Joan Sutherland - Possente Fthà 'Aida'

A very young Joan Sutherland sings the role of the Priestess from Verdi's Aida. Maria Callas was Aida, Kurt Baum was Radamès and Amneris was Giulietta Simionatto. Covent Garden, 1953

Category:

Music

Tags:

• joan
• sutherland
• verdi
• aida
• opera
• music
• covent
• garden
• classical

[DazFromOz]

boy, this is one out of the vaults... never thought I'd get to hear this. One of my favourite bits of Aida too. Thanks for the treat!!

[lahire22]

first class soprano Stich-Randall sung this part also//

[christiaandhooghe]

@Lohengrin This years she also sung Brangane in Tristan und Isolde...so she could have sung Adalgisa.

[pointemeout]

the thought of she and maria in the same performance. damn that was one lucky audience. go joan! and rest in peace with maria love.

[alithecrab]

@vergoti20 A recording of any of those early Aidas would be a very valuable collectors' item indeed. The same of her early run of Otello. There's the "Mia madre aveva una povera ancella" from The Art of the Prima Donna and the love duet with Pavarotti (quite) a few years later, but wouldn't you just love to hear the young Sutherland sing the Ave Maria, or "Gia nella notte densa"? :)

[alithecrab]

@Lohengrin She definitely *could* have. But why would Covent Garden employ a relative unknown as Adalgisa for the Royal Opera debut of Callas' Norma, when Ebe Stignani was, evidently, available? Also, think what Mme. Callas may have had to say on the appointment ;) Agreed, this is luxury casting for the sacerdotessa, for which I am very thankful. The same again for her Opera Australia Elettra :)

[Homoclassicus]

@vergoti20 I think she sang Aida till 1955. She didn't sing the part only one time, but I guess about 20-25 times in London and, as far as I remember, in other city (or cities) of UK in tour performances. I read in an article about her early career she received excellent reviews for her interpretation of the role.

[spiritenorp]

vergoti...was that Aida recorded?

[vergoti20]

Joan Sutherland could sing whatever she wished.She should had crowned her career in her 1989/90 with Aida in her farewell .A pity Joan only sang Aida role in 1953 or 54 season at Covent Garden only one time (no matter is was in english), she should have sung Aida more times in her career

[33blueberries]

'52 was Sutherland's first season at the Garden, so the part of Adalgisa would've been well and truly cast long before Sutherland was on the scene.

[Y2H]

The only part that sounds egyptian in the whole opera.

[rockgor]

I think you're right. I read the first Adalgisa was a soprano.

About 40 years ago RCA recorded an AIDA for the book of the month club. Lucine Amara was the Aida. The priestess was an Armenian: Shakeh Vartenissian. She later recorded the soprano part in Verdi's Requiem w/ Tullio Serafin.

T Y 4 posting, L. Armide