Virginia Zeani - 'Papers, papers' - The Consul - Menotti

Virginia Zeani enjoyed one of the greatest triumphs of her career when she was cast against type in Menotti's opera 'The Consul' . She played Magda Sorel, a down trodden political refugee in a totalitarian country, desperately trying to get the right papers.

More usually associated with fatefully beautiful heroines such as Violetta and Manon, Zeani, in flat shoes and a drab mackintosh, stunned audiences with her riveting portrayal of a despairing woman driven to suicide.

The recording is from a live performance in Spoleto in 1972, sung in Italian

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Music

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• Festival

[SINGINGOPERAFAN]

THIS is what opera should be all about!!!!!!

[JefRoberts]

The great Zeani. She is riveting. Thanks for posting.

[DanRobSo]

Just curious - what language does the Foreign Woman sing in the Italian traslation of "The Consul?" Of course, you know in the original English version she sings in Italian!

[corellithebest]

@Klassizismus You wrote exactly what i think, too! Atonality in general is not my cup of tea, but Zeani's portrayal of this desperate and humiliated woman brought me to tears. She has managed, with her innate spontaneous artistry, to bring words to genuine artistic life. The worda and the music emanate a certain lingering sense of horror and doom.

[corellithebest]

Although I normally do not like contemporary composers as much as I admire traditional ones, Mme Zeani has undoubtedly, with her innate artistry and spontaneity, managed to marvellously impersonate and portray all the bitter despair and frustration of the character completely driven to suicide because of rigid bureaucracy. In addition, the music is utterly depressing, gloomy, menacing, and the words are heart--wrenching.

[MyStacey84]

good information shared:>)

[slaraffenlandia]

DAs ist ja nicht nur eine Frage über Vielseitigkeit. Es ist vor allem die Frage, wer zu der Rolle dramatisch(st) passt. Und da ist mir die Borkh am besten!

[jocmuc]

@slaraffenlandia

ich liebe beide in dieser rolle und vergesse die borkh auf keinen fall.

aber keine frage, wer von den beiden vielseitiger ist.

virginia ist einfach eine assoluta

[slaraffenlandia]

Ganz schön, doch man vergisst nicht Inge Borkh.

[gainutdinn]

@giandoroma Correct me if I'm wrong the cast:: John Sorel: Gianluigi Colmagro Magda Sorel: Virginia Zeani La madre: Giovanna Fioroni Il poliziotto: Carlo Zardo La segretaria: Joy Davidson Mr. Kofner: Graziano Del Vivo La straniera: Bibiana Goldenthal Anna Gomez: Giuliana Matteini Vera Boronel: Teresa Rocchino Il prestigiatore: Nico Castel Assan: Giorgio Giorgetti

[kelyn1994]

Fantastic