Largo al Factotum Cage Match: 14 Baritones Sing the High A

[sinscholar3]

Who is this man and is he a baritone or a tenor. I think he is a baritone. "Mario del Monaco". Someone please tell me who Mario del Monaco is!!!!

[ddevicente]

@sinscholar3 You're kidding, right? This is youtube, look him up.

[gyuh666]

GOBBI 1 GRANDE MAESTRO ESA NATURALIDAD, warren y despues milnes

[TLPOMNIMEDIA]

yeah, are they talking about an A4 (above middle c) or an A5 (second a above middle c)? they're singing in full voice (chest) too, right? not falsetto?

I think it's an A4, in chest. It's totally a tenor note. I mean i can hit an A4 in Falsetto, but i can only get to a Eb4 in chest. I can't hit an A5 in falsetto, although I can hit a C5-D5 on the regular and E5 with warm ups, and a G5 on my best day...

[qwertyoop]

warren wins.

[TheMintHippoTroupe]

So im not a big music theory guy. I know baritones are on bass clef. Is this high "a" a bass clef a or treble clef a?

[TLPOMNIMEDIA]

@TheMintHippoTroupe I'm pretty sure it's an A4 (A above middle C or high A on the Base clef), cause they're singing in chest, and the highest I can go is an Eb4, and A5 in a mans voice is rare. It's at the top of the choir saprano notes. A5's pretty much screaming for a man. they've got mad skills as baritones to hit that A4 it's in the tenor range...highest for a baritone (written) is supposed to be a an F4 in chest.

[jav123456777]

@TLPOMNIMEDIA It is an A4. It is at the top of a baritones range, but they are not singing in chest voice. They are using a mechanism called head voice, which is lighter than chest voice. Depending on they type of baritone and the role they are singing, A4's are not that uncommon in the baritone repertoire.

[Slayerplsko]

For the A: Warren

For the whole phrase: Stracciari, no contest there

[Beth29252]

Milnes and Warren win for me. Warren has one of the biggest and most beautiful singing voices let alone baritone voices I have heard, while Milnes in his prime had the most amazing top and his rendition of Largo al factotum was one of the most original and most entertaining renditions I've heard too.

[TheDmitrilover]

I know this was posted many time ago but I'd like to vote! :)

Well...I'm not so objective for Hvorostovsky, but I think here he does well even if I must admit this aria is not the best for him! I like Milnes,Prey and R.Panerai!

[silverroka]

It's between Warren and Milnes -- and I give Warren the edge as sentimental favorite.

[CaptFitzbattleaxe]

As far as the actual A goes, Milnes is #1. Warren and Horostovsky are also standouts.

Kudos for including Mario del Monaco. :D

[LordMgls]

How interesting to observe how these great old fashioned singers evolved to a generation of singers with fragile voices... After all, Hampson is one of the strongest voices we can get nowadays. Compared to the first singers, he is a little chorus boy. ;-) ... not to mention the others!!! xD

[clnrch]

Partial to Russel Braun-really unique quality. Milnes, Dimitri and R Braun, in any order really. Fierce...very fierce talent gong on here.

[tenorismo]

The complete recordin with Stracciari. is the best . 

[walkermusic]

As far as these posted recordings, Milnes' tops the list. Warren is a close second.

What I would give to have experienced Warren in his prime...

[tomzoricic]

and where is Bastianini?!?!

[vully70]

My vote goes to Warren (not only for the high A), to Stracciari and Herley for the hole role.

And who says that Signor del Monaco shouldn't have problems with the note because he was a tenor? His is the least secure version in this compilation, more strained even than Nucci

[phatphace]

In my opinion, Lawrence Tibbett shows the greatest deal of artistry through his interpretation of this passage, especially when considering it expands from the high A4 down to a G2 seamlessly.

[bariverdi]

Tie for first with Milnes and Warren

[zuluman0]

No baritone sang high notes like Leonard Warren. Bad role for him, but good high A for him nonetheless.

[mrm4xim4m]

tibbett tibbett tibbett :P

[saintsaens21]

Gobbi sounds like he's being strangled, most unpleasant.

[drtmuir]

You know, I wonder about Tom Allen leaving out the cadenza-- he certainly had the notes. He also sings the lower line at the climax of "Ich grolle nicht," and he could have taken the higher line easily.

[piasecznik]

@drtmuir

Indeed he had an easy high A- for example he extrapolates a splendid one at the end of the Händel aria 'Revenge, Timotheus cries'.

[drtmuir]

@piasecznik Exactly-- really one of the first baritones I think of in terms of ease and flexibility above the stave. The words are also always so clearly articulated.

[gerogejones]

Mario del Monaco is a Tenor!

[tomzoricic]

so what! Listen and evaluate!

[Mercent123]

1) MILNES!!!

2) Warren

3) Panerai

4) Tibbett

[alexandru2611]

1. Herlea

2. Gobbi

3. Milnes

4 Braun

[blichilde]

Bechi.

[clnrch]

Milnes, I think takes it....I'm partial to Russel Braun as well.

[tebiano]

MILNESSSSSSSS!!!

[claudiooriental]

1. Millnes

2. Hapson.

3. Warren.

4. Prey.

Others.

[brekfsklub]

@claudiooriental thank you ... i saw the youtube video... sings very well and acts the role... like being there live

[bodiloto]

dopo rolando panerai tutti hanno voci di tenore per questa raggione del monaco mi piace di piu ! grazie !

[ForeverTraLaLa]

Leonard Warren blew me away but Aaron St Clair Nicholson had a great tone too

[raigekimaru]

:33, nice agility

[AchillesValda]

All are best...I like Milnes... This compilation is SUPER !!!!!

[Emacs23]

A half of them sound like tenors.

[pavoman23]

Leonard Warren is first with Milnes a close second.

[raigekimaru]

Tibbett wins this one, adding an ornament down to a low G like a bad ass

[mrm4xim4m]

yeah man :) love that guy, scorpio like me lol

[b0105701]

Dmitri all the way!

[LifeJuice90]

Milnes is number 1 for me because he was the first that had heard.

[figaromitico]

BECHI!!!!!!!!!

[xav71176]

well there is a big bunch here who sound like tenors - not just del Monaco lol

[francescop1023]

manca semplicemente il migliore in assoluto: Sesto Bruscantini

[Babs22h]

though he sounds extrememly heavy he is my favorite Nicolae HERLEA.. his voice hardly loses any dark color as he is up on the A... freakin awesome.. the other guys sound like kinda tenorish up there...

hermann prey is possibly the best acted version I think.. he actually sounds like he is making a connection between charcter and singing...

[acoustikats]

Warren takes the cake for me. For those of you who say that he is covered on this recording, I heartily disagree. If you listen to some of his Live From Russia disc, you will hear covered Warren -- this is not it. He just had a beautiful, dark, rich tone with height, a stupendously rare combination.

[operalament]

tibbett died in 1960 sir.

[chevychase]

They all win! All of them are amazing!

[brokemusician]

I don't understand. If a baretone can hit a high A, what makes him a baretone and not a tenor?

[Babs22h]

the "weight" of his voice.... the tone quality, color and tessitura--- tessitura ultimately defines the difference i believe because aria's have different vocal demands... some baritones on the lighter end (or ones with a bigger range) can hit A's easily and repeatedly while other bari's may hit an E and once in an aria and simply are vocally unable to maintain such demanding notes...It all depends on the voices' own unique time of "no more high notes for me!" amazing , eh?

[HMW]

the standard baritone repertoire lies from Ab2-A4. the standard tenor repertoire lies from C2-D4. hence, i don't get your question... also, a tenor's passaggios will sit approximately a third higher, and his timbre will be distinctly lighter. in addition, tessitura plays a factor. does this help?

[georgia2b]

1. Sherrill Milnes (by far, I would say. Though may be this is, at least partially, related with better recording quality than some older performances, like Warren, Stracciari, Tibbett and Bechi)

2. Leonard Warren

3. Rolando Panerai

4. Gino Bechi

5. Aaron St. Clair Nicholson

I love Tito Gobbi, but his performance here was not a real hit, to my surprise and dissapointment.

I'd love to see similar cage for Di Provenza - my favourite baritone party.

Thank you - keep going

[mongemark]

Nucci : it's not the best recording (perhaps is the best figaro of half century), are good Stracciari (the best baryton of these but he was old); Warren excellent, Milnes (too in theater) and Hampson are good; Bechi was a trumpet in highs notes; the others without importance..... Del Monaco : scream of horror (suitable for Craven)

[ironfuscia]

warren and hvorostovky, ftw.

[JackOperaMan]

Leonard Warren. He's got more covered sound up there than all of these fine and talented singers. Truly, a remarkable voice.

[mykstefanski]

Mr. Braun. Met him a handful of times. Amazingly effortless voice. Got to experience his warm up just feet away.

[raigekimaru]

Milnes is like "yeah I got this"

[Babs22h]

thank you so much baritonoquapo for showiing me the beuty of the male voice... i often do not listen to male singers... really preferring the flexibility, agility and speed of the female colortura to most anything else... but you've shown me there are certainly guys who make me listen in awe!

[leadoffeohippus]

Did Tibbett come all the way down to G2? Impressive.

[FacePaster]

For just the high A: Warren and Milnes easily win. Nucci, Hvorostovsky, Braun and Nicholson (never heard of that baritone) also do well with the A in these clips.

[baritonoguapo]

Aaron St. Clair Nicholson is a very talented young Canadian baritone, he sang Schaunard and Papageno at the Met not long ago. You'll hear more of him in the future, I'm sure.

[crow66693]

@FacePaster Dmitri did really good as well.

[moniameonly]

Thomas Hampson is no 1,this is for sure!!!

[countceprano]

"Thomas Hampson is no 1, this is for sure!!"

Hahaha! Maybe for Riff in West Side Story, but certainly not even close for Figaro.

[jowox]

interesting compilation. An A does not sound so high when done by a baritone, it gets a darker sound. very powerful and rich in tone though. Hampson hits a short C in his version as does Milnes in a non-recorded radio broadcast version.

[mef72]

they hit the A4 or the A5 in here?

[bassman478]

A5 of course :)

[bassman478]

Ooops jk, A4, got my clefs mixed up X0

[Belcore14]

Leonard Warren sung it best in this compilation...

Although, if you have a good recording (this one's a little fuzzy), then Lawrence Tibbett reigns supreme.

[figaromitico]

bechi!

[sopogoshadze]

super,super,super

[KatherineXIX]

Figaro has two even bigger high As (that are actually written in the score) in the second-act trio with Rosina and Almaviva, as he mocks the tenor's sweet phrases. Some will wimp out and sing them in falsetto, but there are few more beautiful sounds than a baritone that can do them in a rich full voice. Please do a cage match of those few measures! Mattei and Prey do them the best, I believe.

[JackOperaMan]

Warren.

[mjmacmtenor]

Gino Bechi was a particular favorite of mine (along with Warren) among the older singers. Among the newer, my favs were Herlea (an undeservedly known great baritone) and Milnes. Whatever one thinks of Milnes, on a good day, no one could better him for high notes.

[jhvorotin]

Mario del Monaco is ridiculous! He completely distorts the words, he ruins it.

1) Sherril Milnes

2) Richard Warren

3) Dmitri Hvorostovsky (though the aria does not suit him really)

[34fgsfgsdtu48w7qtaqt]

Prey!

[helaman47]

I would have to give first place to either Leonard Warren or Sherrill Milnes (even though Milnes does have a really heavy voice for Figaro) and a pretty close second to Leo Nucci or Thomas Hampson(mainly because he performs the rest of the aria so well). All very fine singers anyway.

[64sembra]

To Helaman, Hoelette etc. Milnes is not too heavy for Figaro. Figaro wasn't written for a lyric baritone. Rossini wrote it for a basso buffo, Luigi Zamboni. And Rossini once thanked lyric baritone Antonio Cotogni (one of his favorite Figaros) for singing "Largo al factotum" without the cadenza because he never wrote one (for this aria). I wish Terfel, Pape and some other bass-baritones would give it a try.

[LifeJuice90]

Raimondi could definitely pull it off.

[hoelette]

Too bad this page does'nt contain the best Figaro who happen to be Robert Merrill. This role was written for a lyric baritone. It sounds evident that Verdi baritones are too heavy and don't have the flexibility for this part. And for the fans who judge by a high A, play yourself thousand of high A and ask yourself if this is music. As a bass, I sang high g's and low d's on stage, and I don't give a dam about that circus.

[etherealjiwon]

I agree completely. The beauty of this aria is the coloratura part not this cadenza part.

Having said, that I think Thomas Hampson and Russell Braun sounded the best. The others sounded way too heavy for this.

[hoelette]

Hi, etherealijiwon,

Why nobody mentions Cappuccilli, here??

I heard many good, and great, baritones but Piero let a great impression on me at Paris Opera in Forza del destino. I went there to hear Ghiaurov, but Piero got all my admiration.

Get his DVD of Ballo at the ROH. His aria "Eri tu" is a lesson for any singer, technique wise and mainly musically.I wish I could hear him in Largo al factotum.

[spitface33]

I totally agree if there is any great example on what a verdi baritone is it is Cappuccilli, his final aria in Don Carlo is awesome as well as that Bb at the end of his Di Provenza!

[jowox]

is there a recording by Dieskau? He´s my favorite baritone.

[leadoffeohippus]

Sheheheherrill Milnes.

[giannivoxer]

manca nella selezione il grande Bastianini

[FraAngelico440]

Nucci or St. Clair Nicholson for me.

[hermanzoon]

Nicolae Herlea does it quite well... a nice stretch into the top he has.

[GermanOperaSinger]

Hampson sounds like a tenor.

My vote would be Milnes, Warren, and Hvorostovsky.

[musoph21]

I going to go with Hvorostovsky..best baritone

[saxgod685]

Milnes would be my pick, he just sounds so natural up there. He would be followed closely by Warren and then Hampson. Great clip, thanks for the comparison!

[aeru9]

I think, Prey is the best!

[musicmaker2010]

There is a recording of Hampson almost trilling a high A and G and then going up to a high C.

[baritonoguapo]

I've heard that. It's a bit silly I think. A few baritones with very good tops have gone up to a high C at the end of the aria, but I couldn't imagine doing that after singing the whole aria through.

[leadoffeohippus]

Yep I've heard that.

[jowox]

yes I have this Hampson C in my video "Opera Baritones approaching the high C", it´s a bit short but still very impressive. Milnes has done a nice B-flat from Attila which I haven´t heard though AND he´s supposed to have done a high C at the end of the Largo aria, now this I´d like to hear (or done by another baritone).

[musicmaker2010]

Yeah, I've always fantasized about hitting a high C at the end of it or hearing someone else do it.

[drtmuir]

@musicmaker2010 There's also a recording of him singing "Winterstu:rme." Everybody did a lot of silly things when they were young. ;)

[danaissharp]

It seems as though Milnes copies warren's cadenza. Do you blame him?

[purpleAiPEy]

Russell Braun Cause I know him. Hes awesome. I sound childish.

[fecheverriam]

Milnes owns this area period.

[MugsMcClain]

I'm no opera expert, but my vote goes to Sherril Milnes.

Second place to Leonard Warren.

Third to Thomas Hampson.

Anyway, these guys were the clearest to me. Hampson didn't sustain it that long, but he hit it nice and clean.

[HenryBakerHarvington]

My vote goes to Lawrence Tibbet (it was hard to decide between Stracciari and Tibbet). Why can't one vote for Mario del Monaco?

[baritonoguapo]

Because he's a tenor so the A isn't a stretch for him.

[tonebarry]

Nucci.

[cptnunderwhere]

This is why many people continuously complained that Milnes was just on or just over the crack of being a tenor. A great sound though, regardless.

[peloponisios]

need to add bastianini too

[baritonoguapo]

I only could find one recording of his of this aria, and he just touched the high A and it actually was a tad flat, so I didn't post it.

[Webarton]

ahh no one is completely better than anyone else, they are all in their own respects unique and masters of their art.

[rmceldow]

Sherrill Milnes hands down

[baricoop]

I have to give it to Sherrill in this one...then Warren, then Hvorostovsky

[bkmustang07]

milnes is killer i love the rigoletto when he hits a bflat in the end its killer

[alesscort]

Del monaco sei un GRANDEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!

comunque tra i baritoni ci sono nascosti molti tenori....

[stefakamelpash]

Tibbett

[Dekyi1210]

A Largo al Factotum collection without Titta Ruffo?????

[baritonoguapo]

I could not find a recording of Ruffo putting in the high A. He only went to the G before coming back down. If you have one, please post it.

[Dekyi1210]

ok, ok...he doesn´t go to the A, but the G - che bel piacere... ;-)

[kickplate]

cage match... lol, you rock.

[LLehmannfan]

For me Hermann Prey was the greatest Figaro here.

But I have to confess, that he is my vocal idol as I'm a baritone, too.

[Milordvega]

I have a recording of Placido singing the Barber, but did MDM ever play the entire role himself? I think he sould have been good.

[drdre333]

A lot of nice assumptions here. Thank you!

[charlesvosborne]

Tibbett sang this better than anyone. I love his effortless, showoff vocalise at the top.

[newberr1]

I think that Milnes or Braun are the obvious choice-- the healthiest, most free sound and vowels that aren't alarming lol

[meltzerboy]

I like the earliest baritone the best, that is Stracciari, not only for the high note but the smooth scale that follows it. For sheer vocal splendor, however, I think Warren is difficult to surpass.

[elcaos10]

De esta seleeción Gino Bech y Hermann Prey son de mi gusto

[Doooku]

Mario del Monaco

[naruto1398]

ouch my head its geek langige

[tomzoricic]

caro baritonoguapo - it isn't fair that you exclude MDM from contest. He is tenor OK, but he is artist in the first place and if he can sing "Vecchia zimmarra" (I heard him), I think it will be fair to place him along the others, IMHO.

[baritonoguapo]

Ok, one vote for MDM noted.

[tomzoricic]

Thanks