She was indeed the Queen of High D's!

It’s like she is actually crying

A true singing artist, unsurpassed in this role.

She also said the role took a tremendous toll on her voice.

She still does

sopranosd she certainly is :)

Actually sitting is easier as the entire carriage is supported. It’s just restricting for the legs.

Mary Costa might have made a great Elizabeth; her voice was heavier and darker than Beverly's.

Stephanie Cowell how lucky you were

Jose Hill ...she did. And did it wonderfully. Unfortunately, she has said that doing this role took 10 years off of her singing career. But she said it was worth it.

@@shannonlewis8906 Yes...and stated "it was never my goal to sing forever. Indeed, 51 is very young to retire.

I feel she is somewhat underappreciated

I´m also interested in it. Could you please tell me where I could find it? Thank you!

No-one matches Callas's acting. She was in n a league of her own

@@crazyorganist1609 Correction…she was as great as Callas

It's not for the young or feint hearted! .... It's a role that comes with age and experience... and one of Donizetti's most challenging. Devia, Sills, Gruberova, Gencer and Rodvanovsky are amazing in this role .... A pity Sutherland didn't sing it.

S R I wish she would have as well, but I have to think back. This role is Very Dramatic! The singing is heavy for at least 70% of the night. I think sutherland’s heaviest role would’ve been Norma/Anna Bolena? Which is mostly lyrical with some heavy ensemble moments. I don’t know that this role would have suited her well? I think just based on her repertoire she preferred a role focusing of the weight of the sound, rather than the agility and long legato line? Just a thought.

+DanRobSo You can't take anything seriously at Parterre Box! They're a bunch of screaming queens who would have heart attacks if they heard Callas fart.

Yes! She has done the wise things and before the voice was gone she also took the chances. Great fearless artist.

Qui la Sills é daOscar! La mai abbastanza compianta artista ha fatto qui uno dei suoi capolavori interpretativi. Gestualità alla Bette Davis e vocalità magari non bellissima ma pronta ed efficace in ogni punto .... Un gioiello.....

Si cmq anche la Grubi e la Devia nn sono male

@@massimopasticci1761 La gruberova è il peggior soprano che abbia mai sentito. Sills è molto meglio.

@@BaroneVitellioScarpia1 Certo che la Sills e' migliore, dal vivo Lei l ha sentita? Io purtroppo no! Cmq piacere Barone

😆😆😆 la Devia e la Gruberova, meglio ridere che piangere......

In anycase , Beverly nailed this role with such skillful dramatic singing , brava 👌

She would have set the standard. No singer can touch Callas in belcanto.

Callas’ never tackling this role is probably what bumps me up the most in reference to the roles she never went on to sing. Nowadays Marina Rebeka could potentially give a much more greater justice to the role than Sondra for whom belcanto has never truly worked well…

@@spyridonroumeliotis7831 I too have felt Sondra was much more of a late Verdi and Puccini singer than bel canto. For me, she has never had the true mastery of the fine-points of bel canto, such as fluent coloratura or ability to trill well. She can approximate it, but it's never the real thing. Elisabetta worked for her the best, as it showcased her strengths without displaying her weaknesses. I heard her as Medea a couple of weeks ago, and she didn't embarrass herself. Her low notes are still lacking, and she doesn't have the myriad of colors one got from Callas, especially the truly venomous colors Callas produced in certain passages. But it was an honorable performance. She deserves kudos for just having the guts to attempt the role.

@@Shahrdad I agree on the fact that she’s a great Verdi and Puccini performer. Especially on the roles that lack excessive coloratura because honestly I think she can’t handle it. This is one of the reasons I really find her Amelia to be to-the-point and probably also why I think she’s very well suited for Puccini and I really like her Tosca. She’s frequently not capable of creating this dramatic effect you also referred to albeit. To be honest I was rather sure she would do a more than decent job with Medea. A friend of mine watched her last week and said the same thing as you did. Although I don’t think Sondra could ever have a voice colored in the way the one of Callas was and certainly not capable of the electrifying effect Callas gives you even by listening to any of her Medea recordings (especially the Florence, Scala and the Dallas one). For me Sondra has a big voice that under certain circumstances generates an imposing effect within a specific pool of roles, and that makes her a great artist.

@@spyridonroumeliotis7831 I think the want of a great chest register was the greatest detriment to her Medea. Callas's assumption will remain untouchable. I think Sondra was also sabotaged by McVickers' awful sets, costumes, and direction. He turned this the Princess of Colchis and the granddaughter of the sun god Helios into a crazed fishwife that slinked and slithered on stage. The mere presence of Medea should evoke awe. As the NYT said, she looked like she swam to Corinth. And the cast looked like they walked out of the Netherfield ball in Pride and Prejudice and mingled with the Pirates of the Caribbean.