Tim Ostendorf discusses Agnes Baltsa's Lady Macbeth

Baritone & innkeeper, Tim Ostendorf, discusses Agnes Baltsa singing Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking scene.

[@ahogbin2644]

Tullio Serafin suggested Lady M soon after Sutherland's first Lucias BUT Bonynge squashed it of course. I agree pity she didn't record the big scenes. Love Baltsa's voice - heard her as Carmen, Adalgisa and Eboli all at Covent Garden. She was one of the last great mezzos.

[@thegreatagnesbaltsa3948]

Her "Nel di della vittoria" is also amazing. Thank you for your sincere discussion. I enjoyed it a lot and i'm looking forward to seeing your other videos about Frau Baltsa someday.

[@santi7616]

Agnes baltsa was the first star of the opera that I saw for the first time live, it was in 1986, in Carmen with José Carreras, it was a great success. her recording of Maria Stuarda with Gruberova, is insurmountable, I would say, the best that exists. Thanks for this video is, as all of yours, magnificent and great to watch¡¡¡ :-)

[@possilpunter]

What a chilling version of the sleepwalking scene. Sylvia Sass (Shaash) is my all time favourite Lady MacBeth her complete recording with Lamberto Gardelli is superb. If you ever find it Josephine Barstow’s Verdi recital disc has another uniquely chilling sleepwalking scene. Last one Scotto’s recital disc which includes the scene is one of my favourite Scotto items. At one point during the scene Scotto takes a loud gasp/breath which gives me the chills

[@timostendorf6920]

Sass's is also may favorite recording of the sleepwalking scene - although I only have the recital disc, not the complete recording. I suppose I should add it to my list, yes? Haven't heard Barstow's rendition - or Scotto's. I'll seek those out as well. Sometimes the dramatic breaths (or silences) are the best part!! Thanks for the comments - not everyone is a fan of my style!! Cheers!

[@dmm9714]

Tim, sad news about Montserrat Caballe today. Would be very interested in seeing you doing a video on her. Thanks, David

[@David-pt8ge]

She went through a bit of a troublesome phase at the end of the 80s when the top of her voice seemingly came away from her lower notes. I saw her in Cenerentola in 90 or 91 and when she came on singing her lament, the audience laughed, because they thought she was doing a comedy voice. It was one of the most excruciating moments in the theatre I ever experienced. Also saw her as Eboli (with Dennis O'Neill, Ramey and Ricciarelli), Delilah (with Carreras) and the Verdi Requiem (again Ramey. O'Neill and Ricciarelli) . I am going to get my records out of her. At her peak, she was one of the greatest, though like Studer, she sang everything, from Wagner to Rossini and did damage. Unlike Studer, she was able to carry on, though I think she largely stopped recording. I was just looking what she sang at Covent Garden and one of her early shows was in Cosi, before my time, opposite Margaret Price and with Tom Allen and Daniela Mazzucato as Despina. That is one performance I would have loved to have seen. It was revived a few years later with same cast, apart from Te Kanawa taking over from Price.

[@williammaddox3339]

Richard Bonynge did contemplate Lady Macbeth for Sutherland but thought it was too low for her voice.

[@timostendorf6920]

Wow!! I didn't know that. Perhaps it would have been a good choice during the late 70s and early 80s when her voice was a little richer - it would have definitely been interesting!

[@santi7616]

@@timostendorf6920 Yes¡¡¡ It would have been great if Joan Sutherland had recorded other operas in the studio, for example, Aida. What a pity she did not record it. It would have been an insurmountable Aida, as in Turandot.

[@eugenemathlong2716]

Just awfull!!! 200 different voices. And that piece of metal at the end. Urrrggh!