The legendary mezzo-soprano celebrated her 97th birthday on May 12. In this clip she is seen rehearsing with Franco Corelli for a 1963 production of Cavalleria Rusticana, and then in an interview from 2003.
14 May 2007
Happy (belated) birthday Giulietta Simionato
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
14 comments:
Giulietta looks great for a lady of over 90 years of age.
And Corelli was such a handsome man. Mamma mia !
I have a recording of the opening night of that performance. Will have to listen to it tonight.
They don't make them like that anymore!!!!! She was my favorite dramatic mezzo. What a pity I never saw her live.
Brava, Giuletta! My favourite mezzo.
Is it possible that she's really 93 in that interview? I would have guessed 70! Happy birthday Giulietta!
I have the live recording of it, but for some reason it loses dramatic tension because of some awkward timing. At the end Santuzza's climactic note is not together with the conductor. Interestingly enough this is also the case with Simionato as Azucena in the legendary '62 trovatore. (nerves perhaps?)
It's a shame we don't have tenors with even half the voice and looks of corelli anymore.
Talking about Simionato and Cavalleria Rusticana, the 1940 recording-transferred later to LPs-with Rasa (Santuzza, OK), Gigli (Turiddu), Bechi (Alfio), and Simionato (Mamma Lucia) is unsurpassed. The last three singers are glorious. Mascagni himself conducts and prefaces the recording. The passionate lyricism of Gigli, the dranatic nuance of Simionato, and the spitefulness of Bechi are so well communicated. This a golden era recording to treasure; that's why I keep my turntable in perfect order.
Fabulous.
Has anyone else noticed the conspicuous absence of the YouTube video "Divas Discuss Chest Voice?" Apparently whoever posted it removed it and I am personally very upset because it's one of my most favorite things to watch! I'm so sorry, but watching slovenly Fedora at her dinner table and Giulietta saying that she never used chest voice and then get called out by Leyla Gencer is, to me, priceless and brings a smile across my face EVERYTIME I watch it. I must find that clip again!
Thanks a lot Cieca for that clip. Madame Simionato was (is) the greatest mezzosoprano in the italian repertory. Her Ammneris is unsurpassable.
WHAT?! She's that old? I want to meet her plastic surgeon! Kidding aside, her Amneris is out of this world.
There was an LP from the late 50s or early 60s of Simionato doing Cenerentola at La Scala. Anyone remember how she did as Cinderella?
Would someone please post a translation of her story about di Stefano. The whole interview would be welcome.
I remember reading some British guide to opera recordings that said that Giulietta sounded a great deal like Amneris as Cenerentola, and could have 'rounded on all of her relatives' as a result. My guess is that what we think of as lithe, agile Rossini singing now isn't quite what was heard in the 50s, particularly in this one recording. But Giulietta and Barbieri, not to mention Cossotto, certainly are of a vanishing breed...
Here is short rough summary of Simionato's intreview. She says that she always found this duet incredibly intense and upsetting, so much so that after the following duet with Alfio she would go to her dressing room and have a good cry before coming out again for the finale. She would be so involved in her character that she would cling very hard to Turiddu at the end of the duet. One time when she had been particularly forceful in her clinging Di Stefano told her "be careful or you'll pull my trousers down", so after that she would be careful to cling to Turiddu's hand and not his trousers.
Her Cenerentola and Isabella (L'Italiana) lacked what we would consider today the ultimate in Rossini coloratura technique but her sense of character and mischiev ((particularly as Isabella) are huge rewards just in themselves.
I saw her once--as Amneris at the old MET opposite Rysanek's Aida. GREAT STUFF from both ladies.
The Cavalleria has been released, as a couple of others have mentioned, and it's well worth getting. At "E poi, Mamma, sentite" Corelli becomes intimate, tender and absolutely heartbreaking. Simionato is tremendous throughout. And one incredibly skilled performer isn't mentioned in the cast list--the La Scala audience. They know EXACTLY when to come in with applause and when to end it; their presence on the recording gives the occasion an electric thrill.
GS appeared at the Met in the 59-60 season and her only broadcast was on 27 Feb.'60 in Trovatore--with Bergonzi, Stella, and Bastianini. Someone please please find the tape of that performance with a cast like that. We want to hear next year during the winter break.
Post a Comment