Description:Taken from a gala concert at Brooklyn Academy of Music. Grace Bumbry, James Levine, American Symphony Orchestra, hosted by Beverly Sills 1985
I first Grace on an l.p. when I was a teenager and from that moment on I was captivated by her voice. I eventually saw her at the ROH/London in the 70’s in the role as Tosca and even managed to speak with her at the stage door and get an autograph. Wonderful memories of a wonderful artist.
Remarkable and Fantastic Performance!! This is from "Gala of Stars 1985" with Beverly Sills, which aired as part of the conclusion of PBS' Festival '85 March Pledge Campaign for PBS stations including my local PBS station: KPBS in San Diego, Circa Sunday March 24th, 1985!! TV Worth Watching and TV Worth Paying For!!!
Why was it that Grace's top notes always cut out too early? It was like she always used to run out of breath or her support gave in. Yet when you watch her breathe and support, it seems like she is doing everything right with her diaphragm ....
She sustains them for as long as she feels she possibly can without losing the amount of vocal quality she is always aiming for. She is not one of those singers who can stay on high C's for hours on end, like Sumi Jo or Sutherland (both of whom I like very, very much), it's just not her voice, so she does the best she can and ensures that she never drops below a certain degree of quality. Which is not to say she can't sustain high notes at all; she's simply no light soprano, or even lyric soprano; she started as a mezzo then moved on to dramatic soprano. Her voice is simply what it is, and she uses it to its very best. Supremely intelligent woman. Also, it's funny you should say that in this particular video - where I don't feel her top notes cut out too early at all...
i think she had good facility with high notes around the late 70's - mid 80's, after which the high C's were not always guaranteed. for example, i do think she sang turandot (1991-1993) a decade too late. there was a concert medea in london (circa 1982?) in which she sang very high IIRC.
@@MegaDeando To think that being able to sustain a note far, far past the point it's written is proof of a better singer is your own interpretation, and limitation. (PS - Different account, but I'm still the Peter Piers)
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I first Grace on an l.p. when I was a teenager and from that moment on I was captivated by her voice. I eventually saw her at the ROH/London in the 70’s in the role as Tosca and even managed to speak with her at the stage door and get an autograph. Wonderful memories of a wonderful artist.
Beautiful pianissimo!
Another voice from a long forgotten art! Simple awesome
Wow, the way she started it.
I heard Ms. Bumbry in a production of Tosca years ago. She was glorious.
Always the finest artist for this aria!
Nowhere near.
I love her voice!!!
What a deliciously beautiful voice with such velvet! Her breath control fantastic!!!!
DIVA!!!! DIVINA!!!!DIVINISSIMA!!!!!
Remarkable and Fantastic Performance!! This is from "Gala of Stars 1985" with Beverly Sills, which aired as part of the conclusion of PBS' Festival '85 March Pledge Campaign for PBS stations including my local PBS station: KPBS in San Diego, Circa Sunday March 24th, 1985!! TV Worth Watching and TV Worth Paying For!!!
Commovente il pathos buono che esce dalla sua voce! Bravissima...
lovely pianissimo
Brava!!! Brava!!! Brava!!!
🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹I love you Grace Bumbry- amazing !🌹🌹🌹🌹
Ma che brava !!!!!!!!!!!!
Nice!!!
Magnífica!!!
A mezzo that tried playing soprano for a time with mixed results.
beautiful voice. i didn't know that billy joel was a conductor as well as the piano man!
Our beautiful diva sure knew how to buttare and spaccare, non è vero?
👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Aha, Courtney! So Grace is among your favorites, hm? Price and Moffo are my two top favorites…
She’s probably singing what’s written and not extending for showmanship.
Why was it that Grace's top notes always cut out too early? It was like she always used to run out of breath or her support gave in. Yet when you watch her breathe and support, it seems like she is doing everything right with her diaphragm ....
She sustains them for as long as she feels she possibly can without losing the amount of vocal quality she is always aiming for. She is not one of those singers who can stay on high C's for hours on end, like Sumi Jo or Sutherland (both of whom I like very, very much), it's just not her voice, so she does the best she can and ensures that she never drops below a certain degree of quality. Which is not to say she can't sustain high notes at all; she's simply no light soprano, or even lyric soprano; she started as a mezzo then moved on to dramatic soprano. Her voice is simply what it is, and she uses it to its very best. Supremely intelligent woman.
Also, it's funny you should say that in this particular video - where I don't feel her top notes cut out too early at all...
thats her interpretation and limit... listen to caballes she has a different interpretation and limit.. she cuts across 2 big notes. hahaha
i think she had good facility with high notes around the late 70's - mid 80's, after which the high C's were not always guaranteed. for example, i do think she sang turandot (1991-1993) a decade too late. there was a concert medea in london (circa 1982?) in which she sang very high IIRC.
Because she had a dramatic mezzo-soprano voice that she stubbornly pushed into lyric soprano repertoire for which she was fundamentally unsuited.
@@MegaDeando To think that being able to sustain a note far, far past the point it's written is proof of a better singer is your own interpretation, and limitation. (PS - Different account, but I'm still the Peter Piers)