LIVE: Cornell MacNeil - Die Frist ist um [Der fliegende Holländer] - 1968

Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman)
New York
January 27, 1968
Conductor: Berislav Klobucar
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This channel is primarily about vocal emission-aural examples of basically correct singing, correct impostazione-chiaroscuro, vowel clarity, firm and centered pitch, correct vibrato action, absence of throatiness or thickness, sounds free from constriction and from the acoustic noise that accompanies it-with occasional video examples that demonstrate what the body, face, mouth, jaw, and tongue look like when used with correct impostazione-the vocal emission of the one and only Italian school.
Caveat: I'm biased in favor of baritones and baritone literature, but if you want to learn about and listen to all the greatest singers in the old-school tradition, explore this spreadsheet (voice parts are separated by tabs): bit.ly/2W4qmE3

[@stevevandien310]

Have never heard another Verdi baritone sing this music so effectively. Would like to have heard Mac as the Walkure Wotan --

[@maxmustermann7903]

Please listen to Josef Metternich. He was the leading italian baritone in Germany after the war and sung this aria as well.

[@deadwalke9588]

That low G is monstrous and when you take into consideration this is a voice that had a high C in his throat, it's even more amazing. Truly one of the few American Verdi Baritones with an even registration from low g to Baritone high g.

[@andreaholliday6845]

Robert Merrill

[@deadwalke9588]

@@andreaholliday6845 His low notes weren't audible at all and he pushed into the pasaaggio.

[@edwardamosbrandwein3583]

Was this his first HOLLANDER?

[@deadwalke9588]

@@edwardamosbrandwein3583 I believe this is his first Hollander but with his singing here, he sounds like he's been singing Wagner all his life. This is one of the few Wagnernian roles he did but honestly, he could've had way more roles; and more German roles at that. I would've loved to have heard this voluminous voice singing John the baptist from Strauss' Salome or Wolfram from Tannhauser.

[@edwardamosbrandwein3583]

@@deadwalke9588 also Barak from "Die Frau ohne Schatten"

[@nemehazzam9236]

Amazing! So great to hear and italian sound sing in the german repertoire! Better than any baritone singing this! WOW..

[@petergraham8681]

I was still a student singing in the Seattle Opera Chorus when Big Mac came to town to sing the Dutchman & never would have thought then that a high Verdi baritone could handle the lower range required of this role. In rehearsal he even sometimes marked DOWN AN OCTAVE! He was then close to 50 but in these performances his tone was solid & steady. I have never heard a Verdi Baritone with as wide a range as his & there is also the incident with him singing the low F, which proved difficult at that moment for Treigle in the Sparafucile/Rigoletto scene.

[@PedroZamagna]

Mr. Graham, greetings. Did you attend both performances? After all, they had an alternating cast for this production.

[@petergraham8681]

Ok, Mr. ZAMAGNA. Herbert Doussant was the second cast Eric in Seattle Opera‘s DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER in that 1971-72 production with MacNeil. I was a student singing in the chorus for all performances & do not recall Doussant at all. Most others in the second cast I do remember as they were Seattle Opera regulars. Archie Drake, the second cast Holländer who I worked with in OPERA IN THE SCHOOLS programs & Gerry Thorsen, the Steersman were both Seattle resident artists then as well. Leon Lishner, the second cast Daland was my. voice teacher for a couple years. Strange that I do not recall Mr. Doussant as well but I believe this was his only Seattle Opera appearance at least in the productions I was involved in. I located the program on Seattle Opera‘s web site & got the info that way. Sorry it took so long.

[@1155north]

This is stunning! Had he stayed in Wagner, he may have sacrificed the wonderful work he did in Verdi - but this is every bit as good as George London - perhaps even better, in my opinion. What a discovery this is for me. Thank you, Trill, for posting it.

[@robertwbecker]

1155north YES,,, ABSOLUTELY,,,,

[@alexandrkolesnikov9062]

Voce da morire!

[@larrywoods6318]

Quite frankly, he could sing in pig Latin and i would still think it was the best baritone in the world.............Just the sounds of his voice send shivers down my spine. My God, listen to the voice on this post.........Never been a fan of this opera, but it would be worth it to find the recording just because of him singing.

[@stevevandien310]

I remember an interview with MacNeil late in his career -- maybe 1985? -- during which he said he'd been pondering whether he should sing Sachs.

[@PBXVIILY]

Never heard MacNeil sing Wagner, he’s wonderful! I saw him many times at the met in 1977 till he retired in 1987. Huge voice no mic, he soared over the orchestra effortlessly! Great musician. My favorite Baritone!! The BIG MAC was unique!

[@delosmike2030]

I heard him sing this 3 times in 1971. Solid as a rock, straight down to a low "F" at one point. Gleaming tone, fearless top. His chest was like a mini-refrigerator, no doubt contributing to the halo of overtones he possessed. The soprano, Eva Marie Molnar, wasn't up to much, but the Erik was Sandor Konya.... ritzy casting! Another poster here quotes him as pondering taking on Sachs. Now THAT would have been a canny move for him towards the end when the voice started to sway (it was never a wobble, just a bit of a wash in the tone). With Sachs he could have reveled in the parlando and the voice is so warm it would have been a lovely fit. But it's a beast of a role to memorize. Probably twice as long as the WALKÜRE Wotan - and much of the role is in Act 3 when the singer is getting very tired. I for one think he would have been superb assuming he had the stamina and also the commitment to learning and memorizing such a monster of a role. And how often and where would have been invited to sing it after all that effort?

[@quequitoAR]

WTF????? AMAZING!!!!!!!!! Pity we don't have a full recording of this role...

[@trrill]

+Diego Quequito Oh, but we do! There are two, in fact: bit.ly/1OLdR80

[@br9kanan]

Diego Montañés i have friend in German. He has an entire performance from the Met w/ McNeil & Tozzi singing Hollander....on cassette tape!

[@luisnorbertogomez7058]

Lo escuche varias veces en el T Colón de Bs As una voz increíble,espectacular

[@petergraham8681]

To reiterate what I wrote here some time ago I was in the chorus early in 1972 when Big Mac sang the DUTCHMAN in Seattle. His MET performances, from which perhaps this excerpt was taken, were in 1968 so he did perform it in more than 1 production. There may have been more that I am not aware of. He could have had a larger Wagner rep had he chosen to but this is the only Wagner role, I know of, that he sang. He had the largest vocal range of any Verdi Baritone that I have yet to hear.

[@PedroZamagna]

Mr. Graham, greetings. Do you recall how was the Erik of the alternate cast? Of that very same production?

[@petergraham8681]

Just now read your question, sorry! I only unfortunately recall the first cast Eric which was Sandor Konya. The Steersman Gerry Thorsen was in both casts but who the alternate Eric was I do not recall at the moment but if I find out I will try & let you know.

[@luisnorbertogomez2328]

Uno de los mas grandes baritonos del sigloxx fantastico

[@1UShawn]

Simply amazing !!

[@UMVELINQANGI]

Tremendous!

[@gregarian4]

Wonderful! Love it!

Love me some Big Mac

[@vitodicursi9036]

Sarebbe stato anche un grande Wotan.

[@jimmychoo1857]

Fan Tastic!!!

[@Yitzhakhazak]

This lower chest timbre sounds better than the lighter Verdi one. He's got bronze in his voice. Nothing tenoral.

[@michsturge671]

Why the hell was this the ONLY time he sang Wagner. He was even better than George London. I always felt his voice was better suited to Wagner than Verdi.

[@samcotten2416]

Beautifully sung, as always. Couple of times when his German diction wasn’t right, though.

[@tonneinsbillardclub1308]

c'est pas la voix ... mais... magnifique

[@Operachan]

Very sloppy German, but a fantastic voice

[@Operachan]

+Barry Tonelove Many, MANY german mistakes

[@1UShawn]

@@Operachan Who cares XD

[@Operachan]

the people that know how to speak German care. He still sounds amazing though@@1UShawn

[@1UShawn]

@@Operachan It was intended to mean that voices matter way more than pronunciation; I am a French native speaker and I prefer 100% more Corelli's massacring of French than a myriad of other singers.

[@jimmychoo1857]

@@Operachan than, guys listen to your fantastic german singers!

[@trueself1752]

Still, needs to be sung by Bass Baritone.