Word: basso
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Russian Operatic Arias (Raphael Arie, basso; Paris Conservatory Orchestra conducted by Alberto Erede; London). One of the world's best bass voices, used as it should be, in some of the finest bass arias. Included: songs from Eugene Onegin, Prince Igor, Sadko, Boris Godunov...
Heartbreak Hotel (Elvis Presley; Victor). A new singer with a new twist: a double voice that alternates between a high, unpleasant quaver, reminiscent of Johnnie Ray at his fiercest, and a rich basso that might be smooth if it were not for its spasmodic delivery. Heartbreak Hotel, yelps the high voice, is where he's going to get away from it all. Answers the basso: he'll be sorry...
Wolfson points to some ten pupils to illustrate his theory. He has a tape recording of one of them singing all the principal roles of The Magic Flute, from the Queen of the Night's famously difficult coloratura (F above the staff) to Sarastro's well-deep basso (F below the bass staff). A group of four women students recorded the minuet from a Haydn string quartet, singing cello, viola and violin parts. One boy has recorded his rumbles and squeaks over a range of seven octaves, a young man has produced close to nine under Wolfson...
...passages, but the many lyric moments are sung roughly. Tebaldi tends to be shrill as Leonora, although parts of her performance are controlled and lovely. The opera itself is uneven, so the singers must sometimes surpass their material. They have only partial success: contralto Giulia Simionato is fine, but basso Cesare Siepi is a disappointment. The best performance comes from baritone Bastianini, making his debut on records. His voice is rich and big, and handled very sympathetically. He contributes the only consistent luster to an otherwise spotty recording...
...Thomas Martin's competent translation, he put across his role with almost Broadway-like punch. Soprano Lucine Amara (Pamina) sang beautifully, and Roberta Peters (Queen of the Night) did her bell-like best despite a cold. But Tenor Brian Sullivan (Tamino) was dry-voiced and stiff-backed; Basso Jerome Hines, while he hit all of Sarastro's low notes, failed to be really moving. Not one of the slim, attractive Americans could match the musical excitement so often provided by the Met's derided, plumpish divas...