Caballé on breathing

The great Montserat Caballé demonstrates the proper breathing coordination for singing in the end of the video. Notice that she has the students lay on their backs and breathe in while lifting the weight up and keeping it there. That is to try and engage the inspiratory muscles and keep them engaged the whole time they are singing. As Rosa Ponselle stated, "Always push out with the stomach and abdomen during the whole phrase, *not* in."

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Montserat
• Caballé
• bel
• canto
• breathing
• opera
• aria
• lyric
• spinto
• dramatic
• coloratura
• puccini
• verdi

[calaftheeast]

Love the fact that the whole video dismisses Sutherland, yet Norma belonged to Sutherland since neither Callas or Caballe could sing it as high as La Stupenda did. The way Norma wads supposed to be sung. Caballe was a strong substitute. She sounded like a mother who could not bear to kill the kids, because she always sounded matronly.

[MrCafiero]

@calaftheeast What? CALLAS owned Norma and always will. HIGHER? What are you talking about? Callas had high E naturals in her prime.

[calaftheeast]

@MrCafiero

Sutherland always sang the role in its original keys. Something both Callas and Caballe could not even dream of doing.

Callas's high notes were almost always ugly and forced. Great acting, ugly sound. Caballe just did not have a large enough voice to work with. She sung the role, because of her name. She herself did not think her voice was enough for Norma - and told this to Sutherland after watching her perform one night.

Sutherland is second to none in bel canto.

[MrCafiero]

@calaftheeast You are factually incorrect. Callas sang ALL the coloratura roles in their original keys and also Norma. That is a fact. Your personal taste doesn't matter here. Sutherland's voice was lacking squillo and her vowels were atrocious.

[calaftheeast]

@MrCafiero

No, she actually did not.

Sutherland's voice had the beauty of the line. Its beauty was never compromised with concerns to showcase emotion, because it was big enough to display emotion without the fake crying sounds. Callas on the other hand lost most of the strength after the weight loss, and almost always produced an uglier Norma - but justified it with saying 'it is coloratura, it is emotion'.

Sutherland was no. 1 Norma. Followed by Callas as no. 2, then Caballe.

[MrCafiero]

@calaftheeast Are you daft? Callas sang all the roles in their original keys and also in lower keys. Mezzo keys and high soprano. Get your facts straight.

[MrCafiero]

@calaftheeast In fact, SUTHERLAND herself is the one who begged Cabllé to sing Norma. And Caballé coached Norma with Callas. So I am afraid even Sutherland herself would disagree with you.

[mrluistena]

@calaftheeast well I must admit you are right. Sutherland was just divine for the role of Norma. Regards.

[Ariadne7710]

@calaftheeast You are quite wrong. Sutherland's voice always suffered from a weak lower register and not a particularly good middle. Her technique lacked the musicianship with which to spin a beautiful legato phrase with the right intonations and accents at the correct points which is crucial in belcanto. As for Callas's inability to sing high notes may I recommend you listen to her 1952 Armida. Both for high notes and coloratura like a hurricane.

[Ariadne7710]

@calaftheeast You cannot be serious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is more to singing belcanto than high notes. And if you really want to hear some really amazing high notes right up to A6 or even Bb6 then Ingeborg Hallstein leaves all others dead in her wake. She is THE COLORATURA soprano par excellence. Crystalline clarity, pinpoint accuracy, great legato and the most melodious fast coloratura. Check out her Lakme bell song, "Caro nome" and Mozart's "Vorrei spiegarvi oh Dio" and your jaw will drop

[Ariadne7710]

@MrCafiero He/she is both daft and a Sutherland fanatic who can't judge anything dispassionately. Sutherland's Norma was for the musically ignorant who know nothing. Callas was THE Norma. I know, I saw her at La Scala in earlyJanuary 1956. A Callas performance was a life changing experience! And as you correctly say she sang all her roles in the original keys. Caballe's Norma was an excellent second. Sutherland's Norma was a poor relation. As for Bonynge's conducting the less said the better.

[ea748]

obviously, you also don't own a role because you do all the high notes perfectly. and obviously, a role is never a dead thing to own. it's re-invented every time.

[Maripudelmonaco]

A MI PARECER LA NÚM 1 EN NORMA ES MONSERRAT CABALLÉ,  Y ESTA REPRESENTACIÓN DE ORLEANS LO CERTIFICA,, NIO SE PUEDE ESTAR MÁS SUBLIME.