Joan Sutherland [Walks Out!] & Lamberto Furlan Booed in Traviata (Genova, 1983)

[@topazinoz6150]

As a fellow chorister with Lamberto at Opera Australia for many years I was a close friend with him. He was a sincere emotional man with a heart of gold. A true Italian who lived only to sing! He waited for years to sing a leading role. By the time he sang this performance he was past his prime. I am sure he was very nervous and over awed to be singing with Joan. He had a beautiful Italianate voice, which had its limitations. The first bad reaction of the audience would have taken all the wind out of his sails and caused his voice to cramp up. He was out of his depth and he knew it. My heart bleeds for him, and I know how devestated he must have been that terrible night....😢❤

[@rodneydixon1259]

I can recall Mr.Furlan singing a beautiful "Cavaradossi" in "Tosca" alongside the legendary Leonie Rysanek at the "Sydney Opera House" many years ago, conducted by the wonderful Carlo Felice Cillario. He was in heroic and sweet voice and Miss Rysanek was the most superb "Tosca".

[@NemesisTheInevitable]

If we do this today, there would be very few performances from start till the end...

[@flicfan416]

all these comments saying "well he's better than tenors today" - can you please get a GRIP and stop LYING? this is terrible by any standard. stop it.

[@SymphonyBrahms]

Joan performed with her usual high standard. But the tenor was not very good. Joan did the right thing. First, she would not put up with a rude audience. And second, she would not let a fellow artist be booed in such a rude manner. Joan had class. She was a really classy lady. And Joan was a great artist.

[@agni2003]

11:31 “ma c’è sempre lui!” So after all that… HE stayed and continued singing. Too funny!

[@highbaritone]

She said “booing is simply bad manners”. After all she has done and the standard she maintained, I don’t blame her for a second.

[@edwardcaulfield67]

I thought it would have matched her bad diction and mushy sound, go for it people.

[@davidallen508]

Edward Caulfield , you are insulting the greatest soprano the world has ever known.If any of us did that to Maria Callas,whose sound my ears can no longer tolerate,we would be crucified.

[@artdanks4846]

​@@davidallen508 No reason to insult EITHER of these great singers! We were so blessed and fortunate to have them BOTH in the same lifetime! (Especially compared to the horrible singing of today!)

[@WilsonWatt-q2e]

Remember that Callas was booed at La Scala at one of her Bolena performances; it was the confrontation scene and she went to the front of the stage and sang the three "Giudici ad Annas" right at the audience, silencing them as she turned back and finished the scene. A diva response.@@davidallen508

[@asdrubalperez1507]

Dame Joan had the voice and the personality..

[@jairosantanafigueroa4139]

Technically, he doesn’t sound that bad. That is, he’s able to sing the high notes, I personally find the voice beautiful, and stylistically correct. But he was COMPLETELY out of tune when he sang his solo parts. Quite frankly, I understand the audience’s discontent. The thing is he was actually sharp, not flat, which is very curious.

[@LohengrinO]

Richard!!!! Get my triple array diamond necklace, my tiara and my perles... we are leaving!!!!

[@PrinceOberon87]

Joanie wasn't like that

[@nathandavis3002]

I suspect it was Bonynge who initiated the walkout and called for joan to grab his pearls :D

[@LohengrinO]

@@nathandavis3002 ahahahahahaha

[@sirrondis]

And, for God’s sake Richard, don’t leave yours behind either!!!

[@artdanks4846]

​@@nathandavis3002 I was just thinking the same thing! 👍

[@kalil_da_silva]

It's a shame Joan didn't work more often with other conductors. It prevented her from getting a better diction and refining her style. If she'd had the same experience Caballé had done, even she would've said no to the tenor. But Richard was the mind and she was just the voice.

[@dodotassi]

ma il tenore fu scelto da Bonynge

[@kalil_da_silva]

@@dodotassi ecco perché l'ho detto, se avesse lavorato con altri maestri come Toscanini e Gavazzeni, avrebbe avuto più esperienza per saper dire no a tali scelte del suo marito.

[@ahogbin2644]

In fact, Furlan's basic tone is quite attractive but he's horribly out of tune. Interestingly though he's in tune when he's singing with Sutherland. It all sounds rather chaotic. There was a lot of political unrest in Italy at the time. I recall an even worse night than this is in the mid 80s when a new production of Aida was premiered at Covent Garden. Katia Ricciarelli had been cast in the title role and there were rumours that she couldn't sing it and wanted to cancel but the management had no alternative. The role was beyond her lyric instrument and she went horribly flat in her Act I aria. I think it was the only time during a performance that I heard booing in that theatre. The same thing happened in her Act III aria. At the end of the performance the booing was terrific and she stormed off stage, having thrown her bouquet on the floor. Oh and Pavarotti was Radames (-cast again I thought)

[@AK53519]

Good old times were back then, when the public understand something in singing.

[@ahogbin2644]

@@AK53519 Indeed. I'm not sure many in the audiences today have a clue what grand operatic singing really is. My suspicion is that most performances will be discretely miked as most singers are not taught the art of how to project their voices into a large theatre.

[@marcosmarin8930]

I remember that night: it was a nightmare. Someone announced that Pavarotti was not feeling well and asked for the audience's understanding. BUT he didnt mention Ricciarelli, and she could not reach the top notes. The audience was already in a bad mood since the curtain went down during the Marcia Trionfale, because of no ENOUGH money !! At the final curtain, she was booed and pretended to be happy, threw the flowers to the orchestra pit and gave a kiss to the audience !!

[@artdanks4846]

​@@ahogbin2644 Sadly, so true!

[@nathandavis3002]

What is the speaker on the microphone saying?

[@esterbruno8604]

He says that Joan Sutherland and Lamberto Furlan will be replaced by someone else.

[@garygreen3845]

@@esterbruno8604 Furlan was not replaced. Joan and Richard were

[@kevincoxhead7137]

@@garygreen3845 Correct. She whispered to him that they did not have to put up with the audience's behaviour and she motioned to Richard that they would leave the stage.

[@tenorschofield]

Think he was not in tune due to no pryor preparation of the role ...after hearing him in videos at youtube,must say he sound well in other tenore-spinto roles (Alfredo is a pure tenore-lirico role)...so he was touching dangerously his own vocal limits. (Listen to his "Ch'ella mi credda"; quite good)

[@Bulacio_Elias]

How is that guy singing with Sutherland???? Sounds horrible, truly a poor technique and is out of tune almost all time, he has good high notes but the rest is really bad

[@paullewis2413]

ha ha - bad for sure but no worse than some of the tenors of today. Compared to a recent performance of Tosca (Y.T.) I think at either Milan or Rome (can't recall) he is wonderful - lol To make the situation worse, instead of getting booed he got an applause! - opera singing is dead for sure. (with due respect to the handful of good artist around today)

[@Sutherland2]

Last-minute replacement in a backwater Italian city. The couldn't get anyone else and they found him on the street corner selling cigars.

[@williammaddox3339]

He actually had a decent career. His basic sound is actually OK.

[@laddboris3995]

why is that the point??? Singing is subjective. Do you actually KNOW what was going on with him at the moment? The POINT is that the audience was rude...to BOTH of them by behaving badly. GOOD FOR La Divina! Italian audiences can be fun but also rude and unkind...at times. For the record his tone is often quite beautiful. Could have just been sick. NOT deserving of disrespect.

[@esterbruno8604]

Yeah, every note is wrong!

[@alfillirico]

For those who don't speak italian...at 10.22 a member of the theater border goes out and say "In a few minutes the performance will be restart from the point it has been interrupted. Aldo Pizzolo will be the conductor and the substitute for mrs...heem..for mrs...(audience SUTHERLAND!!!!)...sorry, the soprano...will sing Slavka Taskova-Paoletti". Applause and mixed voices...than quiet...and a lonely voice "But he is there again!!"

[@garygreen3845]

So, was Bonynge the original conductor? I thought he conducted all of her gigs.

[@marcosmarin8930]

He is the one that should be replaced, not her !!

[@ChrisStockslager]

It sounds not like bad intonation but rather he can’t hear the orchestra / he has hearing issues. 😳🤭 It almost sounds like he’s singing in a different key in the first duet. He’s awful, but I respect Joan and Richard for exiting!

[@ThomasDawkins88]

At first he sounds terribly off-key, but then when he sings with Joan he's back in tune because she's probably right next to him and he can hear the right pitch again. He's not great in the third act duet, but I've heard MUCH worse. When they start hissing during "Parigi o cara" there's nothing overtly wrong, it's a little strained perhaps, but certainly not meriting of the reaction it gets.

[@christinec.6685]

I wonder if he had an ear infection or was ill.

[@jeffreymiller4814]

There’s no excuse. He has a poorly developed sense of tonality. You shouldn’t need an orchestra to keep you in a key. Even the great, great singers sometimes run into trouble for a few bars, but always get back in. This guy gets off and stays off.

[@fido652]

He is perfectly in tune when he duets...clearly for some reason he couldn't hear the orchestra at the beginning. Parigi o cara is perfectly in tune...and what a beautiful voice.

[@maury0009]

La maleducazione degli italiani non ha paragoni.

[@andreagazza7611]

Come solito ci facciamo riconoscere

[@amedeofolco9988]

Io da cantante non mi sono mai permesso a teatro di comportarmi così perché la gente non ha minimamente idea cosa voglia dire trovarsi su un palco. Però Furlan in questa recita.........

[@joaquimcevallosmorales8944]

His sound and colour are actually much better than any tenor today

[@flicfan416]

please be serious

[@joaquimcevallosmorales8944]

@@flicfan416 sadly I am

[@flicfan416]

​@@joaquimcevallosmorales8944 then you're ignorant. he would be considered as mediocre today as he was in the 1980s.

[@joaquimcevallosmorales8944]

@@flicfan416 if you're best argument is an insult, that's basically it. Little efforts have you taken, oh master, to enlighten me.

[@flicfan416]

@@joaquimcevallosmorales8944 There's nothing to "enlighten" you about. He's singing poorly and he would be fired today if he sang like that. End of story.

[@johannekjeldsen1043]

I can't hear that Furlan should be THAT bad, of course he goes out of pitch after the audience starts hissing but that must be because of nerves. He is no worse than the tenors we have had to put up with in Copenhagen the last couple of years - perhaps even better. And Sutherland is rock sure as always.

[@jefolson6989]

But Copenhagen had Stig Anderson! And that great RING. One of the best I've heard/seen. Even the Met has been presenting loser tenors and broadcasting them in HD. We are going through a tenor dry spell now and for the last 15-20 years. It HAS to end eventually!

[@ahogbin2644]

@@jefolson6989 Actually I think the whole art of operatic singing is moribund. Directors select singers for their looks and acting ability not their voices.

[@artdanks4846]

​@@ahogbin2644 Sadly, so very true!!!

[@Cor6196]

I've read the comments both pro and con, and I'm wondering what the correct behavior is when you find yourself at a performance that is truly UNBEARABLE (if this one is indeed BEARABLE to you, think of one you really couldn't endure - or imagine one if necessary). Do I sit on my hands but keep my mouth shut? Do I wait for a pause and quietly get up and leave? What if several people start booing? Do I join in or try to shush them or keep quiet? Should we all just get up and leave and demand a refund from the management that arranged this unholy mess? Is there ANY appropriate response to a godawful performance? What would Miss Manners recommend?

[@aaalltcringeieeettaaalltcr1491]

Even if they're failing they're not dumb, they know it's shit just by the sound of it. I know we live in a narcissistic attention-whore culture but expressing your feelings isn't the most important thing in the world despite that, still it's better to walk out between acts, don't applaud in the end or do so sparsely.

[@WilsonWatt-q2e]

If you have a seat on the aisle or are in a box just get up and leave as soon as you make the decision that the performance is unbearable. If not then wait until the first intermission after your decision and leave during the intermission. I certainly do not think that booing during an act is good behavior but booing someone at curtain calls is perfectly acceptable if you think they deserve and if you are brae enough to be the only one booing. Also, do not necessarily blame the management or ask for money back. The management had in good faith hired this tenor [quite a good one who I heard live in a performance of Verdi's Requiem where he was excellent] for the vagaries of single performances. It is very unlikely that there had been problems in rehearsal as Sutherland was known to be very demanding of her colleagues. She walked out to show her displeasure with the audience.

[@lospazio]

I'm a little bit surprised at many of the comments. It seems that many people think that Miss Sutherland was right in walking out and that the audience was rude. Well, I don't agree. The tenor was not just having a "bad night". Actually, he just couldn't sing. I think that, in the first place, he shouldn't have been cast at all, but, at least, he should have cancelled this performance and the theater should have replaced him. It was not the audience who was disrespectful. It was the artists and the theater. People go to the opera to listen to good singing. And they usually pay high priced tickets for that. I'm sure all of them did in this occasion, for Sutherland usually got high fees. What's the use of going to the opera to listen to that? I'd rather have stayed at home and listened to a decent recording.

[@bryanabriz508]

He is a good singer... I don't see what you mean. He has very bad pitch issues but that was something that could have been worked on. The only other thing I hear is slight caprino... probably due to the nerves. He has a nice manly tone. Not saying he is great but not saying he is terrible either. Much better than some today. As for walking out, I wouldn't want to perform for an audience that doesn't appreciate my time either.

[@OperaMyWorld]

Joan didnt make something wrong eith her singing!! She was booed also and the audience as you can hear screamed called her and the tenor pagliacci! If you think that having sang her part perfectly was right to her....I just dont agree!

[@LoMarRadio]

Oddio... Allora sul mensile Opera si leggeva altro. Furlan venne raccomandato dalla coppia Sutherland/Bonynge, moooolto fortemente! Ecco perché il pubblico si stizzì a tal punto. La coppia era solita a queste cose come nel caso della Torengaeu che infilavano in ogni soffritto (erano protegé di Bonynge, una sorta di "clan"). Il tenore ahimè ha un vibrato caprino davvero pesantuccio e ciò lo porta spesso a stonare. Poca tecnica? Non saprei (altre volte fu più bravo). Ricordiamoci che quella fu l'epoca della Ricerca del Tenore Antico e molti con vibrato stretto passavano per fini tenori all'antica (Morino et similia) e Bonynge era un grande studioso... La cosa davvero deplorevole fu l'abbandono di Bonynge che lasciò lì la moglie e l'orchestra come un capitano che abbandonava la nave. Lo aveva scelto lui eh - non vorrei dire imposto ma...

[@claudiotracchia3346]

Certol che era un protegé. Loro dichiararono che non l'avevano mai conosciuto ma in realtà aveva già cantatol con Dame Joan una Lucrezia Borgia di cui esiste una recensione sulla rivista inglese L'Opera. Altro che sconosciuto!

[@LoMarRadio]

@@claudiotracchia3346 se non ricordo male all'opera di Sidney.... Potrei sbagliare eh. Mio padre collezionava Musica e venne massacrato pure lì....

[@claudiotracchia3346]

@@LoMarRadio Si credo proprio fosse l'opera di Sudney. Ho diversi numeri di quel mensile e sarebbe troppo lungo andare a controllare. Ma certo è che per loro non era un illustre sconosciuto come dichiararono,addossato di fatto la colpa alla direzione artistica del teatro.

[@ichbins8532]

Who replaced them?

[@blueredsam]

Furlan did sound tired here, but his voice still sounded better than almost any today's tenors on the stage.

[@flicfan416]

this is a silly comment. he was mediocre then and he would be considered mediocre now. be serious.

[@barrymalkin4404]

Here the Alfredo was the consumptive. ☹

[@Sutherland2]

Please see OperaMyWorld's first posting of Sutherland singing the end of Act I. There are comments which explain the scheduled tenor was unavailable and Furlan as a last-minute replacement. He was awful, but sometimes replacements ARE. As someone else said, it was the rude and stupid Genoese AUDIENCE which caused Sutherland to walk out. And why not? She paid her dues! Why put up with pigs in a cesspool city that hasn't heard a good singer in 40 years?

[@artdanks]

What a horrible and disgusting audience!!! The worst thing about opera has always been the "opera fans"! I'm glad Sutherland walked out! Durian should have too. So, he had a bad night! It happens! He didn't deserve the way this audience treated him!

[@Tevyeh613]

The public were quite right. They paid money to hear this rubbish. She was ravishing btw!

[@FFSnotagain]

Offer the public a refund then. Unacceptable to not cancel your night and let the understudy step up to the occasion if you are literally out of tune. Opera was mainly created in Italy I believe the audience knows well what to expect. Sutherland walked out to not me ashamed anymore by The booing coming from the audience. She did well in getting away from the moment to not be associated and then gracefully blaming the audience instead of the tenor. I can’t believe he stayed again

[@NemesisTheInevitable]

To be honest, I pity that there are no longer opera fans and the result is this shitty singing we have now...

[@Sam_Lee_]

I love your statement: "The worst thing about opera has always been the "opera fans!" They can be unbelievably horrible.

[@DimitrisRebelYell]

I was unaware that Sutherland was singing Violetta this late in her illustrious carrier. She sounds great too! Never heard this "tenor" in my life. It is HE who should have apologized and walked out of the stage. The audience was right! One shouldn't be expected to pay good money and suffer through this! God bless Italians who actually know Opera and what a singer should be singing.

[@cl8594]

And who is the soprano who replaced Joan at the end? This is a comedy. Furlan was bad but he was in tune sometimes, too.

[@alecvillavilla9978]

The worst thing is the speaking voice announcing the replacement of Ms ... Ms ... What an ignorant amateur, ashame on him.

[@hotradiogaga]

11:31 "How come he's here again!" 🤣

[@jeffreypick57]

many people love the sound Joan Sutherland makes, but I can't bear it. She scoops up to every note, rather than hitting it head on and that is very tiring to listen to. More than that, her diction is appalling. You cannot make out a single word she sings. Another singer who I always hear as flat and singing beneath the note is Anna Netrebko ! In her recordings and live performances, all the other singers sound in perfect pitch - but never her, so it is not my hearing, unless she sings on the note and none of the others do ????

[@romearomeo]

Il problema putroppo è stato il tenore....la Stupenda ha cantanto divinamente...penso che sia anche difficile dover cantare a fianco di un cantante che ovviamente aveva proprio la sua cosiddetta serata no...

[@stephencutler6289]

I saw Furland at the Sydney Opera House on a number of occasions and he was never much good IMO

[@Dinki-Di]

So did I and listening to him was torture.

[@jefolson6989]

The tenor was brought in by Sutherland and Bonygne. She refused to continue in solidarity with him. But he soldiered on. He really isnt THAT bad. The tone is lovely. He may have neglected to pay the CLAQUE!

[@bennolerner]

get your ears checked! He's absolutely terrible

[@jefolson6989]

@@bennolerner I heard worse that didn't get booed. In fact, were enthiastically applauded! Like the Rhadames in the MET HD with Netbrebko. Woof!

[@bennolerner]

@@jefolson6989 funny you saying that because if you refer to the october 2019 MET Aida I was among the audience and we hissed for Aleksandr Antonenko who had already spoiled an evening in the ROH in the CavPag. In the Aida we didn't understand why he was hired as it was absolutely horrible but I didn't know the performance was taped. AA was replaced by the next performance of Aida and hasn't been sighted since!

[@jefolson6989]

@@bennolerner I think that sounds like the guy! The hisses may have been taken out in post production!

[@lahire22]

do you know what Joan said to Lamberto? - I had sung that duet many times with better-known tenors having far more pitch problems - and then she said quietly to him - "We don`t have to try and sing against that - come on" ))) P.S. " I don`t care who they were for (the boooos). It is just unacceptable behaviour and I will never sing in Italy again". And bye Genova forever also.

[@PrinceOberon87]

She didn't o'r did she?

[@MikeG0420]

Wow Lamberto Furlan is seriously off pitch in this.

[@lucianopavarotti2843]

OPERA Magazine eyewitness account and review of this event: "The Genoese management offered Dame Joan Sutherland, who had enjoyed her first Italian triumphs-Lucia in 1960 and I Puritani in 1961 -at Genoa, the opportunity to make her Italian debut as Violetta in La traviata, which apparently was supposed to coincide with the great Australian soprano's (probable) retirement from the Italian operatic stage. It was clearly a nostalgic occasion , irreproachable in itself, but which could only be meaningful in a consistently artistic setting, quite apart from a rightful tribute to one of the greatest singers of the century (and maybe of all time). Instead, right from the start, it proved to be a botched affair, the result of improvisation by both the Bonynges and the opera management. The scandal arose from the presence of a certain Lamberto Furlan, whose Veneto origins have not prevented him from pursuing his career as a tenor exclusively abroad (and long may he continue to do so), especially with ·Sutherland, as first Renato Cioni and then Luciano Pavarotti did in the '60s. Dame Joan clearly insisted on his engagement, maybe making it a sine qua non for her participation in this wretched Traviata. Openly censured in 'Un di felice' for his evident inadequacy with an almost untrained voice and doubtful intonation, he was silently tolerated during the second act, but in the third, half-way through 'Parigi o cara', shouting broke out again, more violently and furiously. Then Bonynge, who had already received his own personal quota of muttering, complaints and a single disapproving whistle from the audience, stepped down from the podium and Dame Joan left the stage. Immediately afterwards the mortally offended couple swept out of the theatre. Actually the only person, apart from the audience, with a right to feel offended would have been Verdi himself. At this point the evening slid from high drama to farce. For while, sensibly enough, everyone was preparing to leave the theatre, the management decided to complete the performance by putting Maestro Aldo Pizzola in charge of conducting, and in the title-role for the convulsed finale the Bulgarian soprano Slavka Taskova who, with her insecure technique and acid tone, had previously been engaged, as well as the French soprano Francoise Garner, to replace Sutherland for some performances. Amid further outcries against the tenor who, despite the fact that he was most to blame for the unfortunate affair, remained undaunted in his place , the performance managed somehow or other to reach a conclusion. What can one say about such a Traviart? The production, even in the narrow confines of the Teatro Margherita stage, was agreeably served by Raffaele Del Savio's sets, Mirella D ' Alessandro's costumes and Beppe De Tomasi's production. Bonynge's conducting suffered from erratic tempos and at times from a stultifying slackness. Licinio Montefusco (Germont pere), reasonably recovered from a vocal crisis of a few years ago, was unable to be more than decently professional, while more than one comprimario failed even to reach that standard. And finally, what of Dame Joan? As Violetta she was not convincing even when she was at the peak of her career, and so could not expect to be so at 57 . But her public still showed respect and warm approval, particularly at the end of Act 1, which she closed wit h an (almost) impeccable E flat. The voice , if it has lost something in virtuoso brilliance - the first act finale was crucial- has gained however in expressivenes, as we heard in the third act, still retaining enough lustre for us not to miss entirely the greatness that will for ever remain in the past. Certainly the farewell to Italy of a genuine prima donna like Dame Joan Sutherland deserved a very different setting. But as an Italian proverb has it: Let him who causes his own harm blame himself. GIORGIO GUALERZI

[@davidallen508]

What a humiliating experience for all concerned,particularly the divine and ever gracious Dame Joan.

[@PrinceOberon87]

Joan wasn't a diva as we all know. I can't fault her actions. The audience's actions were rude and inexcusable

[@OperaMyWorld]

She was very down to earth! But interrupting the Perfomance and scream and boo it was enough for her to walk out!!! Her Single walk out in her more than 40years career!!!

[@brrehusebye7298]

The performance is shameful. The catalyst is Furlan. The intonationproblems are disturbing and it drags the performance to a stop. No wonder why Sutherland and Bonynge left the performance asap. A scandal.

[@christinec.6685]

The tenor sounds like he'd been drinking.

[@OperaMyWorld]

He was just in cold!! When you have an infection or flu the vocal chords don’t obey to your choices! It can happen to anyone!!

[@Dinki-Di]

@@OperaMyWorld I heard him live a number of times in Sydney. He was frequently out of tune. He can’t have always had a cold.

[@AkaiGX]

I didn't know she ever walked out.

[@marcosmarin8930]

WHAT A NIGHTMARE !! He was out of tune most of the time. SHOULD have been replaced and sissy Bonynge leaving like that was beyond stupid and distespectful !!

[@photo161]

The audience's reaction is disgraceful...inexcusable, period...!

[@mancal5829]

I don't know. It could be, but one cannot fault it for being honest and congruent with what is being heard. Nowadays, people will applaud anything just to be nice, even if it is horrible!

[@ClaudioAlbertoZuñigaGuarachi]

Bonengy Who is this kind of mafioso in the opera World?

[@andreagazza7611]

Quanta ignoranza però, anche il signore (se così vogliamo definirlo) annuncia il ritiro della STUPENDA, e si sofferma in modo a dir poco vergognoso a dire LA SIGNORA... LA SIGNORA con quel fare da ignorante. Non tutte le serate sono ottime, ahimè è successo. Anche loro sono esseri umani e non degli automa con l'ugola d'oro

[@Tenortalker]

You can hear in the Act One duet how his voice steadies down once he can hear the orchestra and Sutherland again. It is basically such a beautiful voice. I wonder if the opening would have been better had the orchestra been allowed a slightly louder dynamic so that he could hear the accompaniment on stage? We don't know where he was standing - upstage perhaps? I would say the third act problem is one of fatigue combined with nerves/ apprehension after the audience reaction in act one.. He seems to be struggling to go through the upper passagio notes . The tessitura of Alfredo does not suit his voice which was surely meant for heavier, more central range roles. A great pity this occured for all concerned and in Dame Joan's favourite role.

[@juvinaraymonds4210]

I can barely find anything about this guy online. I hope this unlucky performance didn't kill his career! 😳

[@Shamsithaca]

He wasnt that bad, I think the audience was unforgiving and vicious!! HOLY CRAP! who are these people! He may have had a nervous evening. he has a beautiful instrument...people whispering...hissing...boooing...what on earth someone explain?

[@LalaMontenegro1]

The audience of La Scala is the hardest crowd to please in the world of opera, they've even booed Pavarotti. However, they are the best at giving you praises and showing of appreciation if singers did wonderful. That's just how it is. If you can't stand the heat of Italian audiences, get out of the kitchen like Joan Sutherland did.

[@flicfan416]

@@LalaMontenegro1 this isn't la scala. can you read?

[@heha6984]

Sutherland war auch nicht gut, sorry. Hört al genau hin, mit den Ohren und nicht mit dem Herz

[@esterbruno8604]

Penso che il peggiore fosse Furlan. La Sutherland, sebbene questa non fosse la sua migliore esibizione, è stata comunque molto brava.

[@arnoldamaral7406]

Big mistake casting him. So 😢 Shame on the. TRASHY AUDIENCE. Such mid evil display . Arnold

[@SR-jx8yu]

He is totally out of tune but probably felt intimidated! He has a lovely voice . The audience were vicious!!

[@pianistajs]

Wow. I understand being disappointed, but wow. I thought the audience of La Scala was harsh...

[@Arkelk2010]

I thought the toughest audiences were in Parma.

[@pianistajs]

@@Arkelk2010 you very well may be correct. I mean, they are the paying customers and we're so used to being absurdly courteous these days that it seems out of place. I sympathize with both sides here. At least there isn't a vegetable stand nearby 😄

[@Arkelk2010]

@@pianistajs I am glad of that, too.

[@principeturandot4593]

My Lord... I've never heard such an uncouth reaction from an audience. Sutherland was right for walking out on them. Simply disgraceful.

[@marcosmarin8930]

No, she and her shitty conductor husband SHOULD NEVER LEAVE and the out of túne tenor SHOULD be replaced immediately

[@yurorega1148]

Certo...non è Kraus... poverello...senz'anima pure...

[@kimsground7190]

6:15

[@garygreen3845]

Kind of amazing it got as far as it did...

[@bartosz9898]

nasty audience, the singer is also a person, he could have a cold or just had a bad day, it happens to even the best. You can listen to Furlan in Tosca with Pilar Lorengar, Furlan sings very well there. I think Sutherland left the stage because of the audience's behavior, not because of the tenor's indisposition, because backstage she probably knew what condition her colleague was in

[@jmlima47]

I looked for some information regarding that performance and I found this, at: www.historicaltenors.net/italian/furlan.html "After Mr. Furlan, a Bonynge import, is protested, Joan Sutherland and Richard Bonynge leave. It is announced that the performance will resume with Slavka Taskova Paoletti as Violetta and Aldo Pizzolo as conductor. Mr. Furlan stays unperturbed, to the dismay of the audience. The opera continues to the end with Licinio Montefusco as Germont."

[@jmlima47]

Please, listen to this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i3ice6dpqbKafZY I think the pitch problems were not due his nerves during booing... :(

[@marcosmarin8930]

Horror !!

[@Miguelon3315]

Está desafinadisimo, no es ya la técnica es que aproxima todas las notas pero da muy pocas

[@lucianmarina8691]

I may be deaf, but I like his voice. I am sure he can sound much more in tune in other circumstances. Joan was a goddess and sang beautifully. But to shout “Bufoni” and” Pagliacci” is too much and too rude.

[@dfghdfghuytiu8207]

Wasn’t she a little long in the tooth to be playing Violetta anyway?

[@Tevyeh613]

The odd thing is that he is completely in tune when they start shouting in that final act duet...(although he was totally terrible in A1 - and deserved the booing)

[@artdanks4846]

No one EVER "deserves" booing! The audience was in the wrong! HOWEVER, that being said, I also think that Sutherland was ALSO in the wrong! Rather than walking out on the paying audience, she could have / should have temporarily stopped the show, and lectured the audience for their behavior, with a threat that if it continues, THEN she would walk!

[@absdyna]

I mean.... I've heard worse performances with uglier voices that didn't get booed.... this is a rather interesting reaction I must say

[@shannonlewis8906]

I honestly think he couldn’t hear the orchestra in the beginning. Did he have problems? Yes.. But his tone is good. They completely overacted.

[@wewper]

Funny what would trigger some people. Griping about poor singing is not OK, but griping about being interviewed by a person of colour for passport renewal is perfectly fine.

[@highbaritone]

Person of colour?

[@MrQbenDanny]

I understand BOTH sides.

[@Luifernal6]

He is better than Grigolo, for example 😂

[@BrunoACFernandes]

She was in quite good voice, to be honest.

[@richardholmesmusic2128]

You should hear her big Act 1 scena, it's magnificent. The audience responds with tremendous applause.

[@emitch9213]

He sang beautifully off key 🥴 as it is painful to listen to him is painful to take on this audience - I am sure Violetta found the end ti her destined death and unfortunately from the 'ouch' key of tenor 🙉 I love the opera!!

[@nathandavis3002]

Wow! Is he actually that bad or was this a bad night for him? I would have booed him too!

[@JeanPolhamus]

Better sharp than flat. They should have been grateful!

[@ngatihine6072]

The parigi is not that bad audience sound like snakes.

[@orsoncorwin7361]

Howdy from Texas

[@angelaknebel4156]

My goodness ....!!!!

[@stevendaniel8126]

Heartbreaking......

[@antonioramires9559]

Horrível!

[@bartosz9898]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/q37bpYOEeNiIopIsi=zVIjKnMxsaoPsNlg

[@aetion]

Ναι, ο τενόρος όντως ήταν κακός και την πλήρωσε η DJS μαζί. Αυτήν την ξέρουν και θα την θυμούνται για πάντα οι φίλοι τήε όπερας. Αυτόν;

[@Miguel-s5w9j]

Lamberto como desafinavas