Virginia Zeani: Did This Opera Star Really Scare Maria Callas?!

[@robinhahnsopran]

There's a memoir about her life available on Amazon! You can check it out here: amzn.to/34PQWWr 💖

[@1968KWT]

RIP Virginia Zeani 🫶🏼🌹🤲🏻

[@CM-oe2on]

I love that someone took the time to make a video about our adoratta Virginia.I discovered u looking for videos about her and I was pleasantly surprised. As a romanian my self, I have to say that all this big stars that Romania gave to the world, are not very appreciated in their own country and that such a loss for our culture. I'm a big fan of Virginia and bigger fan o Angela Gheorghiu.For me Angela is the ultimate opera DIVA.It will be nice if could make a video about her,including also some moments with performances because her voice needs to heard by many people. Thank u and wish u all best!🤗😘😘

[@Stefanism]

Well you probably already know that Virginia is Angela’s mentor. She inspired her to become a soprano. Angela nicknamed her “Mami Virginia” (mommy Virginia in Romanian), and Virginia always refers to Angela as her adoptive daughter. It’s a really beautiful and unique relationship between two great Romanian women that conquered with there immense talent the most prestigious stages in the world.

[@markdarenvillanueva7740]

LA CALLAS LA DIVINA HAS NO RIVAL! "How can they challenge me? Can they sing the opera that i sing? No. My repertoire is very vast. Up to the point that these people will not be singing my same Operas, will not be singing what I do, so you see, Rivals i have not" - Maria Callas

[@kephalosomphalosphalos]

Callas is overrated

[@serenadeschoral2268]

You are fabulous and absolutely hysterical!!! Wonderful video to watch on the day of Zeani's passing. Thank you!!!

[@JazzBums]

I came across a London/Decca record of Virginia Zeani called Puccini Arias (with the Orchestra of the Academy of Santa Cecilia conducted by Franco Patane, 1958). These old 50s London/Decca records sound excellent so I grab them when they come up. There's no listing of this pressing on Discogs (or anywhere else) so I started searching around and found your video and so happy I did. It was great to learn about who Virginia Zeani was and her accomplishments -- amazing artist -- and you even mentioned the contract with Decca she walked away from and the limited amount of 50s studio recordings that exist. Really excited to give this a listen. -- Mike

[@mariofilippeschi4855]

My God i admire and love her. A guy messaged me and i was shocked that his sister is this great soprano Zeani 95 years young. Long live to her!

[@er12144]

Thank you for posting this. Madame Zeani is truly the greatest of all time! I prefer her over Angela Gheorghiu who I also admire and adore. Zeani, although different than Callas and Tebaldi, was right up there, in their league! Her repertoire is vast and impressive.

[@operafan9162]

She studied with Lipkowska in Romania not in Italy

[@aflethgsb]

Wonderful video on one of the most beloved singers of mine. Being a great admirer , I have listened to everything available in YT on Zeani, and this countless times. Your video is charming, your cheerful style is refreshing. You just did not mention her exceptional physical beauty, E.Taylor of opera!

[@zacharylewis6457]

She is amazing! I am fortunate enough to be taught by one of her students.

[@dumitrescusorana1907]

She just passed away! Lovely to see this now 😢❤

[@paulgallo2434]

Robin. Thanks for educating me about Virginia . And I love your humor.

[@ciociosan]

She studied with Pertile in Italy.

[@elperroreggae]

Amazing!

[@robinhahnsopran]

Thanks!

[@elisabetta611]

I absolutely LOVE Zeani but the clickbait title (Based on something Callas' bitter ex husband SUPPOSEDLY said) is a bit much. I absolutely support bringing unsung operatic heroines out of the shadows but...I doubt anyone or anything other than her own perfectionism frightened Maria Callas.

[@christineroosuits8796]

My Teacher ♥️

[@lindsaygillis6812]

This is such a great video, Robin! I loved learning some more about Zeani 😊❤️

[@robinhahnsopran]

Thank you so much!

[@e.g.8454]

Rip Virgina Zeani 1925 / 2023

[@princekrazie]

As an alto, every soprano scares me. Actually I’m not an alto. I just commented this for the memes. Don’t kill me!

[@robinhahnsopran]

Sopranos are THE WORST *is a soprano*

[@kiaraeijo]

I’ve kind of heard of her because since she still lives in South Florida, I know a couple of people who worked with her.

[@vladtepes5180]

Robin Hahn, thank you for your beautiful comments about Virginia Zeani ( Virginia Zehan ). In my opinion she was the best ... Most of her records are in fact "live" records made during her stage opera show. Also she did some records with Romanian "ELECTRECORD" company. I wish Virginia Zeani would have guided the young Laura Bretan, who started playing the opera on her own. Laura has a phenomenal native operatic voice and huge musical talent. Even without proper opera training, at 15 years old Laura already was the best young hope for opera ( kzbin.info/www/bejne/gquXY4NjoNqdras ).

[@RC-td8kx]

Happy 96th birthday, Maestra!

[@brendanmooney7607]

This video inspired me to do a bit of research on my favourite Italian tenor, whose personal life I knew nothing about, and I discovered a few somewhat cringe-y aspects of his character. I guess that's another aspect of imagining people complexly (and the ongoing conversation about when & how far each of us are willing to separate art from artist).

[@robinhahnsopran]

Hard agree. There's a lot of real, active, honest work involved in being an opera fan, I think - work that never stops. Either way, I'm glad you did the research - and that this video inspired you to do the deep dive! XD

[@erkindanger]

To be honest, it was more dipping my toe in a pool than a deep dive (the pool being Wikipedia) - but still, **rainbow-star animation** "The More You Know"! :)

[@robinhahnsopran]

@@erkindanger **rainbow star animation** "The More You Know" could be the tagline to my whole channel! :D

[@SewBiased]

*Immediately books ticket to go take lessons from Zeani*

[@robinhahnsopran]

I know right?! xD

[@keithoshields2434]

Thank you

[@robinhahnsopran]

Glad you enjoyed it! :)

[@vicky-yx4dy]

So Callas was afriaid of Zeani because Maneghinni said so?... What i know is that they admired each other.

[@wookinooki9023]

VZ died 2 days ago.

[@aleksandrpeshkov6172]

Enters 💓 : " .... 💓 ... R-o-b-i-n ... 💓 ... "

[@gummypusswatterson1322]

it's such a shame we can only get to hear her, and many other legendary singers, in the primitive recording quality they had at the time, but even that's better than nothing :P anyways, practicing singing in bed to get better stamina seems like a wonderful excuse to use when i don't want to get up

[@robinhahnsopran]

Agreed! Would always rather have to listen super hard to hear the true sound through the bad quality, if the alternative is just… trying to IMAGINE how they sound! XD

[@UnDead483]

From the way you describe her, I feel like Zeani would've taken the compliment about Callas with great humility. But it's hard to imagine anyone not low-key enjoying that for the rest of their d*mn lives lol. In your moments of great darkness and despair you could always say to yourself "Yeah well... Callas was afraid of me. So it's all ok."

[@robinhahnsopran]

Hard agree. In the darkest of times, one can always remember that "ah, well, at least Callas was scared of me".

[@russellhirsch2761]

The "absolute" best 🙂

[@robinhahnsopran]

Truth! :)

[@Wsaetre]

Robin, why don’t you ever take a sip of that delicious drink you hold in your hand?

[@princekrazie]

Dear Robin: are you German?

[@robinhahnsopran]

My mum was born and raised in Austria, though she didn't really speak German with me at home when I was a kid. I then lived in Berlin for two years and solidified my German into an accent my Austrian family hates! xD

[@jiwanhawk]

Not Norma, Trovatore? So not Callas

[@kephalosomphalosphalos]

Virginia Zeani remain the best Violeta and followed by another Romanian soprano, Ileana Cotrubas.

[@shaundudley4576]

The only person who scared Maria Callas was Maria Callas.

[@andyberistain6743]

😂😂😂 Tebaldi, Zeani, Gencer, they were all better than Callas, Callas's true fame was as a fortune hunter and steal husbands.

[@theoperatripleaxel5417]

@@andyberistain6743 that's the most stupid coment in hiatory... la Callas foi a maior.

[@andyberistain6743]

@@theoperatripleaxel5417 I want a Technical explanation to back up your support for Callas. The voice, in addition to having a horrible color, was broken, the homogeneity was null and it produced a strident nasal sound in the middle to high register.

[@elisabetta611]

@@andyberistain6743 That's about the most musically ignorant balderdash I have ever read. Never mind that it's also grossly sexist.

[@jiwanhawk]

La assoluta specially in Traviata is Callas

[@tatianamiron6888]

No, is Zeani.

[@jiwanhawk]

Alright! One of the most incredible roles of Callas bested by your opinion!!!

[@jiwanhawk]

Nobody's compared with Callas

[@bbnffgvbnn8860]

Now that you mention Callas , Virginia Zeani and Callas have the same voice and projection , and there are many other great singers other than Callas . Rosa ponselle , Gerildine Farrar , Renata Tebaldi , Clara patrella , Nellie Melba ,Luisa Tetrazini , Brigdit Nilsson etc

[@nothingspecial163]

We need an episode about Maria Callas and Pavarotti. Becuase they are... Them? Hah great video tho

[@joseabraham8038]

DISABLED OPERA HUMAN STUFF… LOL … DECEASED 😂😂😂😂😂