What you can never get in a recording is how Ms Norman's voice filled the hall. It was a physical entity and a truly thrilling thing to experience. Her voice actually pushed against the walls and against your skin. It's impossible to describe, but I know something like that will always be rare in a singer.
wow... her voice had that true Operatic "Ring" to it? I've only heard one singer in my life that had sung and I literally felt the piercing sound it made my head vibrate and rattle.
This is not only one of the best Elisabeth interpretations ever - her german pronounciation is also exellent. I can understand every word, as a nativ german. Bravo Jessey - you are really unbelievable! All the best for you!
There only few singers who manage to sing - let’s call it “majestic”. Jessye Norman was definitely one of those and I absolutely love her recordings with Hebert von Karajan…who had the same ability as conductor. Leaves you with the feeling that it will never been done better.
Before she moved to Berlin to begin her performance career, she studied conversational German at Duke. According to her, the only two languages she sang in that she never learned to speak were Hebrew and Hungarian.
Rest in Power Ms. Norman. She mentioned in an interview not too long ago that she went to the University of Duke to study conversational German. She put the work in! She got that 3- year contract. 1969.
She did exactly that at the Met when she sang Elisabeth in "Tannhauser" in 1987. The audience adored her and she commanded standing ovations, not fake standing ovations but the ones where you involuntarily leap to your feet, realizing you have experienced someone sent from heaven.
Jessye is the only other recorded woman in history who has the same pure range as Callas, her deep mezzo notes are just as stunning and powerful as her highest soprano notes. No other living singer can do what she does when it comes to her range. I'm not a religious person, but god bless this woman.
Callas had a wider range than Jessye and a more agile voice with proficient coloratura, but Jessye certainly had the more naturally beautiful instrument.
This is simply stunning. She is one of those musicians that forces you to listen, whether you agree with her or not (I sometimes don't). But everything about this performance is just divine.
It's not surprising that she was offered a three-year contract at Berlin Opera, even before that performance of Tannhäuser had finished, she was SENSATIONAL! Did she ever record this aria in studio? It's so frustrating not to have good quality audio takes of her french arias aswell as this one!!! What a phenomenal voice! What a delightful human being! What a loss!
Miss NORMAN must have been a SUPERB student, when she studied GERMAN. I heard her speaking with a German concuctor...Impeccable ...Yes, impeccable, in deed! I guess guess that she speaks and sings to be understood. with that purpose in mind, she succeeds in delivery, musicality and consuming artistry ...EVERY TIME!
She often explained the score (speaking the language of conductor, of course German, too) to him why she didn't want to sing in the manner the conductor wanted. - Heinz
Ce n’est pas seulement l’une des meilleures interprétations d’Elisabeth à ce jour: sa prononciation allemande est également excellente. Je peux comprendre chaque mot, en allemand. Bravo Jessye - tu es vraiment incroyable! Le meilleur pour toi
her voice is silenced now R I P but her legacy lives on. I met her in 91 and it was like meeting royalty she loved and respected her fans. She made me laugh when I asked her when L.A. opera would perform the Ring if she'd sing the three Brunnhilde roles. "No Sieglinde in Walkure is my signature role you know the old saying "one and done." Brunnhilde and Isolde are collectively known as the soprano killer roles much great singing is demanded.
Dich, teure Halle, grüss'ich wieder, froh grüss' ich dich, geliebter Raum! In dir erwachen seine Lieder und wecken mich aus düstrem Traum. Da er aus dir geschieden, wie öd' erschienst du mir! Aus mir entfloh der Frieden, die Freude zog aus dir. Wie jetzt mein Busen hoch sich hebet, so scheinst du jetzt mir stolz und hehr. Der mich und dich so neu belebet, nicht länger weilt er ferne mehr, Sei mir gegrüsst! Sei mir gegrüsst! Du teure Halle, sei mir gegrüsst!
@langleywil Both Grace Bumbry and the divine Leontyne Price have deviated from their usual Fächer and sung this in concert. The videos are available on RU-vid. Although highly criticised, Price's version stands out for me as being electric in intensity and with a superb, natural yet regal interpretation. Do look them up.
Look at her face of seduction! wow! what divine acting! At the ending of the aria, when she executed that "Samson, Je t'aime" I was transfigured...unto a world of seduction. I LOVE YOU, MS. NORMAN!
@SuiGenerisKingJames lol, Madam Price happens to be one of my favorites, but I don't think she had the range that Norman or Callas had, to my memory she stayed pretty well within the soprano fac. In the end Price v Callas comes down to personal taste. Price had more control, Callas had to date unmatched emotion and characterization and it all depends on what you respond more to. But we can all agree that the three rank among the top dramatic sopranos of the last 75 years
@@efrainsotomayor399 , credo che tu hai capito poco della Callas e comunque e' stata in carriera perfetta dal 1939 al 1957 e non contano gli anni che canti ma come canti e cosa canti.
@Loismustdie26 You apparently don't like Leontyne Price. I believe she was slightly a step above Callas which can only be judged by comparing the control of their higher notes. Jessye comes extremely close to both of them, and what she lacks in depth of tone, she makes up in power.... Either way, all three are the best sopranos ever recorded.
Correction. Loismustdie26, Callas could have Never reached the virtuosity nor the phenomenal vocal artistry of Ms. Norman. Not in this life nor that of the next. Period!
Why bring her into this? Hers was an entirely different vocal and dramatic talent. Nor did she ever attempt this role. Your comment is irrelevant, and disrespectful to the memory and achievements of one who is widely regarded as the greatest singing actress in living memory.
@@PGF2010 , Callas ha cantato Amina, Lucia, Rosina, Armida...ma anche Isolde, Kundry, Brunhilde...e chi l'ha ascoltata, in Wagner, pare senza rivali e come voce che come espressione. La Norman era brava, cantava bene ma era spesso monocorde nel suono e nell'espressione. L'ho ascoltata spesso dal vivo ma non mi dava molta emozione. Come la Scotto, pareva sempre la prima della classe come a farti sentire che quello che stava facendo era oro colato. In pratica una sua celebre collega, mia amica, diceva di lei che " pontificava".
Phew! Is she purposely (maliciously?) ignoring the conductor, or simply unable to pick up his tempo in the opening phrases? He tries valiantly to get back from half-speed to normal in the ritornello after "geliebter Raum", and again she brutally drags down things immediately when she comes in at "in dir erwachen". Great voice, but here at least no feeling for the music, just intent on making a BIIIG noise. A pity! Her being almost a semitone flat at the last "sei mir" (but recovering for the final note) is ugly but harmless in comparison to the sluggishness in the first half. By the time we get to the postlude, the poor conductor has given up completely, not even trying to recall the proper lively tempo he intended at the start, but totally giving in to the elephantine pace Mme Norman seems to prefer (compare 3:25 to 0:30).
My favorite thing (aside from her singing of course) is that the audience allows the piece to actually end before beginning to applaud. Please teach this to American audiences.
We have the same problem here in the UK, though I agree it is more widespread in the USA. Some stage directors attempt bravely to defy it by instantly blacking out the stage and pit only after the music has finished, rather than bringing in the tabs, and in the case of Wagner he marked in his scores exactly when stage curtains were to open and close. I once raised this subject at a public symposium at the London Coliseum, and the late Lord Harewood brusquely dismissed it, in my view rather rudely, with the words “we could (do that) but I don’t think we will”. It was subsequently done in several ENO productions and elsewhere. I really draw the line at applause following arias, duets, etc, which interrupt the flow of the music and drama, even more so when singers step out of character to acknowledge their acclaim, no matter how good the singing. The late, great Dame Joan Sutherland at her Sydney farewell gala was a case in point, and can be seen on RU-vid.
Desde que entra a escena es tod una Reina. El publico se rinde ante ella. Ha sido tocada por esa varita magica que muchos quisieran y poquisimos han podido. Por siempre Diva!
Fabuleuse. Cette voix d'or qu'il faut avoir entendu dans un théatre lyrique (ce qui a été mon cas) puissante , généreuse. c'était une grande Dame du chant lyrique
