Sensational: Scotto, Pavarotti, and sensational Toczyska debut!

I was a teenager and I attended this performance in the standing room section. After the opera had ended, I waited outside of Pavarotti's dressing room with dozens of other folks, and I had the honor to meet him and get his autograph. The autographed photo and LP hang on my wall in a place of honor. Luciano was a true gentleman! THANKS FOR POSTING!!!

@dckrn

3 ай бұрын

I would probably wait to meet Stefania Toczyska , very talented and beautiful mezzo soprano whom I admire so much . Not that I dismiss Maestro Pavarotti, his talent was undeniable.

@papagen00

3 ай бұрын

@@dckrn I saw Toczyska often in San Francisco and met her one time after "Trovatore". Very warm Polish lady but very insecure, easily upset and depressed by bad reviews. I felt bad for her.

La Gioconda - Renata Scotto Enzo - Luciano Pavarotti Barnaba - Norman Mittelman Laura - Stefania Toczyska Alvise - Ferruccio Furlanetto La Cieca - Margarita Lilowa Zuàne - John Del Carlo Isèpo - Tonio di Paolo Un Pilota - Winther Andersen Due cantori - Boris Martinovich & Richard Halle

There is so much that is wonderful in this production. Scotto was never going to be a large voiced Gioconda , not a Milanov or Callas, but she created a mesmerizing character through her artistic temperament and musicality alone. There are many beautifully sung phrases that go to make up this moving characterization. She had such as grasp on words and their meaning. I can understand that the need for more volume rather than her more cautious, but detailed approach would have frustrated some in the opera house . The original plan was to do a production of Anna Bolena , but Pavarotti wanted to sing Enzo and Kurt Herbert Adler agreed to the switch. In the end Pavarotti and the excellent Toczyska produced some memorable singing too , infact the cast , orchestra and direction brought La Gioconda to life memorably.

Thanks so much (again) for another marvellous post. Great performance, production and cast, Scotto to me, particularly impressive, a true singing actress ! As far as I know, this was never released commercially... An Absolute Shame ! Thank God we have YOU and a few others who care and spare their time to find and restore, then generously share them with us.

@uppityglivestockian

9 ай бұрын

@alf, agree.

@josephcollins6033

8 ай бұрын

Well said!!!

Watching now to re familiarize myself with La G. I have tix for Naples in April 24: Netrebko, Kaufmann, Rashvelishvili. Fingers crossed they all show up! .

@b13ne

3 ай бұрын

Rachvelishvili has cancelled, at her place there is Eve Maud Hubeaux, who sang the same role in Salzburg anyways with Netrebko and Kaufmann. Are you sure it's April 24? Performances end on the 17.

If I remember correctly, Scotto became furious with Pavarotti because he took a solo bow before the end of the opera, and no one else did.

Outstanding, amazing 😍 .. unbelievable how a human being is able to create such performance that allow us to feel wonderful emotions...

Superb cast. Glorious production. Pity we are short of singers of this kind now.

Marvelous staging. Outstanding cast, with beautiful singing.

Scotto is fabulous in this. My one minor quibble is the blocking for the suicide. While Gioconda doesn't sing anymore after stabbing herself the death shouldn't be that instantaneous. There's enough time for her to die while Barnaba holds her and torments her. It's in the space of the music. Also the whole idea that she has his dagger and they're still singing a duet together is pretty silly. He should be completely surprised by her suicide even though we as an audience should not. Scotto is gorgeous physically and IMO just right for the role in terms of amplitude. It's a great opera that should be produced more often.

Pavarotti!!!!!!😱😱😱♥♥♥

@carlosteiner

3 ай бұрын

Yes incredibile! who is Jonas Kaufmann?

Thank you!! I remember well...

Gutes video der oper gute bestzug danke

Scotto really had no business singing dramatic roles such as this. Gioconda is at least two sizes too big for her, and you can hear her negotiating the role rather than truly singing it. The strain on her delicate vocal instrument is audible anytime she has to sing above than a mezzoforte, with the voice spreading and becoming unwieldy and wobbly. She was a good singing actress, but I have always felt that she was often her own worst enemy: in her pursuit of artistry, she often comes across as artificial and calculating. You can always see the mental interpretive gears turning. I do like her Desdemona recording from a year prior quite a lot though. I think that's as heavy a role as her voice could comfortably handle.

@saxgirlhornboy6458

3 ай бұрын

I agree. Araiza is another who was heart-melting in lyric roles but less convincing when he answered the call of dramatic roles...

Come mai Bartoletti ha tagliato il preludio??

@BellaFirenze

8 ай бұрын

Non si sa.

Brava, Scotto!

All the dramatic tricks of Scotto cannot hide that this role is terrible for her instrument. She looks and sounds like a deranged Musetta.The rest of the cast led by Pavarotti is great.

@samueljaramillo4221

8 ай бұрын

I disagree 👎

@AP-dd3xp

7 ай бұрын

@@samueljaramillo4221scotto has no place in singing dramatic roles, she’s awful in everyone of them. you can disagree all you want but doesn’t change the facts.

@samueljaramillo4221

7 ай бұрын

@@AP-dd3xp That is your opinion not a fact.. KZread trolls think they know best. Trolls that are not singers, voice coaches or teachers. Or have no credentials at all. They just criticize because they can.

@tonshaad1230

7 ай бұрын

​@@samueljaramillo4221So the critics were wrong when they messaged the same thing, even going as far as saying she sounded like a grandmother? If you can't objectively say that she was horrible in dramatic roles such as Gioconda, Lady Macbeth, Suor Angelica, then you can't be taken seriously. It is not an opinion, it is a mere fact her voice sounded horrible in these huge, dramatic Soprano vehicles.

@samueljaramillo4221

6 ай бұрын

@@tonshaad1230 Again, this is your opinion. Not a fact. An opinion you would not say to her face because you wouldn’t have the nerve to say it to her face if she were still living. Her recordings will be remembered,your obnoxious hatred irrelevant comments will not.