[1959 broadcast] Joan Sutherland - Casta Diva (in F) - Bellini's Norma

Joan Sutherland sings Casta Diva in the lower key of F. She would go on to sing it in G until her late career, when she transposed the aria down again. Her interpretation here shows some of Callas' influence, I think.
Norma ... Joan Sutherland, soprano
Kölner Rundfunk Symfonie Orchester des WDR
Alberto Erede
Recorded December 1959

[@MadonnaImperia]

This is so beautiful. It is my favourite Sutherland version of "Casta Diva".

[@debbiewoodburn6786]

A glorious sound. The incomparable Joan Sutherland.

[@joannilson2900]

I had never heard this recording before ... and I thought that I knew all of Sutherland's recordings ..... But it is gorgeous! The Casta Diva itself is taken much more slowly than I remember her doing in later years. The legato line is - literally and figuratively - breathtaking! Just exquisite!! Thanks so for posting this!

[@chrisryan9071]

Oh, SO agree with you - it is utterly glorious!

[@TheVaughan5]

The conductor is Alberto Erede, Joan nearly always sang better with conductors other than her husband, though to be fair there were some exceptions.

[@lawrenceallen6508]

I’m with you entirely- her singing is extraordinary, sublime, the likes no other- the phrasing, the legato; divine

[@uthornss]

i do agree, this version is the best Casta Diva I've ever heard.....it envelops you

[@edejan]

So intimate, so warm! Still with precision and legato. A heavenly and peerless interpretation!

[@hjkey3747]

This is gorgeous, just gorgeous. I'm stunned. I also love the versions in G, but her diction is cleaner here. I agree with you about Callas' influence...you can see it in "che inargenti" phrase.

[@JoanSutherlandFan]

One of her best interpretations for the role which was perfect before in the original key. Joan lover.

[@Hako2004]

Lovely. The most gentle, limpid version of Casta Diva she ever recorded.

[@jondavwal13]

This is phenomenal, but the first studio recording is super human. The repeat of the cabaletta is some the most over the top full voiced coloratura that exists. And the high D sends shivers at the end.

[@Dadacomero]

THIS, my dear, is THE BEST Casta diva ever recorded Here Joan's singing and espressivness are the closest to what the character Norma would sound like

[@stevecampo1618]

I completely agree. I believe that I know virtually every Sutherland recording of "Casta Diva". This one, however, stands alone. It is a masterpiece. It is definitive.

[@jorgelaguerenne]

Fue y sigue siendo una maravilla ¡Joan Sutherland! sinónimo de perfección y de una voz completa e insuperable ¡Qué voz!

[@bellini7verdi]

si s4eñor------------------

[@wetering777]

Not only Joan's greatest Casta Diva but the greatest Casta Diva in any case ever recorded.

[@lastupendaboy]

Stunning… that entire concert from Germany was divine, powerful, and delicate Mozart too

[@bellini7verdi]

LA MEJOR COMBINACION......ENTRE ...CEREBRO......CORAZON........SANGRE............Y ARTE.........SIN PARANGON...........................

[@williammaddox3339]

Although my favorite version of Sutherland singing Casta Diva is on her first studio recording of Norma. This one in the lower key is excellent and the diction is sharper than the others I have heard. Her 1967 Casta Diva in Norma at Covent Garden is also really good.

[@williammaddox3339]

***** The 1964recording in "G" has thrills (to me) that this one does not have. It soars to the heavens. This one from 1959 is terrific.

[@jorgenlundberg5289]

Beautiful! Never heard in F before.

[@adonissilva6367]

Linda ária e grande interpretação da Sutherland.

[@cadoh8143]

Oi Adonis. És brasileiro? Sou um grande fã da Sutherland e moro no sul do país.

[@adonissilva6367]

Sim, sou brasileiro, moro em Recife/PE. Tenho grande admiração e apreço pela Sutherland uma grande cantora e intérprete que, com sua poderosa voz, encantou a muitos a longo dos anos. Brava!!

[@juanflores7057]

Me pregunto yo abra una igual o que supero su voz tan inmensamente grande, creo q no jamas, fue y será una, lo que hubiese dado por verla y escucharla.

[@herrbrucvald6376]

This is so intensely tender, womanly. I wish JS and Bonynge could have done "Robert le Diable" in the 1960's, and Donizetti's "Pia de' Tolomei", and---but there's only so much time! Perhaps "The Art of the Prima Donna" is the finest vocal disk ever recorded? That record's Norma---it will leave you speechless, like this one does. Sutherland = divine.

[@bellini7verdi]

SENCILLAMENTE SIMPLE...........PODEROSA......................HERMOSA.............E IRRESISTIBLE..........................EL UNGUENTO POETICO....DE LAS MARAVILLAS VOCALES..................

[@Tkimba2]

La perfezione. Divina

[@Pharnabaze]

celestiale!

[@cadoh8143]

A melhor Norma que houve no campo vocal. Inigualável!!!!!

[@bellini7verdi]

es mas que celestial................es estratosférica....................y nebulosica...................y una proyección..............universal..del sonido hacia fuera.............y hacia dentro...............de connotaciones metafísicas...............filosóficas.............físicas y matemáticas................sin un final claro......mas que el fin de la belleza.............y la belleza es amor.....y el amor..es el origen de todas las cosas.............................el sonido magistral...........del que posee ..............el arte de impostarlo.....................y eso solo lo hace......la única persona en el mundo que lo ha podido hacer.................LA GRAN JOAN SUTHERLAND.............UNA VOZ DE OTRO MUNDO..........Y DEL NUESTRO.................

[@bellini7verdi]

las mejores cosas de la vida se pueden hacer a los 33 años.....pero no todo es asi.....ella también lo hizo a los 43 años.......y también a los 53....y también a los 63.......fue tan esplendida a todas sus edades vocales......que quedo para la eternidad como un ser humano fuera de todo contexto..................un ejemplo a seguir en todas las facetas de la vida.....solo hay que tener ganas de amar...lo que sea.....pero amar....la vida.......y ella amo la vida y su canto............

[@Dadacomero]

santo cielo! che voce

[@vanmusician]

I am very suspicious of 1959 as the date. There is no mention of it either as a studio recording or live performance in her various biographies. Her first commercial recording was in the 1961 Art of the Prima Donna, and her first staged Norma was here in Vancouver in 1963 - I was in the audience opening night. But her very clear diction points to an early performance - perhaps this one has just recently surfaced.

[@ajhiflyer]

I have this on Melodram under the heading of 'live recordings', and have owned it for a good long while. The booklet explains that it is 1959 Koln and under Alberto Erede. I trust that puts your mind at rest re the date. It's also claims to be digitally remastered and is dated 1990, Milano, though the booklet says that the remastering doesn't actually improve the sound of the original tape. I have it on my hard drive and it certainly sounds the same as the excerpt above, fwiw.

[@debbiewoodburn6786]

The one and only Joan Sutherland.

[@marylambcarter]

BRAVAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA CALLAS WOULD BE PROUD

[@chrisryan9071]

Callas would have killed to have sung as beautifully - she never did - but of course she 'acted the role' as though all that face pulling and angst covered up severe vocal flaws.

[@marylambcarter]

@@chrisryan9071 LOLOLOLOLOLOL OH PLEASE ...

[@germanquintero10121946]

MARAVILLOSA

[@annreina1525]

БРАВО 👏 Супер!

[@ausbrum]

She considered leaving the ROH to work in Germany around this time. The ROH gave her the starring Lucia and she became an international superstar

[@kngiht84]

Are we sure this is from 1959? Her timber is incredibly darker here compared to, say, her Lucia at Covent Garden.

[@bellini7verdi]

EL ALMA ERA ALGO SOBRADO EN ELLA..............PUES PARA MI ERA DE OTRO PLANETA......................

[@MrKvarner]

Perfect-but the key of G is perfection!!!

[@Shahrdad]

It was written in G, but the original Norma, Giuditta Pasta, sang it in F. When sung in the key of F, it has a much more haunting and mysterious sound. I don't know whether Giulia Grisi sang it in F or G. I can certainly hear Callas's influence, though Sutherland never had the same mastery of legato as her predecessor and lacked the little microsecond by microsecond refinements of Callas. Also love how much more clear her diction is here, and how much less muddy her middle and lower registers are. And I like that she skips the second verse of "Ah bello", which Bonynge later had her sing with excessive and meretricious ornamentations. This is certainly very very beautiful, and I daresay my favorite Sutherland performance of this Aria.

[@jondavwal13]

Why is every Joan Sutherland post subjected to tiresome Callas comparisons? Are you all so insecure? OMG. Enough already.

[@tjw2469]

May I ask where can I get the original audio file?

[@MrMin316]

Though i prefer her prima donna rendition and the 64 complete recording sung in the original key of G. This is beautiful and seems so easy for her.

[@bellini7verdi]

FUERA DE LO NORMAL.ESE CANTO........................

[@gencerito]

Fue un intento sobrehumano el de Joan al cantar NORMA pero no me emociona, sus caballos de batalla han sido operas en donde no se veia comprometida en lo actoral, acá en el COLÓN Fiorenza Cossotto le robó las funciones y en los duos se la comia, la tapaba cuando iban a los mismos agudos al mismo tiempo,incluso se dice que Bonynge puso sordinas a los vientos de la Orquesta Estable para que se oyera mejor a Joan.....aqui la voz esta lozana y joven pero solo siento notas hermosamente cantadas con una tecnica impecable pero en NORMA prefiero TODA LA VIDA A LA CALLAS, LA GENCER Y LA CABALLÉ-

[@bellini7verdi]

USTED TIENE SU OPINION.............Y LA RESPETO........Y DESEO QUE SIGA DISFRUTANDO CON SUS DESEOS..............................ESO ES LO MEJOR MUNDO.................DISFRUTAR CON EL GUSTO DE CADA UNO.............Y USTED DISFRUTE DEL SUYO...............

[@fernandodc5146]

En fin, lo que hay que leer...

[@jjlungdoc7472]

A juzgar por las grabaciones, Cosotto hizo el ridículo en Argentina tratando de robarle el show a JS. En ese sentido, Domingo tenía razón cuando dijo en su primera biografía “ Nobody can out sing dame Joan”.

[@annathomson2880]

Sorry but Callas for me always.

[@Tkimba2]

Pointless

[@stefanodallasen796]

​@@Tkimba2 Devo dire che, pur non spasimando mai per la Sutherland, qui in questa castadiva la trovo meravigliosa e finalmente espressiva come non mai

[@Tkimba2]

@@stefanodallasen796 la Joan non era sempre "nel personaggio" come altre colleghe (Callas, Gencer, ecc) , ma puoi trovare molte occasioni, soprattutto nei suoi anni d'oro, in cui è molto espressiva, emozionante, quasi geniale nella linea del canto

[@stefanodallasen796]

​@@Tkimba2 Concordo. Mi sembra comunque, vista la tecnica Belcantistica, più adatta a ruoli elegiaci o di canto fiorito

[@rakellcolotta3675]

Too slow

[@Fairpavel]

Bland.

[@arnoldamaral7406]

Fairpavel she seems like she doesn't have any life in her voice and transposing casta DIVA makes it sound so lifeless.

[@Tkimba2]

Deaf

[@vanmusician]

@@Tkimba2 It It's a prayer!!!!

[@jondavwal13]

@@Tkimba2 They aren't happy unless every role includes a nervous breakdown a la Callas or Dessay. It didn't hurt that Callas was ACTUALLY having nervous and vocal breakdowns. What a disaster. What an artist. LOL. They're all pathetic.

[@Tkimba2]

@@jondavwal13 how can you talk about Callas like that. You're horribly disrespectful. And she shouldn't be mentioned in the same line with...dessay...

[@brunobalzano7566]

Dopo la Callas c'è solo Caballé. Punto.