Giuseppe Giacomini and his wife, Margaret Price
Jack Johnson
Alan Blyth, in this month's Gramophone, reviews a newly issued live
recording of Otello from 1991. The title role sung by a tenor named
Giuseppe Giacomini, Iago by Matteo Manuguerra, and Desdemona by Margaret
Price.
I love Margaret Price and, on this basis alone, am tempted to buy this
recording. But who is this tenor? I know the name is familiar, but I'm
sure I've never heard him. Blyth raves about his interpretation, which he
calls "overwhelming":
"On the evidence of this Otello, and much else, [Giacomini] is more
viscerally exciting than any of the famous Three. Certainly no tenor in
this role since Del Monaco in his prime had the elemental, almost
frightening power evinced by Giacomini's reading, but his talents go well
beyond the possession of a real *tenore robusto*. His dark, louring tone
and agonized delivery of the text exactly match the passion and jealousy of
the Moor . . . . There is much to study in this searing interpretation,
which is on par with Vinay's for Toscanini and sung in the same
dark-grained, tormented fashion."
g.f.
In article <6dc18i$jr7$1...@news.jumpnet.com>,
Jack Johnson <jj_a...@jumpnet.com> wrote:
>I love Margaret Price and, on this basis alone, am tempted to buy this
>recording. But who is this tenor? I know the name is familiar, but I'm
>sure I've never heard him. Blyth raves about his interpretation, which he
>calls "overwhelming":
>
fresher voice under Solti. I want to say it's from 1980 or
sometime. There are a few big-voiced Italian tenors that I
confuse (Giacomini, Bartolini, I think there's another) but I
believe he's the good one. Maybe on that Dimitrova Turandot
video?
Greg
>
>
>
>
Enzo62
Jack writes:
>I love Margaret Price and, on this basis alone, am tempted to buy this
>recording. But who is this tenor? I know the name is familiar, but I'm
>sure I've never heard him. Blyth raves about his interpretation, which he
>calls "overwhelming"
I saw Giuseppe Giacomini perform Otello with the New Orleans Opera in 1987. It
was a solid interpretation but it was definitely not "overwhelming." Giacomini
was a notable Don Alvaro and Cavaradossi at LOC. The voice had its flaws but
it was a genuine tenore di forza and I would love to encounter singing as
idiomatic as his on today's opera scene.
If you have access to such things, try to hear his 1988 Pagliacci broadcast
from the Met with Soviero and Pons. The audience goes WILD!
Enzo Bordello
AT
GIACOMINI IS ONE OF THE OUTSTANDING TENORS OF RECENT DAYS.I SAW A TROVATORE
WITH LEONTYNE PRICE AT THE MET THAT WAS MEMORABLE.
IF THEY PUT IT OUT MUST BE A GOOD PERFORMANCE. HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECORDED
MORE. CERTAINLY BETTER THAN CURA ( NOT DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE) BIGGER VOICE
THAN DOMINGO, NOT BETTER THAN OTELLOS OWNER ( DEL MONACO).
Jack Johnson <jj_a...@jumpnet.com> wrote in article
<6dc18i$jr7$1...@news.jumpnet.com>...
> Alan Blyth, in this month's Gramophone, reviews a newly issued live
> recording of Otello from 1991. The title role sung by a tenor named
> Giuseppe Giacomini, Iago by Matteo Manuguerra, and Desdemona by Margaret
> Price.
>
> I love Margaret Price and, on this basis alone, am tempted to buy this
> recording. But who is this tenor? I know the name is familiar, but I'm
> sure I've never heard him. Blyth raves about his interpretation, which
he
Mallardo7
>There are a few big-voiced Italian tenors that I
>confuse (Giacomini, Bartolini, I think there's another) but I
>believe he's the good one. Maybe on that Dimitrova Turandot
>video?
No, that's Nicola Martinucci. You can see Giacomini on the old Met Forza del
Destino video with Leontyne Price and Leo Nucci .After you've seen it you
won't be rushing out to buy his CD, believe me.
Joe Caporiccio
g.f. wrote:
>
> In article <6dc18i$jr7$1...@news.jumpnet.com>,
> Jack Johnson <jj_a...@jumpnet.com> wrote:
> >recording. But who is this tenor? I know the name is familiar, but I'm
> >sure I've never heard him. Blyth raves about his interpretation, which he
> >calls "overwhelming":
> >
> fresher voice under Solti. I want to say it's from 1980 or
> confuse (Giacomini, Bartolini, I think there's another) but I
> believe he's the good one. Maybe on that Dimitrova Turandot
> video?
>
> >
> >
> >
> >
This recordingswith Giacomini is from 1991 I am told
HenryFogel
>> In article <6dc18i$jr7$1...@news.jumpnet.com>,
>> Jack Johnson <jj_a...@jumpnet.com> wrote:
>> >I love Margaret Price and, on this basis alone, am tempted to buy this
>> >recording. But who is this tenor? I know the name is familiar, but I'm
>> >sure I've never heard him. Blyth raves about his interpretation, which he
>> >calls "overwhelming":
It is difficult to react to a review of a recording one hasn't heard, but I
must say that when I read Blyth's review I wondered if he hadn't gone "over the
top," so to speak. Giacomini has been around for a while now, and the reason
he hasn't developed a greater reputation is because despite its enormous thrust
and power, his voice and his style of singing have a number of serious
limitations. His timbre is not particularly interesting or distinctive; he
seems unable or unwilling to vary the basically dark, somewhat lacrymose color
of the sound; he sings at a constant forte and fortimssimo, occasionally
floating something really soft to show he can do it -- but rarely singing in
that important area between piano and mezzo-forte, certainly not for an
extended time. In addition, he does not have a genuine, smoothly produced
legato; each note tends to be separated from the notes before and after it. As
I said, I have not heard this recording under question -- and perhaps it is
different from my experience of hearing Giacomini in the house.
Henry Fogel
RS Elleson
On 1 Mar 1998, g.f. wrote:
> In article <6dc18i$jr7$1...@news.jumpnet.com>,
> Jack Johnson <jj_a...@jumpnet.com> wrote:
> >I love Margaret Price and, on this basis alone, am tempted to buy this
> >recording. But who is this tenor? I know the name is familiar, but I'm
> >sure I've never heard him. Blyth raves about his interpretation, which he
> >calls "overwhelming":
> >
> Dame Jones...I mean Dame Price recorded this probably in younger,
> fresher voice under Solti. I want to say it's from 1980 or
> sometime. There are a few big-voiced Italian tenors that I
> confuse (Giacomini, Bartolini, I think there's another) but I
> believe he's the good one. Maybe on that Dimitrova Turandot
> video?
No, the one on the Verona TURANDOT is Nicola Martinucci. But I HAVE
seen/heard Giacomini's Calaf (Covent Garden, 16th December 1996, Sharon
Sweet/ Giuseppe Giacomini/ Angela Gheorghiu/ Willard White - don't
remember the conductor, I think it was meant to be Rizzi but he was ill).
He was excellent - big voice, loads of squillo, even though it was
announced that he had a throat infection. But as I understand it, he's
been having some kind of major vocal crisis since then.
Ruth
William D. Kasimer
HenryFogel wrote:
> It is difficult to react to a review of a recording one hasn't heard, but I
> must say that when I read Blyth's review I wondered if he hadn't gone "over the
> top," so to speak.
Always a good guess when Blyth is involved. Since I'm a fan of both
Price and Manuguerra, I picked this one up last month. Price sounds
pretty good for such a recent recording (avoid the even more recent
WINTERREISE, though), but her first recording of the role is preferable,
if you can find it (Decca, not available in the USA). Manuguerra was
about 68 when this recording was made, and while the voice is a bit less
resonant than of old, he's still a good Iago (and better vocally than
Bacquier, the Iago for Price's first recording). As for Giacomini,
Henry writes:
> Giacomini has been around for a while now, and the reason
> he hasn't developed a greater reputation is because despite its enormous thrust
> and power, his voice and his style of singing have a number of serious
> limitations. His timbre is not particularly interesting or distinctive; he
> seems unable or unwilling to vary the basically dark, somewhat lacrymose color
> of the sound; he sings at a constant forte and fortimssimo, occasionally
> floating something really soft to show he can do it -- but rarely singing in
> that important area between piano and mezzo-forte, certainly not for an
> extended time. In addition, he does not have a genuine, smoothly produced
> legato; each note tends to be separated from the notes before and after it.
I can't say it any better than this, so I won't bother to try. This
describe his Otello perfectly.
Nice work on yesterday's quiz yesterday, Henry - with Crutchfield on
that panel, it must have been pretty tough to get a word in sledge-wise.
Bill
--
William D. Kasimer
wk...@mindspring.com
wk...@juno.com
Enrique Eskenazi
> But who is this tenor? I know the name is familiar, but I'm
>sure I've never heard him. Blyth raves about his interpretation, which
he
>calls "overwhelming":
>
In Enrico Stinchelli's Greatest Stars of the Opera, it says:
'The story of the cat who thought he was a tiger has repeated itself in
the case of the last generation of dramatic tenors: Franco Bonisolli,
Nicola Martinucci and Giuseppe Giacomini. They are all very active in
Italy and elsewhere in operas such as Aida, Trovatore, Turandot, or
Andrea Chenier- but they have done nothing new. Theirs are voices of
good quality with facility in high notes, but monotony in phrasing- with
few shadings of tone and little respect for the many dynamic signs on
the scores'
I have a Fedora live (1971) with Olivero and Giacomini. His
interpretation (without any modulation, singing forte all the time) is
far from overwhelming. Later, in the Forza video (1984) with Leontyne
Price, although 13 years have passed, he doesn't appear much better.The
last time he sang in Barcelona was in 1994, in Turandot, with Eva
Marton. His Calaf was not bad, but wasn't specially memorable.
---
Enrique
eske...@mail.sendanet.es
Io chi sono? Eh, non lo so.
-Nol sapete?
Quasi no.
Joe Caporiccio
TomKauf2 wrote:
>
> I never heard Giacomini in person, but know him from two
> recordings--Donizetti's fausta, which also has Raina Kabaivanska and Renato
> bruson in it--he is a little underparted, but basically fine--and a Tabarro
> with (I think) Freni--where he sings a decent Hai ben ragione. I prefer Cura's
> hai ben ragione to Giacomini's--and would have preferred a lighter and more
> lyric voice in the Fausta. I think he is also in a Norma with Renata Scotto,
> but never got it.
>
> Still, I am inclined to think that his Otello could well be the best since Del
> Monaco's. I find it difficullt to understand his inability to achieve
> stardom--he certainly had a decent career. My guess is that his type of voice
> is pretty much out of fashion nowadays.
>
> Cheers
>
> Tom
I agree that the voice is a bit monochrome (but then so was Del Monacos.
) I think the problem is that he has no stage prescence at all. On the
Forza video he seems like a nice CPA lost in wonder over the fact that
he is on a stage!!
TomKauf2
Placifan
According to what I found, he is still performing on a limited basis:
Giuseppe Giacomini - Tenor
20 Sep 97 22 May 98 Cavaradoss Tosca Wien(SO)
17 Nov 97 22 Nov 97 Otello Otello London (RO)
27 Nov 97 04 Mar 98 Calaf Turandot Wien (SO)
HenryFogel
>From: "William D. Kasimer" <wk...@mindspring.com>
>HenryFogel wrote:
>
>> It is difficult to react to a review of a recording one hasn't heard, but I
>> must say that when I read Blyth's review I wondered if he hadn't gone "over
>the
>> top," so to speak.
[somewhat abridged]
>Always a good guess when Blyth is involved. Since I'm a fan of both
>Price and Manuguerra, I picked this one up last month. Price sounds
>pretty good for such a recent recording ... Manuguerra was
>about 68 when this recording was made, and while the voice is a bit less
>resonant than of old, he's still a good Iago As for Giacomini,
>Henry writes:
>
>> Giacomini has been around for a while now, and the reason
>> he hasn't developed a greater reputation is because despite its enormous
>thrust
>> and power, his voice and his style of singing have a number of serious
>> limitations. His timbre is not particularly interesting or distinctive; he
>> seems unable or unwilling to vary the...color
>> of the sound; he sings at a constant forte and fortimssimo, occasionally
>> floating something really soft to show he can do it -- but rarely
singing...between piano and mezzo-forte. In addition, he does not have a
genuine, smoothly produced
>> legato; each note tends to be separated from the notes before and after it.
>
>
>I can't say it any better than this, so I won't bother to try. This
>describe his Otello perfectly.
>
>Nice work on yesterday's quiz yesterday, Henry - with Crutchfield on
>that panel, it must have been pretty tough to get a word in sledge-wise.
>
>Bill
>William D. Kasimer
Thanks for the nice comment -- but I'm a big Crutchfield fan, and believe me he
rescued both me and my other colleague with his response on the piano excerpts
from operas. Yes, I knew "Rondine" and "Fedora", even if Crutchfield's hand
went up faster; but I would never have gotten the other two ("Baby Doe" and
"Zaza"), nor can I think of very many who could have. I thought he was quite
amazing, actually!
Henry Fogel
Marksten
Re; Giacomini's Otello:
>>Blyth raves about his interpretation, which he
>>calls "overwhelming":
>>"On the evidence of this Otello, and much else, [Giacomini] is more
viscerally exciting than any of the famous Three. Certainly no tenor in
this role since Del Monaco in his prime had the elemental, almost
frightening power evinced by Giacomini's reading, but his talents go well
beyond the possession of a real *tenore robusto*. His dark, louring tone
and agonized delivery of the text exactly match the passion and jealousy of
>>the Moor . . . . There is much to study in this searing interpretation,
>>which is on par with Vinay's for Toscanini and sung in the same
>>dark-grained, tormented fashion."
Giacomini is one of the underrated tenors of our time. He is a true tenore
rubusto. I heard him at the Met many times, including Tosca, Pagliacci and Don
Carlo.
He tends to sing on one side of his technique, ie: it can seem loud and
unmodulated when compared to the reigning house tenor at the Met, Mr. Domingo.
However, for those of us who were consistently underwhelmed by the Domingo
voice - especially the constricted top notes - Giacomini was always welcome
relief. Many of us prefer the occasional "straight forward" approach to opera,
rather than the over-intellectualized methods of others. I for one enjoy
hearing a role sung, rather than "sung around."
Like any singer, Giacomini has his off nights. That said, there is a thrill in
his voice that is reminiscent of del Monaco. I can well vouch for his voice
carrying a visceral excitement. For those who complain of his sound being "too
baritonal," I would suggest they listen to a few Caruso records from later in
that tenor's career to see what an Italian dramatic tenor *should* sound like.
One other thing needs to be mentioned - I have heard reports from Met staffers
that Giacomini always felt rather abused by the Met. Seeing roles you would
like to do in the house (ie: Otello) going to a tenor who really never had the
vocal resources to do full justice to the role (ie: Domingo) must stick in the
craw when you yourself are miles closer to the real article. It may well be
that Giacomini's Met performances were not really his best efforts.
All speculation, of course, but one cannot ignore the dampening effect on other
tenors' egos that the Met's worship of Domingo has had over the last 15 years
(I know quite a few of these guys and have it "from the horse's mouth," as it
were).
BTW - Giacomini did record the tenor lead in Norma with Scotto and Levine for
Sony.
Mark Stenroos
CLewis2666
I seem to recall Giacomini in Fanciulla quite a few years ago at covent Garden.
less than overwhelming -- yes!
Xise
Giacomini has been a number one tenor at the Met and other first-rate opera
houses for a number of years.
Antonio Calaf
Xise (xi...@aol.com) wrote:
I have heard Italians call Giacomini "Il tenore piu importante al
mondo."
There are obviously some people out there who think that he is good. I
have a recording oh his Cavalleria w/ Jessie Norman and like it very much.
He has also recorded Tosca with Muti conducting and Vaness.
Hius timbre howvere, has nothing to do with del Monaco. Del mOncao is
all about timbre of the voice and efficient use os air in order to
achieve volume and sustained notes. Giacomini is more about weight and
having a dark, strong timbre.
The only other tenor singing now that makes me think of Giacomini is
Cura. Can' t wait for him to come to the Met.
Antonio Calaf
Neil A Kurtzman
"Jack Johnson" <jj_a...@jumpnet.com> wrote:
>Alan Blyth, in this month's Gramophone, reviews a newly issued live
>recording of Otello from 1991. The title role sung by a tenor named
>Giuseppe Giacomini, Iago by Matteo Manuguerra, and Desdemona by Margaret
>Price.
>I love Margaret Price and, on this basis alone, am tempted to buy this
>recording. But who is this tenor? I know the name is familiar, but I'm
>sure I've never heard him. Blyth raves about his interpretation, which he
>calls "overwhelming":
>"On the evidence of this Otello, and much else, [Giacomini] is more
>viscerally exciting than any of the famous Three. Certainly no tenor in
>this role since Del Monaco in his prime had the elemental, almost
>frightening power evinced by Giacomini's reading, but his talents go well
>beyond the possession of a real *tenore robusto*. His dark, louring tone
>and agonized delivery of the text exactly match the passion and jealousy of
>the Moor . . . . There is much to study in this searing interpretation,
>which is on par with Vinay's for Toscanini and sung in the same
>dark-grained, tormented fashion."
I'm not a Giacomini fan, but i heard him sing Calaf a few years back
in Catania - outdoors in the Giardini Bellini in an otherwise terrible
Turandot. That evening at least he was great. the Sicilians went
wild after Nessun Dorma and demanded an encore which the conductor
refused almost precipitating a riot.