First of all, my apologies: this year I have hardly posted any new reviews. This was for personal reasons
I was forced to limit myself to translations but I did a lot of portraits of singers who deserved to be featured again.
Renata Scotto had her birthday on 24 February
Renata Scotto, ‘la mia Divina Assoluta’ made her opera debut at the age of eighteen as Violetta (La Traviata). Her ‘official’ debut was the next day in Milan. Shortly afterwards, she sang Madama Butterfly in Savona.
In 1915, Cecil B. DeMille filmed the opera again, this time with Geraldine Farrar as the man-eating gypsy. Now, Farrar was not only one of the greatest sopranos and MET legends of the early 20th century, her beautiful appearance and excessive acting talent also enabled her to build a career as a Hollywood actress.
Beverly Sills was born in Brooklyn as Belle Miriam Silverman. Her parents were Jewish immigrants from Odessa and Bucharest. As a child, she spoke Yiddish, Russian, Romanian, French and English. Although she had an enormous repertoire, that ranged from Handel and Mozart to Puccini, Massenet and Verdi, she was best known for her interpretations of coloratura soprano roles. Her radiant high D’s and E-flats sounded seemingly effortless and natural.
Scuderi sang in the most important theatres of the day, both in Italy and abroad, most notably in the Netherlands! She had a contract at La Scala where she received high praise for her interpretations of the most well-known operas.
High coloratura soprano is one of the most admired voice types. It’s only logical, because what these ladies do falls a bit into the category of “nightingale on a trapeze”.
But, but…. I made an article about King David and music
King David…. One of the Bible’s most inspiring and appealing personalities. But did he really exist? We live in a time when all sorts of things are being doubted, and that is alright.
Beverly Sills, the American ‘coloratura queen’, never reached the high status that colleagues Callas and Sutherland had in Europe. In fact, many people did not even know she existed. The reason? Lack of an exclusive contract with an important company. And: she did not travel. As the mother of two severely handicapped children, she wanted to be with her children as much as possible.
Beverly Sills (25 May 1929 – 2 July 2007), was born in Brooklyn as Belle Miriam Silverman. Her parents were Jewish immigrants from Odessa and Bucharest. As a child, she spoke Yiddish, Russian, Romanian, French and English.
Although she had an enormous repertoire, that ranged from Handel and Mozart to Puccini,, she was best known for her interpretations of coloratura soprano roles. Her radiant high D’s and E-flats sounded seemingly effortless and natural.
She was most associated with Donizetti’s operas: Lucia di Lammermoor, La fille du régiment and the three ‘Tudor queens’. Her Elisabetta in Roberto Devereux is simply the best ever. But also her Manon and Thaïs(Massenet) are unforgettable, as is her Violetta (La Traviata) and all three female roles in Offenbach’s Les contes d’Hoffmann. Yes, she sang all three in one evening.
At the age of three, Sills won a ‘Miss Beautiful Baby’ contest, singing ‘The Wedding of Jack and Jill’. From the age of four, she performed professionally on the Saturday morning radio show ‘Rainbow House’ under the name Bubbles Silverman.
When she was seven years old, she started taking singing lessons with Estelle Liebling, who remained her only singing teacher. A year later she sang in the short film Uncle Solves It (filmed in August 1937, released in June 1938 by Educational Pictures), by which time she had adopted her stage name, Beverly Sills.
LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR
Sills’ Lucia (Westminster 4712502) for me remains one of the best interpretations ever, especially talking about studio recordings. Her portrayal unites the best of Callas and Suitherland: the virtuosity, vocal beauty and pure intonation of la Stupenda and the great acting of la Divina. Not really a great tragédienne (but then, neither is Lucia), she is more of a passive child-girl who just lets it all happen. The rest of the cast (Carlo Bergonzi, Piero Cappuccilli, Justino Diaz) is also of a very high level and Thomas Schippers conducts very firmly. But what makes this recording really special is the use of a glass harmonica in the madscene, exactly as Donizetti had originally prescribed it
ROBERTO DEVEREUX
A New York Times reviewer wrote that it was undoubtedly the most exciting event of the 1970 musical year and I believe that immediately. The performance of 24 October 1970 was recorded live and we are more than lucky to have it.
Julius Rudel (well, what happened to the days we had such maestros?) conducts firmly and with a great deal of love for the work. So beautiful that it makes you want to cry.
Domingo’s voice sounds like a bell and his performance causes ecstatic ovations. And I can be brief about Sills’ Elisabetta: overwhelming! No one, no one has ever sung the role better. She is Elisabetta. You must see and hear this, if only once! The applause after her ‘L’Amor suo mi fé benata’ seems to last for ever.
Below Beverly Sills in the last scene of Roberto Devereux:
THAÏS
Below Beverly Sills and Sherrill Milnes in the final scene of the opera:
MANON
Sills also sang in German.
Below she sings ‘Ruhe sanft, mein holdes Leben’ from Mozart’s Zaide. In my opinion the best interpretation of that aria ever:
And she sang songs too Below, ‘Breit über mein Haupt’ from Strauss:
Don’t miss the wonderful homage to Beverly Sills, ‘Made in America’ (DG 0734299), with a selection of brilliant archive footage, including La Traviata with Ettore Bastianini.
In this 75-minute portrait, Beverly Sills talks openly and honestly about her life and career. The portrait is illustrated with rare recordings and photographs from the Charles Mintzer Collection.
Below is Beverly Sills’ farewell performance, where as an encore she sings the Portuguese folk song ‘Tell Me Why’ that Estelle Liebling, her only singing teacher, provided her with when she was ten. As a tribute to Liebling, Sills ended each recital with this song.
Beverly Sills, de Amerikaanse ‘coloratuurkoningin’ heeft in Europa nooit de status van haar collega’s Callas en Sutherland gehad. Sterker: veel mensen wisten van haar bestaan niet eens af. De reden daarvoor? Gebrek aan een exclusief contract met een belangrijke firma. En: zij reisde niet. Als moeder van twee zwaar gehandicapte kinderen wilde ze zo veel mogelijk bij haar kinderen zijn.
Beverly Sills (25 mei 1929 – 2 juli 2007), werd geboren in Brooklyn als Belle Miriam Silverman. Haar ouders waren Joodse immigranten uit Odessa en Boekarest. Als kind sprak ze Jiddisch, Russisch, Roemeens, Frans en Engels.
Hoewel ze een enorm repertoire had die van Händel en Mozart tot Puccini, Massenet en Verdi reikte, was ze vooral bekend om haar vertolkingen in coloratuursopraanrollen. Haar stralende hoge D’s en E-flats klonken schijnbaar moeiteloos en vanzelfsprekend.
Het meest werd zij geassocieerd met de opera’s van Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor, La fille du régiment en de drie ‘Tudor-koninginnen’. Haar Elisabetta in Roberto Devereux is gewoon de beste ooit.
Maar ook haar Manon en Thaïs (Massenet) zijn onvergetelijk, net als haar Violetta (La Traviata) en alle drie de vrouwenrollen in Les contes d’Hoffmann van Offenbach. Ja, ze zong ze alle drie op een avond.
Op driejarige leeftijd won Sills een ‘Miss Beautiful Baby’ wedstrijd, waarin ze ‘The Wedding of Jack and Jill’ zong. Vanaf haar vierde trad ze professioneel op in het zaterdagochtend radioprogramma ‘Rainbow House’ onder de naam Bubbles Silverman.
Toen ze zeven jaar oud was begon ze met zanglessen bij Estelle Liebling, die haar enige zanglerares bleef. Een jaar later zong ze in de korte film Uncle Solves It (gefilmd in augustus 1937, uitgebracht in juni 1938 door Educational Pictures), tegen die tijd had ze haar artiestennaam aangenomen, Beverly Sills.
LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR
Sills’ Lucia (Westminster 4712502), blijft voor mij één van de beste vertolkingen ooit, zeker als we het over studio-opnames hebben. Haar portrettering verenigt het beste van Callas en Suitherland: de virtuositeit, stemschoonheid en zuivere intonatie van la Stupenda en het grote acteren van la Divina. Niet echt een grote tragédienne (maar dat is Lucia ook niet), meer een passief kindmeisje dat het allemaal over zich heen laat komen. Ook de rest van de cast (Carlo Bergonzi, Piero Cappuccilli, Justino Diaz) is van zeer hoog niveau en Thomas Schippers dirigeert zeer ferm. Maar wat die opname werkelijk bijzonder maakt, is het gebruik van een glasharmonica in de waanzinscène, precies zoals Donizetti het oorspronkelijk had voorgeschreven.
ROBERTO DEVEREUX
Een recensent van de New York Times schreef dat het zonder twijfel het meest opwindende evenement was van het muzikale jaar 1970 en dat geloof ik onmiddellijk. De voorstelling van 24 oktober 1970 werd live opgenomen en daar mogen we ons meer dan gelukkig mee prijzen.
Julius Rudel (ach, waar zijn de tijden van zulke maestro’s gebleven?) dirigeert ferm en met heel erg veel liefde voor het werk. Om te huilen zo mooi.
Domingo’s stem klinkt als een klok en zijn optreden zorgt voor extatische ovaties. En over Elisabetta van Sills kan ik kort zijn: overweldigend! Niemand, maar dan ook niemand heeft de rol ooit beter gezongen dan zij. Zij is Elisabetta. Dat moet je ooit gehoord of gezien hebben Het applaus na haar ‘L’Amor suo mi fé benata’ lijkt eindeloos te duren.
Hieronder Beverly Sills in de laatste scène uit Roberto Devereux:
THAÏS
Hieronder Beverly Sills en Sherrill Milnes in de finale van de opera:
MANON
Sills zong ook in het Duits.
Hieronder zingt zij ‘Ruhe sanft, mein holdes Leben’ uit Mozarts Zaide. Mijns inziens de beste vertolking van die aria ooit:
En zij zong ook liederen
Hieronder ‘Breit über mein Haupt’ van Strauss:
Mis de prachtige hommage aan Beverly Sills, ‘Made in America’ (DG 0734299) niet, met een keur aan schitterende archiefbeelden, waaronder ook La Traviata met Ettore Bastianini.
In dit ruim 75 minuten durende portret praat Beverly Sills open en eerlijk over haar leven en carrière. Het portret wordt geïllustreerd met zeldzame opnamen en foto’s uit de Charles Mintzer collectie.
Hieronder Beverly Sills’ afscheidsoptreden, waar zij als toegift het Portugese volkslied ’Tell Me Why’ zingt dat Estelle Liebling, haar enige zanglerares, haar gaf toen ze tien was. Als eerbetoon aan Liebling eindigde Sills elk recital met dit lied.
It is said of I Puritani that it is a true soprano opera, but that is not really quite the case. Elvira may be the pivot around which everything revolves, she is also one of the most passive opera heroines I know. Everything that happens around her and to her, happens in spite of her; because apart from loving and going mad, she doesn’t seem to be able to do much of anything at all.
It is the bass (her uncle Giorgio) who devises all sorts of plans to steer the action in the desired direction, and for this he is rewarded by Bellini with a most beautiful aria (‘Cinta di fiori’).
Nicolai Ghiaurov:
In order to save the mad soprano from certain death, he asks the baritone to spare the tenor’s life, which ends in a gorgeous duet (‘Suoni la tromba’), a real show-stopper.
Samuel Ramey and Sherrill Milnes:
The tenor also, who in a fit of patriotinic frenzy seems to send the whole thing into disarray, gets to sing a lot of beautiful (and high!) notes.
John Osborn with Mariola Cantarero from Amsterdam 2009:
All these roles require an excellent bel canto technique, with good coloratura, leggiero and legato. And don’t forget a sense of pure drama, because Bellini (and his librettist!) have created a lot of havoc for the poor soprano: first she becomes delirious with joy, then she loses her mind. She then regains it, only to lose it again immediately. Are you still there? Because it’s not over yet: her mind comes back once more and immediately she’s delirious with joy again. Ouch… Fortunately, the opera stops here, because poor Elvira apparently has to repeat such tricks a few times a day
CD’S
JOAN SUTHERLAND
Elvira, like Lucia, was a showpiece for Maria Callas and Joan Sutherland, both of whom recorded it several times. In 1974, Richard Bonynge (Decca 4175882) made a peerless recording of the opera, besides Sutherland, there was the sublime male trio: Luciano Pavarotti, Nicolai Ghiaurov and Piero Cappuccilli. Sutherland sounds like a little heap of misery, and her virtuosity knows no limits. Pavarotti still possessed all his glorious long high notes in those days and he pops them out with no effort at all.
MARIA CALLAS
The recording with Callas from 1953 (Naxos 8110259-60) is weighed down by the fact that Giuseppe di Stefano is totally unfit to sing Arturo. But Nicola Rossi-Lemeni (Giorgio) and Rolando Panerai (Riccardo) are excellent, and Tulio Serafin conducts with verve and theatricality. Unfortunately, the score is not complete.
BEVERLY SILLS
A good (and complete!) alternative is the 1973 recording under Julius Rudel (Westminster 4712072), with a very virtuoso Beverly Sills. Arturo is sung in an extraordinarily beautiful and elegant way by Nicolai Gedda. His approach to the high notes is delightful, and personally I find it very pleasant to listen to him.
Conclusion; you are best off with the Decca and Westminster recordings. You get all the music, all the high notes and the best male voices. But since Naxos’ recording with Callas is in the budget class, why not buy it! Because of the conductor, because of the bass, but mainly because of La Divina. Because let’s be honest – nobody else can go so deliciously mad.
DVD’S
ANNA NETREBKO
It gets more difficult if you want to buy the work on DVD, because I cannot recommend either of the performances I watched without any reservations.
The Metropolitan Opera production, filmed in January 2007 (DG 0734421), is over 30 years old and was originally made for the Sutherland/Pavarotti duo. Perhaps this explains its total lack of personal direction?
There are these monumental tableaux-vivants , in which nobody seems to be allowed to move. The sets are ‘larger than life’ and all the costumes ‘historically accurate’. Anna Netrebko is a very imaginative Elvira. And although she lacks trills, her top notes are there and her presentation (charisma?) is more than convincing.
Both the bass (John Relyea) and the baritone (Franco Vassallo) are reasonable, but no more than that. Eric Cutler (Arturo) has a pleasant timbre and he reaches (albeit with difficulty) the high notes, but it is not really spectacular.
Netrebko sings ‘Deh Vieni al Tempio’ from the first act:
EDITA GRUBEROVA
But Cutler is much better than the totally miscast José Bros in the fifteen-year-old production from Barcelona (ArthouseMusik 107267). His voice is at least a size too small for Arturo. Edita Gruberova is a matter of taste. I do not like her ‘pussy-mouthed ways’ and I do not really want to watch her, but with my eyes closed there is little to complain about, because yes, she can sing bel canto.
Carlos Álvarez is a first-class Riccardo, but the rest of the cast …. Ah, let’s not talk about it. Andrei Serban’s direction, on the other hand, is truly sublime and exciting, I enjoyed it a lot. A friend I was watching with summed it up like this: Netrebko is for straight men and Gruberova (because of Álvarez) for gays and women, but of course it is not that simple. If only we could cut and paste!
BELLINI-BOX
A 25-cd Bellini box set is an absolute must. For 90 euros only, you get all of Bellini’s operas, two of which (La Sonnambula, Norma) are also available in two different versions. Many well known names too: Callas, Caballé, Scotto, Ciofi, Bernstein…
Most recordings are live and the sound and performance quality vary, but who cares? Among them, of course, is I Puritani, recorded in Catania in 1989, with Mariella Devia as Elvira. In the beginning, she is a bit of a disappointment, but gradually she gets better. Not only does she have all the top notes at the ready, she also brings in a lot of (her own) embellishments, and if that is not part of the art of bel canto, then I don’t know what is.
Mariella Devia:
Unfortunately, the men are not of the same level, although Paulo Washington is a moving and very imaginative Giorgio. A special CD-ROM contains all the libretti. A MUST! (Dynamic CDS 52/1-25)
VAI (Video Artist International) was founded in 1988 by Ernie Gilbert. It was born out of pure idealism and enthusiasm and Gilbert’s intention was to release interesting concerts as well as opera and ballet performances on video.
First of all, ballet films from Russia, featuring Maya Plisetskaya, one of the greatest ballerinas of all time, were brought out.
Below, Maya Plisetskaya in an excerpt from the second act of Swan Lake:
The catalogue was soon further supplemented with performances by Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn, mouthwatering names for many ballet lovers
The first operas to be released were Lucia di Lammermoor (with Anna Moffo and Lajos Kozma) and The Medium by Giancarlo Menotti, followed by Tosca with Tebaldi and three titles with Beverly Sills, the uncrowned American queen of bel canto.
Below, Beverly Sills in the last scene of Roberto Devereux by Donizetti:
For the many fans of opera stars, VAI is a real Sesame, full of unsurpassed treasures, because where else do you get the complete operas of Corelli, Kraus, Caballé, Bergonzi or Tagliavini? Or recitals by Scotto, Eleanor Steber, John Vickers or Leontyne Price, to name but a few?
About ten years ago, a very attractive DVD was released with Leontyne Price singing the complete third act from Aida, recorded by Canadian television in 1958, plus a recital from 1982 with arias from Cosi fan tutte and Madama Butterfly, among others. With the added bonus of three arias from Il Trovatore, Aida and La Forza del Destino, taken from her performances in the legendary ‘Bell Telephone Hour’ from 1963-67 (VAI 4268).
Leontyne Price sings ‘O patria mia’:
However, VAI’s catalogue is not limited to opera and ballet; it also gives us recitals and concerts by many famous instrumentalists and conductors, including Oistrach, Menuhin, Barbirolli, Munch, Martha Argerich, Arturo Benedetti Michalengeli, William Kapell, Joseph Hoffman… An Arthur Rubinstein DVD was brought out with his recitals from 1950 and 1956, together with a selection of works by Chopin, and the (abbreviated) Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini by Rachmaninoff (VAI 4275).
Peter Rosen’s film about the Armenian composer Aram Khachatourian, which was awarded the prize for best documentary at the Hollywood Film Festival, is exceptionally fascinating. It begins with his funeral and then, in chronological order and in the first person, sketches the life of a man whose history ran parallel to that of the Soviet Union. It contains unique archive images in black and white, breathtaking film images of the Armenian landscapes, interesting interviews, fragments of his ballets and, as a bonus, the complete performance of his cello concerto by Mstislav Rostropovich (VAI 4298).
Below: Mstislav Rostropovich playing Khachatourian’s cello concerto
PLEA FOR GIANCARLO MENOTTI AND HIS THE CONSUL
Giancarlo Menotti. For most Dutch opera lovers, he is no more than a vaguely familiar name. His operas have never been very popular here and performances can be counted on one hand.
A pity, really, because not only is his music exceptionally beautiful (think of a combination of Mascagni and Britten), but the subjects he deals with in his (self-written) libretti are socially engaged and they address current topics.
A newspaper article of February 12, 1947 on the suicide of a Polish emigrant whose visa for the USA had been rejected, was seen by Menotti, who sadly remembered the fate of his Jewish friends in Austria and Germany (his own partner, the composer Samuel Barber, was also Jewish). He took this sorry tale and used it as a basis for his first full-length opera. The subject has – unfortunately – lost none of its actuality and The Consul is and remains an opera that cuts right through your soul.
In 1960, it was produced for television, and that registration has been released on DVD by VAI (4266 ). In black and white, without subtitles (don’t be alarmed, there is very clear singing) and extremely dramatically portrayed by Jean Dalrymple.
Sometimes I think that Placido Domingo must be the reincarnation of Puccini. Not because they look so similar (although they are very much alike in the photos), but because of the music. It seems to have been created for Domingo’s timbre. It is as if Puccini composed with Domingo’s voice in mind.
And yet (or perhaps because of this): there is no other repertoire that shows as clearly whether a role suits him or not. He was never a memorable Rodolfo and his Pinkerton was not noteworthy. Even as Calaf, despite the great performances, he did not really identify with the role. He was too friendly, too kind, too human.
TOSCA
Domingo sang his very first Cavaradossi on 30 September 1961 and since then he has sung more performances of Tosca than of any other opera. This is the role he researched with the utmost care. He even added some qualities to the painter’s character that are not really there, in my opinion.
Personally, I find Cavarodossi’s flirtation with the revolution no more than a whim, but Domingo takes it dead serious and sees himself not only as the lover but also as the freedom fighter. From the start, he knows that the execution is actually going to take place, but he is playing along with the lie to spare his beloved Floria. Very humane and very moving.
He sang his first Tosca at the Metropolitan Opera in 1969. It was not planned: he took over at the last minute for the sick Sándor Kónya. Birgit Nilsson was Tosca. In her memoirs, she stated that she found his acting ‘superb’ and his singing ‘gorgeous’.
It was indeed a memorable performance, not least because of Nilsson’s ‘scream’.
Fortunately, the performance was recorded for radio and was released on CD (Nuova Era 2286/870).
Of the studio recordings, two are very dear to me. On Warner Classics (5665042), Renata Scotto meticulously sings all the notes prescribed by Puccini ( her colleagues are not always as scrupulous) and Renato Bruson is very ‘courteously dangerous’ as Scarpia.
RCA (88697448122) has recorded one of the best Scarpias ever: Sherrill Milnes. I once heard him live in the role and it was a real experience! Leontyne Price is a sultry Tosca.
On DVD, I find the Decca film version (0434909) by far the most impressive. It was shot on location in 1976, which was not very common at the time. Well, location… The Palazzo Farnese was then home to the French Embassy, so filming was not allowed inside.
Milnes was once again present and the lead role was sung in a very tormented way by Raina Kabaivanska.
Domingo is so beautiful it makes you want to cry, but what gives the film that little bit extra is the tiny role of the little shepherd. It is sung by Placido junior, then 10 years old.
MANON LESCAUT
Another Puccini role that fits him like a glove is Des Grieux in Manon Lescaut. Of this opera with Domingo, there are many recordings, both studio and live. Not all of them are worth listening to and in most cases it is the interpreter of the title role who presents the problem. It is nothing new: when a record company had a new ‘star’, he or she just had to record everything available. With often disastrous results.
In 1970, Domingo sang Des Grieux in Verona, with Magda Olivero in the title role. Quite bizarre when you consider that Olivero made her professional debut eight years before Domingo was born. And yet: her portrayal of the young heroine is utterly convincing. Indeed, most of her colleagues still cannot match it! My copy was released on Foyer, but better quality editions are now available.
In 1980, the opera was broadcast on TV. That recording is now available on DVD. Believe me: there is no better. Scotto sings and acts Manon like no one else has done before, and together with Domingo, she makes us cry with the beauty and the sadness of it all. Menotti’s very realistic, true to life and very exciting direction simply could not be better. A MUST (DG 073424)
IL TABARRO
Luigi in Il Tabarro was also a role after Domingo’s own heart. His recording from 1968 with the New York City Opera, conducted by Julius Rudel (Melodram 17048) is splendid, with Jeannine Crader as Giorgietta, a wonderful singer who sadly never made it in Europe.
On DVD, there is a fine Zeffirelli production from New York, recorded in 1994. Giorgietta is sung by Teresa Stratas. Unfortunately, it is coupled with Pagliacci with Pavarotti and again with Stratas, in the leading roles. Not really my ‘cup of tea’ (DG0734024).
Below a curiosity: a duet from Il Tabarro with Domingo and Beverly Sills from 1967
EDGAR
There are at least two good reasons to welcome the 2006 Edgar (DG 4776102): it is the very first studio recording of the work and it is the first time that Domingo sings the role, the only one still missing from his Puccini discography.
I never understood why the opera was so unloved. Musically, it is in line with Verdi, but one can already hear tentative fragments of the ‘real’ Puccini: a vague promise of Manon Lescaut, a study for La Bohème and creative exercises for Turandot.
With Adriana Damato and Marianne Cornetti, we can welcome a new generation of phenomenal singers and Domingo is, as always, very musical and committed.
LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST
For me, the very best is a 1978 DG recording (4748402), with an underrated Carol Neblett as a very fierce Minnie. Domingo is a languorous and surprisingly lyrical Johnson, and Sherrill Milnes sounds like he’s in a real western.
Two worthwhile recordings have appeared on DVD. One with Mara Zampieri and Juan Pons (Opus Arte OA LS3004 D) from La Scala, 1991, in a beautiful, colourful direction by Jonathan Miller.
The other is with Carol Neblett and Silvano Carroli (Kultur Video 2038) from the Royal Opera House, 1982.
SONGS
There were once plans to make a feature film about Puccini, in which Domingo would play the composer. It did not go ahead. In preparation for the project, Domingo recorded all Puccini’s songs in 1989, under the title Unknown Puccini (Sony 44981).
For the cover, he is made to look like Puccini and there he is: dressed in white, hat on his head and the moustache prominent on his face. Puccini to the life!
Anyway, it is all about the music and it is a must- have for anyone interested in Puccini. Most are first ever recordings and gradually you follow the composer on his path towards his Manon’s, Tosca’s and other ‘girls’. The renowned conductor Julius Rudel accompanies Domingo on piano and organ.
I never used to like opera. I loved violin concerts and piano solo works, very early on I learned to appreciate chamber music and when I got a bit older, songs also came my way. But opera? The mere idea that an old, fat lady would try to portray a young girl dying of TB, gave me the giggles. Talk about prejudice!
Until one memorable evening in 1982, when I turned on the TV to watch Carmen. I only did it to please my then boyfriend and then it happened! From that night on, the world was forever changed and my life gained a great love.
For years I cherished this Carmen, although I only had a badly copied but very expensive mc (does anyone remember what it was?). It was later released on various ‘pirate labels’ and finally on DVD (Arthaus Musik 109096).
Many years and a lot of experience have passed, but I still find the recording irresistible. First of all because of Domingo. Listen to his ‘La fleur que tu m’avais jetée’: if that doesn’t give you goose bumps, I don’t know what will. And also because of Carlos Kleiber, a conductor, the likes of whom do not exist anymore these days.
The most beautiful CD recording, at least to me, is the one with Teresa Berganza under Claudio Abbado (DG 4196362). It was recorded in the studio in 1978, but only after a series of live performances, and it is all the better for that! Ileana Cotrubas (Micaela) and Sherrill Milnes (Escamillo) complete the excellent cast.
Two years earlier, Domingo also recorded the opera in the studio (Decca 4144892), but I am less enthusiastic about it. Solti conducts superbly and Tatiana Troyanos as Carmen is one in a thousand, perhaps she is even better than Berganza, but José van Dam is no Escamillo and the whole lacks the atmosphere of the theater.
The very first recording I know, dates from 1967. It is from the Teatro Municipal de Santiago and is conducted by Anton Guadagna (Legato LCD 194-2). Regina Resnik is an excellent Carmen, but what makes the recording truly memorable is the Escamillo of Ramon Vinay, once a Don José of note himself.
Also interesting is the recording from Covent Garden, 1973 (Arkadia MP 498-3). Mainly because of Shirley Verrett in the leading role and the very young Kiri te Kanawa as Micaela.
Massenet: Werther
Werther was one of the young Domingo’s favourite roles. Unfortunately, little of it has been documented. On 18 December 1977, the opera was recorded by the Bayerische Rundfunk in Munich. This recording has been released on CD (Orfeo C 464 982). Charlotte was sung by Brigitte Fassbaender, not really a singer one would associate with the role… Well! Allow yourself to be surprised, because what happens here, happens very rarely: drama, passion, love, despair… She and Domingo really bounce from your player. An excerpt:
A studio recording of the opera was made in 1979, under Riccardo Chailly, with a totally miscast Elena Obraztsova as Charlotte. It is quite exciting, but lacks the necessary poetry.
Massenet: Manon
Yes, Manon was once part of Domingo’s repertoire. The only recording I know is on Melodram (MEL 27054). It was recorded live at the New York City Opera on 20 February 1969. Manon is sung by the truly irresistible Beverly Sills. Julius Rudel conducts.
Massenet: Le Cid
An oddity, certainly, but such a beautiful oddity! Sony (7454942 – check the number to be sure, they change so quickly!) recorded the concert performance in New York, 1989, live. Eve Queler conducts and Grace Bumbry shines as Chimene.
Gounod: Faust
Fortunately there is a good studio recording of Domingo’s Faust. It was recorded in 1979 by EMI (now Warner) and it is easily one of the best recordings of the work. The orchestra of the Paris Opera is conducted by Georges Prêtre, one of the best conductors of French repertoire.
The cast is finger-licking gorgeous: Mirella Freni is a fragile and sensual Marguerite and Nicolai Ghiaurov a very impressive Méphistophélès. In the small role of Valentin we hear none other than Thomas Allen.
Saint-Saëns: Samson et Dalila
EMI (now Warner) recorded the opera in Paris in 1991. The conductor was Myung-Whun Chung and there is the rub: he does not really know the opera. But he was not the only culprit! Someone came up with the unfortunate idea of having Dalila sung by Waltraud Meier. Forget it.
The other studio recording, this time on DVD (DG 0730599), also has a Dalila that just doesn’t work for me: Olga Borodina. It was recorded at the Metropolitan Opera in 1998. I was there and didn’t like it – and I still don’t like it.
But, I’ll go for the San Francisco recording every time! It was directed by Nicolas Joel and Dalila was sung by the really sexy Shirley Verrett (Arthaus Video 100 202)
Offenbach: Les Contes d’Hoffmann
Hoffmann was one of Domingo’s greatest roles. As far as I am concerned, no other singer even comes close to him.
If you want the opera on CD, the Decca recording conducted by Richard Bonynge, with Dame Joan Sutherland in all three female roles (4173832) is highly recommended.
Domingo and Belcanto? Surely that was more something for his colleagues Pavarotti, Carreras and Kraus? And yet: certainly at the beginning of his career Domingo was also a Belcanto singer, although his high notes were not always really that high. For him, the interpretation of both the music and the text was essential. That is why even in this repertoire he was looking for the roles in which the character had more to offer than just ‘clean’ singing.
Lucia di Lammermoor
Domingo made his international debut at the age of 21, as Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor in Dallas. A special event, because his Lucia was then sung by 61-year-old Lilly Pons, who said her farewell to the operatic stage with this role.
In 1970 he sang Edgardo at the Metropolitan Opera, with none other than Joan Sutherland as Lucia. Gala (GL 100.571) released the highlights, combined with excerpts from La Traviata, from December that same year (also with La Stupenda). The sound is very poor, but it is definitely a noteworthy document.
It was only in 1993 that Domingo sang the role in the recording studio. The result is not entirely satisfactory. Which is not his fault. His Edgardo sounds less lyrical than twenty years earlier, but with such passion!
Cheryl Studer, who at that time was recording anything and everything soprano, was no real Lucia. She was a great Strauss and Mozart singer and her Wagners and Verdi’s were outstanding, but Lucia was too ambitious for her. Understand me well: she did have the high notes and they were very solid, but that’s exactly what you do not want for Lucia. The notes shouldn’t stand rock solid, they should shine, sparkle, sprint if necessary, and she couldn’t do that.
However, the real ‘culprit’ is the conductor. He is rushing things along and never ever stops. Still, the recording is very worthwhile, especially if you want to hear something else from Domingo and appreciate the quality of the sound.
Roberto Devereux
A reviewer from the New York Times wrote that it was without a doubt the most exciting event of the musical year 1970, and that I can totally believe. The performance of 24 October 1970 was recorded live and we are very lucky to have it.
Julius Rudel (well, where have all these great maestros gone?) conducts with a firm hand and with great love for the work. To cry so beautiful.
Domingo’s voice sounds like a bell and his performance causes ecstatic ovations. And about Beverly Sills (Elisabetta) I can be brief: overwhelming! No one, but no one has ever sung the part better than she has. She surely is Elisabetta. Everybody should see or hear her in this role (there’s also a DVD, unfortunately without Domingo). The applause after her ‘L’Amor suo mi fé benata’ seems to last forever.
Anna Bolena
Anna Bolena is considered to be the first important Romantic Italian opera and for Donizetti it was his big breakthrough. For Domingo too, Anna Bolena was a milestone: with the role of Percy he made his debut in New York.
He was then (can you believe it?) 25 years old, but his voice was completely ‘mature’: full, firm, soft, hard, begging, determined, with all the nuances in between. Talk about phenomenon!
The leading role was sung by Elena Souliotis, then 23. An almost forgotten singer now (her career didn’t last), but her intensity can only be compared to that of Maria Callas. A fun fact: La Divina was in the audience at the time!
Giovanna was sung by Marylin Horne and their duets will surely give goosebumps to the devotees. Janet Baker also made her American debut in the role of Smeton. The opera was recorded live at Carnegie Hall in 1966. My copy is by Legato (LCD-149-3), but the recording is now also available on other labels.
Norma
Pollione is one of the shining roles of the young Domingo. No wonder. A warlord and a lover: that’s what he is all about. In Norma he could show it all. He took the role in 1973 (once RCA GD 86502) and I think that’s a bit premature. Oh yes, his voice is crystal clear and so beautiful that it almost hurts, but he yet has to gain more of the needed authority. Nevertheless: recommended, not in the least because of Montserrat Caballé, who sings the leading part.
Soms denk ik wel eens dat Plácido Domingo de reïncarnatie is van Puccini. Niet omdat ze zo op elkaar lijken (al hebben ze op de foto’s wel dezelfde uitstraling), maar vanwege de muziek. Die lijkt geschapen te zijn voor Domingo’s timbre. Het is alsof Puccini componeerde met Domingo’s stem in het hoofd.
En toch (of misschien juist daarom): in geen ander repertoire kan je zo goed horen of een rol hem wel of niet ligt. Hij is nooit een memorabele Rodolfo geweest en zijn Pinkerton mocht geen naam hebben. Zelfs als Calaf was hij, ondanks de geweldige prestaties, niet echt roldekkend. Hij was te vriendelijk, te aardig, te menselijk.
TOSCA
Zijn allereerste Cavaradossi zong Domingo op 30 september 1961 en sindsdien heeft hij van Tosca meer uitvoeringen gezongen dan van welke andere opera ook. Over geen andere rol heeft hij zo diep nagedacht. Hij heeft de schilder zelfs meer eigenschappen toegedicht dan er, mijns inziens, in zitten.
Zelf vind ik Cavarodossi’s flirt met de revolutie niet meer dan een gril, maar Domingo neemt het bloedserieus en ziet zichzelf niet alleen als de minnaar maar ook als vrijheidsstrijder. Vanaf het begin weet hij dat de executie daadwerkelijk plaats gaat vinden, waardoor hij ook nog eens toneelstuk voor zijn geliefde Floria opvoert. Zeer humaan en zeer ontroerend.
Zijn eerste Tosca in de Metropolitan Opera zong hij in 1969. Het was niet gepland: hij viel op het laatste moment in voor de zieke Sándor Kónya. Birgit Nilsson was Tosca. In haar memoires heeft ze opgeschreven dat ze zijn acteren ‘superb’ vond en zijn zingen ‘gorgeous’.
Het was inderdaad een memorabele voorstelling, niet in de laatste plaats vanwege de ‘schreeuw’ van Nilsson.
Van de studio-opnamen zijn mij twee zeer dierbaar. Op Warner Classics (5665042) zingt Renata Scotto alle door Puccini voorgeschreven noten (daar nemen haar collega’s het niet altijd zo nauw mee) en Renato Bruson is zeer ‘hoffelijk gevaarlijk’ als Scarpia.
RCA (88697448122) heeft één van de beste Scarpia’s ooit geregistreerd: Sherrill Milnes. Ik heb hem ooit live in de rol gehoord, dat was een belevenis! Leontyne Price is een zwoele Tosca.
Op dvd vind ik de Decca-verfilming (0434909) verreweg de meest indrukkwekkende. Het werd in 1976 gedraaid op locatie, wat toen nog niet echt gebruikelijk was. Nou ja, locatie… In het Palazzo Farnese was toen de Franse Ambassade gevestigd, waardoor er niet in gefilmd mocht worden.
Milnes was wederom van de partij en de hoofdrol werd zeer gekweld gezongen door Raina Kabaivanska.
Domingo is om te huilen zo mooi, maar wat de film nog dat beetje extra geeft, is de piepkleine rol van het herdertje. Die wordt namelijk gezongen door Plácido junior, toen 10 jaar oud.
MANON LESCAUT
Een andere Puccini-rol die voor mij helemaal des Domingo’s is, is Des Grieux in Manon Lescaut. Van deze opera met Domingo bestaan dan ook waanzinnig veel opnamen, zowel studio als live. Niet allemaal zijn ze de moeite waard en in de meeste gevallen ligt het aan vertolkster van de titelrol. Het is niets nieuws: had een platenmaatschappij een nieuwe ‘ster’, dan moest hij/zij alles opnemen wat op te nemen viel. Met veelal desastreuze gevolgen.
In 1970 heeft Domingo Manon Lescaut in Verona gezongen, met Magda Olivero in de titelrol. Best bizar als je bedenkt dat Olivero haar professionele debuut acht jaar voordat Domingo geboren werd maakte. En toch: haar uitbeelding van de jonge heldin is volkomen overtuigend. Sterker nog, daar kunnen de meeste van haar collega’s nog steeds niet aan tippen! Mijn exemplaar werd uitgebracht op Foyer, maar inmiddels bestaan er uitgaven in betere geluidskwaliteit.
In 1980 werd de opera op tv uitgezonden. Die opname is nu ook op dvd beschikbaar. Geloof mij: beter bestaat niet. Scotto zingt en acteert Manon zoals geen ander eerder heeft gedaan en met Domingo samen zorgt zij voor een avondje ouderwets huilen. De zeer realistische, natuurgetrouwe en zeer spannende regie van Menotti kan gewoon niet mooier. Een MUST (DG 0734241).
IL TABARRO
Luigi in De Mantel was ook een rol naar Domingo’s hart. Prachtig is zijn opname uit 1968 bij de New York City Opera, gedirigeerd door Julius Rudel (Melodram 17048) met als Giorgietta Jeannine Crader, een geweldige zangeres die nooit in Europa is doorgebroken.
Op dvd bestaat een mooie Zefirelli-productie uit New York, opgenomen in 1994. Giorgietta wordt gezongen door Teresa Stratas. Jammer genoeg is het gekoppeld aan Pagliacci met Pavarotti, met wederom Stratas in de hoofdrollen. Niet echt mijn ‘kopje thee’ (DG0734024).
Hieronder een curiosum: een duet uit Il Tabarro met Domingo en Beverly Sills uit 1967
EDGAR
Er zijn op zijn minst twee goede redenen om de in 2006 opgenomen Edgar (DG 4776102) een warm welkom te heten: het is de allereerste studio-opname van het werk en het is voor het eerst dat Domingo die rol, de enige die nog ontbrak in zijn Puccini-discografie, heeft gezongen..
Nooit heb ik begrepen waarom de opera zo ongeliefd was. Muzikaal ligt het in het verlengde van Verdi, maar men hoort al flarden van de ‘echte’ Puccini: een vage belofte van Manon Lescaut, een studie op La Bohème en vingeroefeningen voor Turandot.
In Adriana Damato en Marianne Cornetti mogen wij een nieuwe generatie fenomenale zangeressen verwelkomen en Domingo is zoals altijd zeer muzikaal en betrokken.
LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST
De allerbeste is voor mij een DG-registratie (4748402) uit 1978, met een ondergewaardeerde Carol Neblett als een zeer felle Minnie. Domingo is een smachtende en verrassend lyrische Johnson en Sherrill Milnes klinkt alsof hij in een echte western was beland.
Op dvd zijn er twee opnamen verschenen die de moeite waard zijn. Eén met Mara Zampieri en Juan Pons (Opus Arte OA LS3004 D) uit La Scala, 1991, in een prachtige, kleurrijke regie van Jonathan Miller.
De ander is met Carol Neblett en Silvano Carroli (Kultur Video 2038) uit het Royal Opera House, 1982. Deze is echter moeilijk in Nederland verkrijgbaar.
LIEDEREN
Ooit waren er plannen om een speelfilm over Puccini te maken, waarin de zanger de componist ging spelen. Het ging niet door. In aanloop naar het project heeft Domingo in 1989 alle liederen van Puccini opgenomen, onder de titel Unknown Puccini (Sony 44981).
Voor de cover werd hij naar Puccini gemodelleerd en daar zit hij dan: gestoken in het wit, hoed op zijn hoofd en de snor prominent op zijn gezicht. Sprekend Puccini!
Maar goed, het gaat om de muziek en dat is verplichtte kost voor een ieder die in Puccini is geïnteresseerd. Het betreft veelal primeurs en je leert de weg die de componist aflegde naar zijn Manon’s, Tosca’s en andere ‘meisjes’. De vermaarde dirigent Julius Rudel begeleidt Domingo op piano en orgel.
Vroeger hield ik niet van de opera. Ik was gek op vioolconcerten en pianosolowerken, heel vroeg leerde ik kamermuziek te waarderen en toen ik iets ouder werd kwamen ook liederen op mijn weg. Maar opera? Het idee alleen dat er een oude, dikke dame een jong meisje moest verbeelden die aan tbc stierf bezorgde mij al de slappe lach. Over vooroordelen gesproken!
Tot ik, op een memorabele avond in 1982 de tv aanzette om naar Carmen te kijken. Ik deed het alleen maar om mijn toenmalige vriendje te “pleasen” en toen gebeurde het. Vanaf die avond was de wereld dezelfde niet meer, en mijn leven een grote liefde rijker.
De bewuste Carmen heb ik jarenlang op een slecht gekopieerde maar peperdure mc (weet iemand nog wat het was?) gekoesterd. Het kwam later uit op verschillende ‘piratenlabels’ en uiteindelijk op dvd (Arthaus Musik 109096).
Inmiddels ben ik vele jaren en ervaring verder, maar nog steeds vind ik de opname onweerstaanbaar. Allereerst vanwege Domingo. Luister naar zijn ‘La fleur que tu m’avais jetée’: als je daar geen kippenvel van krijgt, dan weet ik het niet meer. En ook vanwege Carlos Kleiber, een dirigent zoals ze tegenwoordig niet meer gemaakt worden.
De allermooiste cd-opname, althans voor mij, is die met Teresa Berganza onder Claudio Abbado (DG 4196362). Het werd in 1978 in de studio, maar wel na een serie live-voorstellingen, opgenomen en dat hoor je. Ileana Cotrubas (Micaëla) en Sherrill Milnes (Escamillo) completeren de voortreffelijke cast.
Twee jaar eerder heeft Domingo de opera ook al in de studio opgenomen (Decca 4144892), maar daar ben ik er minder over te spreken. Solti dirigeert voortreffelijk en Tatiana Troyanos is een Carmen uit duizenden, misschien zelfs beter dan Berganza, maar José van Dam is geen Escamillo en het geheel mist de theatersfeer.
De allereerste, mij bekende opname dateert uit 1967. Het komt uit het Teatro Municipal de Santiago en staat onder de leiding van Anton Guadagna (Legato LCD 194-2). Regina Resnik is een voortreffelijke Carmen, maar wat de opname echt memorabel maakt is de Escamillo van Ramon Vinay, ooit zelf een Don José van formaat.
Interessant ook de opname uit Covent Garden, 1973 (Arkadia MP 498-3). Voornamelijk vanwege Shirley Verrett in de hoofdrol en de piepjonge Kiri te Kanawa als Micaëla.
MASSENET: Werther
Werther was één van de geliefde rollen van de jonge Domingo. Helaas is er weinig van gedocumenteerd gebleven. Op 18 december 1977 werd de opera door de Bayerische Rundfunk in München opgenomen. Deze opname is inmiddels ook op cd uitgebracht (Orfeo C 464 982).
Charlotte werd toen gezongen door Brigitte Fassbaender, niet echt een zangeres met wie je de rol associeert… Nou! Laat je verrassen, want wat hier gebeurt, hoor je werkelijk heel zelden: drama, passie, liefde, wanhoop… Ze spat samen met Domingo werkelijk van je speler af.
Een fragment:
In 1979 werd er een studio opname van de opera gemaakt, onder Riccardo Chailly, met een totaal miscastte Elena Obraztsova als Charlotte. Het is best spannend, maar de poëzie ontbreekt.
Massenet: Manon
Ja, ook Manon behoorde ooit tot Domingo’s repertoire. De enige opname die ik ken, staat op Melodram (MEL 27054). Het is live opgenomen in de New York City Opera op 20 februari 1969. Manon wordt gezongen door de werkelijk onweerstaanbare Beverly Sills. Julius Rudel dirigeert.
Massenet: Le Cid
Een rariteit, zeker, maar wat een mooie rariteit! Sony (7454942 – check voor alle zekerheid het nummer, ze veranderen zo gauw!) heeft de concertante uitvoering in New York, 1989, live opgenomen. Eve Queler dirigeert en Grace Bumbry schittert als Chimene.
Gounod: Faust
Gelukkig voor de liefhebber bestaat er van Domingo’s Faust een goede studio-opname. Het is in 1979 door EMI (tegenwoordig Warner)) opgenomen en in dit geval kan je rustig van één van de beste opnames van het werk spreken. Het orkest van de Parijse Opera staat onder leiding van Georges Prêtre, één van de beste dirigenten voor het Franse repertoire.
De cast is om je vingers bij af te likken: Mirella Freni is een broze en sensuele Marguerite en Nicolai Ghiaurov een zeer imponerende Méphistophéles. In de kleine rol van Valentin horen we niemand minder dan Thomas Allen.
Saint-Saëns: Samson et Dalila
EMI (nu Warner dus) heeft de opera in 1991 in Parijs opgenomen. De dirigent was Myung-Whun Chung en daar wringt de schoen: hij heeft er geen kaas van gegeten. Maar hij was niet de enige boosdoener! Iemand kwam op het onzalige idee om Dalila door Waltraud Meier te laten zingen. Forget it.
De andere studio-opname, ditmaal op dvd (DG 0730599), heeft ook een Dalila waar je niets mee kan: Olga Borodina. Het is in 1998 in de Metropolitan Opera opgenomen. Ik was erbij en vond het niet leuk – en ik vind het nog steeds niet leuk.
Nee, geef mij maar de opname uit San Francisco! De regie was in handen van Nicolas Joel en Dalila werd gezongen door de echt sexy Shirley Verrett (Arthaus Video 100 202)
Offenbach: Les Contes d’Hoffmann
Hoffmann was één van Domingo’s grootste rollen. Daar komt, wat mij betreft, geen andere zanger zelfs in de buurt.
Wilt u de opera op cd hebben dan is de Decca opname onder leiding van Richard Bonynge, met Dame Joan Sutherland in alle drie de vrouwelijke rollen (4173832) zeer aan te bevelen
Soms denk ik wel eens dat Plácido Domingo de reïncarnatie is van Puccini. Niet omdat ze zo op elkaar lijken (al hebben ze op de foto’s wel dezelfde uitstraling), maar vanwege de muziek. Die lijkt geschapen te zijn voor Domingo’s timbre. Het is alsof Puccini componeerde met Domingo’s stem in het hoofd.
Basia con fuoco 