Renata Tebaldi La Fanciulla del West

[spn1007]

I love Tebaldi in this role (even though she strains on the high notes). However, if you have never seen the video clips here of Antonietta Stella in the card scene, check them out. She rivals, and quite possibly exceeds Tebaldi.  And her true diva melodramatic acting is just to did for!

[tebaldicallas]

@spn1007 Tebaldi is better, sorry, i saw the video - and i was not impress.

[Chasson0318]

Hey, what happened to the end??



[tebaldicallas]

It is sad the best part of the opera "Tre ace in payo" is missing.

[spn1007]

@tebaldicallas not sure why you say that. It is very much there. As a matter of fact that audience goes nuts when she cries it out!

[Bquillamus]

I would like who those four are that have no taste at all!!!!

[Bquillamus]

I would like those four that have no taste at all!!!!

[klavierspieler72]

Thanks for posting thi, pianistaholic. She really is a thrill at the end, isn't she? Three aces and a pair, all right. A pair of BALLS!

[Ale92Bass]

Renata is the greatest!!! Here she was not in the best years, but her expression is great! I hate people that post late recordings to say bad things on singers... She is always the queen of the opera!

[henrifrombarcelona]

la peor de todas las Minnie.. demasiada preocupada por su estado vocal para caracterizar un personage.. un orrorrrrrr

[nisticom]

Bellissimo, bravissimi! Chi è il baritono?

[Operafiend22]

What a shame these performances were not filmed...I'm sure it must have been electrifying to witness

[Liu666able]

Una emerita merda:stonata come una campana!!vecchia gallina come cantava male!!!

[lamusicahera]

I agree she is one of the best Minnies

but

Carol Neblett has been great too

and Ghena Dimitrova has been fantastic in her own way too -

but all the others who are recorded and which I have heard in this role are far behind this THREE DIVAS !

This is the opera where an SPINTOSOPRANO HAVE TO SHOW HER SPINTOQUALITIES

[lamusicahera]

BRAVA! BRAVO!

FANTASTIC !

THis is one of the real heavy Puccini Operas - the music is not easy !

[Fegen]

Gone but not forgotten Tebaldi's music lives on. She gave us many wonderful

performances at the Met Opera House in New York City where she was greatly

beloved.

[tebaldicallas]

In 1970 she still have a lot of voice left - a lot of stamina - she is really great here.

It suits her like a glove.

[paulinawesome]

SO EXCITING! what a treat! i had read that tebaldi was more of a stand-and-sing: what a misconception! she is brilliantly firey here, just spectacular!

[sandytheslayer]

I can't believe I haven't heard this before! Tebaldi is on FIRE!

[Chasson0318]

Wow!! She REALLY gives it 2000 percent!! listening to it makes me wonder how Verrett would have done it as well.

[yodavidnavarro]

Great Minnie! I think she's the best in this role!

[ceb2633]

I watch this again and again...this is one of the finest dramatic and perfect scenes of all time. Incredible! My hair stands on end every time, even when the critic said she stage laughed "cackling". I could have smacked him. LOVE IT!!

[francescop1023]

grande Renata, anche il fase calante in questa parte è stata la migliore di sempre

[claraprellitensky]

nella recita con Guelfi non è calante, SI bemole di Renata è giusto nelle recita con Guelfi nel '70

[ceb2633]

Oh, she is wonderful. I remember this performance as being the best, ever. Thanks for the post.

[Orosmann]

Brava Renata !!!! En 1970 y todavia haciendo sonar esa voz maravillosa mientras otras permanecían encerradas en su casa escuchando los discos del pasado !!!

[suffisance]

gives me chills and brings me to tears. thanks so much.

[vico1148]

Brava Renata!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!!!

[te697]

Get the 1959 Decca recording. She was in her prime and fantastic.

[tebaldicallas]

I agree with you, but she is very exciting here. Tebaldi is great in this role.

[Funghiallapanna]

At Rance's exit from Minnie's cabin the stage was plunged into darkness except for a single, brilliant spotlight from high above illuminating Renata. While she was banging out all those high notes and laughing maniacally she took the deck of cards and threw them high into the air and they floated down around her, twinkling & shimmering in the spotlight.  The amazing thing was they appeared to be floating down in cinematic "slow motion". What a tableau!

[birgitnilsson]

That could not be less important! She is breathtaking.

[ceb2633]

Renata was incredible through her whole career. I miss her so much!

[rawdonqueen]

This is not the Tebaldi we are used to, but she is fantastically dramatic. I saw her sing Giocanda in 1967, this is similar.

[malniit]

In a MET performance of Tosca (with Richard Tucker and Leonard Warren) from 1956, Tebaldi is on fire. What a dramatic performance she gives!! One of my treasures in my opera library. Have live Tosca recording from 1959 with Corelli but she is more subdued.

[voceangelo]

The audience reaction to Tebaldi bellowing, "TRE ASSI E UN PAIO!!!" is priceless! Brava Renata!!!

[antigeni]

Tebaldi fantastica magnifica grandissima BRAVA!!! Mai più voci e personalità così... Brividi, pelle d'oca: grazie Renata!

[pianistaholic]

Actually, she did. It was 1970 recording and she started to loose her voice during this time. This was absolutely beyond Tebaldi's mannerism thou..

[iValkure]

This is Tebaldi for sure: I like her 50s recording better thou. The ending high notes are somewhat like cat howling here - not typical of her vocal characterization! Did she start to loose he voice at this time? I know she did not actively sing much longer after this.

[suffisance]

This is exactly what the role of Minnie is like--plus the mannerisms of an early time.

This is A plus plus.

[Elisabetta611]

Now THIS is brilliance itself. She is my fave Minnie! A+++++

[Heraopera]

This is SPINTOSINGING AND A REAL SPINTOSOPRANO!

For all german sorpanos which are just lyricgermansoundproducers! LA GRANDE TEBALDI!

[operaspark]

Absolutely incredible. I have yet to see this opera live, but you can hear all the power and force in Tebaldi's voice which intensifies the drama. Few singers could deliver a performance like this anymore. Is Tebaldi's studio recording with Del Monaco this powerful too?

[pianistaholic]

Yes, it was Tebaldi indeed. If you learn Tebaldi's biography, it said that in the middle of 60's Tebaldi's voice grew into a darker and richer tone.

[kapnkrk1]

It was actually earlier than that. Listen to her sing Aida in 1952 in the Sofia Loren movie and compare it to the Jewel Song she sang as a young girl and there is a marked difference. It is also beginning to darken a little bit in her singing Giunsi Alfin il Momento from Nozze.

[kapnkrk1]

I forgot to say I was commenting on the comment of Pianistaholic. Sorry.

[cek1111]

I love this!!!So much!! But is this really Tebaldi? I feel like...like..someone else's voice. I'm great fan of her..Damn What is this feeling?

[VivaTebaldi]

Of course it is the Great Tebaldi.

[cek1111]

Thanx for the conviction. Brava Tebaldi

[cleanears]

I remember these performances... I still get goose bumps... Nothing like that ever more! Brava Renata!!!!

[profgv]

These were very exciting Tebaldi performances.

From La Gioconda on Tebaldi through all caution to the wind. She chewed the stage and sang with a new freedom. She was always a woman of good taste but she looked even better than ever.

[emilytransex]

la tebaldi stupenda anke se un po calante ma questa scena e da pelle d oca...e a lei e tutto xdonato!

[veneto]

I attended two of these performances, and they were really incredibly intense. She only sang five, as I recall, but what a five they were. The audience was totally engaged, and Colzani was a great partner.

[BernardProfitendieu]

how fortunate you were!! wish I could have seen her, I've enjoyed her recordings for many, many years

[billyguns2]

Those people who said Tebaldi couldn't act must have been deaf, dumb, and blind! She is fantastic, and embodied the Puccini heroines; her Minnie has always been my favorite.

[RVP57]

Mine too! I loved her in this!

[Matt75003]

Minnie was her best role, no doubt. I can't imagine anyone ever outsinging her in this opera.

[jerodo4330]

No Matt75003, Tebaldi made a perfect recording of Fanciulla del west in 1958 but she sang it on stage only once in 1970.Her best roles are Leonora/Forza, Tosca, Gioconda, Desdemona, Andrea Chenier, Aìda, Butterfly,Manon Lescaut

[Matt75003]

OK, good point. I should have said that Minnie is my favorite Tebaldi role! At least that is what I meant. I admire her very much as Tosca, and her Forza Leonora is amazing (especially the 1958 recording from Naples). But there have been other great Toscas and Leonoras. As Minnie I feel she is peerless--the one and only.

[Funghiallapanna]

I attended several of those FANCIULLA's. The baritone in the picture above is the huge-voiced Gian-Giacomo Guelfi, but the baritone actually singing in this clip is the very under-rated Anselmo Colzani. Guelfi only sang the opening night of the run and Colzani sang all the others. When Tebaldi threw down the winning poker hand, "Tre assi e un paio!", the public erupted with applause and excitement.

[pianistaholic]

Wow... you must be very young at that time haha.. *kidding* Thanks for the info

[AulicExclusiva]

@Funghiallapanna Especialli since Tebaldi had just visibly palmed the winning hand out of her boot, much to the audience's delight!

She got a huge hand when she slapped the cards down, as Colzani glowered suspiciously. Great days!

[bouncingalong1001]

Who is the Baritone? Wonderful. Thanks for putting this up. Tebaldi was a true goddess.

[VivaMariaCallas]

Though she sounds more like Klytaemnestra than Minnie towards the end, Tebaldi 'embodies' thrilling here. Brava!

[turandot82]

This is why she's so great in this role. She digs in deep and pulls out such audacity and power in that simple phrase "Tre assi e un paio!!!" LOVE IT!

[marokt]

This is not "la voce d'angelo". it sounds more "la voce di diabolo". I wouldn't think, that Tebaldi could produce something like this. Absulutely great! I'm amazed!

[operamatters]

Fantastic vocal acting! Some performances don't seem to need video---you can "see" this astounding performance a hundred different ways and they'll all be thrilling. Thanks for the post.

[KILLERADVICE]

The late Tebaldi in full liberty : bravo !

[VivaTebaldi]

Tebaldi is fantastic here - 1970 at the Met,

in great voice. Baritone is also great.

Thanks for posting this.