# Franco Bonisolli



## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

Ok this guy had some issues, but just how good was the voice? Experts of TC, who have taught me so much, how does he measure up against the greats in vocal talent alone?


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

A major voice. Why haven't I heard him before? I'd guess from the pseudo-afro that this concert was in the '70s.


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## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

Woodduck said:


> A major voice. Why haven't I heard him before? I'd guess from the pseudo-afro that this concert was in the '70s.


He was a mess. Lots of antics. I think before long people didn't want to work with him.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

^^^^

Still can't believe that Karajan did, that Trovatore with Price is dreadful, should be destroyed.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Rogerx said:


> ^^^^
> 
> Still can't believe that Karajan did, that Trovatore with Price is dreadful, should be destroyed.


It is certainly not dreadful. It has been picked as the best recording available in some publications.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

A great voice but a terrible artist. I saw him once in a concert performance of *Turandot* at the Barbican (with Sylvia Sass as Turandot and Barbara Hendricks stealing the show as Liu). His voice was fine and the top notes one of its glories. That said, he was so proud of them that he thrust chest up and arms out on every one as if waiting for an ovation that never came. This behaviour was so pronounced that many people in the audience began to titter. He was like a caraciture of a bone-headed Italian tenor.


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## Barelytenor (Nov 19, 2011)

The man sings like a total pig. Heavy, forced accents on every note in the first few measures. I have known of him for a long time but cannot abide hearing him. Wonderful instrument, terrible musicianship.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

I've never warmed to him, but have only heard him in the role of Manrico on the Karajan studio Trovatore and the Verona DVD. He was an example of everything that is wrong with the provincial Italian operatic style. He somehow managed to make Verona look like too refined an arena for his 'art'. The above clip is even worse than I remember him. There is the making of a fine voice there, but it is totally hampered by his total lack of artistry.

He was also known for being very difficult to work with due to a number of flaws in his make up. He was extremely paranoid and thought his colleagues were trying to poison him!

N.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

His power had power. His tops were awesome (and his ego made sure you knew it. )
He'd stop the show and yell at the audience if they booed him.
A real character.


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## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

Is there a tenor on the scene today with top notes like his?

Check out this somewhat distasteful Nessun Dorma lol


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

nina foresti said:


> His power had power. His tops were awesome (and his ego made sure you knew it. )
> He'd stop the show and yell at the audience if they booed him.
> A real character.


But he's on his best behavior on the DG Tosca recording with Vishnevskaya, Manuguerra, and Rostropovich.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Antonenko's top notes are a bit like that. I really don't like Bonisolli's voice irrespective of the poor musicality and style. This isn't even good technique. The registers aren't completely integrated and it is all far too effortful.

N.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

He was of course infamous for losing it at a rehearsal of Trovatore with Karajan (of all people) and throwing a sword at the conductor and storming off. Karajan characteristically never missed a beat and called Domingo in as a substitute. The result is available on DVD.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

YouTube has a good bit of Bonisolli. He seems to have been able to sing tastefully when he chose to. There's some singing here that I would say puts any contemporary tenor in the shade:


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

DavidA said:


> He was of course infamous for losing it at a rehearsal of Trovatore with Karajan (of all people) and throwing a sword at the conductor and storming off. Karajan characteristically never missed a beat and called Domingo in as a substitute. The result is available on DVD.


Karajan's Trovatore with Domingo, of course, not the sword throwing incident!

N.


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## howlingfantods (Jul 27, 2015)

wkasimer said:


> But he's on his best behavior on the DG Tosca recording with Vishnevskaya, Manuguerra, and Rostropovich.


He's pretty decent on the Traviata with Freni and the Cavalleria Rusticana with Arroyo too, albeit sort of blaring. I do dislike the Karajan studio Trovatore, but I think while Bonisolli's Manrico isn't good, he's not the worst thing on that set.


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## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

The Conte said:


> Antonenko's top notes are a bit like that. I really don't like Bonisolli's voice irrespective of the poor musicality and style. This isn't even good technique. The registers aren't completely integrated and it is all far too effortful.
> 
> N.


There's a robustness that makes Bonisolli's top really thrilling for me. I've never heard Antonenko approach that personally, but is there a video you would recommend? I just listened to his Nessum Dorma. His high notes were super secure, but not nearly as exhilarating imho. Of course these are just recordings, so who know's how thrilled I would be by Bonisolli in the house...


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## Revitalized Classics (Oct 31, 2018)

Bonisolli contributed to one of the more interesting late-Sutherland recordings: I Masnadieri





Although he sang parts like Otello, Calaf, Chenier I probably enjoy him best in quite different rep.

What can be confusing is that Bonisolli did not just sing lyric roles when he was young. Around the time he was a rough voiced Manrico and Turridu, he could sing French lyric rep with more grace

Pecheurs de Perles Live in 1983





Manon in 1974





The flexibility of the voice could surprise
Don Pasquale





There are also records like Vespri Siciliani, Forza del Destino and Guglielmo Tell - notice he sang some of the most demanding rep - where he sounds akin to Filippeschi but with a warmer and more beautiful timbre.

It is worth sampling his records for the times when voice and style came together and confirm he was undeniably a major artist.
La Donna del Lago


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

The Conte said:


> Karajan's Trovatore with Domingo, of course, not the sword throwing incident!
> 
> N.


I have no doubt if it had been recorded HvK would've put it on a DVD as how to deal with a recalcitrant tenor


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

DavidA said:


> I have no doubt if it had been recorded HvK would've put it on a DVD as how to deal with a recalcitrant tenor


:lol::devil::lol:

N.


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## vivalagentenuova (Jun 11, 2019)

I only have him in two operas: La traviata w/ Ann Moffo, in the 1966 RAI film that is infinitely better than Zeffirelli's, and La Fanciulla del West, and audio recording with Neblett. He's pretty good in both, though I have heard clips of him that were not so good. Essentially, I would say he's a middle of the pack tenor by old school standards, but would be quite welcome today.


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## Sieglinde (Oct 25, 2009)

He had exactly the kind of crazy Leeroy Jenkins attitude Manrico needs  

And there was that intance when he was encored for a (long version!) Di quella pira. 

As for the sword-throwing incident, knowing what Karajan was like, and what Tenors(TM) are like, I'm not at all surprised. (Didn't Corelli try to fight an audience member with his stage sword once, also while being Manrico?)


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

vivalagentenuova said:


> I only have him in two operas: La traviata w/ Ann Moffo, in the 1966 RAI film that is infinitely better than Zeffirelli's,


Do you think so? I'm afraid I've never really taken to the 1966 version. Moffo sings very prettily of course and looks very beautiful, but I don't think she is ever really inside the role and skates over its deeper emotions. I feel much the same about her studio recording. Stratas, on the other hand, although vocally taxed, especially in Act I is absolutely believable, her Violetta quite shattering in its impact. The cuts in the Zeffirelli film annoy me, but I really think it one of the best examples of filmed opera I've ever seen. Actually I like Zeffirelli's *Otello* too, though the cuts here bother me more.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Woodduck said:


> YouTube has a good bit of Bonisolli. He seems to have been able to sing tastefully when he chose to. There's some singing here that I would say puts any contemporary tenor in the shade:


He probably needed a firm hand. No doubt his ego outgrew his boots.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Sieglinde said:


> Didn't Corelli try to fight an audience member with his stage sword once, also while being Manrico?


Corelli was noted for his tantrums especially when aided by his wife. They held RCA to ransom during Carmen. Corelli had a row with a baritone and refused to work with him. The poor guy was sacked because baritones were in ready supply but there was only one Corelli - and didn't he know it! :lol:


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

DavidA said:


> Corelli was noted for his tantrums especially when aided by his wife. They held RCA to ransom during Carmen. Corelli had a row with a baritone and refused to work with him. The poor guy was sacked because baritones were in ready supply but there was only one Corelli - and didn't he know it! :lol:


And yet, oddly enough, Corelli was one of the few tenors Callas had an excellent working relationship with, Vickers being one of the others. When Vickers turned down the offer of Pollione to her last Normas in Paris (saying he feared the top C, though he did eventually sing it with Caballé - minus the top Cs), she asked for Corelli. According to Zeffirelli Corelli adored her and provided her with much needed support when she needed it.

Famously Callas had falling outs with both Del Monaco and Di Stefano, but never with Corelli and they appeared on stage together quite a lot, though never, alas, in many complete recordings, the second *Norma* being a notable exception.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

DavidA said:


> Corelli was noted for his tantrums especially when aided by his wife. They held RCA to ransom during Carmen. Corelli had a row with a baritone and refused to work with him. The poor guy was sacked because baritones were in ready supply but there was only one Corelli - and didn't he know it! :lol:


........and the name of that "baritone" was??


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

nina foresti said:


> ........and the name of that "baritone" was??


Heck, that's all we need. A mystery Escamillo!

N.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

nina foresti said:


> ........and the name of that "baritone" was??


Sorry recounted by Harold Schonberg in 'The Virtuosi'. Not sure whether he names the baritone.


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