Bidu SayaoThat most formidable of early 20th Century classical musicians, Italian conductor Arturo Toscanini, would once again influence the direction of Brazilian opera by his fortuitous intervention in the burgeoning American career of soprano Bidu Sayão.
There exist several versions of their fabled encounter, but suffice it to say that the notoriously demanding maestro may have been moved by Bidu Sayao, the Brazilian singer's sensitive portrayal of the consumptive Violetta Valery in Verdi's La Traviata, given in 1935 at Milan's historic Teatro alla Scala, where Toscanini had once served as director. At a formal reception for the diva Bidu Sayao in 1936 at Town Hall in New York City, Toscanini introduced himself to Bidu, and immediately piqued her musical interest in a work she had not previously performed in: French composer Claude Debussy's poetic cantata La Demoiselle Élue (The Blessed Damozel), originally written for mezzo-soprano, a voice category the normally stratospheric coloratura was unaccustomed to. Undaunted by the challenges inherent in this offbeat proposal, Toscanini offered to coach "la piccola Brasiliana" Bidu Sayao, in the difficult piece, and even recommended an alternative higher key for her comfort, to which he likewise supplied a revised vocal score. Needless to say, Bidu was hooked by this rare chance to work with the renowned Italian taskmaster, and willingly swallowed the bait. With the experienced hand of Arturo Toscanini leading her and the New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra and Schola Cantorum Singers, Bidu Sayão made an auspicious Carnegie Hall debut in the Debussy work on April 16, 1936, to rave reviews in the press. Taking advantage of the increased exposure her New York appearances had provided, Bidu Sayao spent the next several seasons commuting to and from her native Brazil, and her soon-to-be-adopted North American homeland. She gave innumerable performances on both continents, but paid particular attention to Brazilian shores, by some accounts appearing in as many as 200 different locales spanning the length and breadth of the country. Upon Bidu Sayao's return visit to the States, the board of the Metropolitan Opera (at Toscanini's insistence) tapped the busy soprano to appear in a part not generally associated with South American artists: that of Jules Massenet's wholly and beguilingly Gallic young heroine, the beautiful and coquettish Manon Lescaut. Although he himself no longer had any direct involvement in running the company, Toscanini nonetheless proved relentless in persuading the Met's stodgy leadership to take on the Brazilian nightingale for this plum assignment?this despite the fact that Manon was not a role that required the kind of vocal fireworks that Bidu was then capable of, nor was it yet a regular staple of her core repertoire. Fortunately for the Met, the singer had been slowly expanding her roster of parts to encompass the more lyric roles of Violetta in La Traviata, Juliette in Gounod's Roméo et Juliette, and Mimì in Puccini's La Bohème, even before she had met her second husband, Giuseppe Danise. It was to Danise's lasting credit, however, that he was able to confidently guide his wife further along this newfound path, thereby stretching her usual list of soubrette parts by including more dramatic vocal opportunities. This admittedly opened up fresher avenues for Bidu to explore, now that she had been performing ad infinitum the same well-worn roles of Lucia, Susanna and Rosina over the entire course of her career, even though audiences still flocked to see her in them. With her authentic French diction and remarkable ability to breathe dramatic life into increasingly complex characters, Bidu Sayão was ideally poised to conquer the stages of North America, just as she had done in Europe and Latin America for the last 10 years. Finally, on February 13, 1937, on a cold and wintry Saturday afternoon, the captivating Brazilian soprano stepped out from behind the golden curtain and into the warm glow of the stage at the old Metropolitan Opera House on Broadway and 39th Street, to bask in a well-deserved ovation for her premiere performance in Massenet's Manon. She delivered what many of her staunchest fans would come to regard as her most elaborately prepared, most fully realized, and most passionately heartfelt portrait to date. Manon would go on to become her third most requested role (22 performances in all) during her Met tenure, lagging behind only Susanna and Mimì (46 performances each), and Violetta (with 23). It is interesting to note that Bidu Sayão had established a firm foothold on the legitimate Broadway stage two years and four months before Carmen Miranda was to do so, and a full three years prior to Carmen's own footprints were to be permanently enshrined on Hollywood's immortal Walk of Fame.
The early years of Bidu Sayao For most fans of the legendary Brazilian soprano Bidti Sayao (born May 11, 1902), the period prior to her U.S. career is a bit of a mystery. Bidu Sayao's Recordings Few recordings exist from these years, and whatever early successes she enjoyed are eclipsed by vivid documents (some in sound as well as photos) of her performances at the Metropolitan Opera (where she sang for 16 seasons, beginning in 1937), San Francisco, and Chicago. Nonetheless, those early successes were considerable for Bidu Sayao. After studies with Elena Theodorini in Rio de Janeiro and Bucharest, and Jean de Reszke in Nice, Bidu Sayao made her opera debut in 1926 at the Costanzi, Rome, as Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia. Other European and South American engagements followed, leading to debuts at La Scala in 1930 (again as Rosina) and the Opera and OperaComique in 1931 (as Juliette on both occasions). In this early stage of the career, Bidu Sayao's repertoire encompassed more coloratura roles, including Lucia and Elvira (in I Puritani). Evidence of this is heard in the recordings of arias from Gomes's Il Guarany, included in this present collection. Though the voice remained agile and fresh throughout Bidu Sayao's career, on these recordings there is a brighter edge to the tone, and an easier access to the upper reaches of her range. The songs sung in Portuguese show Bidu Sayao's interpretive powers already in full bloom. Of the six, A casinha pequenina ("The Tiny Little House") is the most familiar, having remained in her repertoire throughout her "American" years. Canto da saudade is generally translated as "Song of Longing," though, according to the Brazilian-born pianist Jose Feghali, "There is no word for saudade in English. It describes the melancholy one feels when one misses someone or someplace - one of the most beautiful and common words in the Portuguese language. " Cisnes ("Swans") and 0 luar da minha terra ("The Moonlight of My Homeland") are also full of saudade, and round out the group of songs by Alberto Costa, who was an uncle of Sayao's. In addition to his songs, the soprano's repertoire also included his opera Suor Maddalena. Barrozo Netto was an important pianist and music editor of the late 19th- and early 20-century. Sayao sings his Cangao da felicidade ("Song of Happiness") and Cantiga ("Song"). The later operatic selections, drawn from radio broadcasts, include some rarities, such as Micaela's aria (Je dis que rien ne m'epouvante) from Carmen, Suzel's entrance from L'Amico Fritz (Son pochi fiori), and In quelle trine morbide from Puccini's Manon Lescaut. No doubt Sayao would have liked to have added the "other" Marion to her stage repertoire (as well as the same composer's Butterfly), but her wisdom kept her from taking on roles for which her voice lacked the requisite weight and power. Only towards the end of her career did she allow herself a venture into verismo, with stage performances of Mefistofele in San Francisco in 1952. The high level of artistic refinement Sayao brings to these pieces is all the more impressive when one considers that they are all "live" broadcasts. But then again, most of what exists of Sayao on record is in a sense "live," since even the studio recordings are mostly first takes. Sayao herself has said that she disliked recording multiple takes (If you don't get it right the first time, it only gets worse and worse"), and she is proud to relate that her famed Columbia recording of the Bachiana Brasileira No. 5 by Villa-Lobos was not even the first take, but the first studio run-through, intended only as a check of audio levels! The explanation for Sayao's confidence is simple: her vocal training took place at a time when the 19th-century values of technical perfection were still in effect. The mechanics of tone production solidly in place, Sayao was free to give full reign to her formidable dramatic imagination. To hear her partnered with Jussi Bjoerling in the Act IV duet from Romeo et Juliette is a special treat - two virtuosos who exploit a seemingly endless variety of vocal colors, each more beautiful than the last. Sayao conveys an almost unsettling vulnerability in the more poignant selections included here. In particular, her account of Marion's Adieu, notre petite table gives the impression that she will dissolve in tears at any moment, and yet the tone remains steady and supported to the end. This freedom to spontaneously explore shading, dynamics, and phrasing, without fear of technical impediments, is the hallmark of Sayao's art. It is the reason why re-takes were unnecessary: Sayao was (almost) always perfect.
Bidu Sayao: Brazilian Folk Songs Sayao at the Metropolitan Opera - click here Build a Website that works! Download Evidence Eliminator™ software and protect your PC from intrusions. Click here to download
|