Dear Mr Milnes, I don’t know if you will ever see this! But I just have to write to you to say I had the great pleasure to hear you twice in recital in the 1970’s, and have never heard a greater, more beautiful baritone voice in all my 71 years! And I Am a bass who studied with Carol Vaness’s teacher and the great bass Leon Lishner. So I’ve heard many singers, but your voice is truly special and I consider myself so fortunate to have heard you in person! I hope you are happy and having a good life!!
doesn't even sound like a baritone, wouldn't be surprised if he was a woofy lower tenor. His speaking pitch was very high compared to legitimate baritones, too.
22-09-09, ahem, take 2: as I was saying, before the stupid playlist advance to the next upload without any warning "feature" threw my comment away, Gobbi is in my top 4 or 5 baritones, sharing number one with Sherrill Milnes as Scarpia. Bravo. It's a pity only Italy put in the effort and money to film opera as soon as the technology was manageable to do so. The Germans did a bit but not until later. Liked / playlisted / sub. Mil gracias, paz._
The aria is similar in architecture of Renato's 'Eri tu' from Un Ballo in Maschera. A passionate aggressive outburst followed by sorrowful resignation. But for some reason Milnes never recorded Renato although he sang him on stage in Chicago in 1967.
He is just amazingly pitch perfect and insanely powerful, but tenderly touching at the same time, like milk and honey - hey isn´t he a dairy farmer´s child? :) Therefore!. The Best Rigoletto ever!!
Perfect resonance, vibrato, with just the right tensions, bloom and chiaroscuro. It was neither too dark, hooty or too bright. It played middle aged, old and young very well. Milnes at this stage of his career and way into the 1980’s was a real star for the American opera scene.
L'accompagnamento strumentale di tutta questa scena si mantiene pienamente nella tradizione operistica precedente, ma certo Verdi l'innalza ad un livello d'arte incomparabile.
Interpretazione molto sentita dal cantante, voce straordinaria, ma interpretazione con alcuni difetti. Per es si sente accento anglofono in certi punti.
_In my opinion, what makes Milnes the greatest baritone in opera history is that when he sings, he makes you wish the soprano & tenor would be quiet & let him sing the trio by himself to give the soprano & tenor a lesson in magnificent vocal texture & singing ( and that includes l.p. & p.d. , if not especially )._
@@xxluchino:: Yes, I'm "serious". When you have heard Milnes sing the _Count di Luna or Amonasro_ ( the majestic quality of his singing is one of his major vocal assets ).
Reminds me of how Martina Arroyo once said that she would have made a slight change in the plot of Tosca if Milnes was the Scarpia. You take a guess what that plot change would have been
