Maria Callas Remastered

[whipped guy]

Over the weekend I corresponded with two of the individuals who were responsible for the Divina master of Il Pirata. The source was an analog version of the original master tape. As such there was less distortion and overload. It was also carefully pitched. I was able to compare it with the digital copy that I have from the Omega Opera Archive and the differences are quite obvious. Now I know why. I said in the previous post post that the Divina was an improvement on the original master tape. It is rather a better representation of the original master without any digital or other distortions. What is an improvement is the fact that things are joined together better so the performance flows without any interruptions. In ant event, Callas sounds much more natural. So a labor of love and a job well done.

 

Incidentally, it was also brought to my attention that their version of excerpts from the 1953 Norma from Trieste has been remastered with newly discovered material and different and better sounding sources. So worth replacing if you own the original .

[whipped guy]

BELLINI - NORMA (Part 1)

 

(Addendum to "In search of the greatest Norma preserved in sound" posted above)

 

In my quest to find the perfect Norma I listened to every commercial audio recording of Norma that I could trace, twelve in all, so as to be able to place Callas in the proper perspective. Here are my findings.

 

Gina Cigna: (1937) In the first half of the Twentieth Century Norma was often considered to be a dramatic soprano role, while ironically the title role of Bellini's La Sonnambula was given to a light coloratura. Yet both roles were written for the same soprano, Giuditta Pasta. Consequently the role of Norma was often taken up by sopranos such as Gina Cigna who were not well schooled in the Bel Canto tradition and took a heavy handed approach that ultimately explains why when Callas appeared on the scene she made such an impact by bringing Bellini's opera back into the era of Bel Canto. Trills are ignored for the most part and her coloratura is not fluent. Vittorio Gui takes all the standard cuts, but does show a feeling for the Bel Canto style which was a specialty of his. Mezzo Ebbe Stignani who would often appear with Callas in the piece sounds reasonably young and believable as Adalgisa at this stage of her career. Dated sound from 78's that was not even state of the art for the time, but an interesting document of how the title role was often approached BC (Before Callas).

 

Maria Meneghini Callas: (1954) Callas is in representative form for the period with the exception that she uncharacteristically glides up to the high C at the conclusion of her opening scene and does not interpolate the high D at the end of the first act which she always did at this stage of her career. When asked why she did not interpolate the high D Callas responded by saying that if one wanted to hear the note they needed to see her perform the piece live! However, one Callas expert told me that Callas was not happy with her D at the sessions. I'm not sure if that is true or not, but that she does not interpolate the note is a disappointment. Callas is partnered by Ebbe Stignani as Adalgisa who sounds overly matronly for the young Priestess Adalgisa at this late stage in her career. Unfortunately the male contingent of the cast is weak and especially the wooly sounding bass of Nicola Rossi-Lemeni as Oroveso. Tenor Mario Filipeschi was noted for his high C, but other than getting to sing the note once he does not bring much else to the table. Furthermore, the production, aside from Callas, seems studio bound. Get this for Callas's participation and as a souvenir of the fact that Callas appeared with Stignani frequently in the piece, but not much else. Most taditional cuts are taken. Tullio Serafin's conducting is less riveting than it proved to be on other occasions. The mono sound is unexceptional and again not state of the art for the period. What is a pity is that EMI producer Walter Legge did not provide Callas with a more suitable cast for her signature role. He was more attuned to German opera and often slighted the Italian wing. Would that he had taken the same pains with Norma that were taken with Puccini's Tosca the previous year. What is important to note is that Callas sang the title role of both Norma and La Sonnambula and was the first soprano in modern times to demonstrate that the same singer could indeed be successful in both parts.

 

Maria Callas: (1960) One of the reasons Callas rerecorded the role was to provide her with a more suitable supporting cast in addition to taking advantage of the stereo medium. The cast is indeed strong with tenor Franco Corelli being in exceptionally robust voice. While more of a "can belto" tenor as opposed to "bel canto" tenor he is indeed a guilty pleasure. The Adalgisa was originally Giulietta Simionato who partnered Callas in the 1955 live La Scala Norma. However her replacement, young Christa Ludwig in a rare foray into Italian opera, is a surprisingly good Adalgisa. Basso Nicola Zaccaria provides a firm foundation. Regrettably, after 1959 the Callas voice took an unfortunate downward spiral after her separation from her husband and the beginning of her liaison with Aristotle Onassis. As such Callas is dramatically perfect if vocally problematic. Still her famed Norma is basically intact. However, given her vocal condition not interpolating the high D at the conclusion of the first act is a wise decision. Furthermore the recording almost has the feel of a live performance. This is the recording one gets for its dramatic impact. While traditional cuts are taken, on this occasion Serafin was quite inspired and delivers a powerful representation of Bellini's score stressing its noble aspects. The stereo sound in its newest mastering also represents the spacial aspects of the performance in a very natural manner.

 

Joan Sutherland: (1964) A more lyrical approach to the score is taken by conductor Richard Bonynge that is the polar opposite of the forceful approach taken by Callas and Serafin in 1960. In fact the main premiss of the recording was to deliberately give a totally different viewpoint compared to the three previously released commercial recordings. Sutherland is paired with mezzo Marilyn Horne as Adalgisa in the duets in what has become the stuff of legends. Get this for the vocal beauty of the female contingent in the duets and to experience how the beauty and power of Sutherland's vocalism tells the story of the Bellini's ill fated priestess. Of course at this stage of her career Sutherland's diction was not as clear as ideally it could be, not to mention the presence of some other mannerisms characteristic of her work in the 1960's. Still it is good to hear a more lyrical tenor in the form of John Alexander. The score is performed virtually uncut with some additions from Bellini's autograph not included in the standard published Ricordi edition of the score. Sutherland sings the aria "Casta diva" in the higher original higher key of G which was lowered by the composer to F when Giuditta Pasta found the higher key to be overly taxing. Speaking of which, Sutherland also was successful in the role of Sonnambula and again proved that the same, albeit quite different voice, could indeed satisfy the requirements of both roles.

[whipped guy]

Norma Addendum Part 2.... (continued from above)

 

Elena Souliotis: (1968) A sincere attempt by the singer who was supposedly destined to carry the torch when Callas retired from the stage but tragically never fulfilled that promise. Plus she was Greek and often exhibited a Callas-like feeling for the drama. Unfortunately she falls short of greatness in spite of a Callas-like commitment. That the recording is greatly abridged makes it only a curiosity for Souliotis and as a souvenir of what might have been. Still worth investigating for those who remember the stir that she created when she first burst onto the scene at virtually the same time that Callas retired from the stage.

 

Montserrat Caballé: (1972) Caballé is in representative form even if the recording does not have the feel of a live performance. Still the supporting cast is strong with tenor Placido Domingo, mezzo Fiorenza Cossotto, and bass Ruggero Raimondi in robust form. The standard Ricordi score is given uncut and as such it does not include the long version of the second act "Guerra" (War) Chorus with its ethereal quiet ending that was not incorporated into the standard published score and that Serafin and Bonynge both include in all of their recordings. Caballé is as ravishing vocally as is Sutherland, but in a different manner, but not as colorfully dramatic as Callas or as technically perfect as either. Carlo Felice Cillario conducts aptly if not exceptionally.

 

Beverly Sills: (1974) In spite of the fact that it's technical hurdles are not a challenge. Sills' voice is simply way too light and bright to make an impact in the role. She is dramatically involved as usual, but Bellini's melodies suffer due to the fact that Sills can't back them up with any heft or vocal substance. That her Adalgisa is Shirley Verrett who later took on the title role only underscores the fact. Tenor Enrico DiGiuseppi is quite weak. Plus a young and inexperienced James Levine conducts the standard score unconvincingly. The tempo that is chosen for "Casta diva" is so lethargic that it is the only instance that I know of where this most sublime of all arias overstays its welcome. Yet, ironically at other points in the score Levine seems in a hurry to get things over and done with.

 

Renata Scotto: (1979) Scotto is forcefully harsh and relentless in her approach and with the exception of "Teneri figli", where Norma contemplates killing her children, has no feeling for the gentler aspects of the character. The supporting cast is decent but we again find James Levine not in sync with the composer and is one with Scotto in overly emphasizing the aggressive qualities of the score. Indeed his orchestral hammer blows outlast their welcome early on and make one feel that Levine has some anger issues with which he needs to deal! It would be several more years before he would master the Bel Canto style. Again the standard Ricordi score is employed and is performed uncut. Incidentally Scotto also sang Sonnambula successfully earlier in her career.

 

Joan Sutherland: (1984) Sutherland is past her prime vocally but ironically no one has ever sung the part better since. She is more involved with Norma's more vengeful moments, but not surprisingly her voice does not soar as it did twenty years earlier. This time around Sutherland makes a sincere attempt to be more forceful in Norma's more public and vindictive proclamations. While not totally successful, her diction is better than on the earlier recording and that helps immensely even though her Italian does not sound idiomatic. She also has shed some of her early mannerisms that often gave a droopy quality to her vocalism. Interestingly she is paired with Caballé for the duets who agreed to sing the role of Adalgisa which traditionally is taken by a mezzo even though the part was originally intended for a soprano. Consequently she is the ne plus ultra of Adalgisas on records. The tenor is Pavarotti who like Caballé learned the role for the recording. A young Samuel Ramey is in his prime as Oroveso. The version of the score used is similar but not identical to the score used in Sutherland's first recording, with one difference being that "Casta diva" is sung in the lower key of F. Bonynge conducts with a bit more swiftness and force this time around.

 

Maria Biesu: (1986) this little known recording from the waning days of the Soviet Union features stars of the Bolshoi Theater and is conducted ponderously by Mark Emler. Biesu has a large dramatic voice that has trouble with the coloratura and harks back to the pre-Callas days of Gina Cigna. She is somewhat better in the quieter and non florid moments of the score where she does not need the flexibility and can contain her large unruly voice. The large Soviet sound permeates the entire cast which given the cavernous sounding recording does not help maters. Difficult to locate, but not competitive, so it's no great loss.

 

Jane Eaglen: (1994) Eaglen is simply overparted, loud, and lacking in nuance. However, compared to Biesu she is much more adept with the coloratura. She was more of a Wagnerian soprano and even in that Fach she was often criticized. Even though he did not overly advertise the fact, Wagner admired Bellini and Norma in particular. Indeed the final moments of Norma had an influence on the final moments of Wagner's Tristan und Isolde. One of Eaglen's roles was Isolde and she probably felt compelled to tackle both parts to confirm Wagner's Bellinian connection. The tenor and bass are weak but refreshingly we get Eva Mei, a true soprano as Adalgisa. Riccardo Muti conducts a version of the score by the scholarly H. C. Robbins Landon (who was more noted for his editions of Haydn) that is basically an updated version of the standard Ricordi score. As such there are some differences, but they are relatively minor.

 

Cecilia Bartoli: (2012) Bartoli is quite mannered and breathy in her approach. She is a mezzo soprano and the premise is that the original Norma, Giuditta Pasta, was basically a mezzo as well. While the vocal writing seems to indicate otherwise, it is an interesting theory. The Adalgisa is light soprano Sumi Jo and as such there is no doubt regarding who the younger character is. The most shocking aspect of the recording is due to the fact that the orchestra supposedly consists of original instruments of the time. However based on photos of the recording sessions at least one expert with whom I spoke noted instruments from both before and after the period of composition. Still the sound world is totally at odds with the sound of a modern orchestra. The tempos of conductor Giovanni Antonini are at times bizarrely fast and the pitch is lower than modern pitch. While I'm not convinced, the lower pitch lends some credence to the fact that Norma might be more of a mezzo role. Bellini revised his score quite a few times prior to it being published and as a result not all of the early printed versions used the same material. Consequently there are many alternative choices. Both Sutherland recordings use some of those alternative readings. This recording uses just about every one that did not make it into the standard published version of the score by Ricordi. That combined with the different sound of the old instruments, the extremely swift tempos, and Bartoli's at times idiosyncratic mannerisms makes for a recording like no other! Incidentally, the quiet ending to the "Guerra" chorus is employed, but at the ridiculously fast tempo chosen it sounds anything but ethereal! So this is the choice for musicologists, the curious, and those who want to hear Bellini's other thoughts on certain portions of the score. As an aside Bartoli also applied her mezzo voice to Sonnambula, but neither interpretation, while thought provoking, can be deemed a total success.

[whipped guy]

Norma Addendum Part 3... (continued from above)

 

Not every artist who attempted the role on stage got to record the part, but live performances are available. Over the years other notable Normas who have been preserved in sound have been Zinka Milinov, Leyla Gencer, Margaret Price, Elinor Ross, Shirley Verrett, and Nelly Miricioiu, to name but a few. Moreover, stage performances of Edita Gruberová, June Anderson, Daniella Dessì, Dimitra Theodossiou, Hasmik Papian, Fiorenza Cidolins, Sondra Radvsnovsky, and possibly others have made it onto DVD. While I have only seen snippets of these videos, I was not overly impressed with what I heard. The only exception would be June Anderson who sings the role virtually as well as did Sutherland and with the same less dynamic if even blander approach, but without Sutherland's vocal opulence and substance to milk Bellini's melodies for all that they are worth. Again the voice seems a bit too light for the piece, which was a failing of Edita Gruberová as well. What is interesting about Anderson is that she successfully interpreted the title role in La Sonnambula. It seems that Giuditta pasta was an exceptional singer and likewise only the most exceptional of artists are able to be totally successful singing both parts. That Anderson comes close is a feather in her cap.

 

Interestingly Caballé was filmed at the ancient Roman amphitheater at Orange, France in 1974. A number of later Sutherland performances are also available on video. The only thing that was captured of Callas are some silent videos of rehearsals.

 

Unfortunately since no one singer, much less no one complete recording, of the piece has proven to be definitive, my suggestions are to obtain Callas in 1960 for the drama, Sutherland in 1964 for the vocal beauty, and Caballé in 1972 for a different type of beauty. Others might suggest the first Callas recording for her greater vocal stability or Sutherland's second for her greater involvement in the drama. Still others might wish to choose a recording or even a DVD with a favorite singer.

 

However, this is the bottom line: every serious opera collection needs at least one recording of Callas as Norma be it live or in the studio.

 

For the record I own all of the above commercial audio recordings with the exception of Cigna, Sills, and Biesu. I do have a live recording of Sills that was made at a performance that I attended at Connecticut Opera in 1972. It works better than the commercial recording since the conducting is not only better, but the Adalgisa is soprano Partricia Brooks who has a silvery sounding voice. As such Sills sounds more substantial in comparison.

 

I own twenty-five or so audio versions of the piece when live versions are factored into the equation and virtually (as in almost) every note as sung by Callas on stage and in concert.

[+ Italiano]

Great analysis as usual, @whipped guy!

What do you think of Mariella Devia's late approach to the role?...And Maria Dragoni's?

 

By the way, there are rumors that next year a newly discovered video/audio version of Callas' Paris Norma will be made commercial....

And for later next year I heard also about a release of Epidaurus Medea..

[whipped guy]

Great analysis as usual, @whipped guy!

What do you think of Mariella Devia's late approach to the role?...And Maria Dragoni's?

 

By the way, there are rumors that next year a newly discovered video/audio version of Callas' Paris Norma will be made commercial....

And for later next year I heard also about a release of Epidaurus Medea..

 

Xaf thanks for you kind words!

 

Mariella Devia is a singer who I have enjoyed much over the years. However, as you say her Norma came a bit late. Consequently, the voice lacks a bit of opulence and passages such as "Ah! Non tremare" are carefully negotiated. I have not heard Maria Dragoni in the part. Incidentally, the recent Covent Garden production with Sonya Yoncheva was not the answer; another close but no cigar attempt.

 

Regarding the Callas rumors. I need to check those out. I've been waiting 40 years for the Chicago I Puritani. So I'm not going to hold my breath.

[+ Italiano]

Chicago Puritani? As far as I know never broadcast...

 

The televised Aida and Traviata from Bellas Artes (yes!) and the first act of La Scala Sonnambula are gone forever, the first two in the 1985 earthquake, and the last one because the original reel was used again....This should be considered a crime against humanity!

I don't think that Devia with all her fantastic technique would have been Norme even few years ago.

 

Maria Dragoni and Lucia Aliberti (2 talented failed Callas wannabes) have given some interesting renditions. Both had some "sounds" that reminded their idol.

The first had really amazing voice and natural talent, but she has always been too dumb, literally. She was often out of pitch. And she is also a bit crazy...

 

The second was always convinced she looked like Callas...and part of her voice sounds like Callas ...in 1960s...

 

 

[whipped guy]

Lucia Aliberti looked more like Callas than she sounded like Callas... Yes, a certain portion of her voice had a Callas like resonance, but her technique and the way that she used her voice was never Callas-like. As such I never really would have heard the connection if it had not been hyped as such!

 

I have a recording of her in Bellini's Beatrice di Tenda a role that Callas never sang. Callas would never in a million years have approached the part as she did. To rest my case regarding the vocal aspects, Sutherland who sang and recorded the role in her droopy years sounds more involved and more Callas-like in her phrasing!!!!! This is especially true in the final cabaletta where when Beatrice is about to go to her death in Anne Boleyn fashion Aliberti sounds as if she is going to a tea party. Still, it was an interesting voice.

 

Regarding the two examples of Casta Diva.... based on the middle section of the aria alone neither get it totally right. Again close but no cigar! Sorry, if I'm a tough grader!!!!

 

Other Callas rumors have been a recording of Fedora with Franco Corelli that was supposedly recorded from the wings or in house more because of Corelli than Callas. That rumor has been in circulation for years!!

[TruHart1]

Lucia Aliberti looked more like Callas than she sounded like Callas...

 

Other Callas rumors have been a recording of Fedora with Franco Corelli that was supposedly recorded from the wings or in house more because of Corelli than Callas. That rumor has been in circulation for years!!

I always heard that Corelli had his wife Loretta record every performance from the wings so he could correct any miss steps in his interpretations. I always believed that she usually recorded only his singing, since that was all he was interested in hearing. I suppose a fan connected to the opera company could have recorded the complete Fedora but it has never surfaced, and since both Callas and Corelli are quite well documented (enough fanboys with portable recording devices!) it would appear it is that item that is only wished for but does not actually exist. Certainly, I'd love to be proven wrong!!!

 

TruHart1

[TruHart1]

From a 1962 recital in Englewood New Jersey:

 

 

TruHart1

[whipped guy]

I always heard that Corelli had his wife Loretta record every performance from the wings so he could correct any miss steps in his interpretations. I always believed that she usually recorded only his singing, since that was all he was interested in hearing. I suppose a fan connected to the opera company could have recorded the complete Fedora but it has never surfaced, and since both Callas and Corelli are quite well documented (enough fanboys with portable recording devices!) it would appear it is that item that is only wished for but does not actually exist. Certainly, I'd love to be proven wrong!!!

 

TruHart1

Yes! You are correct! I did not go into detail about this, but supposedly his wife recorded it and the rumor was that it was recorded complete. Just a rumor unfortunately. Would that she had recorded the 1958 performances of Bellini's Il Pirata that were not broadcast as the supporting cast with Bastianini along with Corelli would have been light years ahead of the cast that accompanied Callas in her 1959 Carnegie Hall performance.

 

I curse La Scala director Antonio Ghiringhelli for not broadcasting Callas' 1958 performances of not only Pirata but Anna Bolena as well! He was feuding with Callas at the time for a variety of reasons (long story) and he wanted to punish her. Of course Callas got her revenge during the final scene of Pirata when she directed one of her lines directly to Ghiringhrlli.... "Lá... vedete... il palco funesto!" There... look... the deadly scaffold! (The titular Pirate was about to be executed.) Interestingly, the word "palco" can refer to a theater box as well and she pointed to Ghiringhelli's box. The audience supposedly went wild and Callas received one of the greatest ovations in her career!

[+ quoththeraven]

I always heard that Corelli had his wife Loretta record every performance from the wings so he could correct any miss steps in his interpretations. I always believed that she usually recorded only his singing, since that was all he was interested in hearing.

 

TruHart1

 

That is a brilliant idea, as we cannot hear ourselves objectively or the way others hear us. I recently read an argument about this between an aspiring singer and vocal coach for non-classical singing who writes critiques of Kpop singers. The coach came down hard in the side of "you can't hear yourself properly because you hear your voice as it resonates through your skull," which seems fairly obvious; use a recording of yourself, and not the voice you hear in the shower, as your guide.

 

-someone who alternated voice and piano lessons for a few years long ago

[+ quoththeraven]

From a 1962 recital in Englewood New Jersey:

 

 

TruHart1

 

I prefer a more controlled tenor voice like this to, say, Pavarotti. (Personally, I preferred Placido Domingo to Pavarotti, too.)

 

Then again, I lean away from dramatic voices with thick vibrato toward clearer, more bell-like and supple instruments. I know Leontyne Price is a great soprano, but I've never been able to enjoy her singing. Give me Lucia Popp, Emma Kirkby, Shirley Verrett, Marilyn Horne, Kathleen Battle (a diva, for sure, but what a voice!), Grace Bumbry, Teresa Stratas as Salome, and Diana Damrau singing the Queen of the Night.

 

And yes, Maria Callas, because her interpretation made up for any vocal lapses.

 

I take everyone's word for it that singers like Sutherland and Caballe had the necessary singing chops, although not necessarily the acting/interpretation chops. Since I have seen fine performances of demanding operas by no-name, second-tier artists, I just can't find it in myself to get all excited about the big names.

[+ quoththeraven]

One instance where the above does not work for me: vocal works requiring conviction, not beauty. I will always prefer Jerome Hines' more bombastic version of "The Trumpet Shall Sound" to Samuel Ramey's, even though I think Ramey is technically more proficient, because Hines is convincing and Ramey is not.

 

This is something I want played or performed at my funeral at the loudest possible volume along with "If God Be For Us," the Hallelujah Chorus, and Amen from the Messiah.

 

Here's Hines; you can look for Ramey's various performances on the internet.

[+ WilliamM]

I take everyone's word for it that singers like Sutherland and Caballe had the necessary singing chops, although not necessarily the acting/interpretation chops. Since I have seen fine performances of demanding operas by no-name, second-tier artists, I just can't find it in myself to get all excited about the big names.

 

I never saw Caballe in person. But, I like some of her live opera recordings. She may not have a clue about acting, but her voice is extraordinary. I do understand that @whipped guy and I are coming from very different places. I know much more about Broadway than opera. So I attend a very wide range of operas, knowing I will never come close to others here because I started so late.

[+ honcho]

The coach came down hard in the side of "you can't hear yourself properly because you hear your voice as it resonates through your skull," which seems fairly obvious; use a recording of yourself, and not the voice you hear in the shower, as your guide.

 

I think there's more to it than just head resonance; one's attention is already divided while performing thinking about many, many things, and being just about as stressed as a figher pilot. I used to frequently be dismayed listening to recordings of my playing about how out of tune it was, how little dynamics came across, to the point of thinking I must have no sense of pitch at all ... but then, if that were so, how would it be possible for me to recognize that listening to the recording?

 

It might be more akin to why some of us are bad proofreaders, instead of seeing what was actually written, we see what was *intended* ...

[+ quoththeraven]

I think there's more to it than just head resonance; one's attention is already divided while performing thinking about many, many things, and being just about as stressed as a figher pilot. I used to frequently be dismayed listening to recordings of my playing about how out of tune it was, how little dynamics came across, to the point of thinking I must have no sense of pitch at all ... but then, if that were so, how would it be possible for me to recognize that listening to the recording?

 

It might be more akin to why some of us are bad proofreaders, instead of seeing what was actually written, we see what was *intended* ...

 

He was going for the objective, scientific reason, which is that one hears one's own voice through the distortion of one's own skull and that a recording accurately represents what other people hear, which is inarguable fact. That doesn't make your points wrong.

[whipped guy]

I prefer a more controlled tenor voice like this to, say, Pavarotti. (Personally, I preferred Placido Domingo to Pavarotti, too.)

 

And yes, Maria Callas, because her interpretation made up for any vocal lapses.

 

I take everyone's word for it that singers like Sutherland and Caballe had the necessary singing chops, although not necessarily the acting/interpretation chops. Since I have seen fine performances of demanding operas by no-name, second-tier artists, I just can't find it in myself to get all excited about the big names.

 

I never saw Caballe in person. But, I like some of her live opera recordings. She may not have a clue about acting, but her voice is extraordinary. I do understand that @whipped guy and I are coming from very different places. I know much more about Broadway than opera. So I attend a very wide range of operas, knowing I will never come close to others here because I started so late.

 

I saw Caballé in Verdi's Don Carlo at the MET. I had previously seen Mirella Freni as Elisabetta there in the same production. Freni sang the role quite well and looked the part to perfection. However, Caballé sang like an angel in comparison. There was absolutely no contest vocally. Furthermore Caballé sang the aria "Tu che le vanità" superbly. In my book she has been the only one to equal Callas in that aria. However, one needed to remember that this was opera and it was not over until the fat lady sang. She walked on stage, made the required stock jestures, sang, and then exited. Of course she hardly looked the part. However, that was thirty years ago when voice still triumphed over looks and acting. I wonder if today she would even be considered worthy of the MET by Mr. Gelb! I wonder if Sutherland, that gawky girl from "Down Under", would be considered as well! Same for Callas before she lost all the weight! Indeed I have heard stories about current singers who have performed at other houses and have even recorded extensively who Gelb has refused to hire based on their looks and weight.

 

Today's stagings demand more acting skills from singers. Stage directors demand the total package of looks, acting ability, and voice. Unfortunately it seems to be in that order as well. If one watches videos of stagings from the past they almost look comical... a parody of opera, but that was the norm and it was expected as well as accepted. This is the new norm. I wonder how many Caballé-like singers have been overlooked.

 

Regarding Franco Corelli he certainly had the looks and the voice! What a voice!!! I only saw him live once, and don't recall if he could act... but with his voice and looks it really would not have mattered much anyway! Plus as the saying goes two outa three ain't bad... and not when one of the two outa three is "voice"!

[+ quoththeraven]

I saw Caballé in Verdi's Don Carlo at the MET. I had previously seen Mirella Freni as Elisabetta there in the same production. Freni sang the role quite well and looked the part to perfection. However, Caballé sang like an angel in comparison. There was absolutely no contest vocally. Furthermore Caballé sang the aria "Tu che le vanità" superbly. In my book she has been the only one to equal Callas in that aria. However, one needed to remember that this was opera and it was not over until the fat lady sang. She walked on stage, made the required stock jestures, sang, and then exited. Of course she hardly looked the part. However, that was thirty years ago when voice still triumphed over looks and acting. I wonder if today she would even be considered worthy of the MET by Mr. Gelb! I wonder if Sutherland, that gawky girl from "Down Under", would be considered as well! Same for Callas before she lost all the weight! Indeed I have heard stories about current singers who have performed at other houses and have even recorded extensively who Gelb has refused to hire based on their looks and weight.

 

Today's stagings demand more acting skills from singers. Stage directors demand the total package of looks, acting ability, and voice. Unfortunately it seems to be in that order as well. If one watches videos of stagings from the past they almost look comical... a parody of opera, but that was the norm and it was expected as well as accepted. This is the new norm. I wonder how many Caballé-like singers have been overlooked.

 

Regarding Franco Corelli he certainly had the looks and the voice! What a voice!!! I only saw him live once, and don't recall if he could act... but with his voice and looks it really would not have mattered much anyway! Plus as the saying goes two outa three ain't bad... and not when one of the two outa three is "voice"!

 

The emphasis on looks over voice is unfortunate. Since I have mainly seen touring opera companies plus whoever NYC Opera sent to SPAC for the summer when they were in residence there, I'm not that familiar with the way name singers actually perform.

[TruHart1]

I saw Caballé in Verdi's Don Carlo at the MET. I had previously seen Mirella Freni as Elisabetta there in the same production. Freni sang the role quite well and looked the part to perfection. However, Caballé sang like an angel in comparison. There was absolutely no contest vocally. Furthermore Caballé sang the aria "Tu che le vanità" superbly. In my book she has been the only one to equal Callas in that aria. However, one needed to remember that this was opera and it was not over until the fat lady sang. She walked on stage, made the required stock jestures, sang, and then exited. Of course she hardly looked the part. However, that was thirty years ago when voice still triumphed over looks and acting. I wonder if today she would even be considered worthy of the MET by Mr. Gelb! I wonder if Sutherland, that gawky girl from "Down Under", would be considered as well! Same for Callas before she lost all the weight! Indeed I have heard stories about current singers who have performed at other houses and have even recorded extensively who Gelb has refused to hire based on their looks and weight.

 

Today's stagings demand more acting skills from singers. Stage directors demand the total package of looks, acting ability, and voice. Unfortunately it seems to be in that order as well. If one watches videos of stagings from the past they almost look comical... a parody of opera, but that was the norm and it was expected as well as accepted. This is the new norm. I wonder how many Caballé-like singers have been overlooked.

 

Regarding Franco Corelli he certainly had the looks and the voice! What a voice!!! I only saw him live once, and don't recall if he could act... but with his voice and looks it really would not have mattered much anyway! Plus as the saying goes two outa three ain't bad... and not when one of the two outa three is "voice"!

Well, certain singers such as soprano Angela Meade, who won the MET auditions a while ago, are enjoying a fine career both at Mr. Gelb's MET and in major opera houses around the world. The mezzo Jamie Barton is in the same place in her career. In fact they have been in productions together a few times. Both ladies would definitely be considered to have Caballé-like bodily dimensions, yet because their voices they are in high demand in opera houses around the world, I see no size discrimination with them. Maybe they are the exceptions, yet it's the voice that is paramount for both their careers!

 

TruHart1

[whipped guy]

The emphasis on looks over voice is unfortunate. Since I have mainly seen touring opera companies plus whoever NYC Opera sent to SPAC for the summer when they were in residence there, I'm not that familiar with the way name singers actually perform.

Seriously, a lot of the name singers are not any better than the second string players. Plus, a name singer who is over the hill often needs to be sent back down to the minor leagues. However, as with star baseball players that hardly ever happens. Plus, often young artist programs feature many diamonds in the rough. Some make it and others don't, but I have heard many promising young singers in such situations. One such person was soprano June Anderson who had a wonderful international career. She was from one town over in CT. Those who knew her (I didn't) described her as a "shy wall flower"!

[bostonman]

The emphasis on looks over voice is unfortunate. Since I have mainly seen touring opera companies plus whoever NYC Opera sent to SPAC for the summer when they were in residence there, I'm not that familiar with the way name singers actually perform.

 

For me, the problem is that "looks" really only translates to "weight." Opera is one of the last theatrical forms where the race of the singer is most often overlooked (i.e. you don't have to be Asian to sing Cio-Cio San or Turandot, you don't have to be black to sing Aida or Otello, and non-white singers are accepted more and more in "white" roles across the board), and of course age is also mostly a moot point (we don't complain about older divas and divos singing youthful ingenue roles if they can sing beautifully, nor would any of us expect or accept "literal" casting such as a 15-year-old Cio-Cio San, because obviously the voice wouldn't be suitable for the demands of the role, etc). So, a Caucasian 50-year old soprano can sing Aida or Turandot and be considered "believable" in the role - as long as she's thin or in decent shape, The minute the same soprano is fat, she's all of a sudden "not believable."

 

I'm not saying that only young black sopranos should sing Aida, etc - but I am saying that if operatic convention already overlooks basic obvious physical qualities like age and race, the rest of it really comes down to fat shaming. And I think that's very unfortunate.

[whipped guy]

Well, certain singers such as soprano Angela Meade, who won the MET auditions a while ago, are enjoying a fine career both at Mr. Gelb's MET and in major opera houses around the world. The mezzo Jamie Barton is in the same place in her career. In fact they have been in productions together a few times. Both ladies would definitely be considered to have Caballé-like bodily dimensions, yet because their voices they are in high demand in opera houses around the world, I see no size discrimination with them. Maybe they are the exceptions, yet it's the voice that is paramount for both their careers!

 

TruHart1

 

You are correct, and they are probably exceptions. Of course you reminded me that both singers have appeared in Norma with Meade as Norma and Barton as Adalgisa. If nothing else it showed that Pollione liked his women to be full figured! In any event, from my point of view Meade as always comes quite close, but there is always something that seems to be missing. I have seen her live as Anna Bolena and in a concert version of Guglielmo Tell and it's always the same, close but no cigar. Ditto regarding a live recording in concert of Semiramide. Yes, I am a tough grader!

[TruHart1]

You are correct, and they are probably exceptions. Of course you reminded me that both singers have appeared in Norma with Meade as Norma and Barton as Adalgisa. If nothing else it showed that Pollione liked his women to be full figured! In any event, from my point of view Meade as always comes quite close, but there is always something that seems to be missing. I have seen her live as Anna Bolena and in a concert version of Guglielmo Tell and it's always the same, close but no cigar. Ditto regarding a live recording in concert of Semiramide. Yes, I am a tough grader!

But my main point is that if a new Caballé or Sutherland were to hit the operatic scene today, opera lovers would accept the way they looked, if the voice was of high enough caliber! I don't think exceptional voices will ever be excluded no matter what a singer looks like. Your personal opinion of a Meade, Barton, or earlier Jane Eaglen and the late Johan Botha falling just short of excellence for you is simply your opinion of their interpretations/limitations @whipped guy and certainly have no connection to their body weight.

 

TruHart1

[bostonman]

But my main point is that if a new Caballé or Sutherland were to hit the operatic scene today, opera lovers would accept the way they looked, if the voice was of high enough caliber! I don't think exceptional voices will ever be excluded no matter what a singer looks like. Your personal opinion of a Meade, Barton, or earlier Jane Eaglen and the late Johan Botha falling just short of excellence for you is simply your opinion of their interpretations/limitations @whipped guy and certainly have no connection to their body weight.

 

Yes - until another director comes along with a mandate about fitting into a "little black dress" lol.