Happy (belated) birthday Giulietta Simionato
The legendary mezzo-soprano celebrated her 97th birthday on May 12. In this clip she is seen rehearsing with Franco Corelli for a 1963 production of Cavalleria Rusticana, and then in an interview from 2003.
Giulietta looks great for a lady of over 90 years of age.
And Corelli was such a handsome man. Mamma mia !
I have a recording of the opening night of that performance. Will have to listen to it tonight.
They don’t make them like that anymore!!!!! She was my favorite dramatic mezzo. What a pity I never saw her live.
Brava, Giuletta! My favourite mezzo.
Is it possible that she’s really 93 in that interview? I would have guessed 70! Happy birthday Giulietta!
I have the live recording of it, but for some reason it loses dramatic tension because of some awkward timing. At the end Santuzza’s climactic note is not together with the conductor. Interestingly enough this is also the case with Simionato as Azucena in the legendary ’62 trovatore. (nerves perhaps?)
It’s a shame we don’t have tenors with even half the voice and looks of corelli anymore.
Talking about Simionato and Cavalleria Rusticana, the 1940 recording-transferred later to LPs-with Rasa (Santuzza, OK), Gigli (Turiddu), Bechi (Alfio), and Simionato (Mamma Lucia) is unsurpassed. The last three singers are glorious. Mascagni himself conducts and prefaces the recording. The passionate lyricism of Gigli, the dranatic nuance of Simionato, and the spitefulness of Bechi are so well communicated. This a golden era recording to treasure; that’s why I keep my turntable in perfect order.
Fabulous.
Has anyone else noticed the conspicuous absence of the YouTube video “Divas Discuss Chest Voice?” Apparently whoever posted it removed it and I am personally very upset because it’s one of my most favorite things to watch! I’m so sorry, but watching slovenly Fedora at her dinner table and Giulietta saying that she never used chest voice and then get called out by Leyla Gencer is, to me, priceless and brings a smile across my face EVERYTIME I watch it. I must find that clip again!
Thanks a lot Cieca for that clip. Madame Simionato was (is) the greatest mezzosoprano in the italian repertory. Her Ammneris is unsurpassable.
WHAT?! She’s that old? I want to meet her plastic surgeon! Kidding aside, her Amneris is out of this world.
There was an LP from the late 50s or early 60s of Simionato doing Cenerentola at La Scala. Anyone remember how she did as Cinderella?
Would someone please post a translation of her story about di Stefano. The whole interview would be welcome.