Magda Olivero sings from Adriana - 1958 - LIVE VIDEO!

The ending of "Io son l'umille ancella" from "Adriana Lecouvreur" sung by the amazing Magda Olivero - who could still sing the aria just as well in 1993 (found elsewhere on YouTube). Or, for that matter, in 2009 (also on YouTube).

This clip is from the RAI TV show "Il Musichiere". Magda is in the foreground singing while Toti dal Monte is in the background with a mask over her face - apparently having the correctly identify the singer, the aria, and the opera. Needless to say, Ms. dal Monte has no trouble IDing La Magda!

Make special notice of her trademark - the third to last note starting out with a thread of sound and swelling to forte over a very perfectly paced (and extraordinarily long) period of time. This exciting way of ending the aria is not actually written into the score. It was something Magda did in rehearsals. Cilea, hearing it, told her - "Ah, now my aria has a real ending!"

Does anyone have this full clip????? Something tells me more and more of this marvelous woman will continue to surface...

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Opera
• Magda Olivero
• Adriana Lecouvreur
• Ancella

[ididete]

@neneorganico No. I never said Nillsson was jealous. I said YOU are jealous of Dimitrova's voice. Let's be honest. Opera listeners are usually opera wanna-be's. And, if you are born with a small voice, for example, with a tiny, insignificant, screamy lyrico voice, you will, of course, say such bullshit, as you do, that Dimitrova's voice was ugly-- which it was not. Her voice was just too HUGE for the incompetent, FRIGID, sexually impaired ears of recording companies. And yours too

[neneorganico]

@ididete Ghena Dimitrova's voice sounds like an open can of tomatoes , and she is a woman without any charisma, did you notice that ? Watch any of her youtube concerts, she seems a singer who comes to sing with her teacher and she looks like a russian soldier

[ididete]

@neneorganico oh I see, you are the nillson lover. Sorry to tell you. She was UGLY, FRIGID and her voice was UNPLEASANT, screamy and without any kind of warmth and expression. Dimitrova at least had the warmth in her voice and interpretation. I also bet Nillsson never had sex in her whole life, because she is so FRIGID.

[neneorganico]

@northwestpaw Ghena Dimitrova can never be included among the leading sopranos of the XX century, I am sorry if you like her but she was not so great.Any comparison between Dimitrova and Nilsson or any of the greatest is very ridiculous.

It is not only a matter of "metalic" sound, no, In Dimitrova's case she lacked perfection, her high notes are screamy and have unpleasant sheep vibrato on top and as an artist she was little imaginative and she was not a refined singer at all !

[Bigman240]

@neneorganico I disagree. Her vibrato was annoying and her pitch wasn't always perfect. This is not beautiful. Perhaps her technique wasn't that great. Maybe she was simply gifted with longevity and perseverance.

[operaflorence]

yes please post the whole documentary this is very important for art...every single word that this lady can tell!

[GermanOperaSinger]

One year from then she would make a major breakthrough in her comeback career - as Adriana in a production with Corelli and Simionato. This seems to be a guessing game where the blindfolded lady is supposed to figure out who is singing? Anyways, great clip - the living legend turned 101 on 25 March!

[violetavalery]

wonderful magnifiscent excellent!!!!!!!!!

[MariaCallasLegend]

Magda is always amazing!Could you please post the whole documentary?Magda is going to close 101 in 6 days!