She was 58 and this was her final opera performance, though she continued doing concerts and recitals for many years after this, still with vocal powers undiminished. She was one of a kind. I know of no soprano who could produce a high C like that at age 58. Unbelievable performance, and certainly superior to anyone who takes on this difficult role today. Probably the Aida of the Twentieth Century.
I was today years old when I found out that Leontyne is Whitney Houston’s mother’s (Cissy Houston) cousin. The talent of this entire family is astonishing
I was in the Village when I met Leontyne walking with her manager. We stopped and chatted brieflly. It was the day of her dress rehearsal for her debut. I wished her well. I was at the memorable debut, unforgettable.
I've watched this on the The Met On Demand a couple of times. Price is certainly the queen of all Aidas, but the way the audience ERUPTED for Fiorenza Cossotto's Amneris is like nothing I've ever seen.
My best friend (and my boss) was a Leontyne Price fanatic so I painted a leather jacket with all Leontyne for her and when we met Leontyne (I was the opera buyer for Tower Records Castro San Francisco), Leontyne could not believe her eyes. She was so sweet to us, when we were kind of outcasts at the SF Opera House because my best friend had bright red hair and I had bright blue. She called my best friend on her birthday and how does that even happen? Leontyne is a goddess, IMO. Above and beyond her gorgeous voice and performances, she's so deeply kind, when the opera world has not always been so kind to her. Leontyne is my role model, though I can't sing.
The ascent to the high C, and the descent, are perfectly controlled, radiant and seamless. Beyond the reach of ordinary sopranos. The hair on my arms and neck stood on end. Truly, truly great.
As gorgeous as that moment was, for me it's the last note... the perfect pitch, the unwavering dynamic control, and the exquisitely-deployed vibrato are almost otherworldly. I probably would have fainted if I had be lucky enough to have heard it "live"!
@@vitabella6481 This was definitely not her best night and she is near the end of her career here; but still this is one of the best recordings of O Patria Mia up till now!
Other singers conquer the hurdles the aria presents, but Price molds the hurdles into a poignant, integrated whole where everything speaks to the character's plaintive lament for her homeland.
@@sanjamarinkovic9040 Thank you for your recommendation. Mika´s Aida is indeed incredible. It is close to Leontyne´s level. Of course, I love Tebaldi and many other sopranos. But Leontyne will be always my number one.
THIS ISN'T EVEN THE FULL SCENE!!! With the endless applause, her fantastic emotional face with near collapse and REGAL Regaining of composure>>>?????? COMEON MET!!! RELEASE IT!
After a lifetime listening to opera, attending scores of performances, in multiple opera houses, my all-time favorite aria is this, Price's 'O patria mia.' For me, it defines singing.
@@dorothydanso9820 I'm Newsweek Science Editor Charles Panati (Hudson), physicist, pianist, opera buff, I met Price in 1967, NYC, the same year Montserrat Caballe cooked me her special Paella. Caballe was a great cook, with incomparable pianissimos. Price was always warm and regal. My dear friend Allen Oxenburg was founder and director of the American Opera Society. Those were the days.
I attended one of her recitals in the 80s. I sat on stage 10 feet from her and then met her afterward. I will take that divine experience with me to my grave. I have a question for my more learned opera enthusiasts online. I was introduced to opera 50 years ago, and was informed that Diva Leontyne Price and Diva Beverly Sills were the first American sopranos who were both American born AND American trained. Before then, American sopranos had to go to Europe to be "properly" trained. That both women gained stratospheric international success was seen as validation that American opera had Arrived. I welcome your edification.
She is absolutely incredible. It's completely out of all the rankings, out of all the competition. When she opens her mouth and starts her "bitter" soprano, she makes me dizzy. I've never heard anything at least close to that. Leontyne, I will always love you
UNA DELLE PIÙ GRANDI IN ASSOLUTO.....AVREBBERO VOLUTO LA CALLAS, TEBALDI E COMPAGNIA, P0SSEDERE UNA VOCE SIMILE : INTONAZIONE PERFETTA, ESTENSIONE INCREDIBILE, FLUIDITÀ E APPOGGIO SUL FIATO MAGISTRALE!!!!!!! COSI SI CANTA!!!!!!
This is the best aria ever sung - not only the voice, but her image and posture are more than perfect - which makes this a masterpiece. She tells a story that everyone can believe and cherish. thanks for posting!
That sound you heard was not loud breath, but dramatics that the role requires. Listen carefully again. Her technique allows for pure perfection in all she does and what she does is O so deliberate. She is perfection
When Verdi was composing this wonderful opera, he would never have imagined that one day he would be born a soprano worthy of the role. And now we're listening to Leontyne Price, who was born to the role.
In my senior year of high school I had the privilege of seeing Leontyne Price in a recital at Gammage in Tempe AZ. After the concert there was an opportunity to meet with the artist. I was happy to take the publicity photo I was given at the start of the line and put it down on the table in front of Leontyne Price for an autograph. This is when my Alice Cooper "I'm not worthy" moment from "Wayne's World" happened. THIS is LEONTYNE PRICE and she is talking to ME. YOU! I broke forth into absolute gibberish that I don't remember, but I do remember the confused expression on her face. She just smiled and patted my hand and I realized what an idiot I was, almost forgot the autographed photo but at the last second remembered and grabbed it, and took a hasty exit.
I heard her say "You have to burn the midnight oil," in order to really work at your craft, and, indeed, she did. I don't think I have seen anyone like her since. I have watched them all -- they just don't have the drive, talent, musicianship and the capabilities that this great lady of the opera does (I keep it in the present, because, she claims she still warms up to a high F every day). Thank you, Ms. Price for your lesson to us all. And great gift.
People forget that, along with Callas, Schwarzkopf and Christa Ludwig, Price is one of the greatest female singing musicians of the 20th century. The breadth of her repertoire - just in recital! - is amazing. That she can capture the essence of disparate pieces like "Pace, Pace," Barber's Hermit Songs. "Sinner Please," "Or Sai Chi L'Onore" and Rusalka's Song to the Moon so personally is highly overlooked. I really see Price as Elisabeth Rethberg's heir as opposed to Zinka Milanov's., even though she primarily took over the Milanov roles during her time at the Met.
Happy 95th birthday, my friend, Miss Tyne!! Your voice will never be any older than our memories of you, especially on this video. Have a very happy day, and may you have many *happy* returns of the day!!✨🤗✨
Indisputably America's greatest gift to opera in any century. Bless her for sacrificing so much to evoke herself to art. People don't realize the true cost.
6:11 is interesting to hear...how a human voice can sound like a trumpet...I literally cried while listening to this; she is magnificent! God bless you Ms. Price.
3 octaves from Laurel, Mississippi ❣️ Her magnificence at the end has me fighting not to cry...such an amazing presence... Try "owning" a musical note at length, any note...Pardon me: ⚘️⚘️⚘️DIVA!!!⚘️⚘️⚘️
Wow wow wow just discovered Leontyne will enjoy researching and delving into her music and life and utterly magical gift of song...life must be so rewarding when you know what you have been put on earth to do... Miss Pryce can be in no doubt nor can the whole world of her spectacular calling thank you
Majestic, magnificent;Aida is my favorite opera. C'est magnifique! I wish I'd been old enough to see her. her rich voice gives me chills. Such beauty in one woman. Can you imagine what obstacles she had to overcome to become a famous diva as a black woman who back in the fifties and sixties ? like Marion Anderson, Billie holliday. Even Paul Robeson who was censured, hated, loved, but all of them still persisted amongst all the troubles and prejudice of the times. Marielle
christian Williams you did NOT just compare Whitney Houston to the legendary Leontyne Price. This is not just “nice”, it’s amongst the most glorious moments in musical history.
😂😜😂😂😂😂 you seem to have never heard good singing. There very so many better singers than her in the last century. Quite everybody before her. I guess the time was ready to sell a black singer, no matter the quality of her singing. Bumbrys or Verrets technique where much better by the way.
Vita bella. Yours is a stupid, insulting and racist comment. Shows you what she was up against if that kind of attitude is still around almost 60 years after her Met debut.
@@vitabella6481 Why did you even watch it? Your JEALOUSY is a mental neurosis. What a miserable existence to troll black excellence in some racial competition born from your own self loathing and crippling insecurity. People like you are truly sad. What a self imposed prison you live in. You must be old and if not you have a lot of miserable bitter years left to troll Beauty. Sad.💯
@@vitabella6481 Pavarotti said "the human instinct is best" when speaking about greatness in singing. Because it isn't just about technique. There is nothing in the singing, that isn't already in the singer. Price could make notes that would leave the listener in awed silence, tears in their eyes, the hair standing on their arms. That is the visceral human response to hearing something extraordinary.
What a beauty, what a voice and this at the end of her career. And now we have to listen to Ms Anna Netrebko and we can read she is the best now. What a shame!!!
oh i so wish you’d kept the ovation! her face as she takes it all in, emotion breaking through the stoicism and resolve… just extraordinary. thank you for posting
Evelyn Pugh I saw Price sing AIDA at The Met in New York City in the 70s. Her performance was utterly astounding ! I also saw AIDA at The Baths of Caracalla in Rome. It was an over-the-top, mind blowing production.
Nlop I will give Callas props because she could sing anything Verdi wrote, but Price inhabited this role in a way that no one else did. For me Price is the only Aida.
The bluesy-gospel inflections that Leontyne brings to her art make her singing incredibly personal and unique... I see her in this role and I think this is an African-American singing of her lost African homeland...
This is My first time hearing her the moment she first opened her mouth I fell in love with her voice. Also just saw Mariah Carey’s interview where she said MsPrice and mariahs mother shared the same opera mentor.
There are no words to describe how amazing she was that night. Simply the best. And she was so smart to go out when she was at the top of her game. WONDERFUL.
A bunch of us who sang in the chorus of the local opera company got together to watch this on PBS. We stuffed our faces after Act I. Some left, disappointed -- then came the rest of the opera. We ran out of tissues and had to rob the toilet roll!
