Idomeneo is my favorite of the seven mature operas of Mozart. I first heard it in 1978, when I was fifteen, and I have loved it ever since. There have been many fine interpreters of the name part in my lifetime, including Gedda, Wieslaw Ochman and George Shirley; but Spyres is at the top of the heap. Not only does he have the measure of the role dramatically, but he also sings the uncut, highly florid original version of the 'big' aria, Fuor del mar, which even today few tenors dare to attempt. Spyres' vocalism is dazzling, and the cadenza, with its slightly rough C#5 and D5 perfectly expressing the king's state of mind as cries of anguish, is astonishing. Spyres is certainly the finest tenor active today. With his huge range and his comfort in all male vocal categories, is there any role that is not within his capabilities? His recent success as Lohengrin at Strasbourg gives tantalising hints of the future career trajectory for this artist. Dare we even think of Tristan? Hope springs eternal! Thank you, Manoli!
Idomeneo is certainly on my personal podium of the seven mature operas, along with Don Giovanni and Abduction from the Seraglio. It is certainly the darkest and heaviest opera he wrote, with none of the humor present in Don Giovanni to lighten the mood. The mandated “happy ending” of the seria genre is the only thing keeping this work from ending in abject tragedy. The oft-omitted, but absolutely essential ballet music finale serves as a nice palette cleanser for all the strife and turmoil the characters experience at the hands of each other and the ever-watchful, demanding eye of Poseidon himself. Spyres is ideal, with all the authority and presence of some of Idomeneo’s heavier interpreters, and all the vocal flexibility of the lighter voices that have sang the role. I think it is safe to say, that perhaps he is the best interpreter since Hermann Jadlowker, assuming Jadlowker performed the entire role, in which case we may have to even look back to Raaff himself! It is much to my disappointment that Mozart was never able to realize his version of this opera for a bass in the title role that he proposed for Ludwig Fischer, the originator of Osmin. I can only imagine what a flexible bass in the role, such as Plançon or Ramey would sound like! Beggars can’t be choosers I suppose, I’m thankful I at least got to experience Spyres’ Idomeneo live, my favorite operatic experience to date.
@@manolis.799 Dear Manoli.After this splendid comment could only come one like this from you.There something that is sure, given that you gifted me with another very long comment talking about Don Giovanni.You are not happy with the use of baritones in general in Mozart operas.You ALWAYS claim for a different look at the tessitura from the point of view of the great bass you are and going to be. In the other case you will remember we had the problem of the Don and the servant and how you hated the constant use of figures like the buffo. I completely agree with your point of view.Here as friend AEITION says we don't even have a baritone but a baritenore. Do you think Mozart had been near the seaside yet in his twenties.Maybe in some trip to Germany towards Hamburg. The day you posted we had a little tempest here and it was glorious to see it listening to Spyres.But then again I'm sure you would have preferred another choice as you say although you always give us the best. By the way the other day I was asked in Internet my favourite choice of baritone and bass.My baritone I ll keep it to myself but when it came to the bass I said,truly without trying to boast,the best bass to be is my friend MANOLI S.When all the tenors and specially sopranos start to faint you will be only getting a much mature and rich voice.You should then make up for all those basses that weren't called to sing your favourite Mozart pieces.Not as a sweet revenge but as an act of justice.
C'était le 1er enregistrement studio de Ninetta de La Gazza LADRA (1974) Une musicalité magnifique, des aigus et suraigus (contre-Fa) à couper le souffle
My dear Manoli I was anxious to hear from you.And you start the season with such an important opera seria. Mozart wrote it when he was 24 because Salburg wanted something of grandeur for the Carnival feasts. In opera seria there were ALWAYS themes of personal struggling or references to mythology or classics. Spyres is fantastic for this Idomeneus thus he is s replica of Simionato asa male.An unending tessitura... Pavarotti for example had to make all sorts of efforts at a gesture level to be able to imitate him,which he never could. Impressive cadenzas, specially the last one.Certainly not at the level of most.Starting strong Manoli.Only God knows what you have in store.Bless you and W A Mozart.
The seria genre is often criticized for being boring, meanwhile some of my favorite works are found here. Idomeneo, however, definitely flexes the definition of “seria” by having many ensemble and choral numbers. In many ways it is the natural progression of the genre, and one he’d visit one last time in “La Clemenza di Tito.”
Both have amazing voices so well fitted for their respective roles, but Oralia as Amneris is so AMAZING, as she founds the rightfull compexity of vocal colors and range extension and weight-density on it too, as that´s a Dramatical Mezzo itself, henceforth an amazing huge and heavy heroic middle-to-low female voice, kinda alike to the standard contralto however much higher approaching into a very dramatic-soprano style on the higher notes for the role, which might have been the issue why Verdi choose this particular type of mezzo voice for Amneris role as she isn´t a villainess or a simple antagonist on all the story, but actually she goes into a similar tragic - even more lasting and dreadfull for having to endure it - fate as the main couple, but outliving them and kinda never fully recovering herself from her personal loss too! (She kinda foresees and sets a curse upon the Egyptian religion as its fate being dooming over time, after the words she sets on the Priests after ignoring her to make a last stand in sake of Radames recovery.) So the Dramatic Mezzo type is so amazing for her duality of being in the middle of both alike soprano in her higher notes and alike contralto in the lower tier, and keeping strongly more there too but neverthless quite more complex on all as the mezzos as a whole were found to be!!
1955 or so. San Francisco Opera. My first opera,, I'm 13 yrs old. Gobbi as Rigoletto. Every time he opened his mouth all the hair on my body stood up straight. The most electrifying stage performer I ever saw, even after singing myself for a decade on that very stage. I never saw him with Callas, but only she could equal his magnetic presence. Those two together could make the real world seem small.
First time I heard this was was followed by several evenings listening over and over again. What a unique and extraordinary artist! Bravo Ms. Sills, there will never be anyone like you!
Insuperável. Absoluta. Dom de Deus. Nenhum adjetivo ou expressão são capazes de expressar o que é a arte esplêndida de Maria Callas. Nada nem ninguém chegou perto de sua Arte. Obrigado por ter existido Maria. E só de estiver saiba que serás para sempre amada!🤍🤍🤍
1) I don't converse with folks who use 'stock phrases'. Life's too short. 2) I have never met anyone who even knows who Ingrid Andress is. 3) A bingo-crazed friend took me along with her one night so I could see what it was like, and I felt like I was in the ninth circle of Hell. The people were frightening, and all violently consumed with winning $25 or whatever the heck it was. No thanks. 4) People who let their dogs run around off-leash are the same ones who allow their screeching children to tear up the restaurant and make life miserable for everyone. 5) Do not mention Harry Potter in my presence. 6) I've been to several hibachi-type restaurants, and I always enjoy them. 7) The way people are with the white sauce, where they practically drink it? That's how I am with the gravy at KFC. 8} Bill Paxton's death was a tragedy. He was an excellent actor with a unique personality. Requiescat in pace. 9) OK THAT'S IT!
Cappuccilli as Nabucco magnificently progresses in this scena from madness through repentance to a resolve to rescue Fenena, the sight of her in chains being just the shock his tortured mind needed in order to recover itself. The artist is here ev'ry inch a king, not even his contrition before Jehovah tempting him to effete mannerism, but rather bringing forth firm tone and clear (if slightly prosaic) phrasing. The cabaletta sees the king of Assyria in royal form once again, in an unforgettable portrayal from one of the great Italian baritones of the XXth century. Thank you, Manoli!
Capucilli was a great baritone specialized in Verdi.Born in Trieste he thought about becoming an arquitect and of joining the Navy as his father.But surrendered to Opera.He had a rich full voice ideal for this character and specialists like you tend to prefer this aria or arias of this part.I began to love Opera after watching a TV serial about Verdi s long and fruitful life.And my first love was Nabucco,his first triumph after a terrible buffa about the planets.He couldn't cope with it after the death of his young wife. Nabucco,in the beginning,interests everyone by its famous chorus.Afterwards are these arias the ones who take over in one s heart. My friend JURISMICH who has a channel in France loves this baritone.I like him here very much.Although for lighter arias like ERI TU from Un Ballo I prefer my dear Zanasi. Anyway,after one of his Nabucco representations he had a terrible car accident and had to retire. Thank you again Manoli for your magnificent choice of singer and aria.Beautiful...
Effortless charm is right! Mady knew just where to draw the line before wit and humor become soubrette obnoxiousness, and she never tips over into OTT knowingness. Lovely! Thank you, Manoli!
I heard this aria from The Siege of Corinth for the first time on a Saturday Matinee broadcast live from The Met in 1975,the year I got married.Fifty years later,it still blows me away.Opera rules!
Marked as soprano in the score but they seldom sing it after the 60’. So it has become a vehicle for dramatic mezzos and nowadays for bad developed mezzos (usually without chestvoice and an unclear middle)…
We simply don’t get singing of this standard in Verdi operas today. So grateful I was just old enough in the 70’s to see/hear many of the greats in what now appears to be the last decade of outstanding opera productions. Cotrubas is outstanding as Gilda and of course. MacNeil was legendary even when past his best years. Great conducting from Levine.
Raoul is one of his best parts of all.And when he sings the outstanding duet with Simionato you feel you touch Heaven.How happy he feels knowing he's being loved...How responsible about his duties towards others. Simply out of this world, specially in the version with Simionato.❤❤🎉🎉
