tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166918155946600787.post7442150396076314040..comments2024-03-05T22:44:45.962-05:00Comments on Great Opera Singers: Mattia Battistini: King of The Bel Canto BaritonesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166918155946600787.post-27354154891713749872015-01-16T16:01:17.248-05:002015-01-16T16:01:17.248-05:00"Battistini did not sound like the baritones ..."Battistini did not sound like the baritones of today, who are, virtually without exception, verismo singers, with dark, powerful voices that are often not very flexible and tend to a rather monochromatic intensity of volume, well suited to the Verdi and Puccini roles, but perhaps less so to the kinds of romantic operas that were popular in the 19th century."<br /><br />This is a great observation. I've often thought that many of the "baritones" performing today (or at least men listed as baritones in the cast of an opera) are actually "bass-baritones," and are not truly baritones at all, but a type of bass. It might also help explain why men such as Fischer-Dieskau, Prey, and Hampson don't sound like other guys like Hvorostovsky, d'Arcangelo, and Terfel, when they are all listed as "baritone" when they perform in operas.Ian Clergetnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166918155946600787.post-38023188658336668932012-01-15T10:45:32.926-05:002012-01-15T10:45:32.926-05:00MOLTO BELLO!!1 Thank you my friend for sharing thi...MOLTO BELLO!!1 Thank you my friend for sharing this Valuable Biographical information. Thank you also for your Wonderful Web site and Rare Collections From GREAT OPERA SINGERS. Thank you and Have a Beautiful week ! Always Take Care !More Blessing to come and *GOD BLESS*Gerhard Santosnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166918155946600787.post-54000646011707840892011-09-16T15:04:28.375-04:002011-09-16T15:04:28.375-04:00Whoops! Right you are! Slip of the old fingers t...Whoops! Right you are! Slip of the old fingers there! Must have been REAL early on a Sunday morning when I let that one slip by! Thanks for catching that--I appreciate it, and I'll correct it.Edmund StAustellhttp://gmail.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166918155946600787.post-69900128480782836862011-09-15T23:21:06.206-04:002011-09-15T23:21:06.206-04:00May I bring to your attention that in the third re...May I bring to your attention that in the third recording of Battistini featured here, it's actually Don Giovanni's serenade, not Leporello's. As a matter of fact, it's the title role of Don Giovanni in the Mozart opera that Battistini sang on stage. He never sang Leporello (normally sung by a bass or bass-baritone with a strong lower range) due to the fact that his lower register was relatively weak.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166918155946600787.post-88295175826185858572010-09-13T21:24:19.486-04:002010-09-13T21:24:19.486-04:00Thank you so much, my friend, for a brilliant and ...Thank you so much, my friend, for a brilliant and informative comment. I was especially interested to hear that Stanislavsky was so impressed with Battistini's diction. That was one of the very first things that struck me when I heard him for the first time. I understood every single word, which was just as clear as it could be. He must have been a wonderful actor. He certainly was enormously respected in his day, and he absolutely loved Russia, where he spent so much time.Edmund St. Austellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14490721790447218365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166918155946600787.post-78579111783323390582010-09-13T16:53:30.122-04:002010-09-13T16:53:30.122-04:00Thanks for the great article, Sir Edmund. He was a...Thanks for the great article, Sir Edmund. He was an absolutely brilliant singer, a real King. I heard and read many comments on Battistini, but without such interesting details like these you gave in your article. <br />/…innumerable costumes that were historically accurate./<br />As I understand, artists in those days bought or even designed costumes themselves. Directors didn’t control that. Sobinov designed the famous costume of Lensky himself too. They say that his success in the role partly was a result of his beautiful costume, which made a very romantic and young Lensky. Other singers often looked less elegant in the role, or had mustaches and beards, which made them look too old. I read how the great tenor Angelo Masini sang the Duke of Mantua in Moscow and appeared on the stage in his own coat and a scarf above the costume of the Duke. A stagehand appeared with him too. Masini was slightly ill, that’s why he wore warm clothes. He took off his coat and the scarf , gave them to the stagehand and started to sing:). He sang brilliantly, but his coat was described as an example of disrespect of the theater:) Battistini’s appearance was very noble and impressive, and he definitely respected theater very much. <br /><br />His version of Werther is extraordinary and it doesn’t sound strange, perhaps because his voice is so flexible. He was a real Werther, though with lower voice, and sounded as a young romantic hero, though low voices usually seem “older”. <br />/It's that delightful! And I always feel obliged to point out that Mozart died in 1791, only 65 years before Battistini was born./<br />Yes, it’s brilliant. Pure Mozart. I would have not noticed his “a’s, if you didn’t write about them. Very interesting. Stanislavsky loved to talk with his students about Battistini’s diction .<br /><br /><br />n.a.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166918155946600787.post-9431811326780339962010-09-13T06:29:33.817-04:002010-09-13T06:29:33.817-04:00Thank you so much, my friend, for your lovely comm...Thank you so much, my friend, for your lovely comments, and please accept my thanks once again for the brilliant work you did bringing this wonderful singer to light again for the discriminating Youtube viewer. The article may have my face on it, but it was your hands, and hard work, that made the material accessible in the first place. You are contributing greatly to raising the level of music research on Youtube.Edmund St. Austellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14490721790447218365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166918155946600787.post-48910073889388888732010-09-13T05:01:09.057-04:002010-09-13T05:01:09.057-04:00Hi Edmund,
Simply superb! The astute and insightfu...Hi Edmund,<br />Simply superb! The astute and insightful analysis, especially the part on Battistini's vocal style and technique as well as his standing in the history of opera and singing could not have come from any other. Moreover, please allow me to express my warmest thanks to you for your kind acknowledgement. All we unanimously aim for in our endeavor is to make the incomparable art of this great singer and Golden Age giant known to as many people as possible, especially those who are yet to discover what a treasure he is. At the same time, as a YouTube friend of ours, Candy@Kievest has pointed out: "there are a number of 'celebrity' baritones singing today who would do well to listen to this astounding historic recording! [referring to Battistini's recording of Valentine's aria from Gounod's Faust] Aside from having the physiogamy of a Roman nobleman, Maestro Battistini had the kind of voice & bel canto artistry for which Romantic music was written. His rubato, legato & portamento were peerless for his time. In this historic gem, he is nobility & courage itself with the drama rooted in the voice, phrasing & dynamic expression."<br /><br />Thank you so much again for your wonderful work and hope this would help bring about more awareness and greater appreciation of this great singer's art, which is representative of an age with a culture and aesthetics that are fascinatingly different from those of current times.<br /><br />All best wishes,<br />TSAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166918155946600787.post-47570177383309882962010-09-12T16:06:32.863-04:002010-09-12T16:06:32.863-04:00Thank you very much for your comment. Yes, I enjo...Thank you very much for your comment. Yes, I enjoyed hearing the altered Pourquoi me reveillier also. It's especially interesting that Massenet thought so much of Battistini that he re-wrote the part. That doesn't happen very often. There are probably some other examples, but none come to mind at the moment.Edmund St. Austellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14490721790447218365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166918155946600787.post-48449116515144292752010-09-12T15:51:48.561-04:002010-09-12T15:51:48.561-04:00Again, I really enjoyed your commentary and select...Again, I really enjoyed your commentary and selection of Videos. As a big fan of Werther I was really moved by his rendition. I've only ever heard it sung by lyric tenors such as the great Alfredo Kraus. It seemed very strange (but nevertheless thrilling) to hear this sung with an opulent baritonal colour.<br /><br />I will definately study him further. I am glad to say there are quite a few recordings available of him as MP3 downloads which is a rarity for such an early singer.<br /><br />Thank you again for bringing to my attention such a beautiful singer.LWSnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166918155946600787.post-85614722037354905722010-09-12T14:30:33.193-04:002010-09-12T14:30:33.193-04:00Interesting observation. Yes, I can see what you ...Interesting observation. Yes, I can see what you mean. As an English-speaking singer, Tibbett comes by at least a bit of the open phonation that Battistini arrived at through Bel Canto training. I always respond positively to the faster vibrato, because it means, effectively, that the singer is singing on the thinner edges of the cords, which is where squillo and carrying power come from. Yes, good comment. Thank you.Edmund St. Austellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14490721790447218365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6166918155946600787.post-69482322532642875712010-09-12T14:12:18.070-04:002010-09-12T14:12:18.070-04:00If I close my eyes, I must say that the rapid vibr...If I close my eyes, I must say that the rapid vibrato reminds me so much of Lawrence Tibbett. Do you hear that also?JD Hobbeshttp://cinci.rr.comnoreply@blogger.com