Richard Tucker - Ma se m'è forza perderti (1956 live)

Richard Tucker sings the recitative 'Forse la soglia attinse' and aria 'Ma se m'è forza perderti' from Verdi's 'Ballo in Maschera'. This clip is in fantastic sound and a great example of Tucker's glorious voice at the height of his vocal powers.
Recorded from the 10 November 1956 Lyric Opera Gala in Chicago (thanks 'SHICOFF1' for the info!).

[@premiereopera1]

I actually found this tape in Tucker's tape cabinets, and he let me have it and make copies!! It included the three arias he sang at the Gala, and the final Chenier duet with Tebaldi. This cannot be bettered, IMO.

[@bodiloto]

magnifico .

[@robertpalmer1435]

I was there. What more can I say except that everything in that concert was memorable.

[@robertpalmer1435]

It's been so long ago but the two performances I remember most were Tebaldi doing Tatiana's Letter Scene from Onegin in Italian and the duet from Gioconda with Tebaldi and Simionato that brought down the house. Again.

[@VinylToVideo]

Tucker at his best, thanks. I believe I posted the "Chenier" duet with Tebaldi from this same gala.

[@sugarbist]

Beautiful singing by R.Tucker. Perfect for the role

[@sugarbist]

Some wonderful information here. Thanks

[@shicoff1398]

@@sugarbist Your welcome, as usual it's best even though Tucker lasted well, hearing him here in his prime.

[@shicoff1398]

His and a 1946 live (also version) with MDM at age 30 in the role stand out for me as sensational. Tucker is 43 here and quite the Spinto.

[@photo161]

Live?!...can you believe?...At this point in his career, Tucker's top was absolutely imperious...

[@MrHawtheatre]

Too loud all the way through. No characterisation whatsoever.

[@BaroneVitellioScarpia1]

@@MrHawtheatre Not as nuanced as Di Stefano but still very musical IMHO.

[@shicoff1398]

@@BaroneVitellioScarpia1 In the house his dynamics where far more noticed in volume from soft to large compared to what you hear on recordings, (even critic Henry Plesants mentioned that in his 1973 review of Tucker in Juive live in London) I've heard RT singing this and also saw GDS in house several times, eve saw GDS in house in the late 1950's at La Scala. Tucker wasn't as Lyric as GDS, a different voice type, a spinto it was, it was large of course, like having a Jet plane land in your living room. but he also could use dynamics from soft to large -- but not a lot of Mezza voice ever, he did have it though as said Corelli about Tucker. In comparison to Bjoerling, GDS was somewhat larger voiced then Jussi Bjoerling, but not Tucker -- I saw JB also, in 1958 in house, but they where more lyric or Lyric spinto's then Tucker was, but Tucker as with MDM was best heard in house, and he used dynamics to advantage in this aria always when you saw him do it, Corelli didn't sing the role but MDM did and so did lyric Bjoerling, but JB in the opera never sang this last act aria, he cut it -- and in the opera house MDM didn't either, but he did record the aria, JB never did even rec. it .-- Tucker haters can say what they want of course, but I heard him and know what I heard in house, so I don't pay any attention to some of those comments.

[@shicoff1398]

@@BaroneVitellioScarpia1 Correct 100% I agree with you.

[@shicoff1398]

Here is the London critic /writer Henry Pleasants, and his review of Tucker, from the 1973 London Juive, sung in a live concert version, 3/4/73, and available on CD's, in the complete performance from 1973 and in good sound.--- "Mr. Richard Tucker, on a rare visit to Britain.---- I can still see him now, sitting very much at the center of an event, as I remember he made no strong impression until it came to his aria. Then he was transformed. He sang with breath and fervour, giving a fine performance in terms of sheer artistry. But it was the voice itself, it's power of expansion, but most of all its timbre, darkly rich in sheen and texture, that held attention rapt and induced a pain awareness that the aria would soon be over and we might hear nothing like it ever again, indeed I myself never did: this strange event, in which wonder of two such different kinds prevailed, remained the one and only time I heard Richard Tucker. He left London the following day and never returned .

[@ShawDAMAN]

excellent as usual

[@MustacheVerra]

Thanks for posting this.

[@Herur22]

Great performance.

[@CotaDangelo]

Un grande, mejor versión del aria...

[@道-p2e]

Precious live recording, grand voice of gold standard! bravo!!!

[@shicoff1398]

There is a Very rare "live" cantorial prayer, late in Tucker's life, posted by " EEL 1452 " Richard Tucker the "Hineni" Prayer, from high Holiday's, It is in good audio sound and live .

[@averybargasse6130]

Best version! Hands down!

[@shicoff1398]

I agree of course, magnificent with 43 year old Tucker .

[@shicoff1398]

Magnificent ! He is age 43 here in Nov. 1956, and the greatest American Spinto tenor in his time, a powerful rich voice, and in house he was even more impressive, I saw him many times. RIP.

[@beatriceyoung161]

That man's voice was made of steel!!!

[@chriss6017]

Grande Tenore

[@shicoff1398]

In house, back in those days his voice was even greater and more powerful then what you got from his recordings, I had seen him starting in his 40's at least 20 times, and he always gave his best, which was really great.

[@MightyTenor]

I wish he had recorded the role

[@shicoff1398]

Yes, and I have thought about it also, but I usually liked him more so live, his voice in house was even more impressive and even in the 1950's live sound quality here, isn't really great, but his emotional powerful singing surely is.

[@shicoff1398]

also hear "live" Tucker late in his life singing the high Holiday "Hineni" Prayer, in Schul, posted by "EEL 1452" this cantorial high Holiday prayer is on you tube and only on you tube can it be heard, it is in good sound.

[@BaroneVitellioScarpia1]

Immortal.

[@shicoff1398]

This catches him in his prime years (age 43 here) He was one of those who lasted very well, but of course most often nobody at age 60 sounds like age 43 as Tucker was here. This was from the Chicago opera gala, Nov. 1956, he also sang Tosca and Cav. arias, plus the final duet with Tebaldi from Chenier and it was fortunate for Tucker and his fans as he was singing a lot that season in Chicago, as was Tebaldi and tenor Bjoerling and in fact Jussi Bjoerling was scheduled for this concert, but he didn't feel well and Tucker was called in as was Tebaldi who was going to sing anyhow and had just sung with Tebaldi in Forza on the 8th of Nov. this was Nov. 10 and in fact on Nov. 12th (Two days after this) Tucker and Tebaldi sang a complete Forza again, both where great favorites in Chicago at that time, and where seen at times, and with others at the great old" Italian village" restaurant on Monroe St. downtown Chicago, not far from the opera house, where many greats who sang there still have pictures lining the walls and signed, it's one of the oldest and best Italian restaurants in Chicago and still there as far as I know.

[@shicoff1398]

This and the final Chenier duet from the concert, with Tebaldi was a sure winner for him.

[@shicoff1398]

At #237 is where Bjoerling and MDM cut the aria and went on singing , but at least MDM did record the aria, Jussi did not, he always cut it, even though Ballo was still a major success for him, he sang it often but it was a better opera for Tucker, Bergonzi, GDS, and it was for Tucker, along with Forza, Chenier and Lescaut , Probably his greatest role. Corelli never sang this role, and MDM did, but only early. Tucker was fantastic in it, even in his 50's but here at age 43 in his prime he was thrilling.

[@BaroneVitellioScarpia1]

​@@shicoff1398 I'm not a fan of Bjorling's Ballo. I prefer Di Stefano in this role.

[@shicoff1398]

@@BaroneVitellioScarpia1 Yes, though Jussi sang it technically so well, like all he did, GDS had not only a bigger voice for the role (I never saw JB sing it) but his singing was very warm and probably more involved in it, and as always beautiful, as far as Jussi cutting the aria, when asked about his feeling about not singing it in the last act, he calmly said "By that time I'm tired after so much singing" and as I said some houses just cut it back then, but later by the 1960's never as far as I know, or today, but if Bjoerling had sung it with Toscanini, who knows if the old man would allow a cut, because in the Brdcst where Peerce filled in for the 1954 radio performance that Jussi did indeed cancel, Peerce sang it for Toscanini, (not a surprise) Now I talked (about 17 years ago on the phone with Virginia Zeani,) I called her in Florida where she lives and asked her about the Ballo she saw in 1951 at Scala with Bjoerling and if he sang the aria, he always cut, she wasn't sure anymore, but didn't think so, she said, he wasn't very good that night, but that was the only Ballo she saw him sing, and saw it with her mentor and friend, tenor Pertile, so would Jussi sing the aria with Toscanini,? who knows if he would sing the aria or not, after all it was a concert brdcst,. and he was one of the greatest lyric tenors alive, besides GDS, here in 1954. Anyhow JB never did rec. the aria either.