# Duet Contest - Esterrefatto fisso



## Op.123 (Mar 25, 2013)

Giovanni Martinelli & Elisabeth Rethberg






Ramon Vinay & Dragica Martinis






Mario del Monaco & Renata Tebaldi


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

I don't think of Martinelli as having an *Otello* voice; it's less baritonal than most of the others I've heard. It sounds so bright and high. He puts so much in the word _sposa_ that the others don't even get. He sounds fully inside the part, perhaps a touch melodramatic but effective. I like and dislike Rethberg as Desdemona, the voice seemingly cold, then in certain phrases she seems so right. It's a beautiful sound, slender and focused, but when she puts pressure on it, the overtones are thrilling.

Vinay has the most *Otello*-like voice, in my opinion, a baritonal with enough heft to make a good effect in the middle without compromising his high notes. He was famous in the role, but I hadn't heard him. He sounds fearsome, as does his Desdemona for a different reason. I hadn't heard Dragica Martinis at all before today; she is dramatically involved with the role to the detriment of the voice, but at least she's exciting.

I'd heard much of Mario Del Monaco's *Otello*, but had never heard him in the role, or Tebaldi's Desdemona. I must say she gives a good impression, as she would, this being a signature role - the voice has size as well as some sweetness and she knows what she's about. She seems in good voice and I don't hear any flatting. Del Monaco makes little of the words, alas. But the voice is beautiful and for once, he's not just loud.

All I can say is that these three made me want to hear the whole opera. I'm giving the palm to Del Monaco and Tebaldi


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Tebaldi / Del Monaco get my prize. They both sound wonderful and I love her in this role. Good choices.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

The live performances are both more exciting than the studio performance under Erede, but the beauty of Tebaldi's voice decides this for me. Del Monaco, too, is vocally more attractive than Martinelli and Vinay.

The Furtwangler _Otello_ is quite an interesting performance overall, with Paul Schoeffler an unconventional choice for iago. I bought it years ago and consider it a worthy supplement to more centrally cast and conducted recordings. The sound is decent, although singer-orchestra balances aren't always good.


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## marlow (11 mo ago)

No question to me that Tebaldi and del§Monaco walk away with it. Mart8nelli dodn’t really have the heft for the part. I have Vijay singing withToscanini and for all his intelligence he is somewhat too baritonal - difficult often to distinguish him from Iago without the libretto. Of course Tebaldi and del M recorded it again with Karajan which is better conducted and with Protti making a better shot at Iago.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

I was brought up on Del Monaco and Tebaldi in their second recording with Karajan, though I don't have it on CD now, as my preference is for Vickers and Domingo in the role. If memory serves me right they are better recorded and more subtle in the Karajan recording, and, in any case, Desdemona was surely a Tebaldi role par excellence.

The Martinelli/Rethberg/Panizza recording has acquired something of a mythic status. It's certainly the best conducted. I like Rethberg but I'm not so keen on the sound Martinelli makes and here his voice sounds quite ugly. Maybe it would be less noticeable in the context of the full performance and surely would be if you were in the theatre caught up in the drama. 

Martinis is a new one on me. The voice is quite impressive, but she overacts a bit in the verismo style. Vinay is just a tad too baritonal for my taste.

I'm giving it to Del Monaco and Tebaldi, whilst acknowledging that it is Panizza who does the most to remind us what superb musci drama Verdi's score is.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Sometimes I read the comments of others whilst listening, but I want to listen blind this time (I'll go back and look at the comments after).

The first excerpt here isn't the more famous recording from 1938 (which I think on balance is the best of the Martinelli/Tibbett Otellos (I'm tempted to say 'Otelli'!)

I love Rethberg's singing and voice, but she doesn't move me (I prefer her over Caniglia who also performed Desdemona with Martinelli). There could be more drama in the conducting here, but the moment where Otello calls her a vil cortigiana and her response are superbly done on this first version. (Yes, I know Martinelli sings flat and often bawls, but the dramatic intention behind his singing draws me in.)

I am far less familiar with Vinay's Otello and Dragica Martinis was merely a name to me. I prefer Furtwaengler's conducting over Panizza (and he has arguably a better orchestra). Whilst Vinay's dark sound compliments that of Martinis', I'm not sure that it fits my idea of Otello and there is a touch too much nasality for my taste. However, I think I prefer this version over the first one for Martinis and Furty.

I find Von Karajan's Otello too placid to be a contender and I'm glad this is the Erede recording. However, I much prefer Del Monaco live from the Met with (in my opinion) the superior Desdemona of De los Angeles. That said, Tebaldi is better than I remember (always the way with her). However, the somnolent conducting lets this one down (and I'm always willing Del Monaco to let go without gruffly growling).

Martinis with Furty is a winner.

N.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Woodduck said:


> The live performances are both more exciting than the studio performance under Erede, but the beauty of Tebaldi's voice decides this for me. Del Monaco, too, is vocally more attractive than Martinelli and Vinay.
> 
> The Furtwangler _Otello_ is quite an interesting performance overall, with Paul Schoeffler an unconventional choice for iago. I bought it years ago and consider it a worthy supplement to more centrally cast and conducted recordings. The sound is decent, although singer-orchestra balances aren't always good.


There is now an official release of Furty's Otello (although I don't know how it compares to the EMI release of the same performance), Orfeo is a trustworthy label for German/Austrian radio broadcasts.









N.


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## Op.123 (Mar 25, 2013)

The Conte said:


> Sometimes I read the comments of others whilst listening, but I want to listen blind this time (I'll go back and look at the comments after).
> 
> The first excerpt here isn't the more famous recording from 1938 (which I think on balance is the best of the Martinelli/Tibbett Otellos (I'm tempted to say 'Otelli'!)
> 
> ...


I must admit to being somewhat stupid here. I assumed that the Sony Verdi Met Box Otello was the much acclaimed 1938 performance (I've been streaming the performances and therefore only have cover art details to go on) and on very brief comparisons to the Naxos recording (1938) I saw no reason to listen to the Naxos as this Sony version had noticeably better sound. After realising my mistake I went back and listened to the Naxos 1938 performance and despite somewhat poorer sonics it is far superior. To my ears Martinelli sounds as if he had aged five years in the intervening two and on the earlier recording, if not as steady as Del Monaco is a more than acceptable Otello in vocal terms and produces an interpretation which I find unrivalled, and I'm a big fan of Del Monaco in these roles. Rethberg is also far sweeter of voice, her voice supposedly did lose a fair bit of it's beauty in the late 30s and this seems to confirm that. I like Tebaldi's Desdemona for pure beauty but in the studio she seems dramatically less involved (to not finish "quelle parola orrenda!" In this duet with some dramatic chest tones feels like a crime of some sorts) and then her live performance which is better doesn't have the sound quality to allow me to revel in the beauty of her tone.


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## ScottK (Dec 23, 2021)

Great selection of a not-standard-set-piece. I was going to listen a second time but the impressions were all so strong that I decided against over analysis. Go with the impression that was made.

One of the six singers left a surprisingly under whelming impression. Despite many phrases having the expected Delmonaco thrust, I also found a number to be bland compared to the competition. Martinelli and Vinay did not waste a phrase. The more distant miking for Vinay probably was the biggest difference. He sounded fierce and almost out of control but somehow the sum total of his and Dragica Martinis ???????....for real?? - couldn't forget a name like that..... performance was just a shade less compelling, less distinct, to me than Martinelli and Rethberg. The fourth of my also rans, presented a wonderful contrast to the other two sopranos. Finding the music between the notes (she must have coached with Woodduck!) Tebaldi musically made a case for the traditional Desdemona character that neither of the other two brought as part of their interpretations, while maintaining some of the strength that Desdemona shows here. I'd understand anyone who preferred her rendition.

But those old singers....!!! Rethberg and Martinelli left me with the impression that no one could touch them and even if that turned out to be over-statement they still carried the day. Rethberg had the brightness in her sound to be a convincing Desdemona but the strength and certainty of her phrases, in one sense seemingly un-Desdemona like, made the case for the richness of Desdemona's character and were just plain commanding in and of themselves. And Martinelli was absolutely acting in the same show...pedal down and full force, but still musical, on every phrase. I don't remember this in the Martinelli, Jepson, Tibbet highlights I bought as a teenager and I don't remember Martinelli at this level of command. On this night, to me, the two of them sounded made for each other and absolutely won me over!


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

It is rare for me to read posters' choices before stating my own but this time I did do it.
That said, I am left back in that soulful corner alone, yet at ease without the overacting of Martinelli (which left poor Rethberg whom I love, out of the running), and the fakeness of Mr. Popular that so many adore (but not me!) which sadly left "the voice of an Angel" out as well. 
So by process of elimination, and coming from a theater background, I personally found Vinay and Martinas so well fit together without taking drama to the extremes that I immediately found myself supporting their efforts the best.
(Vickers, where are you??)


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

It is rare for me to read posters' choices before stating my own but this time I did do it.
That said, I am left back in that soulful corner alone, yet at ease without the overacting of Martinelli (which left poor Rethberg whom I love, out of the running), and the fakeness of Mr. Popular that so many adore (but not me!) which sadly left "the voice of an Angel" out as well. 
So by process of elimination, and coming from a theater background, I personally found Vinay and Martinas (who I was very impressed with and never heard of) so well fit together without taking drama to the extremes, that I immediately found myself supporting their efforts the best.
(Vickers, where are you??)


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