Most spectacular note in opera recording history * E flat by J. Sutherland @

E flat @ 2:15 Studio recording, 1964. Richard Bonynge, cond.
London Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
music by Vincenzo Bellini
libretto by Felice Romani
tenor John Alexander

[@ThePulpitOfPoop]

Holy crow, she BELTED that note out. Clear toned, unbelievably powerful, and so wonderful to listen to. Dame Sutherland was truly a living masterpiece.

[@ThomasDawkins88]

Let's not forget John Alexander who holds his own quite nicely here. The real glory of this recording, though, is how completely together Sutherland and Horne are in their many duets, matching (seemingly) effortlessly through every roulade, turn, and trill.

[@Colinshepard235]

I first saw Joan sing in La Traviata in Philadelphia in 1963, when she was 37. She sang the "non come e script" high E flat at the end of Act 1, and she damn near blew the roof off the golf Academy of Music.

[@guyosborn615]

I went for a job at the ENO (Colliseum) in 1982 (I think) and had to wait "Would I like to see the dress rehearsal of Maria Stuarda while I waited?" I was asked... I sat in the Gods, by myself, and saw her perform. I couldn''t see any directors, staff, assistants, so it was if she were just singing for me. Sigh, may have ben the high point of my life

[@jonathanbriggs4589]

Eb-6 here.....what a resounding note! And she resolves cleanly as she comes down the scale, without missing anything of the power, precision and pitch of her instrument. We all have missed her these last 10 years. The Golden Age of opera is over, sadly.

[@wotan10950]

I saw her a dozen times in opera and recital. The high notes were just the icing on the cake. It was the warmth of her middle voice, the astonishing flexibility, and the brilliance as her voice went higher and higher. But she had some faults too; nobody’s perfect. But she came close!

[@kbhprinsesse]

I'd love to have seen and heard her live!

[@christopherrobinwattsthoma6318]

Unfortunately no recordings comes anywhere near to hearing that note live!!!Sutherland was always exciting and often unbelievably extraordinary!!!

[@williammaddox3339]

The first time I heard this note, I could not believe what I was hearing. It is certainly spectacular.

[@chrispi7151]

to me, one of the most fascinating aspects of this voice is the sheer force, projection, clarity, and placement of her voice between C6 and E6#. i would give anything to go back in time to experience this period of her voice live, with the atmosphere, the depth of the orchestra, the reverb of the voice in the concert hall.

[@MichaelSmith-fh4rn]

I would rather say strength rather than force which is a no-no in vocal pedagogy although your meaning is spot-on! I heard her a few times: At the Met, in Tulsa, in New Orleans and in Dallas. The sound was large and soft at the same time and glittering with overtones which wrapped the high notes 360 degrees around the listener. They came from behind and to the sides of the head. The only singer I heard whose voice would wrap around like that was Leona Mitchell's back in the 70's when left the Oklahoma City University School of music and went to The Merola Program at San Francisco Opera and then doing the greatest Butterflies in Australia late in the 70's and early eighties. Check this out in SF. She blows away Dame Schwartzkopf.kzbin.info/www/bejne/nGavgGVnrbiFf6M

[@bigal05171957]

THE ONE AND ONLY JOAN SUTHERLAND let the APPLAUSE CONTINUE

[@1931JC]

The Soprano of my lifetime!

[@peterwylliejohnston]

Unrivalled from the great period of Sutherland's vocalizing from the late 1950s through most the 1960s when she could still that spectacular, glorious clarity, without any wooliness.

[@nwdixieboy]

This may be the most spectacular high note that she ever sang. she said one time that on these very high notes that she did not project them out of the mask of the face but out of the very top of her head. Only fat Maria Callas could equal this for size and excitement but sutherlands high notes were more beautiful to my ears even though Maria's might have been a bit bigger. Hard to say unless one had heard them live. I want to also say that I really like the sound of a lot of her high notes when she was up in her 50s and early 60s as well although they're not quite as high as this.

[@_MSD75_]

goosebumps. Imagine the roar of the audience.

[@brentaudi9354]

Joan was in a class all it's own. We will never hear this sound again. Thank God for the recordings. I also want to give a nod to the Tenor John Alexander who I feel should have had so much more attention than he did in the recording world. Sadly he passed away in his prime.

[@jonathanbriggs4589]

I have her singing "Anna Bolena" in Toronto several years ago (the Lofti Mansuri production), and even at that advanced age for the role, she pulled it off marvelously. Dame Judith Forst was brilliant as Giovanna Seymour, and I truly miss that level of professionalism in the opera world now. We won't see the likes of Sutherland again for a long time, tragically.

[@billyflynn2]

Listen on pop singers who whistle and call it a note, this is a note. Plus she didn't have two mics on full power next to her mouth to hear it.

[@burtcollins239]

That is the most beautiful note I have ever heard.. .Tenor and Soprano at the end...

[@petelovesbevsills]

Absolutely STUNNING!!! I used to listen to this on headphones with the volume up to full and got gooseflesh every time I heard THAT note!

[@luismontecinos5810]

DECCA records always have a brilliant sound. June 2019 From Santiago of Chile

[@salmanalqahtani6943]

She did it for a long time too🙆🏻‍♂️😧😭

[@exboss1]

Es hat niemals eine Bessere gegeben als Joan Sutherland in den späten 50ern und den früheren 60ern

[@KathrynARyder]

Oh My God!!! Perfectly placed ... Only Sutherland could sing that note so perfectly !!!!!

[@vanmusician]

I was at her very first performance of Norma here in Vancouver, with the same three leads who made this recording with her. That E flat was incredible. She stopped interpolating it in her performances soon after this recording was made.

[@arnoldamaral7406]

James Sutherland had a beautiful voice. set a very beautiful top voice. I saw her once in concert with Luciano Pavarotti it was a large Arena 12000 people microphone set to be used. this wasn't the early eighties sad to say they did not say any difficult duets are difficult Arias very disappointing. te kanawa. The same thing very disappointing as well as Kathleen Battle. leontyne price however brought the house down she sang for an hour and a half. I was 24 years old 1974 and it was truly amazed and all she had was a the piano to a company her she did not mean to piano but that great beautiful always that comes along once in a lifetime she was not Maria Callas or MONTSERRAT CABALLE. open price give a piano recital she gave the audience more than there is money's worth and something they would have been for the rest of their lives. Phoenix is not known for its culture but price so giving as her voice filled the Gammage Auditorium Concert Hall it was sold out 1800 people she got a standing ovation for every single Aria.CABALLE as well gave her audience and her fans the best she had did not hold back holding those high notes for 10 to 15 seconds Heather's Beautiful pionosimios. both price and caballe and their Prime had no equal. sad to say the Sutherland Potter electric concert was very disappointing my daughter was 6 years old and commented after we left why didn't you sing anything from Luchia? her any song that had a high e. regretfully I told her at Sutherland was not the consummate performer like leontyne price and caballe. my daughter had an IQ of 139 and she said she likes so much emotion in her voice it's beautiful but it's not telling and true. at that time she had just discovered Ileana cotrubas and she loved her Traviata. out of the mouths of babes the truth comes out. sorry for the long reply. a true up a fan always we have been to the Met Chicago San Francisco. and sad to say there are no more great Divas true artist of The Craft. my daughter said Oh Daddy if only Maria Callas were alive need I say more thank you for your patience and please forgive me for this long comment once again. please keep posting Great opera Arias of the past I thank you from the bottom of my heart and so does my daughter Danielle in my wife who's favored Opera is TURANDOT and obviously her greatest composer Puccini. my daughter and I love all the great ones except for WAGNER. for obvious reasons. I'm sure you're tired of listening to me thank you for your patience. signing off the duck man

[@wotan10950]

Arnold Amaral Huh???

[@65attila]

Joan was stunning as Norma. I saw her on stage.

[@brodereck1]

I saw her in Norma twice in Sydney. Magnificent.

[@suzyschwarz7023]

Divine

[@francisheperi1127]

I love the way Sutherland dressed and did her hair, the classic style of that time; and feminine. She was tall with a regal bearing and an outstanding chiselled, square jaw-line. Zeffarelli is in a couple of this video's photos. I wander if he had anything to do with her style of dressing.... just saying.

[@cadoh8143]

Certamente uma emissão milagrosa. Nunca vi alguém cantar assim uma nota tão alta e difícil. Sutherland unique!!!!!

[@gettyO89]

Verdade.

[@philipcondenzio5987]

That’s not human! I’m flabbergasted!

[@bellini7verdi]

un rayo laser................................es su voz......

[@marioconti6188]

Gorgeous Joan!!!!!

[@leylabattistoni2924]

Very nice video Dame Joan was the great

[@esterbruno8604]

Bravissima la Suthy! 😍🥰❤

[@bellini7verdi]

lo maximo.....................lo maximo.................impresionante............siempre he sentido eso de esta voz desde que tenia 20 años...........y sigo teniendo por ella la mayor de las admiraciones..........sobre todas las cosas de este mundo.............paisajes..........arte....arquitectura..............lo que sea..................oir a esta señora...............siempre me ha dejado sin respiracion....................la lindes de su canto....el brillo de su voz.............la linea vocal....seria.....elegante..........firme....decidida....segura.............dramatica............el poderio ascendente............totalmente dominado.....para arrancar...................con la impostacion final..............como un rayo laser sonoro.......es increible.........y lo sabemos porque ha sido escuchado y grabado .gracias a los tiempos.porque si no no nos lo habriamos creido.................ella es un milaGRO........MARAVILLOSO....................

[@cadoh8143]

Que bonito !!!!

[@sergiotapia9299]

Jesus! Lo alto y sostenido! Un prodigio!

[@luisalbertosantoscruz4126]

Stupenda, bavissima

[@jimbuxton2187]

Her high Eb shimmers like a huge bird !

[@ernestoross]

Bravo!

[@Raiche58]

WOW!

[@burtcollins239]

There is a documentary on youtube about Joans death, funeral and her burial site in Switzerland. You can hear the birds singing there. Most beautiful thing.

[@bertrandpfaff8122]

la plus belle version jamais enregistrée de cet extrait de Norma. Ils sont tous les deux époustouflants, je pourrais les écouter en boucle.

[@elisabethpetronellalautrup3915]

❤

[@Vorenius1]

She could record exactly as she could sing in public. No tricks Full stop.

[@martinlang4479]

Good Lord! Wow!

[@rexlex1736]

The Ethel Merman of opera!

[@juanflores7057]

Su voz jamas será igualada por nadie. Es la diva de todos los tiempos.

[@MichaelSmith-fh4rn]

Yep! That's the one! OMG!

[@jorgehoraciogonzalez6574]

única.

[@EDWRFle]

RIP my friend

[@bellini7verdi]

maravilllaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[@debbiewoodburn6786]

The incomparable Joan Sutherland.

[@brookeggleston9314]

Debbie Woodburn Interesting, a young Leontyne had an equally strong e6. E NATURAL 6.

[@luismanuel-tena]

Bravooooooooooooooooo

[@cesarthomas6613]

Genial Sutherland ùnica e insuperable!!

[@ephraimshavit3454]

Just look at the quartet /Rigoletto with Pavarotti Nuci and unnamed mezzo. The ultimate. !

[@bfdredrock1451]

Fuck! That’s astonishing!

[@doughuffine4068]

If that was a live performance, it would be a shame not to include the applause after the duet. To me, that is part of the thrill.

[@crisha721]

omg. she obliterates everything.

[@cesarthomas6613]

s`lo ella pudo hacerlo de tal manera!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Diosa.

[@andystrung8437]

Joan puts all others to shame

[@felipe711]

*hay un video donde ella da una nota impresionante junto con Pavarotti , la nota más increíble que yo la he escuchado a ella, busquen Benedette queste carte hig end*

[@stillstanding6031]

Hands down!

[@schneevongestern9898]

I'm pretty sure they made here turn away from the mic for the final note.

[@robm1303]

Opera singers NEVER use microphones lol

[@vaughangarrick]

wow

[@SR-jx8yu]

Sutherland and Mariella Devia had/have the best Eb ever!

[@thomasdahlen2158]

Zeferelli and Bonynge two very impotant men in her life.

[@josemazamoreno9193]

Dios qué vos fabulosas dé está mujer señora Joan sutherland que fantástica en berline normas un Aguado con una potencia uno lo deja sin palabras el tenor bueno mejor luciano pavarotti que la grabo 1984 que pena por qué no la grabó 60 pavarotti dijo el mejor ejemplo Carlos bergonvcie para valorar una canté tine qué escuchar el cantó éstos son cantantes no la pomada de la señora Ana netreko Joan sutherland monserra caballe tas 2 mujeres son estupenda tamien María callas qué señor es los teatro de opera y los profesores de cantó tiene que tener buena ternica del pasado hoy nocantan vien cómo esposible hoy el se vuelve locos por kaufman y Ana netreko están decayendo el señor kaufmann está viendo pabajo que los teatros de opera del mundo tienen qué tomar en cuenta el crítica de José Andrés Maza

[@VITAEVOCE]

Amazing ! Listen to Gruberova‘s e natural in Zerbinetta’s Aria

[@Bulacio_Elias]

Name of the song?

[@KathrynARyder]

ELIAS.A.B.C_YT - The stretta section of the duet In Mia Ma Alfin Tu Sei from the last act of NORMA by Bellini

[@sutherland4l]

“In mia man...Gia mi pasca”

[@jesetperea9924]

In man al fin tu sei, Norma by Bellini.

[@burtcollins239]

I wonder if Maria Calla was at this performance.. She would have been amazed..

[@rogerpropes7129]

Who's the tenor?

[@kamanaos4643]

2:15