# Who Sang It Better Poll



## Operasinger (May 28, 2021)

Who sang it better - Lina Bruna Rasa 
Minute 34:58






Rosa Ponselle


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Normally Rosa conquers all in my experience, but Rasa, who I had never heard, of has a slight edge with what sounds like more involved singing and a miraculously beautiful voice. Thanks for this surprise. Still, Ponselle does a fabulous version of this aria.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Having been weaned on this special Mascagni conducted recording and knowing all the arias at one time in my youth, I am prejudiced to start with. But listening to Ponselle (no shrinking violet herself) vs. Bruna Rasa simply confirmed my preference of Bruna Rasa who has that verismo earthy quality to her voice that cannot be beat! I was particularly charmed by Gigli and Bechi's performances.
Listening once again to Mascagni's introduction brought a lump to my throat and memories of an opera newbie back then. This is the way opera should be sung!
Thanks for the memories.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

nina foresti said:


> Having been weaned on this special Mascagni conducted recording and knowing all the arias at one time in my youth, I am prejudiced to start with. But listening to Ponselle (no shrinking violet herself) vs. Bruna Rasa simply confirmed my preference of Bruna Rasa who has that verismo earthy quality to her voice that cannot be beat! I was particularly charmed by Gigli and Bechi's performances.
> Listening once again to Mascagni's introduction brought a lump to my throat and memories of an opera newbie back then. This is the way opera should be sung!
> Thanks for the memories.


Did you know Bruna Rasa? I had never heard of her and thought her magnificent!!!!


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Seattleoperafan said:


> Did you know Bruna Rasa? I had never heard of her and thought her magnificent!!!!


Being a newbie to opera I just happened upon that particular Cavalleria because I recognized the name Gigli, and was immediately taken with her voice.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

SeattleOF:
You might be interested in this blurb on Bruna Rasa:

"Bruna Rasa's earliest assumptions of Santuzza in Cavalleria rusticana, the role for which she is best remembered today, were in 1927 in Lausanne and Bari. The opera's composer, Pietro Mascagni, and Bruna Rasa met for the first time in Venice in July 1928 when he conducted a performance of Cavalleria Rusticana in the Piazza San Marco before a crowd of 35,000 people. Mascagni was struck by her dramatic intensity and her powerful yet beautiful voice. She was to become his favourite Santuzza. He subsequently conducted many of her performances in the role both in Italy and abroad and chose her for the 1940 recording of Cavalleria rusticana which marked the 50th anniversary of its premiere. It is the only full-length studio recording of the work which is conducted by Mascagni himself.
In the early 1930s Bruna Rasa had begun showing signs of the mental illness which was to cause her premature retirement from the stage. This worsened with the death of her mother in 1935. She suffered a severe breakdown which led to her spending increasingly longer periods away from the stage, often in sanatoriums. Gino Bechi who sang with her on the 1940 Cavalleria rusticana recording recalled that during the recording sessions she would insistently ask him if he had noticed the white horses in the wings that she believed were waiting to take her away, but would become completely lucid when the music began.[1] The tenor Giovanni Breviario who sang with her in Lecco in 1941 recalled: "Her marvelous voice came to life as soon as she began her scenes. This happened only onstage. We were all very affectionate toward her, but when not on the stage, she was passive, apathetic, would not speak and remained doggedly clinging to her handbag."[2]
On 20 July 1942, she sang in Cavalleria rusticana at the outdoor arena in Pesaro. It was to be her final performance in a staged opera. Lina Bruna Rasa spent the last 36 years of her life in a mental hospital in Milan, where she died."


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## Operasinger (May 28, 2021)

Thanks for sharing this piece of information about her! 
I found her to be so generous with her singing she is magnificent for sure. Wish there was a way to know what really happened to her at the last part of her life from a modern point of view. 
36 years is such a long period of time. 
I found this recording while I was searching for the best recording of this aria a few years ago. It was just there on YT waiting to be found. It is my personal favorite and the fact that Mascagni conducted it with his opening remarks just makes it even more special!
Here are more of her recordings-


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Operasinger said:


> Thanks for sharing this piece of information about her!
> I found her to be so generous with her singing she is magnificent for sure. Wish there was a way to know what really happened to her at the last part of her life from a modern point of view.
> 36 years is such a long period of time.
> I found this recording while I was searching for the best recording of this aria a few years ago. It was just there on YT waiting to be found. It is my personal favorite and the fact that Mascagni conducted it with his opening remarks just makes it even more special!
> Here are more of her recordings-


This was spectacular!! In some ways she reminds me of Magda Olivero. What a powerful instrument.


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## Operasinger (May 28, 2021)

Yes! And you just made me go back and listen to Olivero after years I haven’t. I can see what you mean, they both truly went all the way in their performances.


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## Revitalized Classics (Oct 31, 2018)

I wondered if people know about her live recording, also with Mascagni, from 1938 which is very exciting?




Starting 31:43

Cavalleria rusticana by Pietro Mascagni 1863-1945 performed in Italian
Conductor Pietro Mascagni - 1938(LI)
Orchestra - Opera Italiana d'Olanda
Chorus - Opera Italiana d'Olanda
Santuzza - *Lina Bruna Rasa*
Turiddu - Antonio Melandri
Alfio - Afro Poli
Lola - Maria Meloni
Lucia - Rina Gallo Toscani


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

nina foresti said:


> SeattleOF:
> You might be interested in this blurb on Bruna Rasa:
> 
> "Bruna Rasa's earliest assumptions of Santuzza in Cavalleria rusticana, the role for which she is best remembered today, were in 1927 in Lausanne and Bari. The opera's composer, Pietro Mascagni, and Bruna Rasa met for the first time in Venice in July 1928 when he conducted a performance of Cavalleria Rusticana in the Piazza San Marco before a crowd of 35,000 people. Mascagni was struck by her dramatic intensity and her powerful yet beautiful voice. She was to become his favourite Santuzza. He subsequently conducted many of her performances in the role both in Italy and abroad and chose her for the 1940 recording of Cavalleria rusticana which marked the 50th anniversary of its premiere. It is the only full-length studio recording of the work which is conducted by Mascagni himself.
> ...


You almost never hear about singers who have psychological problems. It was much more difficult to treat back in the day. I got very very sick with bipolar disorder 30 years ago. Luckily for me the medications keep me rock solid in my moods. Not everyone is so lucky. I just have to control my stress levels. I would not be able to cope with the stresses of an international opera career. It is a difficult job and many talented singers I'm sure are also not up to the demands of the job.


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## Operasinger (May 28, 2021)

> I wondered if people know about her live recording, also with Mascagni, from 1938 which is very exciting?


Woooooowwww!! And in the end- "io son donata ….." :angel:
Thank you Revitalized Classics!!


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## Operasinger (May 28, 2021)

Seattleoperafan said:


> You almost never hear about singers who have psychological problems. It was much more difficult to treat back in the day. I got very very sick with bipolar disorder 30 years ago. Luckily for me the medications keep me rock solid in my moods. Not everyone is so lucky. I just have to control my stress levels. I would not be able to cope with the stresses of an international opera career. It is a difficult job and many talented singers I'm sure are also not up to the demands of the job.


Yes you're right. Handling the stress and ups and downs is a huge part of being able to survive in this work. I'm sure it's more common then we would think.


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## Revitalized Classics (Oct 31, 2018)

Seattleoperafan said:


> You almost never hear about singers who have psychological problems. It was much more difficult to treat back in the day. I got very very sick with bipolar disorder 30 years ago. Luckily for me the medications keep me rock solid in my moods. Not everyone is so lucky. I just have to control my stress levels. I would not be able to cope with the stresses of an international opera career. It is a difficult job and many talented singers I'm sure are also not up to the demands of the job.


I remember reading that for Placido Domingo, performing opera did not exhaust him the way you might expect and that it was a sort of cycle of him giving 100% and then receiving an amazing response from the audience which made him feel great and he was able to carry on a hectic schedule.

All I could think was how differently we must be wired because I think that I'd find it just about the most stressful and exhausting thing in the world.

I guess we mainly hear about problems just when it is very conspicuous and having a big impact on someone's career e.g. Callas or Corelli suffering more than most and burning out, Ponselle's career ended prematurely. I remember feeling sorry for Giacomo Aragall when I read he had stage fright and it could be an ordeal.

I agree, I imagine that for all the singers who find it easy there will be a ton that are struggling pretty frequently.

P.S. That's great you're keeping well! All the best!


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## Operasinger (May 28, 2021)

Ok, I have to add here for the favour of Ponselle, this recording of her-





I honestly didn't realize but the recording of her singing that I posted for the poll is actually from when she was super young. This one is later on and it's gorgeous to say the list. 
But for me still Lina Bruna Rasa is the ultimate… 

And sorry I don't know how to make the videos show up here correctly!


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## Revitalized Classics (Oct 31, 2018)

Operasinger said:


> Ok, I have to add here for the favour of Ponselle, this recording of her-
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks for sharing!

To make the videos show up correctly, you can click this button (which is meant to look like a filmstrip)







Which is among the buttons at the top when you write a message







This will in turn open a window where you can enter the Youtube address for the video you'd like to share


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## Operasinger (May 28, 2021)

Revitalized Classics said:


> Thanks for sharing!
> 
> To make the videos show up correctly, you can click this button (which is meant to look like a filmstrip)
> View attachment 156663
> ...


Thank you!!


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