# 'O Patria Mia' challenge



## Op.123 (Mar 25, 2013)

Zinka Milanov






Renata Tebaldi






Anita Cerquetti






Caterina Mancini






Maria Callas


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## Shaafee Shameem (Aug 4, 2021)

5 Great Sopranos, and all well suited to this role! 
I listened to Mancini first, since I hadn't listened to her rendition before, and she sings with such elegance and tenderness in the beginning and middle, but I found the phrasing to meander a bit as she approached the climax! The high C isn't very secure but she executes a brilliant pianissimo at the end, that it is overall a very fine rendition! 
Cerquetti's rich but sweet voice is a pleasure to listen to, but in this aria, she is not upto her usual standards. The phrasing is lax, and she runs out of breath in some long phrases towards the climax. The top C is fine, but she does not attempt a pianissimo at the ending!
When I clicked on Tebaldi, I expected grandeur in both voice and phrasing, and as expected her reading paints fine shades of pathos and nobility with spontaneous italianate phrasing! As for the high C, it seems to me as if she hits it on pitch, but then goes slightly flat afterwards! Either way, she ends it solemnly with a gossamer pianissimo! I am pleased with this reading.
Milanov's voice too is full of grandeur, but unlike Tebaldi, she seems uninvolved, and I find very little longing or pathos in her rendition! Her pianissimo top C is as 'dolce' as they come, however, and ending pianissimo too is beautiful! As with most of her work, I find it an erratic mix of incomparable virtues and clumsy shortcomings!
Callas' interpretation is more desperate than the others', and it suits her dark, metallic voice quite well. She swells and diminishes the tone through the phrases, while simultaneously crescendoing to the climax! The top C isn't as 'dolce' as Milanov's, but the low note afterwards and the hushed diminuendo at the end are wonderful! 
Well, it comes down to Tebaldi and Callas for me. At the moment, I lean towards Callas for the more poignant reading, while acknowledging Tebaldi's more subdued, noble interpretation as just as brilliant!


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Ain't it a shame that those totally exquisite high notes that spill from Milanov's mouth don't reflect the rest of her voice for me.
She runs away with the high note contest.
However, the one with the least appealing highs was the outstanding singer in the group -- Maria herself, no contest.


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## Shaafee Shameem (Aug 4, 2021)

nina foresti said:


> Ain't it a shame that those totally exquisite high notes that spill from Milanov's mouth don't reflect the rest of her voice for me.
> She runs away with the high note contest.
> However, the one with the least appealing highs was the outstanding singer in the group -- Maria herself, no contest.


Callas' C was more secure than Mancini's and Tebaldi's though, and more 'dolce' than Cerquetti's as well. Milanov has a fine voice but her singing is very detached most of the time!


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

If the contest were to confine the requirements to the very last high note in the aria, Mme. Milanov might have won. But…

Mme. Tebaldi connects more to the context of the piece than her predecessor and is less stolid in the handling of it; this is her native language after all. The higher notes are a deficit, though she almost gets them right.

Mme. Cerquetti had that wonderful silvery, but dark voice. She knows what the words mean, and has the means to make them count. She sings beautifully, though a few notes almost go awry. The last few phrases are below Milanov's standard, though she did well up to that point.

Mme. Mancini is not as well known to me as some of the others. She handles some of the aria as expected as an Italian but the voice tightens toward the _acuti_, though the attack is firm. The voice is not quite beautiful though it's clean and clear. But, to me, below par.

Mme. Callas (sigh) is well known, though this recording took years to reach us, being "discovered" 2004. It is one of the Callas broadcasts during her heyday (1953) where the voice followed almost all the singer wished it to do. Being a live performance, Callas took more chances than in the studio and let her instincts guide her and they were always right. None of the other singers here scale these heights. Her voice is as it was, good or bad on that day. She loses the battle of the highs, but all in all, she gives more of *Aida* than just the notes, beautiful or not.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

I prefer Callas here but hands down my favorite is Caballe. Her singing is exemplary and does an unbelievable pianissimo high C followed by a a huge high note just a little lower. I also love the beauty of Marc's version and, although not as written, her fortissimo high C rivals the magnificence of Dame Eva Turner's.


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## Shaafee Shameem (Aug 4, 2021)

Seattleoperafan said:


> I prefer Callas here but hands down my favorite is Caballe. Her singing is exemplary and does an unbelievable pianissimo high C followed by a a huge high note just a little lower. I also love the beauty of Marc's version and, although not as written, her fortissimo high C rivals the magnificence of Dame Eva Turner's.


Milanov also does a pianissimo on the high C. The score says 'dolce', so I don't think it necessarily has to be pianissimo only. A sweet mezzo-forte C should also be acceptable.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Milanov may have the sweetest top C, but God she's dull. She might as well be singing names from the telephone book and, to be honest, I've never found her middle and lower register that interesting.

Tebaldi is much more interesting. Unfortunately the top of the voice is not its glory, but she manages the top C climax better here than she often did and the middle voice is absolutely gorgeous. She also makes more of the words and sings with more expression, even if she's a trifle passive. Her _O freschi valli_ section is ravishing.

Cerquetti also makes more of the words and the voice is also quite beautiful, if without Tebaldi's velvety plushness. The climax is a little pushed, and you can almost hear the anxiety as she approaches the high C.

I could say the same about Mancini, who was completely new to me. I enjoyed her performance, and, if she isn't quite in the same class as Tebaldi and Cerquetti, you'd go a long way to hear a Verdian soprano like this nowadays. Well I doubt you'd find one anywhere.

I've never really thought Aida was one of Callas's best roles, though she sang it quite a lot in the early days of her career and in total sang as many performances as she did of Medea. If this is 1953, I assume this is the Covent Garden performance under Barbirolli. After singing the role in Verona later that year (not recorded) she never sang it again, except for the studio recording of 1955. I wouldn't single out _O patria mia_ as the best part of her portrayal (if the chosen aria were _Ritona vincitor_ I'd expect her to win hands down), so I expected her to not do so well against the likes of Tebaldi here. However, as usual, she surprised me. The top C climax was actually more easily managed than any of the sopranos above other than Milanov, and her interpretation much more thrilling. Only Callas really matches the turbulence of the orchestra in the recitative from _Qui Radames verra_ (who else utters the words _io tremo_ (I tremble) with such conviction?) and, where the others long rather wistfully for their homeland, Callas yearns despairingly. We remember that Aida isn't just homesick, but that she is a captured Princess enslaved in a foreign land. She doesn't just long for her homeland, she longs for her freedom.

If I were to put them in order of preference it would be:-

1. Callas
2. Tebaldi
3. Cerquetti
4. Mancini
5. Milanov


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Seattleoperafan said:


> I prefer Callas here but hands down my favorite is Caballe. Her singing is exemplary and does an unbelievable pianissimo high C followed by a a huge high note just a little lower. I also love the beauty of Marc's version and, although not as written, her fortissimo high C rivals the magnificence of Dame Eva Turner's.


I agree with you about the Caballé performance, with her trademark floated top C. I don't think anyone does it so well, though I sometimes feel it draws attention to Caballé rather than Aida. It's an incredible feat, but there is an element of, "Look what I can do." However she sings feelingly, phrases beautifully and this recording (the Muti) catches her absolute vocal peak. She's just about my favourite Aida on record, and I actually prefer her to both Tebaldi and Price in the role.

Marc's version I didn't like so much. She doesn't seem very interested in the words and I don't really like the barnstorming top C she comes out with, though the close of the aria is beautifully managed.

If these two versions were included, I'd find it hard to choose between Caballé and Callas. Marc would rate much lower.


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## Shaafee Shameem (Aug 4, 2021)

Tsaraslondon said:


> Milanov may have the sweetest top C, but God she's dull. She might as well be singing names from the telephone book and, to be honest, I've never found her middle and lower register that interesting.
> 
> Tebaldi is much more interesting. Unfortunately the top of the voice is not its glory, but she manages the top C climax better here than she often did and the middle voice is absolutely gorgeous. She also makes more of the words and sings with more expression, even if she's a trifle passive. Her _O freschi valli_ section is ravishing.
> 
> ...


I feel Mancini is better than Cerquetti, and phrases more elegantly, particularly in the beginning and middle. With the rest, I wholly agree. 
I too was surprised to see such overwhelming favour for Callas, though I expected her to lose this to Milanov, not Tebladi, as this aria is the former's glory, while the tomb scene is the latter's.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Shaafee Shameem said:


> I feel Mancini is better than Cerquetti, and phrases more elegantly, particularly in the beginning and middle. With the rest, I wholly agree.
> I too was surprised to see such overwhelming favour for Callas, though I expected her to lose this to Milanov, not Tebladi, as this aria is the former's glory, while the tomb scene is the latter's.


You could be right and, if I listened again, I might find myself preferring Mancini to Cerquetti. It was pretty close. I enjoyed both more than the prosaic Milanov.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

In general I think that Amneris suits Callas better than Aida, but her interpolated Eb in the Triumphal Scene in Mexico City is among a handful of the greatest moments in the history of opera.
Regarding Caballe showing off on high C: that is what I want divas to do, but I'm from the South and we are a bit warped LOL. The role is never as important as the opportunity of vocal fireworks LOL Some of you will never speak to me again.


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## Shaafee Shameem (Aug 4, 2021)

Seattleoperafan said:


> In general I think that Amneris suits Callas better than Aida, but her interpolated Eb in the Triumphal Scene in Mexico City is among a handful of the greatest moments in the history of opera.
> Regarding Caballe showing off on high C: that is what I want divas to do, but I'm from the South and we are a bit warped LOL. The role is never as important as the opportunity of vocal fireworks LOL Some of you will never speak to me again.


Amneris is the more musically and dramatically complex character in the opera, and she would have suited Callas' temperament perfectly. Yet Callas never would have sung a "seconda donna" role. 
Apart from the Triumphal scene, "Ritorna Vincitor" and the duets with Amneris, Amonasro and Radames are also highlights of Callas' Aida.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Seattleoperafan said:


> In general I think that Amneris suits Callas better than Aida, but her interpolated Eb in the Triumphal Scene in Mexico City is among a handful of the greatest moments in the history of opera.
> Regarding Caballe showing off on high C: that is what I want divas to do, but I'm from the South and we are a bit warped LOL. The role is never as important as the opportunity of vocal fireworks LOL Some of you will never speak to me again.


I doubt that Callas would ever have considered Amneris though. _Seconda donna_ was never for her. Mind you I pity the poor Aida who would have had to sing opposite her.

As for Caballé's showing off, well I mind it far less here than later in her career when she overindulged the floated pianissimi to the detriment of the music. What she does in _O patria mia_ is amazing. No doubt about that. No other soprano can do it.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Milanov is technically accomplished, but is somewhat too grand for the role and her interpretation lacks variety. Whereas this later quality is abundant in Tebaldi's version which I thoroughly enjoyed, but by the end felt a little bored by the artificiality of it. Cerquetti isn't as free vocally as either of the first two, but I find her dark tones attractive and she feels the emotions of Aida deeper than the previous two. Mancini sings nicely, but the voice isn't as distinctive as the others.

Callas seems to combine these qualities in equal measure, but the main reason I voted for her is due to the naturalness of her interpretation. As with much of her work, she becomes the character that she is portraying.

N.


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## ScottK (Dec 23, 2021)

Listened to Milanov sing this recently and this cut was even better. Her middle, I think maybe on certain vowels, can sound a little sour to me at times but this cut had none of that, and of course the soft top!!!! I did not believe anyone could top it, but I did like someone else more. I'm very familiar with Tebaldi's later complete version and, between those two, this was the correct one to use. But I do not have the same prejudice for her in Verdi that I have in Puccini. The sound itself doesn't send me and the patrician Verdian phrase doesn't give her the chance to do what I believe she does best....which I guess would best be said as "sing Puccini" Too much of a high note aria for Callas -- I don't know her career in terms of time periods I just know I didn't like these high notes. Never heard of Caterina Mancini but she sounded great. Always a little tough on the fifth person but her quality made an impression on me. But Cerquetti, whose name I know but have never heard, was really a bit of a revelation. I was immediately struck by both timbre and involvement and waited for highs and lows and got lots of highs. She doesn't have Milanov piannissimi - and thats a big omission - but at least in this aria, I thought the sum total of what she had made her my favorite!


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## ScottK (Dec 23, 2021)

My recent O Patria Mia listenings were a result of listening to the wonderful Cheryl Studer Thread posted by Alt. I believe it was The Conte who recommended her Aida and I thought this was ravishing. Do not know enough about the soprano voice to know if she was trying to get away with something she really didn't have on the second to last high note but I do know that that was my only quibble. And I'm probably letting my new favorite off abit by calling that a quibble.....maybe a big quibble.

True stage animal that she is, she knows this is the time to be still and let the acting be within the song so I don't believe that watching will create a different sort of response from the "just listening" of the first five. But I mostly just listened before posting and I think she's fabulous. Not putting her into a contest, I just think she's fabulous.


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## OffPitchNeb (Jun 6, 2016)

The ultimate _O patria mia_ for me is from Rethberg.

Beautiful voice with feeling, very italiante sound given that she was a German. And listen to that _dolce _high C! There was a thread about "soft singing done right" somewhere on TC. This must be added to the collection.


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## ALT (Mar 1, 2021)

This just up on YouTube. Cheryl Studer in various scenes from AÏDA. And no, not from Covent Garden. From the description:

_This is vocal acting with abandon, in the throes of the moment, free and spontaneous, fully attuned to the give and take with her colleagues and their characters, as beautiful as necessary, with face, all her own, unmistakable. As such, the great soprano delivers the spectrum of the titular character's situations and emotions. But what the great soprano does NOT do is abuse her character into "Easy Listening" or a "Miss Universe Pageant". Think about that._


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## Shaafee Shameem (Aug 4, 2021)

OffPitchNeb said:


> The ultimate _O patria mia_ for me is from Rethberg.
> 
> Beautiful voice with feeling, very italiante sound given that she was a German. And listen to that _dolce _high C! There was a thread about "soft singing done right" somewhere on TC. This must be added to the collection.


Rethberg is excellent. She is one of the very few Germans who could sound idiomatic in Italian repertoire. I believe Toscanini called her the "greatest soprano in the world" after conducting her in Aida.
By the way, listen to Anne Roselle, Maria Nemeth and Giannina Arangi-Lombardi as well. They too execute pianissimo high Cs. Maybe we could have another round for these interwar artists?


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## Shaafee Shameem (Aug 4, 2021)

OffPitchNeb said:


> The ultimate _O patria mia_ for me is from Rethberg.
> 
> Beautiful voice with feeling, very italiante sound given that she was a German. And listen to that _dolce _high C! There was a thread about "soft singing done right" somewhere on TC. This must be added to the collection.


Rethberg is excellent. She is one of the very few Germans who could sound idiomatic in Italian repertoire. I believe Toscanini called her the "greatest soprano in the world" after conducting her in Aida.
By the way, listen to Anne Roselle, Maria Nemeth and Giannina Arangi-Lombardi as well. They too execute pianissimo high Cs. Maybe we could have another round for these interwar artists?


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

I'm surprised that nobody has nominated Leontyne Price (and to those of you who are tutting, well someone had to do it and it might as well be me) or Rosa Ponselle. The other version of this aria that I have been impressed with recently is the 1971 recording by Virginia Zeani. Callas would be my favourite overall I think, with Price, Caballe, Ponselle and Zeani being runners up.

(I also like Studer, but I'm not sure whether she would be somewhere in my top five or just below.)

N.


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## Aerobat (Dec 31, 2018)

I have to confess to bias - my parents had the Del Monaco & Tebaldi recording before I was born, so I grew up with it. Somehow, Tebaldi has remained as the definitive version of this for me ever since.

I need to get my hands on the Zeani recording though, as I rate her as one of the all-time greats....


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

I put it off for as long as I possibly could: while Aida is one of my favorite operas by Verdi, I'm not a fan of this aria. Listening to it five times in a row is quite an undertaking 
I'll echo Tsaraslondon in playing the ranking game but my order would be slightly different:

1. Callas (sound is hellacious, Testament offers much cleaner transfer. I'd probably pick 51 Mexico over 53 Covent Garden)
2. Mancini (very pleasant surprise, haven't heard this one before)
3. Cerquetti (such a rich voice, delivering all the goods!)
4. Tebaldi (not a fan, but this is a great performance and rightfully so)
5. Milanov (she sings an aria)


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## ALT (Mar 1, 2021)

Mancini. Then Cerquetti.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

ALT said:


> This just up on YouTube. Cheryl Studer in various scenes from AÏDA. And no, not from Covent Garden. From the description:
> 
> _This is vocal acting with abandon, in the throes of the moment, free and spontaneous, fully attuned to the give and take with her colleagues and their characters, as beautiful as necessary, with face, all her own, unmistakable. As such, the great soprano delivers the spectrum of the titular character's situations and emotions. But what the great soprano does NOT do is abuse her character into "Easy Listening" or a "Miss Universe Pageant". Think about that._


It may be vocal acting, but as singing it leaves something to be desired. Her voice doesn't fill out this music, and you can hear her making adjustments and failing to maintain a consistent emission. This must be a late recording. She has sung much better.


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## ALT (Mar 1, 2021)

Woodduck said:


> It may be vocal acting, but as singing it leaves something to be desired. Her voice doesn't fill out this music, and you can hear her making adjustments and failing to maintain a consistent emission. This must be a late recording. She has sung much better.


I am not a purist. So what you describe bothers me not one bit. I gladly and gratefully accept the proverbial "warts and all" over and above the dreadful artistic complacency (drought is more like it) we live under.


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## ScottK (Dec 23, 2021)

OffPitchNeb said:


> The ultimate _O patria mia_ for me is from Rethberg.
> 
> Beautiful voice with feeling, very italiante sound given that she was a German. And listen to that _dolce _high C! There was a thread about "soft singing done right" somewhere on TC. This must be added to the collection.


This was one I had to come back and listen to....absolutely perfect! She was pictured as Aida in my dad's old Victor book of the opera.


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## ScottK (Dec 23, 2021)

ALT said:


> This just up on YouTube. Cheryl Studer in various scenes from AÏDA. And no, not from Covent Garden. From the description:
> 
> _This is vocal acting with abandon, in the throes of the moment, free and spontaneous, fully attuned to the give and take with her colleagues and their characters, as beautiful as necessary, with face, all her own, unmistakable. As such, the great soprano delivers the spectrum of the titular character's situations and emotions. But what the great soprano does NOT do is abuse her character into "Easy Listening" or a "Miss Universe Pageant". Think about that._


I didn't listen to all of this but I found the O Patria Mia to be essentially the same wonderful interpretation and vocalism as the other cut with the exception of the vibrato being more pronounced...not necessarily bad but to me, not helping....and she took a full approach to that penultimate high note that feels just a hairs breadth beyond. But I love the singing.
Ritorna Vincitor does not sound so happy. Where the problems come sound to me like we're talking chest voice?? (I'm not a good one for soprano technique) I will go later for the Tomb scene. I'd be surprised if that isn't quite wonderful.


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