12 December 1953 -
Naples, Teatro San Carlo - Oncina, Taddei, Tajo, Dora Gatta, Cadoni; Serafin
Review
March 1954 "[the
other singers were] at a noteworthy remove from the magic that was being
created by Simionato as Cinderella...a splendid interpretation. In
Simionato's hands the character becomes a memorable and unsurpassable
creation because of her consummate vocal accomplishments...as well as her
affecting dramatics portrayal...Here her petit frames gives her certain
advantages to begin with , but she has built on them with the grace of her
attitudes, gestures, glances, always intelligently observing accents and
inflections; with the clarity of her diction; finally, with a vocalism that
is not only perfect from the standpoint of emission, in its solid technical
foundation and squillo, but in the exact measurement of how much voice to
give, the bite of her florid passages, the concealment of artifice. I can
think of no other singer working today, Italian of foreign who has such a
competent talent, and can give us such intense emotional and musical
fulfillment" Claudio Sartori, Il Tempio di Milano,
March, 16, 1954
March 1964
"Cinderella made sparks fly!...Giulietta Simionato, again Cenerentola? Who
would have thpught it. In better voice than ever, she is a singer and artist
so immersed in her character that she casts a spell with her beautiful
voice. And all of us opera fanatics were standing there listening to her
(Giulietta, our Giulietta) like so many Romeos" Aleco Toni, La Notte,
March 18, 1964
Anecdotes
The 1954 La Scala
Cenerentola was mounted especially for Simionato, and she didn't disappoint,
the performance going down as once of the most extraordinary to ever be
presented on that celebrated stage. Zeffirelli's choice of costumes
(costumes always held great importance for Simionato) created some problems
though, the bust on Simionato's was so tight she had difficult breathing,
but Simionato agreed to try and wear it, however during rehearsals she had
great difficulty and it had to be let out, but only a little, so as not to
offend the director with whom she was able to maintain a strong
relationship. In the end it was the music that mattered most with Simionato
receiving 15 curtain calls.