Baritone Reacts to Golden Age Baritone BASTIANINI (Verdi arias) 

Bastianini already had throat cancer in the first video (which may explain why he doesn’t hold the high notes as long). He was an astounding singer, and his untimely end is heartbreaking.

The problem nowadays - tenors with no debeloped high notes are becoming baritones. Old school was a pure treasure.

I highly recommend bastianini’s eri tu recording! One of the best operatic recordings ever!!

Bastianini had the most beautiful voice for Verdi of any baritone of the second half of the 20th century. He was the Corelli of baritones.

Bastianini was a lion; the squillo is laser-like. The tragedy of his final days is heart breaking; having developed throat cancer, he told no-one…his final performances were critical failures because the critics didn’t know of his condition. For me, the over-all space and skill of Leonard Warren will always be my favorite of the golden age baritones, sea chanties not withstanding. Thanks for the vid!

Dear Lucas, The first time I listened a Bastianini recording, it was a real shock for me! He had the most beautiful and noble baritone voice of postwar II. If you have the opportunity to go to his grave in his beloved Siena.... I did it several years ago. I m really happy that you enjoy his art so much. I wish you the very best in life always.

Bastianini was, alongside Leonard Warren, the epitome of the true verdian baritone.

I saw him in Chenier with Tebaldi and Corelli and got his autograph. The ultimate Chenier cast. Of course, got Corelli and Tebaldi's autographs too. Tebaldi almost as tall as Corelli!!

We all want to see you do Battistini. It will completely change your view of singing for life. There's nobody else like him.

NO HUBO . NO HAY. NI HABRA ALGUIEN MEJOR PORQUE ES IMPOSIBLE CANTAR MEJOR . GRANDIOSO ETTORE

Bastianini began his studies as a basso! His registers and so evenly connected.

He is singing de Luna here two years after being diagnosed with throat cancer. The tempo of the aria is indeed faster than what is traditional. Singers who are having trouble for any reason often request a fast tempo. Strange to call him ‘Golden Age’, a term associated with Battistini, Ruffo, Stracciari, Ancona, de Luca, etc.

Lucas, on-spot analysis. I’ve recently soured on the opera business and all of the drama off stage, behind the scenes, and in administration. You bring me back to the joy of it. Plus I don’t think you are near your peak. It’s higher! Keep knocking it out of the park.

Love what you say about the vowel spectrum. Can't keep that legato, in the slot support without it. Thank you for your very clear and precise review! He's one of my favorite singers.

Lyric Baritones and Dramatic Baritones are two totally different animals. With all due respect, please know that some observations by a lighter voiced singer do not always apply, even as just a listener. It is hard to divorce one's technique from the way that one hears things. Different singers, in different fachs, go for different desired effects, and outcomes.

Excellent analysis. So much more instructive than master classes with a famous instructor imposing his/her singing anatomy on an innocent student. Caballè, Berganza, DiDonato and Fleming all come to mind. Thank you Mo Meachem.

How come many opera singers end up with cancer. Dimitri Hvorostovsky is my all time favourite but he succumbed at only 56 to a brain tumour. He not onky looked beautiful but sang beautifully too.

Have you listened to Apollo Granforte's Il Balen? He was a baritone but had the voice of a basso like Titta Ruffo but with more technique imo when you listen to him sing and hits all the high notes too, truly amazing

I listen to Bastianini mostly, his rendering of Largo Al Factotum is wondrous. But, Titta Ruffo in his prime was the greatest baritone I've listened to.

Oh, how I loved seeing your reaction to this great artist.

I listened to an excerpt of Del Monaco and Bastianini singing the duet from Forza and it was almost hard to tell who was singing at points, two Incredible dramatic singers, with range extending down and up respectively to almost meet in the middle, awesome to hear. Would love to hear your reaction to Del Monaco singing largo al factotum btw, tremendous fun (avoid the dodgy 1966 live performance though, it's unfortunately the top result on RU-vid)

Bastianini insuperabile! Sara' sempre nel nostro cuore Mariella

Com'è appropriato iniziare con "Il balen del suo sorriso", da Il trovatore di Verdi. Ettore Bastianini era un vero baritono verdiano. Aveva una voce gloriosa e bellissima. È una tregedia che sia morto di cancro alla gola all'età di 45 anni. Era anche estremamente bello. Anche tu sei bello. Tanti saluti da Firenze.

I m not expert, only big fan of Maestro E B. I m fascinated by his voice and his performances. I beg pardon of the others baritones, no one gains upon him and never!

Thank you. I had never before heard a recording of him. He's pretty fantastic.

Immortal Bastianini!

did you know that the voice on these old recordings sounds so dark and thick, not only because the singer's voice sounds like that, this effect of dark sound is obtained due to the fact that earlier recordings recorded sound in the range of up to 10,000 Hz, this is what darkens the sound so much and gives he has a special CHARM!

He didn't hang out on the final high G in the first example because he seemed to be straining a bit. You could hear him tighten up a bit in the first high G, and if you get tight there, the last section will almost definitely tighten you up more. He had to push a bit to get there at the end. Compare it to the 1962 studio recording under Tulio Serafin where he manages the aria with more freedom and seems to sing with a lighter, brighter approach (though that could just be how he was recorded).

You are a good Singer and a good student, in addition to being humble and a very gorgeous man

Have you heard his Largo al factotum? Absolutely astonishing - sung like a bat out of hell!

Check out Bastianini's "Nemico della patria", if you want to hear something incredible. Color, phrasing, and that "something else" that mere mortals do not possess. Many different versions, of him, in this aria out there. All are good to amazing!

Thank you. You are a joy to watch and listen to, of course.

Love your analysis, Lucas! You really provide such a wonderful energy to the RU-vid opera community. Also, I saw your Sharpless in London and it was absolutely fantastic! Look forward to hearing you in more!

ruffo, granforte (argentino) , bastianini, gobbi, las mejores voces que van a escucharen toda sus vidas.

I guess that his early singing is lighter because he's trying to sing with his own true baritone voice and not overdarken or force the sound. I think he's doing that especially because he started his career as a bass and sung for many years as a bass: I'm guessing that forcing or darkening the sound when you "swap the register" can happen pretty easily.

You're right. Can't get any better than Ettore Bastianini!

My Italian teacher would say, ricanta, ricanta cara. Basically by re-speaking, or re- singing every note the voice vibrates and all the way through and is legato! Every note he sings vibrates and he is also using the technique described, I believe!

How much talent and such a dramatic fate..

Re: his taking more breaths than you thought he would, remember he was singing while he had lung cancer, though he’d not disclosed that.

For me: the BEST of the BEST. I Sing to him: -king of kings, and lord of Lords! And he shall...- and so on. There might be bigger voices, like Warren, but the sound, and the art rendered by Bastianinni is unparalel. The greatest by far. I'd like you yo react yo Zancanaro; beautifull!

Thank you. I really liked your comments and explanations of what he was doing with his technique.

So great!!! If possible, I'd like to see you react to current Verdi Baritones like Quinn Kelsey, Zeljko Lucic or Luca Salsi please!

You are hilarious! I love it.

Whaaaat? I had no idea there was actual footage of him!

I'd love to hear Mr Meacham's opinion about three of the greatest 20th century baritones: Merrill, Cappuccilli and Nucci.

Maybe you could react to the chilean dramatic tenor/baritone Renato Zanelli. Unfortunately, there are no videos of him, but many audio recordings. :-)

That cabaletta after the aria is the real tell tale. It is very difficult especially if the tempo is not right. So hard!!

Love Bastianini! Hope you'll comment on Giorgio Zancanaro, a favorite of mine from comparitively recent years. Of course, Riccardo Stracciari really deserves attention.

Can you do Cesare Siepi, would really like to hear your opinion on Basses especially Siepi !?

In 1961 Bastianini was engaged to record the role of Iago in a Decca recording of Verdi's Otello. Herbert von Karajan was conducting, and the cast also included Mario del Monaco and Renata Tebaldi. For some reason Bastianini was replaced in this recording by Aldo Protti. Do you know why?

Love this style of reaction video - so informative! Next, I'd really like to see your reaction to Tito Gobbi or George London!

Come ho sempre affermato solo due voci si possono affiancare a Bastianini: Titta Ruffo e Gino Bechi, lasciando per estrema completezza lo scettro ad Ettore

You could also put Gian Giacomo Guelfi and Apollo Granforte on.

Bastianini is the greatest singer I've ever heard.

Baritone power!!

Has Lucas done De Luca already?

Excellent video! Talk about Renato Capecchi, please!

Beg to differ…Leonard Warren was the quintessential Golden Age Verdi baritone…do a review on him and your jaw will drop

Man dont feel bad for not being able to hit that E2(?) he had been trainning as a bass before becoming a bari this is why.

I think he sings with so much feeling because it is his native tongue. We Americans don’t have that going for us in operas. ❤

I would love to see a reaction to either Hans Hotter or Samuel Ramey

I know he’s not an operatic singer, but I would love to hear your analysis of George Sanders’ voice. There is an audition tape of him singing Some Enchanted Evening on RU-vid and he did his own singing in the film version of Call Me Madam (the full movie is also on RU-vid).

Just found your channel and had to subscribe. Loved your takes on these wonderful Bastianini clips. Would love your take on Giorgio Zancanaro's singing of Il Balen.

Have you reacted to Matio Battistini? There are recordings, but I doubt there is footage of him. He was known as the King of Singers and the singer of kings. He sang well into his 80s with a very little wobble. He developed asthma late in life which eventually took him from us. Massenet rewrote Werther so that the great master could sing the work. He sings in a true bel canto style because he lived through that era of time. Also, you may want to listen to Igor Gorin. What a beautiful voice.

Phenomenal and I love the commentary. Do you think he's a little stiff on the top? Perhaps it's the recording quality.

wondering why he was called the emperor of baritones :) tks for posting Lucas!

Fascinating, as always! One thing I’ve noticed about Il Balen is that absolutely no one, except Nucci, sings the full cadenza at the end. I’ve always wondered if that cadenza was written by Verdi, or if Nucci interpolated it. Then again, IIRC, the clip I saw was with Muti, who would not have allowed an unwritten candenza. I’ll have to check it out. Here it is ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-kVX-ngmg_N8.html. Obviously, Nucci isn’t in the same category as Bastianini, but he’s the only baritone I know of who sings the full candenza, with Muti cracking the whip!

Can you also do Umberto Urbano -not the final polish that his contemporaries had but an immense dark baritone and hugely famous in the 1920 -1930 decade .

What wss really magic in Bastianini was his MEZZAVOCE...

Please make a video on DIETRICH FISCHER-DIESKAU and THOMAS HAMPSON, who have been accused many times as lazy or closet tenors for being among the lightest lyric baritones in recent history.

He could not hold on the high note in Il Balen, because he was already very ill in that time. Listen to the recording of the 1957 with Gencer and del Monaco, maestro Ettore holds the high magnificently!

Thank you for this. As others have commented, it is lovely to watch you react to another singer. Bastianini had a magnificent voice and a good sense of line, but there are two things (very personal) that slightly bother me about his singing: the relative lack of variation in the dynamics (a tendency towards an unremitting forte) and his habit of aspirating. Folks have mentioned Bastianini (listen to his 'O sommo Carlo' in Ernani), Ruffo and Tibbett (whose splendid Germont with Ponselle [!] is preserved in toto) among other wonderful old singers. I cannot see any mention of another of my favourites, Pavel Lisitsian. He recorded a complete Traviata in the late 1940s. Yes, it is in Russian, but the voice and the singing surely qualify him as a great Verdi singer. Best wishes, Steve

go react to Gino Bechi, надеюсь хоть вы сделаете реакцию

Great video as always Lucas!

Dear Lucas, please comment on the singer named Georg Ots and Muslim Magomayev. These are two gorgeous baritones of the 20th century!

Bastianini had a glorious voice. Verdi and Bastianini, that combined is a real treat. I know many voices that mr Meachem surely could react to. One suggestion would be tenor Flaviano Labo singing Cielo e Mar on The Ed Sullivan show. (RU-vid)

As a beginning classical singer (propably bass), I'd love to see you react to other voice types as well, especially other male types!

Please find a Baritone named John Rawnsley singing largo al factotum, he is an absolute beast. Probably the best I have ever seen

Потрясающий баритон с невероятным по красоте голосом и трагической судьбой... И на этом видео(где он поёт il Balen) , он уже очень болен... и всё равно звучит крышесносно!

1. I love this channel 2. I want an inner snarl

I see someone else asked you to react to Tito Gobbi and George London. Have you reacted to Rolando Panerai?

Have you ever considered reviewing Mattia Battistini?

RIP #EttoreBastianini100 (born #otd in 1922) 🌹🌹🌹

Amazing video! Bravo, Lucas!!! Make a video with John Del Carlo or Luca Pisaroni or John Relyea. 😁😁😀😀😀😀😀😀

If DelMonico were a baritone he would be Bastianini

Así se canta señor , aprendamos!!!

Listen to a very old recording (1907!): Francesco Maria Bonini e Giannina Russo: Madamigella Valery. His sound is wonderful! He also recorded "Di Provenza"

Aldo Protti!!!

But why Bastianini had that so called "snarl"? Answer is maybe something else than forward placement of the voice🤣🤣🤣

Amazing reaction my friend Lucas!!....In 2017, the music world was shocked by the bursting onto the scene of a 22-year-old singer named Dimash Kudaibergen, who performed on the famous Chinese competition show for professional singers called “The Singer”... It was just It was necessary for this young man to make his first appearance, making a cover of one of the most difficult songs in the world, a famous French composition called "S.O.S. D'un Terrien En Détresse", to be considered from that moment on as the best singer in the entire planet....No one in the musical field had ever seen a human being, being able to reach vocal ranges above 7 octaves and several semitones, that is, all 88 keys of a digital piano, which reaches a little more than 7 octaves and as if that weren't enough, sing the more than 12 languages...He can sing like a Tenor, Baritone, Medio, Soprano, Messosoprano, etc....Since then all kinds of experts (Vocal coach, analysts, singing teachers, youtubers, reactors, etc.) have dedicated themselves to reviewing their presentations to try to understand how someone can sing this way...The incredible thing is that that presentation in China was in 2017 and 5 years have passed since then, but what Dimash has done in these 5 years is to further improve his wide vocal range, which is currently practically above of the 8 octaves... The Covid pandemic stopped his concerts worldwide, all with tickets sold in just seconds, via the internet, but at the same time it ended up catapulting him to the top of popularity worldwide...Anyway, since I think you are one of those reactors who have not yet met this impressive singer, here is the link of that presentation in China in 2017, with the song S.O.S. and I would like you to mention my name as the person who recommended him to you...You have to be prepared because you ar going to receive an avalanche of views, comments and new subscribers....I leave you one more recent video than the others, so it does not have the same number of views as the previous ones, which have millions of views, but it is a more complete video, with an intro, subtitles in several languages and with the improved quality of audio and sound....ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-bDX3FhmyNac.html

What about Umberto Urbano?

Time to look at the splendid Renato Bruson, too!

That was not the golden age; it was the afterglow. The true golden age, particularly for baritones, was at the beginning of the 20th century and before. Mattia Battistini, THERE was a golden-age baritone; a bit later, Titta Ruffo, Mario Ancona, Giuseppe de Luca, Pasquale Amato, Riccardo Stracciari. And later still, American singers such as Lawrence Tibbett, Leonard Warren, and Robert Merrill.

For the first recording I think his cancer was affecting his high notes so they sounded kinda stuck. Still great timbre though.

@lucas meachem can you do a video of "Euch macht Ihr's leicht"?

Zancanaro! You MUST react to Giorgio Zancanaro.

바스티아니니의 보이스는 멋지고 멋지다!

This isn't golden age. The golden age was the generation before Bastianini. There were like 40 top-tier baritones then. In Bastianini's day the number of great talents was quartered. And Bastianini did not have the suppleness and control of the geniuses before him.

Lucas!!! Shut up, and let us to listen to him. OK???

When is the Hampson reaction? Love these videos!!