# Placido Domingo in Wagner operas?



## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

For my taste I don't prefer the great tenor in this music. His voice just seems out of place to me. I like the more German voice in Wagner.
Except, he was great in Meistersinger, a good role for him there, a singer.

But for the rest no likey.

Your opinions?


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

He's entirely wrong (as he is in Handel too) but I still quite like him. I'm a bit prejudiced.


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## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

I only saw her on DVD, from Wiener Staatsoper as Lohengrin, he was awful !


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

I think I had a Lohengrin recording with him, he did not sound right for the part.


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## Chi_townPhilly (Apr 21, 2007)

"Esteem is founded on comparison," Molière teaches us...

So the obvious question is- _among Domingo's contemporaries_ 
(at least contemporary to his essays into the Wagner repertoire)- who do you prefer in those roles??

Granted, his German has come under criticism. Granted, his acclaimed recordings are pretty much studio creations. Granted, his live performances in Wagner operas tend not to come off as well. Still- let's reflect on the alternatives...


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

Heppner, Sieffert, Robert Dean Smith, Kaufman to start.


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

Art Rock said:


> I think I had a Lohengrin recording with him, he did not sound right for the part.


its the Solti, and yes, he did not to me either.


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## Chi_townPhilly (Apr 21, 2007)

Itullian said:


> Heppner,


Okay.


Itullian said:


> Sieffert,


Really? I suppose I shouldn't hold this against his _voice_, but he's the guy who sings _avec_ a wireless earbud, so that The Prompter can feed him the lyrics more discreetly. It's sort of like if Marlon Brando were to perform in a stage play.:lol:


Itullian said:


> Robert Dean Smith,


He's nice... but it seemed that Gary Lehman has supplanted him at the MET, at least prior to Lehman's health-troubles. I know no details... but I don't think this was done without reasons.


Itullian said:


> Kaufman


Can do Siegmund, can be stretched to Walther... but somehow, I just don't see "El Guapo" as Tristan, Tannhäuser, or (the ultimate in mirth-provoking)- Parsifal.


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

Domingo has a beautiful voice, but I find his un-idiomatic German a stumbling block. Kaufmann is my tenor of choice for the lighter-weight Wagner roles -- i.e., not Siegfried, Tristan, or Tannhäuser. Speaking of Parsifal: if the rumor mill is accurate, Kaufmann will sing this role in 2013 at the Met.

I didn't know about Seiffert and the earbud.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Who is the Tristan of choice?


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

Tristan, OY

I wonder who'll sing it on the new Janowski recording.

Thomas Moser sang it on Thielemann's recording. got decent review.

?


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

Really? I suppose I shouldn't hold this against his voice, but he's the guy who sings avec a wireless earbud, so that The Prompter can feed him the lyrics more discreetly. It's sort of like if Marlon Brando were to perform in a stage play


great idea as long as the earbud keeps working.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Well Tristan is an issue - I mean on all my DVDs I have good Isoldes and mediocre Tristans. That's why I bought the Domingo/Stemme Tristan, because I wanted a voice I actually liked. I speak German with a horrible French accent so I don't mind his horrible Spanish one.


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

mamascarlatti said:


> Well Tristan is an issue - I mean on all my DVDs I have good Isoldes and mediocre Tristans. That's why I bought the Domingo/Stemme Tristan, because I wanted a voice I actually liked. I speak German with a horrible French accent so I don't mind his horrible Spanish one.


don't get me wrong, PD is a great artist and a great singer, i love his Meistersinger. just seems like his voice is out of place. Siegfried Jerusalem couldn't last for ever.

you should get his Meistersinger, it's awesome.


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

Domingo's German has improved somewhat since he first began to sing Wagner, and he may not be"idiomatic", but his voice is still a heck of a lot more beatutiful than most Wagner tenors who are native speakers of German, with the exception of Jerusalem, whom I also admire greatly.


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

The _Tristan_ recording I have is with Jerusalem -- and, yes, it's difficult to come up with a current tenor who would be able to perform this role satisfactorily. Maybe Seiffert (and his earbud!).


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

MAuer said:


> The _Tristan_ recording I have is with Jerusalem -- and, yes, it's difficult to come up with a current tenor who would be able to perform this role satisfactorily. Maybe Seiffert (and his earbud!).


I just got the highlights from that in the Presto Classical sale - haven't listened yet.


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## AndyS (Dec 2, 2011)

I've just started listening to his Lohengrin with Solti just now...have to admit, I'm not hugely familiar with him yet, but seem to have discretely garnered a wee collection of operas featuring him (La Traviata, Carmen, Tosca, Macbeth albeit in a smaller role)and becoming a big fan - its the sheer beauty of his voice!

Considering his Tristan very soon


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