# A Tribute to Armenian Baritone Pavel Lisitsian (1911-2004)



## Barelytenor (Nov 19, 2011)

Bonetan's wonderful series of Baritone Cage Matches got me to thinking more about some of my favorite baritones, and one name in particular tops my list, that of Pavel Lisitsian. He was born in Russia of an ethnic Armenian family, and had the Iron Curtain fallen well before it did, he undoubtedly would have been exposed more to Western audiences and vice versa. He sang with the Bolshoi Opera for nearly three decades, and accordingly most of his performances are in Russian, even those originally in Italian. But this man could sing in Urdu or Middle Norse for all I care, and his voice would still come across as exceptional. He and Dmitri Hvorostovsky were well acquainted, and both had exceptional breath control. But where Dima sings like an iron lung, Lisitsian can sing endlessly long lines piano, forte, any dynamic, with effortless ease (notice his shoulders never come up, even on high notes, the way so many singers' do).

I take the liberty here of posting three arias sung by Lisitsian. The first is the famous aria "I love you / Я вас люблю / Ya vas lyublyu) from Tchaikovsky's Queen of Spades / Pique Dame / Пиковая дама. The aria is one of the loveliest, most thrilling declarations of love in all of opera. Below, I will post the Russian and English translation (if I can get it pasted in correctly).






Я вас люблю, люблю безмерно,
Без вас не мыслю дня прожить.
Я подвиг силы беспримерной
Готов сейчас для вас свершить,
Но знайте: сердца вашего свободу
Ничем я не хочу стеснять,
Готов скрываться вам в угоду
И пыл ревнивых чувств унять,
На всë, на всë для вас готов я!
Не только любящим супругом,
Слугой полезным иногда,
Желал бы я быть вашим другом
И утешителем всегда.

Но ясно вижу, чувствую теперь я,
Куда себя в мечтах завлёк,
Как мало в вас ко мне доверья,
Как чужд я вам и как далёк!
Ах, я терзаюсь этой далью,
Состражду вам я всей душой,
Печалюсь вашей я печалью
И плачу вашею слезой...
Ах, я терзаюсь этой далью,
Состражду вам я всей душой!
Я вас люблю, люблю безмерно,
Без вас не мыслю дня прожить,
Я подвиг силы беспримерной
Готов сейчас для вас свершить!
О милая, Я вас люблю!

I love you, I love immensely,
Without you, I cannot think of a day to live.
A feat of strength unparalleled
I'm ready to do for you now,
But know this: Your heart's freedom
I 'll do nothing to restrain,
Ready to hide myself for your pleasure
And keep my jealous feelings at bay,
I'll do anything, anything for you!
Not just a loving spouse,
A servant sometimes useful,
I'd like to be your friend
And a comforter always.

But I see it clearly, I feel it now,
Where I've taken myself in my dreams,
How little you trust in me,
How alien and distant I am to you!
Oh, I am tormented by this distance,
I'm sorry for you with all my heart,
I grieve for your sorrow
I weep with your tears ...
Oh, I am tormented by this distance,
I'm sorry for you with all my heart!

I love you, I love immensely,
Without you, I cannot think of a day to live.
A feat of strength unparalleled
I'm ready to do for you now!

O sweetheart, I love you!

The second clip will be much more familiar to Western audiences, as it's "Di Provenza il mar" from La Traviata, but sung in Russian. Please note that Lisitsian sings all four of the phrases in the first verse in one breath!






This last one is the "Song of the Venetian Guest" aka "Gorod kamenny, gorodam vsem mat' " from Rimsky-Korsakov's opera Sadko. This is sheer joyous singing of an aria that should be known far better than it is.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

A fine singer whose very fast vibrato requires a little attitude adjustment from me every time I hear him. It's almost as if the recording were played at too high a speed.


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## Barelytenor (Nov 19, 2011)

^ It grows on you.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Barelytenor said:


> ^ It grows on you.


Haha. It hasn't yet, but I can listen through it.


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## Revitalized Classics (Oct 31, 2018)

I really enjoy Pavel Lisitsian's singing.




There are times his sound reminds me of another favourite - Rolando Panerai. Maybe it's just me?

Like Kozlovsky and Lemeshev, only the very occasional recording of _arie antiche_ in Italian and Neapolitan song survive in their original language


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Woodduck said:


> A fine singer whose very fast vibrato requires a little attitude adjustment from me every time I hear him. It's almost as if the recording were played at too high a speed.


I actually rather like it.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

Tsaraslondon said:


> I actually rather like it.


So do I. Lisitsian's quick, narrow vibrato is what gives his voice its distinctive character.


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