Virginia Zeani & Oda Slobodskaya - Two Magnificent Sopranos

Oda Slobodskaya and Virginia Zeani, a longer tribute to two of the finest singers every to have graced the operatic stage, who were grievously neglected by the major recording companies. Only two tracks of Zeani and none at all of Slobodskaya have been re-released on CD and their singing was in danger of being totally lost. Thanks to YouTube and independent recordings made from radio transmissions, their wonderful work can again be placed before the public.

They were both schooled in the singing tradition from the time of Rossini. Manuel Garcia was one of Rossini's tenors and his three children, Manuel Garcia II, Maria Malibran and Pauline Viardot Garcia were all singers. Pauline Viardot went to Russia and taught with great success for many years. Two of her pupils were Natalia Iretskaya and Lydia Lipkowska and they taught Oda Slobodskaya and Virginia Zeani.

Hearing them together there are clear similarities. Their voices, though highly individual, display a rock steady technique. They have both clarity and warmth, together with exceptionally clear articulation, and this enables them to phrase and interpret most expressively and to convey great passion without strain.

This video is part of the SLOBODSKAYA - ZEANI PROJECT and there will be more postings to come.

1 Tatiana's Letter Scene from Euguene Onegin - opening
2 The Willow Song from Otello by Rossini - opening
3 The Dreary Steppe, a song by Gretchaninov [Everywhere is gloomy, there are no flowers, no birds sing. Then you suddenly come into my mind. The desert starts to bloom and the sky is filled with stars]
4 Thais - "Dis moi que je suis belle eternellement" - ending
5 "Sempre libera" - ending

Reposted due to a small error in the titling.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Zeani
• Slobodskaya
• Opera
• Sopranos
• Verdi
• Tchaikovsky
• Massenet
• Pauline
• VIardot
• Maria
• Malibran
• Lydia
• Lipkowska
• Natalia
• Iretskaya

[CharlotteinWeimar]

Your comments make it so worthwhile. Thank you!

[CharlotteinWeimar]

This video is been reposted

It had f a 5 star rating and these comments

marighim2008

Superbe!!*****

3551933

Good video work...

7inga7 Wow! Awesome! Thank you!

augustovalenca thank you ever so much for posting these wonderful excerpts. what a joy to hear great music greatly sung!

paulostroff99 Glorious! Directly to my favourites! Brava! TY.

augustovalenca western labels have indeed ignored slobodskaya, zeani and many others, which is a shame

[FRANKHODGES39]

Fantastic!-Thanks

[Tenorboy29307]

So incredibly wonderful to have this here!

[Dobrib]

Thanks for posting this precious gem.

[MultiSORDO]

Mas, mas!!

[dodi132]

Oh, she just makes your heart hurt!

[basenjidiva]

Two fabulous divas! What a delicacy! Like having caviar for breakfast! Now, there's nothing left for dinner or supper!!!

Thank you, CharlotteinWeimar, for this awesome treat. As usual, you have outstanding taste! Brava, CharlotteinWeimar! Brava!

[Heraopera]

Thanks for sending me the nice message! GRAZIE!

this is opera........ BRAAAAVA

[paulostroff99]

Superb would be a sad understatement. The first (#1),and the last (#5)-are 2 of my all time favourite soprano performances of all time. TY C.for coupling these 2 gems.

[7inga7]

Simply breathtaking - just beautiful!

[brodsky96]

this is really great, "Charlotte"!!!! ... I very much value your aim to preserve really great tradition of singing by giving us some great and rare examples.... I have to remeber Joseph Brodsky, that genial russian essayist, who once said that the past is more intereseting than the future.... greetings to you, "Charlotte"!