Joan Sutherland - Lakme - Bell Song (1967)

In the early 1960s, the Australian soprano Joan Sutherland emerged as an opera star of the first magnitude, setting new standards of vocal excellence in the bel canto repertoire that have yet to be matched. Fortunately, Miss Sutherland's American career included numerous television appearances. The earliest of these telecasts marked Miss Sutherland's American television debut, less than a month after her New York debut (in a concert performance of Bellini's Beatrice di Tenda) and well before her Metropolitan Opera debut (as Lucia, on November 26, 1961). Here she sings the Bell Song from Delibes Lakme.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Joan Sutherland
• Delibes
• Lakme
• Richard Bonynge
• Dame Joan
• Bonynge
• Bell Song
• Lakmé
• Opera
• High Notes
• Top Notes

[bellini7verdi]

a los 20 años crei que soñaba cuando oia esto...a los 30 pense que los sueños se hacian realidad...oyendo esto....a los 40 pense ..que la realidad se me escapaba....a los 50 pienso que la realidad es superior a la ficcion......su voz era ..........un caudal inmenso de fuerza dificil de tragar por cualquier pensamiento....es de manera sublime bella y celestial....

[Espritsdelair]

@bellini7verdi Definitivamente la voz sublime del siglo 20:)

Gracias por tu comentario.

[dendodd2]

In 1967 I saw Sutherland sing this aria on stage and was so impressed by her spiky accuracy. It is something that has stayed clearly in my memory all these years. In her later assay of the role in Australia, her rendition of this aria was, by comparison, a disappointment. No one is always perfect, but Dame Joan came pretty close...

[Espritsdelair]

@magicmonkichi I will try and confirm this for you. That would be a challenge! :)

[magicmonkichi]

@Espritsdelair

Oh snap my bad....Was she doing Lakme at all when she was pregnant? For some reason i think I remember somethingabout her singing the bell song pregnant.

[Espritsdelair]

@magicmonkichi Oh dear - what would Dame Joan say - Adam (her only child) was born in 1956 lol

[magicmonkichi]

@CaptFitzbattleaxe

I maybe totally wrong but I believe she was also "fairly pregnant" at this time was well ^_^. Sutherland always had incredable stability.

[Espritsdelair]

@CaptFitzbattleaxe I didn't know that that! I would so love to have been there to experience some of these sessions *sigh* Do you know where they sourced the set? Awesome!! :)

[CaptFitzbattleaxe]

Apparently, they had to film this a half dozen times before the camera work and choreography worked together. Imagine having to sing the Bell Song more than twice in a row, let alone six or seven!