Callas on Rigoletto's aria- A Masterclass

[babydrane]

It's kinda weird that he prepared the aria and didn't know what the words meant...how'd he do that? BTW, some of the comments on this video are a trip and a half.

[waldotube]

she frozen me when she sang, Tu taciiiii.... OMG... Callas Soprano Abssoluta dil mondo.. i love her.!!!

[colonia3059]

Callas makes true all she sings... it is a simple as that, she makes it true...and when she was still singing, she made an entire opera true, real, credible... even just listening to her, what she sings becomes real, true, deep. Then of corse, she respects the score like probably no other great singer does or has: open the score, read it, and listen to Callas, EVERYTHING IS THERE.

NOBODY, NOBODY even with much "nicer" voices than hers, can do what she did.

[ininacsot]

enregistrement formidable,exeptionnel ,ce qu'il faut afin d'approcher la perfection,merci pour cette vidéo

[georgerannie]

OMG--DO it Maria!!

[themillionairess]

"...Oh sweetheart, no."

LOL I love her.

[AOG93]

OMG, listen to when she says "Explain in to me"... The singer freezes! he does not understand... She does, and she never sung Rigoletto (The baritone part)!. And listen to her explain the aria. With each `hrase she bursts with emotion until she explodes singin! Like all these feelings inside she just cannot hold but must commit to singin and music! AMAZING

[GeneKLM747]

Maria Calls always unique and origina...A super great teacher ... The best of all.. Thanks so much.

[GeneKLM747]

An "excelente" teacher..singer.. and actress...Orginal and Unique...I had the blessing of hearing Ms. Calllas singing the role of Gilda from Rigoletto in Mexico City...FANTASTICA..

[zizeus]

Elle etait tres en forme ce jours la.

[Neanderthalgirl]

@kgarmaker123456789

sorry, my good american friend, but is there a chance you might fuck off and die?

[jazzychazzy007]

Zvz26, you are exactly right. Callas was EVERYTHING! Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!

[Zva26]

There will NEVER be another Callas. To refer to her as merely a soprano is to vastly disrespect her. She had what is known as a "soprano svogato", which enabled her to sing virtually anything. She shattered the categories of coloratura, lyric, spinto, and dramatic soprano, and sang music written for all these four soprano voices. Imagine --- Norma, Traviata, Pirata, Bolena, Medea, Sonnambula, Lucia, Gioconda, Aida, Trovatore, Lady Macbeth, Turandot, Tosca, Rosina, etc. She WAS opera!!!!!!

[filaredo]

She was ONLY italian opera. What she sang sings every soprano in the world as good as Callas, it's only italian opera crap.

[Zva26]

Your response is very unclear. Your use of verbs and nouns make your message virtually useless. To call Italian opera "crap" says far more about you than it does about Italian opera. Please do not take the time to respond to this comment. I probably wouldn't be able to decipher it anyway.

[charmingemily]

what does svogato mean?

thanks

[Zva26]

A soprano "sfogato" is a soprano whose voice doesn't fit any of the traditional categories (dramatic, lyric, spinto, or coloratura) yet is able to encompass them all. This is a voice that is capable of taking on any kind of vocal writing and make it valid. Callas was really the only soprano of this kind since the days of Pasta and Malibran. A "sfogato" is a very rare type of voice --- and really lives on a planet of its own. It can't be compared to any other soprano voice. I

[sillyboydeux]

@Zva26 No. This is incorrect. "Sfogato" (from the verb sfogare, "to vent") and assoluta. A soprano sfogato sings the great dramatic coloratura roles such as Norma, Medea, Sonnambula, etc. in a way that emotions "seethe" through the notes, with great passion but above all, inspiration beyond the score, to heighten and make credible the entire drama. "Assoluta" by contrast, fits the description that you have made here, able to sing anything, and hopefully, better than anyone, not always the case.

[theinkbrain]

@Zva26

Callas makes me shiver and get goosebumps. my throat gets choked up and i feel a kind of freezing sensation in my chest. i feel my stomach do flip flops and the hair on the back of my neck bristles.

that's how i know that this is a voice that appears only once and once only in the whole history of the universe. i thank you for your very informative comments, and for sharing your knowledge. when i read what people like you write, i learn what is important in life.

thank you.

[ilovetorachan]

ご自分のレパートリーに、勿論入っていないこの曲にも、深い理解­を示して教えておられますが、驚嘆します。たった１回の来日でし­たが、そのチャンスに巡り合った方は、人生最大の幸運のひとつで­しょうね。

[ChrisStockslager]

I've always wondered. Who was the best 'Master Class teacher,' Callas or Pavarotti? I heard that Schwarzkopf wasn't very good, but she seemed nice to me.

[sezgin86]

And we also have Leyla Gencer. She taught for years at La Scala...

[kgarmaker123]

@mtnmanjtt You are so full of shit.. If CAllas were here today, she would set the opera world on its ear, just like she did when she became "opera"

[fpngan]

Wow, the picture of her at 6:06 is just stunning

[oplutao]

É linda!Gosto muito da 3:08 também.Esta masterclass é magnífica!

[lanaturale]

Enorme! Aveva intuito l'esatta dimensione interpretativa di Rigoletto. In quelle poche battute è più credibile lei di molti interpreti scialbi ed inconsistenti del gobbo. Che lezione magistrale!

[edgrow]

I wish Callas had recorded a baritone aria album. I wonder how much of her interpretation was influenced by Tito.

Her understanding of Rigoletto is dumbfounding!

[theblacksister]

That's exactly what I was thinking!!!

[levante83]

Callas is one of the best Rigolettos, really!

There is NOTHING, she couldn't sing, a true divina!!

[prosdocimo]

OMG, Callas would have been an awesome Rigolleto. She sings better than the baritone IoI - Is ther anything she cant sing?

[birgitnilsson]

These masterclasses are precious. Nothing to do with the renata Scotto thing, quite stupid, by the way....

[zafireh]

I think she was able to sing everything she wanted. she sang the dramatic roles as tosca, medea, gioconda, but also mezzo (carmen, amneris) as well as lyric roles (mimi). you can't say, she was just a dramatic soprano. she was everything!

[MichelleLaJeunes]

Maria Callas was a Dramatic Coloratura, just to set the record straight. No Mezzo could have had her high notes, only a coloratura can master the E flat and above.

[kgarmaker123]

Finally someone who makes sense on here.. She was a dramatic coloratura SOPRANO,.. meaning she has high notes, and an extension above Hig C, along with florid technique. Thanks for making that clear!

[lashato]

As far back as 3 years ago I was told about this Masterclass by my vocal teacher, - she told me that Maria is even more better than the baritone, - It was so dificult to believe, but wright now, I excellently guessed that my vocal teacher was absolutely true. I am excited. BRAVO MARIA... That's why she was is and will ever saty as the GREATEST singer of ALL TIMES..... Love you

[ferchiappe]

I am agree with your teacher. The voice range of the baritone is too large similar to the soprano voive, lowest to highest notes. Have you improve your interpretation after this unique class.?? Best regrads from amateur baritone of Southamerica.

[mariasarda]

Callas avait vraiment une voix de mezzo. C'est indéniable. C'est pas une critique, c'est juste mon opinion.

[nutty42]

Yes, she was a "dramatico wagnerian mezzo soprano" & could tackle just about any role she felt within her grasp. She had power & further more, was trained by a a coloratura who gave her a superb technique & tremendous voice control. Thus was born "la divina".

[zafireh]

dramatico wagnerian MEZZO?

[eeseht]

Si c'est une opinion ne dites pas que c'est indéniable...!!!

[mariasarda]

Très bien dit, vous avez raison, mais pour moi, c'est indéniable.

[tetrazzini]

She s so kind... This nice voice don't even know what he says!

[stephenknob]

This session shows that Callas' middle and lower registres were still impressive. Very full and resonate. The vocal is great! I would love to hear HER sing this aria though it be for a tenor voice.

[suthpavhorne]

this aria is for rigoletto which is for a baritone voice

[JoeBerns]

thank you for correcting that.

=]

[spintotenor83]

It is extremely sad when someone this passionate to the text and music, and to the art of singing as a whole, and the student, it is called being an "attnetion hog" and so on. I ask people like this "How many perforamnces have you had on the big stages?" "Where are the students have you produced?" and "How many masterclasses at Julliard or other music conservatories have you been invited to?"

[leadingbyxample]

These masterclasses are priceless! For us singers, they clearly show us how much deeper one must look into the scores to pull out the beauty that is there. There is drama in every single score, and we must find it. Now I see why beautiful singing can be so boring!

[golfroylan]

Molte grazie a la persona che ha publicato questo. Ho imparato molto ascoltando questi "masterclasses". Sono sicuro che questo tesoro aiutarà molto a tutti gli studenti (di tutte le voci), anche ha buoni concetti della interpretazzione. Veramente, grazie!! :)

[lashato]

are you a vocalist?

[csmjr91090]

I would have loved her as my teacher if I could sing!!! She understand so well what needs to be conveyed. But I would have been intimidated by Maria teaching me in public, but not so much in private. It would be awesome to have her as a regular teacher! It would be heaven!!! Maria is so great!

[nikolaimedtner]

outstanding...

[Johnny1206]

I wish I had Callas as my vocal teacher, she´s stunning !!!

[LouisXIV85]

Sorry but there's a mistake in the title: it isn't "Cortiggianni vil razza dannata" but "Cortigiani vil razza dannata"... beautiful these masterclasses!!! Thanks

[foropera]

Thanks, but now it's too late too change it for me!:-)

[clearandsunny]

Singing along with students? A teaching approach as flawed as her vocal production. Perhaps the most revealing moment of all, "forget about your voice ..."

[pirocagrande]

Clerandsunny

You maybe did not notice, but Callas is showing how it is supposed to be done in terms of expression, accent and declmatory intensity..NOT VOCAL PRODUCTION!

[clearandsunny]

She sings more than the student. That's not a masterclass, that's grandstanding. She was an attention hog and it's all over this video.

[csmjr91090]

Yes it is! What do you know about singing or getting lessons? Nothing that is what. A teacher should be better then the student, though that is not always the case. The teacher will always sing to show how it is to be correctly done. You know nothing. If she was grandstanding then why did she forbid applause unlike the Domingo and Pavarotti masterclasses? Because she was interested in teaching. Thats why.

[tinyvoicedgheorghiu]

I pity you. You are unable to grasp how deep Callas goes in unveiling the character of Rigoletto. A great baritone (Leo Nucci) refers this particular part of the masterclass as a sign of Callas-s genius.

[clearandsunny]

Deep? Okay, if you think that's deep, you're as much a dilettante in performance art as you are vocal production. And you missed the points of my post, again no surprise for a Callasite.

[tinyvoicedgheorghiu]

You are not calling me dilettante. You are calling Leo Nucci a dilettante as well, which just shows how deep your ignorance is, how blind your prejudices are and how pointless your hatred is.

[csmjr91090]

You clearly just hate Callas, and are hating music by doing so. She knew far more then you will ever know about music. She was a genius and there are many other musical geniuses who have said the same thing. Take your hate of a true artist and musician somewhere else.

[csmjr91090]

Really, I again ask your ability to sing and receive lessons. I am sure you will tell me you do, which I know just by your comments will be a load of crap. Every teacher is different in their approach, and in lessons or advice I have heard, "forget about your voice". It is to get the student to do what the teacher is asking them by concentrating on the point being taught. It is more metaphoric then literal. You are just cherry picking what you don't know.

[zurriuss]

In which years was it recorded? In sixties? I think so, because Callas' voice isn't so good here. But she was a perfect actress and a perfect teacher. Bravo her for everything!

[greenstboy]

What a wonderful Rigoletto Callas would have made! She totally understands the character. Ah, what might have been. . . .

[EmilyGreene1984]

Maria Callas sounds like she was a wonderful teacher. I would be terrified of her, if she were my teacher. Not in that of her strictness, but because of her knowledge in opera ande voice. But it would be a sincere pleasaure to work with her.

Also, who or what is that picture of the clown in the video? When I first saw it, it shocked me for a minute. Is that Maria? And if so, what role? Or is that from Rigoletto?

[pirocagrande]

EmilyGreene1984

It is true, I for myself would be terrified..but more in the sense of not being able to bring the drama of the character THROUGH the voice as she is so keen of, not really on vocal technique. I'd be scared of heraing her say: "you do not sing what you say or what the character is" !!

[ChuckNYC71]

More Please. Is there more to this Master Class? Wonderful post.

[jjcbss]

I'd be terrified if she was telling me what to do and asking me questions, but what a great listen! Thanks.

[ricardofidelis]

Que lindo

[foropera]

the whole masterclasses parts are much much longer, you are right.

[VivaCallas]

Is there a company which issues all the masterclasses (or at least the EMI excerpts uncut)?

[VivaCallas]

Thank you for sharing this, foropera. Both the pictures and the audio display the limitless emotions of Maria Callas. But, correct me if I'm wrong, but this can't be an EMI release. Some of the really superb parts of this audio are not present in the EMI CD I have.

[Redboy4]

What a fine testament to Maria'a ability to dig deeper into the characters and and bring greater expression to the music.

[ismagaru]

Maria Callas audio Masterclass

[foropera]

:-) Yes! I did not make a real effort to make "beauty" since many other here have made it about their Diva Maria, I am rather curious about unexpected expressions, intensity, inner private work, because she has been one of the more pictured public woman in the world.

[Williepe]

The photo of young, near-slim Callas with deStefano is great!

[operacommentator]

I wonder in what venue, what recording that photograph pertains to... perhaps "foropera" knows.

-operacommentator-