Amneris and Radames duet - Giacomo Lauri-Volpi

[@franzlorenz8638]

Der perfekte Radames.

[@Tkimba2]

The greatest Italian tenor

[@Garwfechan-ry5lk]

A real Person who was so far up his own behind in his Ego he could not listen to ANY critics, my Father interviewed many Great Singers for a Opera Magazine in the Fifties and Sixties and my Grandfather was a leading Tenor in the Chorus at Covent Garden from 1909 till 1940 . My Father interviewed Martinelli twice Melchior Twice and Lauri Volpi twice, once in Italy and once in Spain, he was quite Diminutive, but my Father interviewed with the Knowledge that my Grandfather had sung at every performance he made at Covent Garden and my Grandmother had accompanied him on at least three Occasions with Bellezza at rehearsals so he already knew of his manner. Unlike Martinelli who was a real Gentleman and extremely kind, Melchior who was jovial and made you comfortable, same Gigli, Lauri Volpi was a real inward feeling person who would not take a personal criticism or even agree with many of the Conductors and Singers who knew him and performed with him, he was rude and downright vicious to many people with his tongue, the Chorus at Covent Garden when he would approach would stand aside with a quickness of foot as to not invade his space, Man or Woman could get a tirade from him. The only other Singer my Grandfather said who had similar problems like this was another Tenor the German Wagnerian Heinrich Knote who was rather avid at standing on peoples feet when he passed, but he never was vicious in tongue, Lauri Volpi changed his voce in the mid Thirties, he had a very fast Vibrato which at times was off putting , he was not blessed with the Pathos and Legato of Martinelli in many Roles like Radames which they both sang at Covent Garden, Rethberg and Pinza certainly were not great fans I may add of Volpi, Pinza once famously knocked out with one punch Volpi in New York after he was rude to Pinza's father whilst Rethberg said unlike singing with Gigli Martinelli or Melchior she was never comfortable around him and others said the same privately, he was Singer who always looked for the limelight especially in later years . Martinelli was very friendly with most of Opera Singers including Lauri Volpi, but he said that Volpi never really accepted that great upper register was not the only thing that was needed for Opera, he noted that in 1929 they both appeared in Paris for the Centenary of William Tell, Martinelli had sung the role first in 1917 and 1918 with great success and again in 1923 also with great success, in Paris he sung the role COMPLETE in French to more acclaim, whilst Lauri Volpi sang the role not complete in Italian, Martinelli did sing the written High D naturals and D Flats , whilst Lauri Volpi sang the D Flats in Falsetto . The press was not good for him, he went away saying he would never sing in France again, he did not until 1942 when he again sang for the Nazi and Vichy Leaders in a Concert with Germaine Lubin . Martinelli became an American Citizen because he hated the Fascism of Mussolini and the Fascist salute, he never ever gave that Salute but many of his Colleagues did and that included Lauri Volpi even after the War in Fascist Spain he gave the salute, that changed his perception of Lauri Volpi because Martinelli in the late Twenties and into the Thirties had endured much criticism in Rome from them, whilst Singers like Gigli Lauri Volpi and to some extent Masini played to that tune as they say. It was Martinelli that got Toscanini out of Italy in 1938, because he had been told whilst in Paris of a plot to kill Toscanini by the Blackshirts, he and Toscanini were lifelong friends and he knew Toscanini was no Fascist but was very left leaning in Politics, Toscanini was lucky with that friendship one doubts if the other three would have done it. I will end on a quote from Martinelli , which was given at a dinner to a rather vociferous Lady in the fifties, some say Marcia Davenport, who exclaimed that Caruso was not as great as they say, she said to Martinelli to whom he replied " Madame, if you put Lauri Volpi Gigli and myself together it would not make a little pinky on Caruso's hand, his voice was unique and was in another universe to ours, all before him say he was the best and I am saying having heard him as close as you are , there will Never be another Caruso. I will now say farewell and he left the dinner in a low mood with Zinka Milanov at his side, she said he felt very hurt that someone could bring out that rubbish, I never heard him she said but I talked with Toscanini about him and he told me the same as Martinelli he was simply from God, that voice still haunts me and I never will forget his wonderful shades and dynamics that would put the best Soprano's to shame.

[@alexingresss2420]

Lauri-Volpi is here possibly even better than in his studio recording of the Nile scene. I wouldn't have thought it possible to top that scene, and this is LIVE and he's older.

[@hashatz]

Lauri-Volpi had the ideal voice for the role of Radames, a smooth synthesis of heroism and lyricism. EThis, of course, is not to disparage any of the outstanding tenors listed below.

[@sugarbist]

@Gruberovito Volpi did not just have treble. But also excellent diction, phrasing,Declamations, great interpretations,heroic,mezza voce,sang with nuance and his voice resonances reached further than any other tenors in history.Volpi also sang everything from lyric Favorita to heroic Aida to Trovatore He was elegant in Chenier and he sang all the high note operas in pitch like, William Tell,Puritani,Hugonotti in a verismo manner. Perhaps Fillipeschi was the only other tenor in his category.Enjoy

[@Papagenoify]

Thank you, I will listen to this Del Monaco's Radames :) Strangely I don't often listen to Del Monaco, but it's the favorite singer of my teacher. Best regards, Pierre

[@sugarbist]

Del Monaco Callas messico I think 1951 LIVE is perhaps the wildest and most exciting Aida I ever heard.They were very competitive with each other and are both in tremendous vocal condition. I forget Massini, he had a beautiful spinto voice. Massini's Idol was Pertile. Enjoy

[@lll1030]

Amneris was Gertrud Wettergren according to archives.

[@Papagenoify]

It's exactly what I think... even if I begin to appreciate more others tenors as Lauri-Volpi, Martinelli, Gigli, Pertile... I always return to Caruso, with his records of legend, his legato incomparable, his diction so natural and for sure the wonderfull brilliant of his voice... my idol ^^ But, after Del Monaco, personnaly I love Martinelli who was, him too, a legend in this role. Lanza too had a good brilliant in it when he was not too much alcoholic; Here I listen to Galliano Masini, maybe...

[@3maumaumau]

@fernandoremiro la unknown è una certa Wattergreen, Amonasro di quella edizione era John Brownlee, il gran sacerdote Ezio Pinza e Aida Elizabeth Rethberg,direttore Vincenzo Bellezza, la registrazione è del 15 maggio 1936

[@TrovadorManrique]

Ya me explicará usted lo que entiende por agudo "crecido", o por zona de passaggio engrosada. Permítame remitirle a la lección de canto que el tenor de Lanuvio leyó (y cantó) para la fonoteca italiana, donde podrá encontrar algunas de notas de pasaje mejor emitidas de la historia fonográfica. Sobre el grave, es cierto que la pujanza de L-V en la octava aguda desaparecía en esa zona, pero ello es a consecuencia, precisamente, de una total ausencia de guturalidad. Saludos cordiales.

[@dionemiranda2325]

Thomas Mann - Magic Mountain, Hans Castorp listened this 😁

[@Papagenoify]

Thank you sugarbist :) But yes, as Radames what about Corelli? You find his voice less expressive? His "Del ciel anelito... di nuova guerra" is so good, there is all in the voice: the war, the passion... I will discover Campagnano, Barioni too...

[@modestofontanez3343]

It is very possible that the mezzo soprano at hand might be Elmo Cloé

[@Papagenoify]

Caruso? :) Best regards,

[@sugarbist]

Yes, But I always put Caruso on a throne by himself where he belongs, as he was the original interpreter & foundation for every tenor that followed.

[@TrovadorManrique]

Inglesa tenía que ser. :P

[@Garwfechan-ry5lk]

Sabine Kalter

[@Garwfechan-ry5lk]

Amneris