Rosa Ponselle, "Ritorna vincitor!", Verdi: Aida (live radio broadcast, 1936)

[troppofiato]

The greatest. Miraculous singing.

[horowitz109]

Glorious singing !!!

[VivaMariaCallas]

It's astounding that Ponselle didn't sing Aida because of that high C in O patria mia... I can't imagine anyone with a voice as well suited to Aida as hers.

[VivaMariaCallas]

@VivaMariaCallas Oops, just found out that she did perform Aida. Thank goodness for that!

[saagua1953]

What is astonishing is the lack of appreciation by New York critics of Ponselle while she was at the Met. Often their critiques of the opera found some kind of fault with her singing, as if they couldn't bear to give her full approval. The fact that they were listening to the greatest voice of the century was lost of them. Incredible dolts, really.

[BGSourgas]

so beautiful

[mayatatyana1]

Tim, magnificent performance! Thank you. Maya

[Bivolari]

No conductor around today would be as accommodating to his soloist as this conductor is with Ponselle. He allows her and the music to breathe. Outstanding performance. As for the critics not recognizing Caruso's voice. Well, I think that says more about Caruso's gift for coloring his voice than it denotes a lack in the critics of the day.

[racheleleeba]

Wonderful to hear this treasure. Thanks, Tim.

[EdmundStAustell]

I always loved Ponselle. Her lower register was almost contralto-like, and the way she shifted into that lower register (which is very thrilling) reminds me of the great divas of earlier times, and the way they used the low voice. Love the slow camera pan backwards, btw.! Great video!

[transformingArt]

This is really well-sung - even better than her 1928 recording of this aria which is my favorite. Thanks so much for posting this!

[meltzerboy]

I have a few favorites for this aria. Callas is superb in the opening phrase in which she expresses disdain of the words uttered by the populace and herself: "Ritorna vincitor," realizing it is her country that is to be conquered. With Milanov, it is reversed: the closing prayer is the most effective part, and Arangi-Lombardi's inner raptness here is unique. Ponselle's sumptuous, velvety timbre is the main attraction, as well as her phrasing. These are some of the finest sopranos ever recorded.

[aaronsande]

@meltzerboy Something tells me that, had YOU been alive in Caruso's day and an opera critic, his singing of that Bass aria when his fellow singer lost his voice would not have fooled you! =D

[meltzerboy]

@aaronsande Thank you, Aaron, for the compliment (I think). However, my knowledge of singers of the past is complemented by my ignorance of singers of the present. I can hardly tell one soprano from another today!

[aaronsande]

@meltzerboy Greatly complimented, I would say. Who can blame you for not being able to differentiate today's, as you called them, singers? ;D

And yes, it was a compliment, though I'm surprised none of the critics in Caruso's day truly could not tell that Caruso was the one singing that bass aria from la Boheme (see tomfroekjaer's latest video).

[AulicExclusiva]

@meltzerboy NOBODY ever sang this better than Zinka. But Callas' desperate longing in the final preghiera is very moving, as is the sheer beauty of Elisabeth Rethberg's voice. A singer who could really live through the tormented emotions of this scena was Maria Caniglia: a really great Aïda.

[meltzerboy]

@AulicExclusiva Except according to the anti-Milanovites, and there are many on and off YT! I love Milanov's singing of this aria and role, and so many others by Verdi and company. Except for her latter years, Rethberg had such a beautiful voice that one doesn't mind the fact she may not always be the greatest interpreter. I agree about Caniglia, a verismo singer of the finest order, who--like Callas with respect to her emotions, if not technique--thoroughly inhabits her roles.

[AulicExclusiva]

@meltzerboy Pfft. We all know the tone-deaf abound in the opera house, why not here? The beauty and nobility of Zinka's voice were absolutely peerless.

And Renata Tebaldi was a great Aïda too, for a while.

[paulostroff99]

Glorious! TY.Tim.