u/GeeBP

Another testament of this artist’s range and versatility.

Claudio Abbado conducted the Berlin Philharmonic, October 1992.

Operatic dramma giocoso by Gioachino Rossini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Balocchi. It was Rossini’s last opera in Italian. It is interesting that it was Richard Strauss, of all people, who first conducted the work’s misattributed overture (later removed after the original score was reconstructed) at La Scala in November of 1938.

“In alto mare è battuto … Coraggio, su coraggio … D’ira fremo all’aspetto tremendo”, from Act I.

Also with: Giorgio Zancanaro (Monforte), Gloria Banditelli (Ninetta), Ernesto Gavazzi (Danieli)

“Al tuo cor generoso” … “In fra noi due s’oppone”

Also with :
Procida - Ferruccio Furlanetto
Monforte - Giorgio Zancanaro

Teatro alla Scala, Milano
December 1989

… and spares you the Very Loud Prompter in Girlish Maria Callas sings Gilda’s Death with Endless Vocal Colors. Look it up on YouTube.

And, of course, with Leo Nucci as Rigoletto.

IN-HOUSE RECORDING, 29 October 1992, Vienna State Opera, Dirigent - Michael Schönwandt

1 - Act II: “Porgi, amor, qualche ristoro” (00:04)
2 - Act III: “E Susanna non vien … Dove sono” (04:15)
3 - Act III: “Canzonetta sull’aria” - with Elizabeth Norberg-Schulz as Susanna (11:01)

Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte

Images of Studer - As die Gräfin (the Countess) in “Le Nozze di Figaro”, Teatro alla Scala, March 1989

No, not Covent Garden [… about which wagging tongues (of the “exquisite, immaculate taste” variety) of the day went apoplectic-hysterical-abusive over Studer’s ultra soft-pianissimo High C in “O patria mia”. A couple of years later elsewhere she sang the note full voiced, as heard here. But does anyone recall ever hearing a single tongue wagging over it? Why, crickets.]

These here stand as vocal acting of abandon, singing in the throes of the moment, free and spontaneous, the soprano fully attuned to the give and take with her colleagues and their characters, as beautiful as necessary, where necessary, with face, all her own, unmistakable. As such, the great soprano expresses and delivers the spectrum of the titular character's situations and emotions. But what the great soprano does not do is abuse her character into "Easy Listening" or “Barbie Doll” or “Miss Universe Pageant". Think about that. And remember all this relative to the unprecedented pandemic of generic anonymity in opera singing in our times, against which there is no vaccine or place to hide.

Act I - Ritorna vincitor! (00:21)
Act II - Fu la sorte dell'armi a' tuoi funesta (08:37)
Act III - Qui Radames verrà ... O patria mia (19:11)
Act III - Ciel! Mio padre! ... Rivedrai le foreste imbalsamate (25:57)
Act III - Pur ti riveggo, mia dolce Aïda ... Nel fiero anelito ... Fuggiam gli ardori inospiti ... Là, tre foreste vergini (34:12)
Act IV - La fatal pietra sovra me si chiuse ... O terra addio (46:40)