Verdi - Aida - Act IV, scene I - Ebe Stignani, Beniamino Gigli - Beecham (ROH, 1939)

Giuseppe Verdi
Aida
L'abborita rivale a me sfuggia ... Già i sacerdoti adunansi ... Misero appien mi festi ... Chi ti salva, sciagurato .... [Ohimè!] morir mi sento ... Spirto del Nume... A lui vivo la tomba .... Sacerdoti, compiste un delitto (with interruption)
Amneris - Ebe Stignani
Radamès - Beniamino Gigli
Ramfis - Corrado Zambelli
Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
London Philarmonic Orchestra
Thomas Beecham, conductor
Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, May 24, 1939

[@tantris39]

Magnificent, absolutely magnificent.

[@arrassip3196]

For me she is the best Italian mezzo of the century. I have records os her in Amneris, with Caniglia and Tebaldi, Azucena, Preciozilla, Eboli, Grande Vestal, Adalgisa and Laura,

[@arrassip3196]

and Ulrica

[@ChristainSTARS]

A miracle of vocal beauty and power

[@photo161]

There are numerous savage cuts at key moments in the confrontation between Amneris and the priests which simply decimates the impact of the scene which had been developing so excitingly and dramatic...What a pity. If an uncut version could be found what a treasure that would be. The cuts sound as if they resulted from efforts to cut out tape that had been damaged by then splicing together the surrounding pieces of tape that had not been damaged with the emphasis on creating a tape free of the obvious technical glitches rather than one which would retain the musical and dramatic integrity of the scene.. What a loss!

[@JefRoberts]

Splendid, grand and compelling in spite of the skips. What an amazing artist she was!

[@vicmanu]

Indeed! And these live records show that she was a more involved artist than we usually take her for based on her studio legacy.

[@JefRoberts]

Also, here in her absolute prime. What a voice! With a huge repertoire, a lot of it not preserved on records - What I would give for bits of her Wagner (22 performances of Ortrud alone at La Scala between 1929-1940, plus 7 Gutrune and 6 Branganes). Or Respighi's La Fiamma. Or Marina from Boris Godunov. A truly remarkable artist.

[@arrassip3196]

dO YOU HER LOHENGRIN?

[@JefRoberts]

I don’t believe any of her Ortrud survives. Pity. I imagine she was tremendous in the part.

[@tantris39]

@@JefRoberts And Brangäne, imagine that!!

[@caseyfranco3959]

Say what u will about preferred voice types, have u heard singing so dramatic and as exciting as this today?! I think not!🧡

[@brianlandry9214]

If I did, I'd have a heart attack.

[@liusan4641]

Soys sordos? Ella es puro soprano.😢