Some voices are instantly recognizable, whether you hear them on commercials, in animated films, or as voice-over narration for nature documentaries. We were watching an episode of The Simpsons (as usual) when I heard a voice I recognized as Werner Herzog's. I remember vividly first hearing his voice when I saw Les Blank's documentary Burden of Dreams, about the making of Herzog's film Fitzcarraldo (1982). Blank screened the rough cut in the Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley, and because I didn't own a TV, and the amazing student price made the PFA was like my second home. I was absolutely fascinated and enthralled by this bit toward the end of the film, in which Herzog says Nature is "not erotical." Gracias a YouTube, I can relive that moment.
Showing posts with label voice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label voice. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Cesare Siepi
Today we are going to see paintings by Titian that he did for his patrons, Carlos V and Felipe II.
Thinking of the Hapsburges makes me immediately start humming arias from the Verdi opera "Don Carlo" which I had not remembered for years! I used to live with B. who was a lyric baritone, pursuing a career in performing art song and opera (when we ended our relationship, many many years ago, I gave him all my opera records...). Over the years, B. performed in a number of regional productions, sometimes taking the bass parts because there aren't that many true bass voices out there. Some time in the mid-eighties, he sang in the chorus of a San Jose production of Verdi's opera Don Carlo, starring one of his favorite singers, the "basso" Cesare Siepi. I just learned that Siepi died last year at the age of 87. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to see him perform, in an opera that gave him the opportunity to show the amazing qualities of his voice and technique of "basso cantante."
As is often the case in operas, the plot has little to do with actual history. Here, the Emperor Don Carlo sings a melancholy song about how his young wife never really loved him: "Ella giamai m'amó" (she never loved me). This performance by Cesare Siepi from 1970, reveals the lovely qualities of his voice, echoed by the cello.
This recording, made 15 years later in 1985 (when Siepi was 72!), which was about the time I heard him sing, highlights the beauty of the strings (sadly,the sound is out of sync with the image). His interpretation is poignant and dignified.
Another favorite part of the opera is the famous "friendship duet" between tenor and baritone voices, with its introductory dialogue, here sung by Sherrill Milnes and Plácido Domingo.
For comparison, here is anolder recording with tenor Jon Vickers and the fabulous Tito Gobbi.
And in other roles, here we have Siepi on stage as Don Giovanni, singing one of Mozart's most lovely songs "Deh, vieni alla finestra."
And in "Le Nozze di Figaro" as Figaro, singing the recitative and aria "Aprite un po gli occhi."
Opera fans seem to like to argue: Who was the best? here is a "cage match" pitting some of the most famous bass/baritone voices against each other in Don Giovanni's "Champagne" aria:
Thinking of the Hapsburges makes me immediately start humming arias from the Verdi opera "Don Carlo" which I had not remembered for years! I used to live with B. who was a lyric baritone, pursuing a career in performing art song and opera (when we ended our relationship, many many years ago, I gave him all my opera records...). Over the years, B. performed in a number of regional productions, sometimes taking the bass parts because there aren't that many true bass voices out there. Some time in the mid-eighties, he sang in the chorus of a San Jose production of Verdi's opera Don Carlo, starring one of his favorite singers, the "basso" Cesare Siepi. I just learned that Siepi died last year at the age of 87. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to see him perform, in an opera that gave him the opportunity to show the amazing qualities of his voice and technique of "basso cantante."
As is often the case in operas, the plot has little to do with actual history. Here, the Emperor Don Carlo sings a melancholy song about how his young wife never really loved him: "Ella giamai m'amó" (she never loved me). This performance by Cesare Siepi from 1970, reveals the lovely qualities of his voice, echoed by the cello.
This recording, made 15 years later in 1985 (when Siepi was 72!), which was about the time I heard him sing, highlights the beauty of the strings (sadly,the sound is out of sync with the image). His interpretation is poignant and dignified.
Another favorite part of the opera is the famous "friendship duet" between tenor and baritone voices, with its introductory dialogue, here sung by Sherrill Milnes and Plácido Domingo.
For comparison, here is anolder recording with tenor Jon Vickers and the fabulous Tito Gobbi.
And in other roles, here we have Siepi on stage as Don Giovanni, singing one of Mozart's most lovely songs "Deh, vieni alla finestra."
And in "Le Nozze di Figaro" as Figaro, singing the recitative and aria "Aprite un po gli occhi."
Opera fans seem to like to argue: Who was the best? here is a "cage match" pitting some of the most famous bass/baritone voices against each other in Don Giovanni's "Champagne" aria:
Nine great Don Giovannis sing the famous Champagne aria. Only one will emerge victorious...
In chronological order:
1. Ezio Pinza, cond. Bruno Walter 1942 (live)
2. Tito Gobbi, cond. Wilhelm Furtwängler, 1950 (live)
3. Cesare Siepi, cond. Wilhelm Furtwängler, 1954
4. Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, cond. Ferenc Fricsay, 1959
5. Nicolai Ghiaurov, cond. Carlo Maria Giulini, 1970 (live)
6. Samuel Ramey, cond. Herbert von Karajan, 1987 (live)
7. Thomas Hampson, cond. Nikolaus Harnoncourt, 1989
8. Håkan Hagegård, cond. Arnold Östman, 1990
9. Bo Skovhus, cond. Michael Halasz, 2000
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