Astrid Varnay on Santuzza, Zinka Milanov and singing in Italian: Munich: 5/23/03

excerpt from my 2004 documentary "Never before: The Life, Art & First New York Career of Astrid Varnay." Mme Varnay talks about singing Santuzza at the Metfff, Zinka Milanov and singing in Italian.

[@chocolatesouljah]

Lovely series of interviews

[@raybercse1]

Varnay was a very versatile soprano, and excelled in every role she sang.

[@bassoprano]

Fabulous! Thanks for posting, Donald.

[@jordipanadesribera6890]

👏👏👏👏

[@alexanderzaphir721]

Ugly singing????? She had a penetrating voice ,& very loud. Very well prepared ,she followed the advices of her mother,Paul Althouse & E.Leinsdorf. You can't have a Cinderella debut like that.She was under the conductor's control. She has been accepted by V.Gui ,for Macbeth ,only with her Met's glory ,without having been auditioned. When you compare her Elektras ,between '40s ,& '60s ,there's almost no difference. She had a singing point of view,technically very traditional,although a strong more modern drammatic presence. And above all ,she knew how to last... .

[@achmedmohamed4708]

Astrid Varnay, like Maria Kalogeropoulou, sounds like a matron, like her own old mother. I know Varnay since the early 60th in Düsseldorf in the Ring and other parts and later very often in Munich since 1967. Ugly singing!

[@OperaMyWorld]

Hahahahaaa!! Baby beard! You dont know who Varnay and Callas were!! Achmed mohamed ali aliiii hahahahahahaa

[@sirdicaudore]

Interesting quote.... but it doesn't tell anything about Varnay and Callas... only about You...

[@jefolson6989]

Matronly? I guess I dont understand what it means. I have heard a few mezzos sound matronly. But they were singing matron roles. Varnay and Callas didnt sound that way.