Pick your favorite Soprano, It has been far too long that I have let you slide without forcing you to listen to some great opera. They are all dead, force yourself to honor their talent: the Greek, Australian and the American.
Maria Callas singing Carmen Habanera
Dame Joan Sutherland Sempre Libera (Verdi La Traviata) (highest notes ever)
Beverly Sills - La Traviata
Beverly Sills - Willow Song - Baby Doe. ( I just included this last one because I liked it).
13 comments:
Opera Day is big here at Eye on Miami. Let's vote on the best soprano....I have mine in mind.
I'd never seen Joan Sutherland before. My goosebumps may be terminal. Bravo for sharing something beautiful in an increasingly uncivil world.
OMG I got a comment. Thank you thank you....
yes this is magical stuff in a shitty world right now.
i just can't make myself listen, sorry.
Just listen to Maria Callas. She is the easiest to watch.
Besides she was such a diva. I think she committed suicide.
Genius, I listened to all three. Call me uncouth, but when you are dealing with such mastery at that level it is not possible to distinguish which one is exceptional. When you do a Country and Western contest, I promise to make a choice.
I didn't really expect you to make an informed choice. I am just trying to get people to listen to a few minutes of opera. Wider horizons is a good thing. I have a hard time deciding between Joan and Maria.
Sutherland is amazing , score her a 9.9999, never liked bubble Sills ( i worked for Amex while she was on the Board of Dir., ridiculous ) so Callas scores a perfect 10 for me b/c voice + raw sexual vibe always win.
I used to listen to Callas from my neighbors stereo at full blast and open window. He had a Miami Beach winter season ticket for opera. We'd discuss it over the fence.
Callas used to occasionally not show for performances at the Scala. How do I know? My Teacher missed one of those no shows, then told us, since we the pupils are not Callas, we had no justification not to show up for work or school. She was better then great! I Still have some LP's from my neighbors estate collection, nobody found interesting. That reminds me, I should crank up that old record player to see if the needle still tracks the grooves.
Nothing beats Kiri Te Kanawa's O Bambino Mio. Nothing. Pure emotion.
http://youtu.be/ZRuYQ9KRJms
At age 50, I never grew to appreciate much opera - some of those high notes feel like a hypodermic needle piercing my ear drum. However, I liked the Beverly Sills black and white clip. Very beautiful song, sung beautifully.
ed to your link. Beautiful. Some of you don't get it. I never went to an opera performance. I am not a fan of opera. What I am a fan of is anyone who can excel at something that is impossible for most of us. It is a testament to humankind's greatness. It is transforming. Also forcing you to do something you don't like may make you vote more.
Agreed, and nicely said.
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