Opera Daily: Rossini Listening Session with Michele and Heather
Welcome to our first Opera Daily Listening Session.
We tried to keep this first session on the short side (🥴 so much to discuss!). In the future, these sessions will be video (so you can see our expressions throughout 😉) with a goal toward live video so we can discuss in real-time with all of you.
It is Rossini month, so we both brought our favorite Rossini pieces to the conversation. We added a bonus element to the discussion’s tail-end, which included our favorite “Una voce poca fa” (Rosina’s aria from Rossini's Il Barbiere Di Siviglia).
We only play clips during the session, so please see below for the full pieces.
If you have a question for us, feedback on the session, or anything else, leave a comment for us below!
Thank you for listening, and “see” you for the Rossini wrap-up on Sunday!
Heather’s selections
“Ah! che fedel quest'anima” (10 minute listen) from Tancredi sung here by Marilyn Horne and Katia Ricciarelli, Eve Queler, Conductor, Opera Orchestra of New York (note: the version Heather played in the session was in three pieces so to keep it simple we included a different (live) version here but both are with Marilyn!)
“Una voce poca fa” (6 minute listen) from Il Barbiere di Siviglia sung here by Marilyn Horne
Michele’s selections
"Riedi al soglio" (7 minute listen) from Zelmira sung here by Cecilia Bartoli
“Una voce poca fa” (6 minute listen) from Il Barbiere di Siviglia by Rossini sung here by Cecilia Bartoli
Opera Daily: Rossini Listening Session with Michele and Heather
Cecilia Bartoli has a lot of presence about her, so expressive and sings beautifully - makes you feel the character. More Cecilia please.
On this cold, wintry January night, I'm so glad I revisited these Rossini. Each of them warmed my heart. “Ah! che fedel quest'anima” from "Tancredi" illustrates what was said about Rossini 's genius at the duet. I listened to the voices of Marilyn Horne and Katia Ricciarelli, weaving around the melody like two streamers on a maypole. Each voice could be distinguished, one from the other, until they blended into perfect harmony. To master such vocal acrobatics must take years of training. How does the human brain conceive of such complex music? I also did a double take to make sure I really did read the name “Eve Queler”. "Never have I ever" heard of a woman maestro, and she’s been around long enough to collect a heap of honors (https://www.evequeler.com/).
Shame on me! The sheer beauty, the incredible range and the agility of her magnificent voice in the selection from "Zelmira" ("Riedi al soglio" ) have made me determined to see Cecilia Bartoli in starring in an opera someday. She is climbing up on that pedestal where I keep Maria Callas. As I listened to what I suppose would be trills, riffs and runs in pop music, I thought about how much harder it is to sing opera - physically, mentally and emotionally. Also, I'm going to imagine Rossini was inspired by birds singing.
I enjoyed hearing the two of you discuss Rossini, although I wasn't always sure whose voice I was hearing. I'll be more attuned tomorrow! Keep going!😀👍❤