Maria Callas - Anna Bolena (mad scene pt.1)

The greatest assoluta from the 20th century in one of her defining roles.

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Category:

Music

Tags:

• maria
• callas
• bel
• canto
• diva
• assoluta
• donizetti
• anna
• bolena
• soprano
• mezzo
• contralto
• coloratura

[Swan607]

Gruberova IS the best Bolena.

Though I love Callas , Sutherland and Sills.

I do not like much Netrebko, I'm sorry.

[primohomme]

@Swan607

Gruberova is perhaps one of the worst Anna Bolenas ever

She does not have the range or weight in her voice to sing the role

Her middle is very hollow and her low notes are simply not there

For this role (an Assoluta role) one needs chest voice like a mezzo and high notes like a soprano

Gruberova only has the high notes, that's why she had to change so much of the music to suit her voice because she simply couldn't sing it as written when the music went to the low register

[OperaMystery80]

Primo, what's your opinion on Netrebko currently singing Bolena ? She's sung it in Vienna and now the Met. There are clips of it on Youtube. I think she's terrible. She's totally unsuited to Bolena. She's great in Lucia and Puritani, but Bolena was not for her. Bolena hasn't been sung by a major star in years, so she took a big risk. She's definitely no Callas, no Sutherland or Sills, all 3 who were fabulous Bolena. Netrebko's way out of her league.

[primohomme]

@OperaMystery80

I actually think Sutherland was dreadful as Anna Bolena, she has a nasty wobble in her middle voice and she had to transpose everything to avoid the low dramatic passages and also transpose down the final cabaletta to climax on a high note. And Sills...well, she had the range but she sounds like she is screaming in her middle voice when singing Anna Bolena. For me the ultimate Anna Bolena is Callas, and I think Netrebko did ok sans trills and sans lowest notes.

[serpentineprincess]

@OperaMystery80 I am in total agreement there. I think with her, often her appearance helps her rather than her voice. Perhaps I am too harsh, but, I was not pleased at her rendition of Casta Diva. It's especially apparent if one has heard Sutherland or Callas' rendition of Anna Bolena and other works. It makes me a little worried for the future of opera. :(

[primohomme]

@serpentineprincess

Sutherland's Anna Bolena was quite dreadful, she sang it way past her prime without the required range in the middle and low notes. Maria was and is the best, but overall Anna Netrebko has long since been just "a pretty face" considering she gained quite a bit of weight, and her singing as been improving a lot as of lately.

[scott12061972]

EXCELLENT BUT HER GREATEST IS NORMA. I adore callas she rules supreme!!!!!

[odyssorpheus]

Listen to this serene fragility bursting with emotional substance... This is true Belcanto at its best...!

[MademoiselleSonushka]

Callas is splendid as always.. And Donizetti writes the BEST madness scenes!

[Swan607]

@primohomme

Ok, you are right. her low notes are , maybe, not there.

Anyway, her high notes are wonderful and the audience enjoy with them a lot.

Anyway, I agree with you. ;-)

[Nacidodelmar]

@OperaMystery80 AGREED! I don't even think Netrebko was a good Lucia.

[callastochter]

She brings tragedy alive................