To spend my Opera Daily Sunday with Cecilia Bartoli has been so special. Somewhere in my distant past, I believe I heard her in a recital at the Kennedy Center Opera House before she became the superstar she is today. What an extraordinary opera singer. Who else has dared to perform such incredibly complex arias? As usual, I wandered off home base and discovered two more YouTube performances that I enjoyed:
I look forward to hearing what's coming next. Who knew opera would be the perfect antidote to my pandemic and election year anxieties!?!
P.S. Thanks to Mr. Quinn, I found Shirley Verrett's performance in Verdi's "Macbeth" and loved it. I also revisited "Casta Diva" by Maria Callas. There's something so affecting about the latter with the chorus. I raise a glass of joy to you and all of your subscribers!
🥂🥂🥂 That makes me so happy! (and please know that writing it is equally as cathartic) So thankful for what everyone is bringing to these discussions.
I love that you listened to Bartoli sing the Sonnambula! (Ah, non credea mirarti...Ah! non giunge) - not sure if you came across it but it's fun to hear the differences in the ornamentation between the soprano and mezzo in this piece (Sutherland singing here)...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saaemPqH59s.
There are so many interesting options to pursue for entertainment these days, but Opera Daily is my mainstay. With respect to my preferred music platform, I use YouTube out of habit and for the visuals, but I'm open to other platforms. After the featured aria, YouTube immediately often flows into a different performance by the same singer, or a different singer performing the same aria. This is how I accidentally discovered Sumi Jo singing "Ah! non credea mirarti... Ah! non giunge" in La Sonnambula (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk4FNg7SnCU). The voice and story of this Korean opera star really captivated me.
I paid special attention to Joan Sutherland's version, and could hear her voice run effortlessly along the scale between mezzo and soprano. Then I found Maria Callas
P.S. I am saving Rossini's "The Barber of Seville" for the week-end. It holds so many lovely childhood memories for me. When I shared your Rossini newsletter with my sister, she wrote: "Delightful. One of the first operas Mama exposed me to. I used to sing, in my 6th grade voice, 'Una Voce Poco Fa' from this opera. Great!
I love your selection this week. I’m a beginner at this and I may not love all your choices this one is exceptional. 💖💖💖💖💖💖 please keep up the outstanding work.
Ohh thank you for your feedback and for sharing that Lawrence! In a crazy way, I think I like that you strongly favor some over others - in a small way, it means I am sharing a range....although I must say I often feel like I am sharing too much of one singer, or composer or style.....🙈 thank you thank you and please keep the feedback and thoughts coming.....🥂🥂
To spend my Opera Daily Sunday with Cecilia Bartoli has been so special. Somewhere in my distant past, I believe I heard her in a recital at the Kennedy Center Opera House before she became the superstar she is today. What an extraordinary opera singer. Who else has dared to perform such incredibly complex arias? As usual, I wandered off home base and discovered two more YouTube performances that I enjoyed:
Ah, non credea mirarti...Ah! non giunge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUi18GyNPlw&list=RDX-kRgs3H7so&index=2
La ci darem la mano (with Thomas Hampson)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJRZxSclj70&list=RDX-kRgs3H7so&index=4.
I look forward to hearing what's coming next. Who knew opera would be the perfect antidote to my pandemic and election year anxieties!?!
P.S. Thanks to Mr. Quinn, I found Shirley Verrett's performance in Verdi's "Macbeth" and loved it. I also revisited "Casta Diva" by Maria Callas. There's something so affecting about the latter with the chorus. I raise a glass of joy to you and all of your subscribers!
🥂🥂🥂 That makes me so happy! (and please know that writing it is equally as cathartic) So thankful for what everyone is bringing to these discussions.
I love that you listened to Bartoli sing the Sonnambula! (Ah, non credea mirarti...Ah! non giunge) - not sure if you came across it but it's fun to hear the differences in the ornamentation between the soprano and mezzo in this piece (Sutherland singing here)...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saaemPqH59s.
There are so many interesting options to pursue for entertainment these days, but Opera Daily is my mainstay. With respect to my preferred music platform, I use YouTube out of habit and for the visuals, but I'm open to other platforms. After the featured aria, YouTube immediately often flows into a different performance by the same singer, or a different singer performing the same aria. This is how I accidentally discovered Sumi Jo singing "Ah! non credea mirarti... Ah! non giunge" in La Sonnambula (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk4FNg7SnCU). The voice and story of this Korean opera star really captivated me.
I paid special attention to Joan Sutherland's version, and could hear her voice run effortlessly along the scale between mezzo and soprano. Then I found Maria Callas
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7egCC9H6FUo). Since I enjoyed every one of these versions, I suspect I have fallen in love with Vincenzo Bellini.
P.S. I am saving Rossini's "The Barber of Seville" for the week-end. It holds so many lovely childhood memories for me. When I shared your Rossini newsletter with my sister, she wrote: "Delightful. One of the first operas Mama exposed me to. I used to sing, in my 6th grade voice, 'Una Voce Poco Fa' from this opera. Great!
🙏🏽🥂(and your memories and “delightful” warms my ❤️)
Do you have a preferred music platform? Does YouTube work best for you?
I love your selection this week. I’m a beginner at this and I may not love all your choices this one is exceptional. 💖💖💖💖💖💖 please keep up the outstanding work.
Thank you, Lawrence
Ohh thank you for your feedback and for sharing that Lawrence! In a crazy way, I think I like that you strongly favor some over others - in a small way, it means I am sharing a range....although I must say I often feel like I am sharing too much of one singer, or composer or style.....🙈 thank you thank you and please keep the feedback and thoughts coming.....🥂🥂