Giorgio Zancanaro
Lis K. Froding
Would anyone know why Giorgio Zancanaro has never sung at the Met?
Lis
Enzo62
Lis wrote:
>Would anyone know why Giorgio Zancanaro has never sung at the Met?
But Zancanaro HAS sung at the Met. He made his debut on 10/26/82 as Renato in
Ballo in Maschera. Zancanaro appeared again later that season as Di Luna in
Trovatore.
Along with Zancanaro, Renato Bruson and Piero Cappuccilli were other Italian
baritones who sang infrequently with the Met. In fact, Cappuccilli's debut
performance was his one and ONLY appearance with the company. Cappuccilli
enjoyed greater success with Lyric Opera of Chicago, appearing almost every
season there during the 1970's and 80's. Although not as ubiquitous a presence
as Cappuccilli, Bruson appeared occasionally with LOC. Bruson also made
several successful appearances with San Francisco Opera.
Zancanaro made his American debut with the San Francisco Opera in 1977 as
Riccardo in I Puritani, opposite the Elvira of Beverly Sills. After
establishing his career, Zancanaro seems to have become more selective about
his appearances, limiting himself to Italian opera houses and the occasional
guest performance in Zurich, Vienna, etc.
All three baritones were presumably not comfortable with the Met repertoire
system--a system that does not allow for polished results. More often than
not, the Met asked them to jump into a revival with little or no rehearsal and
sink or swim. Contrast this approach with La Scala, where the three baritones
were given countless new productions with extended rehearsal periods. Needless
to say, there was also the extra advantage of not having to leave their homes
and families for weeks or months at a time in a city notoriously unpopular with
many European singers.
Zancanaro joins an illustrious group of singers who built successful careers in
spite of the Metropolitan Opera.
Enzo Bordello
Erik Jan van Sten
Speaking of him, how is his recording of Rigoletto with Muti?
EJ
Lis K. Froding wrote:
> Would anyone know why Giorgio Zancanaro has never sung at the Met?
>
> Lis
Joe Caporiccio
Dull!!!! Zancanaro I always thought was a wonderful Verdi Baritone but
not a great characterizer (?). The kind of voice that will get through
Di Lune very nicely but is no go on Rigoletto or Iago (a part which I
don't think he has done. However, even Tito Gobbi could do nothing when
up against the incredibly fast and metronomic conducting of Riccardo
Muti. Muti does the same thing in hi remake with Broson and Alagna.
alagna is particularly hampered by the conducting of Muti (listen to the
opening scene going into Questo e Quella - way too fast and a rubato by
Muti as if learned on Mars). anyway the first muti recording has La
Scola and Dessi - a scond string cast.
My favorite Rigoletto (here we go) is still the Gobbi, callas, Di
stefano. For stereo sound and ore complete I would go for Fiesher
Dieskau(Can't spell this) scotto and Bergonzi - between these two
recordings you have verything that needs to be said about Rigoletto.
Mallardo7
>Would anyone know why Giorgio Zancanaro has never sung at the Met?
>
>
hasn't been back because, I'm told, he was booked for several roles then
canceled for financial reasons. He had more lucrative offers in Europe. In
any case the Met got mad and - I believe - sued him! This not only kept him
away from theMet but away from North America for the prime years of his career.
He mostly sings these days in Zurich, where they pay well.
Stregata
Enzo wrote:
>Zancanaro joins an illustrious group of singers who built successful careers
>in
>spite of the Metropolitan Opera.
>
>Enzo Bordello
And what a full-blooded baritone Zancanaro is. One of my very favorites, along
with my pet baritone of all times, Ettore Bastianini.
Stregata
Kolya
Thanks for the overview. Zancanaro is one of my favorite currently active
baritones. He almost makes the disappointing Muti Rigoletto worthwhile (almost).
Alan
Enzo62 wrote:
> Lis wrote:
>
> >Would anyone know why Giorgio Zancanaro has never sung at the Met?
>
> But Zancanaro HAS sung at the Met. He made his debut on 10/26/82 as Renato in
> Ballo in Maschera. Zancanaro appeared again later that season as Di Luna in
> Trovatore.
>
> Along with Zancanaro, Renato Bruson and Piero Cappuccilli were other Italian
> baritones who sang infrequently with the Met. In fact, Cappuccilli's debut
> performance was his one and ONLY appearance with the company. Cappuccilli
> enjoyed greater success with Lyric Opera of Chicago, appearing almost every
> season there during the 1970's and 80's. Although not as ubiquitous a presence
> as Cappuccilli, Bruson appeared occasionally with LOC. Bruson also made
> several successful appearances with San Francisco Opera.
>
> Zancanaro made his American debut with the San Francisco Opera in 1977 as
> Riccardo in I Puritani, opposite the Elvira of Beverly Sills. After
> establishing his career, Zancanaro seems to have become more selective about
> his appearances, limiting himself to Italian opera houses and the occasional
> guest performance in Zurich, Vienna, etc.
>
> All three baritones were presumably not comfortable with the Met repertoire
> system--a system that does not allow for polished results. More often than
> not, the Met asked them to jump into a revival with little or no rehearsal and
> sink or swim. Contrast this approach with La Scala, where the three baritones
> were given countless new productions with extended rehearsal periods. Needless
> to say, there was also the extra advantage of not having to leave their homes
> and families for weeks or months at a time in a city notoriously unpopular with
> many European singers.
>
BP4DESIGN1
>He almost makes the disappointing Muti Rigoletto worthwhile (almost)
You could say the same for a definitively disappointing Muti La Forza and a
disappointing Muti Don Pasquale, where Giorgio Zancanaro tilts the scale...
"Tre birre...una scamorza...presto"
E. Benetollo
George Murnu
And why is nobody mentioning his Italian-language Guillame Tell again
under Muti? And this recording / video uses the new uncut Ricordi
Philip Gossett edition; too bad it is not sung in French!
Lis K. Froding
In article <199805191425...@ladder03.news.aol.com>,
enz...@aol.com (Enzo62) wrote:
>Lis wrote:
>
>>Would anyone know why Giorgio Zancanaro has never sung at the Met?
>
>But Zancanaro HAS sung at the Met. He made his debut on 10/26/82 as
>Renato in Ballo in Maschera. Zancanaro appeared again later that
>season as Di Luna in Trovatore.
Ah, that was before I started going to the Met, so I didn't know.
>Zancanaro joins an illustrious group of singers who built successful
>careers in spite of the Metropolitan Opera.
Yes, he certainly has. Thanks again.
Lis
Lis K. Froding
In article <199805191530...@ladder03.news.aol.com>,
mall...@aol.com (Mallardo7) wrote:
>Zancanaro has sung at the Met in, I believe, Trovatore, several years
>ago. He hasn't been back because, I'm told, he was booked for several
>roles then canceled for financial reasons. He had more lucrative
>offers in Europe. In any case the Met got mad and - I believe - sued
>him! This not only kept him away from the Met but away from North
>America for the prime years of his career. He mostly sings these days
>in Zurich, where they pay well.
Thanks. That must have been what the comment I read years ago hinted
at, but I never knew what the problem was. That same comment (can't
remember where it was, and it's a long time ago) mentioned that he
refused to sing in New York, but had sung in Philadelphia.
Too bad about the Met problems, I would love to hear him in person.
The first time I remember noticing him was on the Patane recording of
Andrea Chenier with Carreras and Marton, where he sings Gerard.
Another good role for him is the elder Germont.
Lis
Alrod
>All three baritones were presumably not comfortable with the Met repertoire
>system--a system that does not allow for polished results. More often than
>not, the Met asked them to jump into a revival with little or no rehearsal and
>sink or swim. Contrast this approach with La Scala, where the three baritones
>were given countless new productions with extended rehearsal periods.
Yes, well, stagione houses have that luxury. Doesn't mean the results
are always satisfactory, either.
Cappuccilli was engaged before he got good in the wake of Leonard
Warren's death and made no impression. Bruson's threadbare voice
prevented the building of much enthusiasm for his acting, and
Zancanaro's beautiful voice could never compensate for his total lack
of charisma.
There was also the reliable presence in NY of Sherrill Milnes for new
productions of importance to baritones. Opera companies have their
house singers to pacify. Earlier, Tito Gobbi and Giuseppe Taddei were
absent from the Met largely because of Leonard Warren. This cuts both
ways. Neither Warren nor Milnes were welcome at La Scala because of
the baritones then resident in Milan.
This happens in other voice categories too. Tebaldi kept Olivero out
of the Met, and Del Monaco left as soon as the Met engaged Corelli.
Alrod
howar...@vanderbilt.edu
Also check out Zancanaro in the Andrea Chenier video from Covent Garden with
Domingo. Howard Hood
In article <6jtb9t$i...@sjx-ixn9.ix.netcom.com>,
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