# Mario del Monaco



## vivalagentenuova (Jun 11, 2019)

Few myths surrounding opera singers grate my cheese more than the persistent nonsense written about Mario Del Monaco. According to many critics, he is an unsubtle shouter and bellower who blasts through otherwise beautiful music while displaying no artistry. That's perhaps the strongest version of the myth, but you can find it in CD reviews especially. Even his defenders say that he was simply incapable of singing softly by nature, so we can't really fault him (attributing this idea to him without quoting, so it's hard to know if he really said it).

Of course, this is completely false. Even if he said it himself, he was being overly modest. Del Monaco not only could sing softly, he did so frequently and beautifully. For example, this is taken from his recording of _Fanciulla_ with Tebaldi. The crucial section "No Minnie non piangete" beginning at 3:28 is sung with contrasting dynamics throughout, and beautiful phrasing to boot. It is far more dynamic than Domingo's rendition with Neblett, which is fairly uniform in volume and is sung in Domingo's blandest mode. Yet Del Monaco was called a shouter, and Domingo a sensitive interpreter.





Next, here's a recording of _Ernani_ which del Monaco ends by singing beautiful pianissimi in an extremely expressive manner. (Starting at 1:56:56) Again, we hear his natural gift for phrasing.





Here is his soft and expressive rendition of the opening lines of Un di all'azzurro spazio.





Throughout this performance of _Otello_ (which was not conducted by Karajan, who "reined" del Monaco in according to critics), Del Monaco sings with wonderful dynamics, employing lovely pianissimi at 4:46.





What's more, when he was in heroic mode, Del Monaco did not just sing loudly. He poured passion and emotion into his singing to a degree few other singers can match. Listen to this performance of Ch'ella mi creda. 




His interpolated sob at 3:53 is wrenching. Today it would be considered vulgar. But that kind of total commitment to a role and the ability to express that commitment vocally was what moved and thrilled audiences back then, and the absence of it is why so many of us are left cold by today's performers. It wasn't just a "big" voice, it was a communicative voice, one capable of stirring the desperate passion that opera requires to work as an art form. If only there were a Mario del Monaco today! Del Monaco had a sophisticated technique that it took him ten years to master, and he used it to deliver some of the most intense, and yes, beautiful and subtle, operatic performances on record.


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## Diminuendo (May 5, 2015)

Welcome to the forum. Always nice to meet another Del Monaco fan. He is definitely my favorite Otello. Amazing breath control and makes Esultate seem easy. Great performances with Callas in Aida from Mexico and Norma in La Scala. Best last note of O sole mio in the business. Even when he is not in top form because of an illness for instance his great technique rescues him and je is still able to blast those high notes. Like in the filmed performance of Aida form Tokyo. In Celeste Aida you can see that he is not at his best, but he gives his all and the last note is still amazing. One of my favorites of his is the studio version of Giulietta son io from Giulietta e Romeo. He sings it with so much passion. For those who say that Mario can't do restraint is tell them to listen to his version of E la solita storia. At first you can't even believe it's really him. A pity he didn't sing more Wagner and really study the language.

Here is a link to a previous thread on Del Monaco. Plenty of good videos. He even sang Ghost riders in the sky.

Mario Del Monaco

There is also a quite fun video of him singing in an Italian tv show.


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## aussiebushman (Apr 21, 2018)

Gentlemen!

I have nothing against del Monaco and actually do enjoy many of his recordings. I appreciate he might be your favorite but surely anyone claiming him to be "best Otello"? would be stretching it a bit far. In that role, he is up against some serious competition.

What about Ramon Vinay, frequently claimed to be the best Otello ever.





 OR


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

I might just take Jon Vickers as "best Otello," at least on recordings. But I'm not prepared to fight about it. _Chacun..._


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Woodduck said:


> I might just take Jon Vickers as "best Otello," at least on recordings. But I'm not prepared to fight about it. _Chacun..._


And also in a superb video performance from the Met, with Scotto and MacNeil. Vickers is so intense it's almost too much to bear.


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## Diminuendo (May 5, 2015)

aussiebushman said:


> Gentlemen!
> 
> I have nothing against del Monaco and actually do enjoy many of his recordings. I appreciate he might be your favorite but surely anyone claiming him to be "best Otello"? would be stretching it a bit far. In that role, he is up against some serious competition.


Well I'm always talking about my personal opinion and as I said he is my favorite Otello. At least I don't ever remember posting that he is the best. Everyone has their own taste and that's great. For some it might be Vickers, some really like Vinay, Del Monaco has his fans and Domingo is liked also.

Like for me Callas defined so many roles that other singers just don't even come close. Then there are people who don't like her voice that much and that's okay. I think it's just so fantastic that in music, like in any other part of live there are so many different tastes. It's great to be able to discuss our differences and compare what we like about certain singers. And then when you find someone who likes Di Stefano as much as you do...


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

If you want to hear the ruination of a decent recording, listen to the Schippers Carmen which was recorded by Culshaw because Decca wanted a Carmen to rival the Beecham recording. Of course it doesn't but it would have been very competitive had not del Monaco pushed himself in as Jose. Culshaw had asked for di Stefano but apparently del Monaco strode in to Maurice Rosengarten and insisted he got the part. The result is simply awful as del Monaco yells his way through everything in appalling French. A pity because with a decent Jose this would be extremely competitive.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Woodduck said:


> I might just take Jon Vickers as "best Otello," at least on recordings. But I'm not prepared to fight about it. _Chacun..._


I've always thought that the greatest Otellos were some of the tenors who didn't get to sing the role, but should have done: Caruso or Corelli. There's nothing that can beat the imaginary performance in your head!

N.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

The Conte said:


> I've always thought that the greatest Otellos were some of the tenors who didn't get to sing the role, but should have done: Caruso or Corelli. There's nothing that can beat the imaginary performance in your head!
> 
> N.


I believe Caruso was ready to take on Otello when he died. His recordings of two excerpts, especially the vengeance duet with Titta Ruffo, leave no doubt about his qualifications:











I also love Melchior's recordings. His vengeance duet with Herbert Janssen is terrific (though Janssen's voice lacked sufficient bite for an ideal Iago), and the selections he recorded in German equally powerful. The Met wouldn't cast him in the role, I suppose because it "belonged" to Martinelli. Too bad, as we might have had a recording of a broadcast from the '30s or '40s with the likes of Tibbett and Rethberg.


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## brunumb (Dec 8, 2017)

Woodduck said:


> I believe Caruso was ready to take on Otello when he died.


That's incredible. Most singers are unable to take on any role when they die.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

brunumb said:


> That's incredible. Most singers are unable to take on any role when they die.


He was ready just in case.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

The Conte said:


> I've always thought that the greatest Otellos were some of the tenors who didn't get to sing the role, but should have done: Caruso or Corelli. There's nothing that can beat the imaginary performance in your head!
> 
> N.


Aureliano Pertile have them all for breakfast .


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

vivalagentenuova said:


> Few myths surrounding opera singers grate my cheese more than the persistent nonsense written about Mario Del Monaco. According to many critics, he is an unsubtle shouter and bellower who blasts through otherwise beautiful music while displaying no artistry. That's perhaps the strongest version of the myth, but you can find it in CD reviews especially.


.
That's because what the reviewers hear is most evident in his studio recordings.



> Of course, this is completely false.


Like a lot of criticisms of famous singers, it's certainly exaggerated, but it's not "completely false". There's nothing wrong with singing forte, and lots of famous singers don't sing much less than mezzo-forte very often. The problem with a lot of Del Monaco's loud singing is that's not very musical - it's monochromatic, with little effort to knit the musical line into coherent phrases. It's possible to sing forte and still be both sensitive and expressive. As I said, this characteristic of Del Monaco's singing is most evident in his studio recordings.

It's also impossible to ignore some of his other musical failings. The one that especiallydrives me crazy is in the famous 1958 Met Otello, with VdlA and Warren. As Verdi wrote it, "Dio! Mi potevi scagliar" begins with a series of A-flats. Del Monaco sings a series of B-naturals. That passage is critical, and MdM's failure to even attempt what Verdi wrote ruins the performance for me.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

Woodduck said:


> I also love Melchior's recordings. His vengeance duet with Herbert Janssen is terrific (though Janssen's voice lacked sufficient bite for an ideal Iago), and the selections he recorded in German equally powerful.


The German version of "Dio! Mi potevi scagliar" is one of my favorite Melchior recordings. This is about as close to perfection as any singer has ever approached.



> The Met wouldn't cast him in the role, I suppose because it "belonged" to Martinelli. Too bad, as we might have had a recording of a broadcast from the '30s or '40s with the likes of Tibbett and Rethberg.


I think that Edward Johnson was afraid that if he allowed Melchior to sing Otello, Martinelli would insist on singing Tristan, which Martinelli did sing in 1939, but in Chicago.

There's long been rumor of the existence of a live recording of Melchior as Otello from Covent Garden, with Beecham conducting. But it's only rumor....


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## vivalagentenuova (Jun 11, 2019)

I guess my phrasing isn't clear, but what I was specifically referring to was the idea that Del Monaco was just incapable of singing softly. That is completely false. He could do it, and actually did it a lot.

I don't defend every record he ever made. Like any artist, he had off days, times he phoned it in, whatever. But he was a great artist. I own studio recordings of him in _Tosca_, _Turandot_, _La fanciulla del west_, _La Gioconda_, _Manon Lescaut_, and _Il tabarro_. Of those, _Tabarro_ is okay (in the later half of his career), but I blame the conductor for some of that, _La Gioconda_ is very good, and the rest are excellent or outstanding. _Fanciulla_ in particular is full of sensitive phrasing, musicality, soft singing, etc.. I also own him as _Otello_ in the DVD excerpted above, and he's simply sensational. Powerful, musical, intelligent, interpretive, thrilling, the works. (Capecchi and Carteri are outstanding as well, btw. It's a great film.) On average, I find him an great singer, musically and vocally.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

The Conte said:


> I've always thought that *the greatest Otellos were some of the tenors who didn't get to sing the role, *but should have done: Caruso or Corelli. There's nothing that can beat the imaginary performance in your head!
> 
> N.


Isn't that somewhat of a contradiction? Bit like saying the greatest centre forwards were the ones who never played in that position?


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

All plans for Corelli to sing the part of Otello came to nothing because he was apparently wary of undertaking such a strenuous role. We can here snippets of what might have been:


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

DavidA said:


> All plans for Corelli to sing the part of Otello came to nothing because he was apparently wary of undertaking such a strenuous role. We can here snippets of what might have been:


What on earth is Corelli doing while Zylis-Gara is singing? Folding his arms, adjusting his tux, licking his lips, wiping his face...? You can hear a prompter giving him his lines at the end. Who uses a prompter for a ten-minute number at a concert? Curious.

Zylis-Gara was a beautiful singer, a Met stalwart in those days.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Woodduck said:


> What on earth is Corelli doing while Zylis-Gara is singing? Folding his arms, adjusting his tux, licking his lips, wiping his face...? You can hear a prompter giving him his lines at the end. Who uses a prompter for a ten-minute number at a concert? Curious.
> 
> Zylis-Gara was a beautiful singer, a Met stalwart in those days.


To not paraphrase Mrs Serafin, who can do anything other than listen with eyes closed in rapture at that voice.

And to paraphrase Mrs Corelli, I won't hear anything against ma' Franco!

N.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

The Conte said:


> To not paraphrase Mrs Serafin, who can do anything other than listen with eyes closed in rapture at that voice.
> 
> And to paraphrase Mrs Corelli, I won't hear anything against ma' Franco!
> 
> N.


Oh yes. John Culshaw tells the story of when they recorded Carmen with Karajan, RCA got a French voice coach in for Corelli but when Ms Corelli found it was a woman she wouldn't let ma' Franco near the coach! She then demanded an extra $1000 for Corelli's attendance at the French lessons she had not let him attend! There were huge rows on the telephone but Ms Corelli got her way as ma' Franco had not yet recorded the Flower Song!
On another occasion (according to Harold Schoenberg) Corelli had a row with a baritone and refused to sing with him. Even though it was just Corelli being temperamental, the unfortunate baritone was fired because baritones were ten a penny but there was only one ma' Franco! The joys of being a tenor - especially Corelli! :lol:


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## Sieglinde (Oct 25, 2009)

I mean... he was certainly Dragonborn in terms of sheer power, but that doesn't mean he couldn't be subtle when needed.

One Hungarian Heldentenor once said (when asked about how the hell he keeps doing Tamino still) that "you can hit lightly even with a big hammer".


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## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

I read a very interesting article about MDM last night that I'm going to share here. I would love some of your thoughts as it's not very kind to him. I'm sure many of you have read this particular quote from Magda Olivero:

"When Del Monaco and I sang Francesca da Rimini together at La Scala he explained his whole vocal technique to me. When he finished I said, "My dear Del Monaco, if I had to put into practice all the things you've told me, I'd stop singing right away and just disappear." The technique was so complicated: you push the larynx down, then you push this up, then you do that-in short, it made my head spin just to hear everything he did. We recorded Francesca excerpts together. Francesca has a beautiful phrase, "Paolo, datemi pace," marked "piano," and then Paolo enters with "Inghirlandata di violette," which also should be sung softly, delicately. Instead, Del Monaco was terrible-he bellowed the phrase [she imitates him and laughs]! When he listened to the playback he exclaimed, "I can't believe it! After that soft poetic phrase I come in and what do I sound like-a boxer punching with his fists!" He recorded the phrase again, but the second attempt was more or less the same because he was incapable of singing piano. He was furious with himself because he wanted to. He tried everything, but his technique would not permit him to sing softly since it totally was based on the muscles."

Here's the full article: http://www.historicaltenors.net/articles/godor/Del Monaco HT 2009.pdf

Hopefully the link works. The article is full of interesting quotes and anecdotes. I wasn't familiar with the author, but perhaps some of you are. He has written quite extensively on historical tenors.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Thanks Bonetan. I believe her!


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## vivalagentenuova (Jun 11, 2019)

Bonetan said:


> I read a very interesting article about MDM last night that I'm going to share here. I would love some of your thoughts as it's not very kind to him. I'm sure many of you have read this particular quote from Magda Olivero:
> 
> "When Del Monaco and I sang Francesca da Rimini together at La Scala he explained his whole vocal technique to me. When he finished I said, "My dear Del Monaco, if I had to put into practice all the things you've told me, I'd stop singing right away and just disappear." The technique was so complicated: you push the larynx down, then you push this up, then you do that-in short, it made my head spin just to hear everything he did. We recorded Francesca excerpts together. Francesca has a beautiful phrase, "Paolo, datemi pace," marked "piano," and then Paolo enters with "Inghirlandata di violette," which also should be sung softly, delicately. Instead, Del Monaco was terrible-he bellowed the phrase [she imitates him and laughs]! When he listened to the playback he exclaimed, "I can't believe it! After that soft poetic phrase I come in and what do I sound like-a boxer punching with his fists!" He recorded the phrase again, but the second attempt was more or less the same because he was incapable of singing piano. He was furious with himself because he wanted to. He tried everything, but his technique would not permit him to sing softly since it totally was based on the muscles."
> 
> ...


Those with caprino should not throw stones, as they say.

Del Monaco was very inconsistent when it came to use of dynamics. I can't agree with the author, however, that he almost never used any dynamics. I will certainly grant that Del Monaco gave a decent number of overly loud performances, and especially after 1960 I don't really care for his singing. But I can find many examples of his soft singing off the top of my head. 









 A frankly superb and refined bit of phrasing at 14:00. Listen to Domingo, always praised for being an intelligent and sensitive artist, sing that same phrase in the Mehta recording. Far less dynamic. In fact, it is Domingo who does not sing a true piano in the whole performance.





Begins the aria in a piano and slowly crescendos through the opening phrases. It's a great effect. Then goes back to piano. This film is one of Del Monaco's greatest recordings, better than his CD recording with Tebaldi, and frankly it is very poetic.





Many instances of piano singing and sensitive phrasing throughout. This film is his other best recording imo, and my favorite complete recording of the opera.

Also, Del Monaco was a very good Siegmund in his prime. The problem was not that he didn't have any style, but that by the mid 60s and the performances the author references, his technique was falling apart.





Now, if you want to debate the quality or frequency of his piano singing, that's one thing. But it definitely exists. And frankly, even modulating between mezzo forte and fortissimo does not justify the phrase "an orgy of shouting." There are some recordings like that, but they are not the whole.

Lastly, Del Monaco was no slouch as an actor. Listen to Callas' studio _Norma_ with Fillippeschi, and then listen to the 1955 broadcast with Serafin and Del Monaco. If you listen even just to Pollione's entrance scene you can instantly hear how Del Monaco is a vastly superior vocal actor. He has a presence and depth to his interpretation that is totally lacking in Fillippeschi's rendition.

To me Del Monaco is a hero of the Silver Age. He is certainly one of the greatest tenors after World War II. Does he rank with the tenors of the Golden Age like Melchior and Caruso and Zanelli and Dalmores and Jadlowker? Absolutely not. He is missing the final measure of coordination which would have smoothed the edges of his voice and allowed for a more consistent piano. He lacked agility and ornaments. But he's better than his overrated Bronze Age successors like Domingo, and certainly anyone around today in this, our Age of Iron.


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## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

vivalagentenuova said:


> Those with caprino should not throw stones, as they say.
> 
> Del Monaco was very inconsistent when it came to use of dynamics. I can't agree with the author, however, that he almost never used any dynamics. I will certainly grant that Del Monaco gave a decent number of overly loud performances, and especially after 1960 I don't really care for his singing. But I can find many examples of his soft singing off the top of my head.
> 
> ...


Wonderfully informative post as usual! I don't know how to feel about this kind of singer anymore lol. He obviously was a very exciting artist, but I've spent the entire pandemic seeking out the natural, effortless, easy as speaking type of vocal production we speak so fondly of and he is soooo not that! :lol:

Here's a question for you. MDM with a perfect technique...do you surmise that we would get the same exciting singer with the added agility and ornaments, OR was his wonky technique necessary in order to produce the sound that the public fell in love with?


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## vivalagentenuova (Jun 11, 2019)

> Wonderfully informative post as usual! I don't know how to feel about this kind of singer anymore lol. He obviously was a very exciting artist, but I've spent the entire pandemic seeking out the natural, effortless, easy as speaking type of vocal production we speak so fondly of and he is soooo not that!


Totally fair, and I essentially agree. If I could take lessons with Melocchi or Zanelli's teacher, I would choose the latter as I would much rather sing like Zanelli. I sort of see Del Monaco as the opposite of Callas: critics (at least at the moment) focus too much on his faults and deem him a bad artist and say untrue things, such as that he was unmusical (only late in his career when his technique degraded and he could not be musical was that true), and not enough on his virtues like good phrasing, often good acting, and yes, occasional piano singing! With Callas, they focus on her genuine strengths to the exclusion of her faults. Ultimately, neither gave us the "natural, effortless, easy as speaking type of vocal production" that is ideal. But it has its rewards.



> Here's a question for you. MDM with a perfect technique...do you surmise that we would get the same exciting singer with the added agility and ornaments, OR was his wonky technique necessary in order to produce the sound that the public fell in love with?


That's an interesting one. Compare these two performances:










Now, their voices and artistry taken as a whole, Gigli unquestionably had a superior technique and was a superior singer. But they are both singing in the dreaded verismo style here. It's not refined, but it's thrilling. Gigli displays some Del Monaco power here, so I think that Del Monaco's voice could have had a Gigli like headvoice and still been thrilling.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

I became a big fan of Mario this past year. Not only is he a very exciting singer, but he is one of the handsomest tenors that I know of! I wonder if he and Corelli had a singing loud contest who would won?I know Corelli had better high C's from what I can hear.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Seattleoperafan said:


> I became a big fan of Mario this past year. Not only is he a very exciting singer, but he is one of the handsomest tenors that I know of! I wonder if he and Corelli had a singing loud contest who would won?I know Corelli had better high C's from what I can hear.


They both were (sometimes fairly) accused of oversinging and lacking in taste. My preference is for Corelli due to the vibrancy that was so exciting (and sexy) as a sound. I think Corelli was more consistent and for those who want to hear how varied Del Monaco could be compare some of his live Otellos with his studio one under Herbie. Was he bored in the recording studio on that occasion?

N.


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

At the end of the day what wouldn’t you give to go to the theatre today and hear voices like Del Monaco and Corelli? In fact what wouldn’t you give to just be able to go to the theatre?


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

The Conte said:


> They both were (sometimes fairly) accused of oversinging and lacking in taste. My preference is for Corelli due to the vibrancy that was so exciting (and sexy) as a sound. I think Corelli was more consistent and for those who want to hear how varied Del Monaco could be compare some of his live Otellos with his studio one under Herbie. Was he bored in the recording studio on that occasion?
> 
> N.


I think Corelli just needed a strong hand at the helm. I have a two disc compilation taken from various EMI sources and the best performances stylistically are those conducted by the likes of Serafin, Mehta and von Matacic. In some of the tracks taken from recital records with lesser conductors, he resorts to all those ghastly Italian tenor tricks of sobbing and aspirating. Despite the magnificence of his instrument, I find it hard to take.

I don't know Del Monaco's work so well but I do know the studio *Otello* under Karajan. You think he sounds bored? I think it one of his best studio recordings.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

All good points. I think of note is that both of these wonderful singers were predominantly self taught just like Nilsson and Ponselle. All some of the finest singers of all time. I don't think you would find any current singers who were autodidacts. If you want to get picky, Nilsson did have several teachers, but none were able to work with her voice successfully.


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## Handelian (Nov 18, 2020)

Tsaraslondon said:


> I think Corelli just needed a strong hand at the helm. I have a two disc compilation taken from various EMI sources and the best performances stylistically are those conducted by the likes of Serafin, Mehta and von Matacic. In some of the tracks taken from recital records with lesser conductors, he resorts to all those ghastly Italian tenor tricks of sobbing and aspirating. Despite the magnificence of his instrument, I find it hard to take.
> 
> I don't know Del Monaco's work so well but I do know the studio *Otello* under Karajan. You think he sounds bored? I think it one of his best studio recordings.


Del Monaco actually sounds anything but bored. Culshaw recounts that 'both Tebaldi and del Monaco were on their best behaviour as they knew Karajan took no notice whatever of artistic tantrums.' There was one incident when del Monaco came in late for a rehearsal of 'Esultate' and Karajan cut the orchestra from under him six times at top note. Somewhat akin to 'six of the best'


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## Handelian (Nov 18, 2020)

Duplicate post deleted


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Tsaraslondon said:


> I think Corelli just needed a strong hand at the helm. I have a two disc compilation taken from various EMI sources and the best performances stylistically are those conducted by the likes of Serafin, Mehta and von Matacic. In some of the tracks taken from recital records with lesser conductors, he resorts to all those ghastly Italian tenor tricks of sobbing and aspirating. Despite the magnificence of his instrument, I find it hard to take.
> 
> I don't know Del Monaco's work so well but I do know the studio *Otello* under Karajan. You think he sounds bored? I think it one of his best studio recordings.


I'm not that familiar with his studio recordings either, however I like the Gioconda. (I'm not overly fond of Tebaldi and so that's the only one of his studio recordings that I think I have.) Have you heard his live Otello with De los Angeles? It's a wonderful performance.

N.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

The Conte said:


> I'm not that familiar with his studio recordings either, however I like the Gioconda. (I'm not overly fond of Tebaldi and so that's the only one of his studio recordings that I think I have.) Have you heard his live Otello with De los Angeles? It's a wonderful performance.
> 
> N.


I used to have that one on LP and I agree it's a thrilling performance. I particularly like De Los Angeles's Desdemona. Del Monaco is very exciting, but I think he gives a more subtle performance in the studio recording. I like both performances though there are others I prefer.


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## Badinerie (May 3, 2008)

Del Monaco is fine in a role that suits his voice like any other tenor, On the afore mentioned Mexico '51 Aida with Callas and a Very Impressive Amneris in Oralia Dominguez, He is very good. Not in Corelli's class though if you ask me. I wonder who's singing like those two chaps nowdays?


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## mparta (Sep 29, 2020)

For a singer who has a reputation for force, I am amazed at the way he uses the words in the video of Otello from Japan. It gives a whole new sense to the role for me. Of course he can sing it, but, to me as is so often the case... an Italian, singing in Italian, just what the doctor ordered.


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## Handelian (Nov 18, 2020)

I remember the late John Steane describing a live Carmen Don Jose recorded by del M saying, “He starts in bad French and then ends with some rough stuff in Italian!” Not the most subtle artist but undeniably exciting on stage.


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## mparta (Sep 29, 2020)

And I just went to hear the Chenier aria posted above. I heard a performance (?) by Kaufmann a couple of years ago. Left at the interval and had paid way too much. Puny singing, out of his fach.

My, my, I don't care for Andrea Chenier a wit, but that is real singing. There's a substance to the tone throughout the held notes, which is where a voice with a more slender core (Pavarotti, a brighter sound more appropriate to bel canto) fails.

Pretty good job with the powdered hair too lol


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

mparta said:


> And I just went to hear the Chenier aria posted above. I heard a performance (?) by Kaufmann a couple of years ago. Left at the interval and had paid way too much. Puny singing, out of his fach.
> 
> My, my, I don't care for Andrea Chenier a wit, but that is real singing. There's a substance to the tone throughout the held notes, which is where a voice with a more slender core (Pavarotti, a brighter sound more appropriate to bel canto) fails.
> 
> Pretty good job with the powdered hair too lol


Corelli was also supreme in the role (better heard live than in his studio recording with the insipid Stella!)

N.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

I only have one favorite recording of del Monaco: *Mefistofele* with Siepi and Tebaldi. I haven't found anyone else to compare. Let it be said, though, that his was the first I had ever heard and it stuck with me. I heard the opera live many times, on stage and in live videos, but no tenor came within a mile of him (Corelli never essayed the role, as far as I know).


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

MAS said:


> I only have one favorite recording of del Monaco: *Mefistofele* with Siepi and Tebaldi. I haven't found anyone else to compare. Let it be said, though, that his was the first I had ever heard and it stuck with me. I heard the opera live many times, on stage and in live videos, but no tenor came within a mile of him *(Corelli never essayed the role, as far as I know).*


I think you are right, he did record a couple of the arias for Cetra though.

N.


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## ScottK (Dec 23, 2021)

I agree about the E la solita storia. I was completely a "Mario Del Screamer" type till I got that recording. It's terrific! And to me, unlike most BIG voices...Corelli,Giacomini...there's a a bright kind of gold in Del Monaco's voice that gives it a lyricism I don't always get from the great big voices.


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## ScottK (Dec 23, 2021)

I agree about the E la solita storia. I was completely a "Mario Del Screamer" type till I got that recording. It's terrific! And to me, unlike most BIG voices...Corelli,Giacomini...there's a a bright kind of gold in Del Monaco's voice that gives it a lyricism I don't always get from the great big voices.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

MAS said:


> I only have one favorite recording of del Monaco: *Mefistofele* with Siepi and Tebaldi. I haven't found anyone else to compare. Let it be said, though, that his was the first I had ever heard and it stuck with me. I heard the opera live many times, on stage and in live videos, but no tenor came within a mile of him (Corelli never essayed the role, as far as I know).


Although I find that I am usually in your camp, this time I stand apart because delMonaco let his voice become the one heard instead of Tebaldi's in the reverent "Lontano, lontano, lontano..." That, to me, is a no-no.
I find Olivero/Campora'/Hines more to my liking.
Go to 5:30


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## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

ScottK said:


> I agree about the E la solita storia. I was completely a "Mario Del Screamer" type till I got that recording. It's terrific! And to me, unlike most BIG voices...Corelli,Giacomini...there's a a bright kind of gold in Del Monaco's voice *that gives it a lyricism I don't always get from the great big voices.*


I assume you're just referring to timbre? His singing style was not "lyric" at all. Better examples of big voices that moved more lyrically when required are Joan Sutherland, Lauritze Melchior, Fiorenza Cossotto, Ettore Bastianini and Kirsten Flagstad.


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## ScottK (Dec 23, 2021)

Yes, for the most part that's true, I am talking about timbre. But I think your statement that his singing style was not lyric at all takes it a little too far. The group you mentioned are all well ahead for sure but the Federicos lament and Gianni Schicchi aria on his Italian/Wagner album are certainly lyrical. His pay dirt was declamation but he's more than just that.


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## OffPitchNeb (Jun 6, 2016)

For del Monaco fans, what are his indispensable live recordings?

I heard him mostly in Otello, but wonder what else am I missing.


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## vivalagentenuova (Jun 11, 2019)

1954 _La fanciulla del west_ with Steber
1955 _Norma_ with Callas


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

There's a live Otello from the Met with De los Angeles and Leonard Warren where he is much better than in his studio Otello. There's also the famous 1951 Mexico Aida with Callas. He oversings, but so does everyone else.

His studio Gioconda is a highlight too.

N.


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## Revitalized Classics (Oct 31, 2018)

Records teaming Mario del Monaco's singing and Dmitri Mitropoulos' conducting are excellent: Forza in '53 (Florence), Fanciulla in '54 (Florence), Ernani in '56 (Met), Carmen in '57 (Met), Ernani again in '57 in Florence, and finally Pagliacci in '59 (Met).


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