Virginia Zeani - Live Staged Versions of Traviata (1965), Aida (1970), Tosca (1980)

[@louisdewit4429]

Being an Opera fan i am stunned that until yesterday i had never heard of this lady. By coincidence a recording passed by on youtube. WHAT did i miss. A fantastic Prima Donna. A perfect Violetta. I am thrilled. And she is beautiful and can act. The whole package. Thanks.

[@talmadge1926]

Agree. How did I miss out on her all these years?? Thrilling voice. But I suppose in 65 all other sopranos were eclipsed by the Callas hysteria.

[@louisdewit4429]

@@talmadge1926 - And i understand that for some odd reason she made few recordings. She did, most of the time, live in the west though. And the Red block also adored opera. What a miss. 96 now. Brava.

[@davidsimmons654]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@louisdewit4429]

@@davidsimmons654 - A man with great taste. Always a joy to see. 😊

[@roximol9829]

@@talmadge1926 She was not on the first page of tabloids. She was 100% professional!

[@ronnieince4568]

Stunning looking lady with a superb voice -pupil of the great Pertile and still teaching in her 90's - they simply dont make them like her any longer -more is the pity .

[@geoffreyriggs6331]

What a sad day to be viewing this marvelous upload -- March 20th, 2023

[@xxsaruman82xx87]

Zeani is a goddess. Cernei is also great. As is Herlea.

[@Ulysses88047]

I saw her a couple of times in Bucarest. ❤

[@vioricabalteanu8564]

Immensa Violetta verdiana e splendida interprete di altre ben 53 parti operistiche. Bravissima e bellissima, anche adesso, che ha 93 anni.

[@gabrielalupu7353]

What a voice, what a presence ! It's a shame for not enough being known in the birth country ! God bless you Mrs Zeani !

[@Francesco-p1f]

fantastica

[@道-p2e]

Most beautiful Violetta!!! Grandest, Bravo!

[@iltanghero]

Ho avuto il piacere di ascoltare la grande Virginia, al S. Carlo di Napoli negli anni d'oro.

[@t.i4695]

Virginia Zenaida - In mod clar, CEA MAI MARE SOPRANA a lumii, fara egal, nici macar MARIA Callas nu a egalat-o!!! Scuze Marie’s Callas... “La Divina” Callas a fost cea mai faimoasa soprana a secolului XX, celebra si mediatizata chiar daca Internet-un nu exista pe atunci. Maria Callas imi place nespus de mult. Dar, de curand, ce pacat ca atat de tarziu, am descoperit-o pe MINUNATA, IMPETUOASA, FRUMOASA SI PRIVIGHETOAREA, Virginia Zeani!!! Ce aplomb, pe scena , in interpretarea magistrala a ariilor cantate de aceasta mare doamna a muzicii de opera! E intruchiparea perfecta a Floriei Tosca, a Violetei, etc. Talent dramatic, operistic, cat si un inegalabil “joc de scena “. O interpreta de opera “electrizanta “, cu o voce cand calda, cand puternica ca si oceanul linistit sau cand e in toiul furtunii. Mi-as fi dorit sa fac parte din generatia dumneaei si sa fi fost in public la una din reprezentatiile sale de succes!!! Toate gandurile mele bune se indreapta spre dumneaei! 🙏🏻🌈👏🍀❤️😘🌈🙏🏻

[@andrealupini6769]

Perché parlare sempre di qualcun'altra? Una traviata di questo calibro oggi è impensabile! Bisogna fare sempre i soliti triti e ritriti confronti? Io godo di questa meraviglia senza fare sempre i soliti distinguo! Grandissima violetta e splendida donna!

[@vioricabalteanu8564]

Verissimo.

[@madamevera]

A treasure! A goddess! Thank you for sharing.

[@megaalexandra62]

grande soprano et femme magnifique, bravisimo Virginia !

[@roximol9829]

She was the best Violeta !!

[@danielbonning]

Wonderful .................!!! A voice that fills every space of the soul.

[@billsava7150]

In the clips with Aida ,Amneris is on other great Romanian Singer Elena Cernei.Bravissimo,SUPERB!!!!!!

[@dubbelhenke854]

Yes she is equally fantastic!

[@kraus3591]

Impresionante , la gran Virginia Zeani .

[@romearomeo]

Magnifica, Stupenda! Avessimo oggi delle voci di questo calibro

[@jadeclear3376]

Thanks for the fantastic video; I was lucky enough to experience opera for the first time with Zeani, and it helped me to learn Italian too. X

[@jadeclear3376]

On video I mean (obvs not lucky to see her personally 😉 I have been going to Verona religiously every year though except for 2020 though).

[@TulioHav]

No la conocía y es realmente muy buena, una voz muy verdiana. Bravo

[@vioricabalteanu8564]

Impareggiabile artista e persona!

[@giovannipomella7966]

Magnfica brava e bella

[@CharlotteinWeimar]

The G R E A T Z E A N I Brava!

[@numetutelare]

Stupenda....

[@ventduquebec]

Merci et je surveillerai votre chaine

[@TanyaGryaznova1313]

Great singer and teacher. Angela Gheorghiou confirms this

[@adris2604]

Grande agilità, chiara pronuncia e presenza scenica unica. Grande e bellissima Diva!

[@giovannipomella7966]

Magnifica

[@ransomcoates546]

She had the final E flat. It was the ring tone of a friend at IU.

[@unclelouie3828]

I never heard her in opera except when I Video-taped the aria (Manon Lescaut) from a Richard Tucker Gala (which can be seen on KZbin). Love her.

[@DWSpiro]

And she has seen the video you took of her and she GREATLY appreciates these brief glimpses of her artistry.

[@paulleca2544]

certes il y a CALLAS MAIS MONTSERRAT CABALLE M ?FRENI ANNA MOFFO LA VOLUPTUEUSE ET autres consoeurs n ont qu a bien se tenir bravo au chroniqueur de f musique d evoir fauit entendre VIRGINIA ZEANI INJUSTEMENT OUBLIEE DU GRAND PUBLIC et des melomanes avertis .SUBLIME.

[@1968KWT]

RIP 🫶🏼🌹♥️

[@MrNebolsin]

Да! Зеани прекрасная певица-актриса! Трудно поверить что начинала с исполнения колоратурных партий!

[@larisachiriac1260]

La Callas roumaine 🤩

[@fabriziogarzi9892]

Non esageriamo. Zeani grande artista ma spesso andava fuori del seminato ed eccessivamente verista. Voce comunque bellissima.

[@oooooo2062]

Callas + Moffo: "Zeani"

[@fabriziomariagarzi5534]

La Callas acconsente.

[@louisdewit4429]

Yes. I get that and agree.

[@martinrussell1516]

Great! What happened to the high note at end of the Traviata aria though...that's what you expect and wait for..

[@CharlotteinWeimar]

The "top note" is not written in the score but as you say it is "expected", though not every successful Violetta is blessed with such a high extension. When her repertoire consisted primarily of lighter lyric and lyric-coloratura roles Virginia Zeani always used to sing the high note. But by the time of this performance she had begun singing the heavier and lower spinto repertoire including Aida, Tosca and Manon Lescaut.

[@jjmezzo]

That note is obviously optional, Netrebko skipped it too.

[@Khalito22]

Yes she opted out f the E6

[@eduardobraivein8496]

It's not written. Certain sopranos omit it (eg Caballe).

[@viorelbadiceanu8150]

That is the original score! The spectacular Eflat was added later and not by Verdi. 😊

[@Daniela-pr7rz]

The voice is tired in Tosca, she was probably older here, but powerful in Traviata

[@CharlotteinWeimar]

In the Tosca in 1980 she was 54 years old and ever since 1948 had been regularly singing huge roles. So compared to the earlier Traviata some slight vocal "tiredness" may be understood. However, despite performing more frequently than most of her contemporaries, her technique was so secure that she kept her voice in remarkably good shape and only ever cancelled two performances. Even today at 93 her high notes and huge volume are still there.

[@louisdewit4429]

I LOVE her Vissi d’Arte. So Full.

[@MrSkylark1]

At 3:51 she does not sing the C. This is extremely difficult to sing at this tempi therefore we should enjoy her beautiful tone.

[@x147147147]

The best Violetta are all Romanians... Virginia Zeani and Angela Gheorghiu!

[@alexgraham9169]

I don't think that's Herlea. His face is only visible for a second and his voice is difficult to recognize from those few notes but I think Scarpia is either Pompei Harasteanu or David Ohanesian. Both were singing the role in 1980 and I have heard them live many times in 80s though I was only a teen then. But Mario is definitely Naghiu. I have also heard him live so many times. Anyway, priceless footage. David you are great! Great conductor, great musician and great opera lover!

[@romaniaevocis]

Scarpia was the Romanian baritone David Ohanesian.

[@jjmezzo]

Wow who is the Amneris here?!?!?!

[@alexgraham9169]

Elena Cernei

[@ashleythomasadams]

at what part? (time stamp please) thanks!

[@ElsaSun2005]

It is clear, the magnificent talent of Virginia Zeani is superior to Maria Callas.

[@tklogan111809]

under pitch in the Traviata excerpt I didn't bother to hear the rest

[@CharlotteinWeimar]

What a pathetic comment

[@EmilyGloeggler7984]

Her physical acting is bad. Shame because her singing and vocal acting is good.