# Round One: Come in quest'ora bruna. Millo, Varnay, Tebaldi



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

I think this aria has among the most beautiful accompaniments of any aria 



 







.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Varnay gets the high note prize which was trylu beautiful, but not the rest of it which bordered on boring. 
Aprile unfortunately sounds like she is older in this one. I don't know when it waas recorded but I've heard her much better than this and her high note was flat.
But bless her heart, Tebaldi hit the mark and came away with the prize. She also sped up the aria which seemed to give it more verve than the other two. Renata for me.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

nina foresti said:


> Varnay gets the high note prize which was truly beautiful, but not the rest of it which bordered on boring.
> Aprile unfortunately sounds like she is older in this one. I don't know when it waas recorded but I've heard her much better than this and her high note was flat.
> But bless her heart, Tebaldi hit the mark and came away with the prize. She also sped up the aria which seemed to give it more verve than the other two. Renata for me.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Its fascinatingly evocative accompaniment, original orchestration and harmonic surprises, all supporting a beautiful cantilena, make this one of my favorite Verdi arias. Aprile Millo may be the least distinctive of these sopranos, and she may be at less than her best here, but I find her performance the least problematic of the three. Varnay, once past the youthful prime that made her an overnight sensation, became a collection of problems; the voice became heavy and dark with a cutting edge, and she tended to attack notes from below, starting them with little or no vibrato like a pop singer. These traits aren't too bothersome here - I presume this is early 1950s - and it's interesting to hear her in Italian opera, but I don't find the results especially beautiful. Tebaldi is the most vocally endowed, but, like the others, not at her best; her high notes are characteristically effortful and flat, and with an unusually fast tempo the total effect is rushed, unpoetic and even a tad brutal. I came in expecting to choose her, but I'm going to have to give it to Millo despite a bit of trouble with the ending.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Woodduck said:


> Its fascinatingly evocative accompaniment, original orchestration and harmonic surprises, all supporting a beautiful cantilena, make this one of my favorite Verdi arias. Aprile Millo may be the least distinctive of these sopranos, and she may be at less than her best here, but I find her performance the least problematic of the three. Varnay, once past the youthful prime that made her an overnight sensation, became a collection of problems; the voice became heavy and dark with a cutting edge, and she tended to attack notes from below, starting them with little or no vibrato like a pop singer. These traits aren't too bothersome here - I presume this is early 1950s - and it's interesting to hear her in Italian opera, but I don't find the results especially beautiful. Tebaldi is the most vocally endowed, but, like the others, not at her best; her high notes are characteristically effortful and flat, and with an unusually fast tempo the total effect is rushed, unpoetic and even a tad brutal. I came in expecting to choose her, but I'm going to have to give it to Millo despite a bit of trouble with the ending.


Either I don't notice her or forget to but I don't remember seeing Millo when I am choosing contestants for other arias and I included her here at the last minute for that reason and she ended up being the winner for you  While she was never a first choice of mine, there was a decade in the 20th century in which she was maybe the best Verdi soprano out there. To me her sound reminded me of Tebaldi minus an extra lung. She looked so much like Bette Midler one expected her to tell rude jokes. I have enjoyed some videos with her as the soprano.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

My first Amelia/Maria was Kiri Te Kanawa, impossibly beautiful in both person and voice. The second was Margaret Price, who is one of my favorite sopranos, who at the time was obese but sang like an angel.

Alas, our three ladies in this contest could not touch the hem of the above two given their performances here. Where is the ease, the smoothness, the lovely _cantilena? _Millo is throaty and effortful; Varnay heavy, clumsy and draggy and out of her element; and Tebaldi sounds like she’s just trying to get it over with - this should’ve been her bailiwick.
I can’t vote for any of them.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

This is one of Verdi's most beautiful soprano arias, and the introduction to the scene is also one of the most gorgeos Verdi wrote. I think the first time I ever heard the aria was on one of Leontyne Price's _Prima Donna_ recitals, and I've always loved it, though it doesn't turn up that often on recital records.

As it happens I have just listened to the complete Santini recording and am in the middle of listening to the Abbado, and I'm afraid none of these ladies come close to the sopranos on those sets (De Los Angeles and Freni).

Like MAS, I almost feel like not voting at all, but I'll go for Tebaldi, despite the fact that she rushes it and flattens on the high notes simply because she has the more beautiful voice, but none of them impressed me. Aside from VDLA and Freni, I'd be tempted by Te Kanawa, Gheorghiu and Leontyne. How about Rethberg?


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Millo is one of those singers that I am quite indifferent to. She had an extremely beautiful tone and the singing is ok. I wouldn't go out of my way to hear her or avoid her. In this aria I find her legato lacking at times and I'm not convinced by her phrasing.

Varnay sings better, but I can't understand a word!

Tebaldi's version is too fast, but at least she sounds appealing, shapes the aria's phrases nicely and infuses the music with enough emotional input to make this one the winner here.

N.


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## ALT (Mar 1, 2021)

Definitely Tebaldi.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

The Conte said:


> Millo is one of those singers that I am quite indifferent to. She had an extremely beautiful tone and the singing is ok. I wouldn't go out of my way to hear her or avoid her. In this aria I find her legato lacking at times and I'm not convinced by her phrasing.
> 
> Varnay sings better, but I can't understand a word!
> 
> ...





Tsaraslondon said:


> This is one of Verdi's most beautiful soprano arias, and the introduction to the scene is also one of the most gorgeos Verdi wrote. I think the first time I ever heard the aria was on one of Leontyne Price's _Prima Donna_ recitals, and I've always loved it, though it doesn't turn up that often on recital records.
> 
> As it happens I have just listened to the complete Santini recording and am in the middle of listening to the Abbado, and I'm afraid none of these ladies come close to the sopranos on those sets (De Los Angeles and Freni).
> 
> Like MAS, I almost feel like not voting at all, but I'll go for Tebaldi, despite the fact that she rushes it and flattens on the high notes simply because she has the more beautiful voice, but none of them impressed me. Aside from VDLA and Freni, I'd be tempted by Te Kanawa, Gheorghiu and Leontyne. How about Rethberg?


I think those grumbling over these will be pleased with my next artists.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

John: Just out of curiosity, was the Millo late or early Millo?


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

nina foresti said:


> John: Just out of curiosity, was the Millo late or early Millo?


Didn't say but from everyone's critique likely later. She had a lovely voice early on. I did only a cursory listening. Sorry.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

nina foresti said:


> John: Just out of curiosity, was the Millo late or early Millo?


It says on the video "New York 1995." Millo was born in 1958. That would make her 37.


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## Revitalized Classics (Oct 31, 2018)

Tebaldi, for me.

Millo does not have a distinctive timbre and is a bit coarse.

Varnay is a major voice but the swooping is idiosyncratic: there remains a concentration to her singing and better line - including the high note being tapered - which are appreciated.

Tebaldi's mellower voice is balm after Varnay. All the same, there is a perfunctory air about the performance: lacking line and expansiveness, in part because of the tempo. The treacherous question arises if the fast tempo was a genuine artistic choice or necessitated by the condition of the prima donna's voice: it's not a detailed characterisation.

The point might consequently go to Millo but it is such an anonymous performance I just can't: Tebaldi off-form remains my preference of these three.


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## Francasacchi (7 mo ago)

Interesting that Varnay was assigned this role at the Met. Verdi soprano shortage then?


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Francasacchi said:


> Interesting that Varnay was assigned this role at the Met. Verdi soprano shortage then?


In the 1950s? Surely not. We may think of Varnay mainly for her Wagner at Bayreuth, but she was a versatile artist with several Verdi roles in her repertoire. I believe she made a Verdi recital album.


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## Revitalized Classics (Oct 31, 2018)

Francasacchi said:


> Interesting that Varnay was assigned this role at the Met. Verdi soprano shortage then?


Possibly: as incongruous as that sounds. 

Keeping in mind it was 1950 for Varnay singing Amelia, recent Verdian sopranos at the Met were Daniza Ilitsch (Ballo), Ljuba Welitsch (Aida), and soon to see Delia Rigal (Don Carlo). I'm sure all three had their moments but for various reasons they did not stay long on the Met roster and knowing the part of Amelia isn't a given.

Milanov was omnipresent but Tebaldi was not at the Met til 1955, Callas til 1956, Sutherland and Price til 1961 etc.

Singers who plausibly could have sung the part like Steber and Kirsten perhaps didn't have it in their rep and Milanov didn't get round to singing the part til 1960, I think. I don't think Licia Albanese went near it at all?

Consequently not a ton of candidates on hand.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Revitalized Classics said:


> Possibly: as incongruous as that sounds.
> 
> Keeping in mind it was 1950 for Varnay singing Amelia, recent Verdian sopranos at the Met were Daniza Ilitsch (Ballo), Ljuba Welitsch (Aida), and soon to see Delia Rigal (Don Carlo). I'm sure all three had their moments but for various reasons they did not stay long on the Met roster and knowing the part of Amelia isn't a given.
> 
> ...


Varnay had quite a career singing Verdi in the late 40's and early 50's actually. Many roles. I like her but she gets little love here LOL. Many recordings. She was one of the few who sang both Aida and Amneris, though she was better known for Amneris.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Seattleoperafan said:


> Varnay had quite a career singing Verdi in the late 40's and early 50's actually. Many roles. I like her but she gets little love here LOL. Many recordings. She was one of the few who sang both Aida and Amneris, though she was better known for Amneris.





Revitalized Classics said:


> Possibly: as incongruous as that sounds.
> 
> Keeping in mind it was 1950 for Varnay singing Amelia, recent Verdian sopranos at the Met were Daniza Ilitsch (Ballo), Ljuba Welitsch (Aida), and soon to see Delia Rigal (Don Carlo). I'm sure all three had their moments but for various reasons they did not stay long on the Met roster and knowing the part of Amelia isn't a given.
> 
> ...


Varnay did not perform much in America actually and little at the Met I believe. She was very European centric in her career from what I can tell. She was American, though.


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## Revitalized Classics (Oct 31, 2018)

Seattleoperafan said:


> Varnay had quite a career singing Verdi in the late 40's and early 50's actually. Many roles. I like her but she gets little love here LOL. Many recordings. She was one of the few who sang both Aida and Amneris, though she was better known for Amneris.


Yes, I believe there are records of her as Aida, Leonora in Trovatore, this Amelia Boccanegra, Lady Macbeth. Possibly more besides.

I think that of these her Lady Macbeth is her strongest Verdi role but I still get put off by the scoopy phrasing (don't know the technical term). 

Varnay was a star with a glamorous and big voice so I'm glad to have heard the record but she's just not my favourite Amelia.


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## Francasacchi (7 mo ago)

Seattleoperafan said:


> Varnay had quite a career singing Verdi in the late 40's and early 50's actually. Many roles. I like her but she gets little love here LOL. Many recordings. She was one of the few who sang both Aida and Amneris, though she was better known for Amneris.


She only sang Amneris twice at the Lyric Opera of Chicago on a lark for Carol Fox in 1956. She preferred Aida and sang that much more thsn Amneris.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Revitalized Classics said:


> Yes, I believe there are records of her as Aida, Leonora in Trovatore, this Amelia Boccanegra, Lady Macbeth. Possibly more besides.
> 
> I think that of these her Lady Macbeth is her strongest Verdi role but I still get put off by the scoopy phrasing (don't know the technical term).
> 
> Varnay was a star with a glamorous and big voice so I'm glad to have heard the record but she's just not my favourite Amelia.


Most say LM is her best role. I listen to lots of pop as well so scooping doesn't bother me like it does most on the site. I love the totally individual sound Varnay makes and I really connect with her as an artist. She makes everything she sings very different from everyone else by her unique sound, IMHO. My music listening companion and I listen to a very wide range of musical styles when we get together for a weekly afternoon roadtrip and we enjoy them all. Lots of pop stars scoop when they sing so I am sort of used to it. I LOVE Alessandra Marc, but she scoops a lot and I don't mind as I find her voice so gorgeous. A noted Washington newspaper critic said early in her career that she had the most beautiful voice in the world, so I am not the only one. Don't ask that I get banned for my questionable taste, please.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

What I've never been able to understand is what happened to the Varnay we hear in Met broadcasts of the early 1940s. The voice was free, clear and bright with a quick vibrato, and the singing free of mannerisms. By the time of the present recording (and concurrent recordings from Bayreuth) the voice had changed so much that I'm not sure I'd guess it was the same singer.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Woodduck said:


> What I've never been able to understand is what happened to the Varnay we hear in Met broadcasts of the early 1940s. The voice was free, clear and bright with a quick vibrato, and the singing free of mannerisms. By the time of the present recording (and concurrent recordings from Bayreuth) the voice had changed so much that I'm not sure I'd guess it was the same singer.


It is simple. She needed the work and they hired her for Sieglinde at 22 and then immediately took on the big Wagner roles. For a dramatic soprano the voice is not fully formed and mature by then. Jane Eaglen was not able to sing above A5 till 28 and then suddenly the notes were there. Varnay had a severe vocal crisis by her mid 20's and the way she sang after that was her workaround to make her damaged voice work. You don't like it but she has a huge reputation and was sought by big houses all over for years. By the time Nilsson ( her exact age) was taking off with her career, Varnay very soon transitioning to character mezzo roles where she was almost unequaled. She lost the security at the top. They only sang the same repertoire for a few years when Nilsson started singing at Bayreuth where she and Varnay switched off on roles. It is this which leads me to think that Callas's vocal issues in her thirties could have been taking on all the big roles she sang from the start as much as her weight loss. She also was singing huge roles from her early 20's. Didn't she even sing a major part still in her teens?? Ponselle seems to be one of the isolated few who took on big roles early without any seeming effect other than perhaps the short top she developed fairly quickly. She had a grown woman's voice by 14 so she was a freak. Who knows. Flagstad and Nilsson didn't take on the really big roles till at least their late 30's and both had notable longevity to their voices. Suliotis also had a fabulous voice like early Varnay, sang all the big parts by 25 but never was able like Varnay to come up with a workaround for all the damage the early years caused. What a career she could have had if she had been more circumspect in taking on roles too early. Her voice and talent were amazing.


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## Francasacchi (7 mo ago)

Woodduck said:


> What I've never been able to understand is what happened to the Varnay we hear in Met broadcasts of the early 1940s. The voice was free, clear and bright with a quick vibrato, and the singing free of mannerisms. By the time of the present recording (and concurrent recordings from Bayreuth) the voice had changed so much that I'm not sure I'd guess it was the same singer.


She had some kind of vocal crisis in the mid 40s and she also discusses in her autobio how she noticed the voice was changing from more of a judendlich dramatische to a hochdramatische. The live heavily cut 1949 live Elektra under Mitropoulus is stunning because it melds weighty power with free, clear high notes shooting forth like comets.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Francasacchi said:


> She had some kind of vocal crisis in the mid 40s and she also discusses in her autobio how she noticed the voice was changing from more of a judendlich dramatische to a hochdramatische. The live heavily cut 1949 live Elektra under Mitropoulus is stunning because it melds weighty power with free, clear high notes shooting forth like comets.


Many noted critics say she was the very best Elektra, which is saying something because Nilsson was no chopped liver!!! Ralph Moore said: " Varnay is perhaps the greatest Elektra ever. Varnay is in blazing form: no wobble, searing, soaring top notes and not a hint of fatigue right up to the devastating dance climax; the only vocal flaw is that particular tendency she had of squeezing and swelling notes too much." .She had more power than Nilsson down low. Nilsson actually wasn't bad down low, but Varnay was like a contralto down there. That monologue has some prominent low lying sections. Gleaming top notes. Great passion. I love Marc as Elektra, but her big minus is a weak bottom. She did develop a stronger chest voice in her late 40's.


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## Francasacchi (7 mo ago)

Varnay was scheduled to debut as Elsa later but had to jump in as Sieglinde as an emergency replacement for Lehmann. Varnay's mother and Wiegert trained her as a jugendliche dramstische even though she studied hochdramstische parts too under Wiegert. She ended up doing Brunnhilde early as a replacement for Traubel right after the Sieglinde. Lawrence was stricken with polio, Flagstad was in Norway, and the Met needed another Wagnerian, and Varnay was it.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

I have no doubt that taking on the biggest roles in her twenties are the efficient cause (thanks, Aristotle) of her vocal change. Still, I know of no other singer whose voice became virtually unrecognizable between her twenties and thirties. It's damned weird. Callas developed problems, but her voice remained basically the same, as most voices do.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Woodduck said:


> I have no doubt that taking on the biggest roles in her twenties are the efficient cause (thanks, Aristotle) of her vocal change. Still, I know of no other singer whose voice became virtually unrecognizable between her twenties and thirties. It's damned weird. Callas developed problems, but her voice remained basically the same, as most voices do.


If you played me her debut performance and didn't tell me it was her, I would have no clue. Actually I heard some Jessye Norman recordings from her early 20's and it was similar, but in her case I just think her voice had not yet matured. She didn't really take on big roles till her late 20's and then sang mostly recitals for years. I read where basses don't really come into their own till 40.


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