# Single Round DUET: Fanciulla Card Scene: Tebaldi and Colzani, Frazzoni and Gobbi



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

It doesn't say who Tebaldi's baritone is. If Someone can tell me I will edit him in. I am beginning approximately at the same spot.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)




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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

I think both are well cast. Gobbi is stronger of the baritones. I give the wreath to the first team because Tebaldi is so outstanding in this scene and her shouts are awesome!


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

If you look at the comments you will see that the baritone in the performance is Anselmo Colzani but the photograph is apparently Carlo Guelfi


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Becca said:


> If you look at the comments you will see that the baritone in the performance is Anselmo Colzani but the photograph is apparently Carlo Guelfi


I read down 20 or so comments but you did the thing right


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Both good, but Tebaldi and Colzani generate just a little more tension and catharsis, despite the inaudibility of the timpani until it gets loud near the end. I actually prefer Colzani to Gobbi here; Gobbi naturally has an evil snarl in his voice, but I don't see Rance as evil. Frazzoni is fine, but this is one of Tebaldi's great moments.


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## Op.123 (Mar 25, 2013)

Tebaldi and Colzani. Would be even easier if it were the Tebaldi, Guelfi version.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Now here's a surprise. I expected to be going for the Tebaldi/Colzani version, but I found it wildly over the top, particularly Tebaldi. I find her performance altogether too hammy. Also, am I the only person to hear her as flat in the final moments? 

I much prefer the more understated performance by Frazzoni, whom I'd never heard of before, and Gobbi. I take Woodduck's point, but at this point, Rance knows he's been duped but can't prove it. I think his angry snarl is warranted, and, unlike, Tebaldi's histrionics, I don't think it goes over the top. 

Evidently I'm going against the general trend here.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Tsaraslondon said:


> Now here's a surprise. I expected to be going for the Tebaldi/Colzani version, but I found it wildly over the top, particularly Tebaldi. I find her performance altogether too hammy. Also, am I the only person to hear her as flat in the final moments?
> 
> I much prefer the more understated performance by Frazzoni, whom I'd never heard of before, and Gobbi. I take Woodduck's point, but at this point, Rance knows he's been duped but can't prove it. I think his angry snarl is warranted, and, unlike, Tebaldi's histrionics, I don't think it goes over the top.
> 
> Evidently I'm going against the general trend here.


TL, not nearly as much as I go against the general trend


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## Shaafee Shameem (Aug 4, 2021)

Tebaldi sings with passion, but she is nearly at the end of her career here, and the voice is hard, and somewhat shrill on top. She sang Minnie only 6 times, and never in Italy. Frazzoni has a somewhat similar timbre, albeit smaller in size, and sounds vigorous and youthful. Despite being a lyric soprano, she is at no point challenged by the heavy score. Her “Tre assi e un paio” is much more musical, as it is simply sung, whereas Tebaldi resorts to shouting. Both Gobbi and Colzani are good.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Well you KNOW my answer without even having to listen to the Tebaldi one. It is in my top favorite scenes of all time. Even at this stage in her career when she was having vocal problems, this interpretation by Tebaldi nails it. The only other winner is Puccini's music which was overpoweringly sensational and gave goosebumps.
For me, the 2 peformances weren't the least bit close. Even Olivero's does better than the second one.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Tsaraslondon said:


> Now here's a surprise. I expected to be going for the Tebaldi/Colzani version, but I found it wildly over the top, particularly Tebaldi. I find her performance altogether too hammy. Also, am I the only person to hear her as flat in the final moments?
> 
> I much prefer the more understated performance by Frazzoni, whom I'd never heard of before, and Gobbi. I take Woodduck's point, but at this point, Rance knows he's been duped but can't prove it. I think his angry snarl is warranted, and, unlike, Tebaldi's histrionics, I don't think it goes over the top.
> 
> Evidently I'm going against the general trend here.


Tsaras!! I am gobsmacked! You??? I would never have thunk it. Ah well,we all hear with different ears.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

nina foresti said:


> Tsaras!! I am gobsmacked! You??? I would never have thunk it. Ah well,we all hear with different ears.


Well I've often thought that when Tebaldi "acts", she acts in capital letters, and, by the end of her career, she started to compensate for waning vocal resources by "acting" in primary colours. But I don't call that acting. Real acting comes from within. The artist becomes the characters they are playing, so immersed in their character that, even if something goes wrong they remain in character. Anything more than that and it becomes hammy and I don't believe them anymore.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Tsaraslondon said:


> Well I've often thought that when Tebaldi "acts", she acts in capital letters, and, by the end of her career, she started to compensate for waning vocal resources by "acting" in primary colours. But I don't call that acting. Real acting comes from within. The artist becomes the characters they are playing, so immersed in their character that, even if something goes wrong they remain in character. Anything more than that and it becomes hammy and I don't believe them anymore.


All of what you say is likely true but just listen to that result! That audience went totally wild. This is theater and hammy or not, she grabbed them (and me) with the goosebumps. Sometimes it just works!


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

nina foresti said:


> All of what you say is likely true but just listen to that result! That audience went totally wild. This is theater and hammy or not, she grabbed them (and me) with the goosebumps. Sometimes it just works!


Oh I know the audience went wild. I might have done myself if I were there, though I doubt it. I just find such high level histrionics not to my taste. It's probably the reason I don't much like _verismo. _


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

nina foresti said:


> Well you KNOW my answer without even having to listen to the Tebaldi one. It is in my top favorite scenes of all time. Even at this stage in her career when she was having vocal problems, this interpretation by Tebaldi nails it. The only other winner is Puccini's music which was overpoweringly sensational and gave goosebumps.
> For me, the 2 peformances weren't the least bit close. Even Olivero's does better than the second one.


I couldn't remember who suggested this duet for a contest but now I am sure it was you. Tebaldi was so exciting here!


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## Aerobat (Dec 31, 2018)

Well, after a few listens I went with Tebaldi. She was part of the Vinyl soundtrack to my childhood. It wasn't easy, because whilst I preferred Tebaldi to Frazzoni, I also felt Gobbi was more convincing as Rance. One of the hardest decisions in one of these for a while for me!

But, what I really wanted out of both of these videos was a hybrid of Tebaldi with Gobbi.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Tsaraslondon said:


> Oh I know the audience went wild. I might have done myself if I were there, though I doubt it. I just find such high level histrionics not to my taste. It's probably the reason I don't much like _verismo. _


It's okay. Any lover of La Divina cannot be all bad! )


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Seattleoperafan said:


> I couldn't remember who suggested this duet for a contest but now I am sure it was you. Tebaldi was so exciting here!


John: Anything that generates that much positive excitement in an audience -- without urinals, simulated sex, or bees -- gets my vote. The music behind that scene alone merits an award.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

This was one of Tebaldi's key roles and one where I have been impressed by her live performances where she comes across as more involved in the drama than on her studio recording. She is on fire here and gives Olivero a run for her money. However, she is almost matched by the forgotten Colzani who also made Rance a speciality. 

I am more familiar with the second version and I have a personal preference for the tone of Gigliola's voice. I prefer Gobbi over Colzani as his interpretation embodies the overall character of Rance. (And his "Buonanotte" is as devastating as Guelfi's.) Gigliola doesn't quite match Tebaldi's fire (and she isn't anywhere near as expressive in the quiet part of the role just before she wins). I prefer the conducting in Tebaldi's version.

I find it difficult to choose between them, but I'm going with Tebaldi/Colzani for that extra fire.

N.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Tsaraslondon said:


> Now here's a surprise. I expected to be going for the Tebaldi/Colzani version, but I found it wildly over the top, particularly Tebaldi. I find her performance altogether too hammy. Also, am I the only person to hear her as flat in the final moments?


No, I hear it too. It just wasn't that important to me considering the heat of the moment.

N.


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