1983 MET100 GALA:Madama Butterfly. Duet, Act I / Puccini

[1988dongiovanni]

Imagine singing the tenor's music with Ferruccio Tagliavini watching over your shoulder - talk about nerve wracking! :)

[intelegentable]

Mitchell excelled in Verdi, Puccini, repertoire. Hers was one of the most glorious Sopranos at the Met in the mid 80's early 90's and she still sings great today. Mitchell was a great Diva. She rivaled Price for beauty of tone and expressivenss and the voice was maybe a bit larger .

[jeh500]

Truly glorious singing. Perfect voices for this. She is expressive and able to express many emotions beautifully. Always loved her but thought she was a bit overshadowed by her peers of the day. He is simply majestic! They made magic on that stage. Thanks for this.



[silvanero]

@jeh500 Yes I agree this is glorious singing !!! but I don't agree nor think she was overshadowed by any of her peers. She held her own. Mitchell had a great career. Look at all the videos she did at the MET !!! I think more than any of her peers who also sang there. She is still singing too and well. Who of her peers is still able to sing these days? Just curious?

[yummyjellybaby]

tyvm 4 this

[operaoaf]

BEautiful team work. They both transported me to Puccini's world.

[1salvatoremartorana]

9 mesi fa

un grande tenore, il soprano era incinta di tre mesi.

Poco conosciuto rispetto alle sue possibilità artistiche e vocali, il tenore Giuliano Ciannella è stato connsiderato "l'ultimo tenore del primo verdi", ancora "il baritono con gli acuti".

Allievo di Campogalliani si perfezionò con Bergonzi e il mitico Giacomo Lauri Volpi, il quale in un suo scritto, pubblicato da Bongiovanni, "Voci parallele" lo menziona tra i giovani tenori di grandi speranze.

[emilytransex]

CIANELLA E' NATO IN PROVINCIA DI LECCE....UNA VOCE MERAVIGLIOSA! LA MITCHELL IMITA TROPPO LA LEONTYNE PRICE MA E' MOLTO BRAVA UGUALMENTE!

[steakopera]

Tagliavini.

[conmaleta]

the singing is magnificent, but imho the big bad point has always been for me, in this particular performance, the issue of Leona Mitchell of singing anything but the real lyrics. At the second part there's a prompter who helps at times, then she gets carried away with whatever she wants to sing.

[silvanero]

@conmaleta What !!! Do you sing this? The prompter was there for ALL the singers !!

[HU1914]

Leona is such a wonderful Goddess!!!!

We love you and miss you.

[HU1914]

what Beautiful phrasing and charactization.

Brava, Brava for bringing up this goregeous rendition . The world is better to have this for posterity.

[colonia3059]

In which language is this very beautiful woman singing?

[amlirco]

A few consonants even whole words eaten up...

[HU1914]

@amlirco

What beautiful singing. If the consonants were eaten up, we forgive her because she brought so much beauty to this duet and that is what we want to hear in Opera.

The ease of producing a goregous tone. People would kill to make this kind of delivery.

[rossmcl177]

Oh that really was superb. One of the best performances of this beautiful duet I've ever heard. It's such a shame the video ends when the singing does (the last few moments of the music do matter!!!) but the performance is faultless. Bravo Ciannella, Bravo Mitchell. Bravo Levine. And (let's not forget) Bravo Puccini!

[romanofra]

Giuliano passed away on december 2008. We lost a friend. The opera world lost a sensitive and talented singer..

Romano

[Englishtenor2]

I don't know about cutting two notes out of the last 4-note phrase like that! Good singing though!

[singinciaran]

Didn't really like this. Mitchell seemed off her game for me.

[loboestepario24]

Added to my favorites! so beautiful, so passionate!

[chucknyc123]

What a wonderful and beautiful singing actress Leona Mitchell was. This is really high quality singing. I saw her once as Liu at the Met and cried for 10 minutes. I am pretty sure she lives in Houston now. She added so much to the world of opera.

[shaun20483]

What wonderful singing! The tenor is magnificent!

[Fegen]

I recall being overwhelmed when I saw this

performance on tv in 1983. They were terrific.

Last I heard Leona Mitchell was semi-retired

and lives in her hometown in Enid, Oklahoma

and is cultural ambassador for the state of

Oklahoma. I don't know what became of the

wonderful tenor?

[songsofscarlet]

@Fegen he retired in 98 and taught at various conservatories in Italy up until his death in '08

[Fegen]

Thanks for the information I appreciate it.

[RVP57]

This is just sublime. Outstanding singing of divine music on a great occasion.

[sandytheslayer]

For me, this is the definitive performance of the love duet, surpassing my recordings of Callas, Tebaldi and even the 1966 Scotto! Can anyone deny that this is Puccini at its best!? Brava Mitchell and Cianella!

[Rcoppin91]

@sandytheslayer  Angela Gheorghiu and Jonas Kaufman have an incredible recording as well.

[troyis]

@sandytheslayer I have to agree: incredibly moving!

[LivaDena]

Wow, what a brillant duet. I just love the way Miss Mitchell brings this duet to life. She sings with such passion and beauty.

Thank god you posted this performance.

We are ever grateful.

I think she is one of the premier Sopranos of our lifetime.

[Englishtenor2]

Brilliant! Singing in front of that lot must have been horrible!

[gaytenor]

A wonderful performance of the duet by two young singers both destined for more stardom than they realized. Cianella RIP

[amonasro100]

Gaytenor, your are right. Mrs Mitchell appeared once in Hamburg as Tosca for 2 or 3 evenings. She and Cianella are not really known in Europe. What a shame !

[nazaritasedicioso]

es lo mas hermoso que he escuchado en mi vida por eso en lo particular Puccini es simplemente UNICO Y UNIVERSAL

[callastoujours]

BRAVI!!!! BRAVI!!!!

[neapolis1982]

grandissimi!!! che piacere sentirli... ciannella poi bravissimo... mi dispiace solo non averlo sentito prima.

[jlee800]

Only 25 years ago and it seems like there's quite a difference in depth of talent then compared to now. Someone mentioned Ramon Vinay as one the legendary singers in the background. Which one is he?

[Iareto]

I somehow doubt singers today are less inherently talented. In my opinion, the two biggest problems are faulty teachers and students without a brain of their own.

That said, this duet is quite nice! I'm not familiar with him, but he does really well. I have my issues with Miss Mitchell, as I always have, but one must give credit where it is due. She is very fine in this duet.

[HU1914]

@Iareto

If you have issues, just please don't come to the sight. No one is making you listen.

Leave this site to the people who appreciate Miss Mitchell

[scampb14]

power hair to go with a power voice. as with a lot of Met productions I'd rather hear this than SEE it.

[HU1914]

Miss Mitchell was very nervous as was many singers on this auspicious ocassion. Kiri Te Kanawa forget her second entrance on her aria on this gala, could you forgive her?

Many singers forget lines from time to time.

In Ernani, the Great Luciano came in too soon on his second verse with Miss Mitchell, but she was a trooper and did not let it thow her off. The ultimate professional!

The Thrill was how she sang this duet, which The New York Post noted was a great hightlight of the night.

[silvanero]

Also..Mitchell and Cianella had never sung or rehearsed this duet before this performance on the Gala according to Madame Mitchell.

[silvanero]

I love hearing Mitchell and Cianella sing this wonderful music!! What great voices and beautiful artist !! I sang with Cianella in a Manon Lescaut and he was such a giving and warm man. I have never heard Mitchell live but long to if the opportunity ever comes!!!

[Bigman240]

I love this duet, I love Puccini, and I love Leona Mitchell's voice, but I can hardly forgive her for that faulty entrance...and the bad diction...sì per la aaaaheeeta (vita?). I know it's a technical problem, but too much is too muich! Enjoy!

[GoldenAgeSunshine]

Apart from the beauty and thrill caused by this exciting rendition, look at the roster of LEGENDARY GOLDEN AGE SINGERS sitting in the background. Observe the beautiful late Rose BAMPTON (1907-2007), dressed in black lace on Leona MITCHELL's right, esp. from 7:06-7:35 and particularly 9:02-9:56! She lives the duet throughout, it certainly was reminiscing her of her own golden yesteryear! What a Grande Dame, R.I.P.

[DanRobSo]

Mr. Cianella saved many a performance at the Chicago Lyric Opera when Pavarotti cancelled (and Pavarotti cancelled so many times the Lyric finally fired him). He was a wonderful performer, and nice looking too! RIP.

[servantesan]

I am his first student since 1990 after I studied with Gino Bechi in Florence

He was like father and uncle to me. I remember when he visited me in Princeton in 1996. I miss him a lot.

Thank you for posting this because I remembered so many memories with him and my family.

[nnsochedirti]

Ciannella è stato un gran bel tenore...bravo...ricordo un fala, dove Pavarotti aveva il mal di gola, cantò lui al suo posto...cantò nessun dorma...beh era 1000000 volte meglio...è stato un bravissimo artista!

[asisecanta]

OMG

This is ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!

[Oskarbly]

to alla you who listen to this music... I hope you like it.

Giuliano Cianella were my teatcher, mentor and friend and I am his last student.

We were togheter until the very end.

so please enjoy and be happy he is still with us in the tones of his voice, amano & fiero to sing for us.

Good luck also to you all, may you have a worthy life and take care of each other.

Oskar

[silvanero]

@Oskarbly I sang with Cianella in a Manon Lescaut in the US and he was such a wonderful artist and kind too. What happened to him?  He was rather young wasn't he !!! He invited me to come to Italy to study with him and I regret that I did not.

[ykaiilah]

@Oskarbly Where are you located? My teacher studies with Gina Cigna. Its a dying technique. I love Leona's voice. He is wonderful too!

[ykaiilah]

@Oskarbly We should get together and sing, lol

[Fegen]

What has become of Leona Mitchell?

Once she disappeared from the Met Opera

I lost track of her?

[talmagedotson2]

Leona Mitchell is semi-retired and lives in her hometown of Enid, Oklahoma. She is the cultural ambassador for the state of Oklahoma, and often gives concerts and masterclasses. She recently did an engagement with Sara Rice at the Metropolitan Room in NYC.

[nessie96]

She stopped performing because her mother's health had taken a turn for the worse....this performance still gives me goose bumps after all these years.

Guiliano Cianella...wonderful..RIP...he will be missed.

[HU1914]

Miss Mitchell sang her last season at the Met in 93. She then sang all over the world as Turandot and Ariadne's in Australia. Butterfly in Germany. Touring with Aida in Japan, Austria, South America. She did a Don Carlo in South America and Australia in the late 90's and 2001.

she is yet singing beautifully in recitals and concerts.

[Fegen]

I just read in Opera News that he passed

away on Jan 13th. This was one of my

favorite performaces by him. He sang over

100 performances at the Met Opera House

in New York City.

May he rest in peace.

[courtneybaritone01]

Oh wow how sad. He wasn't very old either. Thanks for posting this, I never would have known. A stunning performance by two wonderful artists.

[muschnik1961]

Please note all the great singers of the past behind Mitchell and Ciannella: Erna Berger, Rise Stevens, Ferrucio Tagliavini, Ramon Vinay, Bidu Sayao and so many more!