Re: Fedora Barbieri, Born June 4, 1920.


Victoria Vergara?

-Again, allowing for Non-Italian mezzi, I mention Larisa Diadkova, a
terrific Amneris I saw onstage (with Voight and Margison); Stefania
Toczyska, Dolora Z. (of course!!!), and.... if we venture out the the
opera fach, just for a moment: Ethel Merman!! :)))

Best,
LT
------------------------------------------------
Re: Fedora Barbieri, Born June 4, 1920.
Group: rec.music.opera
Date: Sun, Jun 7, 2009, 2:27pm (PDT+7)
From: Paul Ferraro <donpaolo1@xxxxxxxxxxx>

Very good - indeed, the Magnanilike, "hair under the armpits" type of
gutsy female Italian singers that were so exciting - think of Cerquetti,
Mancini, Minghini-Cattaneo, Barbieri, Stignani, Elmo, Pederzini,
Pirazzini & not Italian, but definitely part of the group, Oralia
Dominguez.
Who did I leave out????

DonPaolo

"L T" <tapefanatic@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:16611-4A2B79CE-861@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
-------------------------------------------
Fedora Barbieri, Born June 4, 1920.
Group: rec.music.opera
Date: Fri, Jun 5, 2009, 9:28am
From: High E Flat <CharlesHandelman@xxxxxx>

I almost forgot about the birthday of one of the greatest (and
nuttiest) ladies I ever heard..Fedora Barbieri.....She had an ORGAN of a
voice..filled the stage with phemomenal tone..and even though some of
the very top got a bit "under'....the chest voice and the middle were so
amazing..that she was something spectacular to hear.

Those of you old enough to have witnessed her Trovatore
Encampment Scene where she "spits out' the "AH..De h rallentati o
barbari..." will understand the furor she created..in fact she had a big
fight with Warren one night..because we wanted a SOLO bow from
her......and he got all upset....

In her later years I got to "know her"..first by
phone..where I got her repertory in my ear(an octave lower) and then
when she came here to NY to be honored along with Leyla Gencer..shortly
before her passing....she was a regular riot.....she once regaled us in
the dressing room (1976, after a Schicchi/Suor) with that very Trovatore
line,when I reminded her of how she thrilled us.....She was an "earthy'
lady....and not appreciated by Giulietta Simionato..who reportedly would
not want to be in the same CITY with her......
She carried the chest voice
way way up....and it was a wild thrill to hear the last lines of the
Aida Judgement scene in chest voice...especially the last "ANATEMA"
before the "su voiiiii." The 1958 Eboli is beyond her...she did not have
an easy top for that role, but she did so many great things, that can be
excused.
I am glad I came
to know her briefly in her later years..the memories are vivid..She
reminded me of Anna Magnani in the film "The Rose Tattoo." I wonder if
the rumors are true that she made a remark once about what she wanted to
do with the statue of David...well..you know rumors.....
Brava
Fedora...... Charlie

----------------------------------------------
LT:

I've long ago noticed the Magnani-like quality in Barbieri's style and
persona on film; Hers was a true mezzo-contralto, but encompassed much
of the mezzo-soprano rep in Italian opera.

She was also, as some early photos show, a great beauty in her youth -
and remained an attractive and tremendously charismatic diva in later
years. (Even in the cameo role of 'Giovanna' in the Pav/Wixell Rigoletto
video)

Barbieri's 'Azucena' spoiled me for all others I ever heard, live or
recorded. Still, the less-known Gianna Pederzini's performance was
unforgettable, in the old, abridged b/w film with Sinimberghi,
Mascherini, and Colonella.

-Likewise, Simionato, with Corelli, Price, and Bastianini in '62.




.

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