AIDA- O PATRIA MIA- 24 HIGH C by 17 sopranos

Verdi not having made it easy for his interpreter of Aida, here are 17 sopranos dealing with this challenge of the High C piano at the end of an interminable aria, with an ascension in slow motion that would asphyxiate anyone. So the results are not always guaranteed even for those who do it sometimes well, and then not.
It seems normal that those who have a high D or E flat in reserve, do it more easily. (sorry for the poor sound in some of the tapes).

[@nonenoneonenonenone]

Julia Varady's voice is outstanding in clarity and probably the best in technique and musicality. Tebaldi's is remarkable for expressive beauty.

[@draganvidic2039]

FACTS: This high C is marked ”dolce” in the score which is not necessarily piano. Verdi wrote the role for a dramatic soprano. He didn’t write it for a soprano who gets drowned in the ensembles and yes he demanded much from singers.

[@hrvoje14]

Exactly, plus it’s at the peak/end of a line marked “crescendo”, so i doubt what he had in mind was a sudden pp.

[@gautama2009]

And today Aida is sung by lyrico coloratura sopranos and all critics praise their high C in Nile scene but do not say anything about their terrible, non-Verdi singing in other parts of the opera.

[@MaritinaTampakopoulos]

♥

[@divox9pqr]

Rethburg’s was beautifully done. In my opinion the first Caballe was the most well done. The soft yet focused vocal line riding on her long breath that seemed to go on forever was amazing and most admirable. The performances Radvanofsky and Price were excellent.

[@foropera]

Yes Caballé in studio is very good, less in live performance. The way it is written makes this high C terribly difficult. Even for specialists of high piani like Milanov for decades.

[@szkotnickibruno6337]

J'adore Montsy pour sa musicalité et ses pianissimo mais je doute que la partition soit écrite ainsi ;) Tebaldi 1, Gencer, Zeani, Millo, Milanov 1 et Callas sont mes favorites

[@hrvoje14]

Wow, many of these ladies don’t even reach a full C here if we’re being honest (Rethberg, Ponselle, Tebaldi…). Pleasant surprise: Zeani (though she, unfortunately, breaks up the crescendo line leading up to the C). Caballe 1 and Radvanovsky definitely sing a dolce C, but there is no crescendo as marked on the line leading up to it (actually, the opposite: they sing the whole line+C pp). To my ear, Milanov 1, Callas and Price sing the line the closest to how Verdi wrote it (crescendo line up + dolce C).

[@Shahrdad]

Rethberg was gorgeous, as was Price, who at the end of her career could manage the tricky rise to the high C as easily as drinking a glass of water. Caballe's commercial recording is breathtaking, especially as she sings the this passage all in one breath and produces the most gossamer sound on the high C of anyone. It's so soft and pure I wasn't sure whether i heard it or just imagined it. Radvanovsky managed the passage pretty much as well as Price did as well.

[@nonenoneonenonenone]

I would think the hardest part is not the high notes, but the low notes in-between.

[@vincentmancini6279]

A good point!

[@jackhamm1745]

Leontyne! The alpha and the omega of singing 'O patria mia.' Never did she not give a master class of singing when performing this aria, even to her very last performance, which is the best, to my ears. Rethberg is fabulous as always. Tebaldi's second performance is surprisingly good, and Zinka gives a great account of her wares in the first selection. The secret to success in this aria is in managing the approach to the high C, mastering the note itself and finally in managing the dismount from the C. Price is the only one who understood this and did it.

[@beachfanatic2010]

Unfortunately her voice is too light to sing Aida.

[@jackhamm1745]

@@beachfanatic2010 Your opinion, but you'll have to tell it to History (which says otherwise) and the thousands of opera goers who bought tickets, recordings and applauded, cheered and delighted in her legendary performances of the role worldwide.

[@beachfanatic2010]

@@jackhamm1745 It is called MARKETING. Just cause I a lot of people want do the wrong things and go to hell does not mean it is a positive place to be. She was a lyric soprano who happened to be black. A lyric soprano who also sang Aida but with more voice and a better technique was Freni and she also had the wrong voice for the role. Overall, Price was the main key to the door opened for the deteriorating of verismo. After Price every other mosquito thought they could sing Puccini and Verdi who are composers designed really only for real spinto and dramatic voice like Callas and Tebaldi.

[@dmp7252]

@@beachfanatic2010 "She was a lyric soprano who happened to be black." Really? That's your conclusion? I'm guessing you'll say the same about an Asian soprano as well. "Oh, they're just giving her props because she's Asian. It's all marketing." Let me tell you something, when Leontyne was commanding 15 minute, 20 minute, 30 minute standing ovations, many of those folks in the audience were as racist as could be, particularly in the U.S. NEWS FLASH: Leontyne came up in a time when race relations in the country were at a low point. However, in those days, people who attended the opera were diehard connoisseurs who knew something about the craft. They could have just as easily booed her, or given her a lukewarm applause to make her feel good. They don't give you 30-minute standing ovations to make you feel good. Now, was her voice perfect, no. I, myself, was shocked that people allowed her to get away with glissando-ing her way up and down scales. Her lower register was a concern for me as well at times. But when you look at the entirety of what the woman brought to the table, it was undeniable. Also, there were other great black sorpranos: Grace Bumbry, Martina Arroyo (half black-half Puerto Rican), and others. But none of them had the same remarkable breath control that Leontyne had. So trust, it ain't just because the woman is black that she is considered one of the best interpreters of Aida. Now, remind me again: how long were your standing ovations? Maybe the press forget to cover them. Don't try it.

[@beachfanatic2010]

@@dmp7252 When I mean she is a lyric soprano that happened to be black is because Aida is a black African princess and even though vocally Price is way off for Aida; She fits the character physically and that’s why she was so famous for it. She was too light for the part. Period!

[@malipasta1]

Lots i admire here but Zeani is simply amazing lots of colour and a dolce c....Milanov too not one of my favourites but excellent in the first.

[@robcardinal8430]

Great collection of singers here.. I had the great , good fortune of hearing Leontyne Price , at her FAREWELL Aida in 1985, at the Metropolitan Opera in NYC ....top drawer...but also: Milanov ( 1st recording) Callas, and Astrid Varnay . One singer missing from this group IMO, is Maria Caniglia ( spinto/ dramatico) 1905- 1979. Do check out her recording of Aida ( 1946) with Gigli/ Stignani/ Bechi , and Tullio Serafin conducting!

[@vincentmancini6279]

Mm Price and there is no other!!!! BUT, always the but, Milo, Tebaldi, Mm Zinka and a few more. They are all wonderful and I love hearing the different voices and interpretations.

[@vincentmancini6279]

Remember this is only my opinion and I respect all others

[@Arishenka_A]

1 Tebaldi. the best voice here. Лучший голос здесь. Лучшие верхи. 2 Milanov. It's classic. "То, что доктор прописал" ), в смысле, то, что Verdi - написал. Мощно, точно и традиционно. 3 Callas. Думала поставить третьей Ponselle, но у Callas все-таки больше глубины, ярче и сильнее нюансировка, эмоциональная, прежде всего. 4 Ponselle. Красивейший голос и впечатляющая харизма. Надо сказать, эта певица знала, как увлечь публику. По манере воздействия на публику чем-то Юсси напоминает (Bjorling, I mean). 5 Caballe, наверное.. не нравится живое выступление, а студийное - хорошее, но студийное ) 6 Cerquetti. Очень талантливая певица, но все время впечатление, что ей или что-то мешает, или она чего-то опасается.. как-будто голос не совсем созрел. В чем была ее проблема? мне непонятно .. 🤔 может, слишком открытое пение? 7 Zeani. интересно получилось ) 8 Rethberg. хорошее исполнение, в общем, но ощущение какой-то скованности.. и салонности ) 9 Price. великая певица, но здесь мне не нравится 10 Marton. По-моему, это не совсем ее репертуар. Ну и далее: Urman... ) зачем она пела эту партию - я не знаю, но впечатлила, конечно ) Varnay, Gencer, Millo, Chiara.. ну, ничего, нормально ) Radvanovska, Sweet, Dimitrova, Varadi, Stemme.. - неплохие певицы, но либо запись - не очень, либо Аида - не для них

[@foropera]

I forgot to name Virginia Zeani ( just before Gencer) whom I appreciate a lot as an artist. She was one of the best for the colour and wild impetuous interpretation and easy top nites, (if you don't need a dramatic soprano in Aida).

[@SilfredoSerrano]

So, Tebaldi surprised me. It wasn't easy, but she held on to it in the live one! Studio doesn't count as far as I'm concerned. In Verdi's day there were no recordings so you either had it or not.

[@johnpickford4222]

@SilfredoSerrano: “In Verdi’s day” you would not be able to do s compilation like this! But for many of us who enjoy opera, and AIDA, there were only recordings, usually complete ones. Studio recordings do count and if you have evidence where the voice is being manipulated, you should say so and offer proof. For the live recordings, some singers are on and some aren’t. But their performances average out their greatness.

[@rogerchandler8415]

Tebaldi never had the technique to sing this aria properly. I'm surprised she even had a career without a good top C.

[@scottgrunow5201]

Rethberg is fabulous. Endless breath and a truly piano high C.

[@draganvidic2039]

It’s written ”dolce” in the score

[@maestromuffin1]

wow, hardly anybody mentions Sondra Radvanosky!!!! I found it to be highly satisfying! of course I'll take Price all day! and throw in a little Milo!!!

[@SilfredoSerrano]

Violeta Urman was surprising given that she spent so many years singing as a mezzo and after a few years as soprano, ended up a mezzo again. Personally, having heard her in the hall in Tosca, I think she was really soprano but never had the ease of singing in that register despite this wonderful high C.

[@foropera]

I like her very much, she did what she should (in my opinion), exploring all her possibilities (which were enormous)and the following the nature, when you age, like Mödl or Varnay. I 'd like to hear her Medea.

[@nonenoneonenonenone]

If it was not easy for her, she was not a soprano! @@foropera

[@courtneybaritone0136]

Wow Leontyne Price! I've heard many Aidas from her but this one is outstanding. Hers and Tebaldi were standouts for me. I was surprised Tebaldi was in tune up top. But Price! Wow!!!!

[@evangeliadimitriadis5706]

Tebaldi always is in tune up top

[@liedersanger1]

@@evangeliadimitriadis5706 Certainly not.

[@evangeliadimitriadis5706]

@@liedersanger1 instead of writing rotten fish, why don't you show sound documents where Tebaldi is not in the tune up top ? show instead of writing lies. Here Ghena Dimitrova in five (5) different Aidas performances , she does not hit the C if even 1 performance kzbin.info/www/bejne/banKXo1phKeba5Y

[@evangeliadimitriadis5706]

@@liedersanger1 1.31:38 kzbin.info/www/bejne/gWjLk5apra6kl9U

[@Orfeus80]

If only a great Aida was a matter of one note. It's more about how their voices fill the rest of the 2,5 hour music. Ironically the ones who have higher voices and don't have to work hard for the high C (Price, Callas, Gencer) sound hooty, uneven or weak in the rest of the role. Tebaldi, Cerquetti, Sweet, Millo, Ponselle, Chiara, Milanov respond better to the demands of the entire role.

[@foropera]

Yes, but what had Verdi in mind to put such a note, in this climax? I was always surprised by this contradiction between the large medium voice the sopranos needs, and this excrutiating climbing when they are breathless and tensed. Btw this clip is rather about these phrases, not the entire role. But even if the strong, solid beauties of Milanov, Tebaldi, Cerquetti are classic icônes, I am always a fan of non placid, hedonist incarnations, even if Aida is a kind if soft profile character.

[@Orfeus80]

@@foropera fair enough, tastes differ, you can also like a tigress as Mimi and a pretty girl as Lady Macbeth. Composers, including Verdi, rarely obsessed about single notes as much as fans of singers do. Composers were usually perfectly fine to provide an alternative phrase if the singer found it challenging. Composers care more for the completeness of a role rather than individual effects.

[@foropera]

@@Orfeus80, well I'm a singer, and I know Aida from stage experience. I agree on the predominance of totality over detail...but this detail is a little vicious. It becomes a phobia for so many singers that half the time, almost everyone misses. I agree that the highest voices are helped here. And was surprised to see that Caballé, or Margaret Price could miss it. I don't know if Verdi would have let his Voletta, Abigaille, Lady Macbeth, Odabella, Mina adapt the hard lines. I didn't see on my phone the end of your comment, that you mentioned Ponselle, Sweet, Millo. I love them.

[@Orfeus80]

@@foropera allow me to speculate that if Verdi knew one note would attract so much attention, he would have changed this romanza. Aida has, unfortunately, become the high C role for many people and naturally this builds up tension for the singers.

[@evangeliadimitriadis5706]

excuse me: What Price, Callas and Gencer Cs ? Callas has no great Cs, Gencer even less and Price ok but Price's Cs have no impact. (Aprile Millo in the same basket of Ponselle and Tebaldi? is a joke ?)

[@nosehook324]

Tebaldi!

[@lutandomhlalase4416]

The singer before the 60's are much better than those after. My opinion.

[@johnpickford4222]

@lutandomhlalase4416: It certainly is your opinion and not worth too much. But thank you.

[@lutandomhlalase4416]

@@johnpickford4222 and charlatan should judge the worth of other people's opinions. You truly are first amongst incompetent.

[@shaundudley4576]

Sometimes I think that if Rosa knew that Callas was coming she would have tried harder.

[@shaundudley4576]

@@gr__msk Oh well maybe her limitations were also what allowed her to be what she was. Her splendours were the result of deliberate yet instinctual cultivation of the truly wondrous aspects of her art and this left that which might have given her something approaching the scope of a Callas, whose genius and capacities was limitless, underdeveloped.

[@shaundudley4576]

@@gr__msk Callas' genesis and trajectory was unique. A prodigy whose instrument was her body, a young female body, going through fundamental morphogenesis. As her discovery of her body and her art literally took shape simultaneously she was afforded a foundational grasp on her instrument. Her work ethic and ambition to master technical requirements worked on this material (her body) when at its most malleable. She said that a singer must start in their teens if they hope to master the art fully. Also the time and place was crucial: Athens amidst World War; isolated and tumultuous everything was in a state of chaos and Opera itself was in contention. She sprang on the scene fully formed like Athena. The establishment had to adapt to her not she to them because she presented them with the Truth of Opera and revealed its Power and Potential. Something they had lost. It was a vision so compelling they had to submit.

[@robcardinal8430]

Foropera.....most impressed by Price, Milanov, Gencer and Varnay....but where was the great spinto, Maria Caniglia in this group? She did a landmark recording with Tullio Serafin in 1946, with Gigli, Stignani, and Pasero...you should check it out.

[@stefanocautavera]

Rethberg was amazing here, and easily my favourite. I also liked Milanov's first excerpt (the second is catastrophic) and, to a lesser extent, Millo. Caballé held her own in the studio (a true miracle of breath support), but she messed it up live. Tebaldi did fairly well in the first clip, she had the ideal sound for this role but not the upper range. Ponselle was obviously shaking at the thought of the high C, but she sorta managed it. Radvanovsky sounded surprisingly good. Callas had the vocal weight and range to sing this, but her timbre suits ferocious, strong-willed characters better (Abigaille and Lady Macbeth when it comes to Verdi). As for Price, I really like her upper range; the middle... Not so much.

[@beachfanatic2010]

Aida is not just this aria. In reality, Aida is a role Verdi wrote for human trumpet who is far from a lyric soprano. Callas is the ultimate Aida but only early in her career. Her Mexico Aidas are living testaments of how the role should be sung.

[@stefanocautavera]

@Walter Monteagudo Don't you get tired of recycling the same shit over and over again through your multiple accounts? Tebaldi's estate isn't gonna pay your bills anytime soon.

[@stefanocautavera]

@Walter Monteagudo LOL. Boy, not even Tebaldi struggled with her high Cs as much as you struggle at making sense in English. Your life is literally consumed by a dead celebrity. Go and see a shrink.

[@Shahrdad]

Callas's 1951 Aida in Mexico City is probably the ultimate portrayal of this role, and the entire cast is outstanding. When you listen to her duet with Amonasro, Aida is standing in the room with you. She was no wilting flower, but a proud princess put in an awful quandary.

[@stefanocautavera]

@@Shahrdad She certainly has some very exciting moments in that performance, but when it comes to soft legato singing (e.g. this very aria, especially towards the end), I'd prefer a less acidic timbre.

[@SilfredoSerrano]

As someone mentioned the first Caballe is from the studio recording. It has its own merits. However, the la Scala one is a little shouted. If you have to pick a live Caballe, I would suggest the Barcelona from either December 1973 or January 1974 (both were from the same run of performances with Domingo, Berini, etc.)

[@stefanodepeppo]

Can u post it?

[@MyMilulu]

Viva my beloved Radvanovsky, she always amazes me! Millo is great as usual. Varnay is very very good. Callas sings with uncomparable emotional complexity. Sorry for the great Price, but I cannot listen any other Aida after Maria!

[@Keiwon.X.Lambert]

I wonder what was going through Verdi’s head when writing such an aria

[@foropera]

Maybe that at Verdi's time there were voices able to sing that, not heavy dark voices, a little bit like Rethberg. And the pitch, the "diapason" was lower. Or he was just dreaming of something but was never satisfied by what he heard.

[@thomasmbr]

Head voice! He understood it.

[@eberlinpascal2837]

Price !!!!

[@Toscarpia]

Many gorgeous things over here ! Thanks for gathering all these excerpts !!! I noted a while ago that Zinka Milanov - here definitely in her recording #1 - was probably the closest to what is noted on SOME scores for these phrases, namely a crescendo on the notes immediately preceding the famous high C... sung pp subito... How do you do that if not with a perfect breath control ?

[@hrvoje14]

The C is marked “dolce”, not “pp”.

[@Toscarpia]

@@hrvoje14 You're right... and it's not the same !

[@hrvoje14]

Oh and btw, to my ears too Milanov 1 comes closest to what Verdi wrote. With Price and Callas not far behind. Zeani is also very good here imho. (Caballe 1 and Radvanovsky definitely sing a dolce C, but disregard the crescendo and sing the whole line+C pp.)@@Toscarpia

[@rogerchandler8415]

@@hrvoje14 Dolce means sweet. How would it not be p, pp or ppp?

[@Aldolinozinho]

Well, among these ones and specifically on these recordings, Gencer, Milo, Milanov, Callas and Price, only. Where is Verret?

[@MrTrackman100]

Zinka!

[@BaroneVitellioScarpia1]

Rethberg, Ponselle, Cerquetti, Tebaldi, Varnay, Caballe, Gencer, Millo, Milanov, and especially, Callas.

[@johnpickford4222]

@BaroneVitellioScarpia1: “Especially Callas”?!?! Read John Ardoin’s book about her underpowered studio recording and the ‘flapping on the high C that would let the entire Egyptian army through’. This is too sedate a piece of music for her talents and purely more vocal. Callas is not the end all of everything she sang.

[@shaundudley4576]

if how you sang one note no matter how important was what mattered most you might have a point....@@johnpickford4222

[@hrvoje14]

@@johnpickford4222Her studio one is bad, but her live 1950 (here), 1951 and 1952/3? are great.

[@judygarland7186]

who cares about the aida studio recording when Callas' 1950, 1951 and 1953 aida recordings exist @@johnpickford4222

[@jazzychazzy007]

Callas above all the others - and I love Price!

[@davideferrari5702]

Tebaldi voce sfarzosa....un Do siderale...

[@maestromuffin1]

and a touch of the young Callas??? please?

[@stefanodepeppo]

The one posted is young Callas, Mexico 1950. She was 26….

[@maestromuffin1]

@@stefanodepeppo the one with the high Eflat? love it! that's what I was referring to.

[@liedersanger1]

How about some dates for these performances?

[@foropera]

It would be nice I know. ( when I am retired I'll have more time to do such things). Other sources are available for the "historic versions".

[@SilfredoSerrano]

Wow, Sharon Sweet was quite respectable.

[@germanoehlke4179]

For me the best is ZINKA MILANOV

[@liedersanger1]

Which one? The first is divine, the second is unacceptable.

[@kurtgarmaker3719]

Who is the singer immediately following Caballe ?

[@kurtgarmaker3719]

If it's Maria Chiara. I'm impressed

[@zein1358]

Virginia Zeani

[@dasingaman1]

Price and Callas!!!

[@zv.ivanovic7544]

Milanov Zinka is the best! ❤️❤️❤️

[@gerardsatamian]

Maria Chiara?

[@SilfredoSerrano]

The second Dimitrova offering is down a half step so B natural.

[@foropera]

Aarf, yes, maybe. My electronic piano was out of order, so the control of each highlight 's pitch may have failed ;-)

[@jacyjanelane8364]

Gencer ,Price, Millo, Caballe , Milanov

[@evangeliadimitriadis5706]

Gencer is gasthly, Millo is the mediocrity in all sense and a C that is ugly and with irregular vibrations

[@cadej95]

Radvanovsky was fabulous here

[@smurf902]

I have to admit S.R. is really the ONLY one of the modern Aidas that can sing the pianissimi that masterfully.

[@smurf902]

To my ear, Milanov is the only other who really was able milk the musicality out of the entire thing in the same way Radvonovksy does.

[@smurf902]

What the HELL was Sweet doing? She sang a half tone sharp. Gimme a break

[@johnpickford4222]

@smurf902: Not so Sweet your comment. And she’ll give ya a break where the sun don’t shine.

[@divox9pqr]

Rethburg, Dimitriva

[@evangeliadimitriadis5706]

Dimitrova attempt to the C is a disgrace, she is the worst of all

[@acacia-bloom]

Who is 29:15 ??????

[@foropera]

Oh you are right, I forgot to name her: the great Virginia Zeani!

[@acacia-bloom]

@@foropera thanks

[@bauchmann9971]

Ich halte nichts von solchen sportlichen Wettbewerben. Es geht doch nicht nur um das hohe C!! Die ganze Arie muss schwebend klingen, dann kommt es darauf an zu welchem Zeitpunkt die Aufnahme entstand, wegen der Klangqualität!

[@germanoehlke4179]

For me ZINKA MILANOV is the best !

[@henrygingercat]

Rethberg, Price, Radvanovsky, Milavov 1 exquisite, Ponselle and Dimitrova 2 cheat via transposing, Caballe 1 croons, Dimitrova 1 good for a laugh.

[@michaelfischerbauer4434]

Pomselle, Caballé, Varady, Milanov, Price ♥️🌹 Tebaldi worsest.

[@antoniomartinazzo5847]

This is scary. No interest for characterization, diction or phrasing. The demise of melodramma.

[@smurf902]

Stemme makes me wish I just was listening to the oboe

[@liedersanger1]

All of them?

[@fjmlambour9640]

And Stella?