Verdi - Aida - end of Act II (Toscanini)

[photo161]

thrilling...

[smischmid]

i think there is no chance to conduct it any better... i've never heard this power, this greatness, this perfectness in music before. it's just unbelievable... this is music... the singers didn't have to act like stupid monkeys (like today), there is no ugly and hysterical vibrato. they just did music in perfection. great

[SteveAndrewLangford]

My fuck**g god, his open palm stopped the applause. You can see a lady looks behind her to see who it was.

[SatchmoSings]

No music! No prompter for the singers! After all, if Toscanini could memorize the whole opera he saw no point in a prompter; if Toscanini could learn the whole opera then the singers could also learn their "little parts."

[VinylToVideo]

This is about the best video I've ever seen. And this time instead of hearing Toscanini sing along we can see him do it.

[japittrich]

Bravo.

[SatchmoSings]

At the conclusion you can see the seated Ms. Randall wiping her tears of joy over this powerful and moving music; I feel the same way.

Hard to believe that this was live, coast-to-coast (though TV couldn't reach that far but simulcast radio did) over a commercial broadcasting network.

Now this same studio is used for "Saturday Night Live."

[vpo2g2]

Herva Nelli was hot.

[kopaitulzi]

O começo é um pouco antes de "nel mio petto ...":

" ... il fato colpir." (Aida, Amonasro)

"Struggi, o Re, queste ciurme feroci, ..." (Ramfis, Sacerdoti)

[valdengo1]

....more than greatness...these notes can never be played like this again, Toscanini put fire into the human soul in performance.........matchless perfection

[acesdc]

The broadcast was in 2 parts; this is the end of part 1. Part 2 was a week later.

[Zorchalate]

Is the end of Act II the end of the opera??

Zamunda Zorchalate

[benlaoigh]

@Zorchalate No. There are 4 Acts.

[violettamimi1]

Grandioso!!!!!

[Raggedy9]

One example of the brilliance of this performance: In "Ma tu, Re" one can always hear the melody AND the brief choral interjections--in a live performance, no faking with edits, no stereo mikes. Crystal clear AND expressive. Something all of us conductors aspire to and usually fail. And at the conclusion, he gestures to his soloists and his orchestra to take their applause, but refuses to take any himself. A unique conductor and a unique personality who placed the music before himself.

[SiEtIn1]

Toscanini is conducting the audience also! LOL check minute 02:55

[SatchmoSings]

You don't have to start comparing Toscanini to others, and yes, he's got many (for him) mediocre and even lousy recordings.

But not this one; this shows precisely why Toscanini was so deservedly great.

[kingworld30]

A powerful and grand final!

American national anthems are inspired in these magnificent end ..

Bravo Toscanini!

[melomane57]

Senza parole, bravissimi tutti e che M° Toscanini, grandioso........

[otacs2]

Great! Just came back from the anfiteatro in Verona where they played Aida

[francesco65esposito]

The audio track in this video are not the original sound of video broadcast but, rather, the tape recording of contemporary radio broadcast which was in a more better audio quality! On July 1954 (three months next end carreer) Toscanini come back in RCA studios for re-recording some parts of this Aida (eg. the two Aida-Herva Nelly arias) in expectation of first record pubblication.

[sweetaliena]

The only conductors that come close (not quite) to Toscanini are Zubin Mehta and James Levine.

This was magnificent and grandiose!

[Bivolari]

@sweetaliena Are you serious?

[jmccracken1963]

@sweetaliena After Toscanini's death, Jan Peerce was asked by an interviewer, "Your association with Toscanini was marvelous, of course. But who of today's conductors is rising to take his place?" And Peerce's answer was: "No one." Of course, this was long before the rise of such conductors as Claudio Abbado, Riccardo Muti, and, of course, James Levine. Toscanini was viewed by most of his conductor contemporaries as being a singular genius, in a class by himself - and he really WAS!

[barneswriter]

Fascinating creatures of the stage having to relate to the relatively new medium of tv.

Amazing intensity and some awkwardness of posture. But what a great moment captured forever.

[ricalucas2]

Gigantisch, einmalig, übertrifft alle Superlative des Gehörten - BRAVO BRAVO BRAVO BRAVO !!!!

[SatchmoSings]

Right up front you can see the cello section leader, Frank Miller, sawing away in a cello made in 1941 and yes, you read that correctly.

He was always on the lookout for new instruments; his feeling was that Stradivarius was also once a maker of new instruments.

[barneswriter]

Dennis Harbour looked cute. I can't find anything about him online other than artist credits in recordings.

Can anyone throw light on his career and life?

[barneswriter]

I return to this time after time....such passion and drama in a concert performance!

[paulostroff99]

Stunning!

[Frisbieinstein]

Arturo T roolz!!!!

[lamoore953]

I can't believe how together they all are. Maestro really had them in check. It's amazing to hear something like this, because the modern day performances of Aida are NOTHING LIKE THIS AT ALL! Artists take many more liberties with tempi, excessive fermatas, even added high notes. I wonder if Verdi would like the millennium version of his classic. It's a joy to hear the Triumphant scene this close to "come scritto". :)

[mrantiquedealer]

Just great!!!!!! Bravo toscanini. And to think he knew Verdi!

[barneswriter]

I find this addictive.

[tenorismo]

@barneswriter roll your sleve up then lol.

[barneswriter]

superb

[GeorgiNM]

They seem completely in awe of him, and PLUS, they really make an effort to ACT OUT their parts! Great!

[harpguy18]

This is how it SHOULD be done!

[remedios65]

ma la herva nelli che sul finale fa un mi bemolle come la callas in messico? e queste sarebbero le cantanti anonime? io la adoro

[anacoreta68]

Cuenta una anécdota que la soprano le dijo Arturo y el respondió Arturo nel leto, porque eran amantes, la tengo a esta versión de Aida

[OTWdk]

Toscanini was performing Tristan und Isolde at Tearto Colon. The dress rehearsal was about to start but there was no Helen Traubel. Toscanini asked Felex Wolfes, his assistan, to find her. After brief search Wolfes came out on the stage. Toscanini asked "So where is she?" Wolfes answered "Nobody knows the TROUBLE I've seen?" Toscanini again "Did you find her?" Wolfes said I repeat nobody knows the trouble I've seen" All the musicians were in pain laughing their hearts out.

[OTWdk]

Someone said there are two kinds of conductors. Toscanini and all others. I could see he puts the music before any personality. Because his precision and articulation of music, there is no room for nonsense. The liked Jan Pearce because of his musicianship from his violin training.

[dimakauffman]

i vote for zubin mehta

[motardbear15]

I don't know if you notice that : the audience is fascinated by Toscanini , and ALL the singers are completly under his direction ! The tension is real on the stage during the performance ! Nothing escape from the eyes of il Maestro ! What a lesson !! Imgine today with the modern technics to register ????

[LordMgls]

TOSCANINI WAS THE GUY!!!

These two are fire!!!

[tfalbanese]

Toscanini may have had the body of an older man at this point but it is obvious to me that, at least when he conducted, he was still very much a young man at heart. A brilliant conductor to be sure.

[hrrogersjr]

OK...I think I finally identified the little guy standing on far right...Dennis Harbour, a Canadian bass.

Just try finding a Google photo of him! Try finding ANY photo of him!

[mrantiquedealer]

MAJESTIC!!!!!!

[SatchmoSings]

Eighty-two years old and so mentally and physically vigorous!

He knows THE WHOLE OPERA! NO MUSIC!! No prompter for the singers!

Sheesh, if Toscanini could know the whole friggin' opera the soloists better know their "silly little parts!"

Yes, he's tired at the end; who wouldn't be?

[hrrogersjr]

OK...will someone P L E A S E introduce

all of us to the singers...starting from the Left.

Thank You.

[rbf1945]

Seated - Theresa Stich-Randall, Richard Tucker, Eva Gustavson, Herva Nelli and Guiseppe Valdengo (just died this year).

[SatchmoSings]

rbf1945--

You left out two of them, Norman Scott and the guy all the way on the right.

[zadimilano]

Grande il maestro quando al secondo 2.57 fa segno all'ignorante pubblico di non applaudire. Verdi non avrebbe mai finito un atto così debolmente. Sentitevi tutto il video ed ascoltate un vero finale d'opera, altro che Mozart!!!

[jklopmc]

wow it must be hard to get one of those video

[SatchmoSings]

jklopmc--

Not at all; you can get this whole broadcast.

[Operafiend22]

Could you please tell me how?

[SatchmoSings]

Operafiend22--

Tell you how?

How WHAT?

[ideiao]

It must to be so hard to have to hold the applauses on2:58!!!Superb!Super Brrravooooo!

Thanks for sharing!

[andrecooper555]

@ideiao You are absolutely right!

[beto8516]

Oro molido esta versiòn Maravillosa¡¡

Para un Verdi e este tamaño, sòlo un Toscanini grandioso¡¡

Gracias por esta versión.

Calaf

[ipmoic]

Yes, Toscanini looked spent at the end but, as we know, he had 5 more years of glorious interpretation left in him and for us.

Always a joy to see Toscanini conduct opera. Energy "sempre" --and he allows no time for any of the singers to diminish the pace--even for a moment. Breathless brio!

[VinylToVideo]

Oh. My. God.

[daddy2foots]

my friends, this is the sound of greatness.

[salvemoselcolon]

Estas demostarciones de arte Puro ya no se pueden revivir casi nunca Viva Toscanini y los grandes de la Opera del pasado que por lo menos nops dejaron este legado para estas epocas nefastas

[jdperez1974]

the sir that sing Amonasro part is tenor?, wow,

[jordanzVday]

meraviglioso, meraviglioso meravigliosoooo!!!!!

wonderful wonderful woondeerfuuuuul!!!!!

[citrussorbet]

Anydoubts the maestro was the greatest!!

[mharvill8674]

As a child I would never have listened to opera. I wish I could go back and change that. This is beautiful.

[Agorante]

The guy singing the King is too short.

[orfeo2003]

Jesus Christ, that is the most stupid coment I've ever read in Youy tube, which is cours too much to say!

[Agorante]

Which remark might that have been? You don't seem to understand how to affix a comment to a previous comment so it is unclear just which of the 60+ remarks you are singling out for criticism. Most of the remarks praise Toscanini. Is that waht you object to?

[zongorista]

in the last period the sound isn't similiar to the picture!

:-(

[YTM021807]

The sound came from a very high quality FM signal recorded on tape at 30 inches per second. (Monophonic High Fidelity)

The video came from a KINESCOPE. These two sources were "spliced" together but the RCA 1990 remastering had problems in sound-video syncronization. The latest DVD from "Testament" had this solved but I have to check the final part since I too noticed something too. The Maestro was exhausted a bit and "relaxed" at the end without affecting the control. He was the Maestro!

[zongorista]

God very likes Toscanini...

:-)

[pearlmuth3]

The duets and the arias and the Chorus are all great. The cast and orch. all top notch, picked by the great Toscanini, wonderful all of it.

[paulostroff99]

Stunning! Bravo! TY.

[eliaschcjs]

This part of Aida gives me goosebumps

[AulicExclusiva]

Toscanini was 82-years-old. He looks weary at the end, but the brio of this performance is amazing.

[renejr112]

Herva Nelli is my great aunt, I remember her when I was a child, she is an inspiration for me as a musician, hats off to everyone here!

[lungdoc]

AMEN!

[j72050]

...I have heard this since 1962..age 11.......all I can say is matchless perfection...Toscanini belongs to the ages. I cannot accept Aida from any other conductor.

[OldMrGrace]

@j72050 Don't forget Otello and Falstaff as well. The '47 Otello is the greatest operatic recording of them all. Treasures for all time.

[mariogalileo]

I must say that the principals in this video are AMAZING. But Aida the opera is NOTHING without a stupendous chorus... and this one was beyond exceptional!!

[mamojica]

Robert Shaw Chorale,

Robert Shaw Director

[greenstboy]

mario, how dare you say Aida is NOTHING without the chorus. Have you ever listened to the entire work? Arias, ensembles, orchestra, etc., etc. Not an unbeautiful note in the whole masterpiece. Please refrain from ignorant remarks if you don't appreciate opera and especially the unmatchable genius of Verdi in all his works, especially in Aida.

Go back to your Andrew L. Webber music!

[mariogalileo]

Have I ever listened to the entire work?!?!!?!?!??!! This is the opera I am most familiar with... I was in it! Correct yourself buddy. I said that it was nothing without a STUPENDOUS CHORUS. Don't assume that I am some amateur opera fan. Who the fuck is Andrew L. Webber? hahaha

[zongorista]

great speaking!

[Greatfan]

Excellent, this spòntaneity seems to have been lost for ever in operatic renditions. Too much marketing, fashions and physical beauty. Sometimes with singers like Netrebko or Bartoli one has a new lease on life, but personality is lacking in many musicians and singers. They carbon copy prejudices, musical and acting ones till everything is in order but ...dead.

[gtelloz]

the sound is superb!

[xbosniaLady]

hello my name is aida how funny i am from bosnia and it is really exciting that giuseppe verdi called his act aida =)

[contaldo80]

Welcome Aida - but it's more exciting that you were named after Verdi's opera!

[guy1938]

the maestro great

[pearlmuth3]

they, at least Tucker for sure( told me) loved the maestro and had great respect for him and he was fine if you respected the music.

[pearlmuth3]

toscanini preferred they hold hands together the way you see he hated hammy acting, this was 1949!

[OrpheuCe]

a legend!!!

[bcndn63]

I think two things are in play here-the audio is bad, and all the soloists are terrified of the maestro-look how everyone is clutchig their hands or something and holding themselves tight as wound springs- if the call to hounds went out they'd be off around the track in a second...but it's a great performance!!

[SatchmoSings]

Unlike some people who want this whole opera up on "youtube" for FREE, I was so impressed with these three clips, that I went out and actually BOUGHT this broadcast, complete.

I'll say this, for somebody that was so "terrifying" to singers, they roundly applaud Toscanini at the end.

That says it ALL!

[pearlmuth3]

Wonderful and Tucker who was 35 and only in opera 4 years sang wonderfully. He waited another 16 years to sing it on the met. stage of not wanting to hurt his voice and he lasted, singing well to the day he died in 1975 at age 61

[ValentinAmadeus]

Such a Giant!!! Thank you so much for this monument of interpretation's power.

[davidoves]

La verdad para mi es que furtwangler no supero al gran maestro Arturo Toscanini y aqui se demuestra.

[photoken7]

Ihiram, you're right about him terrifying his singers but he was not shouting a lot he was, as all maestro's I've watched, singing all of the parts - he may have shouted in rehearsals but on this video he's singing along with them as Jimmy does at the Met and most conductors to. And I think the problem with the singing is more with the recording than the singing itself.

[winhuber]

toscanini und sein nbc-symphonieorchestra, das waren noch zeiten, er ist bis heute m.e. unschlagbar geblieben,

[RADAMES1983]

Bravo! grande maestro!!!

[giloubreizh]

Le ténor de service, on dirait que c'est Richard Tucker.

[tanynzh]

Who's that lady sitting there? Is she Wally Toscanni?

[YTM021807]

No, she is soprano Teresa Stich-Randall high priestess. She died July 17, 2007.

Toscanini said she was 'the find of the century'

[paulostroff99]

He was the master of all that he searched out!

[imachunt]

Best conductor I've ever seen

[billyguns2]

How wonderful to have this document of Toscanini's approach to AIDA! He never lets the music run away from him, as so many lesser lights do; the rhythmic integrity is amazing.

[tanynzh]

this is supposed to be one of the most magnificent part of Aida that's worth watching... but the singing here is not appealing:(

[lhiram23]

yes, the singing is not good...they were to afraid, i guess ;-)

but Toscanini's stringendo at 2 min 25'', wonderful, no?

[tanynzh]

yup. i agree. Why were they afraid?

[lhiram23]

Toscanini was shouting a lot. And didn't accept any freedom in the interpretation of the singers. he was in fact terrifying his singers. It's a pity, because he was so only at the end of his life, before, he was a great opera conductor. But in his old age, he was fed up with opera conducting and was more interested in symphonic repertoire.

[SatchmoSings]

Where do people come up with such stuff, well, I really don't know . . .

[CzarDodon]

I suppose he recorded 5 verdi operas and La Boheme in his old age cos he needed the cash

[CzarDodon]

I don't know how this post ended up here on top, it's a response to someone who said Toscanini hated conducting operas in his old age

[lhiram23]

it was me :-)  well, i say what Harvey Sachs in his biography tells.

[CzarDodon]

Maybe the biography said Toscanini didn't want to work in the Opera House, he preferred doing operas in concert performance. We should also appreciate the fact that Toscanini is responsible for better behaviour among singers, if you listen to recordings from the first half of the century you will hear great voices but a lot of them are very very sloppy musicians, Toscanini did a lot to improve this, perhaps he went too far some times but he was a man of principle and vision.

[eblackadder3]

He performed seven operas, all were broadcast and recorded. He certainly didn't need "the cash"!

[CzarDodon]

Have you no sense of humour?

Yes seven, I forgot Fidelio

[OldMrGrace]

@lhiram23 What a load of rot you talk.

[YTM021807]

one of my favorite Aida parts!! Great under Toscanini. !Wow!

[IliyaSigal]

Fantastic!

[girardje]

incredible wow

[tonytib]

Toscanini is unbelivable and such a pleasure to watch.  Wow!