Un bel di vedremo: Madama Butterfly - Arena di Verona

[varaldoampelio34]

Bella voce ma secondo me troppo caprina e lievemente tirata negli acuti.

Sembra voler gonfiare il timbro in tutta l'aria tanto da non pronunciare bene le ì che sembrano un misto tra a i o .

L' interpretazione sembra tutta uguale dall'inizio alla fine e non da tanta emozione.

La trovo molto limitata rispetto ad altre soprano famose.

[Ag12x]

The way she acts is very un-Japanese. 

[amlirco]

@Ag12x Why do you think it should be Japonese? The opera is Italian and the message is Universal. Here, Japone is only a starting point not the utter reality.

[mozes314]

Got carried away by this aria. Only after looking at the names singer i realized that she was also singing in Il Trovatore in 1978 in Vienna. One of the best performance i have seen of that Opera. If you like Raina, you must have that dvd., Vienna State Opera

Conductor - Herbert von Karajan 1978

[Crazymind2]

Thank God for giving me eyes to see and ears to hear .... and a brain ... to appreciate a masterpiece

[Crazymind2]

Grazie Dio per avermi dato gli occhi per vedere e le orecchie per ascoltare.... e un cervello... per apprezzare un capolavoro assoluto

[Tegzee]

Oh my Christ - made my arm hair stand on end at the last note.

OUTSTANDING - Bravo

[sonrisasperfectas]

Yo he visto muchas sopranos desarrollando este rol, pero nunca habia escuchado a una con ese manejo escenico y control de voz. Realiza a la perfeccion los matices y le da los toques peculiares que necesita Butterfly. Su actuacion es perfecta. Un bel di vedremo es un aria que necesita potencia vocal y dramatica pero tambien necesita un aire de victima y de situacion delicada que realiza a la perfeccion Kabaivanska.

[gayrage2000]

She's Madama Butterfly, I have never heard of such a passionate performance, not by Renata Tabaldi, not even by Divine Callas!

[mstorii75]

one of the most amazing peices of music ever, makes me cry like a child every time i hear it!

[domingoreyesv]

la audiencia aplaude de pie

[zinkin87]

Thank you so much for sharing this video. It's such a brilliant work, included the english subtitle makes it so much easier to understand and feel the story.

This performance is so moving, incredible !

[kalonice100]

Maravilloso !!! Gracias !

[clement2780]

needs a powerful voice but still needs to convey the innocence delicate victimized . the endurance demands needed to sing the role makes it one of the most difficult (if also one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful) and then to also represent a teenage girl when by the time a soprano attains the physical attributes and vocal ability to sing the role. Anyone have ai-lan zhu singing this?

[TheSublima]

Merveilleuse interprétation et voix magnifique !

Histoire un peu triste de cette femme Japonaise délaissée par un bel Américain... cet opéra imaginaire est un joyau.

Merci à Heildirgunther pour les images.

[BEATTY001]

She seems a bit winded in the beginning and not so secure, but boy, does she make up for it at the end! Her last "Aspetto!" is the best I've heard, including Callas (who is my favorite opera singer) and the technically better Renata Tebaldi.

Absolutely riviting and hartbreaking. What a final note.

[cesarefan]

is it just the acoustics of the arena or is she often completely out of tune?

[boris1281]

I really cannot imagine a better Butterfly, i have seen like twenty performers doing this role live, but noone matches the dramatism and vocal potential of Kabaivanska. Unfortunately I have never seen her live in this role! She is amazing!

[gestas60323]

@boris1281

yes, we are lucky that this performance was captured - in good quality - on DVD. This was one of her greatest roles, she is absolutely unforgettable.

[312pipi]

don't hate me for saying this but opera is as much drama as it is musical. Her acting was very stiff and unnatural. It threw me off the performance :(

[oscareltenor]

Una interpretación exelente donde se aprecian los diferentes estados del desequilibrio que sufre. Solamente una artista de esta magnitud puede lograr hacer que alguien pueda apreciar estas condiciones, no solamente con la voz sino tambien con la actuación. Es mi modesta opinion, al menos yo lo siento así. Raina Kabaivanska una grande

[branko1b]

i can't agree more - this is a japanese character (!) so where does notion of required "italian sweteness" come from?

As mush as I know, Kabaivanska teaches 'Pucini singing' - rightfuly so!

The only comparable (or comparable to) recordings, I can think of, are Moffo and Huang - having in common an effort in delivery of the words, rather than just (unfortunately, accepted as normal) making appropriate noise

[5Heliotrope]

fabulous voice... fabulous performance

[Yalandria]

Quote " Maria Callis " Butterfly is a trecherous peice and to sing it well, requires months of training, and determination....

I think this shows great determination and Kabaivanska did this justice......

[sweetiekjj]

I love maria Callas with all my heart, but I couldn't decipher the words. Maybe it's the recording. Glad I found someone that sang clearly enough for me to tell the words apart. Professor asked me to sing it and can I tell you, I am not a soprano. LOL but what the heck, if one can sing it, why not. Thank you

[chen471]

Great performance, but I like her diction in particular. It's very clear.

[Hokayshenao]

J'adore les robes et elle chanteuse.

[Graitic]

Rough, very rough, too Slavic... lacking the sweetness Cio Cio had to have and the innocence is notwhere to be seen, she sounds angry not hopeful and sad as she should be. Her voice is good and powerful but not right for this aria at al l!!!!. Listen to Caballe and compare, well,... actually there is no comparison

[DonsonJack]

She is sad actually, sad in "Slavic" way. Not in a "weeping" way.

Innocence, yes its not seen in this performance, agreed.

Depending on culture this can been seen as a "rough" or as a "strong".

Compare with Mika Mori.

[amlirco]

The reality is rough and this is projected in her voice and reading of the character. I don't know what sweetness and innocence you're talking about. Raina's are much more deeper and subtle, not easy digestible. And you're right, comparison is not relevant.

[SiEtIn1]

i am no authority in opera, but kabaivanska is one of the finest butterfly s EVER, and this un bel di proves it, it's hair-raising! that whole "slavs are cold and lack italianate sweetness bla bla bla" is a cliche i bet you read somewhere else here on youtube, and you are right: there is no comparison, raina's diction and phrasing is peerless

[Jaydoggy531]

The voice type for Butterfly is a spinto - she has to be able to sing over the orchestra. Though beautiful, it is in a sense a compositional issue in that Puccini wrote it in such a way that only a developed and more heavy voice would have the physical ability to sing this role; even the masters struggle in this part. It's all in its effect, and I think this was incredibly moving and tragic.

[Sakuyababy]

I was thinking the same. Her voice blends in too much with the music, she needs something more powerful.

[Jaydoggy531]

Actually I think her voice matches well, I was responding to someone else's comment that she may not sound innocent or right for the part. I think the sound you hear is the result of having it uploaded to youtube; I heard this same recording while in the Met's store and it sounded MUCH better. I think she's perfect for the part. The main problem with Butterfly is trying to be a developed dramatic singer while trying to act like a sixteen year old girl.

[amlirco]

@Jaydoggy531 That's the point and geniality of an artist: Kabaivanska's Cio-Cio San has never been (only) a 16-year old girl. Right from the outset she biulds up a complex character that turns eventually into the archetype of THE Loving woman and most of all THE Mother. In this sense, her Butterfly is ageless.

[OscarDLM27]

Fantastic, i got astonished every time i watch the video. The voice, pasion at the end, she transmits her hope (Cio Cio's hope).

[isisgaleeh888]

oh..Tebaldi was butterfly..had an angelic voice

[elilethy]

Fabuloso!!!

[josemarinhas]

amazing? who is the soprano?

[EmmyKami]

The soprano is Raina Kabaivanska.

[Hako2004]

It's Opera. It's not real. Who cares about the details of a costume? Either you feel this moment....or you don't. It's amazing to me, and I love the last moment when she runs to the footlights. The audience obviously loved it.

[Samuelc10]

The singing is a little bold for cio cio san, but its ok.

BUT THE COSTUMES ARE SO UN-JAPANESE. As a frequent Kabuki and Geisha dance show spectator, I have to say the costumes are terrible. Why? well, firstly, the sleeves are open all the way in the front. This is only seen in chinese clothing, not japanese. Also, shes married yet shes wearing furisode (long sleeves). These kimono are only worn by UNMARRIED WOMEN. Look at my videos for good examples of japanese theatre costumes.

[8jaime8]

I noticed this with the costumes, too. Good costumes do add to the total performance.

[dalferr]

Beautiful!

[paolobaracco]

favolosa , strepitosa soprattutto l'interpretazione , come rimane nella parte nell'applauso finale e' fantastica , voce esemplare e da pelle d'oca

[sp18]

excellent....truly moving and always brings me to tears......she has the most amazing voice that moves me.....

[maggeo78]

the best interpetation after Callas

[EmmyKami]

Well, after all, she (Raina Kabaivanska) was taught by Maria Callas. :)

[amlirco]

She was not taught by Maria Callas. She was directed by her in I Vespri Siciliani. Raina's teachers were Zitta Fumagali and later Rosa Ponselle. Raina was referred to as a successor of Muzio and Olivero.

I suppose it was fun for Callas to nominate different sopranos for her successors just to see the effect on the weak human nature.

With all respect to Callas, a true opera artist should not take this into consideration. Raina is unique because she brings forward her own true and her own style.

[EmmyKami]

Oh okay, my mistake! Sorry.

[amlirco]

Actually, generally you're right. I suppose every soprano (and not only) learns her lessons from Callas.

[tebza84]

i don't think sop maria callas was more gracefull in it... she's good but far from the callas butterfly:(

[maggeo78]

I agree with you. Callas is the best butterfly in Opera history! Kabaivanska is good but she is less expressive than Callas

[amlirco]

Have you ever seen the whole spectacle at all? I totally disagree Raina Kabaivanska is less expressive. She's just different, she has diffrent truth for Butterfly and this is very well for the opera.

[maggeo78]

I don't think that Raina Kabaivanska is not expressive, I think she is less expressive than Callas performing un bel di vedremo!

[amlirco]

I grasped what you meant and again tell you I think she's not less but expressive in a different way. It's useless to say for me Raina is more expressive but this is only logical.

[EmmyKami]

I love this song she sings! Could you possibly upload the beginning of Act Two as well? I love that part!:p