Italian Soprano Angelica Pandolfini (1903)

[@SilverSingingMethod]

Fantastic singer! You don't hear technique like this any longer.

[@mariarosaesergiomarycib2492]

Queste ,sono le Grandi soprano de bel passato !!!Magnifiche Mari

[@michaeldale3096]

You never know when you will find treasure. I had never heard of this lady, only her father. It is magnificent singing. Technically perfect. She may have had no voice lessons but she must have had fantastic coaching in style etc. Thanks for this, I love her.

[@Tenortalker]

I am stunned at how well her voice sounds on this early recording. Pandolfini was a marvellous soprano.

[@sospello]

I had never had the opportunity to listen to anything by this famous soprano and am delighted to hear that Marston plans to bring out a collection devoted to verismo singing which I think is often misunderstood and written off as a debased form of other singing styles.

[@transformingArt]

Never knew Pandolfini was recorded. Thanks for posting this.

[@MrSkylark1]

THE LOST ART OF SINGING

[@sandramoussempes5367]

@George Parous, thank you for all those details that i did'nt know (New york) my grand mother who is 103 years old has pictures of Franco and Angelica, he's quite impressive, yes, very intense, i wish i'd known them all. Actually i've founded very strange and beautiful to only discover now her voice as i've found some sort of similarities with my voice (i'm a poet and occasionally sing on my own poetry during readings) although i'm not an opera singer, I've never heard her neither Franco before at my grand mother's ! She only kept photos but no recordings (but she was invited at the scala of MIlano for a event around Angelica and Francesco, they had their statues in the hall).

[@gmmix]

The Io son l'umile ancella is, to me, one of the greatest arias of the realm. Thanks for posting this.

[@casimiralexander]

Perfection! Exquisite beauty this voice!

[@paulostroff99]

I too look forward to the release of the great historical recordings by this great artist and others as well.TY Doug

[@opertutto]

Glad to have these three items together in such good sounding transfers. Thank you, Doug.

[@MichaelStBede]

Just marvellous.

[@purisermonisamator]

Считаю голос Анжелики одним из лучших сопрано ее поколения. Как жаль, что семейные узы так рано стреножили Пегаса этой чудесной вокалистки. Напрашивается аналогия с другой великолепной певицей, Реджиной Пачини, семейное счастье которой стало бедой для ценителей ее замечательного голоса. Отрадно, что веризм не успел оставить на этом голосе своего удручающего отпечатка: ни чрезмерного вибрато a la Беллинчони и Пинто, ни регистровой пестроты, ни избыточной аффектации a la Бурцио или Феррани. (Может быть, лишь в отсутствии ритмической строгости в знаменитой нисходящей фразе Сюзанны он дал-таки себя знать). Голос чистый, сильный и свежий, как ручьи в горах Алтая. Thank you, Doug.

[@alechorseman]

Doug, thanks to much for posted it. Charming performance (all 3 titles), great rarity and importance historic document.

[@georgeparous5621]

That is fascinating. From what I've read of Franco Pandolfini, he was an exceptionally handsome man with what many critics found to be a lovely, lyric voice - but all I know of his career is his one American season, 1898-99, which began with a New York concert with Nellie Melba and others, and included many operatic performances with the Ellis Company, most of which I have documented, so far as role sung, cast, city, theater, etc. How wonderful for you to have such illustrious ancestors!

[@CurzonRoad]

Greetings: An honor... Thank you!

[@CurzonRoad]

Thank you for this interesting, previously unknown information (at least to me). Cheers, etc. Doug --

[@sandramoussempes5367]

apparently she was known for her theatrical way of interpreting (she created the character of madame butterfly at the Scala de milan) and was the first opera singer to be also an actress, she was actually part of my family (sister of my grand-mother's father Franco) and it's very strange to hear her voice in 2013

[@bodiloto]

divina .

[@purisermonisamator]

Sei come sempre troppo eloquente, amico.

[@purisermonisamator]

@@bodiloto Решительно не понимаю, il mio amico canuto, причем здесь Нетребко. Раз вы ее упомянули, уведомлю вас, что никогда не был ее пламенным поклонником, особенно после того, как она оставила свой лирико-колоратурный репертуар и взялась за драматические роли. Доминирование итальянцев в опере отрицать было бы столь же неразумно, сколь и преимущества русской балетной школы. (Самое время напомнить вам, что вы не итальянец; буду рад услышать о вашей упорно скрываемой национальной принадлежности). Было бы странно отрицать достоинства итальянцев, придумавших оперу, в этом искусстве - так же странно, как и сравнивать Пандольфини (не Ландольфини!) с Нетребко. Замечу, впрочем, что общее оперное оскудение затронуло Италию не меньше других; вам это должно быть известно, как и тот факт, что ни Каллас, ни Генчер, ни Сазерленд, ни Кабалье, ни Хорн не являются соотечественницами Пандольфини (не Ландольфини!). А вот что зарубежные исполнители справляются с русским репертуаром лучше русских певцов - утверждение столь же сомнительное, сколь и голословное. Как русский я могу судить об этом лучше вас. Впрочем, буду рад получить от вас конкретные примеры в качестве обоснования вашего неубедительного тезиса. Ciao.

[@purisermonisamator]

@@bodiloto 1. Вы не назвали ни одного имени зарубежного вокалиста, будто бы превосходящих русских в русском репертуаре. 2. Вы не ответили на более ранние мои вопросы. 3. Вы знаете, что я русский, но продолжаете скрывать свою национальность. 4. Всё это заставляет меня задуматься: может быть, вы такой же оперный певец, как и итальянец? Ведь есть немало работников сцены и осветителей, которые всю жизнь мечтают спеть Онегина или Алеко до такой степени, что, как в случае истерической мнимой беременности, им начинает казаться, что это уже состоялось?

[@purisermonisamator]

@@bodiloto Судя по вашей манере общаться, за хорошими манерами надо отправляться вам, причем безотлагательно. У вас с самокритикой все довольно неблагополучно, откуда, думаю, и возникает желание обвинять других - факт известный в психологии. Судите сами. Вы говорите: иностранцы поют русскую музыку лучше русских. Я говорю: допустим, назовите имена. Вместо этого вы разражаетесь истерикой. Все ваши знакомые общаются с вами таким же образом? В этом случае примите соболезнования.

[@purisermonisamator]

@@bodiloto Рекомендую повторить эти слова, внимательно глядя в зеркало. PS Судя по тому, что вы удалили все свои высказывания, кто-то помог вам понять, как жалко они выглядят.

[@AulicExclusiva]

I've always liked her. I do not understand why, if the story is true, she had the masters of her records destroyed. The Entrance of Adriana Lecouvreur is one of the best versions of that lovely piece. Susanna's notturno has a lovely lilt one seldom hears from Germanic singers, though I wish her descent to the low note had been a little bit less energetic. The Godard, which was also recorded by Teyte and Sayão, has plenty of emotion yet stays within the bounds. A lovely singer.

[@georgeparous5621]

She had a brother who was a tenor - Franco Pandolfini. He came to the U.S. in 1898-99 as a member of Charles A. Ellis's touring opera company. He got slightly mixed reviews, but sang from coast to coast that one season with compatriots including Nellie Melba, Johanna Gadski and Zelie de Lussan. I've never been able to dig up anything else on his career.

[@sandramoussempes5367]

many thanks to you, i know also that my father's grand mother was in San Remo then in Menton where my grand mother was born, and Nice where he teached vocal techniques to famous opera singer, Franco was half sicilian from his father Francesco (famous baryton) half austrian from his mother.

[@CurzonRoad]

Hi Tim: Most welcome ... ... thank YOU! Best. Doug --

[@aenadanziger6252]

6:14 OMG, such mesmerizing chest notes

[@65attila]

Doug I had forrtunately heard the Cilea and was impressed by her specila touches and phradsng. I thinkth eold verismo style singing is maligned and it desrrves more praise. Regards-John

[@michaelkazmierskidunn7189]

I like her (correctly) fast vibrato. Why don't a lot of singers nowadays have this fast vibrato? To me, too many people have SLOW vibratos, even though very few people (including professional opera singers) realize this. And her expressive slides are amazing. Sure, Maria Callas had slides, but her vibrato was literally a wobble. This singer has a nice vibrato! If anyone says her vibrato is too fast, you are WRONG!

[@save312]

Di fronte a tale voce la Melba scompare

[@AulicExclusiva]

I've always liked her. I do not understand why,( if the story is true), she had the masters of her records destroyed. The Entrance of Adriana Lecouvreur is one of the best versions of that lovely piece. Susanna's notturno has a lovely lilt one seldom hears from Germanic singers, though I wish her descent to the low note had been a little bit less energetic. The Godard, which was also recorded by Teyte and Sayão, has plenty of emotion yet stays within the bounds. Lovely singer.

[@sandramoussempes5367]

I didn't know that, it's very interesting. I've just wrote a poetry book about Angelica Pandolfini (and voicies) to be published soon, who was my great great aunt (my grand mother 's father Franco is his brother) the idea came when i've heard her voice here, on youtube.

[@Bivolari]

No cutsy-wootsy Susanna is she. A forthright version, as is her Adriana. Refreshing.