Maria Callas - Ah! Crudel! (Parsifal)

Amazing scene from Wagner's Parsifal, act 2. Kundry is an interesting role, written for the mezzo/contralto Marienne Brant who was also able to sing dramatic soprano, and had a vocal range from low G to high D, and was a pupil of the great Pauline Viardot. The role of Kundry requires a strong low register but also a resilient upper register, with a tessitura so widely shifting than in some productions it has been performed by two different singers on stage! The fantastic range of Kundry is low Ab to high B.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• maria
• callas
• wagner
• parsifal
• kundry
• assoluta
• pauline
• viardot
• marianne
• brandt
• dramatic
• soprano
• mezzo
• contralto
• Grausamer
• Führst
• du
• im
• Herzen

[LohengrinT]

Vocal writing of extreme difficulty

[primohomme]

Extremely, in one measure she has a held high B and a couple of measures later she has a low A-flat that must be delivered with weight.

[kgarmaker123]

@LohengrinT I think so too.. its all over the map.. However, why do you think Callas did not think it so difficult.. She remarked that Wagnerian music was not so difficult to sing, certainly not at the same level as Bellini Donizetti and Verdi.

[primohomme]

@kgarmaker123

Perhaps because though it has an intricate vocal line and a huge vocal range, it does not require other elements such as the refined legato needed for Bellini and the heroic coloratura which is called for in Norma and Anna Bolena.

[njmezzo]

THIS is the Callas voice the way nature intended it. Absolutely stunning. Thank you for posting.

[waelse1]

Really enjoy Parsifal but have never gotten around to getting the Italian recording with Callas. thanks!

[Lirico96]

Italian Wagner .... brrrr

Love Callas

[raigekimaru]

@kgarmaker123

I can see why she would say that. Wagner is very straightforward. you pretty much just throw yourself at it (and most singers can't even do this correctly). of course, if you don't have the vocal weight for it (as most Wagner singers definitely don't) it just doesn't work. it's a shame Callas had to loose all that weight and the support that came with it

[augustovalenca]

... pure genius!

[WolfgangEllenberger]

look for the libretto and read with it to enhance the Wagnerian emotions:

wagneroperas . com / indexparsifallibretto . h t m l (cancel spaces)

search for:

Kundry

(in hoechster Leidenschaft)

Grausamer!

Fuehlst du im Herzen

nur and'rer Schmerzen,

so fuehle jetzt auch die meinen!

[danawinsor]

Thank you so much for posting this. It is a revelation. In addition to all the comments already posted vis a vis the role of Kundry & it's challenges, it blows my mind when I remember that Callas was in her late 20s when this was performed. To me, Callas is the perfect Kundry, Italian notwithstanding. Even the screams are delightful IMHO.

[Paddy818]

Not just a brilliant singer but musician as well. One of a kind!

[LohengrinT]

@kgarmaker123

Kundry is an exception to the usual Wagnerian roles that is why they offered it to Callas so soon. Very difficult role both in terms of range and vocal line