# TENOR TOURNAMENT (Round 1, Match #7): Di Stefano vs Pertile



## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

Giuseppe Di Stefano, Italy, 1921-2008






Aureliano Pertile, Italy, 1885-1952






Who's singing did you prefer and why?


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

Both sing exceptionally well, but Di Stefano wins it for me.
Two reasons: first, Pertile rendition is a transposed down version, i.e. the whole aria is transposed semitone down. I do not know the reason for this except for the obvious one: to avoid the top C without employing the alternative provided by Puccini in the score.
Second, slightly nasal tone in lower register which somewhat breaks the spell of the aria.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Di Stefano for me. His voice was at its lyrical best here and he sings so brilliantly off the words. His diction is absolutely superb. He's not perfect, by any means, but he thoroughly disarms me. He sounds the epitome of the young poet to me.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Both excellent performances, both singers at their best. 

Aside from the half-step-down transposition, which doesn't bother me in the least, I find no fault with Pertile; his consistency of vocal production, dynamic shading, free, ringing high notes and overall shaping of the aria leave nothing to be desired, and I can easily imagine the ring and brilliance of his timbre in a modern recording. 

Di Stefano is a delight, expressing the character completely with a vocal timbre ideal for the part. He always exhibited two qualifying traits: a blatty, strenuous top, and a tendency, sometimes extreme, toward scooping attacks (I wonder why Callas didn't get after him about that). These traits aren't too harmful here, but they always compromise my enjoyment of his singing and they do so here.


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## Diminuendo (May 5, 2015)

Voted. I don't need to mention who.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

For me, di Stefano nails the aria's conversational style, the ingratiating charm, the sunny outlook better than Pertile. Plus, he doesn't use aspirates at the swelling of _la speranza_. And his "_vi piacia dir_" is handled magically.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Having been weaned on this aria (Richard Tucker) which opened my eyes to opera, and having to have 2 of my favorite tenors pitted against each other, I am in a terrible quandary. They both sang it magnificently. I know how this aria should be sung and they both were superb examples of text book singing.
I am only giving the edge to Pippo because I simply adore his voice and am so familiar with all the nuances of this aria of which he hit every single one (but then so did Pertile) that I shall go up there, vote for Di Stefano and then read what other posters had to say on this subject of which I am so very close and intimate with the small details.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Tsaraslondon said:


> Di Stefano for me. His voice was at its lyrical best here and he sings so brilliantly off the words. His diction is absolutely superb. He's not perfect, by any means, but he thoroughly disarms me. He sounds the epitome of the young poet to me.


I second this, it's one of his best parts and nobody sang it better than him (although some will say that Bjorling and Pavarotti equaled him).

Pertile is good too, but has muddier diction and an annoying nasality to his tone.

Di Stefano wins.

N.


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## adriesba (Dec 30, 2019)

Both sang very well, but I must pick di Stefano for having the more aesthetically pleasing voice. His performance is my favorite of the comparisons of this aria we've done so far.


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## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

Di Stefano by a small margin. I'm not bothered by the transposition though. imo, many tenors sound nicer singing music a touch lower. it sounds more natural, less "someone is grabbing me by the testicles".


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

I am a fan of DiStefano and he was wonderful here. I was not familiar with Pertile and know nothing about him, but I found his singing to be so incredibly beautiful than his version won for me. Who knew?


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

If you've never heard of him then I am glad you finally got to hear him.
His name is pronounced "PAIR-tee-lay"


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

nina foresti said:


> If you've never heard of him then I am glad you finally got to hear him.
> His name is pronounced "PAIR-tee-lay"


I am going to check out more stuff with him. Would have never guessed that about his name. By the way, my favorite name is Gina Cigna, for some reason.I know my female singers, but have found this contest some of the best educational material I've ever encountered on this site about male singers, an area where I have lots of room for growth, thanks to Bonetan.


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## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

Seattleoperafan said:


> I am going to check out more stuff with him. Would have never guessed that about his name. By the way, my favorite name is Gina Cigna, for some reason.I know my female singers, but have found this contest some of the best educational material I've ever encountered on this site about male singers, an area where I have lots of room for growth, thanks to Bonetan.


Thank you for your kind words! It's my absolute pleasure


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Bonetan said:


> Thank you for your kind words! It's my absolute pleasure


Add me to the huzzahs for Bonetan.
I actually look forward to each day when I can get online and see who is going to be pitted against who. 
I just love that stuff.
Being that "housebound" is starting to catch up with me, I am ever grateful to Bonetan for diverting my boredom. :tiphat:


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## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

nina foresti said:


> Add me to the huzzahs for Bonetan.
> I actually look forward to each day when I can get online and see who is going to be pitted against who.
> I just love that stuff.
> Being that "housebound" is starting to catch up with me, I am ever grateful to Bonetan for diverting my boredom. :tiphat:


You guys are really making me smile  thank you Nina!


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Bonetan said:


> You guys are really making me smile  thank you Nina!


Keep smiling. You're surely helping to save a number of people from climbing the walls.


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