Richard Tucker & Robert Merrill Forza Invano Alvaro

[FacePaster]

Just so there's no confusion out there, let's be clear. It is well documented that Richard Tucker's voice was built and maintained by Paul Althouse and Robert Merrill's voice was built and maintained by Samuel Margolis. Neither of these two singers were students of Douglas Stanley as has been claimed in the comments section of this video. Facts are facts. Do not be confused by those who would invent their own facts for their own personal agenda.

[marcellny]

that finalmeeeeeeente... from merrill... takes over all any baritone ever did anywhere. it's simply gorgeous!

[marcellny]

thick thick brooklyn accents... yet exquisite italian phrasing!!! bravi!

[pablodanielsen]

yo no perderia tiempo en criticar ojala los boludos de hoy cantaran como tucker que en 1972 tenia 59 años y merril 54 asi que metete los dedos en el orto antes de mandar esa critica tan inasertada grandes asi ya no quedan tenes que destaparte las orejas y deja la cumbia villera estupido sordo ........... averigua quien fue este gran tenor y el baritono merrill

[MrZhmudenko]

best

[MrZhmudenko]

best

[atallaayan]

This is just AMAZING!!!

[sopogoshadze]

I love you Robert...

[TheWisemonkey8]

3:51 ... makes good viewing :).

[Huljic]

@TheWisemonkey8

He affried a little :)

[OscarLevant1]

Singers are created out of the society in which they were born. Tucker and Merrill came out of the WWII world where people learned sacrifice, honor, valor, and a world morality. This current post-modern society is incapable of giving birth to artists like these.

[TheWisemonkey8]

@OscarLevant1 Just 3 years before his death... this is a musical artist beyond most imagining. To think the man is singing like a musical Titan... sacrificing his very life for art. i must confess... Merrill looks very concerned through the entire performance...

Arguable the best performance in the Gala...

[Richiesutherland]

Fantastic, both of these men (please remember that Merrill was from Brooklyn, not the Bronx). I was there that night, and I still think that Merrill's "Finalmente!" is the most impressive single word I have ever heard sung on the Met stage! On a clear day, it is probably still reverberating around the house.

[MadameBorgi]

Para mi es la mejor versión sin duda alguna....Los dos son maravillosos.

[Baritanist]

This is GREAT singing. If you want to learn Richard Tucker's technique, contact me, I teach his technique (Douglas Stanley).

[vwest18]

@Baritanist I would love to learn this Tucker technique. Such solid diction and very unified powerful middle up to high

[vwest18]

@Baritanist I would love to learn this Tucker technique. Such solid diction and very unified powerful middle up to high. I am a young tenor and don't ever think to have a voice as large as Tucker but am enthusiastic to study different historical tehcniques. Especially that of the singers of his caliber.

[Operaddict]

I can't believe this was almost 40 years ago! I saw this amazing performance live! OMG...how is it that things have changed so dramatically since then???

[stephpwall]

at 3:52 Tucker' s "ih" vowel on the high Bb of "Uscite" sets a record for the most thrilling note ever sung on the Met stage. At 3::59 Merrill breaks that record with his Fb "finalmente" "eh vowel. The glottal cuttoff on "Ah vieni vieni a morte andiam...well you get the idea...the greatest live excerpt of opera ever heard...yup...2 guys from Brooklyn.... as old as Moses (when added together) ...the best ever

[giacominifan]

What a performance by two greats!

[seyran777777]

great

[GermanOperaSinger]

Baritanlist = most successful youtube opera troll of all time. I find it funny that so many people actually take him seriously.

[Baritanist]

Glorious singing by two students of Stanley. Tucker went to see Stanley after he lost his top, and even Merrill went for lessons. It is a well kept secret. The Stanley method produces big, open voices without constriction. Contact me if you want to learn more.

[VinylToVideo]

@Baritanist Why would anyone bother? All they have to do is watch one of your videos to learn what an ignorant lying jackass you are.

[Baritanist]

@VinylToVideo ROFL. I have more students than ever, and you can breath fire and brimstone as much as you like, it's not gonna make you or your channel any more popular. LOL, how pathetic. My singing is great and so was Tucker.

[VinylToVideo]

@Baritanist My channel is plenty popular already, thanks. You must do a production and post it starring your imaginary students. I'm sure your 2 subscribers would enjoy that.

[stevevandien]

I read James Drake's biography of Tucker about 25 years ago. CAVEAT: I don't have the book and am working here from memory. But here's what I recall from Drake's interview of Merrill about this performance:). Tucker, Merrill's longtime friend and colleague, was pacing and somewhat uptight backstage before this performance. When they were called onstage, Tucker grabbed his friend and said: "All right, Merrill, no damn singles tonight! HOME RUNS!" Then they went out and hit a few:)--

[Baritanist]

This is the glorious method of Stanley that makes wide, open sound without constriction. Tucker went to Stanley after he had lost his high C, and Stanley fixed it. Thanks to Stanley, Tucker was the tenor we all love. I also heard that he helped Merrill who had a similar sound.

[Agorante]

@Baritanist

Beware! This guy claims to be a voice teacher. He promotes the mysterious Stanley Method. He sings like a pig. 

[Baritanist]

@Agorante I am not claiming to be a voice teacher, you pompous idiot. I have trained many Grammy award winning singers, and you have not. LOL, how pathetic you are.

[Agorante]

@Baritanist

I seem to have gotten myself in some running disputes with wacko voice teachers who use these forums to advertise their businesses. I apologize to all otthers who are only here to enjoy great singing.

But as a final word - this guy @Baritanist is very, very odd. The first line in his YouTube bio says:"I'm a voice teacher". He promotes an obscure splinter vocal movement called "The Stanley Method" and he presents his own singing as an endorsement.

[Baritanist]

@Agorante And your point is WHAT? All the great maestros have obscure techniques because the do not teach it to EVERYBODY. If something is obscure to you that's because you have NO FRIGGIN IDEA of what good singing is. I just need to go to your channel and listen... LOL. Agorante, a great and greatly contricted bass with a great tremolo.

[jomoses07]

there's so much sound here that i feel myself against the wall...just from the power of their voices...

[stevevandien]

@jomoses07 Like a tidal wave of sound, isn't it:)?

Which is what great Verdi singing needs, along of course with nuance:). Today we have singers performing Verdi with nuance and even intelligence, but they don't have enough vocal power for the tidal wave, alas:) --

[jomoses07]

@stevevandien i completely agree!

[jontew]

So many have correctly lauded Merril's "finalmente," but I know of no tenor since Caruso who could attack a B♭ as full-throated, colorfully and confidently as the way Tucker does in "uscite" at 3:50.

[stevevandien]

@jontew I love Merrill and Tucker and their performances here. But I'd argue that Corelli at his best had an even better B flat (not to mention high C) than Tucker:). Best, Steve

[jacobfaris]

This is the track my dad played me when, as a teenager, I made a flippant joke about opera. I've been a respectful fan ever since ;-).

[tenorbear60]

Merrill singing "finalmente.." at 3:55 has got to be the most masculine sound I have ever heard come out of a man. EVER. That's what I call opening up and letting it out. Whew!

[gomez3939]

wow! Nice job

[asalvoni1]

my lord the sheer power is extraordinary, Tucker seems to frighten Merrill at 3:50 when he bellows out "Brando", Merrill recoils backwards. The epitome of a spinto tenor.

[Bariton2]

@asalvoni1 Really? It doesn't occur to you that after all those years at the height of his profession, singing with the best in the world, that Merrill might be 'acting?'

[asalvoni1]

@Bariton2 sure fully possible, regardless that doesn't take anything away from Tucker all your saying is that merrill is (on top of a great baritone) a good actor

[Labienus]

I was at the Gala this among many others was a touching tribute to Bing and certainly an exciting one

I'd venture to say that both sang the duet better other times but this was a night of emotions

Not judging it on regular terms but Tucker's vehemence and virtual screaming is a bit much for my taste and you feared for his well being which was not misplaced

Merrill actually is even more impressive often a dull performer the voice qua voice was always a miracle and it is here

[Mooorhe]

@Labienus

How did you find Pavarotti and Sutherland's contributions?

[Labienus]

@Mooorhe

Let's see from memory-a very young, beardless Pav about a yr. before Fille and stardom She was a very big woman but you realize how big Pav was not just fat most under her influence in the best sense voices extraordinarily well matched she usually overpowered the lyric voices that did these roles but you realized even then this was a lyric voice but a giant one he was greatest in roles like this & similar -less effective for me as spinto you thought what voices when sitting there

[assindiastignani]

@Mooorhe Hi! I know you didn't ask me, but I was there, and Dame Joan and Luciano were wonderful. However, somehow everything on that evening was overshadowed by Birgit Nilsons staggering account of the Salome Schlußgesang at the end of a very, very long evening. It's also in youtube.

[rupepill]

These were men and of course it would be foolish to suggest they were anything more. But this kind of singing might make the most cynical wonder whether the mythical Vulcan had lent them a volcano sited over a gold field. For there was surely molten gold gushing that night, and the audience were clearly made delirious by the wealth of it.

If that is purple prose then consider that purple is the imperial colour, and these hugely gifted, great singers crafted their own, unseen thrones and crowns.

[Bariton2]

@rupepill Vulcan actually lent me a volcano sited over a gold field, but I was asleep, drunk. There certainly was molten gold gushing that night, a meal that I obviously paid waaaay too much for.

[rupepill]

@Bariton2 Best perhaps to avoid mixing strong drink with a powerful curry - a dangerous blend, almost certain to bring on a gusher.

[stevevandien]

@rupepill There is a poet in your soul, my friend:) --

[rupepill]

@stevevandien Thank you for your kind remark.

[MrRoussel1]

interpretazione eccellente !!!!, non abbia il piacere di saperli

Io ingrandisco

[operabeauty]

Simply the best I ever heard!

[chengducat]

A jewel!!!

[corellithebest]

Although my favorites in this are Corelli and Bastianini, I must say this is wonderful! I like both Merrill and Tucker in general!

[laknaths]

Worldclass!!!!!

[raycanto76]

This clip gives me chills! Great singers..wow..

[primobaritono77]

Interesting to note that Tucker was the tenor the night Leonard Warren died on stage in Forza and never got to sing this duet with the great baritone that evening. A friend of my father told me he was there during the performance and when Warren fell face first onto the stage, the audience was silent and you could hear Tucker yelling from the wings "Lennie Lennie!"

[TenoreRobusto1347]

I can't imagine what it is like to see a friend go like that... terrible.

[VolkgartenBySquirrel]

A great loss, and during one of the most tragic of operas.

[italopera]

Des chanteurs de cette qualité nous manquerons éternellement.

[cocoloco707]

esta locasoooooooo!!! TUCKER!! UN POCO MAS Y LO MATA A MERRIAL..GENIOSS CARAJO....

BRAVOOOO

[aroncooker]

Simply amazing

[prodesica]

GRANDISSSSSIIMI!!!!!

[aristopus]

I WAS THERE, what memories. Thanks for posting this.

[Apollogranforte]

Two of the greatest...The Bronx could bring them out...There's noone like them in the world today...

[rexeterna]

tucks scared the sh*t out of merrill at 3:45

[SonoPortoricano]

Merrill was excellent, the rough calmness and serenity in his voice -Ad Hoc description- is spectacularly fit for this piece as well as with Tucker's voice. Tucker was amazing on this one, simply outstanding; great passion, and that voice, dark and smooth, flows beautifully together with the "force" he gave to this. Perfectly dramatic.

Although I haven't heard many other renditions of Invano Alvaro, from the ones I've heard I'd have to day that this is one of the best.

[stevevandien]

@SonoPortoricano ". . . the rough calmness and serenity . . . " What a marvelous description:) --

[chessmann]

The "Rover Boys" of the Met, 50's-70's.

I've never heard a better "Finalmente..." from any baritone.

[ruffoite]

yippee!!!

[DWRon1306]

The voices of angels. It doesn't get any better than this. Great is an understatement.

Miss them so much!

[sobchakdrums]

this is real opera. There will not be a Forza like this for a while. I only hope that a golden age can be restored in opera again

[reydogoloyugo23]

The voice is so beautiful

[muschnik1961]

Where are singers like them today? The golden age of operasinging is over... Guys like Cura and Villazzon buried it!

[malamutet]

Tucker, in questo brano, è insuperabile nonostante l'età.

[pearlmuth3]

Tucker in the 50's owned the role at the met with Warren but Merrill also was great in the role as we hear here.

[MovableBass]

it is the best youtube video...WOW!!!!!!! that's all GOD.

[bluechazzan]

One of the best videos on youtube

[GermanOperaSinger]

Very nostalgic...don't expect to hear the likes of Tucker or Merrill again...EVER.

[MrNorm1949]

@GermanOperaSinger I must agree. Tucker and Merrill really put the fire into this duet between enemies in Verdi's "La Forza del Destino"

[dukeoftube]

Merrill & Tucker are awesome, even they are already in their late 50´s here in 1972.

Legendary performance during the Bing Gala.

Bring on more of this stuff, I love it :)