Leontyne Price Met Debut - January 27, 1961

(Verdi: Il Trovatore) Metropolitan Opera, January 27, 1961
2:30 - "Tacea la notte placida...Di tale amor"
9:05 - "D'amor sull'ali rosee"
English translation by Dale McAdoo
Manrico............................... Franco Corelli
Leonora.............................. Leontyne Price
Il conte di Luna.................. Robert Merrill
Azucena.............................. Irene Dalis
Ferrando.............................. William Wildermann
Ines....................................... Helen Vanni
Ruiz....................................... Charles Anthony
Un vecchio zingaro............. Carlo Tomanelli
Un messaggero................... Robert Nagy
maestro direttore................. Fausto Cleva
maestro del coro.................. Kurt Adler
Please remember to be polite when posting. Any rude comments and bad language will be removed and the poster blocked. Degrading comments about things such as race, religion, and culture, etc., will not be tolerated.

[@BellaFirenze]

The audience had never heard a voice like hers... It is the most beautiful voice I ever heard in the opera house.

[@philipkuttner7945]

My grandmother said it was the most beautiful voice she had heard since Emmy Destinn.

[@vitareid]

You are so luck to have hear her live. So so lucky you are.

[@murrayaronson3753]

The greatest female singers I've heard live are Birgit Nilsson and Leontyne Price. Both were gracious, friendly, and funny backstage when I asked for autographs. Miss Price gave me an already signed photograph.

[@murrayaronson3753]

Met audiences heard Zinka Milanov in Il Trovatore and she wasn't shabby. Milanov retired in 1966, I could have see her, but I was too young to know any better. I did see Leontyne Price, first in Dialogues of the Carmelites in San Francisco in 1981 and then in a Los Angeles recital in 1983. At the recital her final encore was "This Little Light of Mine" and it remains for me the perfect union of music and words expressed by a human voice. Thank you Miss Price, may you live and be well always.

[@GarthAstrology]

@@philipkuttner7945 Wow! Your grandmother heard Destinn!

[@anandy9292]

The Met met Leontyne for the first time here, she was supreme, the voice at the height of its powers , there shall be no other, ever!!!!! Brava !!!!!!!!!

[@corneliuswhite5139]

...and they wanted her 8 years prior.

[@johnpickford4222]

Cornelius White: For What? To be an elevator operator, clean toilets, cloak room attendant? Yes, Bing made it very clear he would hire African Americans, and his greatest moment as General Manager was Marian Anderson’s debut. But you are wrong sir, Miss Price belonged on the stage walking through the front door. The Met would have wasted her as her biggest stage success at that point was “Porgy and Bess”. She would certainly been used as a token in ‘53 and not the major singer she was as in ‘61. And she unlikely would have been chosen to open the Lincoln Center house had she arrived in ‘53. The Met does not develop and nurture talent. She was right to arrive in ‘61. I only wish she stayed until ‘86 to celebrate 25 years. I hope the Met release her ‘85 AIDA telecast on DVD. She and it are a marvel.

[@Trinite33]

@@johnpickford4222 Hi John - Bing wanted her to debut in 1960, but she intelligently and graciously declined, saying that she wanted to have more complete roles under her belt before her debut. Consequently, she performed six or seven roles in her first year at the Met. Astounding!!!

[@johnpickford4222]

Jean-Marie de la Trinite: Thank you, now that you mention that, I remember. Someone once reviewed her Met performances and found that she sang nearly half of them before the move to Lincoln Center as she did after. It’s sad both she and the Met couldn’t agree on more works to sing. Her graduation performance at Julliard was FALSTAFF and I wish she (and Joan Sutherland) sang it there. I hope the Met is smart enough to release the telecast of her final AIDA where excerpts have been seen on KZbin. Thanks again for posting.

[@terencedove5047]

@@johnpickford4222 ...in reading Price's Wikipedia biography it was made known that Peter Herman Adler did not want Price to debut at the Met unless she did it 'as a lady, not a slave.' You were right in saying that she came in 'walking through the front door'. It served to make her '61 debut and ovation even more memorable, I think...

[@Karlinberlin1]

The sound of her large, silvery voice still sends shivers. To think it was the technology of 60 years ago. It was just from some other place.

[@plutomutt]

42 minute standing ovation! Hell yeah! She earned every second.

[@sw5114]

We were in the house when Price sang her Aida and farewell to the opera stage . The encore after ‘O Patria Mia’ and her final curtain call were just as endless. We did not want her to leave. Memories like this will never depart. Einmalig Stimme. Never to be repeated, this side of the Eternal.

[@michaeljamesleslie]

Absolutely glorious and beautiful. The control is breathtaking. When will other voices such as this come along...maybe not in our lifetime.

[@emmystarlight]

Listen in to the glorious Angel Blue.

[@Trinite33]

This night of her Met debut Leontyne received a 42-minute standing ovation, the longest ever recorded in old or new Met history; and they lost count after 30 curtain calls. She seems to have started at the very top, and for my money she never came down. Hers is the Voice of the Millennia. She was sent to us from Heaven by God !!!

[@krrainey77]

Does anyone know how long the ovations were for Corelli. An amazing double debut and he went on to be called Mr. Sold-Out at the Met (when he wasn't cancelling...)

[@Trinite33]

@@krrainey77 No, Mr. Corelli was overshadowed by Ms. Price, and there is no report that I know of which discusses an ovation for him on that memorable night during which he sang wonderfully. The opera world had never heard such a voice as Price sumptuously displayed. Mr. Corelli complained bitterly about the overwhelming reception Ms. Price received and declared that he would "never sing with that woman again!" However, he came to terms with the inevitable triumph of Price, and they sang together thereafter to legendary effect. You might research the newspaper reports following this performance which might say something about Mr. Corelli's reception which was outstanding. It was just unfortunate that the two of them made their Met debuts on the same night. Mr. Corelli should have had a debut centered around himself alone. Ms. Price holds him in the highest regard, not only for "That Voice" as she puts it, but also because of his manly good looks.

[@krrainey77]

@@Trinite33 Thanks! Listening to the recording of that night both are out of this world, and obviously both went on to become audience favourites.

[@Trinite33]

@@krrainey77🙌🏾

[@liedersanger1]

Jean Marie. It doesnt really make sense to say she "started at the very top," since she had to work slowly and patiently, beginning in concert works and recitals, then debuting in San Francisco, then going to Europe, conquering the major houses, before she got a decent contract offer for multiple roles from the Met. If you meant, she arrived at the Met in peak form, you are surely right.

[@donsroom4843]

I never dreamed that I would ever be able to hear this with my own ears. Thank you for sharing this magical performance with all of us. I am speechless to even attempt to discuss how wonderful Ms. Price is in this performance. Fortunately, the audience is doing all the speaking for me. Brava.

[@MrStpendouslvforjo]

She was one of the truly great...Boy! The conductor took the "di tale amor" FAST! Price really had an exquisite voice with a brilliant upper register and a very good trill!

[@Twisterjoe]

It almost sounds as if he wanted her to fail. That was the velocity of a coloratura soprano, and didn't really make sense musically or for the nature of the character of Leonora.

[@flyinghow]

Much too fast, but she prevailed!!!

[@Vogeln]

I think the conductor wanted to assert his dominance over Price by conducting the aria at a much faster pace. In the end, Price got her revenge as she sang it even faster than the clarinetist, and other members of the orchestra, could play it - making a fool out of the conductor and orchestra. A shame that the conductor was a prima donna too. There's room for only one. Incidentally, the conductor was listed as: Fausto Cleva.

[@dennispearson9287]

THE AUDIENCE WAS STUNNED !!!.....THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD JUST HEARD THE VOICE OF AN ANGEL DESCENDED FROM HEAVEN !!!.....

[@dantewalston2755]

One of the best Verdi legato lines!!

[@murrayaronson3753]

Remember that Franco Corelli was making his Met debut that same night in Il Trovatore. It must have been an exciting night. Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her husband were in the audience.

[@brianshoman1723]

Wow! What a historic event 👏

[@petergraham8681]

Actually the debut for Price & Corelli was during an AFTERNOON Broadcast according to the late Paul Jackson‘s 2nd MET chronicle. A spectacular occasion with fine assist from Irene Dalis, Mario Sereni, & William Wildermann.

[@murrayaronson3753]

I didn’t know it was a matinee and a broadcast. I’m familiar with Irene Dalis and Mario Sereni, but not Wm Wildermann. Thanks for the info.

[@liedersanger1]

@@petergraham8681 No, the broadcast followed the debut. You could look at the Met archives database for the dates, but here they are: the joint LP-FC debut was on Friday, January 27, the broadcast Trovatore followed on Sat., Feb. 4.

[@tiahj66]

Gloriously beautiful singing and conducting of this great score. I am always grateful for the opportunity to hear such incredible performances on KZbin...Thank you!

[@ChagoWilson]

Happy 95th Life Anniversary February 10, 2022 To Her Royal Highness, Leontyne Price Grandest Of Them All!

[@luvindaopera111]

Thank you for posting these arias & debut performance! What a gift! Happy Birthday, Divina. You brought me to opera & I have never loved anything more. What an artist & art form. Brava! Grazie! 💕🙏💐

[@johnhansen930]

Miss Price first came to my attention way back in 1969 during the Edinburgh Festival. An LP recording of Trovatore with Domingo and Milnes was in a shop window in Princes Street. My collection grew from that moment on and completed with the video transmission of her farewell performance of 'Forza' which I recorded. I doubt there will ever be another like her.

[@liedersanger1]

Her farewell performance was in "Aida."

[@Jake-nk4wg]

After her debut Leontyne Price received a full 42 minute standing ovation for her magnificent performance; a record not yet broken. Thank you for sharing your treasure. There was such enjoyment of their debut performance that they were recalled February 4, April 2, 1961 and July 31, 1962 in another country. I have those but would like the debut performance as well and will search for it.

[@liedersanger1]

No she received the 40-plus-minute- long ovation at the end of the performance, not at the end of the second aria.

[@gameshowfanatic9311]

The second aria she received a 19 minute ovation

[@Jake-nk4wg]

@@gameshowfanatic9311 Thanks!! Haven't heard that one before; makes me even more in awe of her and I never believe I could be.

[@gameshowfanatic9311]

@@Jake-nk4wg and that was before the cabaletta or cavatina “Miserere, d'un alma gia vicina”

[@Jake-nk4wg]

@@gameshowfanatic9311 I'm as a child sitting at your feet to learn. :)

[@ChagoWilson]

Happy 92nd Anniversary Of Life Sunday, February 10, 2019 Soprano, Leontyne Price Queen Of Them All! And She Shall Reign Forever!

[@operaloveringlasgow]

Many, many thanks for including the photographs. I have the MYTO recording of the Met performance, and it is one of my all-time favourites. Brava Leontyne!

[@arboretum1153]

Can we still find and order myto records. I have several but the shop where i was buying them has been closed for long now.

[@DonnabellaValentino]

Thank you for sharing this!

[@paullewis2413]

From the old Met now gone of course because NYC isn`t noted for keeping very much of it`s legendary past. Price at her finest it`s fortunate that she made many wonderful studio recordings with great technology during her prime years early 60`s to early 70`s.

[@stevenwilliams5360]

Electric Verdi Singing by my vave ... I am so happy I found you and this fabulous clip on here. I'm kinda on cloud 99 right now wow

[@patrickjohnsonjr8264]

Leontyne price sings like angel from heaven God bless her 🙏 ❤ ♥ 💖

[@4lebenbaum]

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!

[@arnoldamaral7406]

I have this Roberta thank you for reminding us of this great voice One of a Kind voice.Madame Price 👑. Take care my friend Arnold Bourbon Amaral

[@donconhar]

Oh my! To be able to relive his historical moment....thank you.

[@ChagoWilson]

Happy 91st Life Anniversary - Saturday, February 10, 2018 Grand Opera Soprano Queen Leontyne Price And She Shall Reign Forever & Ever!

[@price-singspuccini6124]

Please don't remind me of her birthday. I want to believe she is immortal! Nobody can sing Puccini/Verdi as she did...She shall indeed reign forever and ever.

[@peterwylliejohnston]

Exceptionally beautiful

[@distefano13069609]

Thank you Roberta! This is sublime.

[@edwardseymour21]

...thank you for posting this...it is a true joy to hear...I despaired of ever having the opportunity to hear even parts of it before finding your post...it was truly a gem of a performance!...and to me, now, no longer just a series of sensational press reviews ...

[@sanjamarinkovic9040]

Thank you , Roberta!All this work that you did on You tube is of the great value ! I mean on audio of Franco Corelli too. Much better than posting in fans clubs- that is a writing on water.

[@loriannmcdavid1621]

Beyond angelic when I hear her sing my body feels her purity 333

[@isaballaserrano4991]

So beautiful. Wow

[@PaulGood-wt7mb]

Amazing... Leontyne

[@georgescott3652]

Oh this is so beautiful and absolutely stunning.

[@voraciousreader3341]

Unbelievably beautiful, intelligent, heartfelt singing…..divine!

[@terrietackett8964]

A true Diva! So beautiful, such a talent!! Beyoncé, eat your heart out!!

[@arrassip]

This is very good, but I prefer the Salzburg performance. Besides Price / Corelli, we have Simionato and Bastianini and the supreme direction of Karajan.

[@bodiloto]

Dal vivo voce Meravigliosa . ❤

[@bennolerner]

just listened to parts of tonight's streaming from the Met. What a difference : singers and audience! I wish -for other reasons as well- it were the sixties again!!

[@cimbassovr]

La più bella LEONORA del mondo...per tacer di AIDA❤❤❤

[@laylaibrahim1552]

Wonderful, Thank you for posting

[@emmystarlight]

the courage to have your own style from the very first debut.Thats what i like about her💝💝💝💝💝💝

[@65attila]

Beautiful singing

[@partituravid]

Thank you, thank you!

[@patrickjohnsonjr8264]

Leontyne price what a sound like angel from heaven

[@ChagoWilson]

Happy 94th Anniversary Of Life Wednesday, February 10, 2021 Our Grandest And Dearest Madame Leontyne Price

[@brrehusebye7298]

Just fantastic ❤️

[@Luancalfa]

Is this the ifamous 39 min standing ovation?

[@Luancalfa]

Is there a complete recording of this available anywhere? With the 40 min ovation? Thanks!

[@Trinite33]

@@Luancalfa Yes, there is a full recording of this historic performance, and it is a 42-minute standing ovation as Corey Anderson pointed out to you.

[@c2thefuture]

@@Trinite33 where is the full recording?

[@Trinite33]

@@c2thefuture Hi Chad. It is my educated guess that it is in the Met archives and has never been released by the company. Also, her final performance of Aida has not been released.

[@corneliuswhite5139]

The stuff of legend.

[@mka7741]

Brawissimo !

[@golden-63]

LEONESSA!

[@janettucker3196]

Afterwards, they gave her a 45 minute ovation.

[@christianroider118]

Franco must be frightend😂 shocked 😮🎉🎉🎉❤

[@mechar64]

Incredible. Other worldly!

[@akechijubeimitsuhide]

What an incredible voice. Probably the best Leonora I have heard. Do you happen to have her duet with Di Luna?

[@racheleleeba]

I just now saw your comment. I wish I did have it! I've posted everything that I could find.

[@sfopera]

Yes, she's my favorite Leonora also.

[@tenortonyvillecco2404]

Just wow

[@brunobalzano7566]

Mamma mia! 😍

[@СветланаКоломыйченко-ц1ж]

Божественный тембр голоса!!!

[@gerhardrohne2261]

5 years earlier she sang at the vienna staatsoper and at la scala... herr bing at his selfimportant best again...

[@shadaviongrant7605]

12:56 THE AUDIENCE FREAKING LOST IT!!!

[@corneliuswhite5139]

you ain't kiddin' ;)

[@gameshowfanatic9311]

That performance of d’amor sull’ali rosee received a 19 minute ovation from the audience

[@SR-jx8yu]

JUST DIVINE!!

[@lundilar]

I worship at the altar of Leontyne Price, but I would never describe her as down to earth!. Her ego is over the top when discussing her voice, considering it was a gift from "god".

[@brookeggleston9314]

I had the privilege of providing lighting for a recital in a 2700 seat house in upstate New York. When she is sure she is working with professionals, she is *very* down to earth!!! 🔥💜🔥

[@erikyounge610]

i had the privilege to meet miss Price after a recital at the academy of music....and she was the essence of graciousness and very down to earth....her voice and regal presence is a gift from the Creator....a heavenly earthly gift!

[@artistsf1]

and aren't we all multi-faceted creatures? i have heard both this 'over the top' ego and the down to earth from her at different times on different occasions. for me, one does not negate the other, they give her range. Viva Leontyne Price in all her resplendence.

[@brolobear]

She wasn't an egomaniac. I've listened to her discuss her voice. She wasn't snotty about it. She was simply aware of the gift she was given. To get up on a stage in front of 4000 people? You'd better believe in your voice and love it, as she did.

[@liedersanger1]

Describing her voice as a gift of God is actually a sign of humility, and obligation.

[@KennethConway]

OMG

[@UMVELINQANGI]

Delicious!

[@germanquintero10121946]

EXQUISITA

[@jameelboone4882]

In God We Trust

[@andrecooper555]

Is this the original speed???

[@racheleleeba]

According to Frank Hamilton's "Franco Corelli Discography of Opera Performances," the source is an abridged private tape. I assume someone made it from the audience. That is all I know. Whether there is any other information out there, after 57 years, I don't know.

[@sfopera]

Yes, these are how she actually sang these arias. The long lines of the second aria were a very great specialty of hers. Few can do it so well.

[@arnoldamaral7406]

Considering this was in the early sixties Imagine today incredible artists in Europe singing her way at major Opera House if there is no mention of her in the United States. The next question would be why does anybody know who I'm talking about? I'll give you one hint she's tall blond she's about 40 years old currently. She's very Western European. Great artists male and female I've come out of this country as well in the past. No it's not Italy okay I will give you a hint and please don't hate me LOL she's from Spain. She's a soprano incredible squillo & chest voice. She has sung all the great roles from gioconda to Tosca Norma. She has been mentored by Caballe & Scotto. This month she's doing Abigail in Nabucco. If you guess correctly he will be considered an opera aficionado. An imaginary Opera tour through all the major Opera Houses in Europe for 3 months. Please participate I think this would be fun. Sincerely Arnold Bourbon Amaral TAKE CARE MY FRIENDS 🌏🌎🌍🎹💞🎼

[@nathandavis3002]

Curiosity is killing me! Must know. First thought was marina rebeka but she is neither blonde nor spanish

[@juliogonzalezcampayo3201]

@Arnold Amaral: Saioa Hernández.

[@arnoldamaral7406]

Julio Gonzalez Campayo YES INDEED.🌹💙🇪🇸 Sorry for the delay my friend. Sincerely Arnold Bourbon Amaral

[@arnoldamaral7406]

Nathan Davis SAIOA HERNANDEZ my friend 💙🌍🌏🌎🇪🇸 Sincerely Arnold Bourbon Amaral 🎵🎶🎹🎻 TY FOR PLAYING MY FRIEND 👱 Sincerely Arnold Bourbon Amaral 🇺🇸🇺🇸🌍🌏😁

[@arnoldamaral7406]

Julio Gonzalez Campayo WE HAVE A WINNER!!🏆TY FOR PLAYING MY FRIEND SINCERELY Arnold Bourbon Amaral 🇺🇸🌎🌏🌍🎻🎹🎶🎵

[@andehuang5479]

fausto "clava"

[@edrisemarisaturner3543]

Archetypes Meghan Markle podcast about AMBITION .....UNFILTERED.....Leontyne Price being the BEST AT WHAT YOU DO!!!

[@edivaD62]

I cannot hear here the annoying glissandos she developed later in her career, which spoiled, in my opinion, most of her performances.

[@unclelouie3828]

I love her but I agree with you. 100%

[@telmopereiradosreis7199]

SOBERBA!!!

[@cesarezappa7574]

pessima interpretazione,fa rimpiangere la Divina Callas,a dimostrazione che negli usa non capiscono niente,alla Scala la riempivano di ortaggi

[@sfopera]

To the contrary. Price was universally thought to be one of the greatest Leonoras of the post-war period. There was no soprano who could equal her in this role, and your comment demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of the role. To say "scala la riempivano di ortaggi" is grossly insulting to all lovers of opera.

[@PaulGood-wt7mb]

Amazing... Leontyne