Pons had a unique instrument that was extraordinary for it's agility and tone .It was an attractive voice housed in a very attractive and glamorous woman who knew how to give the public, what it wanted and knew what her voice could and could not do. She never deviated from her silver flute like sound and never tried to be anything on stage but Lily Pons and it was enough to make her a huge star and box office draw. She was a star in Radio, Movies, (she was successful in more than one ) Opera, Concerts ! Pons is a unique and exceptional artist and personality, who cannot be compared to anyone else!
Well, she was certainly a household word in the US.....this is back from early days in the French provinces, mainly in the 1920s....her Parisian career was not very extensive nor impressive....but then Zenatello and Maria Gay ¨discovered her and took her to New York....she morphed gradually into an old-fashioned diva after she crossed the Atlantic.....whereby hang so many tales,but there has never seemingly been an interest out there to do a candid, ¨unauthorized¨ biography....her remaining fans would probably try to burn the author at the stake. At least she was still singing basically on pitch back when this was recorded. Much of her later work for RCA and Columbia has her a solid quarter-tone flat the entire time. And it is sad, because the voice was attractive and she was a heck of a performer...but she bought into the hype and well, the rest is, as they say, history.
Sadly the demand of the audience is nowadays more visual than is listening so belcanto singers are not what they used to be😖 they move a Lot on stage but they're singing is less refined we are lucky to have these antique recordings
So much to say about Lily. She was much needed by the Depression ridden Met! She created herself. She filled a niche that was basically all hers until Calls came in the fifties. It has less to do with voice but personality. She was a star.
Pons had a unique instrument that was extraordinary for it's agility and tone .It was an attractive voice housed in a very attractive and glamorous woman who knew how to give the public, what it wanted and knew what her voice could and could not do. She never deviated from her silver flute like sound and never tried to be anything on stage but Lily Pons and it was enough to make her a huge star and box office draw. She was a star in Radio, Movies, (she was successful in more than one ) Opera, Concerts ! Pons is a unique and exceptional artist and personality, who cannot be compared to anyone else!
Thank you so much for sharing this song, Father.
Incredible !
wow, super coloratura
So the thing about Lily Pons is that nobody could sing like her.
Well, she was certainly a household word in the US.....this is back from early days in the French provinces, mainly in the 1920s....her Parisian career was not very extensive nor impressive....but then Zenatello and Maria Gay ¨discovered her and took her to New York....she morphed gradually into an old-fashioned diva after she crossed the Atlantic.....whereby hang so many tales,but there has never seemingly been an interest out there to do a candid, ¨unauthorized¨ biography....her remaining fans would probably try to burn the author at the stake. At least she was still singing basically on pitch back when this was recorded. Much of her later work for RCA and Columbia has her a solid quarter-tone flat the entire time. And it is sad, because the voice was attractive and she was a heck of a performer...but she bought into the hype and well, the rest is, as they say, history.
Great comment, Father! Thank you very much!
The young singers today should LEARN from listening to PONS that SHOUTING is NOT SINGING.
You are right, they shout today.
Sadly the demand of the audience is nowadays more visual than is listening so belcanto singers are not what they used to be😖 they move a Lot on stage but they're singing is less refined we are lucky to have these antique recordings
La voix était minuscule, et manquait de medium. Mais sa musicalité était exemplaire.
So much to say about Lily. She was much needed by the Depression ridden Met! She created herself. She filled a niche that was basically all hers until Calls came in the fifties. It has less to do with voice but personality. She was a star.