Miguel Fleta - Je crois entendre encore

Miguel Burró Fleta (1897-1938) was an extraordinarily popular tenor whose brief, turbulent and tragic life is the stuff of legend. The last of fourteen children, Fleta was born in Aragón near the close of the 19th century. He began his working life as a field worker but enjoyed singing the folksongs of his region. Encouraged by his friends, Fleta entered a Jota competition in the fall of 1917. Although he didn’t win, his participation led to studies at the Conservatory of Barcelona. There, Fleta met the woman who would become his mentor, lover and mother to two of his children, Luisa Pierrick. Fleta’s vocal coaching with Pierrick had lasted less than two years when, shortly before his 22nd birthday, the young tenor made his operatic debut in Trieste. The role was Paolo in Zandonai’s Francesca da Rimini under the baton of the composer himself. Pierrick aggressively promoted her protégé/lover throughout Italy, perhaps pushing the tenor beyond his youthful limitations. Within three years of his debut, Fleta was compelled to cancel performances owing to throat issues…an alarming omen of things to come.
Fleta’s rise was meteoric. Before reaching the age of 25, the young tenor had sung in the major theaters of Budapest, Prague, Vienna, Monte Carlo, Rome, Genoa, Madrid, Buenos Aires and others. He created the role of Romeo in Zandonai’s Giulietta e Romeo in Rome in February of 1922 and made his Metropolitan Opera debut on November 8, 1923 as Cavaradossi in Puccini’s Tosca. Fleta became the darling of critics and public alike during his years in New York. He sang thirty-seven performances of nine operas at the Met…Tosca, Rigoletto, La Bohème, Andrea Chénier, Aïda, Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Carmen, Pagliacci, L’Amico Fritz…and seemed destined for a long and illustrious career in New York. A January 1925 performance of Rigoletto, however, would be Fleta’s final appearance at the Met.
Fleta was scheduled to return to the Met for the 1925/26 season, but broke his contract, ostensibly to perform mandatory service in the Spanish army. Meanwhile, in Milan, preparations were underway for the premiere of Puccini’s final opera, Turandot. When news reached New York that Fleta was among the cast, Met management was furious. The Met filed suit against the tenor, finally winning a judgement of $20,000…an enormous sum in those days. Needless to say, Fleta never sang in New York again. Ironically, Calaf was not a role that suited Fleta and he abandoned it after only a handful of performances. One wonders if the tenor’s rash decision was worth it.
A 1928 tour took Fleta across the South Seas…nearly 100 performances in ten months…and he returned to Spain exhausted. His voice was beginning to deteriorate, and he found himself turning more and more to zarzuelas in order to keep performing. Fleta returned to the U.S. in February of 1930 for a pair of Los Angeles recitals. The programs were poorly attended due to inadequate publicity and marked the tenor’s final appearances in North America. Fleta appeared in the film, “Miguelón, o El Último Contrabandista” in 1934. The film, sadly, was a commercial failure. Fleta also became involved with Franco’s Falangist movement. Loyalist forces put a price on his head, and he was forced to sell his properties and flee. His final operatic performance was an April 1937 Carmen in Lisbon. Fleta now lived in hiding, fearful that the Loyalists would catch up with him. In the end, what caught up with Fleta were years of excess. Unchecked eating, drinking and carousing…not to mention an early case of syphilis that had never been properly treated…eventually stopped the tenor in his tracks. While resting in La Coruña, his health rapidly deteriorated. Renal failure was the culprit and, despite a valiant struggle, Fleta expired on May 29, 1938. He was only 40 years old.
Miguel Fleta’s was a remarkable instrument…rich and baritonal, with pealing top notes that sent audiences into a frenzy. His sensitive artistry and attention to musical detail were extraordinary…not a single note was ever wasted. Yet Miguel Fleta squandered this magnificent gift during his brief career through extravagant living, risky career choices and just too much singing. Be that as it may, it is impossible to imagine it any other way. That was Miguel Fleta.
Fleta recorded nearly 100 sides for Victor and HMV between 1922 and 1934. These discs, consisting of operatic arias, classic art songs, pop tunes and, of course, gems from zarzuela, showcase the tenor in a fine way, even in his decline. Fleta’s recordings are always entertaining and offer a fascinating glimpse into the unique style of a highly expressive vocal artist. Here, Fleta sings “Je crois entendre encore” (“or “Mi par d’udir ancora” in Italian) from Bizet’s Les Pêcheurs de Perles. This recording was made in Madrid for The Gramophone Company in 1927.

[@miguellabaymatias8099]

EL MEJOR DE LOS MEJORES!!!. Mi padre tuvo la suerte de escucharle en directo y lloraba con sus interpretaciones. Gracias por tu arte!!!!

[@pierrebrignone4682]

❤❤❤

[@felipemartinez1275]

La voz y, sobre todo, el soberbio pianísimo de don Miguel Fleta acarician mi alma hasta las lágrimas.

[@georgemisailidis1546]

There are a large number of good singers in the world, some outstanding, some brilliant. Miguel Fleta God! Only God can express himself this way.

[@Tlaloc431]

Lo acabo de descubrir hoy y lloré.Que belleza Dios mío.

[@WMP777]

Unique. Superior technique. Today non existing.

[@paolovalente1157]

Dopo Caruso e' Lui il piu' grande

[@Celon.]

From my perspective , singers today are too affraid to just be themselves . Aware of the global impact that can happen withing 24h. Aware of all the previous artists and try to play it safe . Back then you didn't know who said what about your interpretation 50km in any direction , wasn't even aware of your existence. I think there it lies the confidence to just give it all so whatever happens ... happens . I still haven't seen a "newer" tenor that just gives it all . I have to correct myself , there are some great tenors like M. Brownlee but still...

[@kid926]

tra i piu´grandi della storia della lirica un vero extraterrestre

[@mariadolorescastrillonferr1536]

Único, inolvidable. Gracias

[@luisafontela1409]

nadie lo ha superado ..su fielato..fue y sigue siendo unico...

[@alex_mir_music]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/d2GuhIZjZ5t9fdU

[@道-p2e]

Finest voice, no longer seen anywhere now on any stage...

[@michaelacaftan1313]

Fabuloasa voce si interpretare cu modulatii la piano cum nu am mai auzit.Iti mangaie sufletul si te inalta spiritual.❤❤❤❤❤😊

[@salvoferraro6976]

Artista meraviglioso,unico e inimitabile,una lezione di tecnica e interpretazione favoloso.

[@CarlosRodriguez-wb4hv]

DE LOS INFINITOS AGUDOS A SUS BAJADAS Y VOLVER A LOS AGUDOS...NO LO HA HECHO NADIE...ES IRREPETIBLE...

[@peregrev]

Leonid Sobinov.

[@Verist4]

Bravissimo! Unico! Un leone della lirica! Fleta had a immense voice, full of squillo and expression. It is fascinating how he could control such a huge voice and create the most amazing diminuendos. Many believe that Fleta was a lyric tenor but in my opinion he is a true spinto tenor. There are times that he even sounds like a full dramatic. This man could sing anything from Nadir to Radames, etc. He was a phenomenon for sure.

[@Xerxes89]

In my opinion he is a dramatic tenor voice but sang lyrically.

[@luisrenejuarezestevez175]

Indudablemente el mejor de TODOS los tiempos

[@lydiaguarro]

Magico, encantador.

[@JairFerreira1947]

Miguel Fleta. The King of the "diminuendo".

[@SpecialtyHorseTraining]

I have an album of his of opera and Zarzuela. I had wondered if Franco Corelli was inspired by his E lucevan le stelle to do that "discoglogi di veli with the incredible long diminuendo that caused endless applause at Parma? Luckily I saw him in Tosca and heard this live as well as that "vittoria" that went around the world. I was mesmerized, couldn't move. My legs had melted.

[@luisafontela1409]

Aragon tiene k sentirse inmensamente afortunada de gaber dado al mundo la mejor voz de todos lis tiempos

[@pilarargenteherrero9177]

Viva aragon cuna de grandes hombres íberos

[@bdnsinaps3181]

@@pilarargenteherrero9177 betulo Zaragoza fue fundada por los hijos de marta la Xuride

[@viverito]

In the Caballé biography she talks about how she admired and emulated Fleta’s long phrases and pianissimi.

[@gabryc.3004]

Che bel DIMINUENDO insuperabile..... Oggi giorno non esiste più queste tecniche.... Chi è Haufmaam Alagna etc etc??? Bravo bravissimo FLETA Grazie per averlo inserito

[@Jaumeparqe]

Fleta el mejor

[@BaroneVitellioScarpia1]

la perfezione.

[@juanjoseagapito9802]

Es lo máximo que puede ofrecer tenor alguno

[@pilarsala8290]

tiene un gran dominio de su voz, una grandísima dedicación, un gusto exquisito y el resultado ya no puede ser mejor!!!

[@josefernandezcarbonell5264]

es tan maravilloso que cada vez parece nuevo y pienso que es como consecuencia de lo mal que se canta tiempo ha, con precipitación, inmediatez, prisa....Se pierde el arte de hacer bello el canto. Fleta era grandioso. Su expresión de canto y la maravilla de su voz eran de otro mundo.

[@nenitapoblete5973]

Excelente interpretación de "Los pescadores de perlas" Tenor brillantísimo..inolvidable !!

[@emtnz1569]

Para mí el mejor

[@CarlosRodriguez-wb4hv]

FANTÁSTICO. M.FLETA.

[@ramonguimeralorente6341]

Olé mi paisano !

[@blascortes8391]

Divino

[@josefernandezcarbonell5264]

Celestial, sublime. Para mi, el mejor tenor de la historia.

[@alejandraeugeniaberlinvale2851]

Una voz, una interpretación, una técnica, como.no he escuchado ninguna otra igual.

[@jordiborras3554]

Hace con la voz lo que no ha hecho nadie...

[@sananton2821]

Con este wobble? Vale...

[@yaelpalombo4093]

Sublime❤

[@amantedellopera1681]

Pure liquid gold,genius of a tenor

[@lisensiadoify]

El tiempo no hace si no engrandecer este tenor del que puede decirse que es "El único que es único" Nadie ha conseguido igualar sus "filaditos", nadie ha tenido voz para ello.

[@joanbrullcanalda1807]

Si, el gran Alfredo Kraus

[@Jordyrgs]

Lo siento pero Alfredo Kraus superó y con grandeses esta aria

[@Сергій-ч9ш]

Какой краус,его пение и багатство тембров с техничнским совершенством уникальное и это не итальянский тон,а испанский,который останется недосгаемым.Просто поразительно, он подобен скрипке старых мастеров в руках виртуоза.

[@lydiaguarro]

@@Jordyrgs nadie zupero a Fleta. Sus diminuendos y mezza voce no figuraban en el reoertorio de nadie.

[@lydiaguarro]

@@joanbrullcanalda1807 FLETA muy superior por la belleza de su voz por su extension por sus diminuendos su mezza voce sus messe di voci magnifico como belcantista y como spinto.

[@germanquintero10121946]

MARAVILLA DE VOZ

[@josevargaspuertolas3999]

Según mi opinión no ha habido otro tenor igual, ni en voz ni escenificación . Nada más hay que escuchar esta interpretación. Las retenciones de voz en sus interpretaciones no ha habido nadie que las haya igualado porque ha habido además de pulmón, garganta y, para aquellos tiempos, una buena preparación.

[@yandireyessalazar7043]

Bueno y Enrico caruso entonces como queda, como el segundo mejor tenor? Lo pregunto para aprender más no con el afán de hacer polémica, primera ves q lo estoy escuchando y es espectacular, bueno los tenores spinto son espectaculares!!!

[@josevargaspuertolas3999]

No me refería a ningún escalafón en cuanto al lugar que cada uno debe ocupar. Sólo a la espectacular voz y forma de interpretarla que es única y personal como nadie. Qué duda cabe que otro gran tenor para mí ha sido Alfredo Kraus. Pero el timbre de voz y el dominio que tiene sobre ella lo hace muy distinto a los demás. Quizá se le ha ninguneado un poco por su vida libertina que daría al traste con sus aptitudes, pero su calidad ( para mí) es inigualable.

[@jelel9698]

Y di Stefano?

[@lydiaguarro]

@@josevargaspuertolas3999 yo creo que lo coloca en un lugar tan alto es que podía cantar un vasto repertorio spinto y lírico y hasta lirico ligero maravillosamente. Y lo que lo perjudico fueron sus simpatías politicas.Yo pude comprar casi todo lo que grabó y es un deleite.

[@lydiaguarro]

@@jelel9698 Un grande.

[@avpago]

What a wonderful tenor. He was my father's favourite, back then in the 40's...

[@luigimaffei9132]

Cosa si può dire di questo grande? Tecnica di emissione eccezzionale, i suoi diminuendi fanno storia, ma a volte esagera ne fa troppo uso portandolo ad essere più bel cantista che tenore lirico drammatico pur avendo armonici adatti a queste parti. Fleta certamente nella schiera dei più gran di!!!!!!!

[@maurobarbosa1756]

Fantastic 👏🏼👏🏼

[@giovannievangelista6218]

Stupefacente bellezza!

[@paolovalente1157]

Grandioso nient'altro a dir!!!...

[@EliominDZ]

único.perfecto, increíble

[@grazianoghelardoni4135]

Pensate che a quel tempo cantavano con una specie di microfonaccio e registrati su dischi a 78 giri con tutti i loro fruscii e non c'era certo la tecnologia,amplificatori e microfoni di oggi, da questo si capisce chi sono i veri fenomeni che sono e saranno per l'eternità indelebili nella storia,oggi è troppo facile...

[@juandiegoperezponce2776]

Cuando uno entiende que el canto puede ser delicado.

[@kyleaustin7045]

I was expecting the diminuendo in the final note. Still, BRAVO!

[@horstwitthaus849]

Fleta y Kraus,no sé cuál de los es mejor,pero escucharlos es sublime....a D.Alfredo Kraus lo conozco más y siempre me emociona,

[@bodiloto]

1Fleta =10 Kraus.

[@lydiaguarro]

No se pueden comparar, la belleza de la voz de Fleta, su línea de canto, sus filados, sus medias voces, su versatilidad. Unico.Y además su repertorio

[@jrushka]

👏🏻👏🏾👏🏿👏👏🏼👏🏻Bravissimo!!!!!

[@miamilyricopera1]

Meraviglioso!

[@ransomcoates546]

Di Stefano said he tried to imitate Fleta in achieving his glorious early mezza voce.

[@bodiloto]

Un leone della lirica. Unico . - Dal vivo la più bella voce del Tenore drammatico. Queste erano le parole di Ivan Popov baritono wagneriano e La Riccardi soprano amica e collega di Gigli. il vecchio

[@alessandrocarlino4508]

Ho scoperto Fleta grazie ai tuoi commenti,mai finirò di ringraziarti abbastanza!

[@MichaelStBede]

This was a remarkable recording, sung so sensitively, but didn't quite "get there" at the end.

[@deadtenorssociety2973]

I was thinking the same thing. I expected the famous Fleta diminuendo...

[@MichaelStBede]

@@deadtenorssociety2973 An interpretation we can only imagine, it seems ...

[@bodiloto]

Saint Bede Un artista lirico per fortuna ha la libertà della scelta interpretativa … Il pianissimo e la mezza voce di Fleta erano di una bellezza rara. In quest’epoca i cantanti lirici avevano la libertà della scelta interpretativa.

[@germanquintero10121946]

exquisito

[@inesherranz1026]

Perfecto

[@johnllewlyndavies222]

With Gigli, my favourite, but even Gigli did not have Fleta's diminuendo.

[@joseangelpiraces9846]

Ahora vas y lo cascassss, solo un Dios podría superar a Fleta.

[@joanbrullcanalda1807]

Y ese dios es Alfredo Kraus, però Fleta es excepcional i único, bien han sido, lamentablemente

[@josemiguelvillarroyachueca6003]

@@joanbrullcanalda1807 Operate el oidooo

[@joanbrullcanalda1807]

@@josemiguelvillarroyachueca6003 jajajaja ya me pagaràs tu la operacion , para gustos colores la carrera del maestro Fleta fue corta en cambio la de Kraus desde que emperò a cantar hasta su muerte ,que fueron muchos años conservo su timbre de voz ,su tècnica i su elegància, y creo haber escuchado que kraus era un enamorado de Fleta , por tanto 2 de los grandes ,y que me gustan los 2, però lo sento, me quedo con el Príncipe, el maestro Kraus

[@heels-villeshoerepairs8613]

Bjorling esque. Very effortless and lovely.

[@carlosroyo8618]

Insuperable

[@CarlosRodriguez-wb4hv]

CUANDO RESPIRÓ?

[@CarlosRodriguez-wb4hv]

GRABADO EN 1927

[@johncoffin9354]

He seems so skillful vocally that it's hard to imagine how he could have abused his voice enough to cut his career so short.

[@carlosmonzo4102]

Fleta, Kraus. Kraus, Fleta.... The "owners" of this aira

[@GeorgesDume]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3jQqXR-i8ecoKs

[@carlosmonzo4102]

@@GeorgesDume Great singing, of course. And better pronunciation (obviously). But the high notes in this aria, must be sung "messa di voce", not "falsetto". That's the real difficulty of this aria.

[@lydiaguarro]

Si, la mejor interpretación en francés es la de Vanzo

[@bodiloto]

Carlos Monzo 1 Miguel Fleta = 20 Alfredo Kraus . 😉

[@bodiloto]

Lydia Guarrochena 1 Miguel Fleta = 30 Alain Vanzo .

[@Alkisarantinos]

He sings it a full tone lower than the original key. Beautiful tenor, but this is Gedda’s aria

[@catbird-dq7ri]

I agree. I've listened to many versions, and Gedda owns this one.

[@elosada2001]

Creo que en este aria la mejor es la de Kraus. Gedda también.

[@josemiguelvillarroyachueca6003]

No se porque tenéis que compararlo con otros ... sobre gustos allá cada cual . Pero en Aragon tenemos la suerte de haber tenido los mejores tenores del mundo. Entre ellos Bernabe Martínez entre otros muchos que no se dedicaron a ello .

[@Alkisarantinos]

​@@josemiguelvillarroyachueca6003 porque no lo canta en la tonalidad original!

[@Wendysmanager42069]

FIRST

[@begonaestefania3554]

No den más vueltas y comparativas, el mejor tenor de todos los tiempos

[@sananton2821]

Beautiful voice, horrendous wobble. Though if people are okay with wobbles now, why not then?

[@emilvalledor741]

Gran voz sólo que el uso excesivo de la filaturas llega a cansar como gigli con los sollozos.

[@volkerkuhne8859]

Spitzentöne "etwas zu eng" ?

[@SilfredoSerrano]

Interesting! He sings it in Spanish? Also, it's a whole step down so the high note is a Bb, rather than C

[@robert111k]

No and no. First no: He is singing in Italian. Second no: He is singing in the original key, A 435 Hz. The current A 440 Hz dates back from 1936, some years after this recording.

[@donjose4808]

@@robert111k Está cantando en Francés, Por Dios! El Pescador de Perlas.

[@robert111k]

@@donjose4808, I'm curious about where you are from.

[@hrbooksmusic7878]

@@donjose4808 Definitely Italian! 😊

[@sananton2821]

@@robert111k No, it's not in the original key. Not sure how you could miss that. A = 440 Hz is not a key. This is TWO half-steps down.

[@nathaliegreck6775]

Aucune articulation du texte... L’a t-il seulement appris?

[@deadtenorssociety2973]

Non. Je crois que l'articulation douce était destinée à donner à l'aria une sensation onirique.

[@nathaliegreck6775]

@@deadtenorssociety2973

[@nathaliegreck6775]