# Round 2 Final Contestants: Amor ti vieta: Corelli, Gilgi, Pavarotti, Bjorling



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

I don't normally do 4 contestants but each is under 2 min.




 Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI di Torino, Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI di Torino, Arturo Basile, Arturo Basile, Franco Corelli, Franco Corelli 





"Amor ti vieta" Italian Padrone pressing.




Giordano: Fedora / Act 2 - "Amor ti vieta" · Luciano Pavarotti · National Philharmonic Orchestra · Oliviero de Fabritiis






Amor Ti Vieta · Jussi Björling · Umberto Giordano · Orchester des Maggio Musicale Fiorentino · Alberto Erede


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## Op.123 (Mar 25, 2013)

Gigli was 60 in 1950 so is understandably past his best. There must be a version in his prime. Nevertheless I went with him and found his version the most affecting despite some vocal deficiencies.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Op.123 said:


> Gigli was 60 in 1950 so is understandably past his best. There must be a version in his prime. Nevertheless I went with him and found his version the most affecting despite some vocal deficiencies.


I found another version different from that one but without a date but he sounds better to me. I hope this is okay.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

All stellar performances in their own ways.
It becomes a lesson in what type of sound touches me the most. Is it the more heroic sound, the rich and full sound, the sweeter sound, or the emotional sound?
Well, I'll take the emotional with Gigli. He gets me every time. But they were all great.


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## Op.123 (Mar 25, 2013)

Seattleoperafan said:


> I found another version different from that one but without a date but he sounds better to me. I hope this is okay.


That's better! Divine.


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## PaulFranz (May 7, 2019)

I'll almost always pick any Jussi recording, but his earlier one is even better.


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## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

Some effin vocal heavyweights right here!!! This contest has made my day. I don't even want to vote, I'm just happy to be here😌

Corelli took 4th for me but there's no shame in it. The others have 3 of the most beautiful, well produced voices ever recorded. I would sell my soul to hear a voice like Jussi's on stage today.


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## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

I feel very disoriented, because I looked up the libretto, and the aria is not what I thought it was for years. The music to me suggests a passionate declaration of love. And he loves her all right, but in the aria, he states, he can see how _she_ is attracted to _him_, even if she says otherwise. That sounds like a pick up artist to me. But, he is supposed to say it "very tenderly", which surely is good to counter that macho effect, but as a result, I don't know what I want from this aria anymore, emotionally. So I just wave my hand and choose Correlli, because he sounds to me most steady on those long sustained notes.
Edit: Switching for Pavarotti. I want a sunshine feeling here.


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## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

I also agree they were all stellar, just as Nina says.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Op.123 said:


> That's better! Divine.


If I can catch it early enough I am always happy to change. I will make mistakes like that unintentionally sometimes.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

BBSVK said:


> I also agree they were all stellar, just as Nina says.


Lately I am picking more candidates that end up being close in the voting and that tells me I am doing my job okay. My next contest will have some very interesting choices.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Round 2 of this contest is full of all the plums!

Ah, Franco!

Gigli is a singer that didn't really do much for me before hearing his better stuff in these contests. Now, THIS is giving Corelli a run for his money. This is still better than all the tenors in round 1 though. The main drawback is his not pronouncing his 'Rs' (some will find Corelli overdoes it, but that's one of the things I LOVE about him).

And now Pav (Seattle how did you know this is one of my favourite arias and Franco and Pav in the same round! I will need to go and have a lie down in a dark room after this one!) Wonderful. I find his tonal emission more free flowing and full of ease compared with Gigli and the eveness of his tone coupled with its natural sounding beauty make this a winner.

And Bjorling! We truly are spoiled. This is very good. However, he holds back too much in the first half of the piece.

I'm going with Franco, but any of these four could win this one.

N.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

No matter, it will always be Corelli for me: what a voice! His faults are there, too: aspirates galore. Gigli uses them, too, but not as many. He is a bit lachrymose, though, but those smooth phrases, _legato _are a lesson. Luciano is a model of italianate singing. I am not a Björling fan, though I get why other people like him.


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## Shaughnessy (Dec 31, 2020)

Seattleoperafan said:


> *I found another version different from that one but without a date but he sounds better to me. I hope this is okay.*


It's from 1937 - Gigli would have been 47 - You did well...


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Shaughnessy said:


> It's from 1937 - Gigli would have been 47 - You did well...


You should work for the IRS or Cia with the things you can ferret out 😜


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Well these are all rather wonderful so choosing a winner is going to be difficult.

In reverse order.
4. Corelli - his aspirates let him down I'm afraid.
3. Pavarotti - he sings it beautifully, but he is up against it with the other two and I found it hard to decide which I prefered. In the end.
2. Gigli - his aspirates aren't as bad as Franco and he is mercifully free of the sobs that crept into a lot of his performances, but, in the end, the voice I love most is
1. Björling, who is one of my favourite tenors of all time. I just love the silvery beauty of his voice.


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## ScottK (Dec 23, 2021)

I think I like Franco the best here. To me, only Bjoerling's sound comes close to his for the kind of inner angst that I think enhances this so much. Pavarotti's line is seamless but he's not made for soulfulness. Gigli is wonderful but again...I know its not Russian music, but he sounds bright and after Francos brooding sound, light. I don't know the year of the Bjoerling recording but I'm starting to hear the extra noise that interfered with his late recordings, just some. Franco never wins awards for a seamless legato line but to me, most importantly here, he reigns in the forces so that its not heroic. That's where he so often looses me in lyrical music. And I find the best combination of attractive music making and a distinct and captivating character in him.


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## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

ScottK said:


> I think I like Franco the best here. To me, only Bjoerling's sound comes close to his for the kind of inner angst that I think enhances this so much.


And should there be inner angst ? Because, after finally reading the libretto, I don't know anymore. But maybe yes.

Especially considering what they are duetting about before the aria starts.

I switched from Corelli to Pavarotti, but feel very content that Franco gets some votes, too.


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## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

Here is the situation:


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## ScottK (Dec 23, 2021)

BBSVK said:


> And should there be inner angst ? Because, after finally reading the libretto, I don't know anymore. But maybe yes.
> 
> Especially considering what they are duetting about before the aria starts.
> 
> I switched from Corelli to Pavarotti, but feel very content that Franco gets some votes, too.





BBSVK said:


> Here is the situation:
> 
> View attachment 180013
> 
> ...


I went only to the text of the aria before listening and perhaps that plus the Russian names and (now that I’m thinking about why) I believe the Recent pique dame video is hanging about the edges of my thoughts probably just because of the names, I’d say I PREFER the inner.......what??? Your right, angst isn’t exactly it though I accept it partially. I wasn’t satisfied with the word angst when I put it down But it’s that dark, Soulful, Byronic core to the sound of Corellis voice which, even more than the power, is what makes him so right for so many heroes of Italian operas. Obviously it doesn’t just make him more right for everything but here I prefer it


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

ScottK said:


> I went only to the text of the aria before listening and perhaps that plus the Russian names and (now that I’m thinking about why) I believe the Recent pique dame video is hanging about the edges of my thoughts probably just because of the names, I’d say I PREFER the inner.......what??? Your right, angst isn’t exactly it though I accept it partially. I wasn’t satisfied with the word angst when I put it down But it’s that dark, Soulful, Byronic core to the sound of Corellis voice which, even more than the power, is what makes him so right for so many heroes of Italian operas. Obviously it doesn’t just make him more right for everything but here I prefer it


He had the right sound .. so FULL FULL FULL of Italian feeling. Apparently I have the right sound too. I am doing a comic speech at our talent contest at the old folks home tomorrow about why we should eat bugs in which I impersonate Julia Child where she describes what the critters taste like. I did it for my speaking club this weekend and a friend there studied with Julia Child in person and he said I had it down pat and sounded exactly like her. They said it was my best speech . I did it a dozen years ago for contests and won several prizes with it. Frankly I would rather be able to impersonate Corelli, but you can't have everything.


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## ScottK (Dec 23, 2021)

Seattleoperafan said:


> He had the right sound .. so FULL FULL FULL of Italian feeling. Apparently I have the right sound too. I am doing a comic speech at our talent contest at the old folks home tomorrow about why we should eat bugs in which I impersonate Julia Child where she describes what the critters taste like. I did it for my speaking club this weekend and a friend there studied with Julia Child in person and he said I had it down pat and sounded exactly like her. They said it was my best speech . I did it a dozen years ago for contests and won several prizes with it. Frankly I would rather be able to impersonate Corelli, but you can't have everything.


Oh no.....Julia Child impersonation over Franco Corelli any day of the week!!! I want to hear it!!!


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

ScottK said:


> Oh no.....Julia Child impersonation over Franco Corelli any day of the week!!! I want to hear it!!!


If my video is good from the contest I will post it.


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## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

18 voters so far !


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

BBSVK said:


> 18 voters so far !


We have some new people active lately which is great.


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## Shaughnessy (Dec 31, 2020)

Seattleoperafan said:


> *We have some new people active lately which is great.*


I'm strangely charismatic...


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Shaughnessy said:


> I'm strangely charismatic...


I certainly enjoy your sense of humor (humour to you)…


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## ColdGenius (9 mo ago)

Libretto is an enormous face palm.


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## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

ColdGenius said:


> Libretto is an enormous face palm.


I adjusted by now, but it was a shock.

Edit: but do you know the whole thing ? She seduced him for the purpose that he opens up and tells her if he killed her fiance. She admits to somebody else some time before, that the seduction had side effects on her, and she became actually attracted. So she is confused and he sees confusing signals.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

If Corelli had not been such a musical barbarian he might have been one of my favorite tenors. I have to try to imagine him attacking notes straight on and eschewing all the aspirates ("Amohor tihi vieta"). But I'd rather listen to good musicianship than imagine it. Gigli too aspirates, but doesn't slither around as if he were skating on oil and scoop up to every blinkin' note, even short notes where you couldn't imagine anyone doing it, the way Corelli does. Pavarotti is fine, but for me it's a tossup between Gigli and Bjorling. I love Gigli's generous Italian temperament when he doesn't sob, which he doesn't do here, but I think I'll go with the Swedish angel. He's musically restrained but impeccable, and his voice simply moves me. Giordano's pathos doesn't need italics and underlining.


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## ColdGenius (9 mo ago)

BBSVK said:


> I adjusted by now, but it was a shock.
> 
> Edit: but do you know the whole thing ? She seduced him for the purpose that he opens up and tells her if he killed her fiance. She admits to somebody else some time before, that the seduction had side effects on her, and she became actually attracted. So she is confused and he sees confusing signals.


I don't know the full opera, but I read a sinopsis. As I guessed, the literary source wasn't Russian.


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## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

ColdGenius said:


> I don't know the full opera, but I read a sinopsis. As I guessed, the literary source wasn't Russian.


The same author as Tosca ;-)


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## ColdGenius (9 mo ago)

BBSVK said:


> The same author as Tosca ;-)


It explains much!


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## j.frinzi14 (1 mo ago)

I switched to Corelli as he was tied w Bjorling so Correlli could win.I don’t think you should be allowed to switch as when I voted for Gigli I saw the tie w Bjorling so I knew my vote didn’t matter for Gigli so I spoiled it for that beautiful voice of Justi. I have Almost everything that Bjorling recorded even that albums where he sings in Chicago w his two brothers and yes even that Swedish version of La Traviata w Hjordis Schymberg . Yet the Dec 11th 1919 Milan Find the CD Naxos 8.110263 The Gigli Edition 2. Putting the late recording even the 1940 while a great recording not as good as the 1919 one . On that cd is also that Pearl Fisher duet w Pacini .
That Pearl Fisher could go up vs the Bjorling. Both Gigli and Bjorling are treasures but my conflict is I even have a Christmas card to an Italian friend of our Family . I think on any given day the Bjorling or Gigli could win let alone the Corelli. Sorry I just can’t vote for Pavarotti I’d add Lanza to knock Pavarotti out . A write in vote for Lanza.


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