Whose Version Do You Prefer---And Why?

[Derek McGovern]

Joe recently suggested to me that it would be fun, as well as informative, to compare some of Lanza's versions of various songs and arias with those of other celebrated singers. The idea, of course, would be to spark some interesting discussions by encouraging people to reveal which version they prefer, and why. 

I think it's a fine idea! 

So to start the ball rolling, let's compare Lanza's recording of the beautiful Italian song "Parlami d'Amore, Mariù" with that of his exact contemporary Giuseppe Di Stefano:  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zpz4_90LsL4 [Lanza]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a85sWyBCP5U [Di Stefano]

Whose version do you prefer---and why? :)

Parlami d'Amore, Mariù (Cesare Bixio and Ennio Neri, 1932)

Come sei bella più bella stasera, Mariù!

How you are beautiful, more beautiful than ever this evening, Mariu!
Splende un sorriso di stella negli occhi tuoi blu

A star of a smile is shining in your blue eyes.
Anche se avverso il destino domani sarà

Even if destiny should be contrary tomorrow,

Oggi ti sono vicino perchè sospirar. Non pensar!
Today I am near you, so why sigh? Don't think!

Parlami d'amore, Mariù

Speak to me of love, Mariu.
Tutta la mia vita sei tu

You are my entire life.
Gli occhi tuoi belli brillano

Your lovely eyes shine,
Fiamme di sogno scintillano

The fires of a dream are burning.

Dimmi che illusione non è

Tell me this is no illusion,
Dimmi che sei tutta per me

Tell me that you are all mine.
Qui sul tuo cuor non soffro più

Here on your heart, I suffer no more,
Parlami d'amore, Mariù 

Speak to me of love, Mariù

[jora...@gmail.com]

You sure picked a toughie to start with, you devil. This is like choosing the better of two top-shelf champagnes. Mario was in beautiful voice, exciting and very convincing. However, Di Stefano's voice was smoother, more level and sweeter throughout. So, by a wisp, I give a slight edge to him.

[Savage]

I give the prize to Mario on this one.  His younger voice is matchless in terms of sheer beauty.  Di Stefano's rendition is excellent, but except for his early recordings, the upper range has a forced sound to it.  Mario's higher notes are rich and round. Di Stefano's have a "pushed" quality which bothers my ear.  The exception here is, of course, the beautiful pianissimo finale.  I have to admit to a personal bias against Di Stefano when it comes to his later recordings, and I hear a hint of it here.  If you were to take young Di Stefano's Ideale vs. Lanza's rendition, you might get a totally different response from me.  Very interesting thread, Derek.

                                                                    David

[leeann]

Well, I'm going with Di Stefano on this one, mostly because of a musical and interpretive continuity that's expressive, but seems to put the music first. He's also helped by much better orchestration, I believe, and there's a harmony between voice and music.

Lanza on the other hand--well, my bias is often against Lanza's interpretations of many Italian/Neapolitan selections during his younger years. Armando recently referred to some of Lanza's earlier Coke singing as bombastic and overblown. I think that's apt for sections of this rendition--particularly where he pounds the beginning of some of the verses, and in his fervor, the phrasing seems choppy and the tone a little harsh. Unlike Di Stefano, there's little tenderness in this declaration of love--and at any age, Lanza was a genius at projecting that quality in lyrics like no other.

[Armando]

Even though by 1958, Di Stefano’s voice was beginning to show some signs of wear in the upper register, his recording  of Parlami D’amore Mariu is not only incredibly well sung, but it’s probably the best rendition of the song I have ever heard. Yes, the orchestration is superior to the Lanza version but so is the singing. Superb phrasing, use of light and shade-it’s all there, plus a great ending.

Lanza’s version has his super beautiful voice and nothing else. The singing is uneven or, to quote Lee Ann, “choppy,” the tempo rushed and the whole thing lacking the poetry of the Di Stefano version.  

Again, as Lee Ann pointed out, Lanza was more than capable of singing a much better rendition of the song. As with so many of those radio recordings my distinct impression is that Lanza didn’t know the song well enough.  Under different circumstances- with more rehearsals, a better conductor (Di Stefano had Dino Olivieri) and a better orchestration, Lanza could have matched or even surpassed the Di Stefano recording.

Bottom line- let’s not get carried away by the sound of a beautiful voice alone- listen to the singing!

[Derek McGovern]

Add me to the list of those who feel that Parlami d'Amore, Mariù was not one of Lanza's successes. Sure, there are a few nice touches, but overall it's just too rushed and too roughly rendered to make the grade. 

I love Di Stefano's poetic rendition, and am really not bothered by the slight wear and tear in his voice here, or by his intonation (which is slightly off in a couple of places). Now I can't always say the same about some of Di Stefano's other late 1950s recordings, on which his vocal problems do get in the way of my enjoyment. But here almost everything comes together, including the arrangement.

It's a shame that Lanza didn't get to re-record the song when he was in Italy, and working with better arrangers and conductors. But not being a Neapolitan song, it wouldn't have belonged on the Mario! album and it certainly wouldn't have qualified as a Caruso Favorite :)  I can imagine Lanza recording an album of more recent (e.g. 1930s-1950s) Italian songs, though---say, gorgeous numbers like the 1937 De Curtis song "Ti Voglio Tanto Bene," which Carreras recorded so beautifully in his heyday, and of course Parlami d'Amore, Mariù.  

Cheers

Derek     

[Derek McGovern]

Time for another comparison!

For this second round, I've chosen Tosti & D'Annunzio's magnificent song "L'Alba Separa dalla Luce l'Ombra" (1907), and a comparison between the studio recordings of two near-contemporary American tenors: Lanza and Richard Tucker. 

I'll be most interested in your thoughts on the two very different interpretations featured here:)

http://www.4shared.com/mp3/65S8M0KX/LAlba_Separa_dalla_Luce_lOmbra.html [Lanza]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuaIbYIm84I [Tucker]

L'ALBA SEPARA DALLA LUCE l'OMBRA

L'alba separa dalla luce l'ombra,
E la mia volutta' dal mio desire.
O dolce stelle, l'ora di morire.
Un piu' divino amor dal ciel vi sgombra.

Pupille ardenti, O voi senza ritorno
Stelle tristi, spegnetevi incorrotte!
Morir debbo. Veder non voglio il giorno,
Per amor del mio sogno e della notte.

Chiudimi,
O Notte, nel tuo sen materno,
Mentre la terra pallida s'irrora.
Ma che dal sangue mio nasca l'aurora
E dal sogno mio breve il sole eterno!
E dal sogno mio breve il sole eterno!        

THE DAWN DIVIDES THE DARKNESS FROM THE LIGHT

The dawn divides the darkness from light,
And my sensual pleasure from my desire,
O sweet stars, it is the hour of death.
A love more holy clears you from the skies.

Gleaming eyes, O you who'll ne'er return,
sad stars, snuff out your uncorrupted light!
I must die, I do not want to see the day,
For love of my own dream and of the night.

Envelop me,
O Night, in your maternal breast,
While the pale earth bathes itself in dew;
But let the dawn rise from my blood
And from my brief dream the eternal sun!
And from my brief dream the eternal sun!

[jora...@gmail.com]

To me, Mario wins this one easily (and I am a Tucker fan). Mario’s expression was superb, just dripping with sadness. I would have recognized the emotion he painted even if the lyrics had been in Japanese!, I also appreciated the less rushed tempo. While I do admire Richard Tucker’s beautiful and powerful voice, here I think he sounded less melodic. I much preferred Mario’s arrangement as well.

[Savage]

There is no chance that I could write an objective critique here.  It will be subjective all the way.  First of all, we are dealing with one of the most memorable songs from the Caruso Favorites collection, the first Lanza LP I purchased as a teenager.  It moved me almost to tears back then and still does today.  The musical and emotional crescendo beginning with the words "nasca l'aurora", is absolutely thrilling.  Knowing the meaning of the lyrics adds to the emotional impact of the song at this stage of Mario's life.  The emphasis of the word "breve" is striking.

     Tucker's version is quite respectable, but lacking in emotional impact.  I am always impressed with his stentorian power.  Then comes the question of vocal beauty.  In Mario's case, I have always said that he had comparable power, coupled with a voice a hundred times more beautiful than Tucker's.   In comparing the two versions, Mario wins by a country mile.  His version is a masterpiece of musical and emotional intensity.

[Derek McGovern]

Thanks for your comments, Joe and David. 

I'll chime in with my own thoughts on the singing a bit later, but for now I'll just say that I agree wholeheartedly with Joe about the vastly superior arrangement on Lanza's version. Tucker is saddled with a truly ghastly arrangement (though he is much better recorded than poor Mario was). And to think that some people have found fault with Morricone's work on Lanza's version! One Amazon reviewer complained that Morricone's arrangement rendered the song "disgracefully sweetened by violinistic candy-floss." What rot!

[leeann]

Lanza's singing of this song is, to me, beyond words. The emotional impact of his tone, the poetry of each line, the combination of pathos and fervor--they move the heart beyond words. (Many people have commented so beautifully, as David did, on this song on this thread as well.)

So, now Tucker's centennial year has ended and the various gala celebrations that honored him are over. (Noting that the Metropolitan Opera gala opened with his recording of "Thine Alone!" How would that, too compare with Lanza's 1956 version, I wonder?) I don't imagine, though, that "L'alba separa Separa dalla Luce l'Ombra" is among the works for which Tucker's remembered.

Tucker seems to have recorded quite a bit of Neapolitan/Italian non-operatic music. Quite honestly, many are pleasant to hear, but I rarely have felt that he "gets" it. He often quite misses the heart and soul of these songs--however that might be defined.

Music critic and writer, Jan Necker, had quite a bit to say about Tucker, whom he admires, on his website Opera Nostalgia when Sony released major retrospective albums of Tucker's work this year. And he placed Tucker's voice in context with Lanza's:

Let me first admit I have been an admirer from the very first moment I heard his [Tucker's] marvelous tenor on my vinyl turntable. Yet I don’t think he’s the greatest tenor of the 20th century , I don’t even think he’s the greatest American tenor voice of the 20th century –that honor goes to Mario Lanza – but he is without question the greatest American opera singer in his voice category.

Neckers adds, "As with Lanza –though in a lesser degree – the voice and the singing almost gets another ‘notch’ to it when he sings in English. Every word is understood and the musical line is as perfect as can be."

And as for Neapolitan songs, Neckers thinks Tucker "...always delivers and never disappoints with his healthy clarion tenor voice. The Soul of Italy album (1965) for instance features Tucker in a very belcantisque almost Mozartian rendition of Neapolitan songs. Some may find the interpretations perhaps a bit too subdued (Tu, ca nun chiagne is a case in point) and may prefer a more passionate, wilder go at the songs...."

I kind of think that with this genre, Tucker often delivers, often disappoints and possibly, some of his best might be when he comes closest to Lanza's phrasing and inflection, which sometimes happens--"Tu, ca nun chiagne!" and "Canta pe' me" may be examples. Best, Lee Ann

[Vincent Di Placido]

Hi! Sorry I'm late coming to this party but I have to post that I also prefer Di Stefano's recording of "Parlami d'amore, Mariu" it's just a more satisfying version, the pace, orchestration & mood are just spot on & Giuseppe's beautiful "U" vowels are always a pleasure to listen to :-)

Mario is just suffering from the typical Coke problems, lack of rehearsal, pace & orchestration. Mario's mistake on the melody of the line "Tutta la mia vita sei tu" has always bothered me, it's so obvious he didn't know the song well, although he gets it right on his english version, "Tell me that you love me tonight".

On many other occassions Lanza gets my vote over Di Stefano but Giuseppe wins this time :-) 

[Vincent Di Placido]

On "L'alba separa dalla luce l'ombra" it's Mario all the way! He just breaks my heart & Ennio Morricone's orchestration is perfection, I just wish we could hear Mario's true voice here, I know we have said this many times but he was done an incredible injustice by the recording engineers in Rome in 1959, it's maddening actually!

Richard Tucker just doesn't do it for me at all...

[Derek McGovern]

Hi Vince: Late or not, I'm very glad you joined the party! :)

Yes, it's telling on "Parlami d'Amore" that Mario mucks up the melody on the "sei tu" part of the line "Tutta la mia vita sei tu"---he obviously hadn't rehearsed the song properly. But while he does get that melodic line right on his English version of the song, almost everything else on "Tell Me That You Love Me Tonight" is a disaster :) I was just listening to it on the Don't Forget Me CD, and a couple of nice touches aside, his ham-fisted handling of the English rendition is so bad that it makes his Italian version seem like a masterpiece in comparison :)  

By the way, isn't it curious (as Nelly Vaccari was pointing out to me in an email a few days back) that on his version Di Stefano sings the words "si' perche'?" instead of "non pensar" on the fourth line ("Oggi ti sono vicino perchè sospirar. Non pensar")? It's not the only time I've heard old Pippo change the lyrics!

Cheers

Derek

[Derek McGovern]

I've been mulling over Lee Ann's terrific post of a few days back, and---as so often happens with her contributions here---the links she provided sent me off on unexpected adventures :)

First off, I wasn't aware of Necker's comments on Tucker versus Lanza, which are quite gratifying, even if I get the sense that whenever he praises the latter he always feels compelled to temper that enthusiasm! In any event, I don't agree with him at all that Lanza's singing in English (on his best recordings, at least) is of a lesser standard than Tucker's; quite the opposite, in fact. Even on a song like Thine Alone, which I don't feel was ever one of Lanza's true successes (on any of his versions), I still find Tucker's singing less involving---irrespective of his fine vocal form on the recording. 

As for Tucker's singing of L'Alba Separa, well, the best I can say about it is that it's spirited! I never get the sense at all that he's feeling the words; I don't like his phrasing; he takes liberties with the music; and even vocally he's less impressive here than an ailing Lanza, with the exception of his B-flat on "eterno," which rings out splendidly. Tucker actually produces some quite ugly sounds on words like "aurora" and the second "breve." Perhaps he was distracted by the ghastly arrangement, with its cymbals going off and other unwanted embellishments :)

After listening to Tucker's version and then those of several others, including the very young Carreras, a sloppy Pavarotti, Alfredo Kraus (the worst I've ever heard him!), and a surprisingly effective Florez, I was struck yet again by how no one comes even close to achieving the emotional impact of Lanza's rendition, or, for that matter, the vocal magnificence with which he renders such lines as "E dal sogno mio breve" (the first time he sings it, in particular). David was certainly right to single out that line!

Cheers

Derek     

[leeann]

Oh, the beauty of rose-coloured glasses and the confusion of hard-to-understand sentences and vague pronouns. Know what? I thought that when Neckers said "As with Lanza –though in a lesser degree – the voice and the singing almost gets another ‘notch’ to it when he sings in English." that he meant Tucker was singing to a "lesser degree."

In any event, it seems clear there's a general sense that Tucker often misses the point in so many ways and for so many reasons while Lanza lives and breathes the song and makes us catch our breath as no one else does. Cheers, Lee Ann

[Derek McGovern]

Hi Lee Ann: On second thoughts, you may well be right that Neckers was referring to Lanza, rather than Tucker, when he wrote about the artist's singing gaining another "notch" in English. If so, my apologies to Mr. Necker!

Cheers,

Derek 

[Armando]

I have little to add to what previous posters have expressed so eloquently.

As far as the Lanza /Tucker comparison is concerned- it’s no contest- it’s definitely Lanza.  

While Tucker’s recording is acceptable, it both misses the poetry and the pathos of Lanza’s singing.

Furthermore, Tucker’s Italian is faulty. Apart from the inaccurate pronunciation of some of the lyrics,  I get the feeling, just as in Bjorling’s case, that he doesn’t really understand the full meaning of the text.

Listen to Lanza singing the phrase “Morir debbo veder non voglio il giorno” and compare it to Tucker’s. Lanza is feeling the words while Tucker is merely saying them.

Listening to the enhanced recording of this song on Mike’s CD the other day, I was immensely moved by what is surely one of Lanza’s best recordings from his final sessions in Rome.

While in Tucker we have a good, consistently reliable tenor, what we have in Lanza, faults and all, is greatness!

[Derek McGovern]

Ciao Armando: I also wondered whether Tucker really knew what he was singing about here. His most ardent admirers, of course, would have us believe that his Italian was faultless (you only have to read the comments on YouTube or his Wikipedia entry to find gushing praise for his "native-like" pronunciation). But I'd be willing to bet that these same people are not Italian themselves :)

Still, I guess it's fair to say that Tucker sounds better in Italian than quite a few other celebrated non-Italian opera singers I've heard. Opera blogger Fred Plotkin has some amusing things to say about the mangling of Italian by various big operatic names, including the late German soprano Hildegard Behrens:  

It is no secret that I adored Hildegard Behrens as a singer, artist and person. Her performances in Wagner and Strauss were sensational in every way. She sang some Italian roles and managed well enough, but the text-heavy Tosca exposed a weakness. I heard all of her 1985 performances with Plácido Domingo and Cornel MacNeil when the Zefferilli production was new. She was very exciting, but often sounded like a cross between Marlene Dietrich and Barbara Walters as she recited iconic phrases that every opera lover knows by heart.
In the early performances of the run she called Scarpia an "azzazzino" and, after stabbing him, cried "Maui! maui dannato, maui!," as if she were sending him off to a Hawaiian island. And, as she stood over his dead body, she ruefully observed, "E avanti a wooi twemava tutta Woma!" [instead of "E avanti a lui tremava tutta Roma"]

[From http://www.wqxr.org/#!/story/172580-mispronounciations/]

[Derek McGovern]

Time for a new comparison!

Let's compare two studio recordings---made 30 years apart---of the aria "Una furtiva lagrima." The first is Lanza's 1950 RCA recording and the second is Plácido Domingo's version from his 1980 opera recital album with Carlo Maria Giulini.

Una furtiva lagrima negli occhi suoi spuntò: Quelle festose giovani invidiar sembrò. Che più cercando io vo? Che più cercando io vo? M'ama! Sì, m'ama, lo vedo. Lo vedo. Un solo istante i palpiti del suo bel cor sentir! I miei sospir, confondere per poco a' suoi sospir! I palpiti, i palpiti sentir, confondere i miei coi suoi sospir... Cielo! Si può morir! Di più non chiedo, non chiedo. Ah, cielo! Si può! Si, può morir! Di più non chiedo, non chiedo. Si può morir! Si può morir d'amor.

A single furtive tear from her eyes sprang: Of those festive, young girls envious it seemed to be. What more need I look for? What more need I look for? She loves me! Yes, she loves me, I see it. I see it. Just for an instant the beating of her beautiful heart I felt! And my sighs became as one fleetingly with her sighs! Her heart beating, her heart beating to feel, our sighs confounded as one... Heavens! Yes I could, I could die! More I can't ask, I can't ask. Oh, heavens! Yes I could! Yes I could die! More I can't ask, I can't ask. Yes I could die! If I could die of love.

[Joseph Fagan]

You rascal, Derek, to me this is the most difficult one yet. Are “ties” possible?. Both tenors were great, but Domingo was careful to (using a child’s analogy) “color within the lines”. I am sure Mario was not flawless to the ears of some of our experts, yet because of the beauty of his voice and the selling job he does….Lanza would be my pick as the “desert island” choice.

A point about your new game, Derek, when Lanza is compared to some of the other greats, it truly underscores how well he could sing opera. In the proper circumstances, he could keep pace with or outshine anyone!

[Savage]

Joe is absolutely correct about the difficulty of this choice.  Mario wins the vocal beauty contest, as usual.  Domingo's rendition strikes me as sounding more like a live operatic performance and Mario's more like the studio recording it is.  I think this has to do with the phrasing and pacing, particularly in the second half of the aria.  The vocal beauty issue keeps coming back to haunt me.  Could anyone imagine a more heavenly "cielo" than Mario's?  This contest is a virtual tie, with Placido's getting a slight edge for superior orchestration and pacing. My problem in judging is that for me, vocal beauty trumps almost everything.

                                                                                                           David

[leeann]

It's interesting to compare two "big voices" singing this aria--one very young, one mature. I'm not quite sure what to listen for, how it should be sung, and whether there's a particular tenor voice best suited to the role of Nemorino in L'elisir d'amore.  David's comments about pacing helped. So did this quote from a New York Times review of this production currently at the Metropolitan Opera. Writing about Ramon Vargas, the author states, "His account of the aching showstopper “Una furtiva lagrima” was unassuming and intimate: less grand aria than simple, sincere confession."

Perhaps Domingo is more technically appropriate; it's a difficult version to criticize.. But until he hits the "Cielo! Si può morir!" of the last few lines, it somehow seems a bit more like a vocal exercise. The beauty of Lanza's voice, the subtle emotional nuances leading up to that "Cielo!"--it's such a magnificent, grand sound that still seems intimate enough as the "simple, sincere confession" of love. Lee Ann

[Derek McGovern]

I've changed the YouTube link to Lanza's version in my previous post; the new one has somewhat better sound. I've also added the words and English translation.

I'll chime in with my thoughts a little later on the two versions, but for now I'll just say that I'm more convinced than ever that the 39-year-old Domingo---whether consciously or unconsciously---modelled his approach on (29-year-old) Lanza's rendition. (No doubt he grew up with the recording.) There are parts in his rendition that are uncannily similar. One could add that neither man sings the aria in the way that Donizetti surely intended :)

Cheers

Derek

[norma]

Dear Derek,I have unfortunately been unable to compare the recordings because on my I pad I can only download Mario's singing. The screen states that they are not available for download in my country U.K.
Norma

[Vincent Di Placido]

Hi, Norma! It's available in the UK & Ireland but just not on iPad as it is treated as a mobile device, I had the same trouble but once you go to a PC you will be able to access the clips.

 

I can't believe how much Placido's rendition is like Mario's, wow! But I prefer Mario's recording, stylistic lapses and all, Mario's voice excites me more & the excitement during the lines, "I miei sospir, confondere
per poco a' suoi sospir!" is something I have always loved about Mario's version.

[Derek McGovern]

Hi Vince: I do love the line you singled out as well---and I was half-expecting Domingo to use the same gorgeous soft touch on the final "sospir" :)

I also prefer Lanza on this aria, despite the loud and very sharp ending (well, actually, the last quarter of the aria is pretty hit or miss). We're a very long way from Tito Schipa's delicate and much more faithful interpretations here---with Lanza's approach more stentorian Verdi than Donizetti!---but it's hard not to be drawn in by its earthy charm. It helps, of course, that Lanza's in great voice here. 

I'm not keen on Domingo's vocal production on this recording---he sounds too covered or bottled up, particularly at the beginning---and there's even less light and shade on his version than Mario's! But in Domingo's case it's interesting that such a distinguished conductor as Giulini lets him get away with so much loud singing where Donizetti's score clearly calls for p or pp. 

Lindsay Perigo once wrote that if Lanza had sung the aria like this at a vocal competition he would have been placed last by the judges and first by the audience. He had a point! But the likes of Pavarotti were really far better suited to this aria---and it's not a role I could ever imagine Mario singing (not post-1950, anyway), despite the fact that he and George London were always audience favourites whenever they performed the duet "Ecco il magico liquore" from the same opera.  

What do others think of Domingo versus Lanza on this aria? 

Cheers

Derek

[Derek McGovern]

I just dug out the 1947 Hollywood Bowl rendition of "Una furtiva lagrima," and I have to say that I now prefer the 1950 version over the earlier, more restrained version. Apart from anything else, the 1950 take has far more personality.

Cheers

Derek

[Armando]

When I first heard this version by Domingo, I immediately thought how closely it resembles the Lanza 1950 recording. Listening again to both of these performances, I’m now sure that Domingo’s  model for this particular recording was, indeed, Lanza.

The two performances are quite a departure from what Donizetti intended, so both tenors dramatic delivery of the aria will come as a shock to those used to hearing Nemorino sung by a light lyric voice. Other than the tempo (not surprisingly) being faster on the Lanza recording, there is little to separate the singing between the two, but when it comes to the actual voices it’s no contest.

I have always had a soft spot for this particular Lanza recording as it shows off the gorgeous colouring of his middle register while, in this instance, I find Domingo’s voice particularly nasal sounding. 

Armando

[Derek McGovern]

Time for a new comparison!

I've chosen the aria "Testa adorata" from Leoncavallo's La Bohème (1897).  This is probably the most well-known part of Leoncavallo's opera, which came out a year after Puccini's version, and was utterly eclipsed by the earlier work. It is still occasionally performed, though---a New York company put on a production in 2003, for example. 

The biggest difference between the two works is that the part of Marcello is sung by a tenor in Leoncavallo's version, while Rodolfo is sung by a baritone. In this aria, which occurs at the end of Act III, Marcello sings of his despair after breaking up with his beloved Musette. I've included the Italian text below, and the English translation can be read on the YouTube clip of Lanza's version. 

Here I'm comparing Lanza's recording (made in 1952 for one of his Coke Shows) with that of the tenor of the moment, Jonas Kaufmann. The latter recorded his version in 2010, when he was 41, so here we have two famous tenors a decade apart in ages on their respective recordings, and with very different voices :) Kaufmann's version, incidentally, was recorded with Antonio Pappano conducting Rome's National Academy Orchestra of St. Cecilia---the same orchestra and institution with which Franco Ferrara (of the Mario! album) was so closely associated.

Enjoy the comparison! I look forward to your comments.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p9izbVfzf0     [Mario Lanza]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhV0F-u5-UE   [Jonas Kaufmann]


Musette! O gioia de la mia dimora,
è dunque ver che lungi ora sei tu!
È dunque ver che t'ho scacciata or ora
e che sul cor non ti terrò mai più?

Testa adorata, più non tornerai
lieta sul mio guanciale a riposar!
Bianche manine ch'io sul cor scaldai
più il labbro mio non vi potrà baciar!
Gaie canzoni de' giorni d'amore
la vostra eco lontana già fuggì.
La stanza è muta e il vedovo mio core
piange nel tedio que' perduti dì!

[jora...@gmail.com]

Derek, your sweet torture continues in this difficult comparison! But surprisingly, I will pick Kaufman over the more beautifully voiced Lanza in this one. Both are outstanding and it is close to another tie. However, I found Kaufman’s more subdued and “tender” treatment of the sorrow more fitting to the words. Lanza was excellent but maybe a little too excited in some of the lyrics.

[Savage]

Once again, Mario win the vocal beauty contest by a country mile.  The arrangement seems a bit rushed, but it's still a convincing rendition.  Kaufmann's version is solid, yet the metallic sound of his voice fails to win me over.  It's a bit like having to choose between Moffo and Callas.  Do I go with the beautiful voice or with the lady who sounds at times like she swallowed a kazoo?   I give Mario the edge in this contest.

                                                                                                                                                        David

[leeann]

Oh, this is Lanza, hands down. And as it so frequently turns out with his work, what a difference a better orchestra--in this case, Rome's National Academy Orchestra of St. Cecilia--would've made.

It's both ironic and affirming that Kaufmann has talked about performing single arias in the concert venue in contrast to singing an entire role on stage. "In concerts, you have to give somehow your business card to audiences as an invitation to opera – an appetiser which creates the need for more." That's clearly the inspiration that Lanza created through both his concert and movie operatic performances--so particularly difficult to do because, as Kaufmann also has said,"the challenge... of concerts... when the arias have been removed from their context, is to instantly get inside each role."

I love the power of Kaufmann's voice here, but not the tone or clarity of it as much as Lanza's. I think Lanza, too, brings greater interpretive expression--I'll use that familiar word nuance again--to this aria than Kaufmann whose emotional involvement is clear, but whose gradations still remain pretty stentorian throughout.

I have a question about Kaufmann's technique. To me, his voice seems to have echoes of Corelli, perhaps especially noticeable as he begins "È dunque ver .."  "e che sul cor non ti terrò mai più?"  and increasingly as he picks up "Testa adorata..." Is it possible that he, too, works with the Mellochian method? Best, Lee Ann

[Derek McGovern]

Thanks for the comments so far, Joe, David and Lee Ann. (David: I laughed at your "swallowed a kazoo" remark!)

Hi Lee Ann: Actually, Kaufmann's not the only prominent tenor to have emphasized how difficult it is to sing arias out of context; in his book, Armando quotes Domingo talking about it, and here we have the late Alfredo Kraus saying the same thing:   

"In concert, you have to sing different arias from different operas with different personages.  It's terrible to have to create something in three minutes.  It's not a question only to produce a sound and make notes.  This is easy.  But you have to work in every aria to give the audience the right impression of what it means.  You have to concentrate the whole opera in one aria, and this is very, very difficult and it is very, very tiring.  I feel dead at the end of a concert."

[From http://www.bruceduffie.com/kraus.html; a very interesting interview---like all the ones I've read with Kraus, in fact]

Yes, Kaufmann does use the Melocchi-like technique of lowering the larynx (albeit not as much as Mario Del Monaco did, thank God!), though I preferred him when he was singing with his natural, much more lyric voice. (Remember this duet from the Student Prince from 1996?)  

Here's the brilliant Albert Innaurato on the technique that Kaufmann uses:

Jonas Kaufmann began, he has said, with a voice he hated, "like Peter Schreier". Schreier had a small, bright, rather white tone but made a distinguished career in Bach, in Mozart roles and in some large character roles (he is a wonderful Mime in the Janowski Ring, available cheap from Sony). He is also a conductor. Kaufmann took the risk of changing his entire technique to build a darker, fuller, larger tone, that would make him a candidate for leading roles. He did this while married (to a singer) and raising children, so he obviously had both courage and a lot of faith in himself.

He used the technique pioneered by an American, Douglas Stanley who was very influential across Europe, but especially in Germany. Kaufmann changed his voice with the very last living student who had actually worked directly with Stanley. Stanley's method was controversial and still enrages pedagogues who insist that it ruins more voices than it helps (Hildegard Behrens was taught the Stanley method by Jerome Lo Monaco, who had also worked with Stanley himself, her badly tuned shrieking speaks for itself -- it certainly doesn't sing. But her motives were the same as Kaufmann's. She started as a light lyric and wanted to sing the big roles; she praised Lo Monaco for teaching her to use her chest voice, among other things. But Nelson Eddy was also a Stanley apostle and kept a very nice tone).

Stanley's main idea was to throw out the old notions of "placement" and "making the sound" and instead concentrated on giving the singer a maximum control of his/her larynx. By lowering the larynx, freeing jaw and tongue and breathing correctly, Stanley argued, any voice would become larger, darker and the singer's stamina would increase. Stanley's disciples modified his teaching somewhat, training their students to judge in preparing a role when to use the lowered larynx and when to let the larynx ride higher, using (slightly) some of the "old fashioned" ideas of "head tone", sensation based singing, which reflects changes in the vocal folds (feeling a "buzz" above the bridge of the nose, or at the top of the scalp).

Ideally, then, a Stanley trained singer could go back and forth; Kaufmann could sing with far more force and thrust than he had with his conventional training, but still sing softly and sweetly when he wished, and there was no danger to his top. Actually, Stanley doesn't effect the extremes of the voice much. Even those who the method very likely harms, such as Behrens, keep high notes and can belch out low ones however long they sing. If there is going to be wear on the tone it is in the middle where the voice can stiffen or even fall back on the throat (both happened to Behrens after a few years as an international singer), and tuning can suffer especially throughout the middle (true of Behrens) and as time goes on over the entire range (Behrens' high shrieks though they thrilled certain sexually ambiguous male Asians for some reason were usually very sharp, but after a while her middle would either stiffen into sharpness or sag into a horrifying flatness).

[From http://mrsjohnclaggartssadlife.blogspot.co.nz/2013/11/three-tenors-ones-become-baritone.html]

So, yes, Kaufmann does sound a bit like Corelli at times, thanks to their similar techniques, though the latter has a more pleasing tone, I feel, when he's singing in full voice---and an exciting (if slightly unnerving) ringing quality emerges. But they both sound at their worst (thanks to the shortcomings of the lowered larynx method) when they're not in full voice or not using their upper register. As Innaurato mentions above, "If there is going to be wear on the tone [with this method] it is in the middle where the voice can stiffen or even fall back on the throat"---and indeed we hear that on Kaufmann's unpleasantly raspy singing of the words "Testa adorata." 

Although I don't much care for the sound that Kaufmann is producing here, I do find his interpretation exciting and dramatically convincing. Mind you, he does have the advantage of a top orchestra, which makes his singing of lines such as "Gaie canzoni de' giorni d'amore" sound better than it really is :) Listen to Lanza singing the same line, and you'll hear him doing all the work.

As always, though, I wish the tempo were slower on his version! Even Caruso, whose recording Mario would have grown up with, takes it much more slowly:     

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tw8boCXuHc [Caruso]

Whose version do I prefer: Lanza's or Kaufmann's? I'll share that a little later after more members have had their say :)

Cheers,

Derek

[norma]

Dear Derek, What a difference in the two orchestras. I can see how Kaufman is supported and  Mario is not. Kaufman sounds much darker. I still prefer Mario's more passionate version.
Norma

[Armando]

I wish I could be kinder in expressing my opinion on Kaufann’s singing.The aria in question is Testa Adorata, but it could be any other aria from a dozen operas.

The problem is, and remains, that of a light lyric tenor wanting to sound like a dramatic one.In order to do this Kaufmann has completely altered his emission and turned a beautiful voice into a throaty, manufactured sound which I find far from beautiful.Even though Kaufmann is a good actor and is totally involved, his vocal emission is too reminiscent of the frog wanting to sound like the bull.

There is a superb home recording of Lanza’s singing Testa Adorata which, unfortunately, is very badly distorted. Presumably, it’s a piano rehearsal for the radio performance we are now  judging. The latter suffers from an inferior orchestra, a too fast tempo and Lanza is a little over vehement in places, but the natural beauty of the voice more than compensates for any shortcomings and, overall, he delivers a  convincing account of the aria. If only he had sung it like he did in the home rehearsal!

Armando

 

[Derek McGovern]

Thanks for your comments, Armando. Like you, I find it difficult to get past Kaufmann's often-raspy sound, no matter how dramatically convincing or musical he may be. 

It's interesting to note the surprised responses on YouTube to Kaufmann's beautiful natural voice as heard on that 1996 Student Prince recording; almost everyone raises the same question: "Why does Kaufmann no longer sound like this?" 

I'm attaching an mp3 of Lanza's home rehearsal of "Testa adorata." While it's a shame the sound quality is so bad, there's no mistaking the quality of the singing here. Be ready for the belch at the end, everyone! :)

Cheers

Derek 

[Barnabas Nemeth]

Armando and Derek, I totally agree with your expressions in envaluating the two singers  in "Testa Adorata", that is otherwise one of my favourite arias. I have tried to become a Kaufmann fan recently but I couldn't. His voice and rendition seems mostly artificial to me....Barnabas

[Savage]

Derek,

       Thank you for the wonderful home rehearsal clip.  Surprisingly, these primitive recordings seem to show the full dimensions of the Lanza voice. Through all the distortion you can hear the voice in all its glory.  Can you imagine being there to hear it live? 

[Derek McGovern]

You're welcome, David!

It's interesting what you say about these primitive recordings revealing the full dimensions of the Lanza voice. Another of these 1952 home recordings---the extended rehearsal of the Improvviso---once prompted an opera lover who had heard Mario sing in Manchester in 1958 to remark that he felt it came closer to capturing the sound he remembered from that recital than any studio recording. For one thing, it revealed more accurately the power and dynamics of the voice he recalled from that evening.

Cheers

Derek

[Savage]

Another thing comes to mind when I listen to the home recordings.  The listening experience brings to mind Sammy Cahn's remark upon hearing Lanza hit the loud pedal: "It scared the hell out of you!"  There is something magical about these recordins.

                                                                                                                                                                               David 

[Derek McGovern]

Time for a new comparison!

It's the aria "Amor ti vieta" from Giordano's Fedora, and this time I thought it would be interesting to compare Lanza's singing with that of two other celebrated tenors:  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1OD4QMaeCQ (Franco Corelli; actual singing starts at 1:46)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGE7x6vAqys (Mario Lanza)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIu1mn_91aA (Beniamino Gigli)

If anyone can post the sheet music for this aria, that would be wonderful. (I can only find the libretto in German online.) I'm very curious to see how many liberties are being taken with the score---especially by one of the singers above! 

Amor Ti Vieta
(Love Forbids You)

Amor ti vieta di non amar.
Love forbids you not to love.
La man tua lieve che mi respinge,
Your light hand that rejects me,
cerca la stretta della mia man;
seeks the touch of my hand;
la tua pupilla esprime: "T'amo"
the pupils (of your eyes) say: "I love you"
se il labbro dice:
even if your lips say:
"Non t'amerò!"
"I shall not love you!"

[Armando]

[Derek McGovern]

Many thanks for posting the score, Armando. It can't have been much fun scanning sheet music on a day when the temperature in Melbourne is 40C (104F), so I appreciate the effort!

Cheers

Derek

P.S. To enlarge the score, simply click on the images.  

[Savage]

I love the Gigli rendition. Here he is in excellent voice and the aria is not marred by exaggerated sobbing. It's Gigli at his best.  Mario's take is a solid second place and a fine rendition.  Franco Corelli finishes dead last vocally.  I can't comment on adherence to the score other than to make a wild guess that my rankings would be the same if I could read music.

                                                                                                                              David 

[leeann]

Well, I almost want to apologize for possible bias and tunnel-vision about this one, but I'll go with Lanza first, and Gigli--well second, but perhaps by a negligible margin. There is a sweetness and directness in Lanza's version, an emotional expression that reaches out through what seems like a highly disciplined aria. The same could be said for Gigli's version, I think, but the depth and tone of Lanza's voice move me more greatly.

Corelli--oh, dear. There are splendid notes, there are moments, but I have trouble getting past his pronunciation of certain letters--the S for example--and then there's that "this-big-cotton-ball-in-my-mouth-is-strangling-me" sound, although it seems to intervene less here than it often does. Then he seems to interject emotional or dramatc emphasis in certain places that creates an unnecessary distraction.

Here's my GUESS, just for fun, about following the score (thank you Armando!), although I'll say up front that I think it's wrong because Derek, you referred to ONE of the singers. Both Corelli and Gigli seem to change the tempo of the ending, for one thing, extending the middle note, the C, the "t'a" of Non t'amo-ro."  Corelli, however, also seems to extend the ce of "dice" before moving into a somewhat creative finale. But then, I can think of many other possible deviations among the three I just wouldn't know enough to know :-) Best, Lee Ann

[jora...@gmail.com]

Derek!, you must be staying up late nights thinking of ways to torture us. Another very difficult choice and all I can do is give you a "muddled" answer. I find it basically a "tie" but  Gigli's rendition sounds about perfect. However, I enjoyed listening  to Mario's version more. It's just so difficult to separate the sheer beauty of the man's voice from the singing. Corelli is a distant third.

An unexpected bonus of doing these type of assessments is that it really underscores how good Lanza was. The thought that he wasn't good enough to sing opera is utterly destroyed when he is compared one to one with the greats.

[Barnabas Nemeth]

I have listened to these renditions several times and I got  to my conclusion. Gigli's interpretation is excellent but Lanza's is more attractive. His sound is round, the approach is differentiated, mature, soft and all in all, glorious. I don't like Corelli's style in this case...Barnabas

[Derek McGovern]

Like Lee Ann, I can't get over how many liberties Corelli takes with the score on his recording! He inserts long rests at the most inappropriate points, for example, breaking the line "se il labbro dice" (if your lips say) so that it becomes "if your lips...say" (and then takes an even longer unwritten rest after "dice"), and stretching out "t'amerò!" so much that the written quavers become close to whole notes. Then there's the hilarious scooping up to "la" on the line "della mia man" that almost sounds like a parody of bad singing, while in an attempt to produce a smooth legato, he changes "cerca la stretta" into "cerca-HA-la-HA stretta" and "t'amo" into "ta-HA-mo." Very sloppy!

In comparison, Lanza is almost a paragon of fidelity to the score, apart from a couple of notes (minims in each case) that should have been held just a tad longer. Of course, on his recording Lanza didn't have the benefit of a top orchestra to guide him through those long flowing lines; instead he recorded his version with piano only, and the orchestra was dubbed over the piano part as an after-thought. You'd never know that, though, from his gorgeous, lyrical, and, yes, intelligent rendition.

Why is it that Lanza gets taken to task so often for his perceived "lapses in taste" while Corelli gets away with this kind of musical murder?! 

Cheers

Derek

[Armando]

Ciao Derek: Musical murder indeed. However, Corelli was renowned for the liberties he took with a score, and he was also known to be the despair of conductors, with whom he often clashed. While the public in general went wild over him, he was taken to task by more than one critic re said liberties.

Would Corelli have attained similar success had he looked like Jan Peerce or Carlo Bergonzi? I doubt it.

Cheers

Armando

[Derek McGovern]

My favourite of the three renditions of "Amor ti vieta" we've been discussing here has to be Lanza's, though I do like Gigli's version as well. Gigli's in typically beautiful voice here (if a little pinched on the G on "esprime"), and is relatively restrained sobbing-wise :) He does take quite a few liberties with the score, though---especially during the last part of the aria. 

Why do I prefer Lanza's version? Simple: he combines beauty of voice here with a wonderful, elegant sense of line---and he's ardent without going over the top. It also doesn't hurt that he's by far the most faithful of the three to Giordano's score! 

Actually, Lanza's recording would be an excellent one to play to those many skeptics who maintain that he was just a bull in a china shop.

Cheers,

Derek  

[Derek McGovern]

Time for a new comparison! 

Three tenors---all born in 1921---in studio recordings of the classic Neapolitan song "Voce 'e Notte":

Franco Corelli: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z10oCfePgL0#aid=P-DjB4rACPw 

Giuseppe Di Stefano: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW3GcXOdFCc 

Mario Lanza: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Kf10OnV5cM 

Voce 'e Notte (Russo-De Curtis) (1903)
Voice in the Night

Si 'sta voce te sceta 'int'a nuttata,
If this voice wakes you in the night
Mentre t'astringe 'o sposo tuio vicino,
While the man at your side is holding you
Statte scetata, si vuo sta scetata,
Stay awake if you want to stay awake
Ma fa vede ca duorme a suonno chino.
But pretend that you're fast asleep.

Nun gghi vicino'e llastre pe' ffa' spia,
Don't go to the window to see who's there
Pecche nun puo sbaglia: 'sta voce e'e mia...
Because you can't mistake it - that voice is mine...
E'a stessa voce 'e quanno tutt'e dduie
The same voice as when we both
Scurnuse, nce parlavamo c'o "vvuie".
Were strangers, both so formal.

Si 'sta voce, che chiagn'int' `a nuttata
If this voice crying into the night
Te sceta'o sposo, nun ave paura,
Wakes your man, don't be afraid
Vide ch'e senza nomme'a sserenata...
Because there are no names in my serenade...
Dille ca dorme e ca se rassicura...
Tell him to sleep, that everything's all right.

Dille accussi: "Chi canta 'inta 'sta via
Tell him: "Whoever is singing down in the street
O sarra pazzo o more'e ggelusia
Is either crazy or dying of jealousy
Starra chiagneno quacce `nfamita
He's probably crying over some betrayal,
Canta isso sulo. Ma che canta a ffa?"
He sings alone. But what's he singing for?"

[Barnabas Nemeth]

For me, by far the best is the Lanza's version: the reading, the real passion and the moving ending is credible. The other two version's ending is totally wrong... Barnabas

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[jora...@gmail.com]

It is really surprising to me how much Mario outshines two world class singers here (IMO). I liked the arrangement, the beauty and emotion of Lanza’s performance and I think he was pushing the “masterpiece” category here. Di Stefano seemed to “drag” many of the notes. I didn’t care for his arrangement at all. Corelli was Corelli.

A general word: Derek, this is such a great exercise on focusing on Lanza. How could anyone think he could not have sung opera when he so frequently met or exceeded the greats?. I realize Voce is not an aria, but you get my point. These 1:1 comparisons are very instructive indeed.

[leeann]

Corelli--let's just get it over with--and I almost did after the first two lines, and Corelli probably should have. I fought it through to the end, though, which seems to me to be pretty much what Corelli actually did here--powered through like a bulldozer without much awareness of the poetry of these verses, while disruptively attacking and extending notes for absolutely no interpretive reason. The ending is one of many examples, as Barnabas points out.

Di Stefano--quite honestly, this isn't among my favorite of his Neapolitan songs. I like his interpretation, how he phrases the narrative of this unknown lover, but his voice seems strained, to my ear anyway. I interpreted his emphatic and rapid take on "Ma che canta a ffa? as a kind of abrupt, terminal awareness of the futility of the whole situation. A statement of  "what difference does it make; this is never going anywhere," but it seemed inconsistent with the poetic line.

Lanza, well it's one of the most beautiful songs ever, I think. To my ear, it's complete, a perfect whole, interpretively, musically, emotionally, technically, and that's that.

Thank you so much, Vince, for the footage. It's fascinating. I love the Filignano bits. Those must have been happy days, and it makes a difference to see now-familiar still photos in motion.  Best, Lee Ann

[Savage]

No contest here.  Di Stefano's rendition is respectable, but the vocal decline is already annoying.  Corelli can't seem to avoid lapsing into his habitual bellowing.  The voice itself is ugly and the interpretation poor.  Mario's version is an interpretive masterpiece, as he emphasizes the mood of sadness and desperation.  I believe I remember reading that Mario considered this recording his personal favorite and it's easy to see why.   The subdued ending, stressing hopelessness and resignation, is the perfect choice.  I could listen to this recording again and again.  Hearing Corelli's version makes me wish I had never hit "play."

[Armando]

I don’t have much to add to what Barnabas, Joe, Lee Ann, and David have expressed so eloquently. It’s Lanza by a mile! Corelli, blasting away is totally out of place in the context of the song, Di Stefano sings it well enough, apart from the inappropriate ending, but fails to capture the pain the man is experiencing, which Lanza, in his beautifully felt performance, does so convincingly.

[Derek McGovern]

Corelli's handling of "Voce 'e Notte" is one of the worst renditions of a Neapolitan song I've heard from a leading tenor! He doesn't have a clue how to phrase. Mind you, he has some serious competition from Mario del Monaco, whose interpretive and musical mauling of "'Na Sera 'e Maggio" has to be experienced to be believed :))  

I can't help wondering whether regular exposure to song renditions like these from Signori Corelli and del Monaco might lead to madness. 

Cheers,

Derek

[Savage]

Derek,

        I'm not sure about madness as a result of listening to these renditions.  At the very least it would sour my attitude toward some of the world's most glorious music, the songs of Naples.  I'm almost ashamed to admit that as a teenager I once borrowed money from a friend to purchase this Del Monaco LP. It turned out to be the worst use of borrowed funds in a lifetime.  

[Vincent Di Placido]

Oh! It's Mario all the way on "Voce 'e Notte" the phrasing, beauty & understanding of the material is, to me, perfection!!! Reading the comments on Franco Corelli's recording & Mario Del Monaco's "'Na Sera 'e Maggio" I was amazed, do these people not hear how rough & unfeeling these performances are? It is a crime that the "Mario!" album isn't more widely known, if it was out there more I'm sure Mario would be considered the sensitive intelligent singer that we know he can be...

[Derek McGovern]

Hi Vince: I honestly feel that del Monaco's singing is fundamentally (and disturbingly) unmusical, and that this is nowhere more obvious than in his renditions of songs, where his trump cards---great reserves of power and a mastery of the declamatory phrase---aren't sufficient (or even appropriate) qualities to save him. As for Corelli, well, on songs at least, Lanza certainly could have taught him a thing or two about phrasing and sensitivity, and the importance of believing in what one is singing. He simply treats "Voce 'e Notte" as an opportunity for making plenty of noise---and, judging by the adoring comments on YouTube, that's all his admirers desire from him!        

Cheers

Derek

[Derek McGovern]

Joe asked me a while back if we could compare one of Pavarotti's renditions of "Nessun dorma" with Lanza's. A nice idea, especially since Pavarotti is so associated with the aria by the general public.

I thought it best to compare them both in concert---just to make it more of a level playing field: 

So here is the 27-year-old Lanza at the Hollywood Bowl in 1948:

http://www.mariolanzatenor.com/nessun-dorma.html

And here is the 44-year-old Pavarotti at a 1979 concert:  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcVbtlZLvLY 

Neither is reproduced here in pristine sound, so hopefully that will make the comparisons even fairer!

Nessun dorma! Nessun dorma!
No one sleeps! No one sleeps! 
Tu pure, o, Principessa,
Even you, oh Princess,
nella tua fredda stanza,
in your cold room.
guardi le stelle 
you look at the stars
che tremano d'amore
that tremble of love
e di speranza.
and of hope.
Ma il mio mistero è chiuso in me,
But my mystery is locked inside me,
il nome mio nessun saprà!
no one will know my name!
No, no, sulla tua bocca lo dirò
No, no, only to your mouth will I say it
quando la luce splenderà!
when the light will shine!
Ed il mio bacio scioglierà il silenzio
And my kiss will break the silence
che ti fa mia!
that makes you mine!
Dilegua, o notte!
Disperse, oh night!
Tramontate, stelle!
Vanish, stars!
Tramontate, stelle!
Vanish, stars!
All'alba vincerò!
At dawn I will win!
Vincerò! Vincerò! 
I will win! I will win!

[Savage]

I have to admit that I loved listening to both renditions.  Interesting that both performances were encores,and in Pavaritti's case , his signature piece, used as a final encore in concerts.  Pavarotti's version has a livelier and more effective tempo.  The phrasing is impeccable.  Lord knows, Luciano had enough practice with this aria over the years and is hard to surpass. Lanza's version is painfully slow, but that voice!  Nothing more beautiful than the voice of young Mario, even if the recording equipment was not first rate.  I'll give the edge to Pavarotti.  I do think that Mario could have delivered the definitive Nessun Dorma, perhaps with a different conductor.

[jora...@gmail.com]

I think David summed it up quite well. Pav’s rendition probably is flawless and it is certainly very beautiful. But I have a built-in bias here because I always find Pav to be a great technician, almost mechanical … but without the richness and color of the Lanza voice. So, whose version do I think was better? Pav by a smidgeon. Whose version would I want with me on that deserted island? Mario’s!

[Derek McGovern]

Thanks for your comments, David and Joe.

I much prefer Lanza here! If you just listen to Pavarotti's rendition rather than watching him, his delivery of the words is as bland as can be---at least until he gets to "Tramontate, o stelle!" He might as well be reciting a grocery list :) Lanza, although relatively restrained here---and held back by the funereally slow tempo---is much more engaged. I also feel that vocally he's more secure in his upper register here than the usually technically assured Pavarotti. Compare their three high As on the line "No, no, sulla tua bocca lo dirò" and then the high B and high A on the final "Vincerò!".    

Of course, the audience here goes wild over Pavarotti, but I can't help wondering how those same people would have reacted to the young Lanza's rendition.

Cheers

Derek  

[Vincent Di Placido]

I am with Mario again here, the beauty of that voice & the connection with what he is singing win me over every time! Agreed a slightly faster tempo or at least a littllt injectioin of excitement by Miklos at the end of the orchestral bridge into "Dilegua, o notte! Tramontate, stelle!" would have been very welcome. Pavarotti never seemed truly engaged with what he is singing, it's almost robotic.

[Derek McGovern]

Hi Vince: Yes, old Miklos should certainly have injected some excitement into the orchestra! At such a slow tempo, the aria must have been hell for the young Mario to sing---and it was also probably the first time he'd ever performed it. Quite a challenge, and it's not surprising that he draws a breath in between one of the three successive high As. Who could blame him at that tempo?!

One of the very few times that I've felt that Pavarotti was truly connected to the words was at the 1990 Three Tenors Concert when he performed the song "Rondine al Nido": 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFG8rbnmJs8 

Mind you, Di Stefano is even better interpretively on this song (even if he is inferior to Pavarotti vocally here): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZcFbxXR3c0&list=RDeFG8rbnmJs8  

Cheers

Derek

[Vincent Di Placido]

At the expense of appearing to just agree with everything you post :-) I have to agree that "Rondine al Nido" is one occasion where Luciano is tuned in interpretively, I think Placido Domingo's sublime performances that night in 1990 pushed Luciano, I remember Placido's "Dein ist mein ganzes Herz!" Just before being so passionate so I do think Luciano raised his game as regards tuning into the material & don't forget Placido's " No Puede Ser" later in the program, my god! That really made an impression on me!!! Trust me I needed cheering up, I was heartbroken my beloved Italia hadn't made it to the World Cup final :-(
"Rondine al Nido" is a beautiful little song, with some of the same imagery as "Non Ti Scordar Di Me". That beautiful solo flute playing must have inspired Luciano also, it's a shame he wasn't this sensitive artist more in his career.

[Derek McGovern]

Hi Vince: Well, I'm happy to agree with you here as well! Yes, Domingo was so smart with his two song choices on the night of the first Three Tenors concert, picking material that not only played perfectly to his vocal strengths but was crowd-pleasing as well. Mind you (as we discussed here a while back), his choice of the thrilling "Amor, Vida de Mi Vida," at the follow-up concert in 1994, was just as smart!

To my ears, Domingo's renditions of "No Puede Ser," "Amor, Vida de Mi Vida," and this gorgeous Puccini composition---"Morire?"---represent some of his best (and arguably most Lanzarian) singing. I also love him as Luigi in Puccini's Il Tabarro (there's a wonderful CBS recording with Renata Scotto, plus this exciting live performance) and, of course, any of his live performances as Dick Johnson in La Fanciulla del West. 

Cheers

Derek