Okay perfection-obsessed peoples, totally enamored with having everything just so, I have a bone to pick with you. I'm not sure this is such a good idea as a life's goal, or would even be admirable if it was attainable. Which it isn't. I'm not being whiny here, I just think your purpose is to live the best reality you can and be the youest you possible.
My touchstone for raw honesty of being is Maria Callas. Not a typical '50s beauty, with what was described as an "ugly-beautiful" voice, she went through men and roles like a house fire. Remember the '50s were more amenable to pretty, pristine princesses like Donna Reed, Peggy Lee, and Grace Kelly. Headstrong and opinionated, she never tried to be what she wasn't and she never compromised her vision.
Here she is singing Tosca's Vissi d'arte. Her voice was prone to wobbles, sobs, and wails and she was a polarizing force in opera, with people either loving or hating her sound. In this video, you can particularly hear the huge wobble at about 2:50 and her voice almost breaks in half at about 3:19. Still, I can't find any imperfection in the imperfectness of it and flawed as it is, and I wouldn't change a thing.
Compare that to Renata Tibaldi, her arch rival and the "safe soprano", doing the exact same aria. Impeccable and perfectly executed. Not a note out of place, no loss of control, no errors. So it's perfect then? Which feels more true? Which sounds more real?
Don't get freaked out by my super-serious sounding post. I just love Callas singing that aria and needed an excuse to post it. Badoink!
4 comments:
I've tried listening to operas from time-to-time and in truth I haven't minded what I've heard although I generally haven't got a clue what I'm listening to or know anything about the story behind it making the appreciation a little harder to get. That aside, Callas was better by far. Raw edge, singing with charisma, emotional.
Oh it really, really helps to have supertitles and be familiar with the music/story. Otherwise it's like watching a foreign film with no subtitles. Sometimes pretty, but confusing and boring.
Great post and analysis. I agree, the emotion in that aria -- it leaps out to you when Callas does it. I would swear her eyes are glistening from held-back tears. Who doesn't wobble when they are full of emotion? A more powerful performance in my eyes too. Thanks for putting that out there!
Hey Ang, how you doing? Glad you liked my post.
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