Monteverdi: Incoronazione di Poppea - Signor dei non partire

[lambbroadway]

My favorite opera duett ever. Yakar and Tappy were just perfect for their roles, Harnoncourt did a fantastic job as well as Ponnelle. Thanx for the upload!

[ruthwu09]

thanks a lot ! it's great : )

[Pellegrinaq]

Thanks thanks thanks. Mr Harnoncourt WHY so many awful cuts to this WONDERFUL, terrific opera?

[gianm73yout]

Beutiful! I prefer the Nero role by a tenor instead of mezzos or countertenors.

Eric Tappy and Rachel Yakar are still the best singers for these roles.

[sacer111]

grandioso!!! vibrato o non vibrato,nerone mezzosoprano o non mezzosoprano, questa musica è eseguita con tale maestria e trasmette tale passione, desiderio, sensualità....non credo che sia necessario cercare altro in una esecuzione..bravi!!! meravigliosa poppea!

[poldus62]

Too much "vibrato" in the voices! For Monteverdi the vibrato is an effect and not a "way to sing", no one "messe di voce"!

[CzarDodon]

Vibrato is a natural thing in voices; free good quality voices vibrate naturally, under pressure they may wobble, but that is a completely different thing. Do you think singers were turned away because their voices were too rich in Monteverdi's day? I don't understand what you mean by no one "messe di voce"?

[CzarDodon]

It's "recitar cantando" (acting while singing) aria and recitative is a concept from the later development of opera, this is a duet, some sections may be more like recitative while others border on aira, but they are more arioso (like an air or melody). Enjoy the beauty of text married with music, Monteverdi was the first genius of opera

[lmspr]

What wonderful voices. Thanks for posting.

[jfbecks17]

I'm not sure if I like Nero as a tenor or a countertenor more though...

[CzarDodon]

I have an allergy to the weak falsetto whiney sound of the countertenor, no countertenors were used in Monteverdi's day for this role, It's bad enough that Ottone is a countertenor, two would be too much.

[Hearnoevil8]

No it's so good having both Nerone and Poppea in the same register - the duets work better!

[CzarDodon]

Maybe if you have a mezzo as Nerone, but I find the countertenor so insipid at best, downright absurd at the worst. Furthermore, there were no countertenors singing opera in Monteverdi's time, they had castrati which were something totally different, better a woman with a REAL voice.

[Hearnoevil8]

There are advantages and disadvantages with each. The cutting quality of the countertenor makes a better contrast against the warmth of the female voice, and is better dramatically to have a man. But some mezzo's are delightful (I'm speaking as a mezzo soprano myself, so I obviously think we have a place!)

[CzarDodon]

Personally, I would banish countertenors completely from baroque opera! the introduction of the countertenor as a substitute for the castrato has been one of the most disgraceful historical frauds ever done in the name of authentic performance, whereas we know that many castrato roles were actually sung by women. I also find that a woman is more credible as a man than a man singing in falsetto, nobody would take a man speaking in falsetto seriously as an actor!

[CzarDodon]

There are also musical values to take into consideration, the actual sound the countertenor produces is so limited in its range, volume and colour (moreover, so few of them sing in decent Italian), they are only good at expressing plaintive sounds, when the have to be strong or aggressive they so easily run the risk of sounding comic or worse, pathetic. Some use their natural voice as a soprano or mezzo would use chest voice but that comes out like a parody of Marylin Horne...

[CzarDodon]

You see I just can't stand countertenors!

[jfbecks17]

what a fabulous production. I love the sets and costimes... and of course the singing and acting.