The amazing rendition of this great artist is a treasure ... this is the most luxuriant musique ever composed and certainly one of my very favorite operas ... Varady is the only one able to approach the "owner" of this role, my dearest Leonie Rysanek ... In the early 90's I once asked Leonie if she would consider singing another soprano part in this opera (she had dropped the Empress in 81 in Vienna I believe) ... with her unique combination of both genuine humbleness and precision about her position in the history of opera, she answered me "no, you know ... I AM the empress" ... She had been Jenufa and Kotshelnika, Salome and Herodias, Chrysothemis and Klytemnestra ... Elsa and Ortrud ... but it was not conceivable for her to switch to another role than the Empress in the "Frau"... there are many live recording witnessing her supremacy on this role over 20y or so ... Only Varady managed to approach the emotion, the combination of strength and frailty of this character with both intelligence, sensitivity and the immense vocal means that are required ... On stage they were "stage animals" whose both dramatic and vocal impact was almost unbearable ... Stage queens and vocal queens like very few in the last century (with Calla and Scotto possibly ?) ... Anyway YES Varady is one of the most under rate artist ever ... and YES anything you find with her LIVE on stage is GREAT ... : for instance the Bastille Abigaille ... with fabulous cast (except Laffont) and staging (Carsen) ... I wish We could find the TV recordings from Munich (anyone could help ? ;) ... Thank you Lohengrin O anyway :)
completely agree about Leonie and I completely understand why she didnt want to sing Dyer's wife or the Nurse... (I personally would have wanted to sing EVERY ROLE in this opera :D)... and yes Varady here is absolutely fantastic... I wish more live material of hers comes to my hands
@@LohengrinO There are a couple of live albums available where they take extracts from live performances on stage - mainly excerpts from Mozart, Wagner and Verdi. Her singing Sentas ballad is fantastic
In a perfect world Varady would have been acknowledged as one of its greatest singers--who else could sing not only Santuzza but Mozart and triumph equally in both idioms. Blessed with a beautiful voice and great technique she was truly the mistress of her art. Fortunately Decca took advantage to record Frau with her and while Domingo would never have been my choice he at least didn't disgrace one of his last forays into the tenor rep. Glorious opera!
I consider the first act of this opera genius, to the point where I am reluctant to listen beyond it. This clip is not only a remembrance of Varady, but also a reminder as to why I should listen to the opera in its entirety.
I WORSHIP this scene... Im crazy about this scene... if Strauss had composed nothing else but this, it would be enough to hail him a Genius for the Centuries... this literally transfers you to another Realm
the Britten War Requiem in which she was the solo soprano is available on UA-cam. It was with the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra (I think), Eliahu Inbal, Robert Tear, Thomas Helmsley, the BBC Singers and Symphony Chorus and a German boys choir. She was fabulous. I was a choral 1st soprano just behind her. I also discovered that I am allergic to wasp stings! My hand looked like an old green potato and I was swollen from my little finger right up to my neck and almost missed the flight home.
it might seems that she bares a bit of bad luck? some of these artists bring so much bad luck to you when you merely listen to them it is impossible to listen to them (as well as some plays / operas... you can all see what happened the last time I posted Lady M in my channel)
I just love Varady! Always full throated singing in every register, a gorgeous timbre and so committed to the words. There are imperfections, but I can listen straight past.
What a beautiful violin solo to open this scene from one of my two favorite Strauss operas, the other being SALOME. This recording introduced me to Varady’s sensational voice & art. Rysanek basically owned this role, justifiably, for years but her instrument was not as well integrated as Varady’s or as meltingly beautiful. I became a devoted Varady advocate & unabashed fan from this point on.
This music is like an eargasm.. As the French call it "le petit mort"; each time you listen to it you die a little.. How does a person wake up in the morning and think of this music??
Più che il canto di Julia Varady che è veramente meraviglioso... ma qui è la musica divina che rapisce il cuore e ne fa davvero da PADRONA... C'è un orchestrazione senza pari.. è un parere di chi non sa nulla di musica ma è un parere istintivo e di sensibilità. Danke Lohengrin come sempre ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️Elsa.
I couldn't be more wrong with regard to the complete recording of Frau on Decca. The Kaiserin was, of course, Cheryl Studer, It was wishful thinking on my part that it should have been Varady.
Actually, Varady was the Kaiserin on the Decca set with Domingo, Behrens, van Dam, Solti et al. Studer was the Kaiserin on the EMI set a few years earlier, with Kollo, Vinzing, etc.
The amazing rendition of this great artist is a treasure ... this is the most luxuriant musique ever composed and certainly one of my very favorite operas ... Varady is the only one able to approach the "owner" of this role, my dearest Leonie Rysanek ... In the early 90's I once asked Leonie if she would consider singing another soprano part in this opera (she had dropped the Empress in 81 in Vienna I believe) ... with her unique combination of both genuine humbleness and precision about her position in the history of opera, she answered me "no, you know ... I AM the empress" ... She had been Jenufa and Kotshelnika, Salome and Herodias, Chrysothemis and Klytemnestra ... Elsa and Ortrud ... but it was not conceivable for her to switch to another role than the Empress in the "Frau"... there are many live recording witnessing her supremacy on this role over 20y or so ... Only Varady managed to approach the emotion, the combination of strength and frailty of this character with both intelligence, sensitivity and the immense vocal means that are required ... On stage they were "stage animals" whose both dramatic and vocal impact was almost unbearable ... Stage queens and vocal queens like very few in the last century (with Calla and Scotto possibly ?) ... Anyway YES Varady is one of the most under rate artist ever ... and YES anything you find with her LIVE on stage is GREAT ... : for instance the Bastille Abigaille ... with fabulous cast (except Laffont) and staging (Carsen) ... I wish We could find the TV recordings from Munich (anyone could help ? ;) ... Thank you Lohengrin O anyway :)
completely agree about Leonie and I completely understand why she didnt want to sing Dyer's wife or the Nurse... (I personally would have wanted to sing EVERY ROLE in this opera :D)... and yes Varady here is absolutely fantastic... I wish more live material of hers comes to my hands
@@LohengrinO There are a couple of live albums available where they take extracts from live performances on stage - mainly excerpts from Mozart, Wagner and Verdi. Her singing Sentas ballad is fantastic
You should be awarded for finding this photo!!
:D
In a perfect world Varady would have been acknowledged as one of its greatest singers--who else could sing not only Santuzza but Mozart and triumph equally in both idioms. Blessed with a beautiful voice and great technique she was truly the mistress of her art. Fortunately Decca took advantage to record Frau with her and while Domingo would never have been my choice he at least didn't disgrace one of his last forays into the tenor rep. Glorious opera!
davy91101 I think Domingo does a very fine job especially in the act 2 aria which has a pained intensity that outdoes his rivals.
I consider the first act of this opera genius, to the point where I am reluctant to listen beyond it. This clip is not only a remembrance of Varady, but also a reminder as to why I should listen to the opera in its entirety.
I WORSHIP this scene... Im crazy about this scene... if Strauss had composed nothing else but this, it would be enough to hail him a Genius for the Centuries... this literally transfers you to another Realm
Lohengrin O I have to agree. Just incredible and beautiful.
@@LohengrinO Amen to that!
She really was underated this woman!!...... lovely 😘
the Britten War Requiem in which she was the solo soprano is available on UA-cam. It was with the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra (I think), Eliahu Inbal, Robert Tear, Thomas Helmsley, the BBC Singers and Symphony Chorus and a German boys choir. She was fabulous. I was a choral 1st soprano just behind her. I also discovered that I am allergic to wasp stings! My hand looked like an old green potato and I was swollen from my little finger right up to my neck and almost missed the flight home.
it might seems that she bares a bit of bad luck? some of these artists bring so much bad luck to you when you merely listen to them it is impossible to listen to them (as well as some plays / operas... you can all see what happened the last time I posted Lady M in my channel)
I just love Varady! Always full throated singing in every register, a gorgeous timbre and so committed to the words. There are imperfections, but I can listen straight past.
What a beautiful violin solo to open this scene from one of my two favorite Strauss operas, the other being SALOME. This recording introduced me to Varady’s sensational voice & art. Rysanek basically owned this role, justifiably, for years but her instrument was not as well integrated as Varady’s or as meltingly beautiful. I became a devoted Varady advocate & unabashed fan from this point on.
Once more indebted to you for introducing me to Varady’s Kaiserin......Magnificent!
This music is like an eargasm.. As the French call it "le petit mort"; each time you listen to it you die a little.. How does a person wake up in the morning and think of this music??
Più che il canto di Julia Varady che è veramente meraviglioso... ma qui è la musica divina che rapisce il cuore e ne fa davvero da PADRONA... C'è un orchestrazione senza pari.. è un parere di chi non sa nulla di musica ma è un parere istintivo e di sensibilità. Danke Lohengrin come sempre ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️Elsa.
...il Divino sir Georg Solti
I couldn't be more wrong with regard to the complete recording of Frau on Decca. The Kaiserin was, of course, Cheryl Studer, It was wishful thinking on my part that it should have been Varady.
Actually, Varady was the Kaiserin on the Decca set with Domingo, Behrens, van Dam, Solti et al. Studer was the Kaiserin on the EMI set a few years earlier, with Kollo, Vinzing, etc.
Aaaah !
Mme Fischer-Diskau ! C'est magnifique.
THE BEST SENTA I ever experienced live (@ ROH). Goose-pumps adrenaline thrilling. The final scene was OUTTA this World!
who was Hollander?
@@LohengrinO Ah! The Stupendous José Van Dam! WORLD CLASS SINGING