# Favourite arias and perfect renditions (on Youtube)



## Ritter (Apr 11, 2013)

I've been looking for some renditions of one on my favourite arias "L'altra notte in fondo al mare" from Boito's Mefstofele recently, and I came across Benackova in San Francisco Opera production. I can't help listening to this aria in Benakova's voice. Her performance, the lyrics of the aria and the music altogether touch me a lot! And I wanted to share with you this wonderful moment- in my opinion needless to say. I 'd suggest to share those renditions on youtube that you are really obsessed with now to comment on them.

(As usual, sorry for my English!)


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

"_Ombra mai fu_" from _Serse_, sung by the incredible Fritz Wunderlich. If ever there was an argument for casting the role of Serse with a tenor, this is it.


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## guythegreg (Jun 15, 2012)

I think my favorites right now are Prince Gremin's aria, sung by Paul Plishka, and Salut, demure chaste et pure, by Alfredo Kraus:


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## guythegreg (Jun 15, 2012)

MAuer said:


> "_Ombra mai fu_" from _Serse_, sung by the incredible Fritz Wunderlich. If ever there was an argument for casting the role of Serse with a tenor, this is it.


That WAS incredible.


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## Zabirilog (Mar 10, 2013)

<3


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## badRomance (Nov 22, 2011)

Mado Robin singing the Bell song from Delibes' Lakme.


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## badRomance (Nov 22, 2011)

This is apparently Solti's recording superimposed on a Bayreuth telecast. "Willst du mir Minne schenken"/"O heilige Götter" from Götterdämmerung. I picked it because 1. only a handful of singers can match Windgassen and Nilsson in this, 2. the only moving images of Nilsson in a Ring performance that I've seen, 3. the very satisfying and effective staging and camerawork.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

My favourite version of _Tu che a dio spiegasti l'ali_ by the young José Carreras.


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## guythegreg (Jun 15, 2012)

sospiro said:


> My favourite version of _Tu che a dio spiegasti l'ali_ by the young José Carreras.


Whew! gave me chills.


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## Ritter (Apr 11, 2013)

Listen to another Spanish tenor, Kraus... the perfect Edgardo.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Ritter said:


> Listen to another Spanish tenor, Kraus... the perfect Edgardo.


Fabulous!

I wasn't saying Carreras' version was the best, just my own favourite.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

I love this & it's by one of my favourite guys.

Russian basso Grigory Soloviov singing 'O ruddier than the cherry - Cease to Beauty' _Acis and Galatea_


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## Ritter (Apr 11, 2013)

sospiro said:


> Fabulous!
> 
> I wasn't saying Carreras' version was the best, just my own favourite.


Of course, I wasn't saying Kraus's version was the best either! I just think it is perfect, but other people may choose another one as the best. Musical tastes are very subjective


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## unpocoscherzando (Sep 24, 2011)

- from _Cosi fan tutte_


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Callas.....

*Suicidio from La Gioconda*, you know from the first searing word a great version, savage utter desperation yet beatifully floated notes. Check the deep chest voice at 2:20, such a powerful emotional rendition.....I am amazed


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## HumphreyAppleby (Apr 11, 2013)

My three tops from YouTube

Je crois entendre encore- Nicolai Gedda





Una parola sola... or son sei mesi- di Stefano





Un bel di- Freni (I would buy a recordign just for the first words in this rendition of the aria (1:49))


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## guythegreg (Jun 15, 2012)

HumphreyAppleby said:


> Je crois entendre encore- Nicolai Gedda


Out of this world.


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## Ritter (Apr 11, 2013)

Another extraordinary performance. What a great singer was Horne and what a magnificent technique she had!

This scene has everything for a rossinian mezzo to show off their posibilities. And Horne really does. I always came back to her and this video.


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## guythegreg (Jun 15, 2012)

HumphreyAppleby said:


> Je crois entendre encore- Nicolai Gedda


Since you suggested the Gedda version I've been looking around a bit - and Kraus, Brownlee and Villazon also give incredible renditions! (Villazon's seems to include some falsetto, but to me this is more than compensated for by the wonderfully woody quality of his voice overall.) I'm not sure Gedda's isn't still my favorite - it's competely ethereal - but those other three are really amazing as well.


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## Ritter (Apr 11, 2013)

Do you know the Vanzo version?


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## guythegreg (Jun 15, 2012)

Ritter said:


> Do you know the Vanzo version?


just listened to that one - and to David Gilmour's, twice. You know, the old guy that used to be in Pink Floyd? Maybe it's just not possible to sing it badly.


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## Ritter (Apr 11, 2013)

I've just found out David Gilmour's. To be honest, I prefer operatic versions, it is not my cup of tea.


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## HumphreyAppleby (Apr 11, 2013)

Ah, I just can't choose. Another aria that I can't get enough of. Sur les monts, es plus sauvages - Gedda again





And while we're talking about Je croic entendre encore, there are some great Italian versions:




 (Licitra)





 (Tagliavini)





 (McCormack)





 (Smirnov)

An English version that is drop dead gorgeous:




 (Nash)

A great Russian rendition:




 (Lemeshev)

And some live recordings of it in French:




 (Gedda 1968)





 (Gedda 1974 (The date on the recording case shown in the video is wrong))


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## guythegreg (Jun 15, 2012)

Thanks so much. Those are awesome.


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## Ritter (Apr 11, 2013)

Some of them sing the aria with a pitch or half-pitch low - I don't know if this is correct English, isn't it? - Even so, some of them are gorgeous. What a nice voice McCormack!


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## HumphreyAppleby (Apr 11, 2013)

Ritter said:


> Some of them sing the aria with a pitch or half-pitch low - I don't know if this is correct English, isn't it? - Even so, some of them are gorgeous. What a nice voice McCormack!


The English is translated so that it can be sung, with the slight effect of making the text completely wrong. It' squite a difficult aria in original key, so some of 'em are a bit low. My favorite (as you can probably guess) is always Gedda.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Ritter said:


> Some of them sing the aria with a *pitch or half-pitch* low - I don't know if this is correct English,


Tone or semi-tone.


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## GiulioCesare (Apr 9, 2013)

mamascarlatti said:


> Tone or semi-tone.


Or half tone. Or alternatively and more colloquially, step or half step.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

GiulioCesare said:


> Or half tone. Or alternatively and more colloquially, step or half step.


I think it might be that tone and semi tone are British (like minim, crotchet, quaver) and step or half step are US (like half-note, quarter note, sixteenth).

I have to say I haven't heard half tone as a combination.


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## HumphreyAppleby (Apr 11, 2013)

Oh, I see I misunderstood Ritter's post...


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## GiulioCesare (Apr 9, 2013)

mamascarlatti said:


> I think it might be that tone and semi tone are British (like minim, crotchet, quaver) and step or half step are US (like half-note, quarter note, sixteenth).
> 
> I have to say I haven't heard half tone as a combination.


You might be right. I am actually from the same country as Ritter and was just being my usual smartass.

Half tone _is _used though. Wikipedia quotes Copland and Bernstein employing the term, among others, and provides a dozen of sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half_tone#cite_note-1


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## Ritter (Apr 11, 2013)

Thank you for your help. 

(Don't worry HumphreyAppleby, the problem is that my English is not very good, I'm sorry!)


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## HumphreyAppleby (Apr 11, 2013)

Ritter said:


> Thank you for your help.
> 
> (Don't worry HumphreyAppleby, the problem is that my English is not very good, I'm sorry!)


That's alright. Your English is actually quite good. Musical terms are quite confusing. If it's alright for me to ask, is your first language Spanish?


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## Ritter (Apr 11, 2013)

Yes, it is. I am from Spain


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