Shirley Verrett as Dalila "Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix"

From Saint-Saens Samson et Dalila. BBC Telecast, 1971

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Opera
• Saint-Saens
• Samson
• et
• Dalila
• Shirley
• Verrett

[Onegin65]

@WiseMonkey888 Indeed! I'm devastated. Verrett was an iconic and intensely hot singer, a true artist in every sense of the word. Rest in peace. Awake in glory.

[FeeTurbule]

@Onegin65 She had everything: warmth, strength, gentleness and beauty! Im speechless... Many got technique but no heart... She had everything!

[gwirgalon]

One of the truly greats...and often undervalued for her fulll greatness. Miss her! Also a truly fine human being.....

[ian1856]

God, this is absolutely exquisite singing. She really did have EVERYTHING. Thanks so much for posting it, Onegin65.

[wotancat1]

sin duda, una de las grandes de la centuria, por ejemplo, su Mcbeth con Abbado de deutsche grammophon es una referencia discográfica,

[domi2020]

She screams SEXUAL ALLURE!!! A tiger on heat. Check out the rack on her. Apart from Isola Jones in the Rigoletto quartet- she has the best assets in opera- not a bad thing! Ahem yes...AMAZING performance! Fantastic

[Cantormatis]

@dangmills I think Shirley was very sexy in this role and this performance. She was very attractive!

[dangmills]

@rlee1976 it's a shame Garanca physical beauty doesn't match her vocal beauty. I can't listen to anything she sings without complaining about her lack of emotion. Verrett was one of the few who had everything, looks, technique, vocal beauty, and just the right amount of different colours... though who says physical beauty matters? ;)

[operalament]

i heard in in recital, front row at carnegie hall, she had converted so to speak to soprano and it was a great performanc, but I never really understood why she made the change, If I had to pick a year, I would guess it was around 78. great post. thanks

[ctcrjjs]

God, I just love EVERYTHING she does with her voice, and her singing, acting, interpretation, artistry, etc.!!! She was truly beautiful -- how can anyone not fall in love w/ her? Her technique and voice is just awesome. I dont' want to hear anyone criticizing her. Tell me of any singer of her caliber nowadays? What a gift to the opera world! Thank you!

[mjmacmtenor]

Her complete Dalila performances were recorded later in her career when her shifts in and out of chest voice were more problematic. In this clip (in her 1970s prime), her control of the register change is fantasti!. She is not afraid of using chest voice, but manages to moves through the changes without losing any of the vocal line or legato. Many singers are afraid of using chest voice, but Verret is a master class in how to use all of her vocal registers correctly in a bel canto manner.