Franco Corelli -- thanks
CLewis2666
I have just been listening at this particular time, as I have often done over
the past years, to the voice of Franco Corelli. What is it about this man,
this voice, that lifts the heart so, when most the heart needs lifting, as
almost no other singer does - for this listener at any rate ( -- one other such
is Georges Thill).
Corelli’s voice is absolutely unmistakable. There are not many singers of whom
that can be said (though I appreciate it is not all that uncommon). I know
purists have in the past criticised his style (unfairly, I think). But the
important thing is: what gave this man the ability simply by opening his mouth
to communicate to his fellow human beings all that is positive and generous and
loving and warm about life, and by so doing to dispel the shadows? I wish I
knew.
I also wish there was some way I could thank him, and wish him what he deserves
for all that he has so unstintingly offered us over the years, ie every
possible good wish for a happy and fulfilling new year.
Charles Lewis from London
Wotan99
spoke to me, yes communicated.
He's very much in circulation, in his own fashion, and I'm sure some of the
people who post here and know all that stuff could direct you in some way.
Nice to see some one free enough to be honest,
Regards,
W99
Ron D'Argenio
I thank you for such a heartfelt display of devotion to one of the greatest singers
of the century. I can tell you that a relative of mine sent email to Franco
Corelli through a Mr Sciochetti who takes care of the Franco Corelli homepage. In
case you don't have it, the url is
http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/Strasse/3468/corelli.htm Good luck.
Ron D'Argenio
drak...@aol.com
To me, Corelli was a miracle which is not likely to be repeated. A very
powerful, very beautiful voice with unexcelled high notes including a
fabulous high C, and absolute vocal security. But he also had a passionate,
romantic, heroic temperament which he always confidently communicated. And
he looked great and acted with great authority and never engaged in hammy
operatic overacting. He had some shortcomings, but in the heroic /dramatic
repertoire he was a god of opera.
In article <19981221102922...@ng110.aol.com>,
clewi...@aol.com (CLewis2666) wrote:
> May I, a little timidly, share this with you?
> I have just been listening at this particular time, as I have often done over
> the past years, to the voice of Franco Corelli. What is it about this man,
> this voice, that lifts the heart so, when most the heart needs lifting, as
> almost no other singer does - for this listener at any rate ( -- one other such
> is Georges Thill).
>
> Corelli’s voice is absolutely unmistakable. There are not many singers of whom
> that can be said (though I appreciate it is not all that uncommon). I know
> purists have in the past criticised his style (unfairly, I think). But the
> important thing is: what gave this man the ability simply by opening his mouth
> to communicate to his fellow human beings all that is positive and generous and
> loving and warm about life, and by so doing to dispel the shadows? I wish I
> knew.
>
> I also wish there was some way I could thank him, and wish him what he deserves
> for all that he has so unstintingly offered us over the years, ie every
> possible good wish for a happy and fulfilling new year.
>
> Charles Lewis from London
>
-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
donpaolo
CLewis2666 <clewi...@aol.com> wrote in article
<19981221102922...@ng110.aol.com>...
<<Most Respectfully Snipped>>
A Thousand Times Yesssssss!
That naughty, naughty, posturing show-off, who did not pronounce French
correctly; who held on to glorious, free, ringing high notes & mastered
diminuendi; who provided us with so many magnificent performances & gave us
all of himself with reckless abandon; who made us burst our own vocal cords
with shouts of "bravo" after phrases such as "vittoria, vittoria"; that
that fool; thug; hooligan!
Thank God we had one such as he to set the standard in roles such as
Manrico, Calaf, Maurizio, Meester Joohnson, Poliuto, Polione, Arrigo,
Cavaradossi, etc., etc., etc.
BRAVO FRANCO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(I kinda liked him, BTW).
DonP.
Ron D'Argenio
Ed Rosen
writes:
Hi-
I certainly agree with all of the above.
You know, when a tenor is so great as Corelli was, you don't really
take it for granted, but you don't stop and realize that some day he,
too, will sing no more, and when that happened, unexpectedly in
Franco's case, we were all left so very much poorer. There was no
other to come close to him in his roles since he stopped. Absolutely
no one.
Ed
Shahrdad
drak...@aol.com wrote in message <75mjjb$uga$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>...
>I hope someone tells Mr. Corelli that he still has very enthusiastic fans.
>
>To me, Corelli was a miracle which is not likely to be repeated. A very
>powerful, very beautiful voice with unexcelled high notes including a
>fabulous high C, and absolute vocal security. But he also had a
passionate,
>romantic, heroic temperament which he always confidently communicated. And
>he looked great and acted with great authority and never engaged in hammy
>operatic overacting. He had some shortcomings, but in the heroic /dramatic
>repertoire he was a god of opera.
I am a big Callas fan, and I love looking at pictures of Callas and Corelli
together; they look so absolutely beautiful together. I also have read
about how kind and considerate he was of her, especially after 1960 when her
powers had waned. Zeffirelli has spoken about how kindly Corelli treated
Callas during the Paris Normas, while others were doing their utmost to sing
the ailing Norma under the table.
And I still have to hear a Radames who fulfills the role better than
Corelli.
S.
JK L
and present listening to Franco Corelli has become my greatest joy. My
greatest sadness is knowing that I will never hear that awesome voice
live. I envy all of you who have been blessed with that opportunity.
JKL
A T
\ @ /
( )
( )
_\/ \/_
GRNDPADAVE
>Date: Mon, Dec 21, 1998 18:56 EST
SNIP >>> SNIP >>>> SNIP
>You know, when a tenor is so great as Corelli was, you don't really
>take it for granted, but you don't stop and realize that some day he,
>too, will sing no more, and when that happened, unexpectedly in
>Franco's case, we were all left so very much poorer. There was no
>other to come close to him in his roles since he stopped. Absolutely
>no one.
>
>Ed
As Mr. Reagan said to Mr. Carter, "There you go again".
Your "absolutely" is a bit much.
-
There is scarcely role recorded both by Corelli and by Domingo in which I do
not find Domingo the more persuasive tenor, rhythmically, linguistically, in
terms of timbre and in characterization.
-
Julian Budden specifically cites two tenors in his chapter on AIDA as exemplars
of the role of Radames: Carlo Bergonzi and Placido Domingo. Repeatedly one
finds Domingo offering Verdi's music with taste, power and dignity. No
scooping, no strutting, no dropping out of ensembles.
-
That there is much to admire in Corelli's work, I do do not doubt, but to say
"there was no other to come close to him in his roles since he stopped..."
Placido Domingo not only has come close, but more often than not, surpassed
your idol, imho.
-
==G/P Dave
Corellifan
>Your "absolutely" is a bit much.
>-
>There is scarcely role recorded both by Corelli and by Domingo in which I do
>not find Domingo the more persuasive tenor, rhythmically, linguistically, in
>terms of timbre and in characterization.
>-
>Julian Budden specifically cites two tenors in his chapter on AIDA as
>exemplars
>of the role of Radames: Carlo Bergonzi and Placido Domingo. Repeatedly one
>finds Domingo offering Verdi's music with taste, power and dignity. No
>scooping, no strutting, no dropping out of ensembles.
>-
>That there is much to admire in Corelli's work, I do do not doubt, but to say
>"there was no other to come close to him in his roles since he stopped..."
>Placido Domingo not only has come close, but more often than not, surpassed
>your idol, imho.
>-
>==G/P Dave
>
>
Grandpa, senility has set in on you!! See a doctor concerning Alzheimer's
ASAP!! You obviously have FORGOTTEN!!
Ed Rosen
(GRNDPADAVE) writes:
>
>>From: lyr...@ix.netcom.com(Ed Rosen)
>>Date: Mon, Dec 21, 1998 18:56 EST
>SNIP >>> SNIP >>>> SNIP
>>You know, when a tenor is so great as Corelli was, you don't really
>>take it for granted, but you don't stop and realize that some day he,
>>too, will sing no more, and when that happened, unexpectedly in
>>Franco's case, we were all left so very much poorer. There was no
>>other to come close to him in his roles since he stopped. Absolutely
>>no one.
>>
>>Ed
>=====
Well, G/P Dave- first of all, my idol was Richard Tucker, not Franco
Corelli.
And, as far as I'm concerned, there YOU go again! To my way of
thinking, and to my ears, it is almost blasphemy to compare Corelli to
Domingo, and especially to have Domingo come out on top.
I don't care who said he was the perfect Radames. He was awful in this
role. This taxing role, with 32 Bb's, almost always defeated Domingo
immediately. He could never sing a successfull "Celeste Aida." I must
have seen him do Aida perhaps 12-15 times, and heard tapes of others,
and he always blew the final note of this aria. He could never hold
the note, and would cut it very short.
My vote for Radames from the two mentioned: Bergonzi- yes, Domingo-no.
I well recall Corelli's first Radames. He wore his on costumes, with a
long red cape and what I recall as being a breastplate of armor in the
triumphal scene. And did he ever sing! The perfect Radames voice-
tireless, huge, thrilling. These are three adjectives that you will
never hear about a Domingo Radames, believe me.
I don't know why my praise of Corelli provoked this Domingo thing
again. He had nothing to do with this thread, until now. I guess his
fans just can't face the fact that so many other tenors were so much
better than Placido.
I cannot imagine anybody who saw both Corelli and Domingo as Radames,
as I have, to say Domingo was superior.
Best,
Ed
Ed Rosen
-
>>Julian Budden specifically cites two tenors in his chapter on AIDA as
>exemplars
>>of the role of Radames: Carlo Bergonzi and Placido Domingo.
>Repeatedly one
>>finds Domingo offering Verdi's music with taste, power and dignity.
>No
>>scooping, no strutting, no dropping out of ensembles.
And no high notes!! He was always totally uncomfortable and unfit for
this role.
Ed
dee...@erols.com
so wonderfully.
I'm going to try to forward these messages to someone who may be able to get
these good wishes to him before he returns to Italy.
It's so nice to see a positive posting about someone for a change on the
newsgroup.
Diana M.
Wotan99
>"there was no other to come close to him in his roles since he stopped..."
>Placido Domingo not only has come close, but more often than not, surpassed
>your idol, imho.
>-
>==G/P Dave
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>ut to say
>"there was no other to come close to him in his roles since he stopped..."
>Placido Domingo not only has come close, but more often than not, surpassed
>your idol, imho.
>-
>==G/P Dave
>
This was a gentle beautiful tribute to an artist who meant a lot to us...not
another debate about Domingo. You're usually a gentleman.
There have been a lot of good tenors, and some do certain things better than
others, but this guy was, as an old ad read, the prince of tenors. (by the way
since you're mentioning names Paul Jackson in his book on Met radio broadcasts
has very favorable, and accurate things to say about Corelli)
So let us enjoy him, we can debate again on another thread
W99
Mr South Philly
: -
: There is scarcely role recorded both by Corelli and by Domingo in which I
do
: not find Domingo the more persuasive tenor, rhythmically, linguistically,
in
: terms of timbre and in characterization.
I vehemently disagree! Domingo's high notes scare me. I asked Corelli a
year ago what he thought of Domingo and his response to me was " Hesa Good"
Not exactly a ringing endorsement. He went on to say that Pavarotti is the
best tenor of the three.
I think it would be better to compare Domingo with people like Poggi or
Labo. Domingo is really not in Corelli's league. IMO
Mr South Philly
:
: I cannot imagine anybody who saw both Corelli and Domingo as Radames,
: as I have, to say Domingo was superior.
:
:
: Best,
: Ed
not natural. It is almost as if he has to use vocal gymnastics to get his
sound. I do, however, believe that DelMonaco was a better tenor than
Corelli and that is certainly not meant to demean Corelli in any manner.
Ken B Lane
Verona's Arena and the total gestalt of VOICE and APPEARANCE i n live
performance was spine-tingling.
As you mentioned, purists seldom get the point that art is primarily emotion
formatted in such a way that it is felt and understood as by osmosis, without
the need for decades of study to comprehend all the factors that account for
the threill of great music-making.
We know it when we see it when we hear it. We FEEL it.
Great artists like Franco Corelli and Georges Thill, and Melchior and Caruso
are definitive in their recognizability by timbre and sheer gut imppact.
I studied voice in oreparation for my own career with Met Operea greats
Friedrich Schorr, Alexander Kipnis, Margarete Matzenauer and Frieda Hempel [the
latter two partnered Caruso in many of his greatest stage appearances], Karin
Branzell and John Brownlee.
Thety had that same impact on their contemporaries, but no one can surpass a
dramatic tenor like Del Monaco or Corelli, The other voice fachs preclude such
excitement!
Kenneth Lane, Wagnerian Romantischer Heldentenor
Website: WagnerOpera.com
E-Mail: KenB...@aol.com
Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey 07034-0131, USA
drak...@aol.com
was a much more exciting singer and performer than Domingo. Why is this?
Corelli had a bigger voice, bigger and more secure high notes, better
looking, more effective actor. Corelli had a certain aggressive masculinity
and exhibitionism which nice guy Domingo lacks. But Domingo has been the
more important tenor in opera because of his musicianship, versatility,
superior language skills, flexibility, and work ethic. Remember that Domingo
was wonderfully received by press and public in the late 1960's when Corelli
was still singing. Domingo has outworked Corelli over a much more extensive
career. Domingo of course was literally born to be an opera singer, whereas
Corelli is more the super-talented amateur.
They are both wonderfully gifted, extremely talented performers. We are
lucky to have had them both.
GRNDPADAVE
>Date: Mon, Dec 21, 1998 22:48 EST
>Message-id: <19981221224858...@ng139.aol.com>
>
>>As Mr. Reagan said to Mr. Carter, "There you go again".
>>Your "absolutely" is a bit much.
>>There is scarcely role recorded both by Corelli and by Domingo in which I do
>>not find Domingo the more persuasive tenor, rhythmically, linguistically, in
>>terms of timbre and in characterization.
>>Julian Budden specifically cites two tenors in his chapter on AIDA as
>>exemplars
>>of the role of Radames: Carlo Bergonzi and Placido Domingo. Repeatedly one
>>finds Domingo offering Verdi's music with taste, power and dignity. No
>>scooping, no strutting, no dropping out of ensembles.
>>That there is much to admire in Corelli's work, I do do not doubt, but to
>say
>>"there was no other to come close to him in his roles since he stopped..."
>>Placido Domingo not only has come close, but more often than not, surpassed
>>your idol, imho.
>>-
>>==G/P Dave
>>
>>
>
>ASAP!! You obviously have FORGOTTEN!!
Fascinating how persons of purported musical sensibility can find it within
themselves -- upon disagreeing with the message -- sufficient mental resources
that can rise only to the level of insulting the messenger.
-
Much I may have forgotten, but at least I am still able to tolerate differences
of opinion.
-
As Bart Simpson might someday live to proclaim: "Senile and proud of it".
-
Have a nice day.
-
==G/P Dave
"The ultimate remedy for old age may be worse than the disease."
james_...@smtplink.mssm.edu
> Julian Budden specifically cites two tenors in his chapter on AIDA as
> exemplars of the role of Radames: Carlo Bergonzi and Placido Domingo.
I don't think that's an entirely accurate statement. As I recall, Budden is
attempting to refute the assumption that only the heaviest "barnstorming"
dramatic tenor voices are suitable for the role of Radames. He mentions these
two tenors as examples of lighter voices, which he finds more suitable for
the many lyrical moments in the role. I do not recall that he says either of
these artists is ideal or exemplary in the part, simply that theirs is a
valid approach.
jj
donpaolo
GRNDPADAVE <grndp...@aol.com> wrote in article
<19981221213704...@ng26.aol.com>...
> >From: lyr...@ix.netcom.com(Ed Rosen)
=G/P Dave
Nope, there YOU go again. To compare that second rate Corelli substitute,
Domingo to one of the supreme opera performers of all history is like
comparing a garbage man to a prince!
There is not one aspect of singing or vocalisation or performing that the
lion, Corelli did not out perform the topless wonder squeaker mouse.
Happy Holidays!
DonP.
>
>
>
donpaolo
Met!
Regards,
DonP.
JK L <que...@webtv.net> wrote in article
<26310-367...@newsd-152.iap.bryant.webtv.net>...
Ron D'Argenio
right thread, G/P, to begin the debate anew. I think that Mr Lewis and all the
other admirers of Corelli wanted to express their gratitude and the joy they
experienced in hearing such a singer. Of course someone might have said "FC is the
greatest" which you disagree with, and you are certainly entitled to that opinion.
With respect to Mr Lewis' wishes, you should have started a new thread.
Ron
GRNDPADAVE wrote:
> >From: corel...@aol.com (Corellifan)
> >Date: Mon, Dec 21, 1998 22:48 EST
> >Message-id: <19981221224858...@ng139.aol.com>
> >
> >>As Mr. Reagan said to Mr. Carter, "There you go again".
> >>Your "absolutely" is a bit much.
> >>-
> >>There is scarcely role recorded both by Corelli and by Domingo in which I do
> >>not find Domingo the more persuasive tenor, rhythmically, linguistically, in
> >>terms of timbre and in characterization.
> >>-
> >>Julian Budden specifically cites two tenors in his chapter on AIDA as
> >>exemplars
Nubkhas
>not natural. It is almost as if he has to use vocal gymnastics to get his
>sound. I do, however, believe that DelMonaco was a better tenor than
>Corelli and that is certainly not meant to demean Corelli in any manner.
Huh? Domingo's voice sounds to me the most naturally produced of any I've
heard since Bjoerling. Corelli and DelMonaco, for all their thrilling,
stentorian declamatory style, were quite worn out by the time they were
Domingo's age. No bloom left on their roses whatsoever. Neither could sing a
legato line any longer. Yet Domingo in his late fifties still sings with
seamless ease and beauty of tone.
Stregata
>tireless, huge, thrilling. These are three adjectives that you will
>never hear about a Domingo Radames, believe me.
And in any other role for that matter. These are precisely three of the vocal
requirements that Domingo lacks.
Stregata
Dar...@webtv.net
cancelled and when Franco was announced it was Xmas and the fourth of
July all rolled into one. Chenier is a part he was born to sing and did
he ever sing it that night! He looked like a God. When he made his
first act entrance hs brown eyes just blazed . At the end of his
impassioned "Un di ..." the entire house exploded with applause. The
rest of the performance was a fiery, declamatory love affair between an
artist and the public. Gabriella Tucci was wonderful as Maddalena,
Cornell MacNeil excellent as Gerard. In this production the scaffold
was front and center in the last act and at the end of "Viva la morte
insiem!" Chenier and Maddalena would slowly climb the steps to nirvana
or oblivion depending on your point of view. As Franco started his
descent..I wanted to run on stage and join him! Ah! Frabjous Joy! Its 27
years later and I still get a rush of pleasure when I think of him that
night. And I am still waiting for a tenor to inspire the same emotion
when I visit the Met these days. Some make me want to run out of the
building instead of "..climb the stairs.." He was thrilling, sexy and a
hunk!! I hope he is able to read these posts and know how much his fans
loved and still love him. Opera is wonderful..you can analyse the art
"til you are blue in the face but once it reaches deep down into your
heart and gut it never leaves. Thanks and God bless us everyone!
donpaolo
committment, intensity & abandon. So what if they burned out at a rather
early stage of their glorious careers? Rather have those relatively short
but stunning careers than one who, like those obnoxious battery rabbits,
just keeps on going & going & going, with consistent frustrating results to
this listener.
DonP.
Nubkhas <nub...@aol.com> wrote in article
<19981222091315...@ng41.aol.com>...
donpaolo
interesting one. I think a separate thread should be devoted to this
subject. I also believe that it would boil down to a role-by-shared-role
comparison. DelM was not known for Calaf & Corelli never sang Otello, so
these would be eliminated.
I love both of these true giants & would compare say, Canio - IMVHO DelM
wins hands down here, as I never cared for Franco in this particular role.
However, Manrico belonged to Franco, as again INMVHO, Del was just too
overpowering in this particular role.
Then, we could discuss their Chenier, Cavaradossi, Pollione, etc., etc.
Most interesting idea.
DonP.
Mr South Philly <DAVO...@prodigy.net> wrote in article
<01be2d4d$2dfc6540$a84a9cd1@default>...
>
> :
> : I cannot imagine anybody who saw both Corelli and Domingo as Radames,
> : as I have, to say Domingo was superior.
> :
> :
> : Best,
> : Ed
>
> Well put Sir! I feel that there is something in Domingo's voice that is
drak...@aol.com
his voice when he quit. His excellent breath support and secure technique
prevented damage to his voice. Also, he didn't sing very often.
In article <19981222091315...@ng41.aol.com>,
nub...@aol.com (Nubkhas) wrote:
> >I feel that there is something in Domingo's voice that is
> >not natural. It is almost as if he has to use vocal gymnastics to get his
> >sound. I do, however, believe that DelMonaco was a better tenor than
> >Corelli and that is certainly not meant to demean Corelli in any manner.
>
> Huh? Domingo's voice sounds to me the most naturally produced of any I've
> heard since Bjoerling. Corelli and DelMonaco, for all their thrilling,
> stentorian declamatory style, were quite worn out by the time they were
> Domingo's age. No bloom left on their roses whatsoever. Neither could sing a
> legato line any longer. Yet Domingo in his late fifties still sings with
> seamless ease and beauty of tone.
>
-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
Mr South Philly
: I think it was a case of "giving their all, all of the time" - total
: committment, intensity & abandon. So what if they burned out at a rather
: early stage of their glorious careers? Rather have those relatively
short
: but stunning careers than one who, like those obnoxious battery rabbits,
: just keeps on going & going & going, with consistent frustrating results
to
: this listener.
Grazie, Paolo! Non ho potuto dirlo meglio. Buon Natale!
dee...@erols.com
Grandpadave,
I'm very disappointed in these latest postings from you. The title of this
thread is "Franco Corelli - thanks." If you didn't want to praise him for
any of his wonderful qualities and talents, you should not have posted at
all. It is inappropriate to compare Domingo to Corelli (or any other
singer) in this thread. I'm getting a little weary of comparisons. Every
singer has his/her individual style/qualities. If we want to praise Franco
we should be able to do it in this fashion without you being the fly in the
ointment.
For gosh sakes, it's Christmas. Let's get some positive postings going for a
change.
I hope all the good wishes in this thread make their way to him. I'm sure he
would be very pleased.
Diana M.
grndp...@aol.com (GRNDPADAVE) wrote:
> >From: lyr...@ix.netcom.com(Ed Rosen)
> >Date: Mon, Dec 21, 1998 18:56 EST
> SNIP >>> SNIP >>>> SNIP
> >You know, when a tenor is so great as Corelli was, you don't really
> >take it for granted, but you don't stop and realize that some day he,
> >too, will sing no more, and when that happened, unexpectedly in
> >Franco's case, we were all left so very much poorer. There was no
> >other to come close to him in his roles since he stopped. Absolutely
> >no one.
> >
> >Ed
> =====
> As Mr. Reagan said to Mr. Carter, "There you go again".
> Your "absolutely" is a bit much.
> -
> There is scarcely role recorded both by Corelli and by Domingo in which I do
> not find Domingo the more persuasive tenor, rhythmically, linguistically, in
> terms of timbre and in characterization.
> -
> Julian Budden specifically cites two tenors in his chapter on AIDA as
exemplars
> of the role of Radames: Carlo Bergonzi and Placido Domingo. Repeatedly one
> finds Domingo offering Verdi's music with taste, power and dignity. No
> scooping, no strutting, no dropping out of ensembles.
> -
> That there is much to admire in Corelli's work, I do do not doubt, but to say
> "there was no other to come close to him in his roles since he stopped..."
> Placido Domingo not only has come close, but more often than not, surpassed
> your idol, imho.
> -
> ==G/P Dave
>
>
-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
emma...@my-dejanews.com
GrandPa Dave, GrandPa Dave, did I read aright? You are dissing Franco and
preferring he I dare not name? (No, I don't mean James Jorden.) I respect
your opinions all the time but --really! I think it's apples and oranges to
put it kindly. Corelli had an astounding endowment; among other things, his
career was not made by records or recording technology. He comes from the
last days of Grand Opera where you had to show up,and make a thrilling sound
over an entire evening in difficult music REPEATEDLY to be taken seriously.
And then, maybe you'd get to be a star. I guess, viewed from the late 90's
and heard only on record, Corelli's "faults" can over come the strengths
which were staggering live. On record, the opposite is true of he I dare not
name (and I don't mean Dawn Tritter). I'm not saying the latter is a fraud
(well, Tritter is but you know who I mean), only that in 35 years of hearing
Domingo live in what seems like 300 roles, I have never had the experience I
had repeatedly with Corelli in the roles that suited him -- and I don't mean
"only" that immense, amazing voice and "only" those stunning high notes
(ONLY!) -- I mean temperament a sense of engagement in and love for what he
was doing; a rightness of accent and fullness of emotion all which are
"artistic" qualities (and look at the Forza video with TeaTebaldi to see what
I think is real singing-acting). Though I think Bergonzi is a far more
important singer than he I dare not name (and I don't mean Pet me Please
Handelman), not even he could approach Corelli as Cavaradossi, Enzo, Calaf
I(I saw him try that role in Philly with Mastilovic, who I rather resemble)or
Alvaro. I think the he I dare not name (I don't mean Jorden McVicker) as a
"great musician" is a product of voice hating reviews -- because I hear a
very good competent musician not a great one -- and in other respects has
made a great career by being better than a lot of the competition without
being really good. Corelli always had competition -- Del Monaco to start with
-- and Tucker, later. Frankly, Labo could make quite a noise (we called him
Mighty Mite)and had a top. And people REMEMBERED when Corelli started,
Masini, Merli, Pertile, Lauri-Volpi (who was still singing)Piccaluga, Marini
and on and on. Cura might be the first spinto tenor in forty years; no one
has heard that kind of voice, at least given a lot of play and endorsed and
discovered when still in good enough working order to make the right effect
(Atlantov had a great voice but by the time he could get out of Soviet Union
easily, it was touch and go). No one on this list under 40 could have heard a
true Italian dramatic or spinto tenor in his prime. So we accept he I dare
not name. I have no trouble with those who squint and quiver a lot when
Corelli sings -- he truly could not count and he has some gulping mannerisms
that can be distracting. But my goodness what he a phenomenon.
Emma Albani
--
e voi stupidi! Abiamo pensate ch'emma e morta? Guai, infame, stronzi e
stupidi, guai ti dico!
Mary Neuhoff
person employing the voice communicates with the heart of the listener. Don't be
timid, Charles, your appreciation is touching.
donpaolo
emma...@my-dejanews.com wrote in article
<<snipped>>
Thank you for not only an accurate, but heartfelt & most inspired post on
Fabulous Franco Corelli. You & Ed & I & many others on this NG were there
to witness this boundless reserve of pure vocal & dynamic energy.
We shall never forget this phenomenon or settle for corrupted third rate
attempts!
Regards,
DonPaolo
A T
h u h ?
A T
are you out of your bejeevers? (sp)
A T
Ed Rosen
Hi-
I never saw Poggi, but I saw Labo many times, in such roles as Calaf,
Radames, Alvaro, Alfredo, Rodolfo, and I can assure you that Mr.
Domingo was really not in his league, either. Labo had a gorgeous,
warm sound, with high notes for days.
Best,
Ed
dtritter
role in a discussion of franco corelli, hell, this is the first time
i've ever posted on corelli here. okay [if it fits in to little albie's
toilet training], i think corelli one of the great tenors of my
listening experience. i heard his met debut and dozens more of his
performances and admired him enormously.
that ought to be worth another few little albie wet dreams enacted on
the internet.
and just to give him a real christmas present, i'll state here that i
think corelli was a better singer than charlie handelman. sorry,
charlie. diana sings better than you, too.
[now, albie, next time on the potty is 2:20. don't forget!]
dft
james_...@smtplink.mssm.edu
dtri...@bway.net wrote:
> and just to give him a real christmas present, i'll state here that i
> think corelli was a better singer than charlie handelman. sorry,
> charlie. diana sings better than you, too.
Ah, but you haven't heard Corelli or Soviero as Melitone, a role Charlie now
owns.
jj
Mr South Philly
:
: I never saw Poggi, but I saw Labo many times, in such roles as Calaf,
: Radames, Alvaro, Alfredo, Rodolfo, and I can assure you that Mr.
: Domingo was really not in his league, either. Labo had a gorgeous,
: warm sound, with high notes for days.
I agree, I was trying to compromise a bit here. Have you ever heard his
"Don Carlo" with Bastianini?
MD
Domingo has sung for 40 years, first as a baritone. His top isn't responding as well now that he's in his late 50's. He sings brilliantly in 5 languages and has an active (not recorded) repertoire of over 65 roles. He's a brilliant musician and not a bad actor by operatic standards.
You can like another tenor or 15 others, but 'Flaviano Labo was a better singer than Domingo' ??!
Commspkmn
: I never saw Poggi, but I saw Labo many times, in such roles as Calaf,
: Radames, Alvaro, Alfredo, Rodolfo, and I can assure you that Mr.
: Domingo was really not in his league, either. Labo had a gorgeous,
: warm sound, with high notes for days.
<<I agree, I was trying to compromise a bit here. Have you ever heard his
"Don Carlo" with Bastianini?>>
Labo is excellent in that Don Carlo. There are also some fine recital CDs
issued by Bongiovanni, one of an excellent joint concert with Magda Olivero. I
know Ed has mentioned this before, but I would love to see London reissue his
LP aria recital as well.
Ken Meltzer
Ed Rosen
>
>You heard it here first folks.... Flaviano Labo, who sang for about 14
minutes at
>the Met was a better singer than Domingo. Friend, if Labo was such a
great singer,
>there would have been no NEED to hire Domingo in 1968. Artists get
hired because
>they are in demand, and because the public sells out the house. I
heard Labo also,
>and believe me, no one stormed the box-office to hear him.
>
>Domingo has sung for 40 years, first as a baritone. His top isn't
responding as
>well now that he's in his late 50's. He sings brilliantly in 5
languages and has
>an active (not recorded) repertoire of over 65 roles. He's a
brilliant musician
>and not a bad actor by operatic standards.
, Alvaro, Alfredo, Rodolfo, and I can assure you that Mr.
>> : Domingo was really not in his league, either. Labo had a
gorgeous,
>> : warm sound, with high notes for days.
>>
>>
>
>--------------10C7182996868527A1952C9A
>Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii
>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
>
><!doctype html public "-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en">
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>You heard it here first folks.... Flaviano Labo, who sang for about 14
>minutes at the Met was a <i>better singer</i> than Domingo.
Friend,
>if Labo was such a great singer, there would have been no NEED to hire
>Domingo in 1968. Artists get hired because they are in demand,
Yes sir, he was a far greater tenor than Domingo, IMO. And his tenure
at the Met was not 14 minutes, which is what Domingo's should have
been, but more like 15-16 years for Labo.
Domingo certainly wasn't engaged because Labo wasn't good. The Met had
many tenors in 1968 who could, and did, sing rings aroung Domingo. How
'bout Corelli, Tucker, Bergonzi for starters. Than Gedda, Kraus,
Aragal, Konya, G. Raimondi, and a number of others.
Domingo was hired to cover. And he got a few performances. After all,
his debut was replacing Corelli in Adriana, which was one of the roles
he was covering. I know that he was covering as late as 1971, when he
was covering for Tucker in Luisa Miller.
Yes, Domingo caught on, and certainly sells more tickets than Labo..
Does that make him a better tenor? Not in my book.
Labo didn't have publicity machines, exclusive recording contracts, and
he was very short in height. But he was not very short at all in
voice. He was one of the finest tenors I ever heard. Domingo cannot
hold a candle to Labo vocally, even when Placido was younger.
Best,
Ed
HelenMynrd
avidly since I saw you singing so beautifully on the Charlie
Handelman...Gioconda tape...and I was mightily impressed with both of you....I
just wanted to wish you a neat holiday and thank you for your posts....Charlie
says you are a neat guy...Lv HelenM
emma...@my-dejanews.com
"Mr South Philly" <DAVO...@prodigy.net> wrote:
> ED ROSEN > I never saw Poggi, but I saw Labo many times, Labo had a gorgeous,
>warm sound, with high notes for days.<
>> Mr. South Philly>>I agree, I was trying to compromise a bit here. Have you
ever heard his "Don Carlo" with Bastianini?<<
The season has caused to remember, Scrooge-like, a scene from my childhood.
My grandfather's kid brother was a brick layer. So was Labo before and maybe
after he became a tenor. Our family got to know him well and he once came to
South Philly for dinner. Very small, very nice and very spirited, he wanted
to thank us, so he stood on the steps (what we called the stoop) and sang
"Improviso" from Chenier. I don't know how many people in South Philly cared
about opera but what seemed to me a horde came running. This is an enormous
glorious sound that just rolled out and bounced around all the row houses.
Labo had to sing a couple of Abruzzese songs (we were Abruzzese, I'm not sure
he was, but he seemed to know the dialect) and one he ended with a staggering
high C. He laughed continually. One thing I'll all ways love about him, the
sheer joy in singing, and the second thing is that he was absolutely a
"natural" tenor. The timbre, the resonance the high notes were as much a part
of him as the way he breathed. One of the things we miss is what a natural
tenor is -- the sheer rightness of the tessitura for that person, and the
wonderful living sound of it -- no manipulation, calculation or special
pleading. And because it is natural, the joy comes rolling through. I've
written before here that art is about ecstasy; and that day Labo gave a lot
of non-opera lovers (and some obsessives, senior and junior) an ecstatic
experience. It's the reason we all keep going to live performances. Labo may
not have been distinctive enough to sound memorable on record -- but there's
no one in the world like him today.
Emma Albani
--
e voi stupidi! Abiate pensate ch'emma e morta? Guai, infame, stronzi e
stupidi, guai ti dico! serious replies emma...@LycosMail.com
dtritter
mention of labo lacks the criticasl fact that has nothing whatever to do
with ability. i heard him and he was a hell of a singer.
his met career was foreshortened for a single reason only:
he called in sick for a met performance and then turned up on the same
night singing in mexico city. bing thought this naughty and declined to
employ labo any longer and got him blackballed at a few other venues
where breach of contract in quest of higher fees is not looked upon with
benevolence.
now leave the other matters alone. little flaviano was a trifle
arrogant, a trait shared with one or another tenor over the years.
dft
donpaolo
Ed Rosen <lyr...@ix.netcom.com> wrote in article
<75rft1$c...@dfw-ixnews4.ix.netcom.com>...
. He was one of the finest tenors I ever heard. Domingo cannot
> hold a candle to Labo vocally, even when Placido was younger.>
Yet another name to add to the ever growing list of tenors whose shoes
Domingo could not shine!
Labo was a little dynamo vocally speaking; but was overshadowed by the Big
Three & did not receive the total recognition & fame he justly merited.
Had he been around the past 25 or so years, he'd be top draw!
Regards,
DonP.
gaus
Labo sang Calaf in Mexico City, either in 1959 or 1960. Afriend, who
heard him there in that performance, told me how the public went wild
after "Non piangere Liu...", and "Nessun Dorma". He had to repeat Nessun
three times!!!
Gaus
THOMAS ASTORINO
there is no other and I do not see any at present that are anywhere near
......and the man fit the voice...that is more wonderful
MD
dtritter wrote:
But you see, di Stefano did the same thing to Bing in the early 1950's. He
begged off of Boheme rehearsals claiming illness and was found to be singing
Gioconda during the same period at La Scala. Bing forgave him, rehired him,
pampered him and even asked him back as late as 1965 when he had no voice
left. Arguably it's because he had what Labo didn't, a magnificent voice
and something that connected with an audience in a way that sold out the
house, year in and year out.
Labo was a good singer. It's just amazing to be told that he's a "better
singer" than Domingo when he had a ten minute career, sang only Italian
roles, and was not of interest to any recording company on an ongoing basis.
Barry Morell also sang at the Met for a number of seasons, capably and
without the benefit of any particular public enthusiasm. Every opera house
has stalwart, dependable singers that they need on the roster year in and
year out. Kurt Baum,
Mary Curtis-Verna, Lucine Amara.... the list goes on. To compare them with
Bjoerling, Tebaldi and de los Angeles doesn't do them any favors, and I just
feel the same way about Labo. Good singer, valuable asset to the house in
certain roles, but a "better singer than Domingo"? There's nothing in the
public or recorded legacy to justify that statement.
How about, "If he had been less abrasive personally and honored his
contracts, he could well have built a career than would have rivaled
Domingo's, because he had wonderful, easy top notes and had a marvelous
presence on-stage." Now THAT I could live with.
Capa081348
>From: Ron D'Argenio <rdar...@erols.com>
>Date: 12/22/98 5:56 AM Pacific Standard Time
>Message-id: <367FA4F2...@erols.com>
>
>While I disagree with the name-calling and personal comments, this was not
>the
>right thread, G/P, to begin the debate anew. I think that Mr Lewis and all
>the
>other admirers of Corelli wanted to express their gratitude and the joy they
>experienced in hearing such a singer. Of course someone might have said "FC
>is the
>greatest" which you disagree with, and you are certainly entitled to that
>opinion.
>With respect to Mr Lewis' wishes, you should have started a new thread.
>Ron
>
Hello, Ron
One or two other folks expressed this same idea, that G/P Dave should have
started a new thread to express his preference for Domingo over Corelli.
In a perfect world, that might be a fair comment.
But can you recall the last time ANYONE posted a paean to Domingo without
being inundated with criticisms from the Gang of 4 (+ a couple of
fellow-travelers)? (our friend Tom must be on vacation!) Didn't think so.
I think Corelli's Calaf is probably the greatest single performance I've
ever heard, but surely Dave has the right to feel differently and post
differently.
Corelli may have "sang like a God", and "looked like a God", but it seems
pretty unlikely that he actually IS God, and so he, like the rest of us, is not
free of human failings. Dave commented on them.
War es so schmahlich?
Dave didn't make any criticisms as absurd and insulting as the one to the
effect that "Domingo could not shine Corelli's shoes", as one of our friends
who is reasonable on every other subject in the world has done in this thread.
So until the unlikely day when our good friends of the anti-Domingo faction let
favorable comments about PD pass unnoticed, I think it is only fair that other
singers be subject to the same (civil, hopefully) scrutiny. Don't you?
Happy Holidays to All!
Pat Finley
Un Bel Di...
Wotan99
>Date: 12/23/98 4:41 PM Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: <75ro33$6uo$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>
Great Story, oh you Italians!!
But I do know exactly what you mean about a "natural" tenor, the voice is just
naturally placed there, and it makes a difference.
I never heard labo live, but my parents who had a Met subscription (same seats
in the Grand Tier for a million yrs.) did. I remember my mother saying he
really had a beautiful voice but it was too bad he was so small--her
description made him out to be a dwarf!!
Always loved him on the Don Carlo recording, and that black marble voice of
Bastianini
W99
Commspkmn
<<But you see, di Stefano did the same thing to Bing in the early 1950's. He
begged off of Boheme rehearsals claiming illness and was found to be singing
Gioconda during the same period at La Scala. Bing forgave him, rehired him,
pampered him and even asked him back as late as 1965 when he had no voice left.
Arguably it's because he had what Labo didn't, a magnificent voice and
something that connected with an audience in a way that sold out the house,
year in and year out.>>
How many times did di Stefano sing at the Met after that incident? Not that
many, as far as I can tell. He sang at the Met during the 1955-6 season, and
not again until that single Hoffman in 1965. That doesn't really seem like
"pampering" by Bing. As for the voice, while I love di Stefano's passion,
the beauty of the middle register (in his prime), and the diminuendi he could
achieve on high notes (in his early years), Labo had it all over di Stefano in
terms of solid technique. The high notes were properly covered (unlike di
Stefano's wide-open, fearless, and wrong-headed attacks), and absolutely
secure. And the quality of Labo's voice-virile, with an attractive Italianate
vibrato-was, to my ears, thrilling and quite beautiful. If you listen to
in-performance recordings of Labo, it's clear he also knew how to "connect"
with an audience.
<<Labo was a good singer. It's just amazing to be told that he's a "better
singer" than Domingo when he had a ten minute career, sang only Italian
roles, and was not of interest to any recording company on an ongoing basis.
Barry Morell also sang at the Met for a number of seasons, capably and without
the benefit of any particular public enthusiasm. Every opera house has
stalwart, dependable singers that they need on the roster year in and year out.
Kurt Baum, Mary Curtis-Verna, Lucine Amara.... the list goes on. To compare
them with Bjoerling, Tebaldi and de los Angeles doesn't do them any favors, and
I just feel the same way about Labo. Good singer, valuable asset to the house
in certain roles, but a "better singer than Domingo"? There's nothing in the
public or recorded legacy to justify that statement.>>
Putting the Domingo-Labo comparison to the side, Labo did not have a ten-minute
career. He made his debut in 1954, and sang (at least) until the mid-80s
(perhaps longer). I believe that his repertoire included Faust and Carmen.
The fact that someone doesn't have a juicy recording contract does not, by
definition, make him a lesser singer than someone who does. And the more I
listen to Flaviano Labo, the more I feel that they should have put up with
whatever idiosyncrasies he possessed, so that we'd have more samples of his
considerable artistry.
Ken Meltzer
wk...@juno.com
comm...@aol.com (Commspkmn) wrote:
> And the more I
> listen to Flaviano Labo, the more I feel that they should have put up with
> whatever idiosyncrasies he possessed, so that we'd have more samples of his
> considerable artistry.
Amen. Labo's relative obscurity is one of the unfortunate by-products of
Domingo's omnipresence.
Bill
--
William D. Kasimer
wk...@juno.com
Ed Rosen
>
>
>
>dtritter wrote:
>
>> with NO desire whatever to participate in the domingo wars here,
your
>> mention of labo lacks the criticasl fact that has nothing whatever
to do
>> with ability. i heard him and he was a hell of a singer.
>>
>> his met career was foreshortened for a single reason only:
>>
>> he called in sick for a met performance and then turned up on the
same
>> night singing in mexico city. bing thought this naughty and declined
to
>> employ labo any longer and got him blackballed at a few other venues
>> where breach of contract in quest of higher fees is not looked upon
with
>> benevolence.
>>
>> now leave the other matters alone. little flaviano was a trifle
>> arrogant, a trait shared with one or another tenor over the years.
>>
>> dft
>
1950's. He
>begged off of Boheme rehearsals claiming illness and was found to be
singing
>Gioconda during the same period at La Scala. Bing forgave him,
rehired him,
>pampered him and even asked him back as late as 1965 when he had no
voice
>left. Arguably it's because he had what Labo didn't, a magnificent
voice
>and something that connected with an audience in a way that sold out
the
>house, year in and year out.
>
"better
>singer" than Domingo when he had a ten minute career, sang only
Italian
>roles, and was not of interest to any recording company on an ongoing
basis.
>Barry Morell also sang at the Met for a number of seasons, capably and
>without the benefit of any particular public enthusiasm. Every opera
house
>has stalwart, dependable singers that they need on the roster year in
and
>year out. Kurt Baum,
>Mary Curtis-Verna, Lucine Amara.... the list goes on. To compare them
with
>Bjoerling, Tebaldi and de los Angeles doesn't do them any favors, and
I just
>feel the same way about Labo. Good singer, valuable asset to the
house in
>certain roles, but a "better singer than Domingo"? There's nothing in
the
>public or recorded legacy to justify that statement.
>
>contracts, he could well have built a career than would have rivaled
>Domingo's, because he had wonderful, easy top notes and had a
marvelous
>presence on-stage." Now THAT I could live with.
As I said in an earlier, Labo did NOT have a short Met career. He sang
there for about 17 seaons.
If you want to hear whey he was better than Domingo, IMO, than listen
to his London recital disc, or his complete Don Carlo. Then you'll
know.
Ed
>
gaus
> singer" than Domingo when he had a ten minute career, sang only Italian
> roles, and was not of interest to any recording company on an ongoing basis.
> Barry Morell also sang at the Met for a number of seasons, capably and
> without the benefit of any particular public enthusiasm. Every opera house
> has stalwart, dependable singers that they need on the roster year in and
> year out. Kurt Baum,
> Mary Curtis-Verna, Lucine Amara.... the list goes on. To compare them with
> Bjoerling, Tebaldi and de los Angeles doesn't do them any favors, and I just
> feel the same way about Labo. Good singer, valuable asset to the house in
> certain roles, but a "better singer than Domingo"? There's nothing in the
> public or recorded legacy to justify that statement.
>
> How about, "If he had been less abrasive personally and honored his
> contracts, he could well have built a career than would have rivaled
> Domingo's, because he had wonderful, easy top notes and had a marvelous
> presence on-stage." Now THAT I could live with.
So, after all, it was a lack of public relations that limited him.
That's what I think I read in the last sentence. Therefore, what you
need today to be a successful singer is a good marketing department.
No wonder "bel canto" is in decline.
Dale Erwin
> But you see, di Stefano did the same thing to Bing in the early 1950's. He
> begged off of Boheme rehearsals claiming illness and was found to be singing
> Gioconda during the same period at La Scala. Bing forgave him, rehired him,
> pampered him and even asked him back as late as 1965 when he had no voice
> left. Arguably it's because he had what Labo didn't, a magnificent voice
> and something that connected with an audience in a way that sold out the
>
> Labo was a good singer. It's just amazing to be told that he's a "better
> singer" than Domingo when he had a ten minute career, sang only Italian
> roles, and was not of interest to any recording company on an ongoing basis.
> Barry Morell also sang at the Met for a number of seasons, capably and
> without the benefit of any particular public enthusiasm. Every opera house
> has stalwart, dependable singers that they need on the roster year in and
> year out. Kurt Baum,
> Mary Curtis-Verna, Lucine Amara.... the list goes on. To compare them with
> Bjoerling, Tebaldi and de los Angeles doesn't do them any favors, and I just
> feel the same way about Labo. Good singer, valuable asset to the house in
> certain roles, but a "better singer than Domingo"? There's nothing in the
> public or recorded legacy to justify that statement.
>
> How about, "If he had been less abrasive personally and honored his
> contracts, he could well have built a career than would have rivaled
> Domingo's, because he had wonderful, easy top notes and had a marvelous
> presence on-stage." Now THAT I could live with.
I am at a loss to understand you logic. You admit Labo' was a good
singer,
but because his career was shorter-lived than Domingo's you feel no one
could
consider him a better singer? Had he been "...less abrasive personally
and
honored his contracts... built a career that rivaled Domongo's..." would
have
given validity to the opinion that he was a better singer?
I must have missed something. Or did I?
--
Dale Erwin
emma...@my-dejanews.com
GA...@prodigy.net wrote:
> So, after all, it was a lack of public relations that limited him.
> That's what I think I read in the last sentence. Therefore, what you
> need today to be a successful singer is a good marketing department.
> No wonder "bel canto" is in decline.<
This is the argument one sees a lot of today -- if anyone is successful it's
either mostly or solely because of hype. It might surprise you that argument
was made about Caruso (if he hadn't had big American Record and Opera company
behind him), Toscanini (if he hadn't had NBC and RCA behind him) and in fact
has been made about every serious musician in the last 160 years including
Callas. I have two problems with the generalization. Once there were 8 daily
papers in New York City; and most American cities, even small ones, had 2
daily papers. All of those newspapers had good-sized arts sections. Now, in
New York there are 3 Daily Papers, only 1 of which devotes space of any
amount to the arts, The New York Times, and it has cut way back in the amount
it covers. Up until 20 years ago anybody from anywhere who made a New York
debut could count on 3 reviews; now major symphony orchestras and
instrumental and vocal soloists come through and do not get reviewed at all.
It looks likely to me that the Daily News will be killed by the Post, and so
you will have 2 papers in NY. Most American cities have only one paper; and
most of those have shrunk. Few give any space to the arts. Thirty-five and
more years ago, on TV, Ed Sullivan presented opera singers ballet dancers and
concert musicians right along side Elvis and The Beatles. NBC had an opera
company and a Symphony Orchestra. Shows like The Voice of Firestone and the
Bell Telephone hour played in prime time. In the early days of Public
Broadcasting, performances of all kinds were televised, frequently live.
There was one Sunday afternoon hour with Joan Sutherland, Marylyn Horne and
Richard Conrad narrated by Terry McQuwen -- nothing of the sort has happened
in a generation. Twenty and more years ago there were monthly magazines all
of which devoted space to arts coverage and artists; now there are none who
cover the arts with any regularity, in any depth or with more than a token
amount if space. Time and Newsweek had regular arts critics, and busy arts
desks, they not only hit and run features (as Terry Teachout does for Time)
but real features focusing on important artists. My point is any press agent
would tell you there is no place to go to hype a serious musician. The word
opera is a huge turn off. What little there is, is based on looks, youth and
whether there's a story and the coverage tends to be short lived, and by no
means leads anywhere for 90% of the people who get it. A second axiom for
press agents is that "hype" can get butts in the seats, it can't keep them
there. I know people can't stand it, but the Bartoli concerts sell out
because a lot of people want to see her. They may be fools and she may be
lousy, but the repeat business and massive records sales are not on account
of whatever her record company spends. It is "easier" to sell Bocelli or
Lotti, but face it; millions of people worldwide want their records. When
there is no market, no matter how much is spent, it doesn't usually pay off
and sometimes backfires. Sony's effort to build Alvarez into a major singer
got him put down viciously (and unfairly) in the New York Times on several
different occasions. Big investments were made in Bo Skofus, Rodney Gilfrey,
Vanessa Mae and many others with no resulting super stardom. In fact, the
amount spent on Hampson has lead to piles of remaindered CD's in every venue
in New York -- you don't see any Bartoli there -- and she's been at it about
as long (10 years). I make no brief for Domingo, but he and Pavarotti paid
dues -- both were around for at least 20 years before the three-tenor
phenomenon. And Domingo, (for whom none of us need weep) has never broken
through in terms of CD sales in the way Pavarotti has (or did, it seems to be
waning). There are always some debatable people who made it big for reasons
that can be hard to understand. That the art form no longer attracts hordes
of gifted and charismatic young people as it did up to the early 50's is
probably the underlying truth. Great singing is dying because there is no
longer the kind of appetite for it among a large number of people that there
was forty years ago. Maybe that appetite will come back, maybe not. But think
blaming hype for the decline is the easy way out.
Emma Albani
--
e voi stupidi! Abiamo pensate ch'emma e morta? Guai, infame, stronzi e
stupidi, guai ti dico! serious replies emma...@LycosMail.com
-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
Dale Erwin
>
> >I feel that there is something in Domingo's voice that is
> >not natural. It is almost as if he has to use vocal gymnastics to get his
> >sound. I do, however, believe that DelMonaco was a better tenor than
> >Corelli and that is certainly not meant to demean Corelli in any manner.
>
> Huh? Domingo's voice sounds to me the most naturally produced of any I've
> heard since Bjoerling. Corelli and DelMonaco, for all their thrilling,
> stentorian declamatory style, were quite worn out by the time they were
> Domingo's age. No bloom left on their roses whatsoever. Neither could sing a
> legato line any longer. Yet Domingo in his late fifties still sings with
> seamless ease and beauty of tone.
At least when they reached that worn-out stage they retired. Domingo
continues to sing in spite of it. His voice is a mere shadow of its
former self--which was never that great to begin with compared to
probably
the two greatest tenors of the modern era. That is to say of all the
tenors
recorded reliably with recording equipment that reproduces a sound that
is
closer to that of the live sound.
--
Dale Erwin
MD
> Amen. Labo's relative obscurity is one of the unfortunate by-products of
> Domingo's omnipresence.
>
If indeed Labo made his Met debut in the mid-50's, that predates Domingo by
roughly 13 years!! Surely he had enough time to wow the public before Domingo
and Pavarotti burst upon the scene. He didn't do so, and not because he lacked a
publicist. He was a very capable singer, with a good top. And the audience
yawned..... I just don't get this elevation to god-like status for singers that
just didn't make it.
GRNDPADAVE
>Date: Thu, Dec 24, 1998 16:09 EST
>Message-id: <3682AD76...@isomedia.com>
-- two journeryman tenors who minded the store while we waited for the movers
and shakers.
Nothing wrong in that except for the inflated prices one is expected to pay
==G/P Dave
stephen...@gte.net
clewi...@aol.com (CLewis2666) wrote:
> May I, a little timidly, share this with you?
> I have just been listening at this particular time, as I have often done over
> the past years, to the voice of Franco Corelli. What is it about this man,
> this voice, that lifts the heart so, when most the heart needs lifting, as
> almost no other singer does - for this listener at any rate ( -- one other
such
> is Georges Thill).
>
> Corelli’s voice is absolutely unmistakable. There are not many singers of whom
> that can be said (though I appreciate it is not all that uncommon). I know
> purists have in the past criticised his style (unfairly, I think). But the
> important thing is: what gave this man the ability simply by opening his mouth
> to communicate to his fellow human beings all that is positive and generous
and
> loving and warm about life, and by so doing to dispel the shadows? I wish I
> knew.
>
> I also wish there was some way I could thank him, and wish him what he
deserves
> for all that he has so unstintingly offered us over the years, ie every
> possible good wish for a happy and fulfilling new year.
>
> Charles Lewis from London
> Thank you Mr. Lewis,for the beautiful remarks about Franco. They are what all
Corelli lovers feel.
I have been listening to the Corelli voice since 1964,and never tire of it.
Franco is my all-time favorite singer,and i am his greatest fan. I can safely
say ,i have more live Corelli performances, than anyone on earth.
Stephen Leopold
Commspkmn
<<Next we'll hear the drums beating for Vasile Moldeveanu and Giuseppe
Giacomini
-- two journeryman tenors who minded the store while we waited for the movers
and shakers.>>
Are they here yet?
Ken Meltzer
Henson Keys
I gotta object to the wretched Moldaveanu and the highly competent
Giacomini being placed in the same "journeyman" category.
Moldaveanu's only legitimate claim to fame was being paired with
Scotto in DON CARLO, which only highlighted his mediocrity.
Giacomini, however, had his moments of rising above average, IMHO.
>
MD
> Great singing is dying because there is no
> longer the kind of appetite for it among a large number of people that there
> was forty years ago. Maybe that appetite will come back, maybe not. But think
> blaming hype for the decline is the easy way out.
>
Emma's post is fodder for some intelligent conversation, rather than all this
Domingo (or insert most detested artist) bashing going on lately.
When you think that even 30 years ago in this country there was a circuit on
which young singers could find work singing recitals, oratorio and symphony work,
as they worked their way towards opera. Today, because of the explosion of
entertainment options confronting the public, there is no market for recital
repertoire, and the only oratorio works being done are by regional orchestras,
and usually confined to a limited repertoire of Handel, Haydn and Bach. AND THEY
DON'T PAY enough to get your tux pressed, so an entire generation of singers has
simply declined to learn that repertoire. If you make it as a professional
singer, it's only in opera. And then, if you can, you sing with symphonies,
again singing opera rep and the occasional "Wesendonck" if you're a dramatic
soprano.
Singers like Lotte Lehmann, Maggie Teyte and John Charles Thomas would have found
it rough sledding these days, since the demand for the repertoire they performed
has all but disappeared, at least in this country. They would have had to
concentrate exclusively on opera, and arguably they would not have fared as well
historically. A singer used to divide their time between opera, recitals,
symphony engagements, recording and (occasionally) films. Now it's opera and
recordings. I'm not sure there is a total decline, as things tend to go in
cycles, but it's pretty depressing all the same.
emma...@my-dejanews.com
MD <dal...@isomedia.com> wrote:
>I'm not sure there is a total decline, as things tend to go in
cycles, but it's pretty depressing all the same.<
True. There is no reason that great talents won't come along or indeed,
haven't in the last five or so years. The problem is the general standard is
low. Once upon a time the Met could have fielded 4 or more competent Germonts
given a six-day warning, if the first one cancelled. Now, despite apparently
strenuous efforts, the best they could do was Mister Fu, who was pretty
horrible. Similarly, the Met could sling out a plausible third string Boheme
or Aida cast to fill out the season, now the third string cast is the first
string cast, except they aren't as good as the third string cast of forty
years ago. The Met had a Carmen -- and there were a few in the world.
Apparently there isn't an absolutely first rate singer of this role -- though
Ms. Graves, who isn't the worst, will have her admirers. If there is hope in
the standard rep it is the suddenly exigent German tax system. Foreigners are
being taxed at 55%, which is withheld instead of 30%, as used to be the case.
That makes a considerable difference in the Net fee, particularly if the
singer will have pay taxes on that net in another country. The Euro treaty
will probably close or at least narrow shelters like fake citizenships in
Luxembourg and Monte Carlo which allowed big earners to pay small taxes
everywhere. This will mean that stars who have either not wanted to come to
the Met, or have been selective about how many performances they give there
(because at a $13,000 top the Met underpays by European standards) may well
get a lot more interested in being in residence, if not quite as in the "old
days", more so than for a quarter century (and the fairly short flights from
a base in New York to regional companies which sometimes pay more than the
Met, will make a base in New York as good an idea as it was for Corelli and
Siepi and Nilsson in the days when European theaters paid rather less, taxes
there were very high and the dollar was the strongest currency in the world.
The collapse of the Japanese economy has also effected fees there -- so
singers missing the Met season to spend 1/4 of their year touring Japan are
reconsidering. The fate of Covent Garden has scared a lot of singers; and
since Italy is reducing the rate at which theaters are subsidized and forcing
all theaters to raise more money themselves, Italy too will likely be less of
a haven. I still think good solid second and third string singers who keep a
big house with a long season going largely don't exist - they are becoming
today's big stars. But since no one can foresee the future, I am curious as
to how all this will play out (by the way I also think there is world wide
pressure to amplify opera houses - many newer houses have been built with the
capacity to do that subtly, and that will effect the kind of voices we hear
and the sorts of singers who make careers)
Emma Albani
--
e voi stupidi! Abiamo pensate ch'emma e morta? Guai, infame, stronzi e
stupidi, guai ti dico! serious replies emma...@LycosMail.com
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