# BARITONE TOURNAMENT (Bonus Matchup #4): Tibbett vs Cappuccilli



## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

Lawrence Tibbett, USA, 1896-1960






Piero Cappuccilli, Italy, 1926-2005






Who's singing did you prefer and why?


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## Barelytenor (Nov 19, 2011)

Personal preference. I could easily have voted for either one here but I prefer the more covered sounds of Tibbett, and the fast vibrato characteristic of his voice does not bother me. Here.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

I believe Tibbett's recording is a 1939 @ The Met. Amazing huge voice, impressive portamenti, but a bit too monochrome. (Then Martinelli ruins the scene with his out of tune entry, hehe )

Call me imprinted on Cappuccilli, but he is one of the last true great Verdi baritones and his performance is a masterclass of emotional delivery, breathing technique any modern singer could only dream of, etc etc. He wins over my heart.


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## Revitalized Classics (Oct 31, 2018)

Tibbett, for me.

Epic voice, luxurious. Long phrases, even at these slow tempos, but also dramatic. He is sensitive at 1:20 and 4:00 is superb. Very commanding.

Cappuccilli's voice is focused but on the dry side for my taste. I do like the dynamics at 1:06. I also enjoy his contribution at 3.40 but I prefer Tibbett's darker and more powerful sound.


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## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

Azol said:


> I believe Tibbett's recording is a 1939 @ The Met. *Amazing huge voice*, impressive portamenti, but a bit too monochrome. (Then Martinelli ruins the scene with his out of tune entry, hehe )


I wondered why Tibbett didn't sing more Wagner with what seemed like a big, dark voice, but if this quote from _Dear Rogue: A Biography of American Baritone Lawrence Tibbett_ is to be believed it actually wasn't a big voice:

"On the Met tour that spring Larry undertook three new roles in the space of nine days, Alfio in _Cavalleria rusticana_, Germont in _Traviata_, and Telramund in Wagner's _Lohengrin_, a role he would never sing in New York. Although one would think he would be towering in it, Regina Resnik suggested that Larry's voice was not big enough for the powerful role."

Thought you might find this interesting as I did


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Emotional delivery wins the day. Cappuccilli wins my heart (and my vote)


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Definitely Tibbett. Free, fearless, undistorted singing. Cappuccilli is not bad, but his voice has some of the extra weighting, verging on forcing, typical of modern male singers. The slower vibrato, frequent unvibrated notes and explosive, vocalized final consonants ("cor-ruh") are ubiquitous annoyances in third-rate singing.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

Woodduck said:


> The slower vibrato, frequent unvibrated notes and explosive, vocalized final consonants ("cor-ruh") are ubiquitous annoyances in third-rate singing.


Comparing Cappuccilli to modern third-rate singers is a bit... ahm... hyperbolizing? No singing is 100% perfect. At least Cappuccilli aims at more variety of tone and expression which is especially important in such heavy, monochromatic, doom-laden opera as Simon Boccanegra.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Azol said:


> Comparing Cappuccilli to modern third-rate singers is a bit... ahm... hyperbolizing? No singing is 100% perfect. At least Cappuccilli aims at more variety of tone and expression which is especially important in such heavy, monochromatic, doom-laden opera as Simon Boccanegra.


I described specific characteristics of what I heard. It's the specifics that matter, not my personal scale of ratings. A lot of singing I've heard fron major singers nowadays is definitely worse than Cappuccilli's. My rating scale includes fourth-, fifth-, and possibly tenth-rate singing, so don't fear for Mr. Cappuccilli.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

Definitely Tibbett. Cappuccilli always bores me.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

wkasimer said:


> Definitely Tibbett. Cappuccilli always bores me.


I feel much the same way, whereas Boccanegra is the one role in which Cappuccilli does deliver. This is a difficult choice here as I like both, but I agree with Woodduck that Tibbett wins on technique and since I find both emotionally involved with the text the finer technique pushes Tibbett just that bit ahead.

N.


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## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

This one is closer for me than I anticipated. I prefer Tibbett's singing overall so I'll give him the nod, but in his version I long for the phrasing and breath control of Cappuccilli, particularly from the "piango su voi" section on.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

I'm on the same page as The Conte. I suppose Cappuccilli has been somewhat imprinted on me as I know the Abbado recording so well, and I've always thought it one of his best performances on disc. That said, Tibbett has the better voice and also sings with imagination, so I've voted for him, even if do still like Cappuccilli's version.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

I never had heard Tibbett before and was most impressed with his version. Both good, but Tibbett has such a gorgeous voice. I love low voices with a fast vibrato. I shall play him for my opera friend on our next musical playlist when she rides with me at work Monday. That is a beautiful aria!


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