Rebecca Manzi Magda Olivero continued to perform until she was 99, always with the same extraordinary voice of her early years and this video is the emblem of it
@The Magda Olivero Archives/YouTube
Italian lyric soprano Magda Olivero captivated the world with her extraordinary, crystalline voice until her final days. At the age of 96, she performed a “Panis Angelicus” that captured the attention and admiration of all those privileged enough to hear her. Every year on August 15th, she would perform in the church of Solda, mesmerizing those in attendance.
In the footage, Olivero performs with a beauty and emotional expression that convey the depth of her artistry, undiminished by time. Her rendition of Franck’s piece in the evocative setting of an Italian Catholic church moved the audience and demonstrated that age had not dimmed her extraordinary talent in the slightest.
Described as “the last verismo soprano,” Magda Olivero embodied the highly dramatic and stylized style of verismo, captivating audiences with unforgettable roles such as Puccini’s Tosca and Cherubini’s Medea. From her debut, Olivero amazed critics and enthusiasts alike with her musical and dramatic intensity, a remarkable talent that left an indelible mark on the history of opera.
Ceasing performances at 99
Despite her long career, Magda Olivero continued to perform until an age when many artists would have already left the stage. Her immaculate technique and emotional surrender made each of her performances an unforgettable event.
Even in her final years, Magda Olivero maintained her passion and dedication for the arts, offering performances that will forever be cherished and continue to live on through videos that go viral each time they are viewed.
She held her last public performance at the age of 99, and until the end, the audience paid her a deserved tribute, greeting her performances with standing ovations lasting up to half an hour amid triumphant and astonished cheers.
Her death on September 8, 2014, at the age of 104 following a stroke a month earlier, marked the end of an era, but her extraordinary talent and artistic legacy continue to astonish today.
