Jerome Hines, Paul Plishka - Don Carlo- Il Grande Inquisitor

[MrBojancecar]

Jerome Hines is the the best Inquisitor ever. He is big (2 meters and 5 centimentres) and his voice, oh my God when he sings Grand Inquisitor you can see Seville and heretics burning! Every time I listen this video I fear the next person who will be before the Tribunal- is me. :)

[happyperson92]

my favorite version

[francescop1023]

grandissimo Plishka, dizione perfetta oltretutto, Hines nel suo cavallo di battaglia si conferma un grandissimo Inquisitore

[MRmusico1989]

8:00 WOW!

[Operaman41]

Is this production on DVD??? I would LOVE to have this!!!!!

[zachiase55]

mmhmmm!



[sea1song]

Oh my God. It just does not get any better than this. Amazing!!!!!!!!!

[55werther]

¡¡¡EL GRANDIOSO Y COLOSAL HINES!!! OTRORA FUE UNO DE LOS GRANDES

FELIPES II. PERO EN ESTA ESCENA SE MUESTRA DE UNA MANERA ESPLEN-

DIDA. ERA UN VERDADERO INTERPRETE, Y UN CANTANTE, UN GRAN BAJO,

DE LOS SUPERIORES. UN GRAN TALENTO.

[RVP57]

One of Verdi's greatest scenes. Two of the world's finest singers. I'm lost for superlatives. BRAVI Plishka, Hines, and Maestro Verdi!

[FJMLAM]

Absolutely ThrillinG!

[Cantormatis]

One of the most absolutely terrifying and magnificent moments in opera. Simply breathtaking.

[siglino]

I realize that my post lost its formatting. The capital F is for Filippo and the I is for Inquisitore

[siglino]

I posted the Italian lyrics to this + or - 500 characters at a time for those who might like to sing along! from last to first in the hopes that they will show up in order!)

I can email the lyrics to anyone who is interested: siegling@yahoo.com

[siglino]

SCENA II Filippo e Il Grande Inquisitore. Il Conte Di Lerma. Il Grand’Inquisitor! (Il Grande Inquisitore,vegliardo di novant’anni e cieco, entra sostenuto da due frati domenicani.) I. Son io dinanzi al Re? F Sì: vi feci chiamar, mio padre! In dubbio io son. Carlo mi colma il cor D’una tristezza amara; L’Infante è a me ribelle, Armossi contro il padre. I. Qual mezzo per punir scegli tu? F Mezzo estrem. I. Noto mi sia!

[siglino]

F Che fugga. . . o che la scure. . . I. Ebben? F Se il figlio a morte invio, M’assolve la tua mano? I. La pace dell’impero i dì val d’un ribelle. F Posso il figlio immolar al mondo, io cristian? I. Per riscattarci Iddio. . . il suo sacrificò. F Ma tu puoi dar vigor a legge sì severa? I. Ovunque avrà vigor, se sul Calvario l’ebbe. F La natura, l’amor tacer potranno in me? I. Tutto tacer dovrà per esaltar la fè. F Sta ben! I. Non vuol il Re su d’altro interrogarmi? F No.

[siglino]

I. Allor son io ch’a voi parlerò, Sire. Nell’ispano suol mai l’eresia dominò, Ma v’ha chi vuol minar l’edifizio divin. L’amico egli è del Re, il suo fedel compagno, Il dèmon tentator che lo spinge a rovina. Di Carlo il tradimento, che giunse a t’irritar, In paragon del suo futile gioco appar. Ed io . . . l’Inquisitor, io che levai sovente Sopra orde vili di rei la mano mia possente, Pei grandi di quaggiù, scordando la mia fè, Tranquilli lascio andar . . . un gran ribelle . . . E il Re.

[siglino]

F Per traversar i dì dolenti in cui viviamo Nella mia Corte invan cercat’ho quel che bramo. Un uomo! Un cuor leal . . . Io lo trovai! I. Perchè un uomo? Perchè allor il nome hai tu di Re, Sire, s’alcun v’ha pari a te? F Non più, frate! I. Le idee dei novator in te son penetrate! Infrangere tu vuoi con la tua debol man Il santo giogo esteso sovra l’orbe roman! Ritorna al tuo dover; la Chiesa all’uom che spera, A chi si pente, puote offrir la venia intera: A te chiedo il Signor di Posa.

[siglino]

F No, giammai! I. O Re, se non foss’io con te nel regio ostel Oggi stesso, lo giuro a Dio, doman saresti Presso il Grande Inquisitor al tribunal supremo. F Frate! troppo soffrii il tuo parlar crudel! I. Perchè evocar allor l’ombra di Samuel? Dato ho finor due Regi al regno tuo possente! L’opra di tanti dì tu vuoi strugger, demente! Perchè mi trovo io qui? Che vuol il Re da me? (Per uscire.) F Mio padre, che tra noi la pace alberghi ancor.

[siglino]

I. La pace? (Allontanandosi sempre.) F Obbliar tu dei quel ch’è passato. I. (Sulla porta per uscire). Forse! F Dunque il trono piegar dovrà sempre all’altare! 153

[siglino]

F Frate! troppo soffrii il tuo parlar crudel! I. Perchè evocar allor l’ombra di Samuel? Dato ho finor due Regi al regno tuo possente! L’opra di tanti dì tu vuoi strugger, demente! Perchè mi trovo io qui? Che vuol il Re da me? (Per uscire.) F Mio padre, che tra noi la pace alberghi ancor. I. La pace? (Allontanandosi sempre.) F Obbliar tu dei quel ch’è passato. I. (Sulla porta per uscire). Forse! F Dunque il trono piegar dovrà sempre all’altare!

[siglino]

The composition in this duet is brilliant! How topical for the times the theme of the Church and the Royal Family! Verdi is a genius! The energy and tension build so amazingly in this duet!

[coryisawake]

You can see Hines very vaguely mouth Filippo's words.

[goldenthroat86]

Dunque il TROOOOOONO piegar dovra sempre all

'altare?

[suzanneetmoi]

Sure did- actually saw that performance! Looked like stilt walkers!!

[suzanneetmoi]

At 6'6", Jerry could make anyone quake in their shoes! Those were the days of the truly great male singers.....

[goldenthroat86]

@suzanneetmoi Ever hear the story of Hines and Corelli? At 6'4", Corelli had 4" heels put on his boots so that he would be as tall as the 6'6" Hines. Hines' wife got wind of the plan, and warned her husband. Hines also had 4" heels put on his boots. Corelli made his entrance, now 6'8". Hines then made HIS entrance as he towered at 6'10!

At the curtain call, Corelli stood on his tiptoes and said to Hines. "Non tacchi alti!"..."No high heels!"

[sopranosd]

@goldenthroat86 Wouldn't 4" heels have made Corelli 6'8"? I had not realized Corelli was so tall, in addition to being dreamy handsome. Hines must have towered, with our without heels, over everyone else. He certainly had a towering voice. Yowza.

[Boerenfox]

A very fearsome person enters the King's room: The Great Inquisitor!

I have heard better versions, but Jerome Hines for sure personifies one of the best Grand Inquisitors ever. You would immediately believe that this man is able to sent you to the torture dungeons or to burn you alive...

[bassowon]

OH MY GOD!!!!

I can't breath!!! This is so exciting!!! and

breath-taking....can't breath!!!

[rezila]

could anybody tell me please: who was the stage director?

[Boerenfox]

The entrance of the Grand Inquisitor is really as should be. A mighty and dangerous man which is even feared by Philip II of Habsburg, who reigned over an immense Empire.

[BorisGodunov]

This is great, but Hines' high Fs are very forced and unpleasant. Plishka's high F at the end is better. I've seen Plishka live on several occasions, and his voice is large, but not enormous, and very pretty.

[pechorin1841]

mr hines interviewed P. Plishka for his book great singers on great singing and they talked about this very scene. the reason that JH's F might not sound as pretty is because of how it is written and also the context of the drama. 6:45 is the starting of the most intense drama in the scene. that might sound that way but he is portraying a very unpleasant character so it goes well. some people want all the notes to be very pretty but that would not make the character believable.

[BorisGodunov]

I would have to disagree with that. First, if you hear the Siepi/Hines recording, Hines' Fs are much better. Of course, he was younger then. Second, I've heard some bassos sing great High Fs in this scene, and it did not at all distract from their characters being terrifying. Giulio Neri and Martti Talvela come immediately to mind.

[rovingdesertfox]

Also. WP, how could possibly know how many large voices I know? Think before you answer.

[rovingdesertfox]

What I was saying there WhiteProfondo for the 2nd time, is that some are stuck with size. If some just naturally have larger voices, why give credit to them? That's not talent. Maybe if you would think this over, you would understand. Not that tough.

PS: I happen to love Hines' voice.

[saintsaens21]

Surely this is Verdi's answer to Mozart's Commendatore scene

[WhiteProfondo]

Yes and absolutely amazing; perfect to learn that piece- two great singers!!!

[NilsABoenen]

8:01 sounds like a burp :D

[hephaestion81]

Certain voices are "phonogenic", others aren't. All really big voices are difficult to record and Hines was especially difficult. In the hall there was more top than you hear and a more elegant ling. As for size being important . . . in the Met, where even a cannon shot can get lost, size is very important.

Plishka, BTW, replaced Ghiaurov who did the King better. But Plishka does have a lovely voice. He was 39 for this reording, Hines was 59. Plishka is still active.

[rovingdesertfox]

Maestro, let go of this size thing. Christ!  What conclusions do you then draw from size of voice?

Plishka has a sound that any bass would kill for.

Why must the size of voice be so godamn important.? Get over it already.

[hermanzoon]

Size without finesse is just loud and boring.

[Agorante]

Joe Shore sang with Hines. He should know. I can well believe that Hines had a bigger voice than Plishka in the theater. Anyone who has attended live opera know that vocal size differences are real. I've heard Plishka live many times but not Hines. I'll rely on Joe's judgement.

I saw Jose Canseco hit home runs live. Jose and Mark were about my size. I saw itty-bitty Robert Redford hit a home run in his movie. Not the same thing.

[WhiteProfondo]

Easy to say: each human in the world has normally a little voice; especially in this days, how many real big voices do you know? I think, not to much, because they´ve become very rare! Thatswhy its great to have one!

[wotansschwert]

If anyone has heard a more epic, mind-fucking 'Dunque il trono..', LET ME KNOW!!

[Achbar]

I think I was in High School when I saw this on PBS. Great performance

[Sieglinde84]

Poor Inquisitor's costume is like... Santa with a lace apron.

But the vocies are great, thank God. :D

I like better the Inquisitor dressing in a simple dark robe an being bald - he looks more fanatic that way. I know he's at least a cardinal/archbishop by rank, but I always imagines him being an aschete (sp?).

[ShawDAMAN]

I probably agree, with "ne gustare- sleale" from forza close behind :P

It's a shame this opera isn't performed more often, in my opinion it is one of Verdi's most refined and dramatically compelling works.

[ZsaZsadoll]

SEXY

[HMW]

plishka misses his cue to come in with "carlo." other than that, superb

[BorisGodunov]

@HMW

Do you mean at 0:52? If so, no, he does it right. The entrance for Filippo is not on the downbeat.

[happyman]

great episode... i love the grand inquisitor... he looks and sounds imposing...

[kunomahou]

the last note isn´t suppose to be a low F not a low D? and if is not the case wich could be called a low F?

[Waldvogel91]

G O B S M A C K E D

[fontana2k]

Bravo, bravo... archibravo!!! (Don Giovanni dixit) That is what I call a BASS

[BojanCecar]

GRANDE JEROME!The best of the best!

[sarado88]

Hines the best!!!

[mephistozaccharia]

pas mal, mais il y a mieux!!

ghiaurov et furlanetto, ghiaurov et salminen...

[glomachungo]

¡¡Sublime!!

[taillia]

It is absolutely fascinating ! The best Great Inquisitor I've never heard !

[mephistozaccharia]

try matti salminen...

[taillia]

I know, I know... but in THIS aria, I keep loving Plishka and, especially, Hines.

[organdude44]

Plishka was a "house" utilitarian bass and not in the same league as Hines, Ghiaurov, Siepi or Tozzi.

[BeauTenor]

Rubbish. Plishka was a GREAT sin ger.

[Agorante]

Objectively one could say that both Hines and Plishka were Met "house" basses. Plishka sang there longer - 42 years to 40 years- and nearly twice as often - about 1500 performances to 800.

Plishka sang as a guest in other houses more often and recorded much more often. Plishka was by any measure a major singer.

[TommyHaegin]

Hines gets me the shivers! Really thrilling!

[tosca333scarpia]

The most impressive performance of the Grand Inquisitor was by a friend of mine, Martin Malachovsky, leading bass- Slovak Nat'l Opera Company. His low notes rang out, clear & deep - like the Russian basses - for ex., Christoff. Martin began walking down a long stairway limping in rhythm with the music. He would stop, sing & when the rhythm began again, limp down the stairs. It was chilling & his make-up was fearsome. Martin is tall & thin with a wonderful long face & great eyes.

[barrister79]

Carlos was the intransigent prince-son of King Felipe II of Spain, who fell in love with his stepmother which was of the same age with him. He was arrested and died several days later. King Felipe II was a devout Catholic, while Carlos was "siding" with the Protestant.

[Centeneras]

I has fun with watching and hearing. They is both singers with low voices?

[Aleksei5]

Yes they are basses)))

[Centeneras]

I has fun with watching and hearing. They is both singers with low voices?

[qofu2]

Absolutely Wonderful....I love the low notes just as much as those high ones.

[paldrich1]

Jerome Hines last live performance was this roll performed in Boston Saturday, September 22, 2001 at New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall. Performed with Boston Bel Canto Opera. He was 79. The voice was still pliable and bombastic even at that age. I had the great honor of singing the friar in that production. I shall never forget it.

[hologramlink108]

Ironical role for such a christian man! Hines is outstanding, the best of him I've heard so far! Plishka is very good too! Probably my favorite version! The inquisitor does it all!!!

[graant71]

Never heard Paul Plishka before, he's very expressive and his pronounce in italian is perfect; I have heard Jerome Hines several times, but this is the first time I can see him on stage, his presence on stage is astonishing as his voice. Fantastic! 5/5 stars!

[otello31]

Cuando dos grandes cantantes se encuentran sucede esto..un ejemplo de canto verdiano.Bravi!!!!

[hermanzoon]

My lord. I have never seen this until today. I've heard this production, though. My father made an audio tape of the Saturday broadcast. This is what was shown on TV "Live from the Met." God, Hines sounds fantastic here. No one can touch him. He's better here than in the Siepi duet from 1950. Truly magnificent.

[babbitt12]

should this be sung in french though?

[antoheionn]

Bravo "sempre all'altar"!!! Does anyone know: is this a comercial recording? Who are the other singers?

[RVP57]

I don't think it's available, but if memory serves me correctly, it's a Live from the Met telecast from 1980 with Vasile Moldoveaneu (sp?), Renata Scotto, Sherrill Milnes, Tatiana Troyanos, and the two men in blisteringly fine form here. Could such a cast be assembled today? Not! Hines had a Met career of over thirty years, btw, a great American singer who showed us how to do it!

[HellasItalia4]

FANTASTICI TUTTI E DUE

[favreauwang]

hines, zui hao!

[babbitt12]

the original is in french?is this version in italian?

[callascarusoruffo]

no, it is in japanese. What is wrong with you? Bravo for Plishka. The great bass of the Met.

[babbitt12]

you cheeky sod!

[babbitt12]

words fail this piece and performance!

[jrellis11]

Thank you for this magnificent piece. Such Rare artistic command coupled with instruments that stand among the greatest ever recorded make this a treasure.

[jmccracken1963]

OUTSTANDING performance of this scene by two basses who knew their roles well and who make us think of Philippe II and Le Grande Inquisiteur, not of Plishka and Hines. Thank you for posting this: do you have more clips from this telecast on the way?

[Trojanman21c]

plishka gets owned dramatically and vocally here. he's a great singer tho. jerome hines is in a league of his own. the voice has more character and power. hines is incredible, the first partial in his voice is huge and adds to the power.

[FredMullen]

I attended two performances of this production now oh so many years ago. Notwithstanding what you can hear on this video and while Hines was terrific, Plishka was overwhelming in the power of his voice. It doesn't come through in this video, but you could feel his voice against your sternum in the last row of the Met's family circle.

[stevevandien]

Having heard Plishka live twice, I can believe it:) --

[MaestroJosephShore]

That's ridiculous. I was there for all these Don Carlos and Hines made Plishka sound like a little boy.

[MaestroJosephShore]

Well I was there and this tape does not do justice. The house mikes are designed to equalize voices. In the house Hines's voice was almost twice the size of Plishka.

[vonmeppen]

I find it absolutely overwhelming! Hines is fantastic, and Plishka great. Thank you very much for posting. It's a great gift.

[FacePaster]

Man, what I would give to have been in the audience for that. Amazing.

[BorisGodunov]

Plishka is great. Hines is much better than Furlanetto in the same production from years later. Although he's still not nearly as terrifying as Talvela.

[radsvid]

Agreed. If you watch both the Ghiaurov/Furlanetto and the Plishka/Hines versions, you can understand why they call this the "duel of the basses". Hines' Inquisitor has Plishka's Philip exactly where he wants him at all times. And on the contrary, Ghiaurov's Philip is in control in the other version.

Great stuff.

[stevevandien]

Great stuff. Plishka had a sizable instrument (I heard him live several times), and he's in wonderful voice here. But compared to the 59-year-old Hines, he sounds almost like a lyric baritone!

[Agorante]

Well of course, Hines was an obligate bass. Plishka finished up like Tozzi singing baritone parts. Pliska's Falstaff was just wonderful and he became a superb Rossini Basso Buffo. Hines started as a bass, and stayed a bass. He shows his good low E here. Tozzi, Ramey, Pliska, Ghiaurov and Pape never sang low Es on stage.

[radsvid]

Interesting. Ghiaurov sang the Inquisitor at the Scala (opposite Christoff and it was a disaster, but that's a separate story). I must assume he hit the same E. But then again, Ghiaurov was a lyric bass.

Also, it is striking how similar the staging and the acting here is to the Ghiaurov/Furlanetto version.

Otherwise, great stuff indeed. 5 stars.

[Gabba02]

Well, it's from the same opera house, so one assumes it was the same production. This is, however, 3 years earlier than the Ghiaurov/Furlanetto version.

[radsvid]

Yes, I didn't realize that the two versions would be so similar - down to the specific gestures of the characters sometimes.

Thanks for posting - this is grand opera at its best.

[HellasItalia4]

Look new video with Ghiaurov singing low B naturale!!! Ramey at mefistofele di Boito sang low E!

[Agorante]

If you mean a B below low C, I don't believe it. Ghiaurov was arguably the best bass of the twenieth century but he was not a low note specialist. In his famous La Scala Huguenot Marcel he skips most of the low notes. I sing all of the Mefistofele arias but know of no low E. Give me a score reference. Ramey has always had a fine low F but I doubt he ever sang an E in public.

[HellasItalia4]

I agree with you ,but watch anyway Ghiaurov's "passing" B and C in the video "The song of drunken people",Russian aria.Ramey sings low E (like GIAIOTTI)at Mefistofele in the frase "si umanamente" after "Ave signor" for example. CIAO

[HellasItalia4]

B bemole!

[BorisGodunov]

Ramey has certainly sang the low E and public. I have him in video of the Richard Tucker Gala singing the Inquisitor to James Morris' Filippo, and Ramey does the low E on "sire." And no, I'm not a Ramey fan.

[Agorante]

Thank you for your correction. I am a Ramey fan.

[BariTenoreDram]

yes ramey sung a low e in public and also a low c....in mefistofele

[suejonesjones]

Ramey sings a wonderful low D in La Creación part viii. He also sings a low D in "Ecco il mondo, vuoto e tondo" from Boito's Mefistofele. I have heard both in person and they are incredible. He is really a profundo with great high notes. In the Mefistofele (live) he smiles an does a slide down from the low D to somewhere in hell. You can hear it clear as a bell all over the MET. Such a wonderful voice.

[Agorante]

I claimed that Ramey only sang down to a F. But many seemingly knowledgeable people confront me with testimony that indicates that I'm wrong. Normally I would thank all of you, apologize, and modify my position, but this is YouTube the home of intemperate rantings, so...

Everyone who disagrees with me is the spawn of Satan. You are deaf and brain dead lunatics who should be hunted down and exterminated.

There! That's more in the spirit that reigns here.

[paldrich1]

I merely thought that you would enjoy the sections I noted. They are both on Youtube.

[paldrich1]

O don't know if you have heard it but go to

La Creación parte VIII on youtube and listen to Ramey nail the low D. I heard him do a low C in Boston in a recital. He interpolated a slide down from the D flat in the Boito. He did that live at the Met. The voice seems bottomless. Enjoy.

[Agorante]

Thanks for the reference to the Creation aria. I know the music very well as it was the first piece my voice teacher assigned me - oh so long ago. I never performed it but sang it often in the studio (not as well as Ramey of course). I didn't remember a low D so I ran to the score. My score has a D but not a low D. Can it be that Mr. Purity (Maestro Muti) allowed an interpolated low note?

[paldrich1]

You are quite correct. It has become common practice for the D to be sung as a low D when the performer is capable of doing it. It sounds wonderful when a bass like Ramey does it.

[paldrich1]

Agorante, I just saw your post from 11 months ago. You ask if Ramey in fact sings the low D in La Creación part viii. Actually it is here on youtube. check it out.  It is at 3:40! Of course you have probably played it already.

Mr. Muti did in fact conduct it !

[Agorante]

@paldrich1

I'm shocked! People actually read my old comments. I'll have to be more careful. I just write whatever comes into my head. I know that some people actually look up stuff in the scores. Am I going to have to do that too?

For example, I just read here that a year or so ago I claimed that Ghaiurov never sang a low E on stage. But six months ago I posted his "Seneca Takes a Bath" video. I guess I'm not to be trusted.

[Agorante]

@paldrich1

OK. I checked the score and the Ramey recording. The reason I didn't think he sang a Low D was because I never sang a Low D there. I learned that Creation aria nearly forty years ago. I didn't consider it particularly low at the time. It only has a couple written low Fs. Ramey does an "optional" Low D. Odd that the man who won't let tenors sing high options has no trouble with bass low options.

I just tried that D. I think I'll post a recording.

[hermanzoon]

Hines sang the low E even better on the Saturday afternoon radio broadcast, which my father taped.

[hightenor123]

This is fantastic, absolutley priceless! Pliska's voice is beautiful and gently powerful, and Hines's voice is imperious, aged and booming. Both were the perfect age/voice for their charachters.