Two nice Jewish boys from Brooklyn sing opera in Italian on American TV when it was worth watching. Great performance and they actually sang and did not lip synch, which is joke. Thanks.
got here from Michener's "The World is My Home"--JAM became an avid opera fan/'expert'--his uncle presented the poor Michener family with a crank Victrola..................of course he was listening then to Caruso et al
Interesting. I have never thought the religion of an opera singer was interesting or even relevant. But some people see mainly that. Perspectives change perceptions so.
@@theon9575 Jews are a bit more than just a religion here. It's also a culture. Tucker was also a cantor. Also even among white bread Protestants - Lutheran choirs sing better than Anglicans.
Tucker was indeed a top class tenor and merill had one of the most melodic warm baritone voices,like velvet,my favourite in this duet though is del monaco and bastianini
Tucker at age 52 here was very solid but in 1960 he sang a Met. Brdcst. of Forza complete at age 46 that was sensational, and in the 1952 and later 1950's with Leonard Warren they owned the role at that time, age and the role matters, as Jussi and Di Stefano where so great in Tosca I saw GDS sing it in the late 1950's in house, terrific and Corelli I did prefer in Turandot as Calaf over them all, but Tucker was very great excellent in Cav., 1957, Chenier in 1960 and Gioconda in 1959, most are on you tube, Enjoy them all as they are all gone now..
Oh my God! How amazing is this clip? I had never known about this and watching it just now . . . it's absolutely amazing to hear these two TITANS in this scene fill this music with so much beauty. Amazing!
This is a great performance especially from Merril, and Tucker also shows nice control of his voice. However, no one can quite match Batianini and Corelli in this scene.
I dare to believe that Verdi would have been very very satisfied with these two Hebrews (Nabucco reference) should they have been his house singers. They are impeccable Verdian style singers with gorgeous solid voices that when blending in a melodic line make the eyes fill with joy
This is some of the best singing I ever heard both of them do. It sounds natural which is the highest compliment I can give. I do not think they are lip synching...this is the real deal. Lovely.
This is just wonderful, can't think of two better singers to do this opera. From what I hear Warren and Bastianini were both phenomenal here but I still prefer Merrill my favorite Verdi baritone. And what more can be said about Tucker? It was the ideal voice for Alvaro, none better. Thanks for sharing.
In the early 60's, I would come home from elementary school and my mom would be working about the house (stay-at-home moms back then!) with her Caruso LPs playing. I developed a liking for opera (unusual for a boy of about 9), especially Caruso. This Solenne In Quest'ora with Antonio Scotti became my 1st favorite opera song. I could sing the lyrics right along with the guys....didn't have a clue what I was singing about! Now with RU-vid, my opera addiction is fulfilled!
This two wonderful lyrical artists together constructed the basis of modern opera. Hope they are never forgotten and that their model careers , serves us all followers to improve and to keep alive this divine code of the soul called lyrical music.BRAVOOOO
Tucker especially in the 1950's with Warren live in the role was my top Favorite over anyone in the Forza role complete, but Merrill had a very beautiful voice, I've seen baritone Merrill and Bastianini both live in house, in fact I saw Tucker live in my home town, Chicago with lyric opera back in 1962 with Bastianini , he was singing Rigoletto and Tucker the Duke, RT sounded better in the house and in 1962, well that was just before Bastianini got sick ,a great show but still in Verdi for me it was Warren as my favorite Baritone, I don't say he was best because it's all just opinion, no right or wrong, we all have our favorites, I saw most all , so many of them live, starting when I was 17 in 1957 so have my memories and favorites, in house you really know a voice well, among them I saw Bjoerling in 1958, GDS in 1959 and also the very great sensational dramatic Del Monaco in 1959, also and of course lyric tenor Tagliavini, even Schipa in 1962 a great lyric singer and he was still good in his early 70's. now I don't go much to the opera, no singers thrill me that much and with health issues in my 80's I don't drive much at night. Enjoy them, the greats like Tucker etc. as they are gone now.
Only a personal opinion, no right or wrong, I saw them in the house, Merrill had a terrific beauty in his tone and Warren great power, plus a rich wonderful tone, my two favorites but others may feel differently so to each his own.
@@sw5114 What I think doesn't matter, obviously it's just my own opinion and I only comment usually on those I saw, as records work better for some than others. I only saw Bastianini and Warren once in house, saw Merrill very often alone and with Tucker in both opera and concerts, saw Bastianini with Tucker in Chicago when Bastianini was Rigoletto in 1962, but for me Warren had every bit as large a voice as Mac Neil when he really opened up , but he was #1 it was rich and so beautiful and for a beautiful Tone, not quite as dramatic but good power when needed Merrill had the most beautiful middle sound I ever heard from a baritone. Of course it depends on the role who I like best! IT'S ALL JUST IMO, WE ALL HEAR DIFFERENTLY.
I agree with Steve Van Dien - opera should always be about the singing, not the cool new productions and the cute young boys/girls who can approximate some of the notes of the great operatic roles while, more importantly, dancing/trapeze-flying/rapping. Whatever. Still, Tucker and Merrill were two of our most wonderful 20th-century operatic artists.
Aprile Millo if anyone would know the magnificence of these two wonderful singers,it would be you. I performed with you at Carnegie hall years ago. Ill pirata with eve quallar conducting. Also saw you in Aida.
Do you have the Full DVD? Can you upload Bjorling and Telbaldi's performance as well? Please I have been looking for his video of Che Gelida Manina and haven't been able to find it anywhere
@@sugarbist Yes. And it seems she sees as necessary for a singer to be "musical" that he sacrifices his technique for the "esthetical" [romantic] expression. And when a singer manages to one great exposure of musicality, but, through the efficiency of the technique, instead of the deficiency or harming; she pulls her hair out.
@@PedroZamagna It is possible to have good taste in opera just by liking everyone Emily criticizes. In fact, the only prominent great singers she likes are Caruso, Neroni, Neri, Callas, and Gobbi.