BARITONE Reacts to Baritone Legends (Hvorostovsky, Terfel, Warren) 

He will always live in our hearts. Beloved Dmitri.

Always good to see a singer who knows and respects the great singers who came before him. Some singers aren't even aware of historic singers, it's sad.

I’m a soprano and got to see Hvorostovsky during dress rehearsals etc. His voice was so warm it just wrapped you up. He deepened my love for opera despite being in completely different fachs.

I was fortunate to hear Dmitri Hvorostovsky live in what I believe was his first American appearance. It was in 1987 or 1988 at the Ebbel Theatre in Los Angeles. He was part of an ensemble called "Stars of the Bolshoi" headed by the legendary Irina Arkhipova. He was about 26. Great stage presence and a beautiful voice, not as dark and big as it later became. Martin Bernheimer of the LA Times wrote, "He will have the world at his feet." And so he did. Gone too soon. Riposa in pace.

Love your commentary. So glad you started with Dimitri. I didn’t discover him until after he had passed, and when I found out, I bawled like a baby.

Hvorostovsky was in a league of his own. He was the only baritone who could actually *narrate* a song. We don't notice when he sang by himself, but when he sang with anyone else, you notice a salient difference - he's just better - technically, tonally, musically.

If you can see my image, that's me in costume as Scarpia (Amore Opera 2010). I'm 70 and continue to sing. I love these baritones. Since I was 8 when Warren died, I never heard him. I do note that his passing was in mid-performance of LA FORZA DEL DESTINO - just after completing the aria Urna fatale. I have heard both younger singers here live (Dmitri in several roles at the Met as well as in concert in 2007 at Avery Fisher - met him afterwards, couldn't have been a nicer guy and WHAT a sound!!! Bryn, I heard his Scarpia live at the Met, and it was even better than the broadcast version). The ONE thing that appears in this video and drives me BANANAS about Bryn's singing is a small technical thing: he replaces his sustained "n"s with "m"s. "Deh vieni a comsolar il piamto mio", look for it, you'll see it. I think Nico Castel taught that and it seems it's to correct something that doesn't affect Bryn - or you either, Lucas: the m is easier not to constrict on. It's this tiny affectation I don't see in singers other than Bryn, but I notice it and it bothers me. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Obviously I'll put up with it to enjoy the rest of what this wonderful artist...but Bryn, if you see this - STOP IT!!!! You don't need the crutch! I second everyone's thoughts about the loss of Dmitri. I just found and listened to what may have been his last appearance, as a surprise guest at the Met's 50th Anniversary Gala in 2017 six months shy of his death, singing Cortigiani here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-3ZtaEInqOos.html. Clearly, he's done better performances of that aria but there are artists who have appeared on that stage who could only aspire to his characterization and vocalism here. It was amazing, even in his obviously not 100% condition, to see his whole body go into hunchback mode.

Хворостовский-феномен, он рожден был для сцены! У него было все. Уникальный, обожаемый, гений!

I absolutely love Dimitri Hvorostovsky.

I still remember the 1989 ‘Cardiff Singer of the World’ competition, from which Sir Bryn and Mr Hvorostovsky launched their hugely successful international careers.

Love your vocal comparisons and reactions to great sngers of the past and present. It's good to hear from somebody who is well informed, understands vocal technique and who is also an excellent presenter with a good personality you are a 10 out of 10. Too many people on youtube who present reaction videos and have no real understanding of what good singing is.

Very nice! You just confirmed everything our chorus director tells us to do! And yes, we love Hvorostovsky, and Terfel! Check out Hvorostovsky's Barber of Seville!

Dimitri que voz !!! Un grande que partio muy joven.Me encanta .Bendiciones desde Argentina

Dima forever ❤️

Как приятно, что Хворостовского не забыли.

It's official: I'm addicted to your content. We need more of you on the planet.

DMitri... ULTIMATELY THE BEST!!!!!!!

What’s so fabulous about you doing this is that it comes from the perspective of someone who knows what they are talking about. You’re able to break it down and provide an intimate understanding that isn’t BS. Bring it on.

This was amazing Lucas! Thanks so much. Would love to see you react to something from Peter Mattei, if you should do another one of these. Perhaps even a whole video of reacting to different Largo al factotums 😂. All the best.

I will never forget Meacham awesome rendition of Largo al factotum sung from the hall during a Tucker Gala in NYC at Carnegie Hall. He was far from the orchestra and filled that place like if it was a small living room. He defied the acoustics of the place by singing off stage and from the public side. It was superb.

Dmitri de beste Bariton ooit. Passie, emotie, charme alles in een pakket bij deze knappe man. Helaas veel te vroeg overleden in 2017. Een groot gemis als Bariton en zeker als de man van Florence en zijn kinderen.

Caro LUCAS grazie di ❤ per il filmato.Io credo che voci come quelle di Dmitry Horovstovsky e così prima di lui quella di Leonard Warren nascano una volta ogni secolo. Brian Terfel che ho avuto la fortuna di vedere come Leporello è un bravissimo artista ma...un pò staccato dagli altri due. Dmitry l ho ammirato all Arena di Verona come spkendido Conte di Luna in tutte le recite he ha fatto. Purtoppo il mitico Leonard Warren non sono riuscito a vederlo d vivo x motivi di età...

My dream has parished of being World Class OPERA Baritone, but I will say that Di Provenza won me a first place in a Vocal competition in Atlanta, Georgia. I was on my way. However, life happens.💔 Dimitri was one of my VOCAL Idols as well as Bryn Terfel. I want even mention the GREAT Leonard Warren.🌷 Thanks Mr. Lucas for posting this Video. I thank God for my VOCAL talents. Please post more videos. It's bittersweet to see them.💔

I just love Leonard Warren. His voice was so beautiful and at the same time powerful and with such an impressive range. So sad he died too soon (at 48).

How 'bout some Gino Bechi? Or Giangiacomo Guelfi? Apollo Granforte? More people need to hear these names IMO

Thank you! I’m a baritone studying voice at Pepperdine and my voice teacher and I love your channel. You help me remember how cool and exciting the vocal journey is. Thank you for all you do!

This was terrific!!!! Do more of these!!!!

¡¡DIMITRI ALESXJANDROVICH HVOROSTOVSKY...¡¡ÉL MEJOR...LEJOS 🇷🇺...DE 🎼🇦🇷

Thank you, I really liked your perception and quick explanation.

I think some Bastianini (Gioconda, all of Verdi), Cappuccilli (especially his Nemico della patria, Don Carlo, Forza del destino and Lucia...) and Milnes (pretty much the whole repertoire... :D) would be great! Thank you for this great thoughts

Hi Lucas. I LOVE your RU-vid presence, and you yourself have a great voice. I love your genuine fanboying here. Hvorostovsky was exceptional, and I'm lucky to have heard him live so I know a bit on that. Do you not think he's a bit pushed/dull at times, however, in this later career footage? I watched an interview in which he talks about how he found power but admitted he lost his tenderness. I find the point about those dull/pushed moments (clearly by his neck muscles looking v tensed) never seems to get mention by many opera fans, which I find weird. It's like a fairly giant elephant in the room, which definitely should be acknowledged by singing students especially. I am a HUGE fan of Hvorostovsky's early 90s stuff. The foundation which he built on is utterly sublime. Clearly influenced by Bruson in the 80s, to my ears. Interested on your thoughts as a somebody who is such a great RU-vid opera presence. Thank you.

This is awesome!!! Hopefully you won’t limit yourself to baritones. I’m sure your vocal expertise is applicable among tenors as well. Keep up the good work!

Dmitri is (not "was") PERFECT. I love him. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I think of Dmitri as a lyric baritone who sang like a tenor with a lower register, beautiful for Verdi and the other roles he sang; I think of Bryn as a true baritone voice but has unfortunately taken on heavy vocal repertoire (Wagner) that has made his 'isms' more pronounced and his voice becoming wobbly; I think that Warren was a rich and deep baritone who brought incredible drama to his heavier Verdi roles. That being said, I will always cherish the gift that Dmitri brought to the world. Clearly, to me, the best baritone ever. (Sorry, Sherrill.) I even changed the name of my dog to Dima in honor of this gift to our world. My sadness still lingers that he lost his life at the height of his powers.

Посмотрите, пожалуйста, «Largo al factotum» в исполнении Дмитрия Хворостовского 🙏🙏🙏 Буду очень признательна, если снимите реакцию данное видео 😄 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-lByA211YsZA.html

Thank you for that technical reaction, something that lovers of Bel Canto have been waiting for. A big hug from Orlando, Florida.

Lucas! Three of my favs in this video. Would you ever do a listening to young singers video? I’m a 27 year old baritone, and would be fascinated to hear other folks my age. Maybe they/we can submit and you can review?

What a wonderful video!! Thank you so much. I'm looking forward to the next part 😊

You are adorable! I got to hear Hvorostovsky in recital in LA about 15 years ago. His tux was very bejeweled, and he sang a lot in Russian - but the sound was glorious - as though he had amplifiers in his sinuses. The clip you have here is, as you said, really covered, but live, the sound was much brighter. The Dororthy Chandler is a big hall, and the sound was just bouncing off the walls. Fun baritone post.

Thank so much Lucas.

Lucas, being a has been baritone in his late years, I found your comments and understanding of technique flawless. So many people talk about it without being able to do it, so listening to you not only knowing it but able to demonstrate it, is pure icing on the cake. Many "experts" on RU-vid should watch your video's and learn something. I would love to hear a comparison of BicMac and Cappuccilli both singing the Prolog to Pagliacci and maybe the aria from Gioconda. Preferably when in their prime. I must confess they are my two favorite baritones. Thank you so much and I hope others on this flatform will read and learn. Would also like to hear you sing a whole aria of your choice as well. I like your voice!

BRAVO MAESTRO LUCAS . WHAT A SHOW. DMITRI, GOD BLESS HIM. CARUSO , PAVAROTTI, LANZA AND MANY OTHERS. AND ALSO YOU MR. MEACHEM UNA VOCE FANTASTICA. GRAZIE MILE.

Thank you so much. It's so nice to see this comradery among giants in Opera

I would include Ettore Bastianini. You are also amazing singer. Best regards.

Bravo, maestro. Talking to you! Id like to hear you critique Robert Merrill… Maybe compare him with others in the same aria, or difficult passage? To show how emotionally different from other singers and interpretations can be? (I find Pinza much more interesting -and intimate - in his almost whispered mezza voce through the Don Giovanni serenade, for example). Maybe compare some of the very greats of the past like Apollo Granforte or Tita Ruffo or Lawrence Tibbett, to give us some deep context?

One thing I notice about Bryn is that he often sings "m" instead of "n". For example, at 5:26 we get "deh vieni a *_comsolar_* il *_piamto_* mio", then at 6:04 " *_davvamti_* agli occhi tuoi" (instead of consolar/pianto/davvanti). Now, since Bryn's diction is otherwise so precise, I suspect this "n/m switch" is a trick to get more resonance into the consonant - m being more "in the mask" than n - but I'd welcome your insights.

Hi Mr. Meachem! Thank you for this series of videos. It's always entertaining and good to see an active singer commenting on the art of the greats of the past (even recent past). Now, I'd love to give you a pair of names to react to. You could call it "MET'S latecomers". Giuseppe Taddei and Sesto Bruscantini. They sang at met at the end of their careers sadly, past their prime. But in their prime they were absolutely among the best. Both spaced from mozart to contemporary works. Bruscantini had more success as a buffo while Taddei did mostly serious roles (but he was a super funny Magnifico, dulcamara, Taddeo, papageno, figaro, Falstaff). I'd like you to react to Taddei 1951 Rigoletto with Lina Pagliughi (especially from "ma in altr'uomo qui mi cangio). And his amonasro with Callas also from 1951 (TITANIC VOICE). For Bruscantini maybe his 1964 Figaro. Both, a part from class and technique, had a marvelous palette of nuances (also taking some risks to achieve certain effects!). Thank you!

"Dima" is so special - his voice changed with every 5 years, I guess, but always sounded truly his. No hiding he is my favorite baritone. Any song from any time of Dima's would be interesting to hear your take on, except for those from the phase of working with that slimy pop-musician, you know... 😀but wait, perhaps one of those, too, as a contrast? Listening and reaction request would be the Swedish cousins Hagegard, namely Erland (later tenor) and Hakan. Great darlings of mine. And also your reaction of divine Bjorling's duetto with Merrill in the Pearlfishers' in front of the temple. Incredibly touching. Merrill sounds phantastic, and so gently takes the second voice. You know them all for sure! Please, don't pick pitch-corrected recordings! Tell us when they are not: we need that information, to learn to hear the difference. I liked this reaction very much, interesting choices --- something special, noticable, with impressive Warren is that he can open his mouth to form rectangles, very wide or very high, and get out massive amounts of sound. (But I like Dmitri's Figaro's aria better, it's more elastic, lively, full of humor, as is very proper!)

¡¡LUCAS,RECIEN LO CONOZCO,AMO Á DIMITRI HVOROSTOVSKY...¿¿PODRÍA HABLAR MÁS SOBRE ÉL (EN ESPAÑOL)GRACIAS SPASIBA🇦🇷🎼19/03/2022

Thanks for sharing your admiration for these giants of our voice type! As an older baritone, I have finally reached the point in my life/career where I can watch most of the greats and take inspiration from them. Except for Bryn. Hearing him, especially in person, still makes me shrivel up a little bit inside, but watching your note-by-note analysis of him--particularly in a role I have also sung--helps a lot. As for Leonard Warren, well, I just wish nature had granted me a head of that size and shape! But like you, watching all these guys gives me ideas of things to try myself. Keep on singing and posting these things!

Amazing video, thank you so much!

Such amazing company you're in, Mr. Meachem. I really enjoyed this group of singers. I've always thought of you as a very technically based baritone. So it's a lot of fun to watch you comment on the vocal action as it goes on. I particularly admire Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Bryn Terfel. Both singers were easy to listen to, admire and love. I've been less generous to Warren because of that hot-potatoes-in-the-mouth sound he made. Great singer, unquestionably so, but the way he formed that sound, doesn't appeal to me.

I shall echo many others in suggesting Bastianini. Also one of my very favorites, Robert Merrill. Just spectacular in 'Il Tabarro'!

As a young singer who hopes to become a baritone in the future, your videos are great for me. Thank you for all you do Lucas.

I wonder if for the next episode, you'll do a charades, basically select a piece, and sing it in the styles of various famous baritones and let someone else guess.

¡¡PRESENCIA,SEÑORIO,GENIALIDAD,UNICO!!🇷🇺🎵🎤🔔18/06/2023 🎼🇦🇷

That was awesome! It was fun seeing your reactions and seeing you interact with the singers from a technical and performance standpoint. You should do more reaction videos.

The number 1 different between you and him is rehearsal time which is effected by MONEY! You and I are as good as any of these guys but we have limited time to practice because we have financial needs that have to come first. When I did Alfredo in Buffalo I was working a full-time teaching job at McQuaid Jesuit High School in Rochester NY. When I look back on it, it was amazing that I did as well as I did with working all week and then driving to rehearsal. Not to mention other obligations such as a wife, a 10 year old and another on the way. I remember our limited rehearsal time. I remember our one run through with the orchestra. We were amazing for the lack of rehearsal time that we had. By now, you are remembering our performances of La Traviata back in 2003. Yes, I through my back out in the final act, yet I made it through the final act. You were absolutely amazing! You were and are as good as anyone who has ever sang the role!

This video was wonderful. I would like to see you do a reaction video to Carlos Marin in which was the baritone from the classical crossover group Il Divo.

Great!! Macneil and Bastianini please!!

Great video. Next time you can react to Thomas Allen, Ettor Bastianini, and Sherrill Milnes. If you want to try a bass-baritone, consider Cesare Siepi or Samuel Ramey - the best Figaros and Don Giovannis I have ever heard.

Great demonstrations! Lucas, you just got great notices for your Thais performances at La Scala!

great review, remarkable is that when you heard him life like in de Concertgebouw the voice does not project very far, its an incredible voice. Same for a tenor like James King, a lyric like Bergonzi I heard there and his voice went over the orchestra. A very interesting sound phenomenon

Grazie mille❤

This is great! I would love to see more of these with more baritones or even other voice types!!!!

Bastianini, as everyone says, of course. But you might try Tito Gobbi...

How did I only just discover you? Oh, being in exile in Arkansas... No longer in charge of the company center box at the Met! You have a new fan.

Thank you Lucas

About Largo al factotum incredible performance by the great Apollo Granforte, here is the video ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-WxFOQVsE2Oo.html. Anyway in the category of greatest baritone I put also Stracciari, Tibbett and Bastianini

Very interested in your commentary, which gets into the technical and musical detail and really enjoyed your enthusiasm for the featured baritones. I'd be interested in further videos of Giovanni Inghilleri, (who said, 'There are 2,000 singing teachers in Milan and 2,000 assasins!') Matteo Manuguerra, (who according to wickipedia did not start to study intil he was 35 years.) Giorgio Zancannaro (who used to be a police officer.) Best wishes.

So cool! Just great perspective!!! Thank you!!!

Amazing. So informative Lucas! Could you react to Giorgio Zancanaro's O Carlo Ascolta, and Pietro Cappuccilli's Urna Fatale? There are videos of both here on RU-vid.

❤️ Great video

Thank you for your analysis!

Great video. A little powder for the shine, Lucas...

My suggestions for the next videos would be Ludovic Tezier singing Il balen (Paris or Madrid, both have good video quality), Piero Cappuccilli singing Nemico della Patria in Vienna in 1981, and Sherrill Milnes singing Oh de'verd'anni miei in the MET. All of them are amazing!

This was excellent, thank you!

These are great Videos, I will post them. The Prologo Pagliacci, MACNEIL, GOBBI, BASTIANINI! When I first heard you, you reminded me of Bastianini!

Interesting that the most technically proficient, Warren, gives us a true Ee vowel in the final 'citta!' As unmodified as it could be anyway.

Ettore Bastianini, "Eri tu che macchiavi," Masked Ball Robert Merrill- Il balen- Trovatore

Bastianini‘s Nemico della patria! Or George Londons Wotans Abschied :)

This was great, can you do Granforte, Bastanini, Ruffo, and Gobbi next time. Edit: and Milnes

I enjoyed this video very much, thank you! For further reactions: How about John Charles Thomas singing Herodiade?

A reaction video to "Il balen del suo sorriso" would be amazing.

Hvorostovsky and Warren sing both like thunder but Warren sounds so full of brassy overtones that I can imagine it's hard to record him because of saturation.

The Warren clip is fascinating. I think of Warren as having a beautiful voice, but also very weighty (this is all from recordings. I never heard him live). Singing Figaro, he remains true to that meaty Warren sound, but he manages to move it along. I guess I am so used to hearing him sing Verdi it never occurred to me he could sing this obstacle course patter song. But he nails it!

Don't forget Titto Gobbi and Hans Hotter, either.

How about a "reaction" video to Robert Merrill and Fischer-Diskau?

Not (excatly) in the opera wheelhouse, but I'd absolutely love to see your reaction to Anthony Warlow. Possibly as Enjoras in Les Mis?

Can you please react to Elvis singing his pop version of Torna a Surriento (Surrender), Guadalajara or Impossible Dream 1971 (where he features his Bass singer). I'd really love to know what you think as i'm a massive Opera and Elvis fan FUN FACT: (Placido Domingo is also an Elvis fan and once sang Elvis's version of O Sole Mio lol, it's on RU-vid too!) THANKS :)

Giorgio Zancanaro (Posa's death or Il balen), George London (Wotan's Farewell or Iago's credo) Ingvar Wixxel (Scarpia's Te deum), Tom Krause (Ibn Hakia's aria from Iolanta or lieder) Robert McFerrin (Rigoletto), Kostas Paskalis (Pietà, rispetto..) please!

Now I shall proceed down a Warren RU-vid wormhole! Holy moly!

youo're amazing, Lucas. what about Giorgio Zancanero....my absolute favorite????!!!!!

React Aldo Protti ...Gerard or Tonio

Thanks so much!! I'm a student and for me is a good help!

And Anselmo Colzani and Ettore Bastianini too!

Maestro Meacham could you react to various interpretations of Yeletsky's aria?

Lord almighty. Leonard Warren is just a ridiculous BEAST.

Thanks! More please!

Lucas, one of things that floated around in audience-circles is that it wasn't a huge voice. Certainly, it did the job, but I am wondering if you have a sense of that? He sang in Houston once but I didn't go. Of course, my observations come from the "sidelines."