# Final Round: ( Some were very tight winners)Pagliacci: Prologue, "Si Può? Si Può?"-Gorin,Tibbett, Ruffo, Gobbi



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Sarobe missed by one vote as did Granforte. I have no idea how the vote will go. 





IGOR GORIN SINGS -PAGLIACCI PROLOGUE - 1945 BROADCAST 




*Leoncavallo: I Pagliacci: "Si puo! (Prologo)" by Lawrence Tibbett 1926




Si puo (I Pagliacci) · Titta Ruffo Titta Ruffo - The early recordings 1906 - 1912 




*Pagliacci: Prologue, "Si Può? Si Può?" Tullio Serafin La Scala Theater Orchestra,La Scala Theater Chorus & Tullio Serafin, Vittore Veneziani Ruggero Leoncavallo: Pagliacci (1954)


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## ScottK (Dec 23, 2021)

I hear no decisive winner here. I think they divide into Tibbet/Gorin whose greatest asset is the beauty of their singing and Ruffo/Gobbi whose greatest asset is the vividness of their interpretation. But Ruffo and Gobbi sound great to me and Tibbet and Gorin are also vivid! I eliminate Gorin - who sounds and sings great, and convinces as well as one can on record that there is indeed size to his voice - because I have a prejudice against singers who seem to have spent a greater part of their careers in front of a mic as opposed to in the opera house....I think they are simply less inclined to force just for that reason and I think resisting the impulse to force is one of an opera singers great challenges. If this were Di Provenza or Il Balen I'm sure I'd pick Tibbet because I think the sound would be of greater importance there but here the text is extremely important and even though he's not a no-show in realizing the text, I think the other two exceed him.
I find Gobbi and Ruffo a toss-up and since I'm one of the "prefer modern because I want to hear the color of the voice" people I'm going to go with Gobbi, who I think sounds extra good here. But they are all winners!


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

I tend to think of this as a "character" part, and no one has more character than Gobbi. That said, Ruffo is almost as characterful and is vocally magnificent (and I do like the interpolated high note). Hard choice, but having easily voted for Gobbi before, I'm going with Ruffo this time.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

ScottK said:


> I hear no decisive winner here. I think they divide into Tibbet/Gorin whose greatest asset is the beauty of their singing and Ruffo/Gobbi whose greatest asset is the vividness of their interpretation. But Ruffo and Gobbi sound great to me and Tibbet and Gorin are also vivid! I eliminate Gorin - who sounds and sings great, and convinces as well as one can on record that there is indeed size to his voice - because I have a prejudice against singers who seem to have spent a greater part of their careers in front of a mic as opposed to in the opera house....I think they are simply less inclined to force just for that reason and I think resisting the impulse to force is one of an opera singers great challenges. If this were Di Provenza or Il Balen I'm sure I'd pick Tibbet because I think the sound would be of greater importance there but here the text is extremely important and even though he's not a no-show in realizing the text, I think the other two exceed him.
> I find Gobbi and Ruffo a toss-up and since I'm one of the "prefer modern because I want to hear the color of the voice" people I'm going to go with Gobbi, who I think sounds extra good here. But they are all winners!


I listened to the whole next baritone round and you may have the same problem choosing a winner.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Basically I agree with @ScottK. Gobbi for me.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

I think I chose Gobbi in one of the contests and I see no reason to change it for this roundl


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## ScottK (Dec 23, 2021)

Seattleoperafan said:


> I listened to the whole next baritone round and you may have the same problem choosing a winner.


That’s a problem I can live with 😉


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