Maria Callas - "L'altra notte in fondo al mare"

[babydrane]

I am still trying to figure out how she changes the dynamics and tempi of her trills so easily. Magnificent document this aria is!

[bellini7verdi]

tan rara como joan sutherland...............

[mariasarda]

Rare and true.

[MariaCaIIas]

this "song" is not about beauty... it is about a woman awaiting execution having been the cause of death to her baby and mother... she is in awareness of the loss of her soul in eternal death and abandoned in a cold jail...

Funnily enough she seems to be the ONLY person to have kept this in mind while interpreting this aria, which has suffered a vast history of misjudgement by some of the greatest singers in history!!

[patovaldebenito]

Que maravilloso debe haber sido ver a Maria Callas interpretando esta aria.

[Kazlat1989]

No words in my vocabulary can explain the sheer emotion this opera brings out in me.

[arles1889]

Maria,eres unica e irrepetible.

[30011942]

Cette interpretation de l' altra notte est pour moi inegalee tant au niveau de l emotion que de la voix

divine maria callas!

[TheMarieV1]

Maria emitted such love and spirit through this voice of hers .

A superb example of a great singer... Listen with eyes closed, and soar in another dimension!!

[philipc67]

This is a magisterial recording of a very difficult dramatic aria. I have listened to many famous sopranos sing it well, but here Callas reduces them all to dust. She is simply phenomenal. Everything is there: exemplary phrasing and intonation, long breath control, pianissimo trills and diminuendi, masculine low notes, soaring high notes, overwhelming despair and darkness (listen how she ends the last word). A superb example of a very great singer at the peak of her art.

[NEBESHIKU]

The only version worth listening to! The others are just pathetic!

[Shahrdad]

I love the desperate, almost insane sound she creates at the beginning of the aria, which then resolves into a resigned sweetness as she tells her soul to fly away like a bird. Just the way she says "L'aura e fredda" in that colorless, chilled voice sends shivers down my spine. The woman was a musical and dramatic genius with incredible instincts, but she also had the technical skill to support her instincts and let her genius have full flight within a stylistic framework. She was unique.

[argentin]

Callas .... and the others... NOT THE SAME WORLD  she was a freak !

[roeslerswiss]

@argentin Freak que vous! tympans perforés doivent être! stupide

[roeslerswiss]

Yes! you´re right! I know her entire career.So.What I mean is that despite her further problems on later times,Maria never lost the ability and knowledge as a Complete Singer.And if there´s some people who dont appreciate her work,I think that´s because they are very biased in their appreciation of an artist.E.G.If I listen to a recording of the Great Renata Tebaldi in their lasts concerts would say had a beautiful voice,never was a spinto soprano, and he sang bell canto with no "legato"

[roeslerswiss]

Almost Supernatural, you can only feel Her, hard to explain on words !!!

Thank you Maria!!!

[CNoeliaSoprano]

Como siempre...la Callas es y será la mejor interpretación de cualquier aria, sea cual sea siento al oírla cantar que ella parecía entender y sentir el lenguaje de cada una!!!marcando un antes y un después en la lírica!!! brava!!!!

[chengducat]

These are the moments when one feels connected to divinity.

[dsenRuskin]

@chengducat ...hence the sobriquet "La Divina". She earned it. Love her.

[Oceana84]

Try to understand the passion and the feeling she put in her opera...so you will understand the voice of the music :-)

Thnx for this Video :-)

Sometimes I love Operas too :-D

[amneris54]

la plus grande artistiquement, scéniquement , musicalement ,, elle a fait inverser le cours du lyrique ...

une femme blessée dès le départ et partie trop tôt

elle demeure dans nos consciences collectives

je demeure inconditionnelle avant pendant et après ***

[zoroas7]

indescrivibile l'emozione che genera, un'aria già di per se emozionante, cantata da una voce unica

[Agodipino]

pelle d'oca!!

[sinuhe28]

La profundidad de la voz que enaltece el sentimiendo y el carácter más íntimo y desgarrador del ser humano se refleja en esta aria. Es increíble como Callas sondea hasta lo más pronfundo de su corazón y hace de esta aria algo realmente único.

[gomongio]

@sinuhe28 Debo agradecerte... no encontraba las palabras exactas para expresar lo que ES la Callas y tú lo lograste. Su voz, profunda, íntima, desgarradora, enaltece todo sentimiento ... sus cambios tonales son realmente magníficos

[sinuhe28]

@gomongio Saber expresar las emociones que produce una voz como la de Callas y llegar hasta lo más profundo del sentimiento del canto, es algo tremendamente difícil pero he aquí la plenitud del carácter hecho aria, voz y música. Gracias por tu comentario. Larga vida a La Divina.

[federricoilgrande]

Un giorno accesi la radio , tanti anni fa, Maria cantava questo pezzo, a me noto ed ascoltato da altre grandi. Era come lo sentissi per la prima volta, una meraviglia assoluta::))

[ilcavalierriccardo]

grazie Maria!

[ManricoV]

Very beautiful interpretation ! ! !

Thank you!!!

[profgv]

Thrilling beyond all expectations.

[MrFrancogianni]

INARRIVABILE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!voto­. 9.

[Yangsungeunzzang]

BRAVA!!!!!!!!!!

[eyez2green]

Fabulosa Maria, que grandiosa interpretación.

[altjj]

quest'aria, come tutte le arie dal contenuto estremamente tragico, danno emozioni centuplicate se cantate dalla callas, non è questione di voce è questione di anima

[nikicover]

@altjj

d'accordissimo.....non è solo voce, ci vuole il cuore....ci vogliono il sangue, le viscere....e lei, la Divina, metteva tutto questo cantando....dava tutta se stessa senza riserve, e questo ci giunge cristallino e lampante ancor oggi, consacrandola all'Immortalità dovuta a chi , come Lei, vivrà per sempre in virtù di ciò che ci ha lasciato in eredità...preziosissima....

[rshace4]

Callas has set the standards for what opera should be.

[lanimabilanganligot]

Superb. Excellent. Thank you!

[takeabow1010]

Awesome!

[lornsby]

So beautiful!

[rossini0071]

You are right! She sings it perfect!

[MarioAColmenares]

quien podra subir la versión de Licia Albanesse sin duda una version insuperable

[eutuve]

Jonathan,

las arias y las canciones uploaded adquieren muchisimo si se agrega en "more info" el texto (lyrics )

Porfa...si ? andele manito !!

ciao desde Italia

eu

[antonellacolaianni]

Divina Maria! Solo una parola: grazie.

[flotdr]

wonderful !

[bluekarma]

I discovered Maria from reading about Linda Ronstadt on Wikipidea. Linda says that hands down, Callas is the greatest female singer ever. I had to check it out for myself and I read maria on Wiki and then over to You Tube to see and hear for myself. I am new to opera and not really inclined to it but I must admit that this is very nice and her range and vocal artistry is remarkable. I have not felt this moved since Paul Potts sang Norma on BGT.

[Protos7879]

is not it wonderful that with 2 mouse clicks you hear and read whatever you want and most importantly such brilliant pieces ... we must appreciate that and make it better

[angelovocci]

All truly great singers bow down to Maria Callas, unless they are jealous of heights they will never attain.(Natalie Dessay for example). The rest of us true artist and singers understand why she is the pinnacle, the zenith of the Art of music/singing.

[Turand0t]

@angelovocci La Divina is and will always be the prime example of musicality, expression and great drama imbedded in one voice. I agree that great singers should be able to understand the grandness of this sublime artist.

[anastasia7536]

@angelovocci thaks for youy honestity, surely you are great and sensitive person and artis yoursef

[anastasia7536]

@angelovocci surely yo u are a great person and artist for recognized that ! thanks !

[nikimovies]

ecco come si giunge all'immortalità.....

[nikimovies]

una dea, una voce incantatrice. Sublime, ti entra dentro, con la sua interpretazione semplicemente commovente.

[maxtanz]

e anche l'orchestra è incredibile.

[senesino83]

davvero :)

[mariasarda]

Il mio tesoro.... vocale assoluto.

[blindvisions11]

...i have to do an audition with this song...she is such an inspiration..

[anthonela1]

Genius

[jimthewriter]

Brilliant! Brava Callas!

[philipc67]

This is a magisterial recording of a very difficult dramatic aria. I have heard many famous sopranos sing it well, but here Callas reduces all of them to dust. She is simply phenomenal. Everything is there: exemplary phrasing, long breath control, pianissimo trills and diminuendi, masculine low notes, soaring high notes, overwhelming despair and darkness (listen how she ends the last word). A superb example of a great singer at the peak of her art.

[melomane57]

Non c'è ne sarà mai più un'altra così.....

[rusalkita]

Brava Mariaaaaaaaaaaa

[Instrumotional]

God-like. There can be no discussion whether she could or could not be rivalled: only weak-minded and deaf people can have doubts.

[Medea59]

Niemand sonst schaffte es, so authentisch und glaubhaft Gefühle durch ihre Stimme an den Zuhörer zu übermitteln wie Maria Callas. Das gilt auch für die Gegenwart sowie für die Zukunft. Eine einzigartige Gabe, die sie unsterblich macht.

VIVA LA CALLAS!!!

[mtnmanjt]

CallasBashers try in vain, to convince anyone they can, that this is not the greatest opera singer of all humanity. A futile effort on their part. All anyone has to do is listen to something like this, then they know there is only one La Divina, and there will be only one La Davina.........

The Great Callas.

[felirafe]

Maria Calla interpreta esta aria con gran destreza de tonos, sentimientos y lo mas importante desde el estado de catarsis del compositor. Callas llega a prenetrar en el mundo de la psiquis y las imagenes, conjuntamente con una geometria y trazos-lineados, en donde el espectador sensible llega a unificarse con la musica, la inspiracion del aria, la humanidad y mas alla con algo atemporal. Gracias Maria Callas. RIP.

[Dtenor87]

@mtnmanjt I strongly believe it is the record companies that have WIDELY published her later works that are at fault. It is hard to find a pre 1960 recording of Callas when in 1940's and early 50s her voice was on POINT and did not have that ridiculous wobble at the top

[roeslerswiss]

@Dtenor87 Unique artwork and the best interpretation of these particular aria including those: "ridiculous wobble at the top"

[Dtenor87]

@roeslerswiss that "ridiculous wobble at the top" came long after she was a unique artist, earning her place at the top of Opera. My comment is aimed towards the VAST recordings showcasing her later works where her voice was not at her best when it got her where she is now. A lot of people do not appreciate her work due to those late recordings being widely circulated as opposed to earlier ones showing her perfection and what made Callas WHOLE

[breton2]

@mtnmanjt I totally agree !

[ceccopisa]

Grande Maria! Una grande interpretazione, grazie per la registrazione stupenda.

[operabug]

You can hear tears in her voice, and you see her sad soul JUST before your eyes... for me, She is the BSET !!

[saverioorlando]

Callas is Margherita,or Gretchen in prison,not academic singing!Very great.

[redwaz]

YouTube has brought to me many things, funny videos, pop songs, memories of childhood. But the way it has brought to me the world of Opera is profound, I havent really listened to it before, I knew of it, but did not understand.

I have listened to all the greats here, but nothing has turned me to tears like this lady singing this song.

Unbelievable.

Music for ever.

[xooonii]

best version!!

[MARISOLDELMONACO]

Da vero mi piacce la voce d' Callas. Ma in quest' aria preferisco Renata Tebaldi.

[explorercur]

I love her ending

[bonsantematteo]

Bravo!!!!!

[MarchesediCalatrava]

Beautiful!! Which Year was this recorded?

[SweetFiness]

1954

[MadonnaImperia]

@MarchesediCalatrava September 1954. It was part of an aria album designed to showcase Callas' versatility. On one side she sang coloratura arias from "Dinorah", "I vespri siciliani", "Lakmé" and "Il barbiere di Siviglia", on the other she sang heavier pieces from "Adriana Lecouvreur", "Andrea Chenier", "La Wally" and this aria from "Mefistofele". This reflected her programming for concerts where she often combined the coloratura arias with dramatic pieces.

[carolynhope1]

@MadonnaImperia That is my all time favorite of her albums. I listen to it more than any other of her recital albums. Magnificent...

[MadonnaImperia]

@carolynhope1 I love it too :)

[billyguns2]

This is the greatest rendition of this aria I ever hope to hear; Callas inhabits the character to such a degree that it is no longer an entertainment but a real life happening. Only Claudia Muzio is up to her level, but not in this piece. Bravo also to the superb Maestro, Tullio Serafin, and the magnificent Philharmonia Orchestra at its peak.

[SqueakyIri]

While Calla's interpreation is magnificent, I would have to respectfully disagree with you and say I feel Muzio's voice had a certain natural and liquid/fluid quality to her voice that Callas never really had. Even in the mid to late forties when Callas was at her prime, her voice sounded manufactured to a degree.

However, the interpretation si very genuine, though.

[Shahrdad]

@SqueakyIri The manufactured voice comment is an allegation that was also made about Guiditta Pasta and Maria Malibran. When one reads Chorley's writings about Pasta, one often thinks he was writing about Callas. But these women were called Geniuses of Song, and their voices and their use of their voices inspired composers such as Bellini and Donizetti to write their greatest masterpieces. When I wrote the Wikipedia article on Callas, I included a quote from Chorley which is worth reading.

[senesino83]

Oh God, this is just amazing...

[filippovonreutter]

Singing on a spiritual level doesn't get any better or any more elevated than this. What is the meaning of Life and death? Why are our spirits trapped within this material physical dimension? Is there a higher dimension to which it can soar?

Listen with eyes closed, without images.

[egooidios]

sorry for the negative marking it was a mistake of the typing. the intention was to mark positively.

[2ManyHighCs]

This gives me chills !

[Instrumotional]

Freni doesn't stand a chance, not a bit, not for a second...

[sportlucami28]

Considered to be the best ever recording of this aria by all critics. Just listen.

[Heraopera]

She have been such good at her beginning .....Great! Do like her every time I can listen to her voice..... There is something in and in between...BRAVA!

Tebaldi is marvelous too!

[idraote]

even though with a voice which cannot compare in beauty and softness, in this instance Callas is far superior to Tebaldi exactly because she chooses to limit the boundless power of her voice in soft pianos and pianissimos that enhance the beauty of the aria and do honour to the interpreter as do the perfect pronunciation and clear coloratura.

[Thomlinsonr]

it's not a top C it's a B but none the less beautiful. Her version of un bell di however i think is flawed, she pusshes the notes too hard and tips form passionate singing into bad voice production. shame but this piece she does beautifully

[pasfresh123]

come il passero nel bosco, vola vola vola... it sounds like a bird trying to take flight... her soul trying to fly away from the prison cell... the first time it doesn't quite take flight... the second time it succeeds in getting out... and she dies... I suppose.

[smartsteve]

I've never heard anything this beautiful !

[mwalsh2008]

Smartsteve--

Never heard anything this beautiful? Check out Mirella Freni singing the same aria here on YouTube. Freni's version is NOT this beautiful; it is much MORE beautiful.

[smartsteve]

I will check it out ,but even if it is more beutiful than Maria's version I will not admit it as I am of Greek origin,thank you anyway!

[Gigglingatagas]

Hearing Callas sing, to me, is like stripping layers of grime off of a masterwork. Gone are the extraneous histrionics - everything that Callas sings comes directly from her character. Phrases like "l'aura fredda" are colored with such exquisite care. What an artist!

[MadonnaImperia]

@Gigglingatagas That is a very beautiful metaphor :)

[DanyelHawkes]

the most beautiful B natural sang in the history of opera

[piruja61]

If this is the most beautiful B natural sang in the history of opera it means DanyelHawkes like to eat shit

[rambo2882]

casi me rompe el tímpano pero canta maravillosamente.

[VivaMariaCallas]

The 1958 Los Angeles performance is more bewitching, with more haunting vocal colours, but this is a superb performance. It's so musical, so haunting... it's literally a mad scene!

[utineke]

thanks for the text!!!Absolutely necessary to fully appreciate her majestic interpretation and marvelous singing.THank you squaletto

[buttas87]

finitela di commentare ;D... nn c'è niente da dire solo una parola....divina....

[squaletto75]

L'altra notte in fondo al mare il mio bimbo hanno gettato, or per farmi delirare voglion ch'io l'abbia affogato. L'aura è fredda, il carcer fosco, e la mesta anima mia come il passero del bosco vola via... In letargico sopore è mia madre addormentata, e per colmo dell'orrore dicon ch'io l'abbia attoscata. L'aura è fredda, il carcer fosco, e la mesta anima mia come il passero del bosco vola via...

[gitana66]

ineguagliabile interpretazione,come bovio l avrebbe cantata se avesse avuto voce ....

[CIBILCIKKK]

this is a magic.

[meltzerboy]

When it comes to verismo-style music, Callas has few rivals. Her performance is great in terms of technique in the service of expression. Of course, Muzio's performance is remarkable too, and I also admire Tebaldi's singing of the aria.

[Orfeus80]

Interesting, I find it's the other way round. In verismo she has more rivals than in bel canto and in fact I find her main rivals surpass her in verismo.

[saverioorlando]

Nelle scene di delirio,la Callas era ineguagliabile.Qui i trilli,a contrasto con le note gravi,l'energia del declamato sono assai notevoli.

[CONTESTAR]

You are too eager to suffer for her... and you miss a lot.

Let your admiration for her aside and listen to her as any other singer. She suffered enough from people who expected her to be La Divina

Plus, these are the years when even her detractors would not find too much to say against anything she did... to be honest I wouldn't care what people say are the "good" years. I trust what I hear... And I do hear the best declamato ever in recorded operatic history.

[jeffreypick57]

When she sings, you feel as if you are listening into someones private moments, eavesdopping. A real person in distress, certainly not a singer singinging someone elses music and words. It is simply real.

[akenato62]

qualcuno inserisca per favore l'esecuzione della stessa aria, live, tratta dal concerto di Los Angeles (la città, non la cantante!) del novembre 1958. (Io non riesco, ma possiedo il file audio)

[claudiospagnoletti]

la più bella interpretazione della "margherita" di tutti i tempi

[filiodecallas]

ESa tensión que Callas daba inesperadamente a las notas y a las frases es el aporte más grande que vocalmente hizo a la Opera. Su canto era humano, vivo, creíble.

[stellasapon]

I don't think there is a reason to comment Callas' voice... The purity and divinity of her singing are present everytime and in anything she has sang... Simply La Divina...

[cek1111]

Somebody please tell me Where can I find the libretto of this song. Please~~~

[NEBESHIKU]

CALLAS RULES!!! Even after her death in 77 she remains soprano sfogato assoluta of the 20th century! I never liked this aria not because of lack of musical beauty nut because all others sopranos sound fake i don´t belive a wor dthey sing but Callas makes you hear and feel every note! You can feel the regreat of loosing her child

[finisquo]

La primera vez que escuché esta aria (fue precisamente esta grabación del 54) me enamoré de la melodía. Es una versión de antología, y para mí es la mejor interpretación que haya escuchado. Callas está maravillosa. Luce una voz extraordinaria.

[MAPIAKALLAS]

This aria is wonderful and Callas just made it even more dramatic its super and those high notes were out of this world that high C geee BRAVA

[Marroiamaxu]

It's a B natural!

[LittlePasserotto]

absolutely fantastic.. thank you... but have someone the aria "sorge l'aurora pallida"? from mefistofele

[DanBarthy]

Fantastic!!!

[mycallas]

This is it! There are no words available to describe such a beaty. Too bad Boito wasn't there when it happened.

[MissLillyHiggins]

I thins she's the only one that can sing perfectly this song.

[561423]

I dare to advise you to listen to Claudio Muzio singing this song. She sings it in a very different way, but to me it seems, the girls madness is even better performed. And of course both performances are perfect.

[tinyvoicedgheorghiu]

I love Muzio and find her supremely expressive and moving, but trills she has not, unfortunately.

[kgarmaker123]

that is an important part of this aria, without them, its like listening to O Patria Mia without the high C. Imagine how interesting that would be.

[tinyvoicedgheorghiu]

Exactly. Trill-less sopranos, IMHO, should stay away from this aria or roles like Anna Bolena or Leonora in Il Trovatore.

[senesino83]

Absolutely. The trill is SO important here, as well as in Leonora... no trill is like castrating the aria ;)

[Shahrdad]

@tinyvoicedgheorghiu Amen amen amen, and amen. There is NO excuse for not having a trill, and if you don't, then stick to Puccini, Mascagni, and Giordano. As Callas said, one would never excuse an instrumentalist for not having a trill or being unable to perform certain virtuosic passages. Singers should not be excused for technical deficiencies either.

[philipc67]

I agree, a good trill is absolutely necessary here, and Maria had high, low, fast, slow, and soft trills. Tebaldi was incapable of singing this aria correctly because she didn't have a trill. I keep coming back to this recording and not only is the technical polish outstanding, but the interpretation is absolutely searing, overwhelming. I don't think anyone has ever sung this scene so brilliantly nor will it be sung like this again. What the French call DU TRES GRAND ART!

[gondorado]

I think that this ares is best by Callas than by Muzio, because Callas sings as if she were in another place, becoming crazy or something like that.

[markivens]

indeed this is very beautiful aria... I didn't know it at first...I heart it the first time in a lounge version, not knowing if it really came out of an opera, and if so, from what one, tried to find out, but couldn't...Than years later bying yet another callas album...There it was !!!

[brightside18]

In my opinion, this is such a beautiful aria...please post your comments =)..!!