Bellini - Capuleti - Rare fragment with Beverly Sills (1968?)

Dear friends,

Thanks to Countertenorbuff it seems we have been able to locate this: might be a rare 1968 (circa) recording of BEVERLY SILLS.

Oh, to have the complete recording on digital format!

Love,
Fla

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Bellini
• Capuleti
• Soprano
• Coloratura
• Leggero
• Acuto
• Beverly
• Sills

[taytaytoo]

The complete 1968 recording of this aria is available now on CD! It's on the 2 disc "Beverly Sills: The Great Recordings" from Deutsche Grammophon. It's also on an English import, a remastering of the original LP: "Bellini & Donizetti Heroines." This disc is from the Millennium Classics label. A live 1968 performance of this aria (with different ornamentation) is included in the Arkadia disc "Opera Arias - Recital - Paris 1971 - Koln 1968." It's also breathtakingly beautiful.

[senesino83]

Thank you so much! :)

[petelovesbevsills]

Sublime perfection at its ultimate best. Yes this certainly IS Beloved Beverly singing from the "Bellini and Donizetti Heroines"Recording.

How I wish that ABC/Dunhill had sat Beverly down in their recording studio and said "sing your heart out" for a month solid, just imagine what we would have been able to listen to today. Beverly's voice was in pristine condition in 1968. Thank you senesino83 for this wonderful clip!

[senesino83]

You are most welcome, Pete! :) Now I really want to get hold of the album! :)

Love,

Flavio

[countertenorbuff]

The singer IS Beverly Sills. Your recording is the second half of Oh! Quante volte. Sills recorded it in June of 1968 (age 39) with the Vienna Volksoper Orchestra and Jussi Jalas conducting. Your clip is probably from around the same period, but I dont think it is from this actual vinyl recording released by ABC records. I would have to play them side by side to tell for sure. Nevertheless, the embellishments are same (written by Roland Gagnon) as the June 1968 recording.

[senesino83]

Thank you SO much, "Countertenorbuff"! I must get the complete recording for sure... THANK YOU! Wow, Beverly was amazing...

Yes, I can hear the overtone thing :) It's fascinating.

Of Beverly I only knew the most famous things (especially the very funny operatic medley with piano :), Traviata, Cleopatra... :)

Thanks again!

[Ronizetti]

Absolute perfection ... and one wonders why I love Sills? It's the liquid voice, the technique and the HEART ~ Brava, Beverly!

[mmbriggs]

aggeed this is an alternate to the pirate concert track that was availabile at the operaphile record store in nyc on 8th street c1968 when it seemed that these pirates were being allowed to help promote sills and such colleagues ass caballe, horne, etc, in promoting the careers, while record company offerings were just begining at sills westminster abc label. the difference here is that the opening takes a higher leap, and it is of course roland gagnon's beautiful and emotional embellishments

[dansingart]

This brought tears to my eyes.

[Paddy818]

Sills had a voice like none other! Remarkably clear and penetrating and best of all instantly recognizable!

[7CALLAS]

THE BEST

[beachman831]

it doesn't get better than this...

[maestrojimbo]

Here's the earlier recording (1967 possibly) of this mesmerizing aria recorded in a German sound studio. Embellishments are different - wonderful, but not as shocking as the Bellini Donizetti Heroines record release later. Enjoy!

[SangpourPlaisir]

Omg this is one of the greatest things i ever heard. I wish you had the whole aria!

[maestrojimbo]

I agree that Sills' O Quante volte is one of the greatest arias to EVER be recorded! Try listening to Caballe's or Freni's version - this aria sounds very ordinary and non-descript by comparison. I used to play the track over and over in the early 70's and still today it affects me strongly.

[DonRolini]

That is DEFINITELY Sills! she used those cadenzas in an early studio recording..no one else sings this song with so much grace!

[beachman831]

this sounds like the Bellini/Donizetti album from 1968. it's phenomenal. the embellishments were written especially for her. I had the great fortune of working at City Opera just before she left...but sadly, I was the only employee NOT to have met her. she was without peer..an exquisite artist.

Thomas Lucia