Yesterday I posted an item about Il Bacio di Tosca, the lovely documentary that I so much enjoy last week. Undoubtedly the star of the film is soprano Sara Scuderi. Though a name largely unknown in North American she had a successful European career, particularly in Holland, as well as some renown in South America. In her time she was known but not considered one of the greats. Listening to her singing Vissi d'arte (I lived for art alone.) makes me think that if this was what a second string soprano sounded like then, how come we can't find a first string soprano that good today?
She was born in Catania December 11, 1906 and made her debut as Verdi's Desdemona in 1925. She was still singing into the 1950s and made a few recordings but had to wait for her real international fame until Tosca's Kiss in 1985. She died at the Casa Verdi on December 24, 1987 at the age of 85.
And because there just aren't singers around like this anymore, here she is singing Mimi's Donde lieta usci in an 1948 recording.
25 marzo - Annunciazione del Signore
5 comments:
Very Lovely voice.
I can't say all those hard words,but she is a real treasure!
very pretty...
I like Irish tenors..
Thanks for the clips Willym.I was close to tears listening to them for two reasons. First, because she really was a marvellous singer (yes, I've heard of her) and second, the music reminds me of my failed career as an opera singer. Many are called and few are chosen. I was just not good enough and I admit it, but boy, would I have loved to sing Mimi!
Grazie tante.
Thank you Will. What a lovely voice.
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