Search - Vincenzo Bellini, Oliviero de Fabritiis, La Scala Theater Orchestra :: Bellini: Norma

Suliotis in great voice

Howard M. Bushnell | NJ, USA | 09/22/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This performance, a broadcast from Japan in 1971, is the complete Suliotis Norma that Decca did not give us. Certainly the lady is in better voice than Decca's 1966 excerpts (now available on cd in Japan only). By 1971 she had conquered technical difficulties such as the scooping on high notes that marred the earlier effort. An example is the crucial "Son Io" phrase: on Decca she scoops into it and flats out of it. No such problem here. It would be just a year or so later that this fabulous voice would disintegrate, but there are no signs in this performance of that eventuality. Indeed, this performance finds Suliotis at her absolute peak. While the less glamorous sound of this broadcast does not equal that of the Decca excerpts disc, it is more than acceptable. A must-have for those of us who heard this stupendous singer in her prime; for those born too late, it is yet another reminder of what they missed back in the golden age... The rest of the cast is well-known and terrific. Thanks to Myto for issuing this important set."

One of the Great Normas

Paul R. Everett | 10/07/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I heard Suliotis twice during her prime years, both times in Carnegie Hall, Nabucco and Norma. (Yes, that infamous night!) The voice was enormous, clarion, flexible. She herself was gorgeous, dramatic and had charisma to burn. There is no one around like her anymore (maybe there never was), and the recent Metropolitan performances prove it. This performance, from Tokyo in 1971, finds her in even better vocal condition that she was in the mid-sixties, and a greater artist too. I highly recommend this recording; it is a Norma to treasure. The rest of the cast is superb too, as is the conducting."

Souliotis' voice is in poor condition

hanako | Japan | 05/13/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Excuse me for my poor English.



This live recording was made in 1971, Tokyo. In this recording,

Souliotis' voice is in poor condition. From the first she lacks sprit.

It is said that she caught a cold before this recording.



If you would like her Norma in good condition, a studio recording

conducted by Varviso in 1967 is better. At the time, she is

in the prime.



It is released by Universal Music Japan, and hard to find other

than in Japan. Amazon Japan deals in it(ASIN: B000666TW6, or

B00005FL1V), and this site is available for you in English too.



For all the fans of Souliotis, I wish Amazon, too, dealt in it!"