Tosca: “Vissi d’arte”

[@tomsillitti9585]

Absolutely superb!! One of the greatest singing actresses of our day, to be sure. Absolute commitment to the character and her emotions, without losing one ounce of expression and technical excellence. Remarkable singer, greatest of directors, and beloved conductor. Doesn't get any better!

[@vxhorusxv]

It’s such a gift to New York every time she comes to the Met! Such phenomenal artistry and drama. ❤️

[@Operafiend22]

Now she's Toronto's gift

[@Classicvideofan]

This is one of the greatest renditions of this aria ever recorded. Full point. From the first line to the end, Sondra is delivering unique combination of perfect vocal control, perfect technic, breathtaking emotion and amazing musical taste ... Listen to the subtle and so beautiful and emotionally appropriate "messa di vocce diminuendo" on the word "arte" !... from the very beginning we feel the emotion and despair in this single note ! ... from there we feel, we sense that this is not going to be just another rendition of a famous aria by a famous diva ... this is Tosca weeping on her fate ... but with just the perfect musical taste and technical control preventing any overly emotional gasp ... "ad ... anima viva" is murmured ... fading away ... just like the "anima" of Tosca is fading away at this very moment ... she can't handle it anymore ... the tempo is slow enough to provide the space to this beautiful voice to expand in its glory ... and we feel its huge power, the huge potential of Tosca as a character that is still there beneath this moment of pain and breakdown (the crescendo on "con" ....) but at this point she really can't and therefore the crescendo is interrupted by another diminuendo on "man furtiva" (you see ... I am trying to be strong but I really cannot do it know Tosca says us thru this perfect use of messa di vocce here in this single bar ...) .... and the same impulse, same intent to be strong that fails because the pain is too much at this very moment is even more dramatically and more beautifully expressed in the next line : the huge fortissimo subito on "Quante " (listen to the power and the "squillo" of the huge spinto that Sondra is pouring here) sounds again like a very desperate intent to show that she is still strong .... which is fading away again along the end of the phrase with "miserie conobbi" where the diminuendo ends up on a helpless piano "aiutai" that she is holding forever until the VERY end of her breath with heartbreaking dramatic effect ... yes THIS is Tosca ... this is where she is at this point ... her power and youth is still there of course (and she will prove it fully in a couple of minutes ...) ... but NOW she just CAN'T handle it anymore ... "see... I am trying ... but I just can't" ..... at this point we are already beyond singing, beyond interpretation ... this IS Tosca singing ... and this is intelligence, artistry and fabulous technical control put together by a superior artist .... not to mention the acting that is so right ... she does not look overly destroyed, and not placid by any mean... so accurate and tasty and expressive at the same time ....the emotion and sort of resignation we feel when she records the all the good she did is so beautiful and accurate ... "diedi fiori agli altar" ... it is this resignation we feel especially with the emotion and diminuendo on "altar" ... yes ... with Sondra, emotion is always conveyed thru the most beautiful and controlled vocal technic and especially the perfect use of this "messa di vocce" that the great Renata Scotto accurately considered as key for bringing life and emotions in singing ... "Nel ora del dolore" ... opposite to those divas who are displaying artificial emotion on "dolore" by pushing on the "DO" of the word "dolore" Sondra is keeping the line perfectly musical ... we are NOT in tacky verismo effects here ... an artist of her magnitude does NOT need to Sob to express drama and feelings ... same thing for "Cosi" (in "perche me renimuneri cosi") ... it is not a weepy maudlin "KOsi" ... but the low E is just full and powerfully emitted ... and again ... the bflat on "si" is sustained until the end of the breath with a nuance pp (as written on the score) ... dramatic effect again is perfectly accurate and powerful her ...Tosca is giving it all ... she is "au bout du rouleau" (burned out") ... and "au bout de sa voix ..." (her voice is burning out) ... THIS is utmost vocal art and control together with intelligence of drama in a nutshell ... the appogiatura on "ma'adonna" is precise (c/bf) as it should be ... the Bf fortissimo "signor" is huge, vibrant and dramatically impactfull ... and what a fantastic vocal and dramatic effect on the following G ("Ahhh") that first goes diminuendo and then, on the very last breath goes up crescendo again expressing and ILLUSTRATING vocally again that Tosca - as she says- is "giving it all" ... she does not hold anything back !... this G crescendo at the end of the breath is absolute genius ... the vocal stamina, the technique and dramatic intelligence combined together here provide a sense of despair and exhaustion that is incredibly effective .... same thing with the last "perche me renimuneri cosi" .... nothing is hold back, nothing is overly done, the vocal "generosity" of the artist (Sondra holds the notes until the very end of her immense means) resounds, IS the immense generosity of Tosca ... I don't know of many recordings of this aria that could pair with this one indeed ... this one is a gem we can cherish forever ... thank you so much Sondra ... and thank you to the Met to make it available

[@nancymorton5658]

Thank you for your wonderful commentary - you explain why Sondra is so great.

[@commandert5]

I sometimes dream how she might have sounded with co-stars such as Placido Domingo or Sherrill Milnes, instead of whatever they throw up these days

[@tristanhnl]

@@commandert5 , Sondra did sing with Domingo, albeit in a different opera - Cyrano de Bergerac! That performance is available on DVD, and might even be here on YT.

[@jefolson6989]

Thank you for your in depth analysis of a truly great performance.

[@acacia-bloom]

The diminuendo after the Bflat @ 2:57 is incredibly hard to pull off successfully. Only the greatest manage it - It seems Radvanovsky is among them

[@tristanhnl]

For me, Sondra is THE queen of smooth vocal phrasing today, and she doesn't disappoint here! The messa di voce, the silky smooth diminuendos/crescendos...HEAVENLY! Her "Vissi D'arte" is truly one of the finest I've ever heard, even when stacked against the greats of the golden age. Brava Sondra, bravissima!

[@bodiloto]

tristanhnl e' ovvio che non sei un/a ragazzo/a d'origine italiana e della lirica italiana purtroppo non capisci niente. questa e' la mia modesta opinione . cordialità il vecchio

[@tristanhnl]

I don't need to be Italian to appreciate good music. I will also say being Italian does not automatically make one an expert in the Italian repertoire as you are suggesting. Having said that, you seem to have the wrong idea that *everything* needs to fit your concept of "lyricism". Sorry if you don't like Sondra, as you seem bent on going to all her videos writing derogatory comments. But that's okay, you are free to like or dislike whatever you wish. You also seem to be stalking me, going through my videos and other videos where I've written comments. I think you're a little too obsessed. LOL

[@rogalesi58]

bodiloto io sono italiano ed a me piace, e poi, perché lui non capirebbe nulla, spiegamelo fallo capire a me così capisco anch’io qualcosa o posso apprendere qualcosa da te .

[@tristanhnl]

+Carlo Pietroniro, If you like a certain singer, you don't need validation from other people as to why you like her. It's music....just enjoy. Personally, I think there are some Italian singers who are not so good, and some non-Italian singers who are good. The same is true for the opposite also. Many people consider Callas to be the benchmark and epitome of a good Tosca. She wasn't Italian, proving that a singer doesn't need to be Italian to understand and interpret good Italian music. And again, if you happen to like a certain singer's interpretation of a piece of music, just go with it, enjoy it. Likewise, if you don't enjoy the way a certain singer performs something, you are free to dislike it, and say so. Please just don't have the attitude that only Italian people understand Italian repertoire 🙄. It's a type of arrogance we can do without.

[@rogalesi58]

tristanhnl maybe you misunderstood my comment, because I totally agree with you, maybe you should read again, have good one 👍

[@TaylorLong]

THIS IS HOW YOU SING.

[@tfleiter]

We saw exactly this performance at the MET a year or so ago and now I am coming back to it - grateful for the fantastic evenings we had the pleasure to experience at the MET before the coronavirus crisis. Thanks to everyone working there and the good memories help us to keep going without becoming depressed! Make sure to stay safe and to come back in old glory as soon as the crisis is over .....and continue to generate unforgettable events like this TOSCA performance!

[@kaochloe1]

i flew to NY just to watch the Met Tosca 2021 performed by Sondra Radvanovsky. Dominique Rousselle said it all. It is amazing and I felt I was in heaven. Just wish Met can have more performance of hers. Hopefully the 3 Tudor queens.

[@alfredoloyola921]

Brava. Sondra!!amazing. B-flat!!a truly Shinto soprano with the proper voice and figure for. Tosca!! The dim in u end of in one breath Is incredible!!total control!! Brava!! Sondra. Brava!!

[@bodiloto]

Alfredo Loyola total control ?!... ahahahahahahahahahahahah !

[@emely-sophie]

So amazing😍. She is the reason why i started singing🎶🙈💪

[@miloantonov8640]

AMAZING! Sondra has it all! Voice, technique, musicality, presence. One of the best rendition of this aria! And the most thrilling soprano of today!

[@corneliusbates460]

She is amazing! I love it when opera singers really are committed to acting She is at the top of her game. She is a DIVA!

[@mariarosaesergiomarycib2492]

Continuo. Ad. Ascoltarla. emozionante. E. Stupenda

[@Vishnu6]

She killed it! Sounded amazing and that acting was on point!!!

[@cristianapresutti145]

Voce sublime!

[@sunny_canta]

Just amazing

[@jurgensteinke7634]

Wow. I heard this version for the first time and it blew me away. Certainly one of the best Toscas of all time. Wonderful. I think it can´t get better. What a phrasing and what a beautiful voice! Heartbreaking.

[@natalyagayvoronska14]

I was very lucky to hear her live! What a voice!!! God bless her to live a long live and to share her voice with us for many years ahead!!!

[@AnnaKarkowskaVirtuoso]

.Excellence in every note ,every phrase!!! and in EVERY PERFORMANCE!!! BRINGING PURE BEAUTY!!! THANK YOU MS RADVANOVSKY!! Your musical creations are phenomenal! All those pianos in all colors with this characteristic velvety but sparkling beauty of stars voice with power to rich moon( or brake windows ,)or bring tears.I had a rare pleasure to listen to your life performances at MET and sometimes few times a week!! Why? You ,your talent brings divine Beauty to life!!!.I don't understand why after Your historical Donizetti Three Qeens You are not at MET more often!!!! God Bless You for all those wonderful moments you creating with such a passion and virtuosity.You,Your Voice are national treasures!!!!

[@paulp2560]

Just saw her perform this again, same production. The applause was almost as long as the aria and well deserved!

[@timc844]

Yes! Heard it on the Met broadcast yesterday. I kept thinking "The applause isn't stopping!" She was amazing.

[@sladjaraicevic3221]

Wow!!! Thank you Sondra for this beautiful and moving performance. ❤

[@cecemckinley1538]

Ugh I STAN this woman. A true ICON 😭❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@tylerresto]

Have always loved her voice. (:

[@richardtaylor1197]

Just magnificent!. Love Sondra!

[@guillemseva1963]

Amazing Radvanovsky as always. Brava Sondra. I saw her in Bcn couple of times

[@sayersbrock]

Absolutely love it!

[@viggo1115]

Superlative, brilliantly! 💐👏

[@alliemazur8007]

Absolutely amazing!

[@josevaladez]

Miss Radvanosky is wonderful ! Her voice is beautiful, her timbre is the right one to sing Puccini and Verdi roles. As far as I remember, she is considered one of the greatest Verdi singers. Thanks for sharing this jewel.

[@buenvendor]

She is back at the MET singing Tosca!? She has a voice of steel. I love her singing more than her acting.

[@teodorajelaca5963]

And in January she is Aida alongside Yonghoon Lee as Radamés and Dolora Zajick as Amneris

[@buenvendor]

@Bravo Luca she is great. I saw her in Barcelona with Kaufmann this year in Andrea Chenier.

[@TheYasminarf]

Very moving ❣️

[@mramosgoldengirl]

Yes!!! Just incredible rendition.

[@operalover1010]

Absolutely beautiful.

[@HeroeAIrwan]

Beautiful!

[@morrishaole2693]

No doubt a tremendous talent here. Perfect vocals, perfect interpretation, perfect delivery. Everything she's done is 'spot on'.., okay, I'll say it, flawless. Superb American product.

[@mariarosaesergiomarycib2492]

Bravissima bravissima bravissimaaaaaaa

[@moorfan1]

From a technical perspective, Radvanovsky is an "Everest" level singer. As was mentioned below, her messa di voce is unparalleled. Looking forward to hearing this immense voice live AGAIN!

[@Betzaida5]

So pleased to had been there and watched her on the opening night!! Bravissima !!!

[@samdorsalis878]

Brava magnifique moving stupendous Merci xxxx

[@daymar83]

What a beautifull Sondra's rendition on this magnificient area. Brava Sondra, your voice blesses us each day. Regards

[@brachio8695]

Amazing singing ...

[@pedrojgonzalez3752]

Beautiful

[@Ursaminor31]

Superb and stunning

[@jiadongma1]

I was at this performance. Sondra is fantastic.

[@tfleiter]

Me too….it was incredible!

[@ev-yt2064]

To me, Sondra is the perfect Tosca. This video is a great example of the qualities she brings to her performance.

[@horseluver136]

Constant goosebumps throughout this entire piece.

[@evgeniachernysheva6215]

Wonderful interpretation, one of the best I ever heard)) ❤️

[@commandert5]

I hate the state of Modern Opera. However, we still get a few gems from time to time, and she is undoubtedly one of them. Amazing singer that acts superbly

[@sheilabloom6735]

I have always loved her. Gorgeous.

[@rosfadem]

This makes me cry every. time.

[@Oberon90]

Love it!

[@DrewRay-w6b]

Oh wow shes a very good Tosca. So emotional. Great

[@daviddaemon]

Astonishing! I’ve not heard Radvanosky before, but her emotional interpretation of this beautifully sad song, especially the high notes, are heart felt and moving.

[@grahamthomas3764]

Magnificent voice and décolletage! Bravo Sondra!

[@fmerkuri]

Wow! She makes you really understand the pain and disappointment felt by Floria Tosca. Amazing performance!😊

[@peteradaniel]

Goes to show. You're instrument can have imperfections galore, but a solid technique and mastery of the breath will do everything. Brava!!!

[@gabbrielviera]

Bravissima!!!!! ❣️

[@pauloalmaviva8035]

Amazing...

[@fausto8677]

Brava!!!

[@victorbaritono]

La Radvanovsky é una superba artista, una vera meraviglia

[@bodiloto]

vistor corona finché funzionano bene i microfoni ...

[@mariarosaesergiomarycib2492]

Magnifica! !!,magnifica

[@mchigan00]

Goodness! That messa di voce is divine!

[@florencemills9510]

Gorgeous

[@drbarbarabaker]

Glorious.

[@tfleiter]

If you have a chance to see this at the MET...don’t miss it. It was stunning this afternoon.

[@worldtravelrafhat7886]

Bravissima!

[@nicolehourcade]

For me she is the queen Sandra, my emotion was in usa for Robert Devereux, second time Paris Aida with anita Rachvelischvili, together, magic and last march in Barcelona Andre Chénier, twice la mamma e morta!! Amazing

[@bodiloto]

nicole reding-hourcade la sua Aida qua à Parigi era di una mediocrità allucinante . bellissima voce , purtroppo la Radvanovsky canta con una vocalità poco adatta al repertorio italiano . l'interpretazione della ''mamma morta'' di Radvanovsky e' degna della scuola media degli anni 70 ...

[@miriammachado487]

Maravilhosa! Voz cristalina!

[@camandrula]

maravillosa , sondra..

[@krowapaulinka4351]

Now THAT is a Tosca. Not some sad, boring Yoncheva or cheap and overrated Netrebko. Brava!

[@elsaschlegel174]

What nonsense are you spewing...Yes, Sondra is much better in that role, but do not dare to say such things of the world opera divas! They are is just other Tosca.

[@wotan10950]

Krowa Paulinka I like Radvanovsky and Yoncheva and Netrebko. All the artists bring something fine to the table.

[@johig4378]

@Krowa: Please explain how Netrebko is "cheap" in your eyes?

[@wotan10950]

Ravishing

[@tneprescintr]

I heard Radvanovsky live in this role in 2011. In person, her voice sounded very different from what I hear here. It's full yet full of brightness, easily filling the house. She completely drowned the tenor doing Cavaradosi, which, unfortunately, was kinda funny. But the ending of Vissi d'arte was astonishing: I was in one of the last seats in the gallery and her pianissimi felt like she was whispering in my ear

[@Michael-mh4vr]

Hope she's appreciated by audiences to come

[@ednouveau9491]

That's why I love Sondra

[@AmandaIsSinging]

This voice is perfection!

[@bodiloto]

Amanda Tipton per i dilettanti .

[@leandroabreuofficial]

Diva!!! Maravilhosa, Sondra!!! Magnífica!!!! ❤

[@МикаельКиладзе]

bravo❤️

[@jingfuan3784]

She is so powerful both singing and acting! I compared her ViSSI with other singers. I like hers. Her porformance with Vienna State Opera is evening better. 53 seconds applause.

[@leonardogiacobbe5422]

Grandissima!!!

[@Eiswirth1]

She's stunning.

[@ЕкатеринаЕмельянова-г4ж]

Драматизм зашкаливает. Очень проникновенно!!!

[@pier5891]

Bravissima

[@SilfredoSerrano]

Her voice is also very large! This allows her to do a very wide variety of roles from Bellini, to Verdi and Puccini!

[@mariuslavoie4261]

2:53 that gave me goosebumps... wow!

[@angelaniculcea7308]

Minunat ! Mi_a înseninat dimineața .

[@dvdgrog]

As good as it gets. Brava!

[@didiercaillard1932]

l'interprétation tant vocale que scénique me semble incomparable, Sondra Radvanovsky outre que c'est une très belle femme, à la poitrine généreuse et au sourire carnassier, possède cette force sans artifices d'aucune sorte de sortir de son gosier les notes les plus osées à un âge qui le lui permet encore. Je regrette tant que depuis Régine CRESPIN, nous n'ayons pas, nous français forgé des cantatrices de ce niveau. Sur ce morceau de "La Tosca", depuis la disparition de la regrettée Daniela DESSI, il me semble qu'il n'y a qu'elle pour suggérer tant d'émotions au public. j'ai tout de même remarqué l'interprétation de Marie José SIRI. Sur ce genre de répertoire, il me semble que l'oeuvre de Richard STRAUSS devrait lui convenir, en particulier SALOME.et pourquoi pas "La Maréchale". Enfin, je pense qu'à ce jour les 2 plus grandes cantatrices sont Nina STEMME et SONDRA RADVANOSKY mais ERMONELA JAHO me semble prometteuse de même que Mihoko KINOSHITA. DIDIER DE FRANCE

[@nickalternativo]

Oh, what a pleasure...

[@willemtates8232]

Brava 🎼🌷🌷🌷🌷🎼

[@davy91101]

Listen to her La mama morte from Spain--she has to encore it. The audience goes wild,

[@stephencharitan7453]

A Mastersinger!

[@greganrebadeo]

How is she better than her last Tosca? Unbelievable!

[@silvanaanconelli3832]

bravissima

[@katlallorona]

Reading Mary Karr's book Lit. She and her mama are sitting in an opera house half floodlit as a mournful soprano pined: Vissi d’arte, vissi d’amore.

[@douja3001]

J ai la chaire de poule magnifique

[@lungdoc]

Bravissima Sondra!

[@jormavuopio1080]

❤WOW

[@prosdocimo]

Is this going to be live in HD? Please yes

[@wieslawrudnicki2638]

STUPENDA SONDRA

[@fernandopinheirobb]

VISSI D´ARTE Vissi d´arte, Vissi d´amore, ária de Puccini, da ópera Tosca, Fala do passado de quem presta a ajuda sem nenhum fim, O questionamento de uma pessoa que é simples ou tosca: "Por que, oh! Senhor, por que tu me recompensas assim?" Era uma súplica dirigida ao barão Scarpia, chefe da Polícia De Roma. Ele diz: "Você me pede uma vida". Isto deprime. "Eu quero só um instante". Ela o mata, pois isto é a sevícia. Hoje o assédio, a violência sexual contra a mulher é crime. Vissi d´arte é a afirmação de quem viveu o melhor da vida Dentro da estrutura da harmonização de sons e cores Que fazem da existência, sem desencantos, ser mais vivida. Vissi d´arte é o mundo de inefável beleza que os artistas Disseminando as artes aos estranhos e aos seus amores Edifica o bem comum, colocando aqui o paraíso às vistas. (*) (*) FERNANDO PINHEIRO, presidente da Academia de Letras dos Funcionários do Banco do Brasil. - in VISSI D´ARTE (poesia), de Fernando Pinheiro. - in O mundo de Morfeu, de Fernando Pinheiro.

[@michaelmiller1215]

BRAVA