Vickers at this point perhaps hadn't perfected his trademark emotional depth/intensity and acting, but he was already a thoroughly complete singer, listen to the beautiful dynamic contrast at 0:43 and the way he sails into those phrases at 0:48 Parlar non vuoi...Balen tremendo! Dal mio rivale!...intendo... intendo! Exciting stuff! I WISH he had recorded more verdi.....
Although I don't particularly like him in this, he was the Aeneas, Don Jose, Otello, Peter Grimes, and Siegmund of his day. Any vocal faults were more than compensated by his powerful acting. Kind of liked his Canio and Tristan too.
Une évidente erreur de parcours. Le côté vaillant voire héroïque (dont Vickers est un grand représentant) sans le timbre brillant de Del Monaco, ça ne marche pas. Par ailleurs, Manrico ressemble étrangement à Quasimodo dans cette vidéo... Une curiosité, assurément.
How odd you should say that. It is actually quite a lyrical sound and amazingly authentic and real to my ears. No buffing up or thickening. Truly odd you should say that. To each his own, I guess.
much better than most singers of german repertoire anyway. some of those Wagnerians I'm like "sure, you have a great voice, but what good is it if you can't even sing legato?!"
This is a valuable clip for many reasons, not least Vickers marvellously clean singing. Later he developed some distracting vocal mannerisms - notably attacking notes from below - but here the line is firm and clear and you can hear already the massive 'power under control' which was his trademark.
He is on record as saying that he never attempted Manrico on stage because he found the tessitura of "Di quella pira" uncomfortable - our loss I think.
You probably heard him much later. He started his career in the 50´s and singing all the heavy repertoire till late 80´s. You know the voice doesn´t last forever.
I feel very fortunate to have heard Vickers in person twice, both at Lyric Opera of Chicago -- as Florestan in 1981, and five years later as Parsifal -- an extraordinary artist, with an overwhelming voice, described by Herbert Breslin as like "an iron column that weeps tears" -- wish I could have heard his Otello and Peter Grimes in person!
Vickers sang lots of Verdi in his early years -- Radames, e.g., and wasn't Don Carlos his CG debut? I never heard the Radames and now I'm sorry I never heard his Manrico. His Otello was the greatest of my lifetime.
Listen to Vickers' coloratura and overall delivery in his Beecham Mesiah and then listen to his Tristan. Such a polarity of voice types but each done so wonderfully and intelligently. I can't think of a tenor who could adapt so well as Vickers. (At least in his earlier years)I wonder why he didn't pursue more Verdi operas such as Trovatore. Probably because his nich in other roles was so well established and received, that as a businesman he knew how to play the ropes.
Yes upretentious, that helps explain his remark that Ben Heppner has a better voice than he did. He should have asked me. I would have straightened him out on that issue. I like Heppner of course, but Vickers on stage mesmerized me.
Yes I'm sure. I read his biography last year. He apparently was always a bit difficult. Maybe that's what potentiated his facility with the "brooding" role.
I have the full VHS tape of this with a young Louis Quilico as Di Luna too. Vickers also sings Cavaradossi on this tape.
Vickers had the perfect voice for Manrico except for that high C interpolated into the pira. Domingo couldn't sing it either, but he came a little closer.
After these early CBC broadcasts he moved away from these lyric-spinto parts. He was in my not-so-humble opinion the best tenor ever. He could be infuriating but he was never boring.
Vickers at this point perhaps hadn't perfected his trademark emotional depth/intensity and acting, but he was already a thoroughly complete singer, listen to the beautiful dynamic contrast at 0:43 and the way he sails into those phrases at 0:48 Parlar non vuoi...Balen tremendo! Dal mio rivale!...intendo... intendo! Exciting stuff! I WISH he had recorded more verdi.....
ShawDAMAN 11 months ago
@maxhansendk
You're joking, right???
Elisabetta611 1 year ago
Although I don't particularly like him in this, he was the Aeneas, Don Jose, Otello, Peter Grimes, and Siegmund of his day. Any vocal faults were more than compensated by his powerful acting. Kind of liked his Canio and Tristan too.
MegaTombauer 1 year ago
WHAT YEAR?????? where? filmed for TV?
wattever333 1 year ago
what an awful soprano. half of the sounds she makes are completely wrong. and she became a famous teacher? omg.
wattever333 1 year ago
WHAT YEAR IS THIS PLEASE? FROM THE CBC? THANK YOU!
liedersanger1 1 year ago
Es increible ver q ya poseia esa tremenda voz suya siendo tan joven
ezev8logos 2 years ago
Vickers sound sgreat, but is made up to look like Moe Howard !
sgnmath1234 2 years ago
Vickers dans le trouvère, mouaaaaafffff !!!!
moiselechat 2 years ago
Une évidente erreur de parcours. Le côté vaillant voire héroïque (dont Vickers est un grand représentant) sans le timbre brillant de Del Monaco, ça ne marche pas. Par ailleurs, Manrico ressemble étrangement à Quasimodo dans cette vidéo... Une curiosité, assurément.
KILLERADVICE 2 years ago
How odd you should say that. It is actually quite a lyrical sound and amazingly authentic and real to my ears. No buffing up or thickening. Truly odd you should say that. To each his own, I guess.
Pawelp 2 years ago
if opinions are like butt holes, I'd say you need give toilet paper a try.
24yotenor 2 years ago 2
For real???? I always felt Vickers had a tremendous amount of restraint and terrific sense of line myself
kmillard 2 years ago
@kmillard
much better than most singers of german repertoire anyway. some of those Wagnerians I'm like "sure, you have a great voice, but what good is it if you can't even sing legato?!"
raigekimaru 1 year ago
Are you serious?
canotd 2 years ago
Oh if we only had singers like this today!!!!!!!!
cleanears 2 years ago
@cleanears
Giacomini and Kaufmann are around today, and they're wonderful in my opinion. still, most of the tenors around today suck hahahaha
raigekimaru 1 year ago
I've heard Vickers in 1983 I think as Tristan, Guineth Jones was Isolde, Collin Davis conducting. My first Wagner opera, I can't forget it.
dermotafan 2 years ago
out of this world!
ah332 2 years ago
Wasn't her real name Veranda? They changed it to Della Pergola when she came in from the cold.
ATsarIsBorn 3 years ago
intendo, intendo...
oclhie 4 years ago
Excellent voice. Looks like the Hunchback of Notre Dame, but sings superbly. Bravo Vickers!
There is only one better dramatic tenor on this site: Luis Oryazun!
Ragnaroekk 4 years ago
Oyarzun? hope that lunatic is on a mental institution already...! jaja!
gtelloz 4 years ago
This is a valuable clip for many reasons, not least Vickers marvellously clean singing. Later he developed some distracting vocal mannerisms - notably attacking notes from below - but here the line is firm and clear and you can hear already the massive 'power under control' which was his trademark.
He is on record as saying that he never attempted Manrico on stage because he found the tessitura of "Di quella pira" uncomfortable - our loss I think.
Cavaradossi10 4 years ago
You probably heard him much later. He started his career in the 50´s and singing all the heavy repertoire till late 80´s. You know the voice doesn´t last forever.
ezayi 3 years ago
if you sing correctly the voice out lasts your earthly lifetime.
:)
schammas82 3 years ago
Of course... but not a lifetime!... what kind a comment is that?
ezayi 3 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
You're joking, right?
Liwah 3 years ago
Vickers is extraordinary!
Who is Leonora? She fine too.
AmatureComposer 4 years ago
Edith Della Pergola, romanian born soprano
andigrim007 3 years ago
Eat your heart out, Alan Jones! This will be a shining gem in my "Prince Albert, Saskatchewan" playlist. Thank you, Pawelp.
ALSmithey 5 years ago
*cough, cough*...Allan Jones, rather.
ALSmithey 5 years ago
I feel very fortunate to have heard Vickers in person twice, both at Lyric Opera of Chicago -- as Florestan in 1981, and five years later as Parsifal -- an extraordinary artist, with an overwhelming voice, described by Herbert Breslin as like "an iron column that weeps tears" -- wish I could have heard his Otello and Peter Grimes in person!
stevevandien 5 years ago
Was wonderful Otello. Heard him in Philly.
63Attila 4 years ago
Vickers sang lots of Verdi in his early years -- Radames, e.g., and wasn't Don Carlos his CG debut? I never heard the Radames and now I'm sorry I never heard his Manrico. His Otello was the greatest of my lifetime.
ATsarIsBorn 5 years ago
Amen,brother!
sgnmath1234 5 years ago
1954 CBC
sgnmath1234 5 years ago
Listen to Vickers' coloratura and overall delivery in his Beecham Mesiah and then listen to his Tristan. Such a polarity of voice types but each done so wonderfully and intelligently. I can't think of a tenor who could adapt so well as Vickers. (At least in his earlier years)I wonder why he didn't pursue more Verdi operas such as Trovatore. Probably because his nich in other roles was so well established and received, that as a businesman he knew how to play the ropes.
sgnmath1234 5 years ago
Yes upretentious, that helps explain his remark that Ben Heppner has a better voice than he did. He should have asked me. I would have straightened him out on that issue. I like Heppner of course, but Vickers on stage mesmerized me.
Agorante 5 years ago
Yes I'm sure. I read his biography last year. He apparently was always a bit difficult. Maybe that's what potentiated his facility with the "brooding" role.
Agorante 5 years ago
I have the full VHS tape of this with a young Louis Quilico as Di Luna too. Vickers also sings Cavaradossi on this tape.
Vickers had the perfect voice for Manrico except for that high C interpolated into the pira. Domingo couldn't sing it either, but he came a little closer.
After these early CBC broadcasts he moved away from these lyric-spinto parts. He was in my not-so-humble opinion the best tenor ever. He could be infuriating but he was never boring.
Agorante 5 years ago
This was an amazing great great voice - what alagna and many others singing today could learn from him!
cyfieithydd 5 years ago