In her early years at Covent Garden Schwarzkopf sang several roles that would not later be associated with her - including Puccini's Madama Butterfly. It is miraculous that this recording exists. In her book ' Bandsman's daughter' Irene Thomas, British radio and TV personality ,'Brain of Britain' champion who was a Contralto singer at Covent Garden says that the chorus would stay behind to watch Violetta's death scene as Schwarzkopf was so beautiful and moving.
Perhaps surprisingly, this recording turns out to be quite enjoyable. It was presumably made in the late 1940s, when audiences were still used to hearing Violetta sung by lyric sopranos who favored beauty of tone and purity of line over intensity of expression and a detailed rendering of the text. Taste shifted dramatically in the 1950s thanks to Tebaldi and Callas, and Schwarzkopf must have recognized that her approach was beginning to sound dated, which would explain why she dropped the role from her repertoire. Still, it seems to me that recordings such as this one give us a fair idea of what earlier sopranos such as Patti would have sounded like in this role.
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf was the ideal Violetta in all(face, figure,voice and play). Past war she married to England. May be her husband was the Boss of "His Masters Voice"(but I dont know this exactly). From this time may be this English recording ? She was a German-Preußen Lady, and a wonderfull comrade she never had forgot friendship.
Schwarzkopf as Violetta? While perhaps not best suited for her, this is still quite interesting. Thank you for this fascinating glimpse into her artistry!
Beh,per me elisabeth e' una delle piu grandi cantanti del secolo,la traviata e' un ruolo non suo,del resto lo, ha interpretato poche volte in teatro!!!,mi sembra ovvio quindi che la schwarzkopf piu' grande non sia da cercare in questo ruolo!!!!.... pure... in quante oggi possono cantare in modo cosi perfetto come fa lei? a voi la qurelle!!!!!!
Dame Elisabeth blocked the release of the "Follie...Sempre libera" (or whatever it is in English) for years. Even Testament didn't include on a Schwarzkopf rarities disc. We get to hear it now and one wonders why Schwarzkopf was so self-critical. If not as brilliant as Callas or Sutherland, she does not disgrace herself.
listen to it more times and try to catch the poesy and a very profound understanding of the score, ever you listened the unsurpassable Vier Letzte Lieder by R Straus everybody learned from her
In het begin van haar carrière E.S. zong zij Violetta, Mimi, Gilda,Butterfly en Manon. Zij produceert hieral een wonderschone klank. Er bestaat op het Duitse merk van EMI uit 1953 een een hoogtepunten plaat van haar met R.Panerai uit La Traviata in het Italiaans!! Paul R.
She listens very well, although the english version sounds a bit strange, but I think it would in any other than Italian. Curiously, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf sacrificed his career in the role of Violetta when listened to Maria Callas, presumably because for Schwarzkopf the street version was perfect.
Inascoltabile! Cantata praticamente come fosse "la Vedova Allegra"😂😂😂Si capisce che nel sentire la Callas in teatro decise che mai più avrebbe cantato Traviata. E ha fatto bene.
I have heard Schwarzkopf, and I have heard Violetta, and this is certainly not the best of either. The english doesn't help (can't understand anything!). Her running notes are also rather sloppy--she excels in more lyric roles, I would say.
He he...ok,one of my favourite sopranos BUT..her diction in English is a disaster! In fact,it was a disastrus idea itself,translating Traviata in English.Who came up with such an idea,anyway!
Oh dear, Violetta in English, what a terrible idea. Elisabeth has a beautiful voice but she is no Violetta. Some passages of her Mozart and Strauss singing (Elvira, Marschallin, some lieder) show emotional depth, but she strikes me as a "cold" artist despite her technical polish and obvious musicianship. Look up her surprisingly good Liu in the 1957 TURANDOT recording with a very good Maria Callas as the princess and the execrable Eugenio Fernandi as Calaf.
I've never really understood what the big deal with her voice is. Even though It might be good technically, I think it's boring. Even when she sings in german. Call me an ignorant, but her voice just doesn't make me feel anything...
In her early years at Covent Garden Schwarzkopf sang several roles that would not later be associated with her - including Puccini's Madama Butterfly. It is miraculous that this recording exists. In her book ' Bandsman's daughter' Irene Thomas, British radio and TV personality ,'Brain of Britain' champion who was a Contralto singer at Covent Garden says that the chorus would stay behind to watch Violetta's death scene as Schwarzkopf was so beautiful and moving.
She was the main soprano at Covent Garden after the war. Everything there had to be sung in English.
Perhaps surprisingly, this recording turns out to be quite enjoyable. It was presumably made in the late 1940s, when audiences were still used to hearing Violetta sung by lyric sopranos who favored beauty of tone and purity of line over intensity of expression and a detailed rendering of the text. Taste shifted dramatically in the 1950s thanks to Tebaldi and Callas, and Schwarzkopf must have recognized that her approach was beginning to sound dated, which would explain why she dropped the role from her repertoire. Still, it seems to me that recordings such as this one give us a fair idea of what earlier sopranos such as Patti would have sounded like in this role.
Great projection of both sides of the character, the hidden vulnerability and the courtesan
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf was the ideal Violetta in all(face, figure,voice and play).
Past war she married to England. May be her husband was the Boss of "His Masters Voice"(but I dont know this exactly). From this time may be this English recording ? She was a German-Preußen Lady, and a wonderfull comrade she never had forgot friendship.
Schwarzkopf as Violetta? While perhaps not best suited for her, this is still quite interesting. Thank you for this fascinating glimpse into her artistry!
Beh,per me elisabeth e' una delle piu grandi cantanti del secolo,la traviata e' un ruolo non suo,del resto lo, ha interpretato poche volte in teatro!!!,mi sembra ovvio quindi che la schwarzkopf piu' grande non sia da cercare in questo ruolo!!!!.... pure... in quante oggi possono cantare in modo cosi perfetto come fa lei? a voi la qurelle!!!!!!
Dame Elisabeth blocked the release of the "Follie...Sempre libera" (or whatever it is in English) for years. Even Testament didn't include on a Schwarzkopf rarities disc. We get to hear it now and one wonders why Schwarzkopf was so self-critical. If not as brilliant as Callas or Sutherland, she does not disgrace herself.
AGain .. I was pleasantly suprised at the vocalism. Honest singing.
the e-flat is not obligatory - the question is, did she sing well the role? A final shriek does not make a Traviata
listen to it more times and try to catch the poesy and a very profound understanding of the score, ever you listened the unsurpassable Vier Letzte Lieder by R Straus everybody learned from her
In het begin van haar carrière E.S. zong zij Violetta, Mimi, Gilda,Butterfly en Manon. Zij produceert hieral een wonderschone klank. Er bestaat op het Duitse merk van EMI uit 1953 een een hoogtepunten plaat van haar met R.Panerai uit La Traviata in het Italiaans!!
Paul R.
She listens very well, although the english version sounds a bit strange, but I think it would in any other than Italian.
Curiously, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf sacrificed his career in the role of Violetta when listened to Maria Callas, presumably because for Schwarzkopf the street version was perfect.
Her voice sounds like she could sing to high f and beyond.. this is a high voice.. and its easy in the upper register.
Inascoltabile! Cantata praticamente come fosse "la Vedova Allegra"😂😂😂Si capisce che nel sentire la Callas in teatro decise che mai più avrebbe cantato Traviata. E ha fatto bene.
What language ?
It makes little difference that she's singing in English. I can't understand a word of it anyway.
Poi arrivo' la Callas e spazzo' via tutto questo.
Yep - I do much prefer her brilliant student Sumi Jo, for example.
Non si può! Ma quando mai la Traviata in lingua inglese?!?! Gran voce grande opera ma a mio parere lei non ha voce da Violetta tantomeno in inglese!
She sings like Hafiz Sami Efendi
Molto insolito e interessante
La Traviata in German? It's sacrilegious! Good voice anyway
It's in English here...but I can understand how it's difficult to make out over the scratchiness in the recording.
I have heard Schwarzkopf, and I have heard Violetta, and this is certainly not the best of either. The english doesn't help (can't understand anything!). Her running notes are also rather sloppy--she excels in more lyric roles, I would say.
He he...ok,one of my favourite sopranos BUT..her diction in English is a disaster! In fact,it was a disastrus idea itself,translating Traviata in English.Who came up with such an idea,anyway!
Oh dear, Violetta in English, what a terrible idea. Elisabeth has a beautiful voice but she is no Violetta. Some passages of her Mozart and Strauss singing (Elvira, Marschallin, some lieder) show emotional depth, but she strikes me as a "cold" artist despite her technical polish and obvious musicianship. Look up her surprisingly good Liu in the 1957 TURANDOT recording with a very good Maria Callas as the princess and the execrable Eugenio Fernandi as Calaf.
She should have sang it in German.
thank you! I totally agree ! overrated as can be
Did Schwarzkopf do much bel canto? Her voice has so little colour and agility. Beautiful singer though.
I've never really understood what the big deal with her voice is. Even though It might be good technically, I think it's boring. Even when she sings in german. Call me an ignorant, but her voice just doesn't make me feel anything...
The big deal with her voice ???
Her husband ,W.Legge.
Trop a la ...viennoise..
Overrated
@arturo3164 I feel the exact same way about her voice! Boring.... even in german...
*A small, but ugly voice.*
A great and unforgettable idiot