Beverly Sills - Roberto Devereux - Final aria

[godivapaw]

I listen to this and I cry! I miss her so much!!!

[lopezbon513]

She is The Regina for all times. This is the superb recording from Wolff Trap, a must have video.

[TheJakenatorr]

i am related to the person who this opera was about. Robert the 2nd earl of essex.

[Tenortalker]

She was staggeringly good - New York you were fortunate to be able to witness live so many of this artist's greatest achievements. She knew her voice inside out and put it at the service of Donizetti. A great dramatic performance vehiculed through the voice , gesture and musical phrasing.

[mmbriggs]

there is one uncharacteristic moment here, where sills does step out of character and seems almost mortal! she did this role art wolf trap because she wanted to have a full video and audio record of it through the pbs live broadcast, and she seems determined to nail the last high note, which she does, but she prepares for it, by pacing her breathing and licking her lips. sills could at times, lose support by not taking the time to breathe deeply enough and here she makes sure its not the case

[giant469]

Beverly Sills is second to nobody in this role. She could have shared the throne with Callas, had the latter decided to sing Elisabeth.

[Jakopsohn]

The best Donizetti soprano EVER!! Yes Gruberova is pretty good, Sutherland was amazing, but Sills is unbeatable here! Her coloratura is so much faster, secure and better than anyones. How can anyone say that this is too much for her vocally? That's crap!! Just like Nilsson, Sills had the ability to project her voice out, and through the thickest orchestral sound. Incredible! she was the fastest voice alive acording to thomas schippers ;)

[jmuslvr]

Sills was magnificent. This role and her Violetta both still send chills down my spine. She was the greatest actress that I have ever seen on the operatic stage, and I have seen plenty. Brava, Beverly. And thank you.

[mongemark]

la Sills è molto brava come espressione e in alcuni momenti è elettrizzante, ma non è vero drammatico d'agilità e qui trovo la Gencer superiore a tutte, anche alla Caballè...la Gruberova neanche esiste per me...e come outsider citerei la Kabaivanska

[bbmt7dh7]

This is one of my favorite moments in operatic history.

The ending is truly spectactular.

She's just amazing.

[amlirco]

Queens do not cry. For me this aria is not about autocommisaration but a merciless insight about the fate of a sovereign. To my mind, Sills barely touches that dimension.

[direttore2007]

Sills was always at her best when she did not had to sing roles like "Rosina"...Her Mary Stuart, her Anna Bolena and her Elizabeth in Roberto Devereux belonged to the absolutely highlights in performing what Donizetti heroes s h o u l d b e!!! Brava, brava, brava!!!

[yglofmi]

Vocally this scene is too much for her but the interpretation is splendid.

[Drelnis]

I agree, her interpretation is stunning, just what I expect from Sills, being so famous for Donizetti queens (initially I thought the way Gruberova does it is ideal for the scene, until I saw Sill's). As I was watching the video I really felt sorry for her, or any soprano tackling it, in fact, the melody line is torturous! And to top that with a long D is just stunning :)

[rrgallo]

Fantastic

[yodavidnavarro]

Greatness! Her voice is one of the best voices ever. And her acting is Oscar deserving...

[Iareto]

Sills is incredible here. This is one of the best dramatic and vocal performances I've ever heard given in opera. That said, Gruberova is also a fine singer. Just because someone trashes Sills doesn't mean the answer is to trash Gruberova. They're both wonderful in some things and not so great in others. All singers are good at things and bad at others. To say Gruberova is terrible is just ridiculous. She's paid a crapload of money around the world to be just flat-out terrible as you say.

[oden60]

Quanti blablabla...da "saccenti" critici da strapazzo. Questa Sills giudicata eccessiva, baraccona e con troppi "birignano" in questo ruolo, e non solo, rimarrà nella storia della lirica...anche fra cent'anni.

G.B. Beverly

[robertleicester]

To say all critics are failed singer just because they said things you don't like is nonsense. Jürgen Kesting and Andre Tubeuf (famous german and french critics) said the same things about Sills. Gruberova is a dramatic-coloratura and Sills a "Soubrette" - thats the truth. Gruberova is singing Roberto now since 20 years and had a career which until today lasts 40(!)years! In her Prague recital a few days ago she sang a full troated high f''' in the aria of Linda di Chamounix (she is 62!)

[BeauTenor]

For the record, although Grubi sings the roles, a dramatic coloratura she is NOT. Singers like Sutherland, Moser, and Devia are true dramatic coloraturas. Listen to Grubi singing Norma, as an example. She sounds TOTALLY out of place, and too light for the role. On top of that, Grubi's habits (such as clipping the ends of phrases) have only magnified as she's aged. She may be 62, but she SOUNDS 62. She never had a legato line or really great phrasing. Who cares if she pops out an F?

[operamusicbuff]

you're full of shit. selective listening. Cutting ends short? deaf as a post.

[BeauTenor]

Oh really? So you think that Grubi has an unimpeachable legato line to her singing? On what planet? Maybe you're the one who needs a hearing test. Listen to Price, or Sutherland, or Caballe, or Sills. All had great legato lines, and a perfect sense of the tension and expansion in a phrase that Grubi has never had. They all took the phrase to the END, instead of clipping it a half beat early. I don't listen selectively. I even criticize singers I love. Your comment just makes you look stupid.

[operamusicbuff]

Never had expansion or tension? Sutherland - no dynamic variation, horrible diction, no well-bound legati. Sills - wobbly, tremolo, fake chest, fake trill, no bloom to upper notes. Caballe - no top, no trill, falsettoed pianissimi. Price - swoopy, droopy and hooty.

As I say, deaf as a selective post.

[BeauTenor]

That's the dumbest fucking thing I ever heard. Joan- GREAT dynamic variation, better diction than generally credited, and great legato (and a top that didn't quit; far better in her 60's than the thin, slidy squeal that Grubi is producing these days). Sills had technique to BURN, great chest for a voice of her type, and was a better actress than anyone but Callas. Caballe had mind boggling breath control, a true PP (that falsetto crap is bullshit since women don't have real falsetto), and a top

[BeauTenor]

that, while less impressive than Joan, was still quite beautiful in her prime. And swoopy droopy and hooty? That's just ignorant of how TRULY great Price really was (far more gifted than poor dear sad old Grubi). Price had gorgeous legato, a shining, shimmering top, a unique smoky timbre, and in general the most OPULENT voice around. They were all one of a kind, no matter what you may think. They are IRREPLACEABLE. I doubt anyone will say that about Gruuuuubi in 50 years.

[operamusicbuff]

ok, you show me an example of Sutherland singing a true, floated pianissimo, a tight, well-bound legato. Sills a great actress? A ham. Awful imitation of Bette Davis here. Price in later years was the swoopiest singer around. Caballe was a sloppy coloratura singer. No matter what you may think, your opinions are that, not fact. For every demerit you place on a singer you dislike, one can find demerits of the ones YOU like.

[operamusicbuff]

What's apparent, chump, is that you're biased, and know nothing about singing. I like all the ladies you worship, and your trashing of Gruberova, a great artist, you'd better be prepared for a return response. Trash begets trash.

[BeauTenor]

Biased? You bet I am, as is EVERYONE who loves opera. It's subjective, like any art form. And as far as fact vs. opinions, everything we've BOTH said is an opinion. You like who you like. I was simply responding to your elegant "full of shit" post. I know plenty about singing. Fact is that all singers have problems and strengths, Gruberova included. In any art form you can't really speak in absolutes because there's no such thing. The debate is fun though...cheers.

[leonardovittori1]

@BeauTenor I would agree with you 100% about Sills. But I beg to differ on Sutherland and Caballe.. Maybe you can understand Joan, but for most of her operatic careeer, diction was secondary to tone, and.. frankly, it made her interpretations, rather boring, apart from the pyrotechnics.. Caballe, definitely had a falsetto and the use of it, hurt her voice in the end.. She was unable to connect the two of them through crescendos and decrescendos.

[ChrisStockslager]

@BeauTenor I agree on all counts!

[petelovesbevsills]

Who cares about Kestring or Tubehof? Its Sargeant Bender and Saal that matter. did anyone in the audience in Prague,that is assuming they hadn't fallen asleep,count how many notes she swept up to to hit the high F?

[spsp2sp3sp3dsp3d2]

Sills had a poor voice? Let's not be silly. I enjoy both Gruberova and Sills in this role, but I admit they're worlds apart.

[robertleicester]

I'm sure she was a good actress, but the voice itselfs is so thin, white and has no good projection.Gruberova also has a voice with no much volume, but she could sing louder than every singer in the world (even than wagner-singers), because the has penetrating power, which rests on the right technic.Read the article of John B.Steane (one of the greatest critiques)about Sills: He says that there was never a singer with such a poor voice, who nevertheless had such sucess.....

[BeauTenor]

If you seriously think that Grubi is louder than, say Jones, or Nilsson, or other celebrated wagnerians, you should rethink that, because you are incorrect. Grubi may have carry, but the voice is NOT what you would call big by any standard. As far as Steane's review if Sills, it's well known that most critics are bitter failed singers. Sills had great technique and a great voice. What hurt her was the heavier repertoire (like Devereaux, which she said shortened her career by several years).

[bjorlingfan]

Which goes to show just how idiotic this Steane character was! Sounds like he was doing a self crit... such a poor critic with a band of followers! I'm willing to bet that Bev burst out laughing when she read his comment!

[robertleicester]

Beverly Sills is a dwarf compared to Edita Gruberoas unbelivable singing and acting. Her voice is so much bigger and brighter. Youst compare the final high D'''!

[BeauTenor]

Bull. Sills was unbelivably good as the 3 queens. Listen to her great legato line without Grubi's annoying habit of cutting phrases short. On top of that, VERY FEW singers could equal her dramatic abilities. Sills KNEW her voice was lighter than ideal for the role, but she was successful on a level that arguably no one else has reached. This role is not strictly voice. there's SO much more to it than that.

[petelovesbevsills]

Bigger Better Brighter Cleaner and of course 1005 forgettable! Edita Gruberova is still hoping that she could hit a high D fair and square! The biggest nightmare in music is listening to her slide her way up the scale until she finally arrives at the note. UGH! Gruberova could ACT too? Who cares??

[BeauTenor]

Yup...Gruuuuuubi and Renaaaaaaay. It's like a slip & slide on crack.

[petelovesbevsills]

Wrong! the biggest nightmare is still listening to that Gruberova woman slip and slide in an effort to try to hit her high notes.Very badly too. If you are such a hot diggerty dog big deal, as your name seems to imply, you should know that Gruberova's earnings were Sill's petty cash.That "guppy" certainly earned a "whale" of cash.

[Iareto]

That's really unfortunate that you have to resort to tearing another artist down to defend your favorite. I love Sills AND Gruberova. They're BOTH amazing. Gruberova is still singing well today (better than some other sopranos who are starring at the MET currently at any rate). Gruberova's technique is just different. Might I remind you that Gruberova performed in many more places than Sills, who wanted to stay in America whenever she could. Different, not better (or worse).

[petelovesbevsills]

I am griefstricken to have to inform you that I do not share your love of Gruberova. I am delighted that you love Beverly AND Gruberova. Try as I might, I am never going to like the Germanic way of scooping ond drooping up and down to reach her notes! I make a point of not commenting on Gruberova's sites. When somone like operamusicbuff decides they are ill mannered enough to insult Beverly on a Sills site I shall always return the compliment instantly and without hesitation.

[BeauTenor]

Every time I see this I think I've seen something really amazing and unique. NO ONE inhabited this role like Sills. Yes, the voice was a little light for the role, but she somehow made it work.

[leonardovittori1]

@BeauTenor I think Beverly Sills made her voice work for this role, because she really paid attention to every nuance of music and language, and.. she could handle the tessitura of this role, and add top notes that made climaxes more dramatic.