Ruth Leon recommends…. The Art of Singing – Golden Voices of the Century
Ruth Leon recommendsThe Art of Singing – Golden Voices of the Century
Subscription tv Part One Click here to watch
Part Two Click here to watch
This is a two-part documentary of and about the great singers of the 20th century. The Art of Singing is a treasure trove of priceless archival footage narrated by actor Christopher Lee, that takes you on a whirlwind tour to meet the greatest singers of the last century—through their golden voices in opera’s most beloved masterpieces, and through their lively personalities off stage. Marvel at the arias you love by Handel, Rossini, Donizetti, and Wagner in the voices of legendary opera stars, who also open up in front of the camera, sharing reflections on their art and memories of their storied careers.
In the first volume, the power of the human voice tugs at our heartstrings through astonishing recordings like Mary Garden’s mellifluous Mélisande (Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande, 1904) and tenor Beniamino Gigli’s interpretation sul fiato (on the breath) of the dramatic aria “Ombra mai fù” from Handel’s Serse. In the opera world, the vocal capabilities as well as the characters are larger than life: watch the dazzling Giuseppe De Luca bring an air of mischief to “Largo al factotum” from Rossini’s Barber of Seville, while Lawrence Tibbett plays the toreador from Bizet’s Carmen with undeniable charisma, no less potent with the passage of time, on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera.
This second of two volumes opens on an aria from Spanish composer De Falla’s La Vida Breve in the heavenly tones of Victoria de los Ángeles, and the hits never stop coming—from the crystalline coloratura of Joan Sutherland, who navigates the highest runs with crystalline ease in Meyerbeer’s Les Huguenots, to the smooth legato of Fritz Wunderlich in his impeccable rendition of Tamino’s aria, “Dies Bildnis,” from The Magic Flute, as well as La Divina herself, Maria Callas, dazzling on stage in the title role of Puccini’s Tosca.
I remember this from when it was first shown 25 years ago. Thanks for the recommendation (better late than never).