Eleanor Steber - "Depuis le jour" from Charpentier's "Louise"

Click for higher quality audio/video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UvBwK...

Eleanor Steber sings "Depuis le jour" from Charpentier's "Louise." This was recorded in 1947 with The Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Walter Susskind.

I read something rather interesting about Steber and this recording so decided to post both; "While known as an artist of the highest standards, Steber also developed a reputation for high living off the operatic stage.. In a well-known story, following a brilliant success in 1946 as the Countess in Mozart's "Le nozze di Figaro" at the Edinburgh Festival, HMV Records engaged her to record some Mozart and other popular arias. By the account of Walter Susskind, the conductor of both the Edinburgh performances and the proposed recordings, she arrived at the Abbey Road Studios not feeling well, having been up most of the night. She could not sing her standard arias, saying "I dont feel like singing that." Susskind, trying to save the recording session, asked, "What do you feel like singing?" Steber thought for a moment and said, "Let's try 'Depuis le jour'." Orchestra parts were found and the disc was cut in one take. It became a famous recording of the aria from "Louise," revealing a superb lyrical vocal line and an eloquent interpretation."

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[AulicExclusiva]

Wonderful! I've always felt this performance to be outstanding—the orchestral accompaniment under Susskind is superb—even if one finds that Steber does sound a little under the weather. She sings with great warmth and passion.

[GylchrisSprauve]

We should celebrate her artistry more. It's a shame that Eleanor Steber still isn't a household name among younger generations of American singers. I'm gonna do my part. Wow...absolutely terrific. Thanks for posting!

[MrToscarpia]

Grande, grande dame !

[BEVER29]

Un chant soulevé et coloré, charnu et inspiré... Classe absolue!

[Tenortalker]

Her repertoire was huge and sung with great accomplishment. Clearly she worked very hard indeed to maintain her career. Her final recitals show a singer who sounds 15 years younger than she actually was. She simply could not have faked that. Even if she did enjoy a lot of partying to get over her nerves/ depression and was roundly criticized, did they really expect her to live like a hermit for the sake of her art?

She merits her place as one of the greatest sopranos . A Legend!

[Gillian Swain]

I agree that this could be the difinitive performance of this very difficult aria. What a gorgeous pianissimo at the end and the rest of the aria full of emotion.

[MrToscarpia]

La très grande classe, comme toujours avec Mme Steber !

[assindiastignani]

It's true, Steber did drink a bit too much sometimes (unhappy private life, bad marriage to a terrible person) but her main problem was severe and vocally crippling asthma (often, but not always brought on by nerves and stress) which when it struck made it impossible for her to keep commitments. Her main problem at the MET was that Rudolf Bing just didn't like her - for whatever reasons - and was more interested in promoting certain European artists in her repertory.

[intelegentable]

Brava Diva! Steber was a lady who liked a good time. It was part of the reason she had problems at the Met.Her talent was never in question her ability was undeniable.The woman could sing like a Goddess.However her discipline and work ethic was an issue and mounting huge new productions around her was deemed risky and rarely done. She is a phenomenal singer in hindsight her work stands far above most artist at the met at the time she was.

[Matthew Mosca]

Sublime performance by a great American artist! And the orchestral accompanyment is superb, how Susskind illuminates the inner voices and the flawless way Charpentier has orchestrated this glorious aria! thank you!

[Sairaman Nagarajan]

This has since grown on me! I believe this might be the definitive rendering of this aria; under the weather or not.

What incredible pianissimo she has! and that flawless full voiced vibrato, dear lord in heaven. *shudders*

[Sairaman Nagarajan]

This was perfection. Her diction is unsurpassed! Good lord; did she live in France?