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"Verismo sopranos were of two varieties: the fragile young girl with a slender shiny tone and the tempestuous mature woman with a large dark voice. (Sopranos today use an uninfected, charmless. all-purpose tone.) Over the years Olivero's sound changed from the first variety to the second.
"Olivero was coached by Cilea and a number of now-obscure verismo composers and is the last singer with such background. For me, she distils and exemplifies the tradition. From Gemma Bellincioni to Lina Bruna Rasa, the verismo era was transfigured by searing vocal actresses. Unlike Olivero, few also were consummate musicians able through rubato (lengthening or shortening notes or groups of notes) to convey the music's tension and relaxation. More, hers is 'il cantar che nell'anima si sente'- singing that is sensed in the soul. Her London/Decca Fedora, made in 1968, is the last emotionally important commercial recording of an Italian opera.
"Given a choice between Callas and Olivero, I'd actually pick Olivero. She has greater warmth and depth and is more moving.
"In 1984 the radio program 'Opera Fanatic: which I hosted held two favourite soprano contests: Favourite Soprano of the Century and Favourite Soprano of Our Time. In the former Olivero came in third, after Callas and Ponselle, in the latter she came in second, after Caballe. Olivero was the only one who placed well in both contests. Unlike the other major contenders, she had given only a handful of performances in this country. -Stefan Zucker, Opera Fanatic magazine

Magda Olivero (born in Saluzzo, 25 March 1910), has had a very unique career. She made her debut for the Turin radio in 1932 with Nino Cattozzo's 'I Misteri Dolorosi'. In 1933 she sang Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi at the Teatro Vittorio Emanuele in the same city. Up until 1940, she sang in all the major Italian theatres and was often heard on the Italian national radio EIAR (now RAI). In 1940, after a final performance of Adriana at the Teatro Alighieri in Ravenna, she married and retired from the stage, only to return 10 years later again to sing Adriana Lecouvreur at the request of the composer, Francesco Cilea.
Her career took off again as if without interruption, and she performed in theatres throughout the world, including the Metropolitan, where she sang a memorable Tosca in 1975. Her last appearance on the stage was in 1981, at the Teatro Filarmonico of Verona, singing 'La voix humaine' by Poulene.
Magda Olivero was a specialist of verismo, and was an unsurpassable interpreter of Fedora, La Fanciulia del West, Mefistofele, La Bohème, Madame Butterfly, Manon Lescaut, Tosca, and many others. She was, however, also an celebrated Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata.
In the words of Rodolfo Celletti: <<In the early part of her career, she had an enormous range and a technic which was perhaps unique among Italian sopranos of that time. An absolute mastery of breath and impeccable phonation allowed for a perfect legato as well as smorzature, diminuendos and crescendos at all pitches. These rich dynamics were at the service of an interpreter of great sensibility and imagination in terms of accentuation and phrasing and who was, moreover, an attractive and gifted actress. To this was added a thorough musical training. Olivero's way of singing and interpreting was definitely countercurrent for the time>>.

Magda Olivero in Puccini's 'Il Tabarro' 1970

Magda Olivero sang Adriana Lecouvreur for the first time with Beniamino Gigli in 1938 and, in one of her last appearances in this role, with Placido Domingo in the United States. Her last recording of Adriana was a curious recording for the Italian label Bongiovanni in April 1993, at the age of 83! This Adriana, first conceived almost as a joke, is called by Magda Olivero as her musical last will and testament.

Magda Olivero as Adriana

discography:

• Magda Olivero in Recital, Dallas 1977, Legato Classics, Standing Room Only, SRO-815-1
• Magda Olivero, The famous Amsterdam Concerts, Bella Voce, BLV 107.207 (2 discs)
• Magda Olivero 1993, Selezione da Adriana Lecouvreur, Bongiovanni, GB 2515-2
• Magda Olivero, recital, opera arias ans scenes, Verona 28016/17 (2 discs)
• Magda Olivero, Celebrated Death Scenes, complete acts from Adriana Lecouvreur, Mefistofele and La Wally. VAI audio, VAI 1062-2 (2 discs)
• Manon Lescaut, complete opera recording Amsterdam 31 October 1964,
  Eklipse, EKR P-6 (2 discs)

Cilea, Adriana Lecouvrer, "Del sultano Amuratte"

Boito, Mefistofelo, "L'altra notte in fondo al mare" , from one of the famous Amsterdam concerto's, in a radio broadcast by Hans Kerkhof , mid-sixties

Magda Olivero - Vissi d'arte (Tosca, Puccini)

Magda Olivero sings "Panis Angelicus" by Cesar Franck

(p) 2007 Dutch Divas