I love how the high notes at the end don't come out as just high notes, but rather as a grieving wail, all while singing beautifully. Gershwin would be proud to hear his music sung with such feeling.

@rodcoates7027

3 ай бұрын

That visceral howl of grief gets me every time.

Just completely nailed it. From a technical vocal standpoint of course, in addition to emotional delivery and the acting aspect. Perfection.

Ms. Audra McDonald has the best combination of voice and acting ability fully displayed and realized in this beautiful performance of this aria.

No wonder there's so little original talent and beauty in this world. Audra McDonald took it all.

@francoisbessing

Жыл бұрын

Lol correct!

I cry like a baby every time watching her sing this.

This performance is so full-out, so beautiful and raw and abandoned --- it caught me unaware (and I've heard this aria sung many times by many excellent singers). This is an art that grabs you by the throat and makes you feel. Love me some Audra McDonald.

The very best I've ever heard, and I've heard many great sopranos sing this aria. Audra lives it, and I believe her. The pacing, the breathing, the articulation -- perfection.

@lindafowler4659

4 жыл бұрын

Yes Audra's rendition is very beautiful. I invite you to view the 1993 movie version of Cynthia Clarey's rendition. I promise you won't be disappointed. The poorly named title on KZread is "My Man's Gone Now (Old Man Sorrow). It is a brilliant performance.

@prplhze2000

3 жыл бұрын

Dunno. Latonia moore nailed it this year at the Met.

@benjaminjackson9449

2 жыл бұрын

​@@lindafowler4659 I think Cynthia's version is the pinnacle of operatic performance. But I also think Audra's rendition is the most technically good one I've heard. It's clear and resonate and doesn't suffer from the heaviness that this song can suffer from when over performed.

@fredalwatkins4506

2 жыл бұрын

Leontyne price

@susand.byrdsong3767

2 жыл бұрын

@@lindafowler4659 I completely agree with your post. Cynthia Clarey sings this aria to perfection. 👏🏽👏🏽👍🏽❤️❤️💯💯

I love how at the end she blinked and then smiled as if coming out of a trance. Sooo amazing!

Audra Is not just a fabulous versatile singer, she is also one of the finest hosts the Metropolitan Opera in HD Series has had. Bring her back!

Phenomenal. Heartbroken and heartbreaking without a trace of self-pity, but, instead, the kind of sorrow that wells up from reserves of strength.. Just raw emotion and profound loss.

I love having Leontyne Price and Audra both singing this song. They both do it so differently. I adore them both. Granted, Price owns everything in the realm of opera.

gotta be the greatest Broadway voice and star of the past 50 years, if not of the century...Streisand and Andrews thrown in the mix give her competition, but she is nonetheless the definition of GREATNESS...I'm so happy I'm living in a time when I've gotten to see Audra sooo many times...

@mannail888

7 жыл бұрын

McDonald is a fine songtress, period. However, your over the top appraisal is grossly exaggerated.

@AAwildeone

7 жыл бұрын

I don't think my "appraisal" is over the top...she does it ALL

@dlw1221

3 жыл бұрын

@@mannail888 It's safe yet sad to say; black women have to work twice as hard just to be considered equal. Yet Streisand is referenced as the Gold Standard although we know she could never pull this off in her wildest thoughts.

@mannail888

3 жыл бұрын

Please never ever play the race card in any kind of debate that involves African-American artists, particularly their reception in the general public. The race card rhetoric is hyperbole at best.

@benjaminjackson9449

3 жыл бұрын

@@mannail888 ummm no it’s not. Audra has an amazing voice and we all know she would’ve been a household name earlier on in her career if she wasn’t black. She’s a musical theatre icon and your under appreciation of her won’t take that away.

She's simply incredible. I love the coolness of her soprano in this piece and she seems to add such passion to every note she sings. Resonance is so gorgeous in even the highest of notes.

@FIRSTENOR18

7 жыл бұрын

jacson 1226 Yes!

OK. Now I am freaking out! I feel like I have been living under a rock! This lady is incredible!

@joshuapeacock17

6 жыл бұрын

Douglas Moseley me too right now. how did I not know this insanely gifted master exists???

@francoisbessing

Жыл бұрын

Then now you must check out "Climb Every Mountain" by her.

Oh Miss Audra! I wish I could stop crying long enough to give you the accolades you deserve. You lived this anguish and drew us all in to share the pain and sorrow. Breath taking. Michael Tilson Thomas at the baton bringing that magnificent orchestra to her aid. Third time listening and I can't get out. Thank you so much for posting.

man oh man she is just the best. she could move you with a glance and a blink but she chooses to sing and the sounds that come out are more human than human and otherworldly at the same time. spectacular artist

She classically trained in opera at Julliard. It's not like she's a "newbie"

ESPECTACULAR!!! Esta mujer es una maravilla, puro sentimiento, una voz dulce, delicada elegante y majestuosa. En definitiva.. la definición excta de la perfección.

I watch this every year and the ending (I think it’s called a candanza) always sounds like magic. I know more about singing now and am only growing more in awe. Not by the notes or the power, but by the fullest of the emotion she puts in her voice without sacrificing the sound.

I love her always but ESPECIALLY when she's doing straight opera like this

@tntbandit5

9 жыл бұрын

Kirandera Cuz that is TALENT! PURE VOCAL HEAVEN SENT TALENT!!!

@Kirandera

9 жыл бұрын

I stan so hard. The next time she's on Broadway, I'm going all the way to New York. Idc idc idc.

@tntbandit5

9 жыл бұрын

I heard that, I am DEVESTATED I missed her in Porgy and Bess! Next time she's there...I'm there. point blank period! hahaha

Left me in tears. So beautiful and haunting.

Another amazing thing about this performance, you can understand every word she says. No easy feat on all those high notes.

Houston Grand Opera won a Tony Award for their 1976 revival of Porgy & Bess--the only opera company ever to win one. I used to work for HGO, and I've seen the statue!

One of the saddest arias… so beautiful and touching.

She is a beautiful women, actress, person, singer, and everything under the son. I hope you win tonight for the 6th time Audra! You deserve it!

@christinegalyean56

6 жыл бұрын

Jalon M omg fancy meeting you here

I have heard this song done my many great singers, she just takes it to a whole other level.

love this performance! Fantastic

she SLAYS!

You can tell how much in character she was by the amount of time it took her to acknowledge the audience's applause. Audra is timeless!

So proud she's from my hometown of Fresno, she even performed at the theater I've worked at. Bless you Audra!

@lindafraley7870

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, we are too. Blown away the night she at 17 did Evita. I can say I was there in the beginning, before Julliard, and it is one sweetest memory.

SHE SINGS!!!! She selivered the song beautifully and her voice is even the entire way through. I loved it.

Why is His music so wonderfully moving!!!! Unbelievable!!!!

she makes it look effortless...

HOLY CRAP! I've only ever seen her on Private Practice... my voice teacher gave me a list of singers to watch and listen to and Audra was on that list... never knew she could sing... and MAN can she sing!!!

Audra McDonald is simply amazing. THAT VOICE!!!!

A beautiful and poignant performance by the gorgeous Miss Audra.

Audra McDonald is starring in Porgy and Bess on Broadway, but as Bess (and rightfully so). She's performing with Norm Lewis (Porgy) and David Alan Grier (Sportin' Life). The actress who sings this song in the play is Bryohna Marie Parham (as Serena).

She's amazing... What a gift! The conviction and performance is incredible.

lord how mercy this child just song the mess out of this song. Her articulation and diction very stong. I can hear every single word. And her facial language was just wonderful

Lowkey the best song Gershwin ever wrote.

I just keep coming back. There just aren't the right words to describe how amazing and wonderful her performance is.

That certainly brought me to tears. Magnificent!

Does it really matter what her voice type is in the end? She is Audra McDonald. She basically sings anything she wants. She sang that with SOOOOO much passion that I could not imagine anyone NOT singing about their man being gone.

Much respect to Audra McDonald.Vocals are as breathtaking as they are passionate! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

Magnificent!

Brilliant version!! Her voice has such a beautiful depth to it

She continues to inspire me daily! Her voice and acting are just unparalleled! The Serena on Broadway had nothing compared to this! I kept thinking that the whole time she was singing it during the performance!

I have watched a few renditions of this song, this one MOVED me the most! Wowwww

I have watched this video too many times to count and EVERY single time I am blown away by her power, her talent & honesty. GOOD LORD woman you are blessed!!!!

Audra is a goddess. A passionate woman who sings by living it. God I love her!

I just adore her voice. There's very few out there who can sing so well as Audra. #chills.

just perfect !!!!!

2022 person here and this is still amazing!!

God! I cried when I heard Sinaid O'Connor sing this on the cd 'The Glory of Gershwin' and various artists, with Larry Adler but Audray took my breath away! Just watch the breath control!

Happy Anniversary 1st

Fabulous! Thanks so much for posting.

She is absolutely everything.

She is just amazing. I had the privelige to see her live, from the 2nd row... I couldn't be more honored to be spit upon... ha ha! Her facial expression is incredible.

Chills, chills, chills....the most honest performance of this piece I've ever heard and seen. What a brilliant talent!

Beautiful, talented Audra! Work your Show!! You're amazing!

SING! SING! DIVA SING! A FABULOUS performance of this. Great pathos and gorgeous voice!

She is a great singer. And what an actor. Amazing.

The first time I heard this song was on a monaural LP back in the '50s, the first-ever full-length recording of Porgy & Bess. This song was without a doubt one of the most mournful, beautiful songs I'd ever heard. The album is gone and I don't remember who sang it, but no one has ever measured up to my memory of that first hearing...until now. Audra is phenomenal. I don't know of any other was to say it. And 3:10 starts one of the most powerful moments of music...ever.

This is the best rendition of this song I have ever heard!!

She's FABULOUS..does us classical singers proud..

Absolutely stunning! Look at other versions of this song, and then this one. No comparison............

@allenn.3909

2 жыл бұрын

With the exception of Leontyne Price's rendition but Leontyne is always an assumed exception

Caught the Broadway show last night. It deserves win every Tony award for which it will be nominated. It's as close to flawless as it can be.

Holy crap, she goes for it like it's goddamn Berlioz. LOVE. HER.

Breath taking!!!!

very very very good. thanks for posting

I love this version of this song. She's a fantastic performer.

This is so beatiful I just heard this 2 days ago and it's stuck in my head

Her voice could cut through diamond.

I saw her in Carousel, Master Class, etc etc. She is a force of nature. That voice. Once a century.

She is simply divine. What a voice and what passion!

great song, amazing performance

absolutely brilliant.

Again I say this girl can blow! Wow what God given talent. We should all use it to the best of our abilities. As far as who is better, why debate, they are all magnificent! We can all find someone we enjoy listening to and supporting.

Omfg I love her so much. She's INCREDIBLE.

Glorious.

Powerful performance

BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!

My God THIS Woman Is AMAZINGGGG! I almost cried

She's a BEAST!!!!!!!!!!!!

Audra Mcdonald has the voice of the century! It is so good to hear her sing this song for, as "Bess" in the new production, she does not sing it - which is the greatest piece of music in the entire show. Maybe in the history of American music?

Wow. That was wonderful.

Simply SENSATIONAL, FANTASTIC,

LMAO true, I NEVER would've noticed Stokes if no one had pointed it out to me! That's AMAZING. I've watched this vid so many times, too...

Chills!!! That a girl!!!!

@FIRSTENOR18

7 жыл бұрын

Doris Yadav 😂 Exactly!!

OMG!!!! Love it

FLAWLESS.

Damn.

This Vid makes me soo happy

I love it!

LOVE THIS. I was devistated when they took the other one down.

@myfavoritefairy ..some people don't know Audra has been singing for a long time. That is when the first time I ever saw her, singing on Broadway.

Audra!!! You MURDERED this song!

@3:10 my heart stopped. Thank you for posting this!

GOOSEBUMPS!!! beautifulxxx

AMAZING