I caught her last ever performance of the role in December 1983 at Covent Garden, having rocked up for the second performance from university which was cancelled due to illness. She started out a little tentatively and then there was a bomb scare. Having cleared the theatre we returned and suddenly she was on fire. I particularly remember a stunning and very long High D at the end of Act III. It almost blew the top of the theatre off!! Apparently Bonynge wanted to do it in Australia in 1985 but it was cancelled on cost grounds I gather.
I saw her at the Met in this opera. It was really just the beginning of my opera going, and there were no subtitles then, so I honestly had no clue what was going on. But it was quite an eyeful, and of course the Sutherland voice was astonishing.
I was very young when I saw this at the Met back in 1976 and I knew nothing about the work. Yet I fell head over heels in love with it and with the two principals -- Sutherland and Aragall. I went back another three times to see it. Aragall was replaced twice by John Alexander because of "illness." The two stars were a matchless pair, if you were lucky enough to see them both at the same time.
I loved this opera also. I saw it at the MET. The sound is really big, especially the brass. Some critics dissed it due to its mythology. I thought:Really? - The ring cycle is nothing but ridiculous mythology and you lavish perennial praise on it. (Some trivia: There was some speculation as to whether Aragall was wearing anything under his leotards.)
There are few people, i think, who could sing this. Sutherland was wonderful. I love Massenet; but I was just bowled over when i first heard this: it is so big, wild,, varied: a grand fairy tale fantasy. The orchestration is glorious. If it is true that this is not to everyone's taste, this certainly was to mine! It has become one of the Operas I most like going back to listen to; and i am sorry that , like Saint-Saens Henry VIII, it has never caught on.
Don't offend Massenet. His was a genius never repeated.He is full ,tireless in inventing melodies ,& he never sacrifices melody for....monotonous ,useless length
I caught her last ever performance of the role in December 1983 at Covent Garden, having rocked up for the second performance from university which was cancelled due to illness. She started out a little tentatively and then there was a bomb scare. Having cleared the theatre we returned and suddenly she was on fire. I particularly remember a stunning and very long High D at the end of Act III. It almost blew the top of the theatre off!! Apparently Bonynge wanted to do it in Australia in 1985 but it was cancelled on cost grounds I gather.
I love this post! So interesting!
The aria they played just shows how INCREDIBLE Joan Sutherland was!
I saw her at the Met in this opera. It was really just the beginning of my opera going, and there were no subtitles then, so I honestly had no clue what was going on. But it was quite an eyeful, and of course the Sutherland voice was astonishing.
I was very young when I saw this at the Met back in 1976 and I knew nothing about the work. Yet I fell head over heels in love with it and with the two principals -- Sutherland and Aragall. I went back another three times to see it. Aragall was replaced twice by John Alexander because of "illness." The two stars were a matchless pair, if you were lucky enough to see them both at the same time.
The one and only Joan Sutherland.
I loved this opera also. I saw it at the MET. The sound is really big, especially the brass. Some critics dissed it due to its mythology. I thought:Really? - The ring cycle is nothing but ridiculous mythology and you lavish perennial praise on it. (Some trivia: There was some speculation as to whether Aragall was wearing anything under his leotards.)
Those big exposed b flat(?) jumps around the middle 😳turned on like a light switch and full toned
There are few people, i think, who could sing this. Sutherland was wonderful. I love Massenet; but I was just bowled over when i first heard this: it is so big, wild,, varied: a grand fairy tale fantasy. The orchestration is glorious. If it is true that this is not to everyone's taste, this certainly was to mine! It has become one of the Operas I most like going back to listen to; and i am sorry that , like Saint-Saens Henry VIII, it has never caught on.
Esclarmonde: Wagner, but in French.
Don't offend Massenet.
His was a genius never repeated.He is full ,tireless in inventing melodies ,& he never sacrifices melody for....monotonous ,useless length
Totally!