Bastianini fights Cancer and Corelli (1965, BEST SOUND)

[@matOpera]

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[@leslieepstein4700]

I went to the performance they did together the week before this broadcast, Bastianini's first performance at the Met after a five year absence. We went backstage, I went to see Corelli, he went to see Bastianini. He reported back he had asked Bastianini if he had any new recordings coming out. Bastianini replied: "Listen to my old ones". Two years later we understood.

[@историиизпрошлого]

Вот что значит Великие певцы,! Эттори , уже будучи больным (😢) и так петь. Какое надо мужество иметь! Великий артист, певец!!! Легенда на века!!!!'🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@busterbeach]

I loved these two glorious singers since I was ten years old. Incredible beauty. Bastianini sang with cancer just as Dmitri did with brain cancer. They sang to the end of the lives. Even with cancer, the singers of today do not compare to Bastianini and Dmitri. Today they think they are great but are only mediocre. Bastianini was the greatest baritone. When I heard these arias with these voices kissed by the gods, it gave me chills. Thanks for sharing.

[@chantalbeckmann8022]

ce titre est bien triste ! Mais qui oubliera ces deux fabuleux chanteurs dont on ne retrouvera jamais d' équivalent ? Mention spéciale pour Ettore Bastianini dont je suis une admiratrice inconditionnelle !

[@BaroneVitellioScarpia1]

Bravo Ettore

[@Sabi1970]

Zwei Giganten des 20. Jahrhunderts - Operngesang pur! Corelli habe ich noch live erlebt in Oper und Konzert - unvergessen! Großartiges Video!

[@matOpera]

Those must have been amazing experiences. What a way to go to leave the opera, knowing you’ve just witnessed something historic.

[@dennisj.3439]

Bastianni sounds like his prime years,Corelli is inspired and godlike ! Greatest combo,only ones who compete are Tucker-Merrill. All God voices we won't see again

[@rodolfolomelig8349]

I don't agree with Bastianini sounding like when he was younger, nonetheless his vocal production is amazing.

[@nicholasroch5987]

I’m glad you mentioned Tucker and Merril - I grew to appreciate them as much as this duo.

[@petergraham8681]

Corelli & Bastianini also recorded these duets back around 1958 when the latter was still healthy & in his prime. Bastianini does still sound pretty good here & it’s interesting to compare the two sessions. When they sang these duets earlier it was on the film of LA FORZA with Tebaldi & Christoff. I always enjoy Corelli’s 2 diminuendos on the high a flat in the first duet. I suggested to a couple tenors that they might try it as well & they sang the 1st one without the diminuendo & the second with it which was the better choice, IMO. Corelli with Merrill, Tucker with Merrill, Tucker with Warren. Such singing for these roles is not to be heard these days, IMO. Thanks for the posting.

[@marie-jeannevallecalle9991]

Irremplaçable franco corelli immense ténor ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

[@СветланаКоломыйченко-ц1ж]

Блестящий дуэт!!! До слёз!!!

[@stephenlord9]

and they were very close friends, making it even more sad

[@hanslick3375]

I never listen to recordings of Bastianini past 1960. It's just so tragic 😢

[@matOpera]

I think he sounds exceptionally good here. Not as deep and as strong as he had before, but still gives a powerful rendition.

[@radames5855]

Stupendi entrambi!!! Credo Bastianini fosse già malato😢

[@dandaniel3488]

Thank you! It is by far the best recording of the two. It brought joy to my soul. THANKS!

[@matOpera]

I’m so glad to hear it!

[@edwardamosbrandwein3583]

@@matOpera This is how opera SHOULD REALLY BE SUNG!

[@umaratabilgi161]

Amazing clean sound, and great explanations!

[@HenJack-vl5cb]

Incredible!!!

[@joannilson2900]

This was from the February 1965 broadcast. I was at the Jan 29th performance. I was only 15 yrs old!! My first ever performance of Forza!! With Corelli, Bastianini, and Gabriella Tucci as Leonora and Giorgio Tozzi as Guardiano! I have NEVER attended a similar performance EVER. Also, many opera companies - especially in Europe - omit the second duet. What they do today at the Met, with Gelb, who knows! Sorry, happily as an old-timer: I was at the Met in a truly golden era. I don't believe they have a quartet in today's roster who can equal this 1965 cast. Just sayin'.

[@irenehathout7417]

Υou were so lucky! Memories to grow old with.

[@raynardi2326]

Che meraviglia....

[@fofinha445]

Grandes cantores e bons amigos....

[@diegomr6969]

muchas gracias estos archivos no tienen precio!!

[@trudischleifer7245]

Just gorgeous

[@ritagirometta2438]

Io non trovo affatto insicura la grande voce di Corelli ❤questi duetti sono tanto belli da commuovere ....magari avere ancora cantanti lirici di questo calibro 😢😢

[@Luifernal6]

Bastianini era muy preciso con el fraseo, la dicción, él fue quien le inculcó a Del Mónaco eso, en un ensayo “Debe entenderse todo lo que se canta” y en adelante Mario trato de hacerlo así siempre, “5:56 Don CarloS di VargaS tremate io sono!” Dice Carlos de vargas por ser nombres españoles los dice en español

[@ransomcoates546]

Bastianini’s sound has lost some of the velvet, but his singing is nothing close to bad. I wonder why, as I have read, he was booed as Scarpia in NY, nobody knowing about the cancer. (To the person who thinks Corelli could not sound this good in ‘65, he continued splendid until something happened in ‘70. That to me is the year that marks the start of his decline.)

[@matOpera]

In some recordings between 1963 and 1965, you can hear Bastianini’s voice is precarious and sometimes even cracks. But then he could also put together performances like this one, which, though even as you rightly observe lack the velvet of earlier years, are nevertheless formidable. As for Corelli, I agree something happened, and to my years a couple years earlier. By 1968, he had started to tense up and even crack high notes he had once sung in his stride.

[@TD05SSLegacy]

15 years is a good run for any athlete to be top of his game. In Corelli’s case, a god. Tragic about Bastianini. What a testament to human will for the instrument to be even functional when the body wants to fold.

[@kid926]

Due mostri sacri

[@mohsenarambon]

❤️

[@corbinboller3690]

This goes well with drinking and my recent obsession with opera

[@matOpera]

Haha, well I hope drink and enjoy responsibly!

[@ivansperanza]

This was recorded live in 1958, not 1965….i have it on DVD. Bastianini was in excellent shape back then.

[@matOpera]

I guarantee this is the performance from 1965. The second duet was not performed in Naples in 1958. Bastianini here has one of the finest nights of the last stage of his career, but his voice is still thinner than it was in 1958.

[@ivansperanza]

Ok

[@kelbar70]

Con il più grande rispetto per E Bastianini il suo don carlos è tutto quello che questo personaggio di nobile spagnolo non dovrebbe essere

[@jamesnickoloff6692]

Bastianini is superb, as always. Corelli? Affected and looking for applause, as always. Beautiful tenor voice but so self-centered (because insecure?).

[@ilecier]

Stupid remark. How can a voice itself identify a singer as being self-centered? And that's all we've got here. No visible proof as there is no video of the performance.....

[@jamesnickoloff6692]

@@ilecier For me it's all in the voice and the performance. No need for video.

[@giselamarch1994]

Dumb and thoughtless comment.

[@labienus9968]

Rather incoherent remark-what are you saying about an Italian tenor of the 1950s.

[@larmun]

What are you a bloody psychiatrist !?

[@TD05SSLegacy]

This sounds like the Rai tv video audio. By 65 neither of these singers sounded this good. But yes, tragedy. This recording is from mid-50s.

[@TD05SSLegacy]

Just looked it up. 1958.

[@matOpera]

@@TD05SSLegacy It is definitely a 1965 live recording (from a certain venue in Am*rica that shall not be named because they are very protective of their recordings). The 1958 RAI performance has not been preserved in such good sound.

[@giselamarch1994]

Another expert?