I think this is a well-matched duet and an exquisitely beautiful song. What think ye?

__________________
Laura
member of Geneva OPC, Woodstock, GA
"Christ has done great things for his people, and he has suffered great things for his people, and he has purchased great things for his people, and he has prepared great things for his people; yet many of his own dear people are so taken up with their own hearts, and with their own duties and graces, that Christ is little eyed by them or minded by them! This is the great reason why so many Christians, who will certainly go to heaven—do walk in darkness, and lie down in sorrow." - Thomas Brooks

Very nice. Have you heard Robin Blaze/Carolyn Sampson together? Their personal appearance might detract a little from the marvel of their voices.


And here is the other tenor singing As Steals the Morn, but with the incomparable Miss Gritton.

__________________
Ruben
Moderator
F.P.C.I.
Indiana

Vanities and disguises have covered us, and thereby we are naked; licenciousness hath inflam'd us, and thereby we are frozen; voluptuousness hath fed us, and thereby we are sterved, the fancies and traditions of men have taught and instructed us, and thereby we are ignorant.
John Donne

Board Rules - Signature Requirements - Suggestions?

Calvinistas Conversando
Teología en Mexico
The Howling Wilderness

And because I can, a video of a recording session from a disc of whose existence I just became aware. Under the tutelage of McCreesh there seems great reason to hope that Villazón will continue to improve.

Thanks: I enjoyed listening to the first (your remark about appearances was apt). Gritton comes in rather shrilly, don't you think? I think I still prefer Lynne Dawson in this one. Agnew vs. Bostridge, of course, is still a draw. I do prefer the quicker pace of the one I posted. As for the Villazon, I refuse to enable thread-hijackers. Just kidding; it was interesting. I have never seen an opera singer move like a pop singer while he sings.

No, between Gritton and Dawson I'll take Gritton every time. But I usually prefer a voice with character to one that is a little bland - hence liking Kathleen Battle better than Sophie Daneman and not preferring Anne Sofie von Otter or Barbara Bonney

Villazón didn't grow up with classical music. This partially explains his inferiority to Ramón Vargas, but if you listen to him closely he does have a lovely voice and can sing zarzuela tremendously well.

He does have a point (he says this in a video interview) that pop music and baroque music have a point of contact in the rhythms (which is what he's moving to), and I would add, in the use of percussion. Of course the dissimilarity is that baroque composers used rhythm and percussion as only two elements in their musical palette, and did so with intelligence.

And here, a lovely soprano who tragically lost her voice (though less dramatically than von Weber lost his):

Aw. I wouldn't characterize Dawson's voice as "bland" so much as "sweet." But Kathleen Battle does have a sweet and a unique voice.

Huh, interesting. I liked watching him sing. What is Paul McCreesh known for?

How did she lose her voice?

The way I see it there are ensemble voices and there are voices that can also stand alone: the best ones blend well but are also distinctive.

Paul McCreesh is known for conducting Handel! He heads up the Gabrieli players He did the best recording of Solomon. He deals primarily in baroque and classical music, and is one of my favorite directors (along with Sir William Christie). If you search for him on youtube you'll find some lovely things, like Gluck's Paris & Helen.

Some of the Gabrieli Players:

Paul McCreesh conducting:

Villazón is very fun. Behold him in "La Cucaracha"

Proving that he really is Mexican (and looking remarkably like the English Mr. Bean):

Singing Domingo's signature zarzuela song under the direction of the Maestro himself:

Here is some information on Gianna D'Angelo (she was the reason I began to like female opera singers: we had her on a tape my dad had bought in Colombia, singing in Rigoletto with Richard Tucker).

Personal reminiscence:
LISTSERV 15.5 - OPERA-L Archives

Fuller biographical details:
LISTSERV 15.5 - OPERA-L Archives

A brief hint about her voice:
LISTSERV 15.5 - OPERA-L Archives

The beginning of troubles:
LISTSERV 15.5 - OPERA-L Archives

An interesting theory as to why:
LISTSERV 15.5 - OPERA-L Archives

And from a guy who was there at the bitter end:
LISTSERV 15.5 - OPERA-L Archives

And because I need something to cheer me up after thinking about one of the loveliest sopranos having vocal troubles and going into a teaching career back in the 60s instead of taking a rest and getting some coaching and continuing to sing -

Ramon Vargas sings some folk music:

And singing a role which I heard him perform live in another venue (in which a "leve afflicción" that he had that night did not keep him from performing, and was manifested only at one point when he wasn't singing when he had to cough):