Joyce DiDonato & Peter Mattei "Dunque io son" Il Barbiere

[bedove77]

Fine and electric Rosina,awful (and it's kindly) Figaro.Never I heard so bad one.

[zegermans750]

lmao never heard the dude have a higher pitch than the girl at the end of this duet

[psalmtone2008]

Is there a baritone who can really master the fioriture of this duet?

[raigekimaru]

1:27-1:30; NICE!

[JaimieAppleton]

@raigekimaru That is one of favorite parts too :]

[raigekimaru]

I like the way the characters are kind of hitting on each other even just for fun without really wanting to take it anywhere.

[raigekimaru]

they're such good actors.

PS: some of the altos in my choir who think hitting an F above tenor C is high need to hear this wonderful rendition of the capabilities of the upper register of a trained mezzo .

[TheBasilio]

si ese es el figaro del metropolitan, imaginense los que no ha podido ingresar.

[JEANHIKER]

What did you mean? I could not get your meaning. Is he good or bad?

[TheBasilio]

i want to say that there here better baritonos. He is not a great voice and she is wonderfoul. they dont a good team, are very diferents. sorry my writing.

[schmup53]

I have watched this duet about 25 times on the Met Player. I could swear these two have a thing going on ...there is so much good chemistry.

His voice sounds like it fills the Met just fine. I have heard from others that he has good power there.

[sweetpepper36]

@schmup53 I know, I watched this on the met player too and it seems figaro has a little crush on rosina, I wonder if they ment it to seem that way? It so subtle though it could just be peter! ;) Can ya blame him though!

[morindhe]

I have not enjoyed a mezzo-soprano on stage as much as this! Fabulous!

[isrababe101]

Bravi!

[scordeteyla]

oh, how i wish it were available on dvd! :(

[shrikantriyer]

It is!

[scordeteyla]

cool! where can I purchase it?

[g4thz]

Peter Mattei has one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard.

[nisticom]

That makes me think that you haven't heard so many voices... (but I guess you're going to say that it's a matter of taste, well...)

[g4thz]

Um, burn. I guess personally, I like the quick vibrato, quick articulation of melismatic passages, and most of all, I like the ease with which he sings throughout the registers. And I buy his Figaro (character) throughout this production.

[33blueberries]

I like the vibrato, but I don't like the melismas or the fact that he doesn't sing consistently on the breath in this video. It's disconcerting, esp. from someone hired to fill the Met. However, I did enjoy this performance, and would not have singled out his role in it as particularly offensive. I was a little disturbed to see Bartolo tiring towards the end of his aria, but I suppose it is a damnedly difficult piece to sing, and he bounced back admirably. I too liked Mattei's characterisation.

[g4thz]

Yeah, it would be really interesting to see how well this carried in the house. Mattei does sing some heavier rep (ie Onegin), so he hopefully has at least the capacity to fill the house.

[oscarnotwild]

I can assure you that Mr. Matti's voice can fill the Met. But don't just take my word for it. He is currently singing the Don at the Met. If it's possible, please go and hear for yourself. Mr. Mattei is one of tne best singers before the public.

[g4thz]

I wish I could have gone.

[mkurnat]

@g4thz FACT

[janeEyreAddict]

i love this version. the characters are amazing! very good

[Pepepecas68]

Vitellia:Keenlyside,Allen,Corb­elli(alth. he doesnt sing figaro)the old guard side.young Hvorostovski(event. tiny voice)George petean(although tenorile) and another unknown Alfredo Daza(although verdian) greatcoloratura great actors.All Isay is theaters are getting comformist working on the weight of agents and not of artistry itself,audiences applauding without being criticalonly conforming themselves(as Blueberries says)"choosing to enjoy for what performers offer"overlooking all the mistakes!

[33blueberries]

You misrepresent me Pepepecas68. Put simplistically, it boils down to this: one can hear the errors, but one then has the choice, to enjoy the performance, or not to enjoy it. Frankly, I would rather enjoy. I'll certainly support your comment that contemporary audiences are some of the least educated that have ever attended opera, but the fact that other people can't educate themselves doesn't mean that I have choose not to enjoy a performance, as loudly as possible, so as to educate them.

[Pepepecas68]

I saw the Onegin video of this guy..I believed he will sound better singing something Lyrical..But he is awful! the coloratura is all dirty,not funny, and has no vibrato at times and at times capretino,and still sounds like a tenor how can he be all over the Place? sorry to be negative:Di Donato looks like a granny, she is supposed to be young!anyway she sings as a light mezzo should, I guess that pays over looking as a fat old woman.

[33blueberries]

Pfft, whatevs- Mattei is not jaw-droppingly awesome, true, but "awful" is an irresponsible overstatement, and diDonato looks amazing. To say nothing of her beautiful face and gorgeous figure, her breasts..well, let's just say that "fat old woman" is entirely the opposite of an appropriate description!

[Pepepecas68]

not pfft. and, you said it yourself "not jaw dropping" I have seen couple of your comments, probably you like them(you are allowed to it) but my comment is far from irresponsible, read my comment again! dirty coloratura(no one can say its not dirty, just check with a pro, everyone who is someone will agree) the high notes are tight and shineless,he isnt funny and the capretino is there as also the no vibratos(not bel canto, excuse me)What can one say about a singer that offers so little? AWFUL

[33blueberries]

Again- Pfft, whatevs.

All you've done is reiterate your points. What you've missed is that I'm not actually disagreeing with your points, some of them are quite true. What I'm disagreeing with is your attitude. You can either choose to enjoy the performance for what the performers offer, or choose not to enjoy it because of what they don't.

[vitellia]

I've never heard a Figaro that matched his Rosina in terms of coloratura; I've heard many a lot worse than this. If this is so awful, so are Terfel and many other greats. I suppose baritones are not meant for coloratura. Dmitri H was surprisingly agile, though. I find Mattei's Figaro more than respectable, (relatively) youthful and still virile. But I do agree on Didonato's unfortunate appearance. I think the Met's wig/makeup dept is way subpar. Just look at the Met season catalogue.

[Pepepecas68]

My attitude comes from what I hear&comments I read blueberries,what this performer offers is(from my point of view)mediocre.Talking'bout attitudes,pfft&whatevers,arent exactly respectful,you are allowed 2 your oppinions(Im not attacking you)me to mineIm simply exigentOPERAis written1way&performed far away from that.

[ete4]

Joyce is sublime. I had never heard of her until I saw this recording on PBS. Her coloratura is flawless, and her acting is pitch-perfect.

[Satirike]

Joyce is indubitably awesome :]

doesn't over-frill the role either, which is refreshing.

[oleander1684]

i agree with vitellia. rossini himself had a problem with all the cadenza stuff singers put in the role. reportedly one soprano did it so much that he said "lovely piece. who composed it?" when she finished. that aside, i LOVE mattei. his voice is so creamy and beautiful.

[KatherineXIX]

I heard that story somewhere else, too. Was he being sarcastic, or was it really unrecognizeable? Haha...and I agree about Mattei. He's becoming one of my new favorites.

[jamesgeist]

Three cheers for Oneguin65 for posting such fantastic videos! Yip yip hooray!

[Njamh]

I have seen her in the Liceu.... she is really great!!!!!!!!!!!

[Cissy97]

Joyce is sort of TOO MATURE as JDF's Rosina.

[aragall77]

What about Damrau? Let JDF grow up to deserve a real woman on the stage not a girl;-) Just kidding. She fits this role in every detail in my opinion along with the best Almaviva ever-JDF.

[33blueberries]

Not untrue. But, casting with that in mind would limit Florez to singing with coloratura soprano Rosinas, which would be a bit extreme.

[hethat]

Oj då! Klantigt av mig att inte veta att Peter är från Gammelstad. Förlåt min okunnighet MrWoodwind.

[ettoleetoile]

if anyone says opera is boring, let them see this piece! I enjoyed every second of it! what a pitty it's not on DVD!!!

[Lilith89ibz]

I can't understand why there's a recording of DiDonato's version and not one of Damrau's... Sigh. Anyway, I love DiDonato's portrail too ^^

[conmaleta]

beause this performance was telecasted, and the other one did not...as simple as that

[Lilith89ibz]

No... Really?! ¬¬ What I meant is that it's not fair that DiDonato's was on TV and Damrau's not. Mezzo's favouritism.

[aragall77]

Maybe therefore DiDonato`s Rosina is sensual, winsome and full of subtle erotism? Not to mention the splendor of her singing without any sharpness and diabolic coloratura technique?

[Lilith89ibz]

Yeah, 'therefore' is the word... I really can't care less about your opinion about bel canto singing, but I don't think your describing coloratura as 'diabolic' gives you any credit on what you've said... Anyway, who said I didn't like DiDonato? It's just I like Damrau MUCH more.

[aragall77]

Why are you so sarcastic? I do not need any credit on what I am saying. It was just a word to describe the capabilities of her voice. Damrau is perfect as Queen of the Night but not Rosina. Never mind. I prefer DiDonato in this role and the way she looks is also much more attractive in my opinion. There is no point to argue about that. And you really don`t need to care about any opinion but yours.

[Lilith89ibz]

Okaaaaaaaay, I'm soooooorry. I was in a bad mood, yesterday lol I'm just too sensitive to any bad comment related to Diana lol I still prefer Diana's Rosina, but I have tickets for DiDonato's 'Cenerentola' with JDF in the Liceu. I'll tell you about it once I've seen it =)

[aragall77]

Accepted. OK :-) I have bought tickets for Cenerentola too. Perhaps we could meet to discuss DiDonato`s singing? :-)JDF is pefect, we know that. What do you think about that?

[Lilith89ibz]

Yeah, I love JDF too ^^ I don't remember the day for which I have the tickets, but I'll figure it out and I'll tell you. When are you going? By the way, which languages do you speak? lol

[aragall77]

I have bought tickets for 8th of January. Polish and English :-D

[Lilith89ibz]

So have I! Well, I'll be going with my mother, but anyway... lol

I speak Spanish, Catalan, English and a bit of French, but not Polish... lol

Send me a message if you want,and we'll arrange how to meet ^^

[aragall77]

I am sorry for such a long period of silence. It sounds perfect to arrange meeting in Liceu. Just waiting :-)

[vitellia]

I agree with you %110!!! I was disappointed by Damrau's Rosina, whose coloratura was, to my surprise, dully articulated. I just commented on that clip before this, so I won't go further, but really, sopranos need to leave Rosina alone. I'm sick and tired of the interpolated high Ds in Rosina thanks to the likes of Gruberova, Jo, Sills, and now Damrau. They should save them for a real soprano roles.

[annao273]

Ok, I generally agree but must make an exception for Sills. She was amazing. I know the role is supposed to be sung by a mezzo, but one can't help loving Beverly Sills' interpretation of it.

[33blueberries]

Frankly, I love a coloratura Rosina, vitellia. Especially the Gruberova. Those Es and Fs are just so viscerally thrilling :) But, I think that Damrau is heading..a little downhill. A case of too-much-too-soon, I think. So I see where you're coming from.

[vitellia]

Oh jeez, I find Gruberova one of the worst offenders even though you and many others find her Rosina exciting. I wonder if she intentionally wanted to make a fool out of herself by singing all the crazy interpolated high notes. I don't like the idea of transposing it to F. I think it destroys Rosina's earthy smart character by making her sound like a Queen of the night clone. One can't thank enough La Berganza for showing how it should be really done, close to Rossini's intention.

[33blueberries]

Ah, Rossini's intentions..you and I differ greatly on this point. As far as I'm concerned, the composer's intentions were to fulfil his contract, make a little money, and entertain the audience. One only needs look at the willingness with which the composer recycles material (Non piu mesta/Cessa di piu resistere) or changes the work to suit the cast. I think the modern composer/impresario/director needs to remember that. Art is a happy accident that sometimes occurs on the way to entertainment.

[yesblanche]

What a wonderfully articulated point.

[lumosmaxima]

Do you have the finale from the first act?

[vitellia]

Thank you for posting this and others from the same production! I've been dying to see them again!

[Njamh]

Magnífico, estupendo. Le doy un 10... comparable con la interpretación de Cecilia Bartoli y Gino Quilico

[Albericco]

Gino Quilico...:-|

[hethat]

Yesss! He is Swedish, from atown in the northen part of Sweden, Piteå. Jussi Björling was also from Sweden. We are a small country with meny exellent artist. Don´t forget Ingmar Bergman ...

[MrWoodwind]

Actually I grew up with him about 60 km from Piteå. The town is Luleå or more exactly Gammelstad "Old town".

[Dormiglione]

Mattei is Swedish.

[nisticom]

OK... so that is Peter Mattei... german, I guess... sad...

[puccinilover]

An absolutely stellar performance only i would have liked a little more Clarity in the runs from Mattei

[annao273]

Thank you Oneguin65! I've been waiting for someone to post this. Fantastic!

[lixcgirl]

Both of them are wonderful!!

She knows she is really in love with Mattei! He could win anyone over with his voice. When I saw him at the Met as Don Giovanni a couple years ago, I was left breathless. He is so commanding and powerful.

They are a good pair! :)

[hazelmsmith]

What I wouldn't give for this on a dvd. Wasn't it just the greatest production?

[steainsy]

they're both wonderful

[NannerlSullAria]

She is so great! Thank you again Oneguin65!

[meloow2005]

excelent !!!