# Si Puo? Prologo Round 2: Renato Zanelli, Ettore Bastianini, Tito Gobbi



## kappablanca (9 mo ago)

Here's the second round. Three very distinct interpretations.

Zanelli

Bastianini

Gobbi


----------



## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Pain!!! This is just terrible! My favorite baritone with the exquisite sounding voice but no comedic skill vs. 2 clowns with fun and spirit to bring the aria to life. 
So what do I do? Vote for his lack of drama but great sound or just go right for the one that just "knows" all the right stuff to make this aria live.
Bastianini?? Gobbi??? 
I even thought Zanelli was fabulous as well but Nina my dear, face it, even with his lip synching, Gobbi walks away easily with this one. 
(Forgive me, Ettore)


----------



## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Zanelli and Bastianini have their beautiful voices, but Gobbi is fantastic. There are examples of that yawning top register that people go on about, I suppose, but I can't even think of the phrase _un nido di memorie _without hearing his unique accents in my mind's ear. The voice may not have the beauty of the others but his range of tone colour is amazing. Gobbi just _is _Tonio for me.


----------



## kappablanca (9 mo ago)

I hope it does not offend any member of this forum too harshly when I say that Bastianini, while he has a beautiful natural timbre, is often not as developed technically when compared to other great baritones, even before his unfortunate battle with throat cancer. Gobbi, who is often criticized for (relatively) "bad" technique and bad high notes, shows much better technique in this aria than Bastianini. Combined with being able to see his wonderful acting, Gobbi wins for me. Bastianini is still wonderful and deserves his recognition.

When asked about what he thought about Bastianini, Di Stefano said "not in the same league as Warren!" in this interview. (Actually, the interview is quite interesting and deserves to be read.)

Zanelli is probably the best vocally in this aria out of the three listed here. I almost voted for him - carefully phrased, very even scale, deeply felt, and the easy high notes of a tenor! (How surprising!)


----------



## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Kappablanca and Tsaraslondon have more or less written my review for me. I agree with all they've said. Zanelli is such a great singer that I rather regret having to choose Gobbi for his matchless characterization.


----------



## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

I voted for Gobbi because he was the most moving. I loved both Bastianini’s and Zanelli’s voices, though.


----------



## vivalagentenuova (Jun 11, 2019)

I voted for Zanelli. I think his interpretation is just as good as Gobbi's, and the voice is magnificent.


----------



## Op.123 (Mar 25, 2013)

vivalagentenuova said:


> I voted for Zanelli. I think his interpretation is just as good as Gobbi's, and the voice is magnificent.


The same reasoning here. I hope you can also include the magnificent version by Carlo Galeffi.


----------



## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

I want to listen to this older contest too, because it has Ettore Bastianini in it, but now I need to take a break from the Prologo.


----------

