pitch. What a pity.

[yodavidnavarro]

She lacked the Callas impetuosity. But her voice is totally focused and flows beautifully. Something Callas even in her best didn't achieved! Why compare them? They can't be compared together. Two amazing singers with outstanding talents. But totally different!

[Marroiamaxu]

I totally agree. BUT Callas could sing everytning Tebaldi did because of the nature of her voice (dramatico coloratura), the other way around was not possible.

But that was just a quality Callas was born with. But Tebaldi has a Quality in the voice , timbre that is amazing!

[DanyelHawkes]

We cannot compare Tebaldi and callas. 2 opposite opposite opposite schoolings. (ps Callas TRAINED herself to have such versatility. Do not dismiss her art by saying she was 'born with it' Blasphemy !) Tebaldi could have practiced the bel canto to develop the trills runs and proper alignment of the voice, but she didn't. In listening to her tone, you could tell she could have done it, but i guess she just wanted to take a different path in her career .

[dougbalt]

@Marroiamaxu That's not completely true. Tebaldi sang the complete roles of The Countess from the Marriage of Figaro and Desdemona from Otello quite often on stage. Callas never did because he voice was too strident to sing roles requiring such evenness of tone. She only performed selected arias from each of those two important operas in recital and for recording. Yet, I do understand what you mean that Callas could perform most of Tebaldi's rep and also higher and heavier roles, too.

[arcot9]

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[danielpavarotti]

Maravillosa!!!

[enricobo]

STREPITOSA!!!

[SensusEtRatio]

Ecco Renata Tebaldi prestare la voce anche alla nobile Maddalena. I colori della voce nobili, iridescenti, multiformi, variati e variegati sono esattamente quelli che occorrono per un'aria della "giovane scuola". Vi si aggiunga la perizia della cantante, che non tradisce alcuna difficoltà, di fraseggio, di legato, di volume, di emissione, di alternanza di registro. L'esito è limpido, fluido, capace di evocare nel suono la coppia oppositiva luce / buio che è la cifra dell'aria stessa.

[trumansf]

I just downloaded this performance and it says in cast Franco Corelli, Montserrat Caballe, Dino Dondi; Anton Guadagno-live 5.4.1966 Philadelphia. ;-) I guess its wrong. Who were the others and what date is this?

[tonicopm]

Beautiful interpretation, LIVE, and perhaps not the best one. She is great, but last final B after "...ciel...aaaah!" was terrible.

Never mind, a superb singer, but Callas has been the best in this role.

[oprah22]

get these callas dogs off tebaldi's page pleaseeeeee...go talk about callas on her vids

[Orfeus80]

I love the dignity this singer projects. She shows a personality of virtue and inner strength. No other soprano does this like her in this role. And of course it helps that this is the voice this music needs; firm, strong and beautiful.

[zizeus]

Fantastico

[corellilover]

It´s a pity he never had a good top, her voice was so beautiful!!

[Laeliapurpurata]

It's like she doesn't care... yeah like whatever all this crap happened to me, but I don't care.

[cek1111]

My idol. I always love Tebaldi.. but last B was almost dreadful. Too low..

[divinetta]

Callas had a voice at the beginning of her career, but she it became so much less exciting later on due to her becoming anorexically thin and putting her own emotions before those of the characters she was playing. It made her shallow. Renata was always the character, not herself trying to portray someone by using her OWN emotions. It never works, and she knew it. Viva la diva!!!

[ElliePearl]

Tebaldi with the beauty of tone and Callas with the perfection of character. Just think if the extend of either of their talents had been combined...

Tebaldi sang beautifully here, but that is no surprise.

[architecttom]

Tebaldi did have a beautiful, full and rich voice. However, Callas was able to bring a drama to the piece that is beyond any other singer I have ever heard, she tears my heart out and maybe it is not as pretty but I think that it is more effect at conveying the drama and the emotional character of the piece. I think to prefer Tebaldi or Callas is a matter of personal taste and to say that one is better than the other is a useless exercise.

[luchaoso]

intensity and risk! bella voce! sometimes i ask myself if sopranos with a great middle range pay a big price by missing the beauty in the high range. Well tebaldi did write history. She must have sounded really great live. I can not see her suffering though by not knowing if the high tone will be there. thanks for posting it.

[carlo331]

Suscita sempre grande scalpore chi dice: il re (o la regina, in questo caso) è nudo. Ma le cose non cambiano: l'acuto è calante e la Tebaldi aveva spesso problemi negli estremi acuti. Lo stesso vale per la Callas del declino: le sue note alte ballavano. Anche qs è un dato di fatto. Che non scalfisce tuttavia la grandezza di queste due artiste. Caro pedoni, sei tu il malizioso.

[pedoni5]

Tebaldi recorded nearly 30 complete operas and all the great (and very beautiful) Cs and Bs are there.And hundred of live recordings.You are almost hipocrite to say I am "malizioso".You search the only Tebaldi video where she misses a C (Paris Aida) to talk about her

[pedoni5]

I repeat I never cared Callas but I don't search her videos to trash her.I congratulate you like Maria , but if I had to speak about her voice the truth is Callas high notes were never beautiful, never

[TraVoiBelle]

@pedoni5 YES, I agree! Callas just screams in all high passages.

[pedoni5]

You don't write messages in so many videos here, where Tebaldi sings unhuman Bs and Cs. I notice you suffer to listen Renata '50 O patria Mia or '58 Naples Forza where she sings inhuman series of unbeleivable Bs as if she were speaking of weather or '59 RAI Un bel di, and so many others videos uploaded here.You only go to one or two videos where she isn't in her best form

[carlo331]

E' inutile che votiate contro. E' o no calante l'acuto? Si tratta di un dato di fatto, non di un'impressione.

[pedoni5]

carlo, the high B isn't flat in this video but beyond that you have written messages with the worst intention towards La Grande Tebaldi.You searched the only video where she misses her C in Paris Aida

[pedoni5]

What it is useless (e'inulite) is to talk untrue facts towards an artist.Tebaldi has very beautiful and enormous notes on top (la, sibemole, si e do).If we study the facts (fatto) Callas high notes were never beautiful (it were wobbly, lyrical, small and never firm) and there are several tapes where Maria misses her not beautiful acuti

[pedoni5]

Maria never impressed me but I am not trashing her videos.You have hundred Maria videos to speak highly about her.Non sei cinico

[pedoni5]

Play Tebaldi "Un bel di vedremo" RAI tribute in youtube.Renata sings a limpido, firm huge and BEAUTIFUL SI naturale that Maria never could hit a note like this in her entire life.

You don't post messages there.Notice you are not a sincere soul

[carlo331]

Nel finale, l'acuto è calante di almeno mezzo tono. Imbarazzante

[mrrk]

Stunning performance. The best I have heard.

[shakeyburton]

obviously you havent heard amria callas perform it..its absolutely terrifc

[architecttom]

I have to say this is a beutiful version of one of my favorite arias. To compare Callas and Tebaldi is comparing apples to oranges, Tebaldi sings beutifully with a rich tone, Callas can sings a more modeled performance and can bring me to tears. One is not better than the other just different.

[goghwatch]

thank you so much for posting this! this is so moving

[lovesGenet]

Price is Perfect!Finest technique natural talent brains in interpretative decision.albenese,Caballe ,Tebaldi always something lacking.Also u can tell fronm clips she is always thinking about how to do wht she practiced .Price and Jessye ,Kiri ,Cortrubas even r way beyond that.i think older singers didnt get todays better training.

[FlamingJune5dwj]

while i am not a huge fan of tebaldi, and this is not my favorite la mama morta by any means, i have to disagree with you on the state of vocal training - at least in the usa - today. these singers had far better training in my opinion. where are all the big voices going?!? ... if i hear one more voice teacher tell a singer to be lighter and brighter i am going to hurl.

[raythespian]

Tebaldi always received a huge ovation for this aria, even if the B is a bit below natural. She's the only soprano I've heard who could sing the final "l'amor" in chest, and thereby bring the piece to an emotional conclusion.

[zamolxis7]

I didn't find this "amor" very emotional. I found it very forced. Like she couldn't do this otherwise. Of course I am not an expert.

[63Attila]

Callas had great musical instinct and certainly knew how to promote herself, Too often to enjoy Callas one would have to suspend fundamentals of singing steadiness, breathe control, clear trills not ones that sound like a battery trying to turn over in the winter.

I would never ask a new singer to model themselves technically on either Tebaldi or Callas, Neither had many great years but in my opinion Tebaldi's great years were more pleasing to me than were Callas.

[pedoni5]

Neither had many great years? It's true about Callas, her voice was very little by 1955 when she was only 31 and by 1959 she was done.Tebaldi had 18 prime years (1944/61 or 62) and when she came back right in vocal form in 1964 her voice remained huge till the end (1976)

[63Attila]

pedoni5

I am a Tebaldi fanatic shew had some okya performances in the middle sixties but she lost much control excecpt in that UNBLIEVEBLE MIDDLE VOICE, I heard in 1971 in Philly as Desdemona. The voice was harsh and the pitch awful. I was sad.

[diuscorvus]

Callas didn't drift flat, and she had damn near endless breath control -- the numerous recordings, particularly of her Bellini roles, are irrefutable testament. Her trills abound and are sung in full voice, which Sutherland never managed.

[65attila]

Callas didn't drift flat, and she had damn near endless breath control -- the numerous recordings, particularly of her Bellini roles, are irrefutable testament. Her trills abound and are sung in full voice, which Sutherland never managed.

-Maria would slow dow coloratura passages to catch her breath. the rest of your post is a joke I hope. Sutherland could sing trills at any volume.

[diuscorvus]

Callas (you definitely don't deserve to call her Maria) took passages slow because she could dazzle with the sheer intensity of her voice, and because she wanted to free the music. There are also innumerable examples of passages that she takes at a breathtaking speed.

[63Attila]

The high note is flat. I love the rest of the performance BUT Tebaldi's great years were from the late 40s to 1960. After that the risters were fractured and the top strident and pitch was wayward. To the end she retained what no singer ever had at keast in parts of the voice, THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SOUND I HAVE EVER HEARD. During the great years the voice and phrasing were magic.

On the other Callas during her 6 or 7 best years sounds labored and strident. Not my cup of tea.

[pedoni5]

By middle and late sixties Tebaldi was passing a glorious time in her long career again.She lightened her middle a bit to keep the top and the voice was technically ok as ever.Her registers were never fractured what a nonsense!

[DanyelHawkes]

very uneven voice colouring. She looses massive resonance in her high notes and they sound thin and unsupported thus completely butchering the drama of this aria. The last high note was flat.

[musichus]

noch ein wenig besser als die callas!

[stan724]

Tebaldi was somewhat overshadowed by Callas, and that singer's devotees, including some fans and critics. But I believe history, supported by her recorded legacy, will be very kind to Tebaldi.

[videomeker]

It's funny when she liks her lips before the last high note in the final of the aria (04:18).

It seems that she is more concentrated on taking the high note than on sense of the words she is saying, so, despite the beautiful voice, she is not credible in what she sings.

[marioj34]

and acute of failure again... one moreover!

[veramour]

Japanese audiences are not especially known to be loudly demonstrative.

[mimidecarlo]

And the joyous reception from this audience shows that they were moved.

[DavWardell]

Thank heavens this video preserves the audience reaction to her singing.

[veramour]

Arturo Toscaninni, Tulio Serafin, Dmitri Mitroupolis, Richard Bonynge, Monserrat Caballe, Rosa Ponselle, Mario Del Monaco, Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, Beverly Sills, Aprile Millo, Maria Callas, among many others -- all amazingly talented -- were in absolute awe of this woman's voice.

[VivaTebaldi]

Including Joan Sutherland, Marilyn Horne,

Licia Albenese, Madga Olivero and many more.

[Bigman240]

I must admit this is better than I had expected. Apart from some pitch problems at the beginning and some other minor technical insecurities, this is a fine performance! She does, however, seem to be concentrating too much on her voice, perhaps she was afraid of the final high note which is a tad flat...but so is Marton's...Enjoy!

[MadameMarieM]

This aria is very difficult and need a big voice: so she appairs perfect and whitout problems...But in this aria are many and many problems for the soprano! Very good: a great singer!

[Elisabetta611]

Callas' version is more heartbreaking but Renata's is more endearing, more feminine. LOVELY!

[extranged]

I agree.

[VivaTebaldi]

A very moving performance from La Tebaldi.

Great voice. This aria suits her like a glove.

Just love her interpretation.

[extranged]

A diamond! A pity the audio quality is so low but still I can hear the difference between her legendary voice and the Callas' more (excuse me) "mascuiline" voice (or muscolar?).

A question of point of view. I like more Callas but believe me, they are completly different.

[zamolxis7]

I like bouth of them, but I must say, Callas in this aria she is like a hurricane. In the and I am always mad or frantic.

[polgaino]

Sensazionale semplicemente...Una voce a dir poco divina... Non sapevo l'Italia avesse avuto un simile talento.

[HappyHounde]

Let's put it this way. If you are an aspiring opera singer and you want to learn how sing listen to Tibaldi if you want to learn how to act watch and listen to Callas.

[diuscorvus]

You really don't want to learn Tebaldi's pitch, judging from that B. And Callas was first and foremost a musician -- the first instrument of the orchestra, as she said her herself. Acting -- that was secondary.

[perfumedlife]

She was the most beautyfoul voice of her time.She realy was [la voce d'angelo].Thank you for these rare videos.

[billyguns2]

Liquid gold from one of the greatest singers of Italian opera; yes, I love the Callas versions too. How fortunate we are to have had two such great singers in our lifetime.

[finisquo]

Qué valiente fue Callas, al aceptar abordar un rol que Renata Tebaldi cantaba tan extraordinariamente bien. Brava Tebaldi!

[filiodecallas]

No había oído la interpretación de Tebaldi, a qeuin considero insuperable en varios roles como Manon Lescaut y su "Sola, perdutta e abandonata". Pero me entristece que en esta aria, después de dar lo que dio, se caló en el agudo descollante. Escuchen con agudeza auditiva.

[filiodecallas]

Qué escribí? Es sola, perduta e abbandonata...

[finisquo]

Es: "Sola, perduta, abbandonata...". Y tienes razón el agudo está calante, pero qué bien termina el aria. No he escuchado la versión de Tebaldi de "Sola, perduta, abbandonata...". Si la tienes podrías subirla para disfrutarla, no la he encontrado en youtube.

[filiodecallas]

Hola, voy a consultarle a amigos para ver si la hallamos. Es fuera de serie este performance. Te para los pelos... Es para rabiar!

[veramour]

Brava!

[stepaushi]

She sings absolutely beautifully, with so much meaning, a fine musician. You don't hear such great singing very often--I'm glad at least her audience recognized her greatness.

[rgaramgom]

C'mon people you can not apply your "french fried" culture to everything.... I know sometimes is hard for simple people to understand a finer soul like Tebaldi, but you have to put some effort here and walk away from Hollywood, talk shows and reality TV. Boring... forgive him(her) father he(she) dosen't know what he(she) is talking about. Brava Tebaldi, we will always love you please rest in peace and keep making us happy from beyond.

[trumansf]

rgaramgom/ Well said!

[saverioorlando]

God singing,no great as dramatic interpretation.The last B is uncertain and bevor Renata cuts two wordhs to make easier the PORTAMENTO

[DIVOTENOR]

This was a beautiful performance.The high note sounded a little,just a little, under pitch. Very good though.

[kmillard]

By "just a little" under pitch, do you mean only a HALF step as opposed to a WHOLE step?

[Barabanych]

I can't understand, how it's possible to put even close Tebaldi and Callas. Singing is not only who yells louder, you know. I just don't care of a few "unperfect" notes when I hear Tebaldi's voice and breath control, legato, musicality as a whole. I, personally, thought till now Freni was the best singer I ever heard. Now I'm not so sure.

[sweetaliena]

That video is so boring. She's boring to watch. I better like Maria Callas, even tough her voice isn't has clear has Tebaldi but you can feel the emotion in Callas voice.

[profgv]

Not nearly as bad as your spelling and Grammar.

[operachad]

The singing and performance is dead on. She was fantastic. Unlike these pretenders today

[Duncan456]

I think this is a case of the emporer´s new clothes.

[snakelavie]

God, I'm glad I don't have perfect pitch, which all you boring didactic snob no-talents think is the only prerequiste for perfectness.

[MAPIAKALLAS]

perfect technique what are you talking about mister Potrabso if you called that a technique you have problems she sounds aweful in this video her voice does not express nothing in this aria she is lucking all what this aria needs....and plus its half tone flat and her high note did wobble...

[AlbyFC]

She does sound slightly flat on that high note, but I always suspect bad microphones before suspecting good singers. The audio quality isn't top-notch, and sometimes mikes don't catch high overtones very well... but, let the note be natural or slightly flat, I still think this performance is of the highest calibre. :o)

[SinginFool82]

WOW... I love her!

[potrobsas]

That's why Renata Tebaldi possessed one of the most perfect voices of ever period, partly because of her great technique that allowed her to sing 32 years and retiring nearly intact and in great style

[basie8]

Nice voice, bad technique.

[Glenmed]

I suppose it is not fair to compare this live event to a studio recording. But if this gets several minutes ovation they would have to cheer Maria's 1954 version all night long. There is no version like that for tearing your heart right out. From all I have heard elsewhere Renata possessed one of the the most beautiful voices ever. But perhaps she was off-form on this occasion causing the failing that "pfeliks" correctly describes.

[VivaCallas]

Have you heard Callas's 1955-live at la Scala version? In my opinion, it's even better than the studio version (by far). I have no idea how long they clapped, as EMI sometimes cuts much of the clapping out of their CDs (some of the Tebaldi fans were booing at full force that night though). Both of Callas's versions, to me, have much more emotion that Tebaldi's. Tebaldi's is still very beautiful, and her ovation was well deserved.

[trumansf]

VivaCallas. Callas wouldnt hate someone just because. There was obviously a reason, healthy competition makes an artist better. In my oppinion Callas did this aria a little better, just like everything else, more or less but always better.

[VivaCallas]

Callas never hated someone just for the heck of it. She most definitely didn't hate Tebaldi. She, in fact, praised Tebaldi's tone many times. She never compared her voice to hers as comparing 'Champagne to Coca-Cola' (she said cognac).

[trumansf]

they did hate each other. Its written in many biographies

[VivaCallas]

Well, the biographies are wrong then. Why would they hate each other? Obviously, I'm sure there was envy on both ends, but neither did anything which would cause one to 'hate' the other. Plus, they were so different, both in terms of the natural voice and in terms of repertoire.

Personally, I do prefer the Callas Scala version, but Tebaldi wasn't the leading Maddalena for nothing.

[trumansf]

The fact is the fact, it is history, we have to respect thr truth. Callas wasn't an easy person, she even made sure that Tebaldi wouldnt sing at La Scala. It was an ulimatum. Watch Callas interviews, look how disrespectful she talks about her fellow opera singers. She is right 100%, honest, but god was she mean.

[kmillard]

Things have a certain way of working themselves out. I don't suppose it was any accident that Mme Callas first lost her confidence them her voice then died a lonely recluse at the relatively young age of 53 while La Tebaldi went on to sing for many more years and lived to a ripe old age. While I have to respect Mme Tebaldi's accomplishments, my GOD it seemed like she could have some absolutely DREADFUL intonation problems in the upper register, especially later in her career.

[trumansf]

VivaCallas/ If you love Maria so much you should know her story right. That will explain a lot of things that her fans dont understand. The story of La Callas is one of the most ineteresting love and art stories in 20th century

[VivaCallas]

Yes,the story's actually quite sad. Quite tragic, actually.

I don't think Callas made sure Tebaldi wouldn't sing at La Scala. When the management starts giving all the lead roles to a particular singer, others feel left out. I think that's what, unfortunately, happened to Tebaldi, and, subsequently, she ended up having one of the most successful MET careers ever.

[VivaCallas]

Tebaldi did say something very true: "This rivality was really building from the people of the newspapers and the fans. But I think it was very good for both of us, because the publicity was so big and it created a very big interest about me and Maria and was very good in the end. But I don't know why they put this kind of rivality, because the voice was very different. She was really something unusual...."

[trumansf]

Exactly! ;-)

[EP1997I]

Then check more carefully what authors you read. They didn't hate each other, although there surely was some professional jealousy. I think they both admired each other.

[JLFAN2008]

Tebaldi never thought of Callas as a rival -- and expert analysts would agree that there was no basis for any professional rivalry between those two sopranos. Nevertheless (according to Tebaldi), they let the media hype it of proportions -- if only for practical reasons. After all, it generated publicity.

[GreekCallas]

I've never been a great fan of Tebaldi, although she is probably my second favourite soprano of the greats. I have to say that while this wasn't her finest performance, it was very brilliant and the ovation tells all.

[pfeliks]

It may be  a perfectly placed wall of sound...too bad it's a half tone flat.

[potrobsas]

She sings a high B and the note is in the right pitch

[pfeliks]

Horrible climax...b natural was a b flat at best and she cheated(as many soparni do)by leaving out the phrase roght before the high note!

[potrobsas]

The B natural is perfectly placed and easy.The note is a wall of sound, huge, firm but vibrant

[be1430a]

No disrespect, but Renata screeches and the high note at the end was really flat. This wasn't her best work.

[michaud1]

Very touching, beautiful singing. Very clear sound.

She is fantastic. Great Tebaldi.

[conmaleta]

i just love her

[Elisabetta611]

WOW. Brilliant lady!

[profgv]

I'll take any 5 minutes of Tebaldi then a life time of those 'ice cube' trays we've been listening to in American opera houses for the last 15 or more years.

[mosthappyfella]

I say AMEN to your comment

[loganfacincy26]

Very moving. Tebaldi was best in this type opera.

[mrrk]

Tebaldi is on stunning form here. Fantastic.