This was recorded her heyday (pity the technology didn't do her justice). Her voice teacher was still guiding her choices of roles and Beverly's voice was utterly glorious. All you critics, you try to do what she did....
Among her many wonderful qualities, Beverly had the ability to draw her public close to her. She was accessible and did not give herself airs. Something contemporary singers need to emulate. I first her voice in 1990 when a friend loaned me a cd titled The Art of Beverly Sills. I became an instant fan. Beverly, we love you and miss you!!
Arguably one of the greatest artist who has ever walked the face of this earth. BTW, it's an e FLAT not an e...and many of the other wonderful artists who sang this role didn't even attempt it. In my humble opinion the high note is great - it cracked but what the heck, my voice cracks sometimes when I'm just speaking. Thank you Bubbles for all you gave to us.
Unfortunately there is no recording of Ms Sills singing the very challenging aria "Involami" from the opera Ernani, which she sang on German Radio in the early 1970's. I friend of mine made a tape recording of the transcription as she was being interviewed on FM Radio in NYC, and sent a copy to me which I love. The closest thing to Sills singing Involami which you can find on You Tube is from a recording as sung by the young Anna Moffo.
Artur Rubinstein, the great pianist, said that if he were to collect all the wrong notes he'd played in his recitals, he'd have enough for several more recitals!
Callas was less of a technician then someone like sills or southerland, however what makes her in my opinion the greatest recorded Opera (not lieder or Chanson) soprano ever to live is the passion and energy she put into her characters, its pretty increadible
I sort of agree that you don't post a tribute that anyway detracts from how great a singer she was...but at the same time...who cares...this is an early document of a wonderful singer who would later on become one of the premier vocalists of our time..this clip is indespensible.
Pretty impressive performance by a 26-year old soprano, on LIVE television! Interesting that they cut all of "Ah, fors' é lui" for this broadcast. Sills looks and sounds marvelous... you can clearly see and hear the extraordinary artist she was becoming. And no, her technique was certainly NOT flawed... she just had a small crack at the very extreme high end of her range. You guys do know that the high E-flat is an OPTION, right... Verdi didn't write it. Anyone know who the tenor is?
The third soprano that can sing full of sempre libera and add the last highnote 1st edita gruberova 2nd joan sutherland 3rd beverly sills Anyone who find more tell me please
@Buzaglod Beverly Sills said in an interview that in opera one sings thousand and thousand of notes, if you get one wrong does that mean the whole opera gets written off? What a wise lady she was. I see you favour Callas. She was nothing short of spectacular but, did you know she too "falls flat" on notes?
there is certainly more to roles than high notes, but verdi didnt write that Eb, its an ad-lib that is just a convention done a lot of the time, and i think sopranos should choose wisely when including things like that in performance. the standard repertoire is loaded with arias just like this where history has fostered adlibbing high D's, Eb's, E's, and F's, the composers didnt write most of the big climax high notes that we hear all the time in performance.
@Buzaglod She had trouble with the attack...tried to do it too big, and had to back off, lighten up, and then it worked. Saying she 'falls flat' really shows no understanding of how vocal technique works.
I have not heard any Caballe recordings of anything higher than a D-flat..not that there is ANYTHING wrong with that...no one sang pianissimi as she did
An E flat never makes a Violetta greater, in my opinion. It is nice to hear, but there is much more to the rola than a flashy note, and Sills has always sung a lot more than E flats.
Sills is the ONLY singer (except maybe Sutherland) who sings all the notes Verdi wrote....esp starting around 2.15 nearly all sopranos, esp. contemporary ones leave out 2 or 3 measures and don't sing......with Sills there are NO GAPS. She REIGNS!
Tebaldi never had an E-flat for one and two, Callas was known for being an artist more than a singer. Her acting skills portrayed on stage and used in her singing voice was an art in itself. And it would have been completely unprofessional for Sills to have cancelled a telecasted performance just because of an off day. She cracked on one note, big deal! She was young and it was a really high note, her E-flat's were uncomparable. And her technique was fine for a 26 yr old prob just out of school
It's not really much of a crack. Singers who are brave enough to take the risk of releasing their voices at the top run this risk - so breaks happen on occasion. I can't see that it damages the performance much. One turns to Sills for a sort of instinctive elegance and charm that is unspoilt here.
well maybe if we would be able to read my screen name we would realize i cannot sing this aria..phisically as i am a gentleman. Having a bad night? every note before that was right so it was a matter of poor technique for that last note as THAT is the note you save up for, which she obviously diddnt which ruined the piece. If i would have paid my good money to see her and she cracked i would be very upset. you sing opera really? isnt that interesting...
come on angel, minuscule? if u crack at all the ruins it. it is not a foible. for an opera singer of her caliber a foible is being sharp or flat. but a crack is horrendous and ruins a song NO MATTER WHAT!
What never fails to strike me, ... other singers were idolized, some worshiped ... Beverly was loved!
This was recorded her heyday (pity the technology didn't do her justice). Her voice teacher was still guiding her choices of roles and Beverly's voice was utterly glorious. All you critics, you try to do what she did....
Among her many wonderful qualities, Beverly had the ability to draw her public close to her. She was accessible and did not give herself airs. Something contemporary singers need to emulate. I first her voice in 1990 when a friend loaned me a cd titled The Art of Beverly Sills. I became an instant fan. Beverly, we love you and miss you!!
THanks! Shiznit is just the word! She was just too much for this world to handle!
Most sopranos leave out the las "Il mio pensier" in preparation for the last high note. She did not omit it which is a tribute to her greatness.
Exactly! That was a recording glitch-not a slip up in Beverly’s stellar voice! Unparalleled technique, especially at this age!
Sills was lovely.......... just lovely.. beautiful woman, beautiful young accurate, fast voice..
beloved special Beverly, you were the GREATEST!!!!!!!
Arguably one of the greatest artist who has ever walked the face of this earth. BTW, it's an e FLAT not an e...and many of the other wonderful artists who sang this role didn't even attempt it. In my humble opinion the high note is great - it cracked but what the heck, my voice cracks sometimes when I'm just speaking. Thank you Bubbles for all you gave to us.
Live!!! Fascinating. Thank you for sharing this exquisite post.
And now Beverly truly sings with all the angels in Heaven
Her best recording.
Rest in Peace, my sweet Bella Bubbles!
there was a glitch in the recording on the last e-flat...not her voice. how wonderful and really light she sounded at 26...whe rules!
❤❤
amazing - this is the first video I saw of Sills in Traviata at that young age
Unfortunately there is no recording of Ms Sills singing the very challenging aria "Involami" from the opera Ernani, which she sang on German Radio in the early 1970's. I friend of mine made a tape recording of the transcription as she was being interviewed on FM Radio in NYC, and sent a copy to me which I love. The closest thing to Sills singing Involami which you can find on You Tube is from a recording as sung by the young Anna Moffo.
Dennis Spath there is on her Sillsiana album
Artur Rubinstein, the great pianist, said that if he were to collect all the wrong notes he'd played in his recitals, he'd have enough for several more recitals!
Callas was less of a technician then someone like sills or southerland, however what makes her in my opinion the greatest recorded Opera (not lieder or Chanson) soprano ever to live is the passion and energy she put into her characters, its pretty increadible
Actually Callas has better technique than other two sopranos you’ve mentioned.
So interesting to watch/listen to! But for a tribute, why did you post a clip in which she cracks?
I sort of agree that you don't post a tribute that anyway detracts from how great a singer she was...but at the same time...who cares...this is an early document of a wonderful singer who would later on become one of the premier vocalists of our time..this clip is indespensible.
Pretty impressive performance by a 26-year old soprano, on LIVE television! Interesting that they cut all of "Ah, fors' é lui" for this broadcast. Sills looks and sounds marvelous... you can clearly see and hear the extraordinary artist she was becoming. And no, her technique was certainly NOT flawed... she just had a small crack at the very extreme high end of her range. You guys do know that the high E-flat is an OPTION, right... Verdi didn't write it.
Anyone know who the tenor is?
The third soprano that can sing full of sempre libera and add the last highnote
1st edita gruberova
2nd joan sutherland
3rd beverly sills
Anyone who find more tell me please
THis is in a higher key isn't it.....It sound a lot higher than what I am used to hearing sopranos do today
@Buzaglod Beverly Sills said in an interview that in opera one sings thousand and thousand of notes, if you get one wrong does that mean the whole opera gets written off? What a wise lady she was. I see you favour Callas. She was nothing short of spectacular but, did you know she too "falls flat" on notes?
there is certainly more to roles than high notes, but verdi didnt write that Eb, its an ad-lib that is just a convention done a lot of the time, and i think sopranos should choose wisely when including things like that in performance. the standard repertoire is loaded with arias just like this where history has fostered adlibbing high D's, Eb's, E's, and F's, the composers didnt write most of the big climax high notes that we hear all the time in performance.
@Buzaglod She had trouble with the attack...tried to do it too big, and had to back off, lighten up, and then it worked. Saying she 'falls flat' really shows no understanding of how vocal technique works.
I have not heard any Caballe recordings of anything higher than a D-flat..not that there is ANYTHING wrong with that...no one sang pianissimi as she did
An E flat never makes a Violetta greater, in my opinion. It is nice to hear, but there is much more to the rola than a flashy note, and Sills has always sung a lot more than E flats.
Sills is the ONLY singer (except maybe Sutherland) who sings all the notes Verdi wrote....esp starting around 2.15 nearly all sopranos, esp. contemporary ones leave out 2 or 3 measures and don't sing......with Sills there are NO GAPS. She REIGNS!
Tebaldi never had an E-flat for one and two, Callas was known for being an artist more than a singer. Her acting skills portrayed on stage and used in her singing voice was an art in itself. And it would have been completely unprofessional for Sills to have cancelled a telecasted performance just because of an off day. She cracked on one note, big deal! She was young and it was a really high note, her E-flat's were uncomparable. And her technique was fine for a 26 yr old prob just out of school
2:27 she falls flat of the note,
no, if you are breathing right and supporting right, you will NEVER crack. at that moment she was being lazy.
You can't sing coloratura runs like Sills did without knowing how to use your instrument.
It's not really much of a crack. Singers who are brave enough to take the risk of releasing their voices at the top run this risk - so breaks happen on occasion. I can't see that it damages the performance much. One turns to Sills for a sort of instinctive elegance and charm that is unspoilt here.
@songsofscarlet How i wish i could have made her millions on such a flawed technique
well maybe if we would be able to read my screen name we would realize i cannot sing this aria..phisically as i am a gentleman. Having a bad night? every note before that was right so it was a matter of poor technique for that last note as THAT is the note you save up for, which she obviously diddnt which ruined the piece. If i would have paid my good money to see her and she cracked i would be very upset. you sing opera really? isnt that interesting...
come on angel, minuscule? if u crack at all the ruins it. it is not a foible. for an opera singer of her caliber a foible is being sharp or flat. but a crack is horrendous and ruins a song NO MATTER WHAT!
You're out of your mind. Your charitable last sentence doesn't excuse the rudeness of the first three.