Giuseppe Giacomini sings "Nessun dorma" from Turandot

[Pacuvio25]

Ha un timbro molto simile a Raimondi, solo che Giacomini è un tenore!

[lateralex90]

I may be wrong, but I feel that Giacomini, at that time of this career and age, was kinda...well, calaf wasn't quite a fit for his voice, lol...I've heard other stuff he sang and amazingly beautiful and awesome, but I don't feel that awesomeness with this one :S...am I wrong?

[FanOfTenors]

@lateralex90 I think it's just not the best evening he had, as it may happen to everyone... And as one of the bests, he was able to give the audience still a great operatic moment...

[Qbendanny]

Great and sexy. Bravo !!!

[federic017]

Qui Giacomini mette in fila tutti i più grandi interpreti del Principe Ignoto!!! Saluti

[31122051]

Nella carriera di un cantante può variare in modo più o meno significativo il tipo di repertorio ma la voce, se amministrata da una buona tecnica vocale, fondamentalmente tende a rimanere sempre quella ( tutt'al più si può " ingrossare " un po' o, al limite, scurire ) e la voce di Lauri Volpi era pienamente EROICA, e lo si capisce benissimo dall'incredibile potenza in particolare degli acuti, letteralmente assordanti. Voce eroica di straordinario volume dal timbro solare e luminoso.

[rinarix1]

ma guardi che laurivolpi ha fatto una lunga carriera, lei ripete le frasi e le considerazioni di altri.E PARTITO COME TENORE LEGGERO E' DIVENTATO SPINTO ED INFINE EROICO drammatico. che kraus dica quel che vuole ma la maggior parte dei critici dicono questo

[31122051]

Lauri Volpi era un tenore eroico dal timbro lucente che cantava un po' di tutto, spesso abusando del falsettone ( parole dello stesso Kraus, che lo definì appunto un tenore " eroico " ), punto e basta. Il lirico - spinto ha tutt'altro tipo di voce : esempio di lirico - spinto è C. Bergonzi ( voce di per sé non drammatica ma di fatto in grado di reggere anche tonalità eroico / drammatiche ). Su Pavarotti ribadisco quanto ho già detto e non credo che sia il caso di proseguire. Saluti.

[palamede779]

@31122051 Bergonzi e' un baritono,lirico spinto Veriano Luchetti!

[rinarix1]

meritava piu' successo di un pavarotti, questo era davvero un gran tenore

[31122051]

rinarix1 : Pavarotti era un tenore LIRICO, eccellente Duca di Mantova, Rodolfo, Nemorino, Riccardo e valido anche in opere di fatto poco congeniali al suo tipo di voce. Un tenore STRAORDINARIO in altre parole, che non merita certo di essere sminuito in questo modo. Giacomini è un tenore drammatico dalle inflessioni baritonali, eccellente anche lui nel suo tipo di repertorio ma assai diverso vocalmente da Pavarotti. Un confronto è praticamente IMPOSSIBILE. Viva Giacomini e viva Pavarotti !

[rinarix1]

guardi quello che lei dice lo confermo, io non dico che pavarotti avesse una brutta voce o che non fosse capace nel canto!! ho detto che un giacomini che pur essendo tenore dai timbri scuri (diverso quindi) e' stato un grande e che mio avviso meritava piu' successo..Come mai meritava piu' sucesso Pvarotti???? Pavarotti un buon tenore e nessuno lo nega ma il suo successo non era commisurato alla bravura, mi dispiace

[31122051]

Nel proprio tipo di repertorio L. Pavarotti, alla faccia di quello che sostiene lei, rimane e rimarrà uno dei migliori tenori di sempre : non ho MAI visto un Duca di Mantova, un Nemorino, un Riccardo, un Rodolfo ( ... ) completi come quelli da lui interpretati. Se lei fosse più obiettivo troverebbe il coraggio di ammettere che la tecnica e la voce di Pavarotti erano qualcosa di assolutamente splendido. Sminuirlo come sta facendo lei è quanto di più riduttivo si possa fare. I miei saluti.

[rinarix1]

ecco vede io la rispetto perche' percepisco la sua sensibilita' per pavarotti che rimane un buon tenore per me, preferisco un Di stefano, Lauri volpi, questo volgio dire che hanno cantato meglio di pavarotti nel ruolo di rodolfo. Ma chi ha cantato meglio di Del monaco Andre chenier??

[31122051]

rinarix1 : Lauri Volpi era un tenore eroico, Del Monaco un drammatico, entrambi diversissimi da Pavarotti ( P.S. : tra gli altri grandi interpreti di " Andrea Chenier " citerei un certo Franco Corelli ). Di Stefano, a causa di lacune tecniche e sbagli di repertorio, ha cantato bene una decina di anni, Pavarotti più di una trentina ( ! ). Se ha qualcosa di personale contro Pavarotti lo dica pure, ma non mi venga a raccontare che tecnicamente e vocalmente Di Stefano era più completo. Saluti.

[rinarix1]

vede lei dice delle belle cose ma vedo che non capisce quello che dico io. lauri volpi ha cantato Boheme??si e lo preferisco ad un pavarotti che lei definisce meraviglioso ...io dico cantava bene ma non era meraviglioso straordinario. ok??

[rinarix1]

Del monaco ha cantato boheme??? si ma non era il suo ruolo...non l'ha cantata male, anzi, ma c'e chi l'ha cantata meglio. il tutto parte dalla mia critica iniziale quando dissi che pavarotti in Aida e Otello Pagliacci fa ridere i polli...se vuol negare l'evidenza neghiamola. Nessuno dice che e' stonato nessuno dice che e' sgraziato, NON E' IL SUO RUOLO fine e non mi dica che non ha cantato male...fa schifo e basta.

[rinarix1]

Allora lauri volpi che era eroico ha cantato benissimo boheme, del monaco che era drammatico ha cantato bene boheme, non mi dica che pavarotti ha cantato bene pagliacci...si ok canta ma canta come si canta sotto la doccia mi capisce?

[31122051]

Tenuto conto dell'età a cui ha affrontato tale opera e del fatto che era poco adatta al suo tipo di voce, direi che l'ha cantata più che bene. La pregherei in ogni caso di moderare un po' i termini : a lei può non piacere Pavarotti, ma non ha alcun diritto di definirlo un raccomandato che ha semplicemente saputo fare da manager a se stesso. La tecnica di Pavarotti era PERFETTA. Perché non si limita a elogiare Giacomini ( di cui sono anch'io un fan sfegatato ) senza sminuire Pavarotti ?

[rinarix1]

posso dirle anche una cosa che fino ad ora mi sto divertendo nel dialogare con lei perche' trovo comunque un confronto intelligente...certo a me non piace la tecnica buona sicuro e il timbro anche, credo che abbia avuto piu' successo di quel che meritava, per questo dico che e' stato un gran manager di se stesso e non offendo nessuno se dico questo

[rinarix1]

ho riscritto lauri volpi inizio come leggero poi lirico spinto e poi eroico

[rinarix1]

Sa ho conosciuto molti bravi tenori che son dovuti rimanere nell'ombra perche' "o facevi parte dell'agenzia di Pavarotti o ti segavano le gambe". a Pavarotti il merito di essere stato un gran manager di se stesso con una buona voce ma non straordinario.

[rinarix1]

a volte per la sua posizione si permetteva di andare fuori repertorio,..vero...poi se lo si vuol giustificare sempre ed ad ogni cost....ma allora non si fa piu' critica, si patteggia....della serie"beh c'e' chi canta peggio" ma se dobbiamo ridurre l'opera a chi canta il meno peggio...mmm insomma ci sono i confronti con chi ha cantato meglio...Esempio l'otello di Pavarotti fa schifo....quello di giacomini e' Meraviglioso...L'aida di pavarotti non e' bella, quella di Limarilli si, ecc ecc

[adri1a2n]

¡Eso es un tenor, carajo!

[MegaParzifal]

Dal vivo è ipnotico. Tantissimi armonici squillanti in una voce così scura: emozionante. Questo è canto: grazie per sempre.

[malamutet]

Grande interpretazione! Tra le migliori ascoltate.

[AnryK2690]

Wonderful!

[tomaszdz]

Great!

[65attila]

I heard him years ago in his US debut as Alvaro in "Forza" in New Haven CT. Except for a few cracked high notes the performance was stunning - a warm large voice which filled the hall with ease..

.,

[pavlus1986]

i listened to him this May (2009) during Ada Sari vocal competition. He still has it. Windows were shaking. Unbelievable. And he is a really nice guy privately :)

[Scarpia90]

I heard him the summer of 2008! He made me cry!! Oh god I will never forget that. Despite the years he has the same voice. His vibrato is slower , he was 68 or 69 then, but today you can´t find a tenor who sins nessum dorma at the age of 68. IMPOSSIBLE!!!

[Arfat]

I know someone who's 89 who sings Nessun Dorma

[AnastasioFranco]

and who is that?

[Huljic]

So...Who is it??

[DizzieDiva]

@Huljic His name is Giuseppe Giacomini, and why he is not a household name is beyond me.

[Huljic]

@DizzieDiva

haha

man i know that of course!!I ask who is it for that man in 89 who can sin this!!

[raigekimaru]

@DizzieDiva

much agreed. I think he's much better than Domingo or Carreras.

[pieritlyon]

Está muy bién en esta aria pero no magnifico como el Gran Maestro F. Corelli; continua siendo el mejor.

[TheSnowfire55]

Wow! I am sooo happy I found this.

such a powerful and beautiful voice!!!!

[canio44]

se puede hablar mucho del nessum dorma de pavarotti pero este y el de corelli a mi gusto son increibles, vibrantes. tal vez sea porque tanto el color vocal de corelli y giacomini son mas oscuro lo q lo hace mas impactante...

[asghar07]

nice,bravo

[fairysing1]

Wonderful, i have no words, really...musical, cristal, from the heart, he's got so clear high notes, really beautiful dramatico tenore :-) !!!!!!!!!

[tenoreDB]

ah he comes to sing with us in "le villi".

it will be a great experiences to have such a great tenor at our operahouse.

i hope its possible to talk a few words with him

[aaronsande]

Giacomini is simply magnificent. Look for his Ch'ella Me Creda posted by stefan103. He's as rich in tone as any bass!

[vicollimos]

BRAVOOO Espectacular, Emocionante, un color hermosisimo,parece un baritono, es un exelente tenor dramatico.

[THESPINTO]

immediate consequence of the catalog to a voice with a specific color is an important part to take away their ability to engage in roles that are very likely within your reach ... however the color so dark and virile Giacomini makes it impossible to think of other roles that are not so dark and powerful.

[mirenmina]

Este hombre rompe todos los moldes teóricos sobre el color de las voces. La voz humana es personal e intransferible. ¡Bravo giacomini!

[Alexmeister25]

The best dramatic tenor for me

[31122051]

Stupendo tenore drammatico, senza dubbio uno dei migliori ancora in vita.

[melomane57]

Impressionante, bravissimo Giuseppe.

[Vairguy09]

Wonderful!  Thanks for posting!

[machadomusic]

¡Bien hecho!

[ilpazzofran]

este tipo es el dios de los tenores dramaticos junto con vickers

[2591740]

es un tenor dramatico ,,, que incrible potencia y socuridad en su voz parece un baritono

[LordMoe9]

Giacomini has more of a bellowey voice, but Corelli's has more of a ringing quality that carries very well

[stefakamelpash]

One of the most musical and elegant renditions of this aria that I have ever heard. It's become such a warhorse for screaming tenors that it is a delight to hear the musicality restored. Giacomini does not get anything like the credit he deserves as an elegant, highly musical, and stylistically sophisticated singer who just happens, not coincidentally, to also have a great voice!

[HowyaTom]

I agree completely, he doesnt get the recognition he deserves. The clarity of his words, combined with the power of his voice is quiet unique i think.

[stefakamelpash]

Thank you. Another thing that hurt him a little, in America, was the glitzier, showbiz doings of "The Three Tenors," and things like that.  In countries that take a more seriously intellectual approach to opera--like Germany and Austria--he was very popular indeed. He was greatly appreciated by the Vienna Staatsoper, for example, where he was a featured singer, doing huge roles such as Otello, for 15 straight years. He is a conservatory graduate, with honors, and a superb musician.

[fabrizzzio48]

Very Nice. He is trying to do the impossible, to sing with a warm, deep tone with a powerful ring. A tone built from the bottom up, from inside out, with no gimmicks.

Mario del Monaco, whom I greatly respect, used the "melocchi" technique, but did not blow to fill the sound. He knew then, you'll have problems one high sustained notes, so esential for tenors, and if you are tired, or not 100% the risk is huge. Giacomini risked more than any tenor I've heard, and went deeper than Melocchi.

[straight77]

Un'analisi veramente professionale e oggettiva.

Poche volte ne leggo di così pulite; soprattutto denota la tua profonda conoscenza di ciò che stai dicendo.

Complimenti veramente

[madamabutterfly82]

Deberian ver el Calaf de Sergei Larin, es muy emotivo... Es cierto que no se deben comparar, para mi TODOS son muy buenos...Es la primera vez que escucho a Giacomini, y sinceramente es un gran cantante.

Claro que hasta hace poco solo conocia a Pavarotti, a Jose Carreras y Placido Domingo... (Rayos! En que mundo me encontraba, Jejeje...)

[pablojose757]

Es cierto, no pueden sonar igual todas las voces, esa es la gracia que sean unicas y diferentes, sino seria todo muy aburrido..

[denccian]

por que diablos comparan a 2 mundos diferentes en cuanto a la voz, jaja no falta el que se crea el sabelotodo en el tema, yo pienso que es cuestion de gustos y nada mas que eso la verdad,

por ejemplo, comparar a placido domingo con rolando villazon? O pavarotti con juan diego flores? o giuseppe giacomini con mario del monaco? solo es cuestion de estilos y gustos amigos mios.

[MichaelLevine]

good

MARIO DEL MONACO IS BETTER!

[DaDaFamily]

He's very good, but Martinucci is much better

[Bjoerrelli]

Giacomini comes from the same type of vocal training as Corelli."the Melocchi approach" Corelli learned it from a friend who was a melocchi student and Giacomini was trained by Marcello Del Monaco, Mario´s brother who picked it up from Melocchi himself.

[trp3141592]

Brilliant.

[corellilover]

This is the voice for calaf, pavarotti could've only sing this with a mic.

[eddyarias2]

Pavarotti had the potential to sing this song and he did it in a special way. Of course as time weny by, his voice started deteriorating but when I hear all these singers and Pavarotti, the great maestro always stands out for his technique.

[Samurai9]

Giacomini's hand gestures are weak and do not go with the voice or the music. And he is almost conducting himself at the end, something which should be avoided in a performance.

[diggydee75]

I could mention several tenors suitable for this role before thinking about Pavarotti. I prefer Pavarotti in roles of heroic bel canto and some lyric roles.

[diggydee75]

Actually this aria does not have a high c, maybe pavarotti's version is very emotive and spectacular, but an aria or a note neither makes the whole opera, since Maestro Puccini because of the vocal writings of Calaff and the orchestrations makes the mentioned role be interpreted by a spinto tenor or a dramatic tenor such is the case of Maestro Giacomini.

[eedwinfung]

MAGNIFICENT

[ucrebel59]

Come on people! This is good, but no way near Corelli or Pavarotti.

[mertsungu]

I totally agree with you!

[tenortime51]

This voice is almost completely unique for its power and virility. Pavarotti's voice is, by any standard, inappropriate for this role. Corelli was fantastic, but to compare these three academically is a complete waste.

[mertsungu]

I think that all tenors give this role differrent dimensions and flavour when bringing Calaf to life.And they all have differrent qualities. Giacomini,Carreras, Corelli or Domingo; these are all differrwent tastes. But If I had to pick one, my very own opinion, it would be Franco Corelli.

[tenortime51]

I did overreach slightly in saying his voice was *completely* inappropriate for the role, but his rendition of this aria is not of the vaunted quality that it is reported. Hundreds of tenors could do it better, and I just hate the commercial reach of the Pavarotti machine enough to exaggerate my true feelings to get a point across. Please forgive me. And by the by, my favorites (for completely different reasons) are Corelli and Bjorling.

[mertsungu]

I think Bjorling did a wonderful Calaf too.(...the recording, as far as I know he didn't sung it on stage)

[ojojoj51]

mertsungu--

Jussi--and I LOVE Jussi--couldn't have done the role onstage. He was smart enough to refuse it, as he did Lohengrin and Otello.

This isn't Giacomin at his best. His best was glorious--I heard him about 5 or 6 times--maybe a little inconsistent, but I never heard anything but glory from him. I heard Franco several times too. To compare them is, i feel, inappropriate. Very different, and both fabulous. Giacomini didn't get NEAR the praise and respect he deserved.

[Onegin65]

Well, Björling sang onstage Radames, Dick Johson, Des Grieux from Manon Lescaut, Manrico and many strogs roles; Why couldn't sing Calaf?

[ojojoj51]

Onegin65 wrote

"...Björling sang onstage Radames,Dick Johson,Manrico.Why not Calaf?"

I'm sure he COULD have sung it, and made a fine recording, but I know he felt it was exTREMEly intense in a way many other "big" roles were not. Also, he shied away from some roles for dramatic/acting reasons. he said, to Merrill i believe, that he thought he'd be laughable fighting with broadswords as Lohengrin.

Puccini wrote Calaf with Gigli in mind, but I'm pretty sure Gigli never sang it either,

[phantom4087]

Puccini originally wrote Calaf with Caruso in mind actually. That would have been amazing.

[Jaaakob]

@Onegin65 Jussi himself considered the lyrical rep to be his home turf from what I've read. He was hesitant to call himself spinto; he allegedly said he was "maybe a lirico spinto" so I don't think he thought of himself as entirely fitting in such roles.

The number of times he sung Ramades can be counted on one hand and they didn't render the usual praise he got. I think he did right to stay away from Calaf from a vocal standpoint, which is a wisdom many singers could benefit from applying.

[paulostroff99]

SENSATIONAL!

[rhubodach]

A most gifted tenor indeed and an excellent rendition of Nessun dorma. I don't think there was a tenor out there that could sing this piece and hold the high c at the end better than Pavarotti in his prime.

[erialm]

It is a B, note a C. And this aria is so much more than holding the final note, which most professional tenors can do, but expressing the theme of the aria, that of self-confidence.

[welkinelloco]

actually the B at the end is not meant to be held at the end... it was meant to be cut quite short, but many tenors hold it for the audiences' pleasure

[ivancin25]

maestro gloria a giacomini

[rodypiccolino]

EXCELENTE!

[benjaminvox]

astonishing singing. there are no words.

[lg213]

Funny...I get every one. Probably cause I know the aria.

[eivindms]

I suppose you're joking, but I can't be sure... You know he meant there are no words to describe the beauty of the performance?

[benjaminvox]

lg213 and eivindms, indeed something must have been lost in translation or something. so to dispel your doubts:

there are no words = there are no words to describe how wonderful this performance is.

[stefakamelpash]

I"m not sure you can compare Giacomini and Corelli easily. They were both great tenors,and I adore them both, but there is something so distinct in the voice of each that comparison is hard. Giacomini is that rarest of creatures--a realy heavy and powerful dramatic tenor, (who else was like him? Vinay, maybe?) and Corelli has a higher, somewhat brighter, more nearly spinto voice. Both great, as I say, but why compare them? I don't think it's necessary.

[tdeane34]

Actually, Corelli's voice was larger than Giacomini's. Giacomini had a darker sound but his voice was less powerful than Corelli's. I

[opricnik]

ma non dire cazzate.

[GermanOperaSinger]

Corelli had a more focused voice.

[tdeane34]

True, and as a result carried much better.

[JockamoGoon]

very very very untrue

[tdeane34]

No it is true. Giacomini's voice did not carry as well as Corelli's. That's from people that heard them both live many times.

[JockamoGoon]

my teacher had sung with both of them at the met and has told me that giacomini and warren were the loudest male voices at the met. corelli's voice perhaps had more thin edge function and was more razor-like, but in terms of pure bellow, no one matched giacomini--this was during this met days before he went to europe--maybe his sound changed when he sang there.  anyway, it doesn't matter, they're both great!

[tdeane34]

Uhhh..... Giacomini is from Europe and sang there long before and much more frequently than he ever he sang in the US. I also have from 2 long time orchestra members that say Corelli was the loudest voice they ever heard on the Met stage.

[JockamoGoon]

the reason why he sang in europe more often is because they wouldn't give him new productions. they gave them to domingo and pav. anyway, like i said, my teacher has sung with him several times at the met as well as corelli. he was making his showing at the met, but decided to further his career in europe when the two tenors ran him out

[tdeane34]

Yeah....ok, whatever you say.

[HMW]

the guy is making an intelligent point. you're just being a dumbass about it...

[tdeane34]

Sorry but he is wrong. I am not being a dumbass, I just get all the information not just what my teacher tells me.

[hiyadroogs]

tdeane34, I accept that it's difficult to judge voice size from recordings. Live film footage is next best to hearing a singer live. I have seen footage of Corelli in the late 50's (in his vocal prime) singing in La Forza. I have seen Giacomini at his best in live footage too, & personally, I don't think Corelli's voice size was more than perhaps 85% of Giacomini's. Certainly GG had far more squillo at the top. I'm not trying to convince you, just offering my personal take on the matter.

[tdeane34]

Giacomini's voice had more squillo? Are you insane? You can't compare a recording from 1958 to one from 1984, the audio is much better on the latter.

[hiyadroogs]

tdeane34, yes there is a vast improvement in recorded quality between the years, but I still believe it's possible to ascertain an impression of size & quality. Caruso recorded on a primitive tin horn scratching vibrations onto a wax cylinder. Most of his upper tonal qualities were not picked up. Neither was a large proportion of the volume, but you can still gauge the kind of power & ring he had. But as I said, this is my personal impression, I'm not trying to convince you.

[leadoffeohippus]

Agreed. Corelli had power and a very true tenor sound. When I think heavy I think Vickers, Domingo, Giacomini, Del Monaco...

[ddevicente]

Except Domingo is a lirico-spinto and the rest you listed are dramatic tenors.

[stefakamelpash]

Giuseppe Giacomini was a great tenor. This is spectacular singing, both vocally and intellectually.  His excellence in these kids of roles kept him at the Wiener Staatsoper almost constantly for 15 years. He was a great favorite in one of the most sophisticated musical cities in the world, and this video is a good indication of why.

[jrrtex]

I agree with UncleNathan as I heard Giacomini in Dallas in the late 70's/ early 80's. I think I heard him in Forza and it was amazing. Pure, virile sound. None of this psuedo-stuff that is churned out these days masquerading as big time throats. Corelli and Giacomini were 18 wheelers in a parking lot full of Chevy Novas. In my next life, if God will not let me sound like Corelli, then I will insist on Giacomini.

[Kallistono]

hahaha, bless you jrrtex, you made me laugh! I love Giacomini, but please insist on Corelli!

[CliffX]

Giacomini=SEX

[cynterrier]

giacomini tremendo

[rideon77]

Is he a dramatic tenor? Sounds like it!

[Cavaradossi10]

Hearing this one feels even more fury that Giacomini, Martinucci and even Bonisolli were so readily dismissed by the critics who constantly highlighted their shortcomings rather than rejoicing in their extraordinary gifts. Where are the tenori di forza of today? Cura? Licitra? Giordani? You must be joking - three of them does not equal one Giacomini!

[Cesaare]

I agree, Cura has no style or tecknique, Licitra always sings like he is a student no personality(good voice though), Galuzin-Russian dramatic tenor always problems with anything higher then A: there are some less known tenors who have heroic voices but somehow evrybody wants another Pavarotti

[searnold56]

incredible voice

miserable acting

[lg213]

...but does one even care??? (No!)

[UncleNathan]

You should have heard him live. His voice was like a warm ocean washing over you. I heard him four times in 1989 in Portland as Rhadames in Aida. I swear after "Celeste Aida" there wasn't a dry seat in the house!!

[deslomezon]

un tenor de todas las epocas, una epopeya en cada nota, un verdadero spinto con todas las letras

[adremoid]

Onegin, you always are a gold mine. Thanks

[juadan]

like a bass with high notes.

[NEMORINO1976]

Very good!

[powerinpraise2000]

OMG!!!!