Cessa di più resistere - Ramón Vargas

[MisterPapageno]

"Al più lieto il più felice" sembra che zappi il brano con la voce ...

Voce fuori repertorio (se esiste un repertorio per questa voce)

[sincrotto]

Rispetto a J.D.Florez mi sembra una voce molto meno alta, che sia meno proiettata nelle risonanze alte di maschera e conservi una posizione più centrale. Bella interpretazione comunque, anche se preferisco Florez.

[danbar73]

RV does not add "h" to his runs. Not knocking those who do (some big name singers), it is obviously a matter of personal/artistic preference to them. An evenly executed scale,with"h" added to individual notes and with well controlled tonal weight and dynamics ,can be exciting. But perhaps not for everyone.

[kimancuo]

Some singers add the "h" to their runs some don't. I prefer the ones who do not add the "h". A-a-a instead of ha-ha-ha, e- e- e instead of he-he-he. That's what I mean. It just sounds cleaner and clearer.

[danbar73]

Honken: This is fake coluratura to you? Anyone with basic knowledge of music and good singing should be asking whether you even know what the heck you are talking about. Professional critics consider RV's Almaviva as the very best on record. Even Gramophone mag rated this Naxos Barber "at the top of the heap.. putting to shame" many starry cast recorded versions,and RV was a major reason for that honor. He not only sang his arias superbly, his ensemble singing was exemplary as well. He was

[danbar73]

He was highly acclaimed for his Almaviva on stage also earlier in his career. Rv's version of this aria here is arguably the best on record, not only for agility,virtuosity&musicality but for his full lyric,robust sound that made the admonishment of Bartolo more fitting and believable as coming from someone with power and authority.For sample of RV's squillo,try "tutto e sciolto" from clopjj; Schubert Ave Maria & Alvarez Plegaria from gabrielpadilla on YT. His ring has bell-like quality & purity

[Honken]

You have to forgive my sincerity, I had a really bad day. What I was trying to say is that in my opinion his voice is much more suited for more lyrical roles.

About the coloratura, I did not mean this literally. The sound of his nasal placement during some parts of the more rigorous phrases tend to sound slidy.

At the beginning of the 5 minute mark and onward he barks a lot, which completely threw me off and caused me to write a little to harsch.

Not my plan to offend anyone! :)

[danbar73]

@Honken It appears that you prefer the lighter voice doing this role like so many people. I can understand that if one is used to hearing light tenors with silvery tones and less exuberant approach to bravura singing, one would be quite turned off by a heavier sound doing these acrobatics here specially with RV's handling of brilliant passages with incisiveness,precision and gusto. I think that's what you mean by barking.That's OK,some feel like being machine-gunned listening to Cecilia Bartoli.

[Honken]

Calling leggieros unexuberant is both bold and inaccurate. Passion for the arts is not defined by the sound of your voice.

I don't mind heavier voices singing Rossini. Araiza is a good example of this.

And by barking I literally mean barking at 4:58 and onward. His staccatos sound like he's coughing up some of the notes.

I never wrote anything about Bartoli.

[danbar73]

@Honken I did not call "leggieros unexuberant". I was referring to the LESS exuberant approach to tenorial bravura singing by some parts of Europe as compared to Italian and Spanish speaking counterparts. "Barking" refers to loud,vulgar singing without regard to tonal quality,dynamics,sensitivity,n­uances,etc.-very ugly singing. That's not the case here. From 5:00 onward,RV was gradually increasing intensity in execution and volume for an exciting finish - NOT barking. I,not you, brought up Bart.

[danbar73]

I,not you,brought up Bartoli to make a point. I read someone say that he felt like being machine-gunned listening to Bartoli's fireworks. My point is that it's OK to dislike any artist no matter how admired he or she is by the rest of the world. Everyone has his or her own taste. It's OK to criticize any artist if it's warranted and constructive - not just to show your preference. I'm aware of the negative things from your first comments directed by other critics against famous names but not RV.

[seektheforce]

@danbar73 ahh you're telling people how it's okay to express themselves and how not to.

[danbar73]

@seektheforce If you are responding to my comment below about adding "h"sound, I was not trying to tell anyone how not to do it because that is the only choice left for the singer attempting to do a scale with added h sound to each note. Without evenness in the execution of controlled tone (lightness&loudness) and tempo as well, the result will be UGLY.

[Honken]

What exactly is so good about this rendition? Not only is he overly nasal, he has no squillo, the only times he sticks out is when he barks his staccato notes. The rest, especially ah il piu lieto, is just sliding through scales trying to uphold this fake image of it being coloratura by putting random H's in here and there like he's projecting any distinct notes.

I can stand Vargas in most productions, but this role is clearly not for him.

[otfried]

VR is certainly unerrated, in his aria he is really good, in the sense of being a very lyrical coloratur tenor for Rossini.

[danbar73]

flaze3: It's not a matter of artistic preference that the media had engaged in the campaign of bashing RV from very early on. Even in his early 30's, RV was already a more technically/artistically developed and more complete bel canto artist than Pavarotti or JD Florez. The powerful media must abort any recording of RV to allow Pav's recording companies to continue selling his old stuff w/o any competition.

That stupidity hastened the demise of the studio recording business.Bravo SMART NAXOS!!

[vstasov]

Vargas has a gorgeous voice, with great skilled control and technique. An expressive artist. Thanks for posting this.

[danbar73]

RV, the media hyped tenor of the present ? NO way! He is highly gifted, a superb technician,a complete singer and a true artist to need hyping from the media after trying to bury him these last twenty years in its undivided and overzealous promotion and protection of Pavarotti. RV's bel canto artistry was in full bloom from '91 to '96 when his voice was at its most lyrical, expansive and sublime. The recording companies & the media abandoned their moral duty to preserve it for posterity. SHAME!

[danbar73]

In 1991,RV made an outstanding recording of Rossini and Donizetti arias for Claves. It was highly received,but went out of circulation shortly thereafter for many years and mysteriously resurfaced after Pav's death. I'm positive LP had nothing to do with it. Critics everywhere were baffled years later why RV had not been recorded since '91. It was clear that RV would not be asked to record anything already done by LP. We'll just have to imagine how RV would have sounded in studio recordgs then.

[dxhty]

Very Very Good....By the way, i believe he is now the hyped tenor of the media of the moment...very interesting to know he really paid his dues singing Rossini...This is excellent...

[oscarnotwild]

Sr. Vargas has been singing excellently well for over 20 years in all the major opera houses around the world. He certainly paid his dues. He's done this WITHOUT ANY help for the media!

Maybe you have confused Sr. Vargas with another Mexican tenor with the same initials. In that case, you are right, the other RV aka Mr. Bean is an over-hyped tenor and that's why he is no longer singing.

[flaze3]

presumably you're talking about Villazon the vile. The reason he's not singing is that he's systematically destroyed his voice by forcing and shouting.

[ugolinifu]

Gracias por subir este audio. RV es un gran tenor que con el tiempo se ha evolucionado para bien. Empezó como Rossiniano y belcantista, luego Verdi y algún Puccini. Su evolución es ejemplar. Su voz es mucho màs grande que la de Florez que es una mosquita en vivo. Así es màs fácil cantar agudos y agilidades. Bravo Vargas!

[danbar73]

The GRAMOPHONE Classical Music Guide 2009: You declared that this Naxos recording of the Barber"rises to the top of the pile"(recorded versions) and "puts to shame every other version". Sounds good but it only unmasked your hypocrisy and bias toward Ramon Vargas, whose outstanding performance was a major factor in the success of that recording. Yet you never even mentioned his name,let alone say one nice word about him. 1500 pages of "most authoritative guide"ignored all of his excellent works.

[leoperarm]

well..he's great LOL and of coures he was a major factor in the succes of the recording.

[danbar73]

Yes,he is truly great solely on his own merits without any help from the media,in general,other than their concerted efforts to discredit his accomplishments and diminish that hard-earned greatness. GRAMOPHONE even deliberately denied RV's identity by lumping him in the phrase "all Italian cast"in the review of Naxos Barber.I admire this artist just for surviving this kind of bias and abuse.And we are not even talking about the atrocious New York papers!

[nclysander]

I think you are overreacting here. Did it mention the other cast members by name? Just because one of your favorite singers was lumped into a group does not mean that the reviewer meant it as a slight, nor that you are now engaged in some sort of war. Let's just enjoy the singing, which is indeed incredible.

[hernandohounds]

I am only recently aware of this FANTASTIC voice! Bravvvvvvo!, RV. I'd be interested in knowing more about the underappreciated, media bias, stuff. Why has that HAPPENED????? (Be careful, JDF,,,,,my affections are swinging. LOL)

[danbar73]

This case here with Gramophone09,which is in the business of endorsing artistic products for public consumption,cannot be taken lightly. RV has excellent recordings that the public ought to know:TANCREDI,IDOMENEO,the historic DON CARLOS,WERTHER,LA FAVORITE,EUGENE ONEGIN,etc..Not a word about any of these! The last 12 years I've watched the daily Cable TV program Classic Arts Showcase,which features opera singers from the past to the present,I had not seen RV featured even once. This week,mid-

[danbar73]

This week,mid-April 09,he was finally on. Maybe things are looking up. Even when he delivered a superb performance of a lead/title role at the MET,the only thing he would get from the NY Times is a one liner of mixed review. Some reviewers routinely fabricate nasty vicious things even when he did well. When he did La Boheme in early April 08 (on DVD now),the reviewer of The NY Sun wrote that RV sang Rodolfo with a heavy hispanic accent and was all over sliding around notes, etc..just stupid lies

[danbar73]

Why this media bias against RV ? He is such a modest,gentle and generous soul, he could not possibly hurt anyone. I believe that this has do with the media's unrelenting and fanatical promotion of Luciano Pavarotti,unprecedented in all of opera. I can understand the media's fascination with LP being Italian,w/ a gorgeous voice AND a very friendly demeanor. LP was smart businesswise; charmed the media with his Nemorino-like ways right into the palm of his hand. And the media over-hyped him..

[danbar73]

And the media over-hyped him as King of the High C's,King of Belcanto, King of Tenors to propel LP's fame to incredible heights. When he was about through with opera, the same media created an even bigger blitz with The Three Tenors. Ramon Vargas burst into the opera world in Europe at 27 with probably the most impressive credentials and illustrious beginning of any tenor. He had already amassed at least four First Prizes in international singing competitions : Carlo Morelli in Mexico,

[danbar73]

Carlo Morelli in Mexico,Enrico Caruso in Milan,Vincenzo Bellini in Sicily & F Paolo Neglia in Sicily. Pav won only one regional singing competition in Italy after two tries. RV made his European debut in Switzerland at 27 singing lead tenor in Barbiere,Lucia,Sonnambula,Magi­c Flute & Werther. By 30,he had already sung in major opera capitals of Europe and recognized as a major opera star,the Untouchable! The media decided way back then that RV must be stopped to keep LP's inflated image intact.

[flaze3]

Oh I don't believe all this conspiracy nonsense. The media just prefers the super-high tones of Florez and (posthumously) the round bounce of Pavarotti, over the darker, refined tones of Vargas.

[Torquemada0]

@danbar73 I agree with your comments but... why do you focuse on LP while PD is the one who really runs the media? LP didn't have to bother about the media, he was above it because he was the key element for them to make their job. PD is the one who decides who will be prised and who will be ignored or bashed. You can see how another tenor is beeing pushed regardless his vocal problems. If Vargas is now noticed in the media, it is just because PD got old and oversaw it.

[danbar73]

@Torquemada0 My comments were about the media's excessive and overzealous promotion and protection of Pavarotti (LP) to the unfair disadvantage and detriment of up-and-coming singers, Vargas(RV) in particular. I do not share your opinion that Domingo(PD) runs the media and has any say in who gets ignored or embraced by the media, although he's getting more media attention as he's getting older. RV was noticed by the media even before turning 30 - on his own merits,credentials,tal-

[danbar73]

@danbar73 merits,credentials,extraordina­ry talent & musicianship -not because of LP or PD. The media recognized that RV (not PD) was the real threat to LP's image (hyped up by the media), his fragile ego and sale of his recordings.Unlike PD, RV has similar voice type and repertoire as LP. The media decided early on to make RV a sacrificial lamb.His lyric tenor was supreme bet '90 -'97 but not preserved even in ONE studio recording of a lyric role shared with LP,who is not to blame.

[Torquemada0]

@danbar73 1) LP image has never been threatened by anybody that is why he couldn't care less, his voice live had nothing similar with RV’s voice at all, they are totally different. Furthermore in the 90s their repertoire was quite apart. I can not imagine RV singing Radames or Chenier or Canio or Cavaradossi at that time and LP was not singing Nemorinos or Edgardos etc, anymore.

[Torquemada0]

@danbar73 2) Of course you are free not to share my opinion but you don't know how the media is controlled and works. While LP image has been based more on live experiences of his vocal skills, PD's image has been based on the media reports which he has been controlling since the early 80s (he is a genious in that). Most insiders know that. This is quite obvious and clear when you read the magazines and newspapers.

[danbar73]

@Torquemada0 I don't know how PD is able to control all the broadcast and print media in London & New York, but he has the talent, resourcefulness and determination to to get their attention.He once threatened to quit a Don Carlos production because the dogs were getting more attention. I was not trying to compare the performances of LP w/ RV's in the '90's,but simply expressing my opinion on the media's reaction to the rise of the career of RV who was widely acclaimed for the

[danbar73]

@Torquemada0 for the beauty of his voice and musicianship.1990 to '97,RV's lyric tenor was remarkable for its great range,evenness and beauty of tone & spectacular,secure high notes. This should be enough to threaten the media-created image of LP as King of the High C's, Belcanto King,etc. These titles were way overhyped as Kraus & Gedda were still strong,and LP barely scratched Rossini. Recording RV then would have tarnished that image, affected LP's psyche and his record sale.

[Torquemada0]

@danbar73 On the long run I believe that the testimony in YT will be more important than whatever has been written in the manipulated media. People will not pay attention to written words but to facts in the recorded performances. Everybody can convince himself of the quality whithout having to rely on something written. Of course there is a difference between live performances and recordings but the videos in YT will remain while the live experiences will get lost with the time.

[oscarnotwild]

What a fabulous rendition of Cessa di più resistere this is. Sr. Vargas is a superb Rossinian. He sang this show-stop in live performances with ease when he was younger. As much as I love JDF, I miss Sr. Vargas' Almaviva. This cd set is a must for anyone who loves Barbiere.

[DessayBestSinger]

la de estudio no está en youtube verdad? me gustaría escucharla!

[leoperarm]

OK!!! la subo y te paso el album^^

[DessayBestSinger]

gracias!

[thebarroque]

Ramon Vargas!!! =O Me encanta su voz, es uno de los mejores tenores que he escuchado, su Idomeneo es Excelente!!!

[leoperarm]

y su Almaviva también^^

[thebarroque]

Lo puedo sacar por su enormemente bella interpretacion de esta aria que, si mal no recuerdo, fue reutilizada en La Cenerentola, en 1817. XD

[leoperarm]

si!^^ pero esta aria es mas dificil para un tenor que para una mezzo^^

[DessayBestSinger]

no me gusta mucho...

[leoperarm]

pk?

[DessayBestSinger]

nuse...posible k me haya demasiado acostumbrado a los de Flórez y de Araiza, no me gusta como lo canta...

[leoperarm]

claro que esos dos son los mejores, pero este bien podria entrar!^^

[DessayBestSinger]

hm...no creo ^^

vengo de escuchar a araiza en live...el mejor es definitivamente flórez!

[leoperarm]

araiza en live??? para mi los dos son casi lo mismo, solo que araiza tiene un color mas oscuro...

[DessayBestSinger]

si, pro prefiero a Flórez ^^

[leoperarm]

yo también (tengo 3 de sus discos, como no? xD) pero araiza no tiene nada que envidiarle :)

[DessayBestSinger]

wno, araiza no lo canta tan bn en live, dde es increible es en el CD con baltsa pro en live no me gusta mucho. Flórez solo lo he escuchado el live y es genial!

[leoperarm]

de florez tengo la de estudio y la live con Gruberová y prefiero la live xD

[David45NV1]

@DessayBestSinger Florez en vivo no se escucha. Su "voz" es menos que miniatura.

[David45NV1]

@DessayBestSinger por lo demas esta interpretacion de Ramon Vargas es un ejemplo de cultura Rossiniana interpretada por un verdadero tenor.

[David45NV1]

@DessayBestSinger Florez es un tenorino al lado de Araiza

[David45NV1]

@DessayBestSinger dudo mucho que hayas tenido el privilegio de haber escuchado a Araiza en vivo como dices. Es solo una insinuacion sin fundamento de tu parte para justificar ti inclinacion por Florez quien es un tenorino comparado con Araiza.

[Klassizismus]

WOW!! Very, very good! Surprisingly good! TY!

[leoperarm]

well, you liked this^^!!!

[Klassizismus]

yeah, Surpise surprise I'm also able to write positive comments ;)

[leoperarm]

I know, I know!!! XDDD