Part II - Your Favorites: RAMON VINAY

[valdengo1]

..comparing singers is like comparing quarterbacks or pitchers, or billionaires...they each have something unique and specific to offer.......that cannot be equated with others.......

[Baritanist]

Vinay was a nasal, constricted baritone.

[pieritlyon]

Gracias'por 100Singers share this treasure. RAMON VINAY THE BEST AND MAY THE GREAT AND GREAT OTELLO. Mario Del Monaco was proud that the BIG VINAY to say that he could be his successor in this opera, so it was, although not bequeathed to the height of the Great VINAY, the hands in this opera, it is possible that Great could Corelli become, well, VINAY GREAT successor, having played the complete works for the public (and recorded it remained in private)

[pieritlyon]

100Singers gracias´por compartir este tesoro. EL RAMÓN VINAY EL MEJOR Y QUIZÁS EL GRAN Y PERFECTO OTELLO. Mario Del Monaco estaba orgulloso de que el GRAN VINAY de dijera que él podria ser su sucesor en esta opera, así fué, pese a que no legó a la altura del GRAN VINAY, al manos en esta opera; es posible que el Gran Corelli pudo llegar a ser, también, sucesor del GRA VINAY, de haber interpretado la opera completa para el público,(la grabó y quedo en privado)

[minnie888444]

A splendid interpretation beautifully conducted, Furtwangler? A favorite, indeed.

Mike, I disagree with some points you made in your presentation. For myself, I don't care what others (critics and colleagues) had to say. I rely on my own ears. Magnificent sobbing at the end, very hard to do technically, I am sure of that. Who has seen both him and Del Monaco live to compare them like that? Anyway, thanks for posting.

[yahualico2007]

jamas hubiera creido que la vida me iba a permitir conocer visitar y cuidar a don ramon en los dos ultimos anos de su vida en la casa de descanso de esta mi guadalajara en donde ROSITA VINAY me permitio pasar muchas tardes cantando con el y finalmente se lo llevaron a PUEBLA en donde fallecio y luego sus restos fueron llevados a su natal chillan chile donde descansan pero su voz y su recuerdo es inborrable para ;mi BRAVO MAESTRO

[raigekimaru]

10 best tenors of all time 1) Ramon Vinay 2) Franco Corelli 3) Jussi Bjorling (he's not my cup of tea, but no one can deny he's good) 4) Nicolae Gedda 5) Luciano Pavarotti 6) Giuseppe Giacomini 7) Carlo Bergonzi (again, not my taste, but a great singer nonetheless) 8) Jon Vickers 9) Lauritz Melchor 10) James King

[deportivobech]

ok... dema tu la oferta ya que tu posees semejante tesoro

[courthousedoc]

As one of only 2 Tristans on either list (the other is obviously Melchior), I'm glad he's here. His 1952 Tristan with Modl (who's absence from this list is VERY disappointing) and Hotter (thank heavens he's on the list) from Bayreuth is one of the great recordings of all time. Who's the best Otello? Now there's a debate that will last as long as Otello itself. I don't know if he's my favorite Otello, but he's certainly in the top 2-3. Thanks all for his inclusion.

[MultiSORDO]

Al feliz mortal que tiene la version completa.

Pues haga copias y avise.

Yo se la compro en su peso en oro.

[j72050]

...I like him more under Toscanini......more electrifying, better inflection,

[tantris3]

Again with regards to Vinay and Del Monaco as Otello. Mario acted the part very well but Vinay bacame Otello on stage. They were both beautiful voices except Mario came from a lyric tenor whereas Ramon came from baritone which gave him his dark color and allowed him to return to an impressive baritone again. Marcovian is right the Wagner was equally impressive as his Italian repertoire. You can't say that about Melchoir or Del Monaco! Equally impressive were his baritone roles after his tenor!

[Mr4d1993]

Soy Chileno, y tengo el grato placer de contar que tengo en mis manos, un estuche con 3 discos de vinilo con la ópera completa de Otello cantada por el gran Ramón Vinay y herva Nelli, y dirijida por Arturo Toscanini. Un placer que escucho solo en visperas de año nuevo.

[deportivobech]

Queeee yo tambien soy chilena y quede sorprendida con lo queescribiste... como conseguiste semejante tesoro???? saludos desde Coquimbo

[Mr4d1993]

@deportivobech Hola, no había podido escribir, lo conseguí de ocasión en la compra de unos vinilos, hoy tengo 2 copías. (encontré una en un persa y no perdí la ocasión), si quieres podemos llegar a un acuerdo, chao Pablo.

[lyricarts]

amazing! this guy was a unique miracle

[markovican]

For me, Del Monaco and Vinay are best Otellos ever. Its up to personal taste to choose favorite out of those two legends. Other cant even come close.

[tantris3]

There are many comments on Vinay, Del Monaco, McCrackin, Domingo, Vickers based on recordings or DVDs. I have seen them all as Otello. McCrackin stayed at my Villa (joined to Del Monaco's) in Rome as he sang his Otello there. Vinay and Mario were the most exciting to see/hear. I saw Mario's Otello 1st at La Scala in '53 with Tebaldi. I shaped my tenor voice after Mario. In '68 I sang Otello with Vinay as Iago with Tebaldi in Boston. Ramon asked me to sing it with him in Santiago but I declined.

[preruminator]

Robert Merrill demonstrates this fact in a more drastic way:

'Between Acts' gives detailed information about Vinay's ability.

[revivaljesus]

Why on earth is AulicExclusiva getting all these minuses?

[AulicExclusiva]

Someone with MULTIPLE IDENTITIES is sabotaging my comments for some private vendetta. Probably some semi-rational Dessay or Netrebko baboon.

[AulicExclusiva]

Moast probably polemius01, who also writes as prodigalsatan666, and has other identities as well.

[AulicExclusiva]

Besides the live performances with Toscanini and Furtwängler, he made a very successful studio recording of highlights of Otello for American Columbia c. 1953, with Eleanor Steber.

He was a problematic vocalist, but an intense, moving vocal actor. I like him.

[preruminator]

Well done, AulicExclusiva!

[AulicExclusiva]

Thank you. Obviously someone is sabotaging my comments.

There are many people on YouTube with one-digit IQs.

[bodiloto]

UN DIO,UNA LEGENDA!!! GRAZIE.

[quakercub]

Vinay is remarkable! Powerful voice and great feeling for the role. I was also impressed with his live 1962 performance as Samson next to what may have been Rise Stevens' final Delilah. A powerful recording!

[muchomezzo]

The manliest tenor ever! He deserves to be in the top 10!

[kiba380]

Vinay...Posibilmente il piu grande cantante-interprete di tutti tempi...Caruso,Corelli,Del Monaco,Pertile,Merli,Hopf,Flet­a,Paoli,Reali,G.G.Guelfi...tut­ti grandi....A vinay diamoli il suo posto nella storia...tra i primi,inimitabile...Non canta mai fuori di quello che dice lo spartito....Grande,immmenso!!!­!

[billyguns2]

Vinay was one of the great Otellos; I like this eevn better than his 1947 broadcast with Toscanini. Is this the performance with Furtwangler?

[100Singers]

Dear billygun2, you´ll find the answer to your question in the infobox on the right side!

[BariTenoreDram]

he was also a bass he did the grand inquisitor

[ElPiconeroalCognac]

My favorite Otello in Leo Slezak, but I'm not sure if he recorded the complete role.

[IlgruppoDiDocci]

io già conobbe questa grabazione! un otello imbattibile ed eccellente, il cantante è l'appropriato

questo è l'otello con dragica martins, 1951

Indubbiamente domenica e del Monaco loro sono ma completano per l'role.. ma nell'aria, le congratulazioni sono per Vinay

[Operafiend22]

Vinay is great, but I still prefer Vickers in this role. I hope you add Vickers to the second '100 singera' group. This recording gets 5 stars.

[tenorvoicefan]

Dramatik, Ausdruck, Tonfärbung, eben ein echter dramatischer Tenor, ein Heldentenor. Welch ein Unterschied zu den vielen, die heute den Otello vergewaltigen!

Danke für diese Wahl!

[Vielflieger01]

Ramón Vinay the greatest Othello ever and one of the very few real dramatic tenors, really deserves a place in this list.

[markovican]

Ramon Vinay was a great Otello, even Del Monaco said so. But whether or not he was really greatest ever in that role is a different matter. For some he was, but for me, and majority of others, Del Monaco is better as Otello. But unlike Del Monaco, Vinay was accomplished Wagnerian and baritone, and that was his achievement-To be baritone at first, great Otello, great heldentenor and again great baritone.But I really dont think he was best Otello,thats a too strong statement but some think he is

[meltzerboy]

There are several contenders to the title of greatest Otello. In addition to Vinay and Del Monaco, some of the others include Martinelli, Zenatello, Zanelli, and the creator of the role, Tamagno. More contentious names are those of Vickers, Domingo, and McCracken. I suppose Vinay deserves a place on the list due to his prominence in the role. But I would also say he is the type of singer that must be seen as well as heard. Joan Sutherland loved singing with him, and not only for musical reasons.

[songsofscarlet]

Yes some believe Domingo was a great Otello, it seemed to be a role that he could sing all the way through. I believe that if he had some different training he would have had a voice more like a heldentenor, I just can't shake the fact that his top was not solid above a Bb, which is usually the case for heldentenors. I cannot deny his instruments greatness wether I believe he used it right or not. Like I said I feel his voice was suited more for roles like this, rather than say Alfredo or Calaf.

[Mooorhe]

I'd definitely remove Domingo from the list of contenders.

[meltzerboy]

You and many others. But he's the only one I actually heard singing the role in the opera house, and I was impressed.

[Mooorhe]

Well, that does count for something. I don't think he was an awul Otello, just not up there with the others.

When did you see him as Otello?

[meltzerboy]

I think it must have been around 1970, and the fact I still remember the performance says something. Perhaps Vickers and McCracken were superior in the role, but I have no first-hand information on that.

[Mooorhe]

I have no first-hand information on those two singers either, I've heard other peoples' opinions, but it's the recordings that I base my opinions on. So I don't suppose it's a legitimate opinion by any stretch of the imagination, but I stick by it.

[Matt54e]

he didn';t sing it until 1975

[meltzerboy]

Thank you. At least I remembered it was in the 1970's!

[fabrizzzio48]

I prefer Vinay's characterization. To me, Vicker's is too melodramatic, and McCracken, too forceful.

However, I enjoy, Del Monaco's throughly, whose voice, more sharph than these three great performers, is like a thunderbolt in Othello.

[quakercub]

I saw him only in the 1980's in a televised live performance for the Met with Milnes and (I believe) Gilda Cruz-Romo. I thought it was a brilliant performance. I think McCracken may have been better, I definitely think Domingo belongs on the list of great Otellos.

[jlee800]

Not only for musical reasons? Please explain.

He's one of my favorite Wagnerian tenor.

[meltzerboy]

Sutherland states in her autobiography that she found Vinay very sexy.

[meltzerboy]

Continued--I would also include Lauritz Melchior on the list of great Otellos. Although not a specialist in Verdi, Melchior sang the role early in his career in German and recorded selections from the opera late in his career. Judging by the latter, Melchior must have been one of the best.

[markovican]

Yes,you're right.But Melchior was Wagnerian tenor par excellence.His voice is pretty much what we have in mind when the roles of Siegmund, Tristan or Parsifal are mentioned.He was great Otello but that wasnt his signature role,in stark contrast to Del Monaco and Vinay.But while Del Monaco continued to shine in Italian and some of the French repertoire,Vinay tackled Wagner roles with great success,which is rare-Singing Wagner at later stage of career after Italian repertoire is great achievement

[AulicExclusiva]

I don't know who the greatest Otello is, although I immediately thought of Melchior when I was reading you list of famous Otellos above, to which I would add Leo Slezak , Francesco Merli and, more controversially, Aureliano Pertile. Pertile's Telefunken album of Otello excerpts, a very late undertaking, is intensely felt, especially the Love Duet, with a passée Gina Cigna. A mysteriously unforgettable performance.

[meltzerboy]

Pertile--like Martinelli--is a controversial tenor in general; some adore his singing (Pavarotti, for one) and others despise it. However, Martinelli is normally accepted as a truly great Otello (almost on the level of Tamagno), whereas Pertile is not universally acclaimed in the role. Gina Cigna may not have been the ideal Desdemona, but I've always admired her singing. I'll have to check out the recording, which I heard quite a while ago. Most of Slezak's recordings don't do him much justice.

[AulicExclusiva]

I too like Cigna, always found her Norma moving. But this recording of the Otello was done very late in the day for her. Pertile was a wildly uneven singer. At his very best, he was a great interpreter, a great vocal actor.

And that is the impression Slezak gives in his early-electric version of the Death of Otello, a worthy companion to the many fine Lieder disks he made for Polydor in the late '20s.