Sondra Radvanovsky: A Day in the Life of a Diva

Follow star soprano Sondra Radvanovsky as she prepares to take the stage in the demanding title role of Cherubini's Medea. Videography by Pete Scalzitti and Neville Braithwaite / Met Opera.

[@hankmcaff9350]

this could have been 2 hours and I would have watched the whole thing!!

[@suzannestultz3919]

Me too!

[@danawinsor1380]

Me three!

[@tristanhnl]

Such a fun video! Please do more like these! And brava Sondra, brava!

[@nostoon4332]

I'm going to see Medea tomorrow. I loved the clip of Sondra practicing Handel. Sondra you can sing anything.

[@chocolatesouljah]

Thanks. I was curious to know what she was practicing. I loved this clip too. Enjoy Dame Radvanovska in "Medea." I love that brief moment at the beginning where they showed Maria Callas's bio, in her hands. A gesture of reverence and also acknowledgment t o the Callas "Medea."

[@operas6]

@@chocolatesouljah That was not Maria Callas' bio in her hand. That was Marina Abromovic's Memoirs, the woman she had just visited.

[@chocolatesouljah]

@@operas6 Wow! Thanks for the correction! I appreciate that. Also, will look into Ms. Abromovic's memoirs. I hadn't known of her until this video. 🙏🏾

[@bulliwoody3674]

@@chocolatesouljah the recit before cleopatras aria piangerò

[@chocolatesouljah]

@@bulliwoody3674 Thanks so much!

[@austindale2123]

One of the best performances I’ve ever seen

[@edp4030]

I don’t go for dark, tragic operas. This one is dark in the extreme, going to a place tragedies often avoid, Greek tragedy being one of the few exceptions. I was totally bowled over by this MET production. I was totally consumed by the story. The courage, endurance and exceptional talent of Ms. Radvanovsky alone is worth the price of admission. The entire production was top notch. This was not an enjoyable evening’s entertainment. It was an incredible event, a gathering of exceptional talents that has stayed with me and been at the center of some fascinating conversations. Well done MET-I hope this will be available on bluray very soon. I enjoyed this tragic opera!!!

[@danawinsor1380]

I think what you're talking about is the essence of Greek drama. As you suggest, Medea is not pretty music (except for Glauce's aria). The story is as dark as it comes and Medea is a complex character to say the least.

[@patrickobrien8395]

Wow, oh WOW oh WOW !! saw Media last night at the Historic Tyneside Cinema in Newcastle UK - Congratulations to all involved - truly magical - mesmerising , - opera of the highest quality x

[@marianamirescu9570]

Magnificent Sondra! A perfect Medea! Congrats, from all my heart! Great production!💖

[@rosemimi973]

I looooveeeee Sondra!!!!

[@telmanardes7438]

Maravilhosa,merece todo o reconhecimento.E que beleza mostrar esse dia-a-dia de "diva que trabalha", magnífico.

[@gregdesrosiers5230]

Just saw the encore performance of this past Saturday’s Live in HD broadcast. BREATHLESS! Thank you so very much, Ms. Radvanivsky, for bringing the Medea I learned about while translating the Latin version of the ‘Jason’ myth to life. A wonderfully nuanced and captivating performance.

[@carlberg7503]

She is a superb singing actress. Incredible voice, incredible acitning.

[@mearesbrodmannmusic]

Wow! What an amazing woman and singer!

[@zotzulu]

What an exquisite voice💜!

[@Raulgermont]

What a joy!

[@romantschannen657]

Love it! Thank you for sharing, Sondra! ❤

[@TheYasminarf]

Another episode with Sondra please 🤓🤓

[@infinitelytheheartexpands]

I want to go back to 1996, to the performance of Rigoletto where she made her Met debut, sit next to an audience member, point at the stage, and say, “You see that Countess Ceprano making her Met debut? Yeah, in 26 years she’ll be opening the season as Cherubini’s Medea, and she’ll be GLORIOUS,” and see what their reaction is. BRAVA SONDRA!!!!!!

[@ohmy5650]

I personally care little for this particular opera, but I love the featured singer so much.

[@sueb1337]

Love the behind the scene videos!

[@Olgaalwina]

Eine ganz große , große wunderbare Künstlerin, weit mehr als ein weltberühmter Sopran !!

[@aaronrichards4416]

More content like this! Love behind the scenes so much

[@Sunny-ru2dd]

Fantastic ❤❤❤

[@orionwesley]

You will be my Norma always!

[@christophercrimmins6143]

Why is the background music from Carmen and not Medea?

[@rafaellmata6083]

Que pregunta tan tonta

[@jefolson6989]

There are other operas, like Traviata, Trovatore, in the background. none are medea except at the end. Typical picks by production interns.

[@josusanturde5376]

I love you...I love your voice...The greatest Diva actually

[@abdessadekmadouanil3iswi726]

اخوكم عبد الصادق العيساوي يحبكم جميعاً و يمنى لكم التوفيق والنجاح🤝👍

[@Marcel_Audubon]

wow

[@ethelsmith4064]

Hi I am confused I thought opera singers didn’t wear mircophones? Also do they often drink before performances? I would be afraid to drink booze before going to the chiropracter myself Also I’m confused because Sandra is at her voice coach around 6;00 ? What time is the show? Ten in the evening?

[@operas6]

Is that it? Or is there anything else that you are confused about?

[@Dvorak567]

The microphone is to improve the mix for live radio broadcasts. I saw this production with her in person. She was not amplified in the house!

[@thomaslehmanbaritone]

This is all farcical. She is so in tune with her voice and would NEVER drink on a show day. This is just a bad edit of 2 days together! :) The mic is not needed for Sondra! haha

[@juliocmorales1648]

La cultura debería ser gratis.❤

[@Sandra-o3e]

Tell that to the greedy artists and producers.

[@andrzejcelmerzajaczkowski]

Polisch... SONDRA RADVANOVSKY TO T A L E N T P R A C A I P R A W O Ś Ć... przypomnę... zmieniła obywatelstwo jak zaczął rządzić Trump... SONDRA ode mnie 🎉 Sygnuję CI Andrzej Celmer Zajączkowski 16 03 2024 ps Twoja NORMA w MET jest w HISTORII ❤ ™

[@thrillingopera8125]

Sondra is literally the opposite of a Diva/Prima Donna. She's just a normal person. That isn't a compliment btw. It's just a fact.

[@furrybear57]

Saw this at the theater during the MEDEA intermission. Would have much preferred a short documentary on the life of Cherubini and the performing history of MEDEA. the Met should be teaching us as well as entertaining us. and why was the performance not dedicated to Maria Callas?

[@thomaslehmanbaritone]

You know how to comment so you know how to google. Better to focus on the performer in the present and not the past!? Really, your take is very sad and stuck in the past.

[@furrybear57]

@@thomaslehmanbaritone Oh, so i guess we should toss our recordings of Sutherland, Callas, Caballe, Sills, L. Price, etc as we should be focusing on the performers in the present and not the past? You obviously did not get the gist of my comment. Radvanovsky's little piece was just "fluff" for diva worshippers. A real opera lover would have preferred something more substantial from the Met. And considering Maria Callas brought MEDEA out of the dustbin of music history, i believe a dedication to Ms. Callas would have been justified.

[@karinalombrozo3257]

who is your osteopath??? please

[@andrenewcomb3708]

No tomorrow, Ma'am.

[@FCOLAXCDG]

❤️🇱🇨!!!

[@danawinsor1380]

Seeing Ms. Radvanovsky meeting with Marina Abramović was so interesting. Marina Abramović basically invented performance art and it is worth it to look for her videos here on YT.

[@ioannismaroudas8806]

Sondra Radvanovsky, very much like Maria Callas, has a love or hate voice. She does not also pick her friends wisely....

[@operas6]

"She does not pick her friends wisely"....do you care to elaborate?

[@hildegerdhaugen7864]

Maria Callas is incomparable.

[@ioannismaroudas8806]

@@hildegerdhaugen7864 That is why the MET threw her out and ended dying alone and unwanted by everyone in Paris. Now she is the best with no doubt.....

[@ioannismaroudas8806]

@@operas6 Marina Abramović

[@operas6]

@@ioannismaroudas8806 What?

[@critic9216]

How totally pretentious.

[@doGreatartistsgrowontrees]

The less we know how the sausage is made the better. Whatever happened to mystery?

[@operas6]

You did not have to watch it. It was entirely your choice.

[@doGreatartistsgrowontrees]

@@operas6 Because there is such a thing as freedom, while it lasts, I am free to choose whatever I please and not only that but also free to comment at will. Take it or leave it.

[@operas6]

@@doGreatartistsgrowontrees I was not questioning your freedom to comment. I was questioning the logic of it.

[@doGreatartistsgrowontrees]

@@operas6 There is no logic or rhyme or reason or justifications or apologies for participating in whatever or however one chooses or is presented with via algorithms. It is what it is. You may want to ponder some about your apparent authoritarian tendencies in seeking to control and regulate free speech.

[@operas6]

@@doGreatartistsgrowontrees I did say I was not questioning your freedom to comment. I guess I wasn't clear enough. Having said that, freedom of speech to me does not mean you can say whatever you want without justification or apologies. There are actually things you cannot say. This is a public forum. When you make a comment someone may reply. The fact that you believe you can speak publicly with no justification or apologies and NOT be challenged does not make me an authoritarian.

[@michaelpidgeon4223]

Ms Radvanovsky can carry a tune at the Metropolitan Opera House; but how would it sound in Saint Patrick's Cathedral or in one of the many Subway 🚇Stations of the New York City Subway Sytem? As far as the recital goes, one tune Ms Radvanovwsky should add is the Comptemorary Catholic Folk Song "Here I Am, Lord" by Dan Schutte who I have actually gotten to meet. Got to include the spiritual in there as well May the Lord Jesus Christ Bless her in her career top to this point.

[@tristanhnl]

I'm pretty sure she'd be able to carry a tune in Antarctica ;-) ...or maybe not because of the dry, cold air. But anyway, she'd blast the roof off of a cathedral, as she has a naturally big, and I mean BIG voice. I pray that the LORD does more than bless her career...I pray that Sondra comes to saving faith. Any material/worldly blessings are meaningless because this life is short, and we take none of our riches and possessions with us after this life. We either go up or down, heaven or hell, smoking or non smoking. TODAY is the day of salvation (2nd Corinthians ch 6).

[@BellaFirenze]

Jesus? Oy vey.

[@tristanhnl]

@@BellaFirenze , funny you'd use the term "oy vey", and then disparage Jesus.

[@operas6]

I hope your doctor ups your meds. You don't sound well.

[@voilosapete4731]

She is not talented enough to be a diva!

[@jefolson6989]

To be a diva, all you need is a great voice. Period. Talent and intelligence can be overlooked it the voice is great enough.