Rockwell Blake & Alketa Cela - Les Huguenots 1/2

[sallpario]

incredible ! do diez - is the top of mastery. tembr...whose is beautiful of greats! kraus-snuffling, pavarotti-sguezing balls, corelli-sheep,giacomini-thrott­le, bonisoll-yawning,bergonzi-hoar­se, merrit-heavy metal, monaco-madman s voice, domingo-throating nasalic, flores-simply disgusting, gedda-sexmaniacs voice speakely sugarly

[ploplisphilin]

Many people lack the perspective to remember that Rockwell Blake was one of the first great Rossini tenors of the second half of the 20th century. His ability to sing very difficult ornamentation was phenomenal. Without his pioneering effort, Brownlee, Florez, et al. would not be astounding audiences today. This role is not even what he is famous for. A solid knowledge of the history of singing will afford the necessary respect. And very few tenors have even attempted Raoul.

[papoocanada]

whatever, Blake had a horribly rough voice ........terrible

[jerrya1979]

who cares if the effect is not beautiful? Conversely who cares if the effect is beautiful?

[DardanianSoul]

she is albanian just like INVA MULA

[sf471]

She is my childhood friend. Amazing girl!!

[Tenorboy29307]

I wish his voice recorded better. I have heard him live. I was in a production at Asheville Lyric Opera with him when I was an undergraduate and it is a totally different sound live. For one thing, the voice is smaller. Oh well. Thanks for posting this. I'm a big Blake fan.

[ganteros]

sorry, but i think is not a high D, but a high C sharp. prove it.

[69pepeto]

Actually, I'm pretty sure it's not a high D neither a high C sharp but a high D flat :P (if I remember correctly this scene is in G flat major).

[operastud82]

Thank you pyriel. Blake is one of the greatest tenors alive-may not be always pretty but always expressive and well executed. This is also Rocky at the very end of his 30 yr long career - and this role is NOT meant to be as dramatic as it is sometimes done-not if you don't cut all the fioratura and high notes!

[pyriel987]

you people are vicious, and cant enjoy the music. Both tenors are excelent at what they do. Blake didnt have the most beautiful voice, but it was very effective in what he could do with it. He was good enough to have a brilliant career, what have you done? and plus the to say the lowered larynx technique is bullshit, is to say that people like corelli and giacomini and of the sort were hacks...

[vickersman]

The lowered larynx technique is normally practiced by most tenors-one naturally does it to secure higher notes, etc etc(BTW it has nothing to do with the long forgotten Melocchi method.-just standard practice) Also Leech ,I agree does not scream.josephmelon is a 20 year old twit.

[vickersman]

p.s. pyriel 1987-you have some good posts of your own. Keep it up.

[pyriel987]

was that ment to be sarcastic?

[vickersman]

No not at all...my mistake I thought you had posted some of Jerry Hadley's material. I think also that Blake had a sweet sound- especially for Handel.Anyway sorry about any mix-up Goodday.

[pyriel987]

I agree, most people see the lowered larynx technique as the Melocchi technique, but this definately is not so. It did, like common practice teach to lower but not press down on the larynx. A high larynx, i for sure would not reccoment, unless you want to wreck your voice.

[spgtenor]

The larynx actually will freely move up in the upper register, down in the lower register. Covering the voice will decrease laryngeal movement, though singers should never think about what their larynx is doing, rather how it sounds and feels when singing high notes.

[agnellodei]

And also...the concept of eveness of tone and covering is more of a Verdi tenor thing, before that in the bel canto times tenors were more concerned with agility and good high notes (both ppp and ff) than eveness of tone.

[bloydaage]

spgtenor : you could not be more wrong. Almost dropped my cup of coffee when I burst into a laughter... after reading your statement.

[spgtenor]

That's because you don't understand singing or how the voice works.

[bloydaage]

Hm? Thats stange, since I've been singing on a professional level for a decade!

[bondal]

The high note is a Db not a D and it is brilliant, though Richard Leech sings it much better!

[ksavski]

Even better, go with Giordani & Stoyanova. ;) I never said Blake was a bad singer but a Rossini singer in Huguenots is simply not the right thing. Either you do it like it should be or you don't. This is heroice not high lyric repertory. I rather hear them give a few decibels more and let them sound fuller.

[josephlemon]

Meyerbeer was on of the several composers who admired, and tried to be Rossini. Meyerbeer and the rest of the french bel canto composers are just like Bellini, Donizetti, and Rossini. especially seeing as how they copied the Italians stylistically.

[Bigoperaman]

Watch Leech and Lorengar if you want to see it done correctly. I have to go with Ksavski. I've never been impressed with this guy. All of those so called "great voice effects" are nasally throaty ways out of singing with some balls. Richard Leech is an incredible example of singing this role with a low larynx and a full-bodied sound. Not putting aside that this is one of (if not, THE) the most difficult roles in the tenor repetiore, it can still be done like a man.

[josephlemon]

Leech screams in the role, and has wierd jaw movements. Blake was basically the only tenor to revive many of the lost bel canto gems. btw, that bullshit lowered larynx technique is superfluous. your larynx already lowers when you take in a breath. that technique actually makes you sound throaty.

[BeauTenor]

I don't think Leech screams at all. It's an exciting voice; Lorengar too...no soprano singing now could match her, and she was almost 60. Blake was a great singer, although he was an acquired taste and not for everyone.

[blakemooney]

I feel ksavski missed Blake's intent here. The courageous effort Blake goes to here is always noble. He gives generously of his voice and career. One must remember that many singers employed exaggerated trills or sobs during certain passages of an aria always based on what they believed to be an improvement: Gigli for one. Gigli was highly criticised for his emoting and unnecessary sobbing at particular lines yet Richard Tucker, America's Caruso, admired him most.

[misticspear]

great truely an art form

[ksavski]

Blake is pathetic.

[bigpinkypig]

One may argue that you are pathetic, missing all the great voice effects he is offering us in this duet but I prefet not to bother; after all, you are a free man and being rude and ignorant are two of your many rights...

[idreno6386]

@ksavski BLAKE PATHETIC????? BUT WHERE ARE YOU FROM??? DO YOU LIVE ON A TREE? MAKE A BETTER USE OF YOUR TIME.....