Edited by author 05-12-2008 02:23 PM
Very interesting background on a singer virtually forgotten today, Arolodo Lindi. I have a "Pira" compilation on LP and one on CD and I always thought Lindi's rendition was one of the best of all. In fact, he is one of the few tenors that sang it with three high Cs instead of the normal two. He had a bright voice and seemed to possess plenty of power. I did not know how he died but doing so suddenly on stage while singing "Vesti La Guibba" is probably not the worse way for a tenor to bow out - no pun intended! Thanks for posting that interesting and informative article.

Edited by author 05-12-2008 09:10 AM
Yes, Eugene, I have seen such a list of some of the many singers who essayed Nessun dorma. Joseph Schmidt the Romanian tenor seemed to fare quite well as far as the compiler of the list was concerned. I agreed with that view and thought that some of the other assessments made were surprisingly negative. But, reactions to singers, their voices and styles are personal in any case, and no doubt the writer also might well have grown over weary after hearing so many tenors making their ways through the aria. Singers probably need to follow the practical example set by the weather which apparently is indifferent to criticism.

Dear Martino: Computer gremlins are such elusive creatures, they pop up when least expected and drive you to such distraction that you could climb a wall. A simple period (.) or forward slash (\)is enough to send them scampering out of the shadow-world to pitch their forks at you.

Not too long ago I watched the 1936 film "The Gay Desperado" featuring Nino Martini, Ida Lupino and Leo Carillo, about a opera-crazed bandit who kidnapped our hero and forced him to sing at his whim and fancy, or else... NM was a credible actor and had a very pleasant voice, but the film did not receive top reviews. The songs fetaured were "The World Is Mine" and, I think, "Adios Mi Tierra".

Dear Rob: Sometime ago some worthy posted a link to a review of the top performances of "Nessun Dorma", from the Bjoerling website. Jan Kiepura's effort was brushed aside, at "Item 6. The Jews". You may wish to revisit it at:

http://www.jussibjorlingsociety.org/bestnessundorma.htm

You know how it's like with critics, some tend to look down and see the mud, while others look up and see the stars.

Dear Gary: We shall see, Sir. It's always great to have a companion of bonhomie for an outing.

Best wishes to all on-board.

http://grandi-tenori.com/tenors/lindi/lindi.php

This singer had a most interesting career and a dramatic death - on stage, singing Vesti la giubba.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=mi-km1b6xwE

Again, that lively song about Blondes and Brunettes, but the Polish version.

...and here in French

http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=Ci7Amo4Jq4Q

http://youtube.com/watch?v=2Y9J7to1BxM

Another pleasant song from Kiepura, the title of one of his films, this time in English.

Hi Gary, and Martino, this young Russian tenor is promising indeed. Thank you for providing this link, Martino.

My dear Eugene, I´m abuzz about your kowtow! Can you also back out in this position? Haha! You are, of course, perfectly right that Hermann Prey is rendering better Schubert-cycles than FiDi.

On my discerning ear, you praise justly, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau was an awesome operatic singer before he dealt with the German treasury of lieder. And he had a wonderful voice then:

http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=l_5gcIXHjzU

The 1934 film I was trying to remember was made in three languages, not with dubbed speech but in three separately filmed versions of the same story: English (My Heart Is Calling, in which Kiepura actually sang Nessun dorma in Italian), French (Mon Coeur T'appelle - I don't have access to a copy of that version so I have no idea whether or in what language he may have sung the aria), and German (Mein Herz Ruft Nach Dir, in which he sang the aria as Keiner schlafe). Marta Eggerth appeared in all three with Kiepura, but the other members were different in each case.

To complete the Jan Kiepura session, we should listen to a song he is singing in his native language Polish. Each singer has a special expression in his mother tongue, so I find.

http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=lhYhERQquMU

Hello..
Eugene..I enjoyed the fishing trip immensely,the pearls caught were terrific..lets do another trip soon.

Martino..I will give a listen to the Russian tenor whose clip you posted,when I get home tomorrow after work..I cannot get youtube from the work pc. (you are so right concerning my sister..haha if only we could change things from the past).
Yes, I had posted Marta before..she was a beauty in her day,with a voice to match.She has had a long career and even at 96 still makes the odd appearance to sing before an audience.
cheers Gary

Edited by author 05-12-2008 06:06 AM
Kiepura actually sang Nessun dorma itself (that is in Italian) in one of his films, but I can't recall which one. For some reason (did he also have the occasional memory lapse and imagine that the aria was from La Fanciulla del West, perhaps?) in the film he was carrying a revolver and brandishing it at the gathered crowd.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=NYwzFKy2lXA

Speaking of Jan Kiepura and 'Nessun dorma', here is a link to that tenor, singing the German version of the aria, 'Keiner schlafe'.

Kiepura sang the role of Calaf in the second performance (15th October, 1926) of the Viennese premiere season of the opera Turandot. He was, at 24 years, perhaps the youngest of the tenors involved in the series of Turandot premieres at the famous opera houses in 1926 and the following few years. Interestingly, he shared the Viennese premiere season with perhaps the oldest of the Calafs, Leo Slezak (1873-1946), who was then 53 years old.

Kiepura was exactly 11 years younger than Richard Tauber (their shared birthday was 16th May), who coincidentally was the Calaf in the German premiere at Dresden in July, 1926. Another small coincidence was that Kiepura's leading lady, playing the title role of Turandot, was Maria Nemeth, from Hungary the nation that gave birth to his later wife, Marta Eggerth.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=UM2VQbLU5kM

Marta Eggerth, at 90, and very listenable. This singer has followed an extraordinary, perhaps unique career that began when she was ten and has continued for over 85 years.

This BTW is my first post of a link, using the method recently and kindly provided by Gabi and Eugene. Much simpler than laboriously copying the complex combinations of letters, in upper and lower cases, and numbers.

Just watched a 1947 movie "It Happened in Brooklyn" with Frank Sinatra and Kathryn Grayson. They did an aria from Don Giovanni. Entertaining, if you can imagine.

The previous post was to all although it was directed to you. But I just wanted to say thanks for the Eggerth clip - that was really beautiful and I think you have posted that before. (off topic) That it would have been a real treat if your sister married one of those brothers! Just think, you could write your own ticket anywhere in Canada!!