belcantopera's video: 2018: Come per me sereno oggi rinacque il d La Sonnambula - Maria Barrientos 1906

like a Chopin - legato - portamento - gioia - rubato - the accent of the word... the joyous soprano cavatina "Come per me sereno", from La Sonnambula by Vincenzo Bellini. Maria Barrientos' beautiful light and dark tone, pure legato, and gentle pathos are a joy. She was THE coloratura at the MET just before Galli-Curci. No squeakly little canary here! ------------------------------------- Amina is dressed for her imminent wedding ceremony and awaits her lover, Elvino: Come per me sereno Oggi rinacque il dì! Come il terren fiorì Più bello e ameno! Mai di più lieto aspetto Natura non brillò; Amor la colorò Del mio diletto. How brightly this day dawned for me! How the earth blossomed, lovelier than ever before! Never, never has the face of nature smiled with such radiance; love transfigured it, the love of my beloved. ------------------------------------- La Sonnambula (The Sleepwalker) received its first performance in 1831 with Giuditta Pasta in the title role. The opera was revived by Adelina Patti, Luisa Tetrazzini, Amelita Galli-Curci (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGsczBgXoZw)... Next to the smooth sweetness of a Galli Curci, Barrientos may seem rougher and more tremulous, her passagework less polished. But I love the sultry timbre of her gutsy voice, not nearly so white as other bird singers, and her top is certainly better than Galli Curci's. And in tune. The necessary broad sweep, irresistible abandon, remarkable legato, pure, beautiful piano tones, flowing ease of execution, and gentle expression (dolcezza) combine to create a superb performance. Since then the title role has been assumed by a number of other prominent sopranos: Maria Callas (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqt3Uymi1NQ), Joan Sutherland, Cecilia Bartoli and Natalie Dessay. ------------------------------------- "Maria Barrientos (1883 - 1946) was a Spanish opera singer, one of the most eminent sopranos of her time. Barrientos was born in Barcelona, where she received a thorough musical education (piano and violin) at the Music Conservatory. She made her debut in Barcelona, as Ines in L'Africaine, in 1898, aged only 15. She was immediately invited to all the major opera houses of Europe, singing in Italy, England, France, to great acclaim. It is however in South America, especially at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, that she enjoyed her greatest triumphs. Barrientos made her Metropolitan Opera debut on January 31, 1916, in the title role of Lucia di Lammermoor with Giovanni Martinelli as Edgardo, Pasquale Amato as Enrico, and Gaetano Bavagnoli conducting. She remained committed to that house through 1920 where her other roles included Adina in L'elisir d'amore, Amina in La sonnambula, Elvira in I puritani, Gilda in Rigoletto, Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia, and the title roles in Lakmé and Mireille. Barrientos continued appearing on stage in standard coloratura roles until 1924. She then restricted herself to recitals, and became an admired interpreter of French and Spanish songs. Barrientos was a singer with a voice of almost instrumental limpidity. She made a valuable set of recordings for Fonotipia Records and Columbia Records. She retired to the south-west of France, where she became an enthusiastic bridge player. She died at Ciboure." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Barrientos -------------------------------------