Barbara Padilla - O Mio Babbino Caro - America's Got Talent Finale

I am very happy that Barbara Padilla sang Puccini's O Mio Babbino Caro during the finale of America's Got Talent. It gave me a chance to search for different sopranos on YouTube.

YouTube is such a great resource for opera performances current and old. The great sopranos like Maria Callas, Renata Tebaldi, Beverly Sills and Joan Sutherland (still alive) live on and get to reach an audience many many years after their primes.

If Barbara Padilla has sparked your interest in opera, I highly recommend you spend a few hours on YouTube and listen to the greats. I did the other day, and it was wonderful. Be careful with the commenters though -- like American Idol, fanwars abound with these sopranos: everyone is the "best". My personal favorite is Beverly Sills.

Watch the video here:

Maria Callas:

http://www.youtube.com/v/Rxy4qrnKwVo&hl=en&fs=1&

Renata Tebaldi:

http://www.youtube.com/v/zFypui1xKlk&hl=en&fs=1&

Angela Gheorghiu: Love this.

http://www.youtube.com/v/ul9OTShQ_rc&hl=en&fs=1&

Anna Netrebko: If you can't make to New York City to watch the Metropolitan Opera, you can try catching the MET on HD in your movie theater. Check listings here. Anna Netrebko will appear in Les Contes d’Hoffmann in December 19, 2009

http://www.youtube.com/v/w0diDwHtATw&hl=en&fs=1&

Kiri Te Kanawa: Beautiful!

http://www.youtube.com/v/mDOCONwjbwg&hl=en&fs=1&

Renee Fleming: If you can't make to New York City to watch the Metropolitan Opera, you can try catching the MET on HD in your movie theater. Check listings here. Renee Fleming is performing Der Rosenkavalier and Armida in 2010. (I personally find this performance horrid, btw -- too much "drama" -- and audible breathing.)

http://www.youtube.com/v/nRaMOka3xzo&hl=en&fs=1&

Leontyne Price: Amazing!

http://www.youtube.com/v/Y9OFIVyQTlE&hl=en&fs=1&

Montserrat Caballe:

http://www.youtube.com/v/PomIF3s2-OY&hl=en&fs=1&

Barbara Padilla: