Shirley Verrett sings Isolde's Liebestod in 1977

A rare Death of Isolde by Shirley Verrett and Zubin Mehta at the Avery Fisher Hall (after her Exultate Jubilate by Mozart).

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Shirley Verrett
• Tristan+und+Isolde Liebestod
• Wagner;
• Mehta;
• live
• music;
• opera;

[jspive011]

Rest In Peace Ms. Verrett! Now, Sing Personally for GOD and the Heavenly Host where true music derive!

[ParadiseofTruth]

I am saddened by the loss of an opera singer extraordinaire. She brought: passion, grace, intensity, and a heart stopping voice and performance. Mrs. Verrett really knew how to capture her audience (command you to listen with so much grace). I am grateful for the legacy she left behind (a career spanning four decades). She will never be forgotten. Thank you for the gift you left behind.

Rest In Peace Shirley Verrett ----{@

[TheToneblack]

11 dislikes = 11 justin bieber fans

[satsatur]

Brighter than the sun !!!

[vscanzi]

This performance makes all the way into my feelings, I adore Mrs. Verrett... Unfortunately the link in the description is preventing me from posting it on my facebook wall :p lol

[dennisdeemii]

The acting, the singing...Omg...such beauty. I think the reaction from the crowd was so incredibly lack-luster it was offensive.

[rmethergoal]

I always happen to notice that ( almost every time there is a very talented and internationally recognized black artist that does not fit the negative stereotypes) someone always makes some racist comment. Because of that, I do not even bother reading the comments. Can't we just appreciate people for who they are verse how they look like? Geese!

[bendabledoll]

Look at her face, the way the emotion washes over. It gives her voice the extra wings, especially the way this angelic sound she has just crumbles into a kind of magic dust when she says "sanft entweht" (3:48) it gave me chills. There will be many strong performances of this. Wagner is Wager, everyone's scared to touch it, unless you're seasoned. But if there is a performance of the Liebestod including Birgit Nilsson's, that works on more levels of human emotion than this, I have not seen it.

[lowenklee]

@willthebest1

IMO Wagner did have issues with institutional Jewry, which is to say Jewry as a concept divorced from his various amicable and personal dealings with Jews.

I see it often with blacks as well. There's a pervasive stereotype (however incredible) that engenders hostile feelings. But this is often regarded separately from an estimation of individuals. e.g. the gaff, "I'm not racist, I have black friends!"

Anyway, this composition is simply overwhelming, and Verrett sings it well!

[kawai1]

@willthebest1 Again, read "Das Judenthum in der Musik" and then get back to me. I have rad it.

[willthebest1]

@kawai1 Wagner again did not hate Jews he disagreed with some persons in the music industry who so happened to be Jews...he did not hate them! we can disagree.- it doesn't mean i hate you....And Jews were never exclusively God's chosen that's hate in itself. Hey maybe i can say all white people hate black people : ) ........would you like that??????......just enjoy the damn Music....the Music doesn't have any words!

[kawai1]

@willthebest1 did you read Wagner's essay "Jews in Music"? I'm guessing not. Please read it, and then let us know if you still believe Wagner didn't hate Jews.