Shes not underrated. She is adored and remembered. The New York Times called her "the finest coloratura soprano of our time, possibly ever. Incomparable." (1972)
This is just astounding given that it is not a studio recording. The voice conveys the tradgedy not only by dramatic expression but by the timbre and the contoled veiled vibrato. Her pure bell-like trills and soaring top notes are unbelievable. She said in an interview that from quite early she knew her voice. What it was capable of and what it was not. Here there is no doubt. Im reduced to sobs. Please who is the tenor. His drama matched (if not encouraged) hers
Gorgeous singing. So lyrical and tender and full of emotion without any heaviness. The acuti, trills and general coloratura and legato fioritura are all beautifully done.
Sills is a goddess!! If only these wonderful live performances had been filmed and recorded more frequently in her career! As a result we don’t hear them in good sound, nor do we have the pleasure of watching her; she was an exceptionally good actress.
I happened upon this heavenly clip while in my hotel in Holland, All I was doing during the first time listening was smiling at haw incredibly she controlled her vocal chords, I am afraid that this kind of commitment to perfection is becoming a lost art . Thank you for preserving her memory and inspiring singers in the future to reach for higher Heights and deeper Depths.
What a night.. A thrilling performance by Beverly and the Debut of one of the most exciting singers.. Marissa Galvany.. A Duo made in Heaven... A night to remember.. Thanks James...
This is a crappy recording, but I heard her sing this in Los Angeles in 1972 (my first opera) and could not believe any human being could make those kinds of sounds. Rolling around on her back, singing to the back of the stage, those pianissimos floated in the air forever...just freaking unbelievable. No one has ever matched her in coloratura...and damn, she could literally reduce you to babbling.
James!!! I know that I spend most of my life in a comatose state but how on earth did I miss THIS??? Those trills and Beverly's floating high notes are definitely going to be the death of me! :) This is pure 'Aunt Pittypat' material at it's best!! I'm sharing it on the Crazies page if that's OK with you? Brava Beverly and thank you so much James!!
Thank you so much for sharing. Even though the sound is muddy, the voice is captured when it still had that amazing sheen. Vocally it gives a much better impression of her in the role than the commercial recording, even if I find the conducting a bit inert.
Terrific. I was fortunate to be in the chorus of a production - Summer Opera of Washington, DC - of Maria Stuarda (Summer of '89, I believe), and it was just glorious.
What would Donizetti himself thought of this staggeringly outstanding interpolation and the beauty in which it was sung? I think he would have fainted from the emotional drama. Beverly Sills gives this her all. - what a performance! Unlike no other - and unequaled.
Amazing. Even better than her commercial recording. She was by far the very best in this repertoire. She suffered from opera snobbery in that the sh*t Rudolph Bing who ruled the Met with an iron hand wouldn't let her sing there, when her voice was in its prime, and some European opera houses such as Covent Garden didn't favorite her because she was an American. Luckily that sort of prejudice is fading in the opera world.
Solti was the director of Covent Garden, and after she refused his sexual advances, her chances of singing there were effectively quashed while he ruled the roost.
@@jasonhurd4379 I'm sorry to read that the late Sir Solti could be so petty and mean and unworthy of his talents. I'll always treasure recordings of his performances though, especially with the Chicago Symphony.
MERCI! merci infiniment maestrojimbo de nous offrir ce véritable trésor avec une Sills en super-forme!. Comme on aurait aimé être là!!! électrisant, époustouflant même, pour la maitrise associée du brio vocal et du dramatisme théâtral. " THE ART OF BEVERLY SILLS".
A single album was released in the 70's of excerpts from the Sill's recordings of each of the three operas. Sadly, it's been out of print in all media for a long time. I remember, as a Super at that time, her Stuarda performances at City Opera. Mind boggling to say the least.
It was originally composed as a soprano role and premiered as an opera called Buondelmonte with a different libretto but the identical score in 1834 in Naples. The next year it premiered under the original title and with the original libretto with Malibran who was known to sing soprano roles as well, but it was transposed for her and so both scores exist today still, but the soprano role is the more popular. Sometimes the Elizabeth is transposed for a soprano and 2 sopranos then take the leads.
My friend and colleague, the late, great Charles Wendelken-Wilson (who conducted this performance), once told me that only times he remembered hearing Sills warm up, pre-performance, were the performances in which she went up against Marissa Galvany's Elizabetta in MARIA STUARDA.
I remember an interview with her where she said she didn't usually warm up, so this would be a rare occurrence indeed. And I don't doubt it in the least. .
@vocalissimo1 Its true that Sills voice was not as huge as Sutherland's. But that shouldn't make any difference at all. She was a lyric coloratura, as opposed to Sutherland's dramatic coloratura. You really can't compare the two. As far as Sills not having the "dramatic heft" of Sutherland, that's just simply unfounded. Again, "dramatic heft" has nothing to do with how big or heavy a voice that one has, but from their understanding and ability to use their voice and knowledge of music to truly bring out the drama of what's being sung, with full range of expression. Sills had that all over Sutherland. Sutherland's singing was beautiful and exciting because of the huge sound, and to still use it as she did. But as far as having any "dramatic heft" to it, I would say she fell very short.
I have heard the two of them in person . . . two different types of personalities and voices. There is room at the top for their own individuality and for the tastes of those who prefer one over the other for whatever reason. Personally, I enjoyed both for each of their own strengths and weaknesses. There are very few who can come close to the fame and the heritage that these two sopranos left behind nor their great impressions. I have no reason to not enjoy both in my record collection and remember I had the privilege of hearing them both in person.
russmaleartist me too, many time, and many more of the greats of their time. I loved and still do love them all for different reasons. Isn’t it great we have RUclips. Cheers to you.
Agreed! Having heard, and even met, some of them in person, had a profound effect upon me -- knowing the were first of all people and mortals, who had personal lives, worked hard, and had been in the right places at the right times. The thing I liked was making them a part of my life, and having been enriched by their artistry, I, perhaps, can go on to do the same.
@ Andrew Connor Your statement is an absolute fact. The first time I heard of her due to a comment on Anna Netrebko. Quite underrated so to say. A very pity.
The voice types were not defined at the time the way we know them. The first Stuarda was Malibran who was associated with many mezzo roles. Additionally, the pitch was lower then (about a half step). For most of the 20th century it has been sung by sopranos. Sills was particularly known for changing the music a bit to suit her tessitura. Sutherland did this as well.
What can I add? Her effortless flights in her upper register with flawless portamento, and then the dazzling descents. It is a muddy recording but it has good sound nevertheless. Could never understand the opera snobbery that went beyond Rudolf Bing, English critics particularly found her so wanting compared to Dame Joan Sutherland. Joan was a force of nature but interpretatively vacant, and couldn't articulate even her native language. 1972 was a good year for La Sills!
The reaction of the British critics was due, to a considerable degree, to the choice of Miss Sills's debut vehicle at Covent Garden. The brits didn't appreciate what they considered a direct challenge to La Stupenda, and when Sills, a virtual stranger to them, showed up as Lucia, it reflected badly on her. I'm a Sills fan to the bitter end, and I agree with you, but to have introduced herself to that audience in a different role, one not associated Miss Sutherland, might have made a dramatic difference in the path of her international career. She already didn't want to spend much time away from family, and to do so AND get lousy reviews for her trouble was a pretty unappealing career option.
@@celticearsMany of us could care less what the Brits thought of our grand Bubbles. She had the interpretive chops from the beginning that Sutherland only approached at the very end when she stopped protecting her voice.
@@wilsonwatt9283 As I said "I'm a Sills fan to the bitter end, and I agree with you, but to have introduced herself to that audience in a different role, one not associated Miss Sutherland, might have made a dramatic difference in the path of her international career." I also could NOT care less about the opinions of the British critics. I was responding to a note in which the guy said he couldn't understand their reaction. I offered my opinion. And, by the way, I agree with you, too.
Avendo presente...Genger/Cabajelle/ Ricciarelli/Devia/Maria Chiara.....resto affascinato dalla qualità psicologica di questo duetto...nonostante la pessima ripresa che dipende dalla posizione a latere.. se vogliamo esalta la Testimonianza e la rende..una Perla rara. Chapeau.a loro e a Maestrojiambo....
The reason that she didn't sing abroad was ,she wanted to be in the States to take care of her two disabled children This from Wikipedia:~ In November 17, 1956, Sills married journalist Peter Greenough, of the Cleveland, Ohio, newspaper The Plain Dealer and moved to Cleveland. She had two children with Greenough, Meredith ("Muffy") in 1959 and Peter, Jr. ("Bucky") in 1961. Muffy (died July 3, 2016) was profoundly deaf and had multiple sclerosis; Peter, Jr. is severely mentally disabled. Sills restricted her performing schedule to care for her children.
NADA SE PUEDE ACRESCENTAR A TAN BELLA INTERPRETACION. HASTA HOY NINGUNA CANTANTE HA TENIDO POSIBILIDAD DE ACERCARSE A BEVERLY. QUIEN LA VIO EN VIVO PUEDE DECIRLO. SU VOZ SUBLIME Y CON LOS AGUDOS TAN FACILES ENLEVAVA UNO AL CIELO. QUE DIOS LA TENGA EN SUS MANOS, UN ANGEL A MAS EN EL CIELO.
Ascoltata due volte alla Scala nell' Assedio di Corinto di Rossini...con la Verrett...venne giù il teatro per entrambe...e in una Traviata da oscurare la Callas....per la presenza scenica...
Stuarda has never been a mezzo role, although this type of distinction was not made in the time it was written. Roles were considered either prima or secunda donna. For the most part the prima was a larger, more experienced voice and the secunda was a younger soprano with a lighter sound. The fact that we now look back at, for instance, Maria Malibran who originated Stuarda and see she also sang what we now consider mezzo roles does not mean that the intention of the composer was to have a mezzo sing Stuarda.
She had not the most beautiful voice, sung a lot above her voice...but she was, without doubt a great, great, great Artist, a glorious Musician...alone her use of portamento, Rubato, her embellishment in the second verse ( Anglia spergiura) who shows that Maria is not going in Peace as the Music says, she is going angry, with her death as public demonstration...... if this not shows ingenious,mwhat else. Ms Sills is miles above the Plastic singers from today! BRAVA
She was underrated because Rudolf Bing & Co. from The Met were very biased against her because she did not spend a few months or years training and singing in Europe, like all the great American sopranos and mezzosopranos, from Price, Horne, Bumbry, Verrett, Norman, von Stade etc. You either liked her voice or didn't, but you couldn't deny she was a great soprano. She got another bad rep for waiting too long to retire, like Sutherland. Like all the greats, her voice was out of this galaxy in some roles and embarrassing in others. Her Norma was classically mediocre.
+Elise Curran She might have retired early, but her voice was almost gone. She was still a great soprano and belonged to a generation of sopranos where each one had something unique and irresistably beautiful. I loved what she said about Maria Callas in the Time magazine obituary: "She sang like an acrobat without a net. She took a lot of risks." We are grateful for those risks.
Also remember that when you have had a hysterectomy it is very soon when the top of the voice sort of dries up...unless you take hormone replacement therapy. But you know, she retired early and she sang enough for three careers at an extraordinary level of excellence. Are we not blessed to have experienced her!
72-03-16 Donizetti Maria Stuarda Maria New York City Opera Marisa Galvany, Richard Fredricks, Devlin, Rampasso (tenor) Charles Wendelken-Wilson NYCO Annals.- Luciano Rampasso tenor sang with NYCO in 72.73.75 and there isn't very much about him on the internet.
That picture has Pauline Tinsley as Elizabeth. She was a fantastic as Sills, but they had a disagreement about Pauline!s top notes. PAULINE continued to sing them and that was the end of Pauline at NYCO. oh the glamorous life.
Charles Rhodes I’m Canadian living in Australia. A good friend of Pauline’s. I know what happened. Maybe Pauline should have differed to Sills. Time magazine review called her NYC’s new star. Nothing here against Sills, it’s all politics. Sills was fantastic.
@@highbaritone I concur I heard the story from Pauline herself, who never said a bad word about La Sills, who she greatly admired. The things was initially Pauline was asked by Rudel to sing all the cadenzas with all the e flats. Pauline studied them hard. But after rehearsals she was asked to drop them, two divas with perfect high notes ........ Pauline refused to drop the high notes ..... The two never fell out with one and other even though the press tried to make out there was jealous rivalry going on.
Incredible sound!!!
Her voice is perfectly steady and shimmery here! Wonderful.
Sills’ voice is light, nimble, and flexible in this recording. This was Sills in her prime :-) Thank God this recording exists!
instablaster
@@griffinpatrick8286 There's always someone who can't be happy.
The beauty of Sills voice is like a shining star. The feeling she puts in Maria is unbelievable. Bravaaaaaa. RIP .
Shes not underrated. She is adored and remembered. The New York Times called her "the finest coloratura soprano of our time, possibly ever. Incomparable." (1972)
Her voice is shimmering gold!! Absolutely the best ever!!!
That such a shimmering naturally beautiful voice could also impart such a deep range of emotions is a stunning artist achievment.
This is just astounding given that it is not a studio recording. The voice conveys the tradgedy not only by dramatic expression but by the timbre and the contoled veiled vibrato. Her pure bell-like trills and soaring top notes are unbelievable.
She said in an interview that from quite early she knew her voice. What it was capable of and what it was not.
Here there is no doubt.
Im reduced to sobs.
Please who is the tenor. His drama matched (if not encouraged) hers
Tenor sounds like John Alexander but I’m not certain.
The most divine, incredibly deep down felt singing ever in this role. Sills is supreme here!
Gorgeous singing. So lyrical and tender and full of emotion without any heaviness. The acuti, trills and general coloratura and legato fioritura are all beautifully done.
Sills is a goddess!! If only these wonderful live performances had been filmed and recorded more frequently in her career! As a result we don’t hear them in good sound, nor do we have the pleasure of watching her; she was an exceptionally good actress.
Christaline clarity, a limpididy of production an electrifying pathos ... cathardic!
Is it wrong to listen to this twice in a row? This just blows me away....
she was a pure vocal phenomen with a tremondous technic and generosity = giving always everything on stage
Sie war wirklich brillant!
Nicht nur ihre wunderbare Stimme, sondern auch die Ausstrahlung und die Seele, mit der sie gesungen hat.
I happened upon this heavenly clip while in my hotel in Holland, All I was doing during the first time listening was smiling at haw incredibly she controlled her vocal chords, I am afraid that this kind of commitment to perfection is becoming a lost art . Thank you for preserving her memory and inspiring singers in the future to reach for higher Heights and deeper Depths.
What a night.. A thrilling performance by Beverly and the Debut of one of the most exciting singers.. Marissa Galvany.. A Duo made in Heaven... A night to remember.. Thanks James...
This is a crappy recording, but I heard her sing this in Los Angeles in 1972 (my first opera) and could not believe any human being could make those kinds of sounds. Rolling around on her back, singing to the back of the stage, those pianissimos floated in the air forever...just freaking unbelievable. No one has ever matched her in coloratura...and damn, she could literally reduce you to babbling.
I had the fascinating evening of being in attendance..hearing and seeing Bubbles Silverman ...Los Angeles 1972...front and center...
I. COULDN'T. BE. HAPPIER. what a wonderful interpretation.
ericscam2: “no one has matched her in coloratura”? JOAN SUTHERLAND EXCEEDED HER COLORATURA WITH A FULLER TONE.
@@johnpickford4222 You’re both being silly.
Sills had a beautiful voice no doubt. I truly believe that no one sings this role better. This should be her signature role.
James!!! I know that I spend most of my life in a comatose state but how on earth did I miss THIS??? Those trills and Beverly's floating high notes are definitely going to be the death of me! :) This is pure 'Aunt Pittypat' material at it's best!! I'm sharing it on the Crazies page if that's OK with you? Brava Beverly and thank you so much James!!
Brilliance and genius that make me utterly speechless! Her emotions shifted amazingly while maintaining that beauty!
This is so beautiful I had to comment twice!
Outstanding performance.
Missing you so much!
Irremplaçable la fabuleuse Beverly Sills
Thank you so much for sharing. Even though the sound is muddy, the voice is captured when it still had that amazing sheen. Vocally it gives a much better impression of her in the role than the commercial recording, even if I find the conducting a bit inert.
Sheen indeed
such a lovely interpretation of this beautiful work. BRAVA SILLS. I especially love how slowly she approaches the crescendo during "di un dio punitor"
Brawississimo ! Wunderschone interpretation ! Brawississimo !
Terrific. I was fortunate to be in the chorus of a production - Summer Opera of Washington, DC - of Maria Stuarda (Summer of '89, I believe), and it was just glorious.
FANTASTIC legato !!! Fantastic piano !!! Fantastic coloratura !!!
What would Donizetti himself thought of this staggeringly outstanding interpolation and the beauty in which it was sung? I think he would have fainted from the emotional drama. Beverly Sills gives this her all. - what a performance! Unlike no other - and unequaled.
Wonderful performance by Sills.
Brilliant.
What an underrated singer.
Amazing. Even better than her commercial recording. She was by far the very best in this repertoire. She suffered from opera snobbery in that the sh*t Rudolph Bing who ruled the Met with an iron hand wouldn't let her sing there, when her voice was in its prime, and some European opera houses such as Covent Garden didn't favorite her because she was an American. Luckily that sort of prejudice is fading in the opera world.
Solti was the director of Covent Garden, and after she refused his sexual advances, her chances of singing there were effectively quashed while he ruled the roost.
@@jasonhurd4379 I'm sorry to read that the late Sir Solti could be so petty and mean and unworthy of his talents. I'll always treasure recordings of his performances though, especially with the Chicago Symphony.
MERCI! merci infiniment maestrojimbo de nous offrir ce véritable trésor avec une Sills en super-forme!. Comme on aurait aimé être là!!! électrisant, époustouflant même, pour la maitrise associée du brio vocal et du dramatisme théâtral. " THE ART OF BEVERLY SILLS".
A single album was released in the 70's of excerpts from the Sill's recordings of each of the three operas. Sadly, it's been out of print in all media for a long time. I remember, as a Super at that time, her Stuarda performances at City Opera. Mind boggling to say the least.
Слушать Беверли Силлз это наслаждение!
Stupenda Beverly,dopo di te tutte bruttissime copie
It was originally composed as a soprano role and premiered as an opera called Buondelmonte with a different libretto but the identical score in 1834 in Naples. The next year it premiered under the original title and with the original libretto with Malibran who was known to sing soprano roles as well, but it was transposed for her and so both scores exist today still, but the soprano role is the more popular. Sometimes the Elizabeth is transposed for a soprano and 2 sopranos then take the leads.
her upper register is just dazzling! brava!!
-thanks to maestrojimbo for sharing
Un miracolo di donna!!! bravissima
belevery sills and marsia galvany still beats the met's production hands down!!!!!!
My friend and colleague, the late, great Charles Wendelken-Wilson (who conducted this performance), once told me that only times he remembered hearing Sills warm up, pre-performance, were the performances in which she went up against Marissa Galvany's Elizabetta in MARIA STUARDA.
I remember an interview with her where she said she didn't usually warm up, so this would be a rare occurrence indeed. And I don't doubt it in the least.
.
I'd love to hear the clip of Galvany cutting off after Sills. That must have been a magical evening. Both such great artists!
Sills was NOT underrated. She was regarded as the greatest coloratura on earth in her prime. Sutherland second.
@vocalissimo1 Its true that Sills voice was not as huge as Sutherland's. But that shouldn't make any difference at all. She was a lyric coloratura, as opposed to Sutherland's dramatic coloratura. You really can't compare the two. As far as Sills not having the "dramatic heft" of Sutherland, that's just simply unfounded. Again, "dramatic heft" has nothing to do with how big or heavy a voice that one has, but from their understanding and ability to use their voice and knowledge of music to truly bring out the drama of what's being sung, with full range of expression. Sills had that all over Sutherland. Sutherland's singing was beautiful and exciting because of the huge sound, and to still use it as she did. But as far as having any "dramatic heft" to it, I would say she fell very short.
I have heard the two of them in person . . . two different types of personalities and voices. There is room at the top for their own individuality and for the tastes of those who prefer one over the other for whatever reason. Personally, I enjoyed both for each of their own strengths and weaknesses. There are very few who can come close to the fame and the heritage that these two sopranos left behind nor their great impressions. I have no reason to not enjoy both in my record collection and remember I had the privilege of hearing them both in person.
russmaleartist me too, many time, and many more of the greats of their time.
I loved and still do love them all for different reasons. Isn’t it great we have RUclips. Cheers to you.
Agreed! Having heard, and even met, some of them in person, had a profound effect upon me -- knowing the were first of all people and mortals, who had personal lives, worked hard, and had been in the right places at the right times. The thing I liked was making them a part of my life, and having been enriched by their artistry, I, perhaps, can go on to do the same.
Sehr nette interpration !!! Brawississimo !!!!! Brawississimo !!!!! Alle musiker sind platine !!! Brawississimo !!!!!
@ Andrew Connor
Your statement is an absolute fact. The first time I heard of her due to a comment on Anna Netrebko. Quite underrated so to say. A very pity.
Outstanding ♥️
Sills está maravilhosa
The voice types were not defined at the time the way we know them. The first Stuarda was Malibran who was associated with many mezzo roles. Additionally, the pitch was lower then (about a half step). For most of the 20th century it has been sung by sopranos. Sills was particularly known for changing the music a bit to suit her tessitura. Sutherland did this as well.
My dictionary of opera says the first Stuarda was Giuseppina Ronzi de Begnis.
Muito lindo 👏👏
at least we have it!
What can I add? Her effortless flights in her upper register with flawless portamento, and then the dazzling descents. It is a muddy recording but it has good sound nevertheless. Could never understand the opera snobbery that went beyond Rudolf Bing, English critics particularly found her so wanting compared to Dame Joan Sutherland. Joan was a force of nature but interpretatively vacant, and couldn't articulate even her native language. 1972 was a good year for La Sills!
The reaction of the British critics was due, to a considerable degree, to the choice of Miss Sills's debut vehicle at Covent Garden. The brits didn't appreciate what they considered a direct challenge to La Stupenda, and when Sills, a virtual stranger to them, showed up as Lucia, it reflected badly on her. I'm a Sills fan to the bitter end, and I agree with you, but to have introduced herself to that audience in a different role, one not associated Miss Sutherland, might have made a dramatic difference in the path of her international career. She already didn't want to spend much time away from family, and to do so AND get lousy reviews for her trouble was a pretty unappealing career option.
@@celticearsMany of us could care less what the Brits thought of our grand Bubbles. She had the interpretive chops from the beginning that Sutherland only approached at the very end when she stopped protecting her voice.
@@wilsonwatt9283 As I said "I'm a Sills fan to the bitter end, and I agree with you, but to have introduced herself to that audience in a different role, one not associated Miss Sutherland, might have made a dramatic difference in the path of her international career." I also could NOT care less about the opinions of the British critics. I was responding to a note in which the guy said he couldn't understand their reaction. I offered my opinion. And, by the way, I agree with you, too.
@@wilsonwatt9283haha yes. Imagine Brits being snobby and rigid
Avendo presente...Genger/Cabajelle/ Ricciarelli/Devia/Maria Chiara.....resto affascinato dalla qualità psicologica di questo duetto...nonostante la pessima ripresa che dipende dalla posizione a latere.. se vogliamo esalta la Testimonianza e la rende..una Perla rara. Chapeau.a loro e a Maestrojiambo....
Lol James! Only TWICE?!!! :D
The reason that she didn't sing abroad was ,she wanted to be in the States to take care of her two disabled children
This from Wikipedia:~
In November 17, 1956, Sills married journalist Peter Greenough, of the Cleveland, Ohio, newspaper The Plain Dealer and moved to Cleveland. She had two children with Greenough, Meredith ("Muffy") in 1959 and Peter, Jr. ("Bucky") in 1961. Muffy (died July 3, 2016) was profoundly deaf and had multiple sclerosis; Peter, Jr. is severely mentally disabled. Sills restricted her performing schedule to care for her children.
Это было замечательно.
NADA SE PUEDE ACRESCENTAR A TAN BELLA INTERPRETACION. HASTA HOY NINGUNA CANTANTE HA TENIDO POSIBILIDAD DE ACERCARSE A BEVERLY. QUIEN LA VIO EN VIVO PUEDE DECIRLO. SU VOZ SUBLIME Y CON LOS AGUDOS TAN FACILES ENLEVAVA UNO AL CIELO. QUE DIOS LA TENGA EN SUS MANOS, UN ANGEL A MAS EN EL CIELO.
Ascoltata due volte alla Scala nell' Assedio di Corinto di Rossini...con la Verrett...venne giù il teatro per entrambe...e in una Traviata da oscurare la Callas....per la presenza scenica...
She is gorgeous. Did they raise the music for her? I thought it was a mezzo role.
Stuarda has never been a mezzo role, although this type of distinction was not made in the time it was written. Roles were considered either prima or secunda donna. For the most part the prima was a larger, more experienced voice and the secunda was a younger soprano with a lighter sound. The fact that we now look back at, for instance, Maria Malibran who originated Stuarda and see she also sang what we now consider mezzo roles does not mean that the intention of the composer was to have a mezzo sing Stuarda.
The Malibran version is different from the original score.
She had not the most beautiful voice, sung a lot above her voice...but she was, without doubt a great, great, great Artist, a glorious Musician...alone her use of portamento, Rubato, her embellishment in the second verse ( Anglia spergiura) who shows that Maria is not going in Peace as the Music says, she is going angry, with her death as public demonstration...... if this not shows ingenious,mwhat else. Ms Sills is miles above the Plastic singers from today! BRAVA
When one makes a statement, as your first line, one needs to remember that it is all subjective...
glgree1 some things she sang would break your heart. Wonderful singing and a beautiful sound.
This is sung beautifully by Sills (as suspected) but WTH is going on with the tempo?
Who is this incredible tenor??!?!?! Just singing that tenor line like this is his last performance on Earth?!
Could the tenor be John Alexander? His voice was always bright and present 😊
Quem é o tenor da ocasião? Que maravilhoso canto de bravura!
She was underrated because Rudolf Bing & Co. from The Met were very biased against her because she did not spend a few months or years training and singing in Europe, like all the great American sopranos and mezzosopranos, from Price, Horne, Bumbry, Verrett, Norman, von Stade etc.
You either liked her voice or didn't, but you couldn't deny she was a great soprano. She got another bad rep for waiting too long to retire, like Sutherland.
Like all the greats, her voice was out of this galaxy in some roles and embarrassing in others. Her Norma was classically mediocre.
+Paul-Ogden Ford Actually, she retired fairly early.
+Elise Curran She might have retired early, but her voice was almost gone. She was still a great soprano and belonged to a generation of sopranos where each one had something unique and irresistably beautiful.
I loved what she said about Maria Callas in the Time magazine obituary: "She sang like an acrobat without a net. She took a lot of risks." We are grateful for those risks.
+ian1856 Very true, ian1856.
Also remember that when you have had a hysterectomy it is very soon when the top of the voice sort of dries up...unless you take hormone replacement therapy. But you know, she retired early and she sang enough for three careers at an extraordinary level of excellence. Are we not blessed to have experienced her!
Did Leontyne Price study in Europe? I don't think so...
Who is the other soprano..British Pauline Tinsley,,???
who was the tenor? great voice! sounds like Di Stefano :)
Verista fuori stile
Tenore verista fuori stile
72-03-16 Donizetti Maria Stuarda Maria New York City Opera Marisa Galvany, Richard Fredricks, Devlin, Rampasso (tenor) Charles Wendelken-Wilson NYCO Annals.- Luciano Rampasso tenor sang with NYCO in 72.73.75 and there isn't very much about him on the internet.
Ha did not know her fathernwas a Ukrainian Jews - Silverman. Her voice was certainly silver
That picture has Pauline Tinsley as Elizabeth. She was a fantastic as Sills, but they had a disagreement about Pauline!s top notes.
PAULINE continued to sing them and that was the end of Pauline at NYCO. oh the glamorous life.
Simply conjecture. Promulgated by British fans of Miss Tinsley.
Charles Rhodes I’m Canadian living in Australia. A good friend of Pauline’s. I know what happened. Maybe Pauline should have differed to Sills. Time magazine review called her NYC’s new star.
Nothing here against Sills, it’s all politics.
Sills was fantastic.
@@highbaritone I concur I heard the story from Pauline herself, who never said a bad word about La Sills, who she greatly admired. The things was initially Pauline was asked by Rudel to sing all the cadenzas with all the e flats. Pauline studied them hard. But after rehearsals she was asked to drop them, two divas with perfect high notes ........ Pauline refused to drop the high notes ..... The two never fell out with one and other even though the press tried to make out there was jealous rivalry going on.