Our favourite cabaletta

[Schigolch]

This feature of Italian Romantic Opera has always been loved by the audience.

Some of them, like "Di Quella Pira" or "Sempre libera" are indeed among the most popular operatic pieces of all time.

Which are our favourites cabalettas?

I love so many.... This one is very special for me, I've listened it often... perhaps, even too often.

[Anne of Green Gables]

First ones to come to my mind are these:









All great stuff.

Donizetti was pretty good with closing whole operas in such manner, like in Anna Bolena or Roberto Devereux.

[Schigolch]

In this thread, there is a definition of what a "cabaletta" is:

http://operalively.com/forums/showth...aletta#post897

[MAuer]

I think this may qualify:



In any case, it's another example of Kaufmann's singing triumphing over a goofy staging "concept."

[Schigolch]

This is "A brani, a brani o perfido", sung by the soprano in the Second Act of Verdi's Luisa Miller. Wurm, the bad guy, in love with Luisa forces her to write a letter announcing their engagement, or he will torture her father, already in prison under orders from Count Walter. It comes after the splendid cantabile "Tu puniscimi o signore":



Luisa

A brani, a brani, o perfido
il cor tu m'hai squarciato!
Almen t'affretta a rendermi
il padre, il padre sventurato.
Di morte il fero brivido
tutta m'invade omai.
Mi chiuda almeno i rai
la man del genitore!

WURM
Coraggio: il tempo è farmaco
d'ogni cordoglio umano.
Di stringer la tua mano
speranza nutro ancor.



This is the beautiful Katia Ricciarelli, still in a reasonably good vocal shape, though with problems ascending to the B flat in "tuttaaaa".

[rgz]

Ah! Non giunge is a favorite, although it so often is turned into a coloratura showpiece that focuses on flashiness instead of the expression of joy it should be.

This is about as by-the-book version as is possible and is a great rendition (although the conducting is a out to lunch with a very inconsistent tempo):

[Schigolch]

Yes, an all-time favourite for many people, of course.

You are absolutely right about the conducting. I have sometimes compared this conductor with an out of order metronome.

[Dark_Angel]

Yes, an all-time favourite for many people, of course.

You are absolutely right about the conducting. I have sometimes compared this conductor with an out of order metronome.

That tempo is very out of sync, oh my.......a songbird rendition for me, needs more passion

I prefer the warm amber toned Netrebko rendition, much more joyful passion and thrilling excitement, very powerful confident projection, brava




For the ultimate Amina my beloved Maria Callas 1955 with Bernstein, yesssssss!

[Almaviva]

Wow, Anna is quite spectacular there. Was this released on DVD by any chance?

[Dark_Angel]

Wow, Anna is quite spectacular there. Was this released on DVD by any chance?

BBC Proms from a couple years ago, but no DVD available to my knowledge.......

I hope Netrebko does a Sonambula Blu Ray......pehaps JDF as Elvino
no euro trash/reggie production please

[Schigolch]

This is one flamboyant example from I Lombardi alla prima crociata, Verdi's fourth opera. After the beautiful aria "Se vano il pregare", Giselda sings at the end of second act the cabaletta "No! No! giusta causa non è d'Iddio". She is against the violence of her father and the Lombard troops.

GISELDA (quasi colpita da demenza)
No!... giusta causa - non è d'Iddio
La terra spargere - di sangue umano;
È turpe insania - non senso pio
Che all'oro destasi - del mussulmano!
Queste del cielo - non fûr parole...
No, Dio nol vuole - No, Dio nol vuole!

EREMITA E CORO:
Che ascolto!

ARVINO, SOFIA:
O misera!

GISELDA:
Qual nera benda
Agli occhi squarciami - forza divina!
I vinti sorgono - vendetta orrenda
Sta nelle tenebre - d'età vicina!
A niuno sciogliere - fia dato l'alma
Nel suoi 've l'aure - prime spirò!
L'empio olocausto - di umana salma
Il Dio degli uomini - sempre sdegnò. -

ARVINO:
Empia!... sacrilega! -

GISELDA:
Gioco dei venti
Già veggo pendere - le vostre chiome;
Veggo di barbari - sorger torrenti,
D'Europa stringere - le genti dome!
Ché mai non furono - di Dio parole
Quelle onde gli Uomini - sangue versâr.
No, Dio nol vuole - No, Dio nol vuole;
Ei sol di pace - scese a parlar!

EREMITA:
Ah taci, incauta.

ARVINO (cavando il pugnale):
Possa tua morte
Il detto sperdere - del labbro osceno!

EREMITA (fermandolo):
Che fai? La misera - duolo ha sì forte
Che, ben lo vedi, - ragion smarrì! -

We can hear American soprano Lauren Flanigan.

[sospiro]

Ernani
Infelice! e tuo credevi.... Infin che un brando vindice.

I think this is fab

[Hilltroll72]

Isn't 'cabaletta' a kind of bread? So which came first...

[Schigolch]

The origin of the word "cabaletta" is not clear, there are different opinions...

This one is from the end of Bellini's opera Bianca e Fernando (performed under the name Bianca e Gernando in Naples, to accommodate the then reigning Bourbon family), the caballeta "Alla gioia ed al piacer", written by the Sicilian composer while having lunch with her star soprano, Adelaide Tosi, before the premiere in Genoa, at the Carlo Felice.

.

[Schigolch]

Among early Verdi operas, my personal favourite is I Due Foscari. Here we have an energic cabaletta from this opera, "O patrizi, tremate", again with Dimitra Theodossiou: