Joan Sutherland - Donizetti - Maria Stuarda - "Nella pace del mesto riposo" - 1975

Donizetti - Maria Stuarda

Joan Sutherland
Margreta Elkins
Richard Bonynge

Covent Garden, 1975

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Donizetti
• Maria Stuarda
• Joan Sutherland
• Margreta Elkins
• Richard Bonynge
• bel canto
• opera
• cabaletta
• nella pace del mesto riposo
• coloratura
• soprano
• la stupenda
• Covent Garden

[vocalissimo1]

There's no doubt about it - Joan could blow the place apart like no-one else when she reached the stratosphere. Vocal electricity of this magnitude is extremely rare, yet Joan managed to deliver it consistently for four decades. If you think she lost the ability towards the end, then you need only listen to her Paris Lucrezia Borgia from 1989 to dispel any such belief.

[InterpolatingMadman]

I think this has become my favorite video clip of Joan. And that is saying A LOT. Although I would normally question the wisdom of changing keys like that in the middle of the cabaletta, it certainly works here to great effect. And, of course, it provides Sutherland with the opportunity to conclude on a terrific high D instead of a high B-flat. And those runs from low-modal voice straight up to sustained high C's with no breath are just stunning. Yummy!!

[LaBartoliLover]

Please someone post the entire libretto for this aria it would be much appreciated.

[coryisawake]

Truly thrilling singing! In concert, Joan could really concentrate all of her attention to the expression and this prodigious deployment of the music without the worries of stage business.

I wonder if people in the audience realized the phenomenon to which they were lucky to be witness.

[andrebontemp]

Joan Sutherland one of the few singer who could compete with Yma Sumac

biut not on the same field as Yma never sung an opera in extenso only soma arias

[killerbunny123123]

@ChrisStockslager Yeah well...she's been around since late 80s maybe 90's, but she really started shining after 2000. In my channel i have her "Mura Felici" interpretation...she is considered "The Marylin Horne" of now!! You should definetely listen to her Rossini...her Baroque is also astonishingly amazing. :))

[ChrisStockslager]

@killerbunny123123 Agreed once again. :) I'll have to look up Genaux. I haven't heard of her. Is she fairly recent?

[killerbunny123123]

@ChrisStockslager Well...not a gorgeus instrument, reguarding dessay, if you speak of dramaticy in the voice, no she was not...but her coloratura is also unreplacable! But yes... hehe...I guess this is what makes Ladies like Callas and Joan so special... : they are unique! Well....Vivica Genaux is by many looked upon as another great personality of bel canto...personally i do like her a great deal.

[ChrisStockslager]

@killerbunny123123 Well, Gruby was never anything epic in her prime. I think she should retire now. All she does is scoop. :( Dessay has never had a gorgeous instrument, but she did have those insane high notes. But, after not singing correctly for years, she hasn't got much left now. :( Sigh.... No one's amazing at singing Bel Canto anymore...

[killerbunny123123]

@ChrisStockslager Ahhh.....I feel you!! And what about Gruberova? 65 years old and still hitting high Ebs for entire seconds!! I feel the same for Callas and Dessay's voice (eventhough the two of them are, of course, uncomparable)...it's a gorgeus flower that withered all too quickly!!

[ChrisStockslager]

@killerbunny123123 It's so sad how everyone refers to Callas' "later years" -- she wasn't even 40 yet when she stopped singing. Sutherland was doing her best singing in her 40s. :(