Joan Sutherland and Tito Gobbi

[occhioverde71]

Tito Gobbi è il più grande Scarpia di tutti i tempi

[MAPIAKALLAS]

Im sorry but this duet is all about titto Gobbi miss Southerlands well she is not a tosca and i have to agree with Lahire22... It takes a maria callas to sing a realistic tosca and Gobbi is awesome with Callas period

[lahire22]

@MAPIAKALLAS ))) - o, dear...

quite true, tosca is unlikely to possess such a unique voice and technique, as Sutherland) Sutherland isn`t tosca; Sutherland is Suherland - voice century !

[XP11XP]

Sutherland was terrible as Tosca, Gobbi a marvelous Scarpia

[amonasro100]

T. Gobbi is good as ever - Dame Joan not bad - but her costume makes her look

a christmas tree.

[lahire22]

@ThaiMike2010 impression, as if you have anal vulnerable )))

[raymeo888]

The greatest Scarpia ever for sure, and Joan is wonderful here even if there are no high e flats !

[elballroom]

BRAVA!!!!!!!!!

[wesskin]

2 GREAT VOICES !

PS : Listen also to Sutherland in Turandot,  there is she BRILLIANT, probably the BEST Turandot !

[Ragnaroekk]

GOBBI IS GREAT BUT SUTHERLAND SUCKS - I CAN'T UNDERSTAND A WORD OF WHAT SHE IS SINGING! UHMIUHNMUMMMBLEBLEBLE... OMG

o_0

[iriisblue]

i'd rather listen to florence foster jenkins. oh, wait! that's you.

[mrantiquedealer]

Great! considering this was a special thing done for the tv.

[Apollogranforte]

Grandissimo Gobbi!

[31122051]

Viva T. Gobbi, il più grande cantante lirico di tutti i tempi !

[AOG93]

I like this Tosca. I mean, Sutherland doesn't add anything special, but that doesn't mean she's bad. She at least creates a solid charachter...The Sutherland way. I liked how she said ''quanto?...Il prezzo''. Really original. Very Sutherland. I don't think Gobbi's on best shape (dramatically). I think he's much better with Callas. The 2 just feed off each other. Anyway, I enjoyed this scene. Is there more?

[blichilde]

magnifici entrambi

[spannerworks1]

Fantasticia !!

Regards

Ricardo ;-)

[Sieglinde84]

Is this on dvd? I mean, singers like they, and in COLOR? Just wow.

Gobbi IS Scarpia. Chilling. he was born for this role. Too bad Puccini could not hear him. And Dame Joan has a voice which is very rare.

Every time I see/hear Gobbi, I say: "Scarpia is the best villain EVER. Iago lacks the lustful element, Hagen is more tragic than evil, and Claggart is... well, yeah, he's a very close second to the Baron. But nobody beats Scarpia."

Murder scene, anyone?

[shaun20483]

clever dress!

[kgarmaker123]

I have listened to Sutherland.. and I admire her excellent vocalizing.. That she did well. As far as singing and interpreting a role, and that would include phrasing.. LOL, who the hell knew what she was saying, her diction was so poor. She had a good sound.. it takes much more than that.

[dynomax101]

Seems you read somewhere that Dame Joan's diction was poor so you automatically don't understand anything she is singing? While she's not the beat singing actress I've ever heard as Tosca, she does a fine job. You like others better? FINE! So do I! But why dismiss her great performance because of that? 2nd best is nothing? You try singing at her level, then...and let us all see where you rank.

[kgarmaker123]

(Sigh) I have listened to Sutherland over the years, her recorded performances, her live performances, her broadcasts from the Met, and they are all the same.. BLAH... and bad bad diction.. She might as well be singing .. Ah Bone.. on all of the notes. I know what i am talking about. I have heard her over 100 times in vvarious venues.

[dynomax101]

Since you seem to know EVERYTHING and cannot be bothered by reality, no use replying to your comments. Sutherland's diction was not always the best, true, but she was not bad all the time. Sorry, but pedants bore me to tears.

[kgarmaker123]

Look she had a great voice, poor diction and she was not emotionally connected to the music, also she was not very musical either.. kinda wooden. But her voice cannot be argued with.

[raigekimaru]

she might not have been the most expressive, but you can't say she wasn't musical. her technique was always flawless and her ornaments tasteful. she doesn't sound the best here being out of fach, but in her bel canto rep. every note she sings is beautiful and perfectly placed.

[iriisblue]

Wonderfully restrained and sumptuous aria. The phrasing on the climatic "perche, signore!" is something Callas and Tebaldi could only dream of. Check out DJS 1973 recording of the same for "The Voice of the Century" compilation from London/Decca.

[kgarmaker123]

I dont know what recordings of Callas you are listening to.. but she has the phrasing on perche, perche signor... do you know what that means>? Does Joan sound like she knows what that means... She was a wonderful mad air head portrayer, but not Tosca.

[iriisblue]

sorry, no. i have heard ALL of the callas recordings commercially available, as well as those for tebaldi, and neither singer ever attempted the phrasing sutherland employs at the climax. your remarks suggest that you don't understand the meaning of phrasing, but then you also consider norma, violetta, anna, donna anna, leonora, lucrezia, maria, esclarmonde, alcina and adriana "mad air heads." 'nuff said.

[kgarmaker123]

I will not get in another argument with an idiot .. who does not know phrasing.. Can you not tell, that Sutherland for an instant stops the music, on seeeeegnor.. and grabs a very small breath before the high b flat? Listen carefully. You will hear it, it is nearly imperceptible, which shows she is great.. I am not an admirer of Tebaldi.. but Callas, phrased way better than Sutherland, any dummy knows that. Just listen to what moves you.. Good God! Now leave me alone with your idiocies.

[iriisblue]

make believe scatti, eh? right. maybe she also went out for a cup of tea while she was at it. you just can't accept this documented fact that sutherland could sing this verismo aria with phrasing that callas could never have managed, and do it this beautifully at an age when callas sounded like an old church choir hag. but, hey! if you listen REALLY carefully, you might hear the monkeys laughing it up inside your considerable ass.

[Operaddict]

What fun! Sutherland as Tosca! Who knew? She looks every inch the diva...always had the BEST costumes. I get so tired of comments on her diction. I get every word. What do you want? Dessay? This woman had the voice for Lucia, and Tosca. It is about TONE, folks! And she had lots and lots of tone. Who is her equal today? Gobbi is, as always, great. Not a great tone, but such character and menace. Love it!

[TreblesBasses]

WHAT YEAR IS THIS?

[AmorediPazzia]

This was filmed in 1968.

[greaterben]

for once i hear some of Joan's words.....hmm

[jondavwal]

Except Gobbi sounds like Inspector Clouseau through much of this. His soft A vowel is as bizarre as her's is in it's own way.

[Krawi6]

No idea what you mean.

[Gav640]

How wonderful they both are

[herenyuan01]

amazing! I've never ever known that Sutherland ever tried Tosca once, though I always pretend to be a fan of Sutherland.

[sospello]

Interesting to hear Sutherland take on a role one would not immediately imagine her singing. Challenge well met. And although the Italian is not at all idiomatic I can understand her well enough. Brava la Stupenda e Tito nel ruolo tipico per lui è indimenticabile.

[lojundolo]

Perhaps a stranger (not italian, I mean) does'n hear the difference; but Tito sings a perfectly intelligible italian, and Joan has a beautiful sound, but I can't understand a word of the text.

[34fgsfgsdtu48w7qtaqt]

Bello!

[jaa80]

Can't help loving to listen Sutherland's voice.. Even though she's not known very well for this role, I gotta say she's definitely one of the best Toscas ever! And still this role was just a drop in the bucket for Sutherland! What an outstanding singer she is!

[lahire22]

i agree

[puppetoz]

Thats because she never did this role onstage. This is the only recording of her ever doing it. It's hard not to look at it and wonder why she didn't- as usual she is excellent.

[Gerardeus]

Tito Gobbi, the best Scarpia.

[headsno2]

Gobbi never fails to send chills down my spine as Scarpia. The greatest Scarpia ever, in my opinion.

[alexmacias]

Two monsters of opera! Brava Sutherland and Bravo Gobbi!

[tantris39]

all these comments about her not being physically suited for the role of Tosca.....What IS Tosca? A famous prima donna....which is exactly what Sutherland was.  It is NOT true that only razor-thin Hollywood-style-beautiful people are the only ones capable of feeling and EXPRESSING love, jealousy, etc., all the emotions that are part of the role of Tosca

[dynomax101]

Bravo! Yes, Tantris, you got it EXACTLY.

[Ted10038]

What a TREAT! Wow! Gobbi in COLOR!! Thanks so much for posting!!

I have to join the chorus choosing Gobbi's Scarpia the best EVER - with all due respect to Raimondi, London et al. But the many pokes at Sutherland are overdone. Granted she is no Callas in this rôle (who was?) but that doesn't mean that she didn't do a great job and bring outstanding assets to bear in this excerpt. Thanks again!!

[Lohengrin]

99% of ornaments sutherland ever sang were written by Bonynge regardless who was conducting - that is why 99% of those ornaments were exhibiting her tremendous technique but were totaly retarded from a musical point of view

[Lohengrin]

as always i cannot hear her lower register... truly badly supported...Beautiful Vissi d arte... At 8 37 she makes an awfully squealed off-tune sound before catching the high note... Sutherland not able to attack the note purely pffffffff perhaps she sould have made a small climax with a trill before the note I wonder why her husband didnt write such a retarded little ornament to help her attack the note!

Gobbi is a God in this role... totally unsurpassed.

[lahire22]

do not show all the problems with musical taste)) here not the notions bench and people know, who is who in the opera world and as it is reached))

[Jabe88]

Don't mind his "retarded" mind.

He's always yodelling about singers' faults, nitpicking here and there, forgetting that his greatest diva (although I love her) was also flawed.

Although I don't usually take this discourse, but lohengrin is a real prick!

[timsuffolk]

I agree as always jabey!

[guy1938]

magnifique Scarpia

[JohnInMableton]

Tito Gobbi portrays a great Scarpia but if you want to see and hear the real Scarpia--that's Ruggero Raimondi. As for Sutherland, wonderful voice but she isn't suitable for Tosca physically.

[MAPIAKALLAS]

Tito you are one wonderful singer and a great scarpia just awesome about southerlands i dont know about her yes she has a great voice but a tosca no i dont think so here you see tito been scarpia while sutherlands trys to act tosca just bad...

[Krawi6]

Tito Gobbi is the best Scarpia you can think of. But his Tosca was Callas.

[zafireh]

just when he lifts his eyebrow!!!

evil.....great

[gilliebest]

Gobbi is so wonderfully evil - the best Scarpia ever

[BaronessaScarpia]

Sutherland está muy fuera de lugar; una lástima desperdiciar así a Gobbi

[longlifeluke]

gobbi...the best scarpia!

[Tsaraslondon]

Yes, she sings effortlessly. She is one of the all time greats, but she is no Tosca. Gobbi, on the other hand, is still the greatest Scarpia ever. Where Sutherland is obviously "acting out" her Tosca, Gobbi just IS Scarpia.

[timsuffolk]

She sings so effortlessly here, many other sopranos are huffing and puffing singing this!

[jetsetjordan]

What a shame she wasn't an actress.

[lahire22]

rigth; above all shes singer! greatest! it not a cabaret; u have got to the wrong address ; to everyone the ;-)

[ma34xl]

oh please .. joanie looks like an 18 wheeler truck her broad shoulders LOL .. she looks like a football player here .. that fierce fake diamond studded get up only accentuates her pro league foot ball playin self LOL !!! !! BRAVO TITO GOBI !! BRAVO !! HE COULD SING ROSSINI to PUCCINI :D :D .. BRAVO !

[saverioorlando]

Great young vocalist for Puccini: maybe not her best role,but really stupenda.

[Homoclassicus]

I have no doubt she could've been a great Tosca had she studied and worked more in this role. She had the expressive high notes, the powerful but youthful tone, the elegiac but authoritative timbre.

Her interpretation here does lack more spontaneity and strength, but in "Vissi d'arte" she really understands the inner quality of this reflexive moment. She doesn't "show off", just sit and sing as a reflection, not as an exhibitionist moment like many sopranos do.

[strauss1987]

What a testament to sutherlands versatility and beautiful singing. I've heared millions of different sopranos sing this aria, and i have to say--i did not expect sutherland to do such a fantastic job with it. Definitely one of my favorite recordings of the aria. brava

[Glenmed]

This beautifully filmed video is a treasure. We have two icons on stage together. Tito Gobbi the supreme actor and one of the best baritones ever. Joan Sutherland, perhaps the supreme soprano, who could also act. Loved it.

[meltzerboy]

Operaboy81, I think you may have misinterpreted my comment, admittedly somewhat ambiguous. I was referring only to Melba's not showing emotion in her recording (actually two recordings) of "Vissi d'arte," not to Sutherland's lack of emotion in the aria. However, based only this aria, I do think Callas and Tebaldi are more suited to the role than Sutherland might have been. I'm well aware and appreciative of Sutherland's abilities and uniqueness as a singer.

[operaboy81]

I don't think she ever sung this role completely on stage, but I know that Tito Gobbi thought she should. She might not be the greatest actress, but she did show emotion. Despite having a very different timbre from Callas, she was a Dramatic Soprano capable of singing coloratura. That's why voices like Sutherland's and Maria Callas are so rare. They were both Dramatic Coloratura's, both sang Wagner in the early part of their careers.

[meltzerboy]

I can't leave without praising Gobbi's singing as well, one of the greatest baritones both vocally and artistically. Past his prime here, but still magnificent.

[meltzerboy]

Sutherland does an admirable job here, although I'm used to the beautiful singing of Callas and Tebaldi in Tosca. Melba also recorded "Vissi d'arte," with great technique and little emotion. She studied the role and wished to perform it but was rightly dissuaded from doing so by Mary Garden and others.

[meltzerboy]

This really takes me back; I recall seeing this show when it was first broadcast. It consisted of a duet (Tosca), a trio (Faust), a quartet (Rigoletto), a quintet (Meistersinger), and a sextet (Lucia). Sutherland, Curtin, Gedda, Gobbi, Miller, and Anthony (?) were the singers.

[mdancer01]

and about the physical type

well i think she looks gorgeous and beautiful

[mdancer01]

im so glad that are so many videos of joan sutherland

here as tosca had made a good job not magneficent as lucia or norma but it is well sung

she had this beautifull sweet voice crystal dramatic coloratura voice so thats why people couldnt saw her a an amazing tosca

but anyway i like this video thankyou very much

[Fredzeblak]

Joan Sutherland never sang Tosca but recorded Visse d'arte in 1971/2 (available as a bonus on the last issue of Pussini's sor Angelica Decca recording). Here, her characterization is lacking of stength but pathos is here and what a f...ing good and wide voice: Vissi d'arte and the three "Aaahh" - 3:50!!!

[rawdonqueen]

Holy cow! Joan, singing Puccini beautifully, and matched against Tito Gobbi. When and where was this recorded?

[Fredzeblak]

This is a 1968 Bell Telephone Hourperformance with Donald Vorhees conducting the Bell Telephone Hour Orchestra. The same for the other 60's TV studio renditions on Youtube (Lucia, Amina, Norma, Ophélie...)

[Hako2004]

Thank you for this wonderful post.  I've never seen it. Joan isn't the ideal physical type for Tosca, but the Vissi de Arte is beautifully sung.

[remrom2]

thanks for posting....love this opera