Celeste Aida - INCREDIBLE HIGH Bb’s!!!

00:00 Alfredo Kraus
(1927-1999)
00:29 Aureliano Pertile
(1885-1952)
00:50 Beniamino Gigli
(1890-1957)
01:08 Carlo Bergonzi
(1924-2014)
01:30 Enrico Caruso
(1873-1921)
01:52 Fernando de Lucia
(1860-1925)
02:17 Francesco Merli
(1887-1976)
02:43 Franco Bonisolli
(1938-2003)
03:08 Franco Corelli
(1921-2003)
03:35 Galliano Masini
(1896-1986)
04:02 Gastone Limarilli
(1927-1998)
04:20 Gianfranco Cecchele
(1938-2018)
04:44 Giovanni Martinelli
(1885-1969)
05:09 Giuseppe Di Stefano
(1921-2008)
05:29 Giuseppe Giacomini
(1940-2021)
05:46 José Luccioni
(1903-1978)
06.02 Jussi Bjorling
(1911-1960)
06:23 Kurt Baum
(1908-1989)
06:45 Luciano Pavarotti
(1935-2007)
07:12 Mario Del Monaco
(1915-1982)
07:35 Mario Filippeschi
(1907-1979)
07:53 Miguel Fleta
(1897-1938)
08:09 Nicola Martinucci
(1941-0000)
08:30 Nino Piccaluga
(1890-1973)

[@ZENOBlAmusic]

I did not realize that Kraus recorded Celeste Aida, it is not really in his wheelhouse, but he did deliver a really nice Bb4 note there. Corelli is the one who really delivers the closest to what was written in the score, a really difficult note to master, which is why so few examples exist. There are a few nice Bb4 notes here from Merli, Kurt Baum and Del Monaco. It seems as if Pavarotti and Di Stefano were trying to delver the pianissimo, but they did not quite succeed.

[@shicoff1398]

Kraus also recorded "Cielo e Mar " well, of course he never sang the opera "Gioconda" but recordings of course have nothing to do with live singing of an opera. Bjoerling recorded Turandot complete with Nilsson (1959, RCA) but he never sang that opera on any stage, RCA made their voices (Bjoerling and Nilsson) equal in the studio, she had a far larger voice, as mentioned in the Biography of Bjoerling by "Andrew Farkas" and Jussi's wife Mrs. Anna Lisa Bjoerling, she is gone now, but the book is fantastic and they didn't white wash anything, it's all facts. I suppose some copies still exist on E bay, as it's out of print now .

[@CKalino]

Corelli deserves a special recognition for that ravishing diminuendo. There are colossal Bb’s here, but Masini’s out of this world. It would’ve been cool to include takes where it was sung pianissimo as written (Rosvaenge and Von Pataky come to mind).

[@Garwfechan-ry5lk]

Masini was like a lump of wood on the stage, he also was as fragile as a wrens egg. Another who constantly had to be led on and off the stage, pity because his voice was a fine instrument at best, also his love in with the Blackshirts of \Mussolini did not adhere him to audiences abroad, he gave the Nazi salute in Covent Garden to \Goebbels and Ciano who were in the audience, whilst artists like Favero and Albanese would not, Favero was a lovely Lady and her smile was infectious.

[@sugarbist]

@@Garwfechan-ry5lk Dear Garwfechan, Masini only sang about 10 performances at the Met, with only 3 reviews that were pretty good. Tosca review NY Times. Dec.22nd 1938. Mr. Masini who made his debut last week was a sympathetic Cavaradossi. He seemed at ease in the role and his fresh, ringing voice was heard to advantage. The Metropolitan may consider itself fortunate in the possession of another real tenor. 12/29/1938. The delayed verdict is that the new tenor is a good Radames, if not in any respect an overpowering one. His is not a voice of heroic caliber, but it has a bright resonance that vitalizes what he sings. Neither is he heroic in appearance, yet he looks less like a bundle wrapped up in a crazy in a crazy quilt than some of his fellow Egyptian captains of the line.Last night he was restrained for the most part, in both song and action, though the old windmill patters graced his palpably nervous delivery of ''Celeste Aida.'' It was something to hear his fresh upper tones with their youthful ring, even when it was to be suspected that their production was too''open'' for the future good of the voice. Mr. Masini is a lyric tenor, as modern operatic tenors go, but he knows how to point a phrase like that with which Radames surrenders his sword, so as to give it genuine dramatic effect. 1938 Lucia: Masini made his New York debut last night in Lucia Di Lammamour and immediately won high favor with an immense audience. Fortunately especially in his own youth, his manly and warm voice, aptitude for dramatic expression, and enthusiasm and sincerity in performance. There were occasions when the upper register of Mr. Masini's voice was tight last night. The impression that nervousness was largely responsible for this was strengthened by the unauthoritative part that he took in the sextet, and other moments, when he was, as it were, finding his feet on stage that was unknown to him, in the presence of a formidable public. But the public took immediately to Mr. Masini for the reasons above specified. When his singing was rough or tight for the moment, it was incidental to the dramatic and very eloquent character of his interpretation. The voice has range and dramatic as well as lyrical qualities, and he was in dead earnest. He flung himself into his role. He sang with marked intelligence. When Edgardo's final solos came, his voice was freer, therefore rounder, more beautiful than at any earlier moment of the evening. Mr. Masini accomplished much last night , and more may be reasonably expected of him in performances to come. His reception was the most enthusiastic. There are no signs or mention of Masini being similar to a ''lump of wood''.

[@saltburner2]

Corelli observes the (unwritten) diminuendo at the end, which is most effective (and very difficult)! The whole final phrase is written pp, but no tenor seems willing to observe it.

[@sugarbist]

Corelli claims that he was born with the mezza voce` and diminuendo, but could not teach it. Corelli made this statement to Stefan Zucker here on You Tube

[@shicoff1398]

Very true, Corelli was correct on the Zucker show for sure, as Di Stefano also has said you are born able to sing the Diminuendo or not. Some very great tenors with great technique, greater then Corelli where not able to Manage the Diminuendo, they just didn't have that facility, yes great singers who never managed it, whether they had a great technique or not . @@sugarbist

[@shicoff1398]

Interesting if you look at the "Peter Graham" comment a few months ago, he talks about the Bjoerling diminuendo in studio recordings, later live he did manage some diminuendo's when he sang but that was because he could do it, and was impressed by Di Stefano who did manage it best, even on the high C's Di Stefano (in his best years) could do it, Graham mentions how beautiful Jussi sang. up till he died, true enough but he was only 49 when he died, not old vocally and still fine, not like some singing into their 70's, even when long past the best days they had. Bjoerling when in his 40's did what most do at times when singing live, he transposed the dreaded high C down, but he did always in studio record the high C when called for. He was more a Lyric tenor then a spinto but recorded one dramatic spinto role he didn't ever sing live, Turandot complete, in 1959 with Nilsson and Tebaldi, @@sugarbist

[@Garwfechan-ry5lk]

Caruso did it as well on stage, but has his voice grew darker he would let out the note and lift the rafters, so to Martinelli who invariably brought the house down with his Celeste Aida. he spoke about the problems with it in his London Lectures.

[@sugarbist]

@@Garwfechan-ry5lk Martinelli sang Radames a remarkable 123 performances at the Met. The only other tenor that came close was Caruso with 91 outings, and Kurt Baum with 87.

[@gerardchurch7959]

The biggest challenge is not the end , but to make the beginnings romantic enough , like Recóndita armonía are arias d'amore ....

[@iraklijanashia5567]

IMHO Franco Corelli managing the best transition with demanded consistency and accuracy, no sign of wobble or any detonation (Not the case for Pavarotti who attempts it same way though), The timbre of Giacomini is so interesting.

[@fabiohero6354]

Corelli 💘

[@ZENOBlAmusic]

Corelli actually made the ending note more difficult. The ending calls for pianissimo and morendo, where the note naturally dies off. Just singing pianissimo alone is much easier. Corelli goes to forte and then directly to diminuendo, to create that morendo effect. Most tenors would crack badly if they went from forte to diminuendo, as Corelli did, it is also an almost impossible feat to execute. The only other singer who could do it was Di Stefano.

[@radames5855]

Si era Di Stefano...ma non in quest'opera ...

[@shicoff1398]

Yes, and Coloratura Soprano Roberta Peters could do it, and then bring it back from the Diminuendo down to a whisper on the breath, and then on the same breath and note she could bring it back to full voice! I've seen and heard her in house doing it live and or on records in her best days, she had studied the Garcia method with Margolis as a very young girl.. She was born in 1930 and made her Met opera debut at age 19 in 1950. there is a complete RCA studio recording from 1956 of Rigoletto with her, Bjoerling and Merrill, listen to her " Caro Nome" it's exceptional.

[@rosekokose2031]

❤❤❤😊😊😊🎉🎉🎉

[@gonzalocuadra8657]

Escuchar tantos grandes tenores, muchos de ellos muy admirados, junto con la partitura de Verdi pidiendo ppp es desconcertante. Nadie hace lo pedido!!! Los más cercanos.son Caruso, Fleta y el impresionante diminuendo de Corelli. Como complemento hay que oir las versiones completas de Aïda con Tucker (Toscanini) y su doble final, a Vickers (Solti) con un logrado crescendo (lo opuesto de Corelli) y por supuesto Helge Roswaenge terminando en pp!!!!!

[@diegomr6969]

y pavarotti? usted tiene sus ideales no hay duda

[@gonzalocuadra8657]

@diegomr6969 Pavarotti es una maravilla de canto, de italianidad, de belleza de voz, de comunicatividad. ¡Me encanta! Pero no tanto en Radamés. Está en esa época en que quería expandir su voz y sonar spinto... Por ejemplo, esa manera de tratar de declamar buscando autoridad y fanfarria y le hace decir "un trono vicino al soooleeee", cuando en verdad su voz es pura luminosidad y calidez. Hace un diminuendo, es cierto, pero lo escucho inestable por lo mismo. Pavarotti es mi placer en Rodolfo, Riccardo, Nemorino, Cavaradossi, Edgardo y tantos más 💖💖💖💖💖

[@shicoff1398]

I believe all here but Kraus sang the complete role in house, but Kraus had a beautiful voice in the More lyric roles he did sing, I was at his debut run in this country, in Elixr which was in 1962 in Chicago, with Lyric opera, I was 22 years old at the time. Bjoerling sang in Aida in Europe with some success, but the voice in this country when he sang it in Chicago In 1958at age 47 was a bit small in that big (over 3,500 seats) house, and the reviews reflected that, as it was with Gigli at the Met. opera in 1939, a huge house of near 4,000 (at age 48) he sang it with greater success in Europe, smaller houses and as with Jussi Bjoerling he was as I said (at the old Met house) at age 49 in 1939 said to be a bit Lyric in the role, but he did have success here with Spinto roles like Chenier and also sang Forza. Jussi never sang Forza, Chenier, Turandot or in Gioconda, on any stage, perhaps wisely. Two tenors not heard here, so avoided here sadly are "Corelli and Tucker", both had very powerful high B's, and in fact both sang the role with success, Tucker was chosen by Toscanini in 1949 to sing it live on a live video from Studio 8H with the great maestro and the NBC hand picked orchestra, (one of the first complete video brdcsts of any opera live) this aria is on you tube with the great American tenor live on video singing it from the complete opera performance, though a big voice Tucker waited till 1965 at age 51 to sing it live on stage in New York, as he then was a powerful spinto who already had sung Forza and Chenier in the early and middle 1950s, Kraus had sung Boheme complete perhaps just once I believe, he was a light Lyric, so it was bit much for him (act 3) and he didn't sing it again. Tucker sang in Aida many times later, and in fact in 1955 he did record it complete with Callas on Columbia, LP's . Jussi Rec. it with Milanov in 1955, a fine RCA Rec. and Corelli made a great Rec. of it with Nilsson. MDM had a big dramatic voice, I saw his Otello in 1959 in house with my family, I was 19 years old , at la Scala in Milan, he sounded far greater and larger in house then on any studio record, so did Tucker as I saw him about 20+ times in both concert and opera. Seeing a singer live is a real test for volume, voices that are more Lyric can sound larger then they are on any recording and more spinto or dramatic voices like both Del Monaco and Tucker can sound not as large as they really where in house, both where very strong and powerful, as was later Giacomini and Giordani, I Saw Giordani in 2012 sing in Aida in Chicago, and later heard a Re Brdcst of it on radio, what I heard in the big 3,583 seat Chicago opera house was a very powerful voiced tenor, by that time in his life but on the Brdcst it sounded not nearly as large. I saw Bjoerling in 1958 as the Duke in Rigoletto with Moffo and Gobbi, JB a wonderful beautiful voice, he sang warmer live then on his recordings, Jussi had a adequate size voice as a Lyric tenor, as a Spinto it wasn't really large, he had good point and focus, but on recording sounded larger then it really was. Early Pavarotti wasn't large at all either, but later he gained lots more power and he sang these roles, ( I saw him often in house) including Calaf and in Aida, but they where never great roles for him, odd but Pav. only sang one French role. Jussi sang several and with perfection, Romeo and Faust he did with perfection of course. I only saw him once at age 18, but do recall his excellent artistry, he really was superb in Concerts also. Kraus was a class act and fine artist with really great high notes early. RIP.

[@ZENOBlAmusic]

There seems to be mixed reviews of the size of Giacomini voice. Many people say he only had medium sized voice, but he obviously had that baritone type timbre.

[@shicoff1398]

@@ZENOBlAmusic He had more then a mid sized voice when I saw him, I know what I saw and heard that night in the balcony, I don't care what anyone says, I saw him in a 3,583 seat house Chicago, the top wasn't as big as either Corelli, MDM or Tucker, but the middle was very strong, he wasn't like that all the time no doubt, singers have off nights etc. but the only one time I saw him it was more then mid sized and I've heard some big voices in over 65 years of opera going, some voices rec. bigger then they are like Jussi Bjoerling and Barry Morell , anyhow now it doesn't matter, he is gone but the one time I saw him it was a strong Spinto voice .

[@shicoff1398]

@@ZENOBlAmusic Yes but he sang some nights quite big, 9/22.82 in NY at the Met. where he sang over 80 times, the review was (and I quote) "He rang the rafters in his solo singing" I wasn't there but know people who where and it was one of his better nights, he was not always in great voice, but pretty strong, not a pretty voice IMO at all, he was another tenor who wasn't a favorite of mine at all , but I'll say it was (on a good night) powerful in the upper middle when I saw him that one time.

[@shicoff1398]

@@ZENOBlAmusic Bergonzi as comparison was smaller, but he did start as a Baritone, i saw Bergonzi many times in both opera and concert, saw GDS in the late 1950's and later it was really at one time a beauty, saw him also in concerts saw Schipa in concert also, saw Jussi in Rigoletto with Gobbi and Moffo. I loved Tagliavini, smaller lyric voic,e but carried well, a pretty sound. Vickers was big, liked his Grimes when I saw him in Chicago, great artist. Tucker was my favorite spinto tenor in his prim, no tenor is as great at 60 as at 40 IMO and he was a great tenor we all hear differently, no wrong or right, some say Corelli was best, I saw him many times also, some say Jussi was best etc. all just opinion the best is whoever you like best. You must hear them live a few times to really know 100% about voice size, and forget studio records, that can be fake sound!!!!. they can make Donald Duck sound like Caruso. BTW My grandfather (born in 1880) saw Caruso twice and loved his voice far more then on records as he often told me. Enjoy.

[@ramonavandermerwe1159]

Thankyou Shicoff1 for all your comments, always so fair and knowledgable. It's a great help to those of us who want to learn, but have not had much exposure to the arts. ❤

[@sinakiris6068]

Di Stefano, çok büyük spintosun 🙇🏻‍♂️

[@lieliannenasgy2649]

The great maestro Franco Corelli, unique, excellent and exceptional❤

[@radames5855]

Corelli è spettacolare.... Mi piacciono anche Merli Masini Piccaluca Del Monaco Pertile....insomma una carellata di fuoriclasse! Grazie

[@radames5855]

Sicuramente Corelli e Pavarotti fanno il finale come è scritto!!! Tuttavia in questa lista, ci sono molti grandi Radames ...grazie

[@alexeyizmirliev64]

Poi ci sono 4b in basso!

[@radames5855]

@@alexeyizmirliev64 questa non l'ho capita!😟

[@user-dh5xl6kg2r]

Nicola Martinucci

[@maxtrentini5589]

solo Kraus lo fa come la scrisse Verdi-gli altri tutti bravi

[@gerardchurch7959]

None is taking the PPP in the first Un Trono vicino ......the last is pp ,

[@sandorkonya8005]

You can’t display every great singrr But IMHO you missed Sandor Konya Not the king of high „c“ but since Gigli and Fleta no singer has had such a „ lyrical sweetness“ in his natural beautiful voice as Konya did We had many many Tenors who had fantadtic up front open high c‘s but their are view who have the right emotion for this area Its deeply lyric and emotional Konya Gigli Fleta had this J m h o

[@antoniomaurogiovanni1276]

Raramente è Corelli,punto.Anche Krause....Ma allora posso farlo anche io.Ma non scherziamo.

[@antoniomaurogiovanni1276]

Volevo scrivere Radames.

[@alekseydragan2672]

I thing: the best tenor is he , whom a’m listening that moment

[@soquaancami5784]

Interessantissima comparazione Ritengo che manchi un tenore che forse è quello che ha più correttamente interpretato il finale Anche se non cantata in italiano, credo che Rosvaenge sia il più corretto Certamente il finale di Corelli è molto, ma molto suggestivo Strano che DiStefano non l'abbia interpretato come Corelli, lui che era ( ed é ) il re delle mezze voci

[@ZENOBlAmusic]

No, Rosvaenge did it in falsetto so it wasn’t more correct.

[@radames5855]

Di Stefano,Era il re delle mezze voci nel suo repertorio di lirico!!!!! Qui su questo repertorio è in affanno...

[@soquaancami5784]

@@ZENOBlAmusic Which is the difference between morendo and diminuendo?

[@soquaancami5784]

@@radames5855 In tutti gli acuti lo è

[@TheGuidogeno]

De LUCIA è penoso Corelli un portento!

[@petergraham8681]

Lots of full voiced B flats from some very great tenors here but the power with a diminuendo prize goes to Corelli. Some of the tenors here could have managed the diminuendo, one being Bjorling who always wanted to have sung the ending this way but was dissuaded from doing so by some lame advisors. Too bad because in a studio recording situation he certainly could have done this & being a FULL lyric tenor with some spinto qualities it should have been encouraged. Earlier it might have even been easier for him since in his late 1930s recording of the Flower song from CARMEN, Bjorling does indeed accomplish a diminuendo on the high b flat. Although still singing beautifully up until his sudden death, Bjorling’s upper register, though still, solid was approached with more caution than in previous years. Of course the safety net of a recording studio might also have given him more confidence in the case of the AIDA recording but it was not to be. Radames more lyrical passages (as in the final scene with AIDA) were ideal for Bjorling’s instrument & it is a shame that this aspect of his voice could not be used in the ending of Celeste Aida.

[@ogulcanefeopera]

Gerçek bir takipçi sen daha grupta paylaşmadan gelir opera Türkiye 😆

[@opera.turkiye]

❤

[@ransomcoates546]

Pavarotti is very weak - thin wiry tone, totally unsuited to the part. I think there are recordings of Bergonzi successfully attempting the diminuendo; he often didn’t pull it off and was cruelly booed in Italy for trying. Pertile sounds quite sharp to me in intonation.

[@shicoff1398]

Bergonzi in one Aida radio Brdcst . in the mid 1960's at the Met. during a Diminuendo attempt did crack, but was not booed for it at the Met. (it was a Brdcst I heard ) because he was a fine artist and sometimes did Manage the diminuendo. Jussi Bjoerling's voice was smaller in the house then Bergonzi's and though he sang the role in Chicago in 1958, he was not really successful with it there, as it is a very big house (I saw him that season myself) he had a bit more success with it live in the smaller houses in Europe before that , but live in this country, Chicago was the only place he sang it, and not again after 1958, it was not a great role for him live, but was on the studio RCA 1955 recording with Zinka Milanov and Warren. Yes, Corelli, Del Monaco, Martinelli Etc. before fit the role well. It wasn't a great role for Pavarotti either but at age 60 he managed Chenier at the Met. with decent reviews but again that was a better role for Corelli, Del Monaco and Tucker.

[@shicoff1398]

Bergonzi made his Met. debut in the role even if not his greatest role he was excellent in it of course.

[@mohsenarambon]

Filippeschi ❤️💯

[@giovannifortunato6118]

Del Monaco il più grande

[@valeriomessersi1016]

Altra Pietra Miliare per un Tenore ! Anch'io sarei per Pavarotti -Corelli , ma ognuno ha il suo colpo in canna che lo rende unico ed irripetibile !!!! 👋

[@shicoff1398]

Sorry I missed seeing Corelli included here as he was an important tenor singing and recording the role, more so then the great very Lyric tenor Kraus who was superb in more Lyric roles.

[@user9xyz836]

Corelli is at 3:08.

[@shicoff1398]

@@user9xyz836 Yes, thanks I saw it.

[@ernieschwarcz9077]

Corelli, Merli, Bergonzi

[@stone301]

Kraus is terrible. I’ll never understand his fans. He closes his throat and makes a terrible unnatural timbre in the high notes that has little to do with the old tradition of chiaroscuro and si canta come si parla

[@shicoff1398]

He recorded it late in his career for whatever reason, he was strictly very Lyric and even Boheme was not for him, I was at his USA debut run and that was in Chicago in 1962, back then he was very fresh with great high notes and fine artistry, of course he lasted a long time and as with some others perhaps for some people, they might think he went on past his best years, I always liked him in his long prime in house, the voice carried very well even not being large, I saw him often in several l roles , anyhow he was a fine artist.

[@gerardchurch7959]

kraus is the only tenor that says the same than Nilsson . The laringe goes up for the high notes , not down !!!!!!

[@gerardchurch7959]

I heard Kraus live as Hofmann and he was able to rock the house with As Bs and Cs . In the middle voice was small yes ....

[@elenajha4357]

None except Kraus, Fleta, and Caruso considered PPP with Diminuendo. Not enough breath to do it as maestro Verdi had written? Even di Stefano, whose diminuendi were so famous...

[@user9xyz836]

Franco Corelli.

[@djquinn4212]

Bergonzi is flat and has no squillo whatsoever in his sound. Kraus is a kazoo, all in his nose, a terrible sound. The best B-flats are the tenors who modify to an Ah otherwise they sound flat. Corelli, Björling, etc

[@isaiasgaminosanchez8616]

CORELLI chingón de chingones 👍

[@radames5855]

Ma come parla lei?

[@user-dh5xl6kg2r]

Nicola Martinucci