Michael Spyres: 'Fuor del mar' (Mozart: Idomeneo)

15 july, 2022, Aix-en-Provence Festival.

[@paulsmith2542]

Incredible articulation of the melismatic runs. What a voice!

[@meleisenberg9240]

Anothre "Golden Age" performance by the worlds finest tenor. Live long and prosper Michael and family.

[@imogene1952]

Michael Spyres is such a great Singer! Love him so!

[@jaimesagaseta1673]

What a gorgeous cadenza!!!! Glorious!!!

[@peteradaniel]

Such a controlled singer! A Remarkable talent!

[@guillaumegarcia-moreau8434]

A fabulous Idomeneo and a fabulous (virtuosissimo) interpretation 😍

[@ESilva-qv1uv]

May be the best tenor on stage now. Wonderful singjng in every way..

[@phvangalen4310]

I must have been living under a rock last couple of years. Totally missed out on Michael Spyres (untill last year). I have seen and heard the future of classical male singing. What a voice!

[@lalagonegaga]

Now that's the proper way to do it.

[@tamerlan2677]

Outstanding singing!! Love it!

[@canaleteatrale6662]

sensationell, beeindruckend!

[@mariavimemora]

Fantástico, magnífica producción, felicitaciones desde Medellín Colombia 👏👏👏👏👏

[@youngarnold4]

Bravo!

[@numtot2172]

Such a rich and deep lower register for a tenor. It’s not fair haha

[@antonsydorenko7572]

He's a baritenor

[@LoveMusic-pd5iz]

Well, he did start out as a baritone...

[@ladyizolde-]

@@LoveMusic-pd5iz ​ @Love Music many tenors started as baritones, for example Bergonzi sung as a baritone for few years. Michael started his studies when he was 19 and in that age it is hart to classify vocal type properly.

[@tancrediarsace1271]

Any chance to have the recording of Firenze Recital dedicated to Nozzari or Pesaro Recital to Nourrit?

[@christophebaudeau9614]

Michael Spyres is the best Idomeno since Anton Raaff

[@lutzlupe2966]

no, but certainly since Hermann Jadlowker

[@ladyizolde-]

@@lutzlupe2966 he hadn't such wide range actually, so he couldn't sing it as Mozart intended for Raaff, because it is low written role and it's the most curious and tricky thing about it. So Michael makes the most authentic version which is the possibly closest to Raaff tessitura which was baritone-like in his prime as well. Raaff lost his legendary coloratura agility due to his age during Idomeneo premiere but he always had that ability to hit very low notes. I went to Aix for listening to this Idomeneo in person as I did in Baden in 2020 during Michael's role debut as Idomeneo and I have to say that no one can sing it better. I'm proclaiming that as an active opera goer and Mozart fan.

[@lutzlupe2966]

@@ladyizolde- I can’t hear any depth limitation in Jadlowker’s voice, but his agility and particularly his trill are superior to Spyres‘ who is undoubtedly one oft he best in these fields today.

[@ladyizolde-]

@@lutzlupe2966 I meant baritonal sound which I don't hear actually. Just clear tenor timbre in the central tenor tessitura. Technically these recordings hardly could be a subject of objective comparison, cause one is a studio one and another is live plus performed in horrible conditions - heat nearly 40C and this dreadful production which made singers to stand on this permanently moving shaky platforms. I've got a seasickness just have been watching it, I just can't imaging how it was felt to stand there and sing each second bewaring to fall down.

[@tenor-haute-contre]

We don’t know how Raaff sounded like though 😅

[@NathanAGranner]

Dayng, Son! That's fucking balls out!

[@giovic9802]

1:36 6:57

[@crisrobert8805]

Magnifique mise en scène

[@ladyizolde-]

Et chant phénoménal.

[@Robbit76]

Not bad. But less abrupt, more smooth and restrained singing would be preferable.

[@ladyizolde-]

His legato is well supported, vocal range is enormous, register coordination is astonishing, dynamics and thrills are just perfect and despite the insanely fast tempo he sings in full bodied sound, not like those whispering eunuchs who try to sing in thin, flat voices, choking on every staccato. And I was there in person and have to say he was not abrupt, he created the deep and rich dramaturgical image by his voice alone in very difficult conditions of very uncomfortable staging and terrible heat and managed to be glorious. He sounded mesmerizing live. After all this is a furious bravura aria not a song for easy crooning.

[@Robbit76]

@@ladyizolde- look, i like Spires voice and tecnique too, but here he sounds a little pushed and forced, less nuanced and relaxed than in his previous renditios of the same aria available on youtube. Anyway, i can only share your exitement from his live performamce.

[@ladyizolde-]

@@Robbit76 I have already noted that the conditions of the performance were terrible - for many days it was 40-degree heat, it was difficult to inhale the heated, heavy air. But the main problem was the terrible staging - I got seasick just looking at these rotating rickety platforms - what the singers felt standing on them and singing, every second afraid of falling down - I can't even imagine. I went to Aix for two days for Idomeneo and Norma with Michael, which went on nonstop. And he handled those awful hardships brilliantly. I went to Baden for his debut as Idomeneo and in concert format he was divine. In Aix, the conditions were merciless, but he won.

[@Robbit76]

@@ladyizolde- look, that doesn't contradict to what I am saying. Actually you state that there were some objective reasons for Spyres' vocally problematic performance here.

[@ladyizolde-]

​@@Robbit76 On the contrary, I meant that he was excellent in spite of all that difficulties that hardly any other singer could withstand. Obviously you don't know what vocal problems are - if you want vocal difficulties try Bernard Richter. I even left the show once because of his disgusting singing. It's low sitting piece and at last in 300 years we can hear it as it was written. I've had the privilege to hear Spyres in person and after listening to dozens of horrible Idomeneos, Spyres was a revelation. Pity I missed his Idomeneo at the Met, he was glorious and with such cadenzas that no one has ever performed before.