The congruences of chronology have always fascinated me. Coincidence or cosmic planning ? But surely the overlapping birthdates of both Verdi and Wagner in 1813 must show some divine organization. When one adds the birth of Georg Buchner (German playwright of WOYZECK source of Berg's opera ) the situation grows complex - and furthermore it was the year of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE and L'ITALIANA IN ALGERI and the year of Kierkegaard's death Moving on 100 years we can add Benjamin Britten to our anniversary celebrations. But we must also include the unlikely duo of birthday boys Richard Nixon and Albert Camus...and this was the year of PYGMALION, DEATH IN VENICE and THE RITE OF SPRING. How will we look back on 2013? We've missed the celebration of the actual birthday by a week or so but no matter...here are a few of my choice Verdiana Youtube moments
Leontyne Price
One of my favorite Verdi arias sung by one of my favorite sopranos Leontyne Price (I play this for my opera class at NYU as an example of the quintessential expression of the spirit and soul and heart of "Opera" itself ) LEONTYNE PRICE " D'AMOR SULL'ALI ROSEE" IL TROVATORE 1963
Sometimes it is interesting to see MADAMA BUTTERFLY sung "naked" - without the white makeup, the piled up geisha hair, the enveloping kimono. Here are such performances by Renata Tebaldi, Leontyne Price, Eleanor Steber and Teresa Stratas.
Renata Tebaldi
Leontyne Price
Eleanor Steber
Teresa Stratas
Remember - Butterfly's "real" age in the opera is but one year older than this teenager
In this excerpt from Franco Zeffirelli's 2002 film Callas Forever, the captivating French actress Fanny Ardant plays ( a mostly fictionalized ) Maria Callas in the last year of her life. Alone (except for eavesdropping figure of her manager - Jeremy Irons) she listens - and sings along - to her own recording of Butterfly
Another place where we can see singers deeply involved in a role but out of a theatrical context (and away from the gaze of an audience) - "on their own" as it were - is in, often very revelatory, rehearsal footage. In this instance it is, of course, the BUTTERFLY Act 1 love duet, Vogliatemi bene, rather than our Un bel di.
