# TENOR TOURNAMENT (Quarterfinal #2): Bergonzi vs Gigli



## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

Carlo Bergonzi, Italy, 1924-2014 (defeated Filippeschi 15-5)






Beniamino Gigli, Italy, 1890-1957 (defeated Del Monaco 13-12)






Who's singing did you prefer and why?


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

This one is difficult, the sound isn't great on either, but you soon get used to it. Bergonzi is the more refined of the two, but Gigli is more expressive and involved despite a rough start. Gigli gets my vote.

N.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

The Conte said:


> This one is difficult, the sound isn't great on either, but you soon get used to it. Bergonzi is the more refined of the two, but Gigli is more expressive and involved despite a rough start. Gigli gets my vote.


Even though Bergonzi gets a bit overly lachrymose at the very end, his phrasing is more polished, and his delivery had more innigkeit. But I agree that this one was tough.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

The Conte said:


> This one is difficult, the sound isn't great on either, but you soon get used to it. Bergonzi is the more refined of the two, but Gigli is more expressive and involved despite a rough start. Gigli gets my vote.
> 
> N.


Strange, but I believe it's Bergonzi who had a rough start, not Gigli.
Overall, Bergonzi sounds very controlled, reserved, so his histrionics at the end do not match the overall character of this performance. Quite unexpectedly, I didn't like it at all.

Gigli gets my vote. Passionate, powerful, effective. Bravo!


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Oh boy. Another toughy.
Without reading any posts yet, I am going to express my feelings first and read choices afterward.
Excluding that absolutely exquisite rendering of "discogliea dai velli" by the stunning voiced Bergonzi, -- he did that gorgeously -- I must say that I was not thrilled with his over-the-top sobbings (a thing that normally belongs to my man Gigli).
On the other hand, I was quite surprised by the straightforward, no-nonsense delivery and very clear enunciation offered by Gigli. It was simple and plaintively beautiful on its own without having to sugar coat the words. 
With a tiny bit of guilt, I place my vote with Gigli.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Very hard to choose, but ultimately I go for Gigli, who surprised me by being less histrionically hysterical, the trap so many tenors fall into and one that Bergonzi doesn't avoid. Bergonzi sings it quite beautifully then ruins the effect with all that extraneous sobbing at the end. He doesn't do it in the second Callas studio recording, so maybe he thought he was just giving the audience what they wanted. 

Gigli surprised me because I often find his singing too lachrymose, with too many sobs and aspirates but he was more restrained here and consequently more effective. Gigli it is.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

I did not like Bergonzi's overt "acting," in this aria, especially not his use of _sprechgesang_ at _e un paso sfiorava la rena_ and other unnecessary exaggerations. Though Bergonzi's voice is the most beautiful, I choose Gigli - he sings it most persuasively, and simply gets the point across.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

I am writing this before I read what others say. This was another very hard one. Gigli to me has somewhat an edge in the beauty of tone department, but while I found him emotionally engaging, Bergonzi ( who's singing I am unfamiliar with) gave a more exciting and emotionally gripping performance. Do I take to Rolls or the Bentley Continental out for a spin today. Both would be king of the scene today. Bergonzi won with me by a nose.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Tsaraslondon said:


> Very hard to choose, but ultimately I go for Gigli, who surprised me by being less histrionically hysterical, the trap so many tenors fall into and one that Bergonzi doesn't avoid. Bergonzi sings it quite beautifully then ruins the effect with all that extraneous sobbing at the end. He doesn't do it in the second Callas studio recording, so maybe he thought he was just giving the audience what they wanted.
> 
> Gigli surprised me because I often find his singing too lachrymose, with too many sobs and aspirates but he was more restrained here and consequently more effective. Gigli it is.


Well, now I don't have to review these. In fact, I could have just read this and skipped listening to them.

Gigli it is.


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## Dimace (Oct 19, 2018)

What I could say after I have listened more than 15 Toscas is that Carlo's ''E lucevan le stelle E olezzava la terra stridea l'uscio dell'orto e un passo sfiorava la rena entrava ella fragrante mi cadea fra le braccia'' is out of tempo and, in my opinion, out of opera spirit, not to say is completely wrong... This isn't a competition but one man's race.* Gigli *witn 10000000000000 Km.


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## BachIsBest (Feb 17, 2018)

Tsaraslondon said:


> Very hard to choose, but ultimately I go for Gigli, who surprised me by being less histrionically hysterical, the trap so many tenors fall into and one that Bergonzi doesn't avoid.


I suppose you're not a huge fan of this one then...






However, I also voted Gigli; his emotional arc made more sense to me whereas Bergonzi's seemed to go from restrained to histronic far too quickly. I also like his voice better, for what it's worth.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

I love those "Corelli a Parma" excerpts. Say what you like about the singing, the audience's 'performance' is something else. Bravo!

N.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

The Conte said:


> I love those "Corelli a Parma" excerpts. Say what you like about the singing, the audience's 'performance' is something else. Bravo!
> 
> N.


That rare Corelli "Parma" Tosca is a stand-out and the audience goes wild. Don't think the conductor and Franco were on the same page that day.


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## Gabriele Adorno (May 30, 2014)

MAS said:


> Though Bergonzi's voice is the most beautiful, I choose Gigli - he sings it most persuasively, and simply gets the point across.


I have never really warmed to Bergonzi's voice. He is objectively a very good singer but somehow it seems a little bland to me compared to some other tenors, such as Gigli. Can't really explain why.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

BachIsBest said:


> I suppose you're not a huge fan of this one then...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Aargh! I listened to this just after I'd been doing the Bjoerling/Lauri-Volpi comparison. Magnificent voice, but he pulls the aria around mercilessly and there are aspirates all over the place. Still, he evidently gave the audience what they wanted.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Tsaraslondon said:


> Aargh! I listened to this just after I'd been doing the Bjoerling/Lauri-Volpi comparison. Magnificent voice, but he pulls the aria around mercilessly and there are aspirates all over the place. Still, he evidently gave the audience what they wanted.


Just be grateful it isn't "Salut, demeure chaste et pure."


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## ScottK (Dec 23, 2021)

I think the renditions are not that far apart with Bergonzi doing a little more emoting than usual - I think it was what he thought was expected in Puccini, early in his career - and Gigli showing more restraint than he sometimes did. I agree with Gigli's approach; the music, sung simply and with conviction does the work.....its more effective with less. With one major exception....Gigli does nothing with the big moment, the climb to discoglea. Bergonzi absolutely nails it! One of his very best! And I have one point that is not unimportant....even though Bergonzi always gave a little more in front of a live audience, the recording does him a real disservice compared to Gigli who s right on top of the mic.....it just gives Gigli's voice so much more importance in the whole musical palette. And since he begins with more voice than just about anybody, that leaves Bergonzi at a real disadvantage.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

ScottK said:


> I think the renditions are not that far apart with Bergonzi doing a little more emoting than usual - I think it was what he thought was expected in Puccini, early in his career - and Gigli showing more restraint than he sometimes did. I agree with Gigli's approach; the music, sung simply and with conviction does the work.....its more effective with less. With one major exception....Gigli does nothing with the big moment, the climb to discoglea. Bergonzi absolutely nails it! One of his very best! And I have one point that is not unimportant....even though Bergonzi always gave a little more in front of a live audience, the recording does him a real disservice compared to Gigli who s right on top of the mic.....it just gives Gigli's voice so much more importance in the whole musical palette. And since he begins with more voice than just about anybody, that leaves Bergonzi at a real disadvantage.


New to these parts? The more the merrier (usually). Welcome.


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## ScottK (Dec 23, 2021)

I love a friendly welcome, Thanks!


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