Perle Nere - Tosca in Berlin: Operatic Incompetence 4.0

Review of a particularly bad 2022 run of Tosca in Berlin featuring Marcelo Alvarez, Angela Gheorghiu and Marco Armiliato.
00:00:00 Intro
00:01:42 Sponsor's announcement
00:03:00 On Angela Gheorghiu
00:03:40 Io quella lama... Vissi d'arte
00:05:55 On Marco Armiliato
00:08:55 On Marcelo Álvarez
00:09:58 Recondita armonia
00:11:42 Qual occhio al mondo... La vita mi costasse... Vittoria
00:14:22 On Ludovic Tézier
00:14:44 Tosca è un buon falco
00:15:57 On Alvis Hermanis / staging
00:17:05 Rant on current opera politics
Bongiovanni: www.bongiovanni70.it

[@renaissanceinblack]

There are not many channels on KZbin that offer commentary and reviews on current opera performances. So this is very refreshing. And the speaking voice is perfect for it.

[@stefi2828]

Opera is in great crisis for decades, its going down practicly from the fifties. Theres no much space to get any lower. I am an opera singer and you can only imagine how diply this affects me. Everything is upside down, the great and terrifying ignorance is ruling everywhere. This is maybe the first video of this kind that I have seen. I agree with everything except that I would give zero or maybe one out of ten to each of the main protagonists and regie. This is precious. The classic critic and critics have died long ago. This is the new critic. Bravo. Well done. I hope this is the bigining of the great awakening.

[@user-ry9zf5fp4v]

Но опера не умерла в сердце..реальные и настоящие сильные эмоции не забываются,настоящая опера живёт хотя бы так

[@boundary2580]

Go listen to Saioa Hernandéz, and you won’t think opera is dying. Also Tezier is far from a bad baritone, and handles heavier rep very well. Yea, sometimes singers that really don’t deserve it get propped up by various houses and such, but its almost always been this way.

[@vittoriopassanante2601]

Sadly, you are correct. If one listens to the recordings of Caruso and his contemporaries, one finds that as far as the actual singing goes, the golden age of Opera was NOT during Caruso’s time but from 1950 until about 1990- there are NO contemporary equivalents to Callas, Sutherland, Sills, Horne, Pavarotti, Corelli etc. the greats of the TRUE golden age of opera SINGING. Furthermore, misguided attempts to update (in the wrong way) opera- turning Rigoletto into a mafia tale and stuffing Gilda in the trunk of a car is absurd and debases a great work of art. Thank God we still have the recordings of the TRUE masters, and that KZbin posters like Lohengrin graciously provide us with priceless examples of when opera singing was truly glorious. Recently I went to a performance where the tenor cracked on EVERY high note he attempted. I wonder if opera will ever be truly great again.

[@miloximenez1997]

Does anyone knows when Enrique Iglesias is going to sing at La Scala "Andrea Chenier"? Thanks in avance.

[@piccaluga35]

The silver lining to this disgrace is that I really enjoyed the format of this video, thank you. There's so much to say but I can't find the words... I nearly had a stroke when Alvarez was mentioned as a successor to Kraus... luckily you provided that short clip of Kraus singing to bring me back to life!

[@St.Garoosh]

Successor to Crap!

[@moorfan1]

I will never fault a singer with a good voice and technique who has a bad night. However, when a singer accepts a fee to sing a role that is clearly no longer in their wheelhouse, that is simply greed.

[@jacquelineburkholder6958]

a lot of singers have neither then self awareness nor the education to know when a role is wrong for them.

[@gianerajohn436]

@@jacquelineburkholder6958 isn’t it the audience’s fault though? The average people only care about certain operas/certain characters then you have anyone attempting Violetta, Turandot, Leonora just because no one other than true opera lovers cares about a stunning lesser known role

[@jacquelineburkholder6958]

@@gianerajohn436 an educated audience couldn’t hurt at all

[@djquinn4212]

If singers are having a bad night, it’s the responsibility of the conductor to move the tempi along and to keep the orchestra at a reasonably quieter level. The tempi did not help the singers either.

[@leonardoiglesias2394]

Haha! The weakest is always guilty. If you cant sing, the only problem is that you cant sing. And if you cant sing you shouldnt sing.

[@djquinn4212]

@@leonardoiglesias2394 that's a really fucking stupid comment because every singer has had a bad night, even corelli, del monaco, callas and di stefano had them and it's the job of a conductor to help get them through. what a really fucking stupid comment.

[@benjamingreenfield9569]

@@leonardoiglesias2394 wow way to completely miss the point about bad conducting. are you usually this much of an idiot when you comment on youtube?

[@gregorychapman2737]

@@leonardoiglesias2394 didn’t you comment earlier thinking this was the Berlin Philharmonic playing this instead of the proper opera orchestra? I concur with everyone else on your level of stupidity and advise you to learn something about opera and music before commenting.

[@fokwingchau893]

When Alvarez sang for Di Stefano in Buernos Aires, he was a very good lyrical tenor, but since he had 'established' himself outside Argentina he is completely different. In a video where he sung Cielo e Mar he was clearly struggling and shouting all the way. Obviously he has taken on roles that is outside his fach

[@therealmerryjest]

Lyric tenors are often drawn to heavier repertoire by the allure of money and fame. I am content to remain in my specialty and emulate Alfredo Kraus in that. He was an excellent role model for tenors.

[@RealHogweed]

This is exactly what we need! I wonder what the papers critics have written about this debacle. I hope you make more of these kind of videos

[@bryonyroslynstocker5334]

Please write more of these honest crits

[@jochemb.1748]

Well, the paper critics weren't too bad, but they mentioned Gheorghiu being too low and that Alvarez was announced "indisposed" and that he even drank cough mixture on stage! And when mentioning the strange production, have you heard about the Tosca with Harteros, when in the final scene Scarpia comes crawling up the stairs and shoots Tosca with a gun😱😱😱

[@paoladatodi8626]

@@jochemb.1748 e Madrid, con una mima onnipresente che simboleggerebbe la Libertà; e Bruxelles pure con vari mimi tra cui in particolare uno che sarebbe...Pier Paolo Pasolini(!!!)...

[@AemiliaJacobus]

This video is such a breath of fresh air. I'd never considered that opera houses require quieter conducting but I suppose that makes sense given the natural limitations of the human voice. No comment is needed for Álvarez. I appreciate that you were gracious with your critiques of Gheorghiu and Tezier. If I ever find myself in Bologna, I'll be sure to visit Bongiovanni 😊

[@nolango6160]

Thank you SO MUCH for this video! You provided so many great details and principles to an operatic performances that have been forgotten (or deliberately ignored) today. I wish more people could stay sober and respectful to such a beautiful culture. P.S. Thank you for recommending Bongiovanni!!! I can finally find some scores I need!!! Mille Grazie!!!

[@wojteksemerau4435]

The lack of professional critics in mainstream is terribile. Thanks that in KZbin there are some!

[@canamus1768]

the wikipedia article advancing alvarez as the heir to alfredo kraus is mind-boggling. it's hard to imagine a singer with a vocal style and technique (such as it is) more diametrically opposed to that of kraus than alvarez, never mind the fact that there's little overlap in their respective repertoires. kraus' motto, when it came to his choice of repertoire, and his relationship with and respect for his instrument, was, "never take a step longer than your leg," advice that alvarez would do well to heed, before it's too late.

[@sgnmath1234]

Yes. Bocelli is the successor to Caruso and Pertile !!!

[@JeremieSchutz]

As a singer I can only say how much what you do is crucial ! This needs to stop. The public deserves quality and professionalism !

[@leonardoiglesias2394]

Forget that. Orchestras are the boss today. And Agents. They care only about social media, publicity, money. Thats it. If its too loud, or soft or out if tune, doesnt matter a bit to them.

[@alexandras484]

Thank you for the review, we need more content like this! Finally someone who tells it as it is, I hope more people become aware of it so hopefully the situation finally changes. On a side note, you have a very pleasant voice to listen to

[@mariashuliakovskaia9707]

totally agree!

[@buhnedej]

Can you imagine, that you are singer in training, or ''completed'', inspired by all the greats from previous century, looking forward to get a chance on some operatic stage, then you find out people like this are getting picked for the roles you apply because of nepotism and/or politics. Nothing odd in today culture. Well... After the rain, the sun comes out. Lets hope it comes soon.

[@lolapavlovic4158]

Y3

[@lukasmiller486]

It has always been about virtue signaling. Tiana Lemnitz was not allowed during the 40’s because she was a Nazi supporter and antisemite. If you do a through research however you’ll know the Allies did some sick stuff too like the A bomb and Operation Paperclip. So I don’t feel bad about allowing Tiana to sing at the Met. The point is, there’s never been a war fought where one side was entirely innocent. The cancel culture mob has no superior morality.

[@Fauxtralto]

There are many of us more suited to these roles. The industry is broken and favors those who went to the right school and they do pre screening by resume and video. Videos invariably make small voices sound large and strip the size and color from larger voices

[@MaxLuetgendorff]

Hear hear!!!!

[@tristanberger8500]

@@Fauxtralto very good point !!!

[@meiada]

Thanks for letting us know. We will definitely go next time I am in Bologna.❤

[@michelefritze3988]

Thank you for your witty, sharp and concise critique. Listening to the singing was painful. Having heard Tosca well sung, this production brought tears to my eyes, for all the wrong reasons. You make a brilliant argument re the costs and spending. 🙏😇🕊🌹

[@AfroPoli]

Thank you for listening! 😊

[@user-ry9zf5fp4v]

Для меня слышать плохую Тоску-это как ножом по сердцу,больно и обидно

[@Bobrogers99]

My mother was an opera fan, and especially Puccini, so I grew up hearing the Saturday radio performances of the Met as well as her many LPs. I'm not an expert, but now, many (many) years later, I have access to performances on the internet. I find it sad when I hear a one-thrilling voice well past its prime attempting a role for which it is no longer even adequate. Many of the great singers knew when to scale back and/or retire, but not all of them. I recall a radio broadcast of a Met performance of Butterfly, when Renata Scotto was so wobbly that my mother couldn't bear to listen. My other complaint is when the orchestra drowns out the singers. In the performance reviewed here, perhaps that wasn't entirely a bad thing, but if we wanted to just hear the orchestra we would have bought an "Opera Without Words" recording.

[@user-ry9zf5fp4v]

Голоса просто мелкие,их заглушает оркестр,они не могут петь как те старые итальянцы

[@EElgar1857]

This is tragic. I remember so fondly seeing Tosca at the Staatsoper, back in DDR times, and many things about it were magnificent. Otmar Suitner was conducting, and Theo Adam was Scarpia. Sadly, I've lost the program, and can't remember the rest of the cast. What I remember most was the powerful staging at the end of Act 1, when Scarpia burst through a big door, into the church, with a blinding white light behind him! The audience actually gasped in shock. I think that's what Puccini had in mind.

[@ferminsalaberri]

Loved the video and loved more your sponsor! I’ll definitely check it out (and probably spend an obscene quantity of money that I don’t have with them). On another note, the constricted chest voice of Georghiu probably has something to do with the lack of volume. It sounds somwhat like callas in her bad times

[@operaforlife6551]

Thanks for this, it's important to show people how bad things have gotten, even if this is very demotivating as well, how will this problem ever be fixed, every year fewer people will know how the greats sounded, I am so scared that audiences won't be able to recognise good singing at all anymore. I say this semi-selfishly, since I am a baritone who is nearly ready to start singing professionally (not that my technique is ready, but it's good enough to start), after autodidacticly teaching myself to sing, and unlearn the indoctrination of years of shitty singing lessons. I practice in my local medium-sized church and people usually compliment me on the huge volume of my voice, but I wonder how well it would do outside of the church, and whether I will ever be allowed to sing on stage. Anyway, thanks for helping me on my journey, hope you do more like this!

[@AfroPoli]

Good luck to you, mate!

[@operaforlife6551]

@@AfroPoli thanks :)

[@klokheten]

Warmest thanks for your faithful, intelligent and passionate struggle for the operatic art. As long as the Bongiovanni family in Bologna continue their relentless work, there will be hope for the art. And what a fantastic opportunity to purchase the Voci parallele in english! I hope they will make another edition of this most important work.

[@josephcollins6033]

Bravo! I really appreciate your thoughtful, well-educated comments. I live in the US, and I have finally stopped listening to the Met. Singers, teachers, directors, designers, etc. have lost their minds! As has the world! And, I am not even old, yet! Thank you for this.

[@judithbereczky4114]

I can't take anymore MET's modern, "progressive " productions of the beautiful operas. Staging is a joke, but it is not funny since all of them look ugly, tasteless and sterile. There are so many modern composers with their so called operas, so apply your modern "art' to these modern operas. Don't insult 19th century greatest opera composers and the libretti. Yes, I'm an old lady from Europe (now living in USA) and even in my town which had second rate singers (but not bad, and very serious artists) the performances were never laughable. I don't have even to mention that I attended two performances at la Scala, a 15 year old girl, and was so in awe of the glorious theatre, glorious production and staging. I never saw anything like this coming from a small Central European country. And singers? all of them, but I will mention just two of the greatest ever, Corelli and Di Stefano, and the music director in ne my favorite Antonino Votto. I never heard abut Franco Corelli until then, in opera Hercules by Handel. As soon as Corelli entered the stage I fell in love with him (have several grandchildren) and it lasts still today. I stopped listening to contemporary singers. God help us.

[@josephcollins6033]

@@judithbereczky4114 Oh, dear Judith! Yes, you said it brilliantly. You said it so well. I often think, "Is this because I have become an old man? Do I only like the opera of my youth? Have I become "that person"? I do not think so; when I was around 15 and began to love opera I was wild about some current singers, yes, but mostly singers from the 50s, 60s, and earlier! So, it isn't that I only like singers from my youth. Now, the singers do not last because of the WAY they sing. And, the directors and designers!! ARGHHH! You are correct in all you say. Opera is dead now. At least I have my dvd's! Thank you, Judith.

[@veristaconvicto9881]

@@judithbereczky4114 I totally agree with you. I also stopped going to the Met. I am Brazilian and when I was young I dreamed of seeing a good staging of the opera Il Guarany (Carlos Gomes) at the Metropolitan, which was a Brazilian composer who gained notoriety in Europe in the 19th century. It's a fantastic opera for the present day. It talks about forests, the Indians and Gomes, gives special treatment to the character of the Cacique, who in the original book is not the hero, but in the opera he has one of the best dramatic moments (O Dio degli Aymore) in contrast to Pery, the Indian. who would be the protagonist of the novel because he became acculturated. A work worth studying. Today I thank God that she remains in the shadows. They would do ridiculous things with this opera. Anyone who wants to know her should look for old recordings. Here is a small example: The invocation to the God of the Aymorés, a heavy moment of the opera, both for the protagonists (tenor and soprano, of course) who were detained and for the Aymorés who would soon be killed and did not know that they were actually singing their requiem itself. kzbin.info/www/bejne/f2HOoY2mapadobs

[@SteveL2012]

For a great operatic performance, one must start with great voices. All you need to do is listen to the horrors that the Met and Netrebko have Imposed upon Verdi recently to know that they prioritize everything but great singing. The NYT reviews are equally incompetent by not saying that the emperor has no clothes. They cannot be that inept so one must speculate that they are either pandering for continued access, or there is a more corrupt arrangement going on.

[@judithbereczky4114]

@@SteveL2012 Not only Netrebko. I mostly fault Gelb, who has no idea what is a true opera. Today, singers in general are second rate singers, who are chasing the money and fame (J. Kaufmann et al.) but I still hate the most the new productions of operas. But this sickness is not only present at the MET, but in the whole world: at la Scala, too. In 1959 I attended two performances there, and I felt the happiest girl in the world watching the whole package, singers, conductors, and STAGING, that left such an impact on me. Now, I only can weep for the good, old times.

[@masus-dl5zq]

To put some perspective on why opera houses run the way they do (I hope I’m not saying something very inaccurate here): For the most part, opera houses in Europe get funds from (ranging at about 40-80% of all revenue): 1) the state, 2) the city, 3) the region, 4) other public institutions ; further they receive private contributions and sponsorships from 1) companies, 2) donors ; the rest of the money to run their activity they earn by 1) selling tickets, 2) selling other services (concessions, merch, guided tours, online content etc.), 3) guest appearances, 4) selling productions or parts of them, 5) renting out spaces or parts of productions. Our economy runs on quantifiable measurements - data. Any improvements and predictions can be made only in areas and in ways where the data is available and clearly suggests it. People in charge of the institutions that give funds and contributions *only* understand data: “Show us that you are successful in using our money and fulfilling your mission.” Some indicators are more easily quantifiable and measurable than others - the most convenient, direct and undisputable measure of success / achievement is *money* . Good luck measuring artistic quality! (There are some ways to do that, but one can never get objective and clear cut results that any modern state or company official could understand and find relevant, whereas everybody understands money.) The best thing an opera house can do to justify its existence to its benefactors is to show the 1) number of visitors, 2) number of tickets sold, 3) occupancy rate, 4) revenue made, 5) number of new productions put forth, 6) number of performances given in a year, 7) reasonable amount of costs to run the institution and its artistic activity. In order for the opera house to have something to show at the end of each year, the opera houses’ *main goal* is to optimize on those above listed parameters. A board controlling the activity of an opera house is composed of representatives of the institutions that give funds. They understand data. Best data is money. It also names the general director of the opera house. The primary concern of the board is to assure economic sustainability. In their mind the *economic success of the opera house is the best and only indicator of artistic quality* . They rely on the artistic director of the opera house to make the right artistic choices. The artistic director is at times the same person as the general director of the opera house or otherwise a separate entity. The job of the artistic director is, *ideally* , to make sure that the opera house is producing the most artistic value possible, preserving tradition, promoting innovation and new works, educating the public and developing young talents. Usually he/she has a lot of decisional power, but has to of course substantiate his/her choices to the economic managers of the opera house. It's an utterly important thing for an opera house to have the most competent artistic director possible. In order for an opera house to stage a production that is ‘more expensive’, but artistically very relevant and maybe unlikely to make much profit, the opera house must balance it out and put some proven ‘ticket-sellers’ on the program (most popular titles in the opera repertoire). Another way to attract audiences is to have stars sing the main roles or have *any well known* people involved in the conception process (regisseur, costume designer, set designer etc.). It doesn’t matter so much what they are known for (could be anything from quality, innovation, provocation, a certain philosophy or because they have somehow successfully established themselves as public personalities) as long as they are known. They represent a guarantee for the opera house to have a full auditorium and thereby justify its existence, its artistic choices and secure funds for activities in the following years. A modern opera house is basically *a factory of productions* . It has to optimize the number of productions and performances of those productions, so that the most profit is likely to be made or rather the *least loss* possible. These opera houses could not sustain their activity alone only by selling tickets at current prices. The productions are so expensive that the ticket prices would have to increase substantially (depending on the % of subsidies, guessing around 3x on average) in order for the opera house to be able to cover the production costs by means of their own sales. They are required to provide artistry within this *efficiency-oriented model* . Limited budget on crew per production, limited rehearsal time. It's all determined very much in advance. Hiring assistants, coaches, making more space for individual rehearsal time or additional research means more costs in their mind. Especially the costs that are not predicted in the budget the year before, present a risk and are to be avoided by all means. But the thing is (this is from my own observations, maybe it’s not the same everywhere), almost whatever you put on stage, even if the audience is bored throughout and half-asleep, they will clap enthusiastically at the end! - I guess to make their money spent on tickets worth it in their mind... Would love to see / hear some more beautiful singing in the opera. Let’s hope there will be a demand (from the audience) for great singing soon again, that’s the only way to assure the supply of good productions and good voices in the future. I think this channel is making a contribution here 😊

[@tecnicaantica]

Thank you very much for such a thorough review. Marcello Alvarez is a lyric tenor that has over the years punished his voice to a pulp. He is unable to cover his voice, yells and barks in order to squeeze out something that unfortunately is not there anymore. Cavaradossi, although a major role, is not one of the longest in operatic literature, and is “standard” for any full lyric/lirico-spinto tenor. I am speechless. As for Gheorghiu, I do totally agree with your description. Once again a case of wanting more and more and abusing nature instead of managing proper technique. She either blasts open in the high register or drops down in nowadays a powerful yet out of control chest voice. Nothing in the middle. I will not extend myself. I am very grateful for such a wonderful analysis and I cannot but feel saddened by listening to what is happening in the Operatic stage nowadays. Juan Diego Flórez singing Rodolfo… Roberto Alagna singing Lohengrin… Placido Domingo failing as a baritone… Villazón singing Papageno, and so on and so forth… Greetings. Keep up the good work.

[@wylie5525]

Back in the 80's, the Met had a magazine with reviews that were similar to this. The critics spared no one when reviewing bad performances and it could get brutal. Before buying any recording, I need to hear for myself what the various singers sound like, the quality of the recording, etc. There is a recording of Zanetto that surprises me that the soprano didn't hurt herself with her vibrato.

[@BVforFreedom]

Thank you for the real critic!!! I totally agree with your views regarding the Deutsche Staatsoper. As a German and Berliner I am disgusted that the standard of operatic art has sunk beyond belief!

[@blancag418]

An accurate crític at last ,thank you in the name of so many sad ópera lovers

[@sopranokatherinearriola]

Thanks for the video. Have you found any more Perle Bianche lately? A Perle Bianche series would be so nice to feel that all is not lost and to support singers who are worth it.

[@AfroPoli]

Absolutely! We are working on it. It's not all lost.

[@sopranokatherinearriola]

@@AfroPoli thank you so much!

[@Sir.Larselot]

The problem is nowadays that the leading opera houses in the world are casting with famous names and the "pop stars" of the opera business. The agencies are making contracts for years in the future. It's very often the audiences is presented the old stars in a bad vocal condition or younger ones in a vocal crisis for singing too heavy roles with too young age. It's unpleasing of course, but everyone should do some research before buying a ticket for 60 years old soprano or a hyped opera asterisk.

[@cristianionita8359]

Thank you for posting this review! It's nice to see a more "personal" approach to the "Perle Nere" series.

[@dashiellwaterbury5617]

The way you ended with the bows over the most tragic music of the opera. Chef's kiss, I salute you.

[@commandert5]

Bows they couldn't even coordinate properly

[@TimothyCHenderson]

I didn't know about the hand to the temple thing. Great to know! Always wondered why singers do that.

[@moresalesoryourmoneyback]

Thank you for backing up your opinions with the recordings. Makes everything very objective.

[@monsieurgrigny]

This was a very illuminating and entertaining! video and I look forward to more. Why did nobody think of doing such a thing before?

[@MaxLuetgendorff]

I can understand why this makes you angry. I am FIGHTING my a** of to sing in places like that and they won't let me. :( It makes me desperate. Thank you for your vids. in Italy they would have booed them off the stage... it's an utter shame.

[@Lindow]

Thank you for your work. Especially your point about our opera houses being subsidized and how that money is spent hit home for me. It's infuriating!

[@ViardotVSGrisi]

Tremendous video, receipts and all! The side by side comparisons (wiki, Kraus, etc) particularly damning. Totally using that bongiovanni code, btw!

[@BangkokVoiceCoach]

This review is utterly fascinating. Well done for putting it together, accompanied by audio examples (where did you get them? recorded in your phone during the show!?). I met Angela once and she was vile. However, I wouldn’t have cared if her Adina (Royal Opera House) hadn’t been the size of a pea.

[@AfroPoli]

Thank you for the positive feedback. No, I did not record it myself. I saw three performances of the run, and a friend of mine taped one of them.

[@1pureboy1]

I worked at the ROH and have chatted to Angelina, she was utterly charming.

[@grdelgadomusico]

Gracias por postear esta crónica documentada. La situación de decadencia en el negocio de la lírica es conocida y cada vez son menos frecuentes las veladas buenas o, inclusive, las dignas. Pero escuchar la sinrazón de esa representación de "Tosca" resulta algo realmente triste. Respecto de Marcelo Álvarez, mientras cantó los roles que SÍ le iban (recuerdo un muy buen Duca di Mantova en el Teatro Colón de Buenos Aires en 1997), era alguien a tener muy en cuenta. Por qué se dejó arrastrar a cosas como esta, es un misterio (o tal vez no. Los cantos de sirena siempre hacen estragos).

[@lucianospektor8506]

Utterly shocked about Marcelo Alvarez performance on this production. A mean, one can argue about likeability or preference regarding voice nuance and tone, but this is beyond a matter of personal taste.

[@greggi47]

Did I hear correctly that Alvarez shouted "fuck!!" when he botched the note

[@alanhowe1455]

Alvarez doesn't have the voice for this repertoire - never has had.

[@Holderlin]

If I didn't hear it (Alvárez, of course above all), I couldn't have believed it. Only ypur BonGiovanni sponsor says it all: the most qualified and dedicated opera source since many decades. Thanks for such a perfect, accurate information.

[@goldenagerecordings5295]

This review is a fantastic format, Daniele. Hope that you keep it up!

[@cabaletta64]

dispiace vedere e sentire queste cose, abbiamo un grosso problema, e non vedo via d'uscita. Conosco cantanti (tenori) di una volta, che se avessero cantato come Alvarez, si sarebbero ritirati dalla carriera di artista lirico, e cmq Alvarez ha cantato tante volte male, eppure viene sempre chiamato dai grandi teatri. Chissà quali Santi avrà in cielo.....

[@ciupotto]

credo sia una questione di politica commerciale che va ad osteggiare voci veramente valide a vantaggio di guadagni facili, Credo esistano voci importanti ma per qualche motivo si spinge sempre su pochi noti e non così bravi

[@SopranoLili]

I heard Alvarez in his prime, like 25 years ago, and he had a pretty voice, but no finesse whatsoever. Then I heard him again 5 years ago in Trovatore and it was sad, I thought he wouldn’t finish. The voice is gone unfortunately, he needs to stop, and theatres have to have the courage to tell him. It’s not fair to the public and not fair to him to allow him to make such displays.

[@BangkokVoiceCoach]

With this I agree.

[@minaoshen8691]

Great review! We need content like this !

[@user-my6fv4db1j]

I’m studying operatic art and glad that have found your channel. It really helps. Keep up the good work. Grazie.

[@user-my6fv4db1j]

I still can’t believe that it happened on one of the greatest operatic scene we have today. What a shame.

[@AfroPoli]

Best of luck to you! ✊🏻

[@contraltodia]

Thanks for being honest. I don't understand how the industry thinks its current approach is OK. It seems to have a depressing preference for singers who pushed to succeed young at all costs and sacrificed healthy technical maturation for immediate gratification. Meanwhile, far too many of the singers who allow their voices to grow naturally get passed over when young because they dare to sound young and fresh. And when they mature, thanks to the shouting, burned-out messes to which we're accustomed, it is automatically assumed that anyone over 30 is too old to sing and their chances are shot. So we are deprived of hearing both exciting new talent and seasoned artistry.

[@tristanberger8500]

you've got it ! And real dramatic voices are missing. -

[@contraltodia]

@@tristanberger8500 Yes! That's true too.

[@singermanz]

Everyone in the comments blaming MA and AG’s shortcomings on heavier roles. The roles did not destroy their voices, their choice to sing outside of their abilities is what did. They could have chosen to sing “heavier” roles more ‘lyrically’, or within their individual capabilities rather than resort to yelling and screaming. Choices have consequences- let’s not let individuals off the hook for their own failures.

[@Abigail-gw4md]

Was noch nicht gesagt wurde: alle Sänger und der "Grande Maestro Armiliato" sind danach mit ein Sackerl voller Geld nach Hause gegangen und haben vielleicht mit große Freude eine teuere Flasche Champagner geöffnet ....

[@theweaselcut4214]

Modern singers: - Have the recordings of all the greatest singers of the 20th century : Don't work on it ! - Wreck their constricted voices in less than 20 years (maximum!!) VS 40 years (and more) with old techniques: Just don't care ! - Fully ruining legendary masterpieces from true genius by their lack of reconsideration: It's okay ! VERGOGNA!!!! Absolute shame on you!!!!

[@brblum]

A quibble. Alvarez' first name is pronounced "Mar Sell O" because he is Hispanic. You are pronouncing it as if he were Italian. Thanks for your work...Cheers!

[@mikaelb7735]

So well done. Thank you very much!!!

[@PragueImport]

I love your channel and appreciate the shop you mentioned! I will certainly go there to look for opera gems.

[@meiada]

Well said, someone has to speak the truth! Thank you!

[@lospazio]

I happened to be in Berlin on November 4. I had no idea what was on the Staatsoper, but as I was walking down Unter den Linden I learned that a performance of Tosca was about to begin. I was sure it was sold out, but just in case I searched the website and found out there was a lonely ticket in the parquet, in row 4 or 5, for 97 euros. I almost purchased it, but I suddenly felt embarrased because my attire was not ideal for the occasion. People were arriving and they were very well dressed. So I decided to have a glass of wine in Mitte instead. It seems I was very lucky... 🤭

[@AfroPoli]

Good for you! 😀

[@monsieurgrigny]

€97 too much!!!

[@gb9971]

Good for you! You didn't listen to artists who are not young! Well, so what does that leave us with? Hmmm... Well... We can alway listen to CDs (recorded in studio with retakes) of people who have been dead for 60 years!

[@xapaga1]

When I visited Ost-Berlin back in April 1990, the parquet cost me about the equivalent of 4 US dollars (Few people would believe today!). Yes, that was the time of DDR (East Germany) even after the collapse of the Berlin Wall in November 1989, and the currency union with the Deutsche Mark (West German mark) didn't go ahead until some time. The opera house was called Deutsche Staatsoper (German State Opera) in those olden days instead of Staatsoper Unter den Linden.

[@amantedellopera1681]

@@gb9971 id rathar listen to artists that sang 60 years ago to that complete shambles of a production,over the hill singers,shouting as they cant sing anymore

[@amantedellopera1681]

I saw alvarez in verona back when he could sing,about 2006,in tosca and he was pretty good then,he has now become the perfect example of what happens a voice when its abused,used beyond its natural limits

[@rickloduca394]

My God, this is the best and most honest review Ive ever seen/ heard! Thank you! I was about to spend hundreds of dollars to fly to New York (and risk my life! ) to finally hear Angela in Tosca this coming April. But, I will not risk it. I was able to see her live in Vienna several years ago singing a recital of Romanian folk songs. Ok, but not satisfying. So now I’ll just stick with her videos, etc. Thank you for posting I will subscribe for more honest reviews!

[@samueljaramillo4221]

Why would you risk your life in NY. NY is a very safe city.

[@hildabusciglio]

gracias, maravilloso

[@boh7286]

I have followed alvarez fron 1995 to about 2010 and he was very good. Try to hear him in. Werther geova (you can find it as such in youtube) or in tosca from parma (again just look alvarez tosca parma). Thanks for promoting Bomgiovanni. And thanks for this nice channel

[@amantedellopera1681]

I have been to bongiovani in bolonga and its a fantsstic music shop,came away with an armful of cds a live traviata with herlea and zeani and a live radio broadcast of norma with del monaco and callas,well worth a visit

[@Tico4president]

Alvarez was quite amazing when he was younger

[@ferminsalaberri]

It happens. Gifted voices do well naturally. When they are abused and poorly or wrongly trained this is what happens. We have seen it with all the great voices of the century. Really sad!

[@therealmerryjest]

@@ferminsalaberri and other tenors, like Alfredo Kraus, never had beautiful voices and had to learn to do beautiful things with them and firm up their technique- something that served them well as they aged. Being gifted is actually a disadvantage in the long game.

[@ferminsalaberri]

@@therealmerryjest that's so true!

[@johnpickford4222]

Tico4president: Well, he’s amazing but in a bad way and no longer young.

[@renzo6490]

Who made the recording that we hear on this video? Can we trust its accuracy? We’re quality materials used?

[@jasonbowden1000]

Armiliato SMASH! Seriously though, I'm surprised. Armiliato is usually reliable -- he typically summons a lot of controlled firepower, which I like, and I've never heard him just bury the singers.

[@manirossi9917]

Maybe he buried them purposely...

[@OlivierNovel]

Oh my goodness... This is precious information, I attended a presentation at the "Deutsche Oper Berlin" a year ago and wasn't impressed either, a different opera house, same city, seems like a similar result...

[@arnoldamaral3814]

Alvarez is 60 yrs old. I blame the Opera Co.for hiring him. $$$

[@LornaKellyZim]

Why should age come into it.? Many mature singers are better than youngsters. They bring refinement, experience and insight. Too many young singers are only concerned with fame but there is no shortcut to good vocal technique and older generation singers have done their work.

[@operaforlife6551]

@@LornaKellyZim Refinement, have you not heard his singing ? xD Older singers can bring something extra, but only if their voice has survived the years of abuse, his definitely hasn't.

[@sananton2821]

@@LornaKellyZim The number of tenors who could sing major roles on stage at 60 is VERY small. If age doesn't come into it, where are all the 80-year-old Rodolfos, I wonder?

[@LornaKellyZim]

@@sananton2821 One does not have to sing opera at that age when obviously there are many nice looking youngsters...but nothing to stop older singers singing recitals. Just dont laugh artists simply because of age.

[@andrewmayzak1780]

Cracks on high notes happen; singers aren’t robots after all. But to break character and curse after cracking… WTF???

[@BangkokVoiceCoach]

Sounds like he knew it was going to happen. And as for “break character” - he was never in character to start!!

[@MaxLuetgendorff]

He did that the whole performance... and you can hear that his technique is not in place... not even close.

[@m.p.2234]

Would you eat a spoiled dish in a restaurant?

[@OperaMyWorld]

Unfortunately the public is paying to see these disgrace to the Opera! Thank you for the review! I don’t know how they did not booed them!

[@operaanimelover369]

It's a good thing I did not bother to catch it. I just feel so sorry for Marcelo Alvarez and Angela Gheorghiu. They had lovely lyric voices when they began their careers, but they went all over the place when they took on heavier roles, and now look what happened to them. They have become sad shadows of their former selves.

[@Operafiend22]

Please do more of these reviews.

[@Carlskwell]

I heard the same production with Elena Stikhina and some other guys in 2019. it was quite well sung. The production is really not very inspired. But musically I liked it.

[@jennetal.984]

Alvarez sang Cavarodossi because Villazon wasn't available

[@donaldlevine1420]

Alvarez is scheduled to sing Radames at the Met in April and May. What will he do?

[@marcelbohemski8802]

Great review !! The operatic word could be saved with this kind of things ! “La Boheme” is coming soon to Staatsoper Berlin with interesting cast - I would like to know Your opinion about this project. Thank you

[@Danielap4513]

Grazie Afro. E’ raro sentire un cantante così

[@XPRT10R]

Thank you for telling it like it is and calling It/them out!

[@MilaWilson]

spot on - i saw the opening night and it was a disaster.

[@evgeny9965]

Puccini is hard enough to sing because of the constant orchestration underlying every part of the vocal line.

[@matthiasfinger6776]

That was really interesting. I'm curious about the audience reactions. The final sequence of your contribution shows the final curtain and this seems to be a great success.

[@antoniomarcelo4423]

Performing arts are for the audience not for the reviewers. No matter how someone wants to spin it around, that's a fact.

[@samueljaramillo4221]

It’s the audience reaction that matters. As long as the audience comes the theaters will continue hiring them. The reviewers or critics bad review’s don’t matter.

[@romearomeo]

Alfredo Kraus 👍👏👌❤❤❤

[@rennadjey8056]

Terrible. Thank you for raising awareness of this catastrophy. But unfortunately people still buy tickets and applaud for this. I saw the same production a half a year ago with Saoia Hernandez and it was much much better than this, though it seems to me she does not sing as well as some years ago. Still much much better than Gheorgiu. It often happened to me that I have left operas in Berlin after the first act. So in the meanwhile I just save my money and don't go to concerts or performances at all, unless I see a name like Martin Muehle, or Hernandez or a rare occasional ok singer is performing, like the jewish capella from Moscow which had great singers at the Lewandowski festival. There simply is no point. I also went to Flemings piano recital at the Staatsoper this year. It was a desaster - when a world star soprano gets drowned by a piano! Tiny, tiny airy voice, loudness of living room speech. Absolutely shocking. The Bartoli recital at the Staatsoper this year I skipped, because I knew from seeing her back in 2009 that she was inaudiable. A friend of mine who never heard her insisted on going and called me right after the recital and said: you were right, I mostly couldn't hear anything, she is inaudiable and was shocked. These days, opera singers are actually opera studio recording artists. Very sad. I really think the decline of opera has reached the level that can't be fixed anymore. There seem to be some hope in Russian, Ukrainian and South Korean and some other universities in China and Japan, where singing, though mostly not ideal, still functions on a different level. But even there it is slowly getting corrupt. I've been looking for a voice teacher in Berlin for years, and just gave up at one point...ridiculous what people teach and the money they ask for nonsense. Everywhere - privately, schools, universities, choirs.

[@Martinowor]

Alvarez was Iil that night, and should NOT have sung. I have heard him sing many performances of Dick Johnson that were exciting, emotional and beautiful. Sad that he chose to sing Cavaradossi that night…

[@maryprosperi6958]

I Thank you so much for sharing this Video...i am a "Floria Tosca" myself...i've recognized this about the Great faults of Maestros that permit their Orchestras to Play Sooo loud in Operas likes "Tosca"..I Hope the new Generations of Conductors follow Muti's teachings..I think nowdays every singer should take the time to train,Listen if their singing well or not to improve themselves! Thank you💌

[@AfroPoli]

You are so right! And I love your singing. Thank you!

[@stranraerwal]

... that sounds like a shouting match between all singers involved because of this insane loud conducting of "Marco".

[@brianlandrytenor]

Great review, thank you. Makes me sad this is where international opera is at, and some of us decent singers are languishing in obscurity because we don’t look right, have the right agent, etc.

[@robertevans8010]

I have a signed edition from Lauri Volpi. A gem, but I did not agree with all of his thoughts about the Singers he chose! That is a personal thought about Mr Volpi, Bongiovanni I visited many times and it was a Wonderful Experience.

[@NatashaSallesSoprano]

The text in German shown on screen doesn't say "many experts" and "the only successor", it says "some experts" and "a successor". There is a difference there.

[@longhorngal9498]

Fantastic review! It is very sad to me that these singers know they are having serious issues/should no longer be singing and they choose to continue. And that houses continue to hire them based on their talent from 20 years ago. I guess they love themselves/their ego more than they love opera as an art form. If someone had never been to an opera and they heard that, would they want to go to another one? I doubt it.

[@zoompt-lm5xw]

Hey Just like it happened with movies and Comics a channel about slaughtering sacred cows... but about Opera! Excellent Excellent Subscribed

[@JohnMartin-ux2rm]

The audience should demand a refund . My deepest sympathies my friend !!!

[@fredrickroll06]

It would be interesting to know where you were sitting. Tchaikovsky said after his visit to the opening of Bayreuth that Wagner was a composer of symphonic, not operatic music, and to this day, he is not the only one who holds this opinion. Apparently, taking only this performance into consideration, much the same could be said of Puccini - even without the soloists, his orchestral scores are works of genius!

[@AfroPoli]

Far away, on three different spots. I usually get these seats to hear if the singers can get over the orchestra.

[@fredrickroll06]

@@AfroPoli Thank you! That is a wise choice!

[@wookinooki9023]

Afro Poli I'm so glad you're back. Long live the Afro!

[@SBeckedorf]

Thanks for sharing this!

[@mariashuliakovskaia9707]

Thank you very much for a review! We need more of this!

[@francoisecrameri6427]

Bonjour Ami, merci pour le partage . J'avais encore confiance en Ludovic Tézier, mais ... Finalement le navire "opéra" prend l'eau !

[@p.w.e.2374]

When they run around and wave arms, you know the voice is gone. Alvarez should have retired years ago...but the tenors hang on, to torture us...Thanks Domingo!

[@radue2242]

The orchestra was too loud, not a problem with Mrs. Gheorghiu voice

[@florencebataille4334]

Merci de dénoncer les dérives navrantes de l'opéra actuellement. Du grand n'importe quoi. Quelle tristesse pour ceux qui ont connus les grandes voix inoubliables de l'âge d'or et les grands metteurs en scène

[@jadedcontemplations]

I love the honesty! It is so rare and much appreciated.

[@ethan_udovich]

@12:40 I wasn’t aware that they allowed patrons to bring automobiles into the Berlin Staatsoper. Could have sworn I had heard a car horn at that part!