I can't decide who sings this most demanding of all of Rossini's great coloratura scenes for the mezzo. I mean Horne or Verrett. Horne's voice is so rice and gorgeous. Her mid voice and bottom are equal to none. Her voice is also large and even throughout her range. Her coloratura impeccable. Verrett is great in a different way. I saved Verrett's version of this scene minus the beginning so I can compare the two version of this great aria. I declare it too close to call. Please listen to BOTH!
Wow! Horne's low notes are among the most solid and beautiful ever sung, and then she still sings amazing higher-lying coloratura, has - what is most important of all - a great mid voice and perfectly commands all the Bel Canto requirements of this difficult scene. I think this is one of the recordings that show most clearly why Horne was widely regarded as a vocal phenomenon.
I love both Horne and Verrett enormously. Both are such amazing Mezzos though Shirley truly became a Soprano and sang the most prestigious of Soprano roles, even the killer, Norma ( and she was fantastic in it), but she often returned to Mezzo roles for the rest of her career. Marilyn was in the 1969 ASSDEFIO at La Scala, but she would not sing it again at the MET as, again, the real star was going to be Beverly Sills. Enter Shirley Verrett who was given the 1975 Assedio with Sills and Shirley hit the longest Home Run in Opera History and became a huge star. Marilyn later stated she made a big mistake in NOT taking the 1975 ASSEDIO at the Met. In this particular role, though I love both Horne and Verrett, I will lean a bit more to Shirley Verrett, with the Assedio recording confirming it all for me. I wasn't around at that time, obviously, co I'm going by what I have heard subsequently or snipets such as these on You Tube.
MnikM I was there. It was eleven minutes. There’s a clock above the stage. Jackie had paid the claque.. Beverly didn’t. Only Callas in Anna Bolena got more. I assume the claque didn’t need to be paid.
Neil Cowan it might be true, but I think it is an exemplary performance that does deserve the standing ovation it got. Sills’ performance that night was also truly one of a kind. We just can’t hear anything close to this anymore, and it makes me so sad.
Rachel Port yes. Beverly wasn’t as well received. I happen to love her Viennese quality but the Milanese didn’t. Especially Wanda Toscanini. She sang her aria lying down, which didn’t help. She made them remove the scrim because she couldn’t see the conductor. We often dined together at Biffi Scala - Bev, Peter, Jackie, Tommy and Nonie Phipps Schippers. And me, a kid from the San Joaquin Valley. And Victor Parsonnet, Jackie’s neighbor who was the brother of Marion Parsonnet who wrote Gilda and was married to my cousin Shirley Cowan. Big table.
@tadcastria What I am trying to determine is if this is indeed opening night or a subsequent performance, since the conductor listed is Franci, not Schippers. You have offered in your reply that Franci never conducted at La Scala. If that is a fact, end of discussion. My set is not labeled correctly. I bought it because I was hoping that it wouldn't be the opening, which I already have on vinyl. he performance sounds the same for reasons I have previously stated -not looking for an argument!
I was there. Sills’ debut got only polite applause. Jackie got eleven minutes. There’s a clock above the stage! Spent time with them that week, mostly at Biffi Scala.
Why would you say merely "polite" applause when it easy to dismiss that lie by listening to the actual performance on my channel? Horne's applause lasted more like 7 minutes (rather than "12" min.) according many friends who were there, too. Don't trivialize Sills by making up lies about someone you obviously don't like.
maestrojimbo Apparently you are not familiar with ‘editing.’ I was there with the principals all week. I let my comments stand. As to a Beverly, I have loved her since seeing her with NYCO in LA in the 60s but didn’t meet her until her La Scala debut. She is great fun and has a raucous laugh, much like Liz Taylor. I never met Joanie Bev was the finer actress on stage and a hoot to be around. I actually saw her in Paris doing Salome. They discreetly substituted a younger dancer for the veils scene! I loved Bev for her Viennese style, especially Villa. Her work keeping NYCO afloat, thanks to the munificence of two LA friends of mine, was legendary. A great woman whom I adored.
PIRATED VERSION OR NOT IS MARILYN HORNE SINGING. OO ONE HAS BEEN YET BORN TO CALL ANOTHER HUMAN BEING AS "IGNORANT" ONLY DUE TO THE EXISTENCE OF A PIRATED VERSION AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WHO CAN GET IT. pLEASE BE HUMBLE. fROM sANTIAGO OF cHILE nOVEMBER 2016
maestrojimbo Sir, do not engage anymore in conversation with this gentleman. Evidently he knows nothing about bel canto or MS. HORNE. His comments do not warrant the intelligence of your reply. Thanks for posting!!
What you're hearing is a bel canto technique with legato and squillo in the sound, not the swallowed, artificially darkened blunt popera noise that passes for "technique" these days.
@@brunnhilde7193 , the nasal sound has nothing to do with legato, but with placement. I personally don't mind Horne's slightly nasal quality, because she does have a formidable technique otherwise.
@@nonenoneonenonenone It's really very interesting and perplexing what you're writing because I think that Horne actually does *not* do what most mezzos and sopranos do nowadays (bringing the head voice low to avoid chest). I totally agree with you that bringing the head voice down is not tasteful and almost certainly is an anti bel canto habit. But I simply don't see Horne doing that. I think her chest voice is one of her redeeming qualities. In your example of bringing the head voice down I'd put Valentini Terrani in that category amongst many others. My issue is the terrible sound done by her aspirating and the nasal quality of her timbre which is not Valentini Terrani's case (timbre-wise and coloratura-wise she's superior to Horne IMHO).
I can't decide who sings this most demanding of all of Rossini's great coloratura scenes for the mezzo. I mean Horne or Verrett.
Horne's voice is so rice and gorgeous. Her mid voice and bottom are equal to none. Her voice is also large and even throughout her range. Her coloratura impeccable.
Verrett is great in a different way.
I saved Verrett's version of this scene minus the beginning so I can compare the two version of this great aria.
I declare it too close to call.
Please listen to BOTH!
Wow! Horne's low notes are among the most solid and beautiful ever sung, and then she still sings amazing higher-lying coloratura, has - what is most important of all - a great mid voice and perfectly commands all the Bel Canto requirements of this difficult scene. I think this is one of the recordings that show most clearly why Horne was widely regarded as a vocal phenomenon.
Astounding........
Ethereal..............
Supernatural.......
What can one say?We are blessed.
Rich, rare voice, with great movement!
grande grandissima !! meravigliose variazioni ,legati i e scale discendenti e ascendenti ...il più grande mezzo/ contralto del secolo XX
I love both Horne and Verrett enormously. Both are such amazing Mezzos though Shirley truly became a Soprano and sang the most prestigious of Soprano roles, even the killer, Norma ( and she was fantastic in it), but she often returned to Mezzo roles for the rest of her career. Marilyn was in the 1969 ASSDEFIO at La Scala, but she would not sing it again at the MET as, again, the real star was going to be Beverly Sills. Enter Shirley Verrett who was given the 1975 Assedio with Sills and Shirley hit the longest Home Run in Opera History and became a huge star. Marilyn later stated she made a big mistake in NOT taking the 1975 ASSEDIO at the Met. In this particular role, though I love both Horne and Verrett, I will lean a bit more to Shirley Verrett, with the Assedio recording confirming it all for me. I wasn't around at that time, obviously, co I'm going by what I have heard subsequently or snipets such as these on You Tube.
For a second when the man starts singing, I just though 'yeah, that could be Marilyn...wait'.
Ze blijft me altijd verbazen. Zo mooi. Wat een stem. Prachtig.
J'aime énormément cette chanteuse, ça voix est vraiment magnifique et ça technique.... AUSSI... Bravo et merci Maestra !!!
Amazing!!
Super Marilyn was really fit, this evening !
Her voice obeys to her least solicitation.
Brava General Horne !
No one can touch Horne in this repertoire. Amazing.
Verret is better
uno dei momenti che ho perso e che avrei voluto vivere
Amazing, pure singing, thank you so much for this upload!
She received a 7 minute, mid-act ovation after this aria, something that hasn't happened since.
MnikM I was there. It was eleven minutes. There’s a clock above the stage. Jackie had paid the claque.. Beverly didn’t. Only Callas in Anna Bolena got more. I assume the claque didn’t need to be paid.
@@neilcowan6789 Well, unless every member of the audience was in the claque, it sounds like she would have gotten the applause anyway.
@@neilcowan6789 Evidence?
Paul ES I was there and with her the entire time. I babysat Angela when she was in rehearsals. I’m 79.
Neil Cowan it might be true, but I think it is an exemplary performance that does deserve the standing ovation it got. Sills’ performance that night was also truly one of a kind. We just can’t hear anything close to this anymore, and it makes me so sad.
capitolo fondamentale nella storia della Rossini Renaissance...imprescindibile...
Is this the same performance that was Beverly Sill's La Scala debut? Damn, if that's true, I wish I could have been there to see it.
Indeed it is! There must be a full version here on youtube somewhere.
Rachel Port yes. Beverly wasn’t as well received. I happen to love her Viennese quality but the Milanese didn’t. Especially Wanda Toscanini. She sang her aria lying down, which didn’t help. She made them remove the scrim because she couldn’t see the conductor. We often dined together at Biffi Scala - Bev, Peter, Jackie, Tommy and Nonie Phipps Schippers. And me, a kid from the San Joaquin Valley. And Victor Parsonnet, Jackie’s neighbor who was the brother of Marion Parsonnet who wrote Gilda and was married to my cousin Shirley Cowan. Big table.
@neilcowan6789 really? The comments on Sills scala debut say the opposite. I'm confused now
Amazıng!
@tadcastria The issue is whether it is opening night or a subsequent performance. Thanks for viewing.
maestrojimbo MRF recorded at dress rehearsal and subsequent performances. He sat in the first row. As Jackie said, thank god he was there.
👏👏👏👏👏👏
Rossini wrote the greatest opera seria up to 1825.
@tadcastria What I am trying to determine is if this is indeed opening night or a subsequent performance, since the conductor listed is Franci, not Schippers. You have offered in your reply that Franci never conducted at La Scala. If that is a fact, end of discussion. My set is not labeled correctly. I bought it because I was hoping that it wouldn't be the opening, which I already have on vinyl. he performance sounds the same for reasons I have previously stated -not looking for an argument!
maestrojimbo I was there. Spent much time with Jackie, Bev and Tommy Schippers, with his wife, Nonie Phipps Schippers . He conducted.
What piece was it from this opera from which Ms. Horne received that tumultuous 7-11 minute ovation in 1969?
I was there. Sills’ debut got only polite applause. Jackie got eleven minutes. There’s a clock above the stage!
Spent time with them that week, mostly at Biffi Scala.
Why would you say merely "polite" applause when it easy to dismiss that lie by listening to the actual performance on my channel? Horne's applause lasted more like 7 minutes (rather than "12" min.) according many friends who were there, too. Don't trivialize Sills by making up lies about someone you obviously don't like.
maestrojimbo Apparently you are not familiar with ‘editing.’ I was there with the principals all week. I let my comments stand.
As to a Beverly, I have loved her since seeing her with NYCO in LA in the 60s but didn’t meet her until her La Scala debut. She is great fun and has a raucous laugh, much like Liz Taylor. I never met Joanie Bev was the finer actress on stage and a hoot to be around. I actually saw her in Paris doing Salome. They discreetly substituted a younger dancer for the veils scene! I loved Bev for her Viennese style, especially Villa. Her work keeping NYCO afloat, thanks to the munificence of two LA friends of mine, was legendary. A great woman whom I adored.
@@neilcowan6789 Sills never sang Salome. In Paris or anywhere else. Unless you mean you saw Liz Taylor sing Salome! Which I would not put past you.
@@neilcowan6789 I think you mean "Vilja" from the Merry Widow. As famous as Bubbles was, I really can't see her singing about her villa...
Yes, and then Callas and Caruso showed up and kissed you on both cheeks. Stronzo.
PIRATED VERSION OR NOT IS MARILYN HORNE SINGING. OO ONE HAS BEEN YET BORN TO CALL ANOTHER HUMAN BEING AS "IGNORANT" ONLY DUE TO THE EXISTENCE OF A PIRATED VERSION AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WHO CAN GET IT.
pLEASE BE HUMBLE.
fROM sANTIAGO OF cHILE
nOVEMBER 2016
I have explained why it is rare - why do you think it is not?
maestrojimbo Sir, do not engage anymore in conversation with this gentleman. Evidently he knows nothing about bel canto or MS. HORNE. His comments do not warrant the intelligence of your reply. Thanks for posting!!
great singer and musician but her sound is so rough and not attractive - listen to Shirley verette sing this yu will be overwhelmed
I don´t like her nasal singing
What you're hearing is a bel canto technique with legato and squillo in the sound, not the swallowed, artificially darkened blunt popera noise that passes for "technique" these days.
@@brunnhilde7193 , the nasal sound has nothing to do with legato, but with placement. I personally don't mind Horne's slightly nasal quality, because she does have a formidable technique otherwise.
@@tristanhnl Even if she clucks and aspirates the f*ck out of the coloratura?
I think, for me, what I object to is her bringing a "head" voice tone so low, to avoid any chest sound, which I prefer.
@@nonenoneonenonenone It's really very interesting and perplexing what you're writing because I think that Horne actually does *not* do what most mezzos and sopranos do nowadays (bringing the head voice low to avoid chest). I totally agree with you that bringing the head voice down is not tasteful and almost certainly is an anti bel canto habit. But I simply don't see Horne doing that. I think her chest voice is one of her redeeming qualities. In your example of bringing the head voice down I'd put Valentini Terrani in that category amongst many others. My issue is the terrible sound done by her aspirating and the nasal quality of her timbre which is not Valentini Terrani's case (timbre-wise and coloratura-wise she's superior to Horne IMHO).