Roberta Peters "Bell Song (Air des clochettes)" on The Ed Sullivan Show

[@willminkorea2010]

She was a singer at the Metropolitan Opera in NY for 35 years. She was maybe the greatest female opera singer in American history.

[@baritonebynight]

She was one of them for sure. However, she has a lot of competition from Beverly Sills, Leontyne Price and let's not forget the legendary Mezzo Marilyn Horne.

[@gregingram4996]

@@baritonebynight...and Eileen Farrell!

[@shicoff1398]

You cannot compare a totally differ voice type as Farrell, Price or mezzo with the light and Coloratura voice of Peters anymore then comparing a light weight boxer to a heavy weight, entirely different the great Sills is a better comparison and she was very great and a great actress too but a good comparison with Peters for a similar type is Lilly Pons, the great French coloratura and a favorite of Peters herself. I like them all for individual greatness, the best is who ever you like best, it's all opinion and a personal thing, I saw Sills and Peters both many times, also Price and Horne @@baritonebynight

[@shicoff1398]

Yes she was for sure one of them. @@baritonebynight

[@Tenortalker]

She certainly had a fine, long career and was a wonderful singer, but there are so many great singers in the history of American opera. If you are thinking of great American sopranos what about Anna Moffo in the earlier part of her career when she sang coloratura roles? Also in terms of greatness the amazing Eleanor Steber , not a coloratura, but who sang a huge range of repertoire with distinction. So many singers to consider.

[@c004857]

Amazing voice.

[@cerenlennon]

Wow such a masterpiece 👏

[@arlenecerf8833]

The Enchanting Roberta Peters ♥️

[@MostlyBrenda]

She arrived so young but so complete. There was nothing she needed to improve.

[@arlenecerf8833]

@@MostlyBrenda Couldn’t have said it any better 😊

[@shicoff1398]

100% correct her debut in 1950 at age 20 at the Met. opera was a instant hit, as she filled in for a sick soprano who had just cancelled , and she was a great success that night, her first on the big operatic stage!! @@MostlyBrenda

[@TomElvisSmith]

Thanks for posting this, along with the whole production number!

[@brucepappas6298]

Lovely lady and a beautiful voice.

[@TomElvisSmith]

Dear curators of the Ed Sullivan channel, my birthday is next Saturday, Feb. 27th. I've made a lot of requests (examples like James Melton singing "Somewhere Beyond the Sea", Mary Hopkin with "Love is the Sweetest Thing" etc.) so if you want to surprise me with a birthday present, it would be so nice. I know it's a big long-shot that you would do that, but I thought I would give it a try anyway, lol. Thanks again for Jan Peerce singing "Serenade" last month, that meant a lot to me.

[@JimMorrisonLoL]

Yeah, let's hear it for Big Tam

[@ronsdivas]

WOW....FABULOUS!!! BRAVA DIVA!!! So sorry the Met Opera would not mount a production of this for her...but she said Mr Bing did not like the opera. What a loss....

[@magicmonkichi]

Lovely. I am truly surprised Roberta Peters was not more well known!

[@joemiller6975]

Roberta Peters was a very famous Soprano. She did Radio ,TV ,Movies, Recordings. I think she is somewhat overshadowed today by Sutherland and Sills but in the 50's and 60 's she was a Household name and America's most famous Coloratura!

[@shicoff1398]

Yes, as said she was very well known then as a great and beautiful woman and in the tradition and voice type similar to the great French Coloratura Lilly Pons before her. I saw her many times in house singing on stage in concerts, she was always excellent and in fine voice, no off nights that I ever saw or heard .

[@ninofandango9508]

Única, extraordinaria ❤

[@alwaysnew189]

GODDESS

[@willminkorea2010]

This is from Lakme by Leo Delibes. It's in French and was first performed in the late 1800's.

[@vivianbelissima]

👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@kimdreyer4970]

Gorgeously sung, but what the *bleep* was that from the orchestra at 08:06 ???

[@henrymerino5431]

I was literally wondering the same lol

[@Johnnycdrums]

Very nice and elaborate presentation. Anyone know the context of this opera? The soldiers in the background appear to be British circa mid to late 19th Century.

[@patrickgueguin792]

Story is at the end of 19 century under Britannic management in India May people were obliged to pratice their own religion in secret

[@mka7741]

🇧🇬💐💞O, AWESOME!!!🐘🍀 🌸🐞 MAESTRA 🦋 NIGHTINGALE!!!🦄 🪷BRAWISSISSISSIMO, MAESTRA 🦋NIGHTINGALE!🐝🏡🌞🌈🎼🎶🎵

[@Shamsithaca]

Maria Carey take that! hahaha. she is unbelievable. Probably one of the best alongside Callas, Sutherland.

[@19gregske55]

Great performance. Check out Maria CALLAS and Dame Joan SUTHERLAND's interpretation of the same aria. All of them are technically wonderful.

[@artdanks4846]

I agree. And every role of theirs that the 3 ladies had in common, I always would normally prefer Callas or Sutherland to Roberta Peter's, except for 2. This one (Bell Song from Lakme), and the role of Gilda in Rigoletto. On those 2 roles, I think Roberta Peters was by far the best. And this particular performance of the Bell Song is the best I've ever heard.

[@edwardamosbrandwein3583]

What year is this?

[@19gregske55]

I believe that it is 1952.

[@edwardamosbrandwein3583]

@@19gregske55 thx

[@gregingram4996]

The description gives the air date as February 10, 1952.

[@linnkhnataung7951]

Good voice 77%

[@happysmile6026]

Did anyone saw season 7 episode 19 I read that four ramses appeared on it Did you saw it

[@karolina7460]

Better than Lily Pons...

[@meltzerboy]

In some ways, yes. For example, there are no aspirates, which were the trademark of Lily Pons. The coloratura is just as fleet and neat as that of Pons. The French is nearly perfect. However, the extreme high notes are really detached from the rest of Roberta Peters' voice, unlike those of Lily Pons.

[@jimbuxton2187]

@@meltzerboy also Pons had a rounder more beautiful sound. Not so shrill as peters. One critic called it Lily's ''Golden Sheen"

[@meltzerboy]

@@jimbuxton2187 I agree. Another critic commented on the "marked tonal beauty" of Pons' voice.

[@madelainelevy4520]

Lily pons and Roberta peters were individuals but both coloraturas Yet each is trained and therefore sound differently

[@Bivolari]

The wonderful Roberta Peters. Yes, she was well known here and in Europe.