I saw Della Casa many times, and she was NEVER uninteresting. Her charm was immense, but of a quiet non-Sills-like type. You watched her every movement, she was gorgeous and fascinating. She could be VERY funny ("io non intesi niente" to the Count in Nozze, e.g.), and she had a nobility and grace which were enchanting. NOBODY has equalled her as Arabella, because they all try to be "normal". DC's Arabella lived in her own fragile world and was heartbreaking at the end.
This is just a "glimpse" of Della Casa, I disagree with the comments about her being uninteresting, or not as charming as other Mozart/Strauss sopranos. To me, she suffered from being too pretty! Maybe people didn't take her seriously enough - after all, being so gorgeous and glamorous might have made people think she attained her career the easy way. For me, she is a great singer - not one of the greatest - but definitely first rate in the repertoire for which she is famous.
Yes, we still have that problem nowadays: people dismiss beautiful talented women perhaps because they're too gifted to be believed. Della Casa - as her frequent partner Gueden - show we can have amazingly beautiful and charming women who definitely pass to History as great artists. It's just that it's sometimes difficult for people to look at a Della Casa and perceive she had so few flaws: perfect technique, extremely natural vocal production, charm, presence, depth and unlaboured artistry.
@cantorandopera It is hard to believe any such negative commentary ever existed. And i beg to disagree with you in turn that she is "not one of the greatest", and so do many who worked with her, critics at large and other experts. One set designer said: "She was perhaps the greatest and noblest prima donna, with one of the most beautiful voices and certainly the most beautiful person." I couldn't argue with that. Sublimely beautiful, never pretty.
@mckavitt Re "Greatest " - who are we to judge anyway? Glad you are a fan - because so am I . . . maybe my comments were a little misunderstood, or not clearly expressed. Rowna
@cantorandopera Well, as an opera critic, i am asked to judge on a pretty regular basis. But what shook me about your remarks was that i had never heard anything not stellar about her. Look at Homoclassicus just up above who said: "It's just that it's sometimes difficult for people to look at a Della Casa and perceive she had so few flaws: perfect technique, extremely natural vocal production, charm, presence, depth and unlaboured artistry." Typical remark about LDC. No offense!
@cantorandopera If you are a fan, and i'm glad you are, then i'm a fanatic (the origin of the word fan, right?) and have been since i was about 20, when i first discovered her. I know much more about her now that the doco has been on television, but i've always collected everything i could get my hands on and my ears around. You too, i guess. No harm meant. And Homoclassicus is now BELOW us here, not ABOVE as s/he was at the time of the writing. You can join my THELISADELLAFANCLUB on fb..?
I know I'm probably in a minority of one when I say that George London never seemed right to me as Mandryka; he is completely outclassed by his leading lady here. Also, to hear how sublime the orcehstral postluide can be, listen to what Lovro Von Matacic does with the Philharmonia Orch. in the Schwarzkopf Excerpts; sublime! Solti has no feeling for this music, none whatsoever!
No doubt Strauss' Arabella was Lisa della Casa's greatest role, and the quality of her voice and singing lent itself best to the music of Strauss. I personally find her a great Mozart singer as well, whatever reservations Steane might have. I must also disagree when you say she was "never an interesting artist." As podkivanok states: "she let the music speak, without putting herself into the foreground." That is, she was not an operatic star; when she portrayed a role, she became the character.
@meltzerboy Boy, do you and i agree! Uninteresting? Della Casa?? She was everything but that! She left the operatic stage over 40 years ago (for personal reasons--family) and we are still talking about her. And she had the courage to let the world see her again after this huge hiatus--that's integrity, not holding onto any image. But she is still beautiful!
@ShawDAMAN I didn't mean to be at all, just a little kidding. But it is true that if you have never heard of some of these 5-star singers, then you are either too young and/or not up on singers of the past. It's just logical, sorry if i hurt your feelings. Maybe your comment did mine too. Think nothing more about it.
@mckavitt lol no problem; I am aware that there are great singers I am not overly familiar with and I am somewhat young, but the point of my original comment was just that I was surprised that some of these lesser known singers (outside the comparatively small opera enthusiast set) got a considerable number of votes, on a pretty small project. Even this video after a year has only 1400 views (a speck by youtube standards, haha.) no biggie ;-D
@ShawDAMAN Oh, i see. But these who get the big votes but not a lot of views, are nonethless singers who continue to wow as they did when in their heyday or ALIVE:) We make as much if not more of singers today, even if they are not up to those who preceded them. Don't get me wrong, tho', there are plenty of really good and beautiful ones at the top today. It's just that a Della Casa is a once in a lifetime, in a century! singer and when even youngsters hear her, they are wowed.
Here I can't agree with you. She was the singer of highest culture. She let the music speak, without putting herself into the foreground - and the music sounds perfectly! Yes, her coolness and aristocratism are not for everybody, but I love this kind of artists. It is good, that there are different singers.
@podkivanok Yes, that coolness just kept them coming on hotter and hotter. She wasn't called "poetry on stage" for nothing. And what's to complain of being aristocratic? She was, believe me, and still is a noble personality. See the docofilm made to celebrate her 90th birthday.
Was ist mehr zu sagen zu Frau Della Casa als Mike tat? Auch mich hat sie künstlerisch nicht berührt. Schlimmer, ihre Stimme hat mich nicht gepackt. Was kann es aber negativeres geben, als wenn man sagt, eine Stimme lässt einen kalt? Aber vielleicht rührt es auch daher, dass ich kein Strauss Liebhaber bin. Für mich ist sie jedenfalls überbewertet, aber wie immer, meine subjektive Meinung! Nicht mehr, aber auch nicht weniger! Andere sind gewiss anderer Meinung!
1:48, para morir..., divino.
bruckner4444 7 months ago
I saw Della Casa many times, and she was NEVER uninteresting. Her charm was immense, but of a quiet non-Sills-like type. You watched her every movement, she was gorgeous and fascinating. She could be VERY funny ("io non intesi niente" to the Count in Nozze, e.g.), and she had a nobility and grace which were enchanting. NOBODY has equalled her as Arabella, because they all try to be "normal". DC's Arabella lived in her own fragile world and was heartbreaking at the end.
MrMattsboy 9 months ago
@MrMattsboy Couldn't agree more!
sbreathnach100 2 months ago
Vor lauter Geschwafel pro oder contra Lisa della Casa merkt niemand, dass George London leider Paul Schöffler ist?
Feine Experten!
Addiobelpassato 9 months ago
The best
willem51 1 year ago
The perfect voice for this role. None better.
mazzone1 2 years ago 7
@mazzone1 Absolutely!
sebreathnach 7 months ago
This is just a "glimpse" of Della Casa, I disagree with the comments about her being uninteresting, or not as charming as other Mozart/Strauss sopranos. To me, she suffered from being too pretty! Maybe people didn't take her seriously enough - after all, being so gorgeous and glamorous might have made people think she attained her career the easy way. For me, she is a great singer - not one of the greatest - but definitely first rate in the repertoire for which she is famous.
cantorandopera 2 years ago 7
Yes, we still have that problem nowadays: people dismiss beautiful talented women perhaps because they're too gifted to be believed. Della Casa - as her frequent partner Gueden - show we can have amazingly beautiful and charming women who definitely pass to History as great artists. It's just that it's sometimes difficult for people to look at a Della Casa and perceive she had so few flaws: perfect technique, extremely natural vocal production, charm, presence, depth and unlaboured artistry.
Homoclassicus 2 years ago
@cantorandopera It is hard to believe any such negative commentary ever existed. And i beg to disagree with you in turn that she is "not one of the greatest", and so do many who worked with her, critics at large and other experts. One set designer said: "She was perhaps the greatest and noblest prima donna, with one of the most beautiful voices and certainly the most beautiful person." I couldn't argue with that. Sublimely beautiful, never pretty.
mckavitt 1 year ago
@mckavitt Re "Greatest " - who are we to judge anyway? Glad you are a fan - because so am I . . . maybe my comments were a little misunderstood, or not clearly expressed. Rowna
cantorandopera 1 year ago
@cantorandopera Well, as an opera critic, i am asked to judge on a pretty regular basis. But what shook me about your remarks was that i had never heard anything not stellar about her. Look at Homoclassicus just up above who said: "It's just that it's sometimes difficult for people to look at a Della Casa and perceive she had so few flaws: perfect technique, extremely natural vocal production, charm, presence, depth and unlaboured artistry." Typical remark about LDC. No offense!
mckavitt 1 year ago
@cantorandopera If you are a fan, and i'm glad you are, then i'm a fanatic (the origin of the word fan, right?) and have been since i was about 20, when i first discovered her. I know much more about her now that the doco has been on television, but i've always collected everything i could get my hands on and my ears around. You too, i guess. No harm meant. And Homoclassicus is now BELOW us here, not ABOVE as s/he was at the time of the writing. You can join my THELISADELLAFANCLUB on fb..?
mckavitt 1 year ago
I know I'm probably in a minority of one when I say that George London never seemed right to me as Mandryka; he is completely outclassed by his leading lady here. Also, to hear how sublime the orcehstral postluide can be, listen to what Lovro Von Matacic does with the Philharmonia Orch. in the Schwarzkopf Excerpts; sublime! Solti has no feeling for this music, none whatsoever!
billyguns2 2 years ago 2
@billyguns2 This is not George London! The singer is Paul Schöffler!
Addiobelpassato 9 months ago
@Addiobelpassato Thanks for the clarification!
billyguns2 9 months ago
No doubt Strauss' Arabella was Lisa della Casa's greatest role, and the quality of her voice and singing lent itself best to the music of Strauss. I personally find her a great Mozart singer as well, whatever reservations Steane might have. I must also disagree when you say she was "never an interesting artist." As podkivanok states: "she let the music speak, without putting herself into the foreground." That is, she was not an operatic star; when she portrayed a role, she became the character.
meltzerboy 2 years ago 3
@meltzerboy Boy, do you and i agree! Uninteresting? Della Casa?? She was everything but that! She left the operatic stage over 40 years ago (for personal reasons--family) and we are still talking about her. And she had the courage to let the world see her again after this huge hiatus--that's integrity, not holding onto any image. But she is still beautiful!
mckavitt 1 year ago
I continue to be surprised at the number of votes these singers get, who I have never heard of or only just barely. :P
ShawDAMAN 2 years ago
@ShawDAMAN Well, either you're 5 years old or not up on things--past, maybe?
mckavitt 1 year ago
@mckavitt no need to be insulting ;p
ShawDAMAN 1 year ago
@ShawDAMAN I didn't mean to be at all, just a little kidding. But it is true that if you have never heard of some of these 5-star singers, then you are either too young and/or not up on singers of the past. It's just logical, sorry if i hurt your feelings. Maybe your comment did mine too. Think nothing more about it.
mckavitt 1 year ago
@mckavitt lol no problem; I am aware that there are great singers I am not overly familiar with and I am somewhat young, but the point of my original comment was just that I was surprised that some of these lesser known singers (outside the comparatively small opera enthusiast set) got a considerable number of votes, on a pretty small project. Even this video after a year has only 1400 views (a speck by youtube standards, haha.) no biggie ;-D
ShawDAMAN 1 year ago
@ShawDAMAN Oh, i see. But these who get the big votes but not a lot of views, are nonethless singers who continue to wow as they did when in their heyday or ALIVE:) We make as much if not more of singers today, even if they are not up to those who preceded them. Don't get me wrong, tho', there are plenty of really good and beautiful ones at the top today. It's just that a Della Casa is a once in a lifetime, in a century! singer and when even youngsters hear her, they are wowed.
mckavitt 1 year ago
Here I can't agree with you. She was the singer of highest culture. She let the music speak, without putting herself into the foreground - and the music sounds perfectly! Yes, her coolness and aristocratism are not for everybody, but I love this kind of artists. It is good, that there are different singers.
Btw, you have chosen not the best photo %))
podkivanok 2 years ago 4
@podkivanok Yes, that coolness just kept them coming on hotter and hotter. She wasn't called "poetry on stage" for nothing. And what's to complain of being aristocratic? She was, believe me, and still is a noble personality. See the docofilm made to celebrate her 90th birthday.
mckavitt 1 year ago
Was ist mehr zu sagen zu Frau Della Casa als Mike tat? Auch mich hat sie künstlerisch nicht berührt. Schlimmer, ihre Stimme hat mich nicht gepackt. Was kann es aber negativeres geben, als wenn man sagt, eine Stimme lässt einen kalt? Aber vielleicht rührt es auch daher, dass ich kein Strauss Liebhaber bin. Für mich ist sie jedenfalls überbewertet, aber wie immer, meine subjektive Meinung! Nicht mehr, aber auch nicht weniger! Andere sind gewiss anderer Meinung!
tenorvoicefan 2 years ago