Hiya Lars,
Obviously beauty is in the ear of the listener. Tebaldi, to me, has a
beautiful
voice, but beyond that, I'd say that most of her admirers would point to
that
same quality as her greatest asset. Stage personality? I have no idea. I
was
just surprised at Gedda's opinion.
It seems very ironic that for years people would speak of Tebaldi's great
and beautiful voice versus Callas' stage personality. And now, some are
saying that Tebaldi became famous and well loved for HER stage personality.
In my opinion, no matter how magnetic you are or how incredible an actress
you are, you are not going to make it big in opera the way these two women
did unless you have a voice more than capable to deal with the music you're
singing. Callas became a famous (they were referring to her as a legend as
early as the early fifties) by virtue or a remarkable voice, faultless
musicianship, a florid technique without peer, and on top of that, the
ability to act with the music and breath life into the roles in a way that
hadn't been done for many decades. Tebaldi became famous for her beautiful
vocalism, her good musicianship, and her commitment to her performances.
The fact that these women could keep the audience's eyes fascinated in
performance is of secondary importance. First and foremost, they were great
singers and musicians who could do justice to their music, not "stage
personalities."
S.
Could the difference between Callas and Tebaldi be described as Kunst Diva vs. Stimme Diva?