Lawrence Brownlee - A te, o cara - I Puritani

[DragosCojocaru]

Fantastic !!! Bravissimo, Larry !!!!

[lovingee1]

One of the most beautiful voices I ever heard also! Absolutely gorgeous! Voice and looks that is.

Cannot wait till this Sunday when he performs at Carnegie Hall with David Robertson of St. Louis conducting. How splendid a cast is that! Toi Toi

Barbara Todres/NYC

[Ettoredipugnar]

Wow not one facial tic, not one movment to show that he took the C. Bravo

[thembaka]

sbani mwelase from South Africa , guyz we have to be realistic in our approach besides the truth that we have Europeans who are tallking as if music is theirs, this young boy is very great n lst us stp the game of comparison. bravo bravisimo magnifico' lawrence

[thembaka]

lendoda icula kahle ngyayithanda le ndlela ehubangayo phambili ngawe Lawrence

[AfroPoli]

Difference between him and JDF: Brownlee does not need a microphone. 

[enzoferrarimendoza]

Amazing! @_@

[dpguibors]

FLOREZ HAS PIANO LEGATO BEAUTIFUL VOICE AND HE IS SO BEAUTIFUL...........YOU BELIEVE IN JUAN DIEGO...................

[dpguibors]

HE IS BEAUTIFUL BUT YOU CANNOT COMPARE WHITH JUAN DIEGO FLOREZ

[italianoameta]

@dpguibors I think you are wrong, Florez' s voice is we called ( mono corde) which means that he has only one colour found in his voice, don't give me wrong I heard many times of his Opera and concert, he is great, But this guy has such a warm vocie that you can not anywhere in this moment, neither in Europe no in America.

[sushiyang]

Magnifique!!!!!

[jimmyl324]

Excellent voice!!!!!!

[intelegentable]

I loved the voices of Lajos Kozma and Alfredo Kraus,in the 60's and 70's. I admired Rockwell Blake, Francisco Araiza, Chris Merritt, and Curt Rayam in the 80's. I am delighted to see Flores and Brownlee getting major attention and a focus being put on this repertoire and voice type by the Met. I love the tenor di grazias and their pure sweet sound. Flores and Brownlee both are great singers, and comparing them is unfair each has his own uniqiue gifts.

[astinus4]

Bravo

[HarveyTruffaut]

Thank you very much

[cccorsetti]

BEST SINGER IN THE WHOLE WORLD

[dolcevoce]

What a marvellous voice! Probably someone can sing different, not better. Amazing!

[blueredsam]

For many years I thought we probably would not hear any beautiful voices like this. I was so excited when I first heard Brownlee on youtube. I listened everything I could find here that was sung by him. I truely hope his voice will last for many years to come. Nowadays, my talented young singers would like to make some quick bucks by taking roles they are not ready for. I saw their voices degrade in their 40s. Hope we have this beautiful voice to enjoy for the many years to come.

[Largo64]

I keep coming back to this. Brownlee has one of the most beautiful voices I have ever heard.

[bianco1972]

@gilgameshdue I am not wondering any more actually. I raised the question a year ago out of curiosity expecting intelligent pedagogical opinions or answers. Apparently I expected way too much from people here as I just get hostile postings attacking me, telling me what to do or not to do, and stating that I have a limited imagination, etc. from the people who carry lots of chips on their shoulders. It's very unfortunate.

[bianco1972]

@bianco1972 When I go to the Met, I go not just to hear singers. I go to SEE operas. When someone on stage plays a role exhibiting out of ordinary physicality that has nothing to do with his/her character, I get turned off and thrown out of the dramatic world on stage. Even though I like listening to Brownlee, I don't enjoy him in operatic productions. It's just me and my limited imagination. Don't panic, even though I don't go to the Met to see him, his tickets still will sell out anyway.

[5nick3r5]

@bianco1972

I couldn't agree more, and I don't think it was unfair to point this out. I first noticed it in Cenerentola, and it's hard to ignore once you've noticed it. This doesn't stop him from being possibly my favourite singer in the world, but it does affect his acting on stage. And I say "acting" deliberately, as opposed to something as vague as "stage presence". Opera singers should be able to act - it's not enough for a world class stage performer to lack something as crucial as that.

[aragorn13308]

@bianco1972 Try going to small opera house in God forsaken town and country and listen to 3rd rate singers,like I do,and then come here and make such harsh remarks.You know,there is majority of us here on YT in position NEVER to visit MET but we still love and understand opera.And Brownlee is a great singer.

[cccorsetti]

BEST IN THE WORLD

[uncjim]

I'm blown away..utterly breathtaking.

[danawinsor]

Surely the most beautiful tenor voice, possibly of all I've ever heard. But it's not just the voice, it's his musicianship, his sensitivity to the phrase that makes his rendition of such an aria sheer joy to listen to. Brava Lorenzo!

[Nello7]

What composure! Simply great.

[hansquad]

he flew to that divine register of high C# with no apparent effort.. WOW.. so envioussssssssss

[joselito2010able]

Que ceux qui n'aiment cette vidéo aillent se faire soigner!

[kingstontry]

ma quanta ce n'ha? bravo Lawrence!!

[robertdonkers]

Who are the strange people who do not like this? Effortless, beautiful tone, not some canary tenor (of which there are all too many) but a nice full voice, lovely

[Largo64]

This is the most extraordinary voice I have heard in years. I can't believe I just discovered him on YouTube tonight. Since retirement my circumstances are so straitened that YouTube is the only place I can hear great music anymore. I can honestly say that Pavarotti was not better on this aria, even the top C#. Brownlee's voice is softer without being wimpy. It's just a pure pleasure to listen to.

[yaletenor]

Amazing!!!! I think I have just become addicted to this man's voice!!

[hotqueekboi]

To all the people who keep commenting on his height, who really cares? Great things come in small packages clearly!

Stop worrying about his height, and just sit back, relax, and let your ears enjoy the beautiful sound of heaven

[matthorist]

That's just ridiculous.

I'm not sure it gets much better than this.

Bravo brother.

[hugoforth]

This is very impressive......what a beautiful tone and how effortless for this man, he can hold his own amongst the best of them ......without doubt.

[franviniegra]

BONITA VOZ Y BUENISIM EN EL AGUDO ,A VER SI YA SE ANIMAN LOS CANTANTES DE COLOR Y PONEN EL LISTON BIEN ALTO .SIEMPRE BELLCANTO

[franviniegra]

QUE VOZ MAS BONITA Y ES BUENISIMO EN EL AGUDO YA ERA HORA QUE SALIERAN CANTANTES BUENOS Y DE COLOR EL NIVEL VA A SUBIR LOS AMANTES DEL BELCANTO ES LO QUE QUEREMOS CALIDAD YCOMPETITIVIDAD. "SIEMPRE BELLCANTO"

[metropolisio]

A page from Corelli this tenor is amazing..excellent projection..he's got to be part Italian...great range..sings this most difficult aria with ease.

5 star tenor

[LazarNewDeal]

I've been around for 45 years listening to singers and I myself was once a professional singer (not successful though). This young black tenor is able to move one to tears just for the beauty of his voice and his 'fraseggio".

I thiank god these miracles keep coming.

[squillodivoce]

AMAZING.

[josephwehbeparis]

Now I know it's possible to go beyond perfection.

[bassocantante]

Bravo!!!

[juliux191]

amazing.......

[matthieusarah]

Need to go to rehab, I'm a Brownleeholic!

[angelomaiden666]

I loved the way he did the C#...totally relaxed...sublime.

[amantedopera]

This is a new glorious tenor! I want much more of him

[bchalcyon]

This guy is kind of amazing. New on the scene and unbelievably SOLID. Yeah, Pav, Pav, Pav, blah blah blah. Pav was great. And then he weighed 400 pounds, canceled more often than not, used black shoe polish in his hair and was a total pig. And now he's dead. Let's move on! Florez, Brownlee -- bring it!

[Agorante]

@bchalcyon

Actually I believe Pavarotti used burnt cork not shoe polish. I weighed 310 yesterday at the doctor's office and I look slim compared to him, so 400 sounds about right, but maybe more.

I'm eager to hear Brownlee live.

[MariaCallasLegend]

@bchalcyon give respect to Luciano...it is not right to say pig maybe the greatest voice of the whole history of opera!SHAME!!!!

[baby1loe]

@bchalcyon U BETTA SAY IT!

[baltoman24]

Absolutely glorious singing- comparable to any Golden Age- may Mr Brownlee have a long and wonderful career. Stupendous! thank you for posting this!

[matthieusarah]

Gee! I love that guy!

[matthieusarah]

This is sooooooooo beautiful! "Larry" is absolutely wonderful!

I have a little critic though for Bellini:"Dear Maestro, with all due respect, Your aria is way to short!" ;-)

[Mremerald3]

Womderful!!

[leadingbyxample]

This man is a BEAST!  Absolutely amazing!

[Sexpansion]

Um, wow. This is quite good. The ease of the C# is kind of scary.

[abracadabranque]

Bravo!!!

[Cantormatis]

Great tenor- looks like a cross between Gary Coleman and a hobbit, but what a voice!

[richbari]

I hear a lot of Pavarotti in this young man's voice. If you listen to Pavarotti singing this on his recording of it you would swear the two have the same instrument. Wow what a voice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[GermanOperaSinger]

@richbari His voice sounds nothing like Pav's.

[Isreal94]

@GermanOperaSinger How so? Because I can hear shades of Pava's quality and squilo in Brownlee's voice. Not the whole instrument, as someone pointed out, but definitely that signature ring Pava had.

[GermanOperaSinger]

@Isreal94 You act like Pav was the only singer in the world who ever had 'ring' in his voice. Squillo and chiaroscuro are something all singers with a proper technique have. If you're going by that I could say that Brownlee reminds me of every great tenor in the 20th century. No, his timbre bears no resemblance to Pav's.

[Isreal94]

@GermanOperaSinger How so? Because I can hear shades of Pava's quality and squilo in Brownlee's voice. Not the whole instrument, as someone pointed out, but definitely that signature ring Pava had.

[krasikostova]

Fantastico!Grande!Onore del vero belcanto!

[hwhopp]

What a beautiful voice, whith an admiring ease and great muciscality, BRAVO

[mysimon2003]

Wow! What a high D! I thought Bel Conto is a lot art at the end of 20th century. So glad to see Brownlee to have such an outstanding performance!

[ThePharaoho]

Beautiful!

[Nicrhind]

The man is about as tall as the average pinky finger.

[whatever456]

@bianco. you apparently have a limited imagination which unfortunately isn't unusual for music enthusiasts of any genre. There isn't a great singer present or past without a peculiarity. That's among the things that make them compelling and not generic. Joan Sutherland and the bizarre jaw thrust forward for example. Brownlee sings on the breath with amazing consistency. The sound is warm, ardent, throbbing and effortlessly produced. His head is tilted. Yours is shoved up your ass.

[Pawelp]

@whatever456 Bravo

[Pawelp]

@whatever456 Oh never mind the bravo. The original message and its explanation didn't warrant this. Calm down.

[petion2010]

@whatever456 I wonder why aren't all these youtube experts operatic tenor maestros. Listening to the purity of his voice, watching his exceptional technique, anyone can see that this is an extremely gifted tenor. And the fact that Brownlee is still in his 30s makes it even more impressive. There're two French proverbs that go, "la critique est aisée mais l’art est difficile" and the second says, "Il est facile de trouver des défauts à quelque chose, alors qu’on ne le ferait pas mieux soi-même"

[petion2010]

@whatever456 They can be translated roughly to, "Criticizing is easy but mastering an art is difficult. The second one says, "it's easy to find fault in something, even though one would not be able to do it any better." I think that these two proverbs suit a lot of those youtube warriors. How many of them you really think are more talented that Brownlee or would be able to out-sing him even on he worst day.

[Largo64]

@whatever456 Your last remark may have been a little harsh, but I'm still laughing out loud! ;^)

[Largo64]

@whatever456 I love this comment! Especially the last part of it!

[Pawelp]

@whatever456 Hahaha,, well said.

[AiTaiwandeRen]

Wonderful voice, brilliant musicality! Go Larry!!!

[DigaoHagar]

Bravissimo!!!!

[hansquad]

what an effortless high D!!

[bianco1972]

Such a great voice! However it always bothers me to watch him sing with his head tilt to his left looking to his right. Not a single video of him on youtube shows him not doing that.  I wonder if it is his physical condition or a bad habbit or what.

[TheCatcherkid]

@bianco1972 Sometimes leaning your head to one side helps the sound come out better and makes it more open......it doesn't work for everyone....it all depends on the anatomy of your body. In my case I lean my head to the right....hope this helps

[FoggyRoad81]

@bianco1972 I wonder if its a bad habit of yours to go to every Brownlee video and spam it with the same comment? Hmm if we're comparing "bad habits" give me Brownlee's voice and head tilt over your obsession with said head tilt.

[bianco1972]

@FoggyRoad81 Hmm, I wonder why some people take it so personally as if they are 'attacked' when there are some negative comments on singers they like or of their own ethnicity. In this case the comment was not even negative or bashful. I wonder what kind of insecurity about themselves makes them react such a way. My comment, rather question was posted only on two different videos intending to get some vocal pedagogical answers.

[bradleyjenks]

@bianco1972 A thing is only a bad habit if it impedes your singing, which it clearly does not in this case.

[flaze3]

we are so lucky: youtube has provided us with the possiilty to view these fantastic performances... o Brownlee, you are the shit!

[GermanOperaSinger]

He just keeps getting better and better. This is bel canto like we haven't heard in many years.

[MrJeffreydunson]

I keep replaying, this performance by LB, -- wonderful and magnificent, all at once !!!

[Mooorhe]

Those opening orchestral chords sound much more ominous than I've heard them before in this piece.

Brownlee is great; he never forces the top notes.

[CandyHaleLinton]

Absolutely stunning stuff. What a ravishing voice this young man has. A remarkably refined yet lusty rendition of this lovely aria from I Puritani. And what joy to hear it sung by a young lyric tenor with the bloom still very much on his voice. Total bliss. Thanks so much for posting.

[flaze3]

Fantastic, as usual.

[Katiuszkasanda]

Somptueux!

Voix ronde,souple ,riche,merveilleusement accrochée dans les résonateurs,je suis comblée!!! Musicalité et justesse exemplaires!

Bravo!

[Katiuszkasanda]

Magnifique!!!

Une belle voix veloutée ,ronde,souple,aérienne...

Excellente technique permettant l'aisance sur l'ensemble de la tessiture.

Musicalité et style parfaits.Un grand BRAVO!

[FoggyRoad81]

Um...does this audience even get what they just heard? Ugh, I think people are so uneducated they can't distinguish greatness from mediocrity.

[tenor185]

@FoggyRoad81 So spot on... The state of music education threatens my sanity too. I commented on a Paul Potts video that he didn't know what he was doing, and directed people towards Franco's Nessun instead. People responded angrily that my guy was just yelling, and that 35 million views proves Paul Potts is very great. Lawrence NEEDS to go on American Idol and sing this.

[FoggyRoad81]

@tenor185 Oh god, Paul Potts. That tortured vibrato, that kazoo-like sound. If those people actually heard an open throat they wouldn't know what to do with themselves. And accusing Corelli of shouting? Um, wow, shameful. What's sad is that even many so called opera fans don't recognize Brownlee's talent, so odd.

[tenor185]

@FoggyRoad81 It should happen for lawrence in time i think. He's 30 or so, already made the MET, and sings a rep that even average music fans can find agreeable (not wagner). If hes good on stage, that will certainly help him get into the video media.

[js59695]

@tenor185 he was born in 73.

[tenor185]

@js59695 Wow... Ok, don't know how i screwed that up.tnx

[Babs22h]

@FoggyRoad81 whos that bellowing queen ? oh its just Foggyroad:-)lol hugs good to see you AGAIN!;-)

[cho0322]

@FoggyRoad81 thinking the EXACT same thing. tepid applause and one half-shouted "bravo" seemingly for politeness' sake. give me a freaking break. that was transcendent. applaud accordingly

[johneunson]

do we compare this to the florez? this young man doesn't need comparison. emotionally charged simply beautiful. i'm misting up. thank you for this gem.

[Orfeus80]

Unforced, poised, clear, warm, on the breath etc etc. He doesn't have anyone to be jealous of.

[actionsrlouder]

Where this performance took place?

[coloraturafan]

@actionsrlouder Puerto Rico

[SonoPortoricano]

@coloraturafan Really? When!? I was studying in the UK all of last year so I probably wasn't here when he came, damn it,.