Ettore Bastianini sings Il balen del suo sorriso

[pepeelsordo]

Fortunatly for baritones there is no A in this aria. He sings 2 G's and one F#. But, who cares?

His color and way of managing the language is SO good, it makes me cry.

[1993MGB]

2:57 that's a high A, people. And he had throat cancer. Bravo Bastianini.

[Astradamors]

One of the greatest baritones ever. Pitty he couldn't sustain the high note. He didn't attack it correctly. But that can happen when you are singing live. I love his voce in maschera.

[LOSMA2009]

Sublime. Voce stupenda!

[intelegentable]

I never realized how beautiful this aria was until I heard Bastianini sing it. His version still is my favorite. His velvet rich powerful and soaring voice just fits this perfectly. The man had a sound like noone else. He is the ultimate Baritone.

[MegaNino60]

monumentale!!!!!!!

[Sophiestelle]

What an artist! ...What a person!

[cimatyogori150]

最高！

[Enobara]

Yay! I was at this performance in Tokyo 1963 October! I was just a little kid, but fell in love with Bastianini. My great aunt was an interpreter for Bastianini in Japan. She said he was very quiet and gentle person. Very nice to young Japanese singers and conducted some kind of master class. He had a superb sense of humor but somewhat introspective and aloof.

[jeanmolin55]

splendido ! Inarrivabile Bastianini: sublime. Una voce toccata da Dio! Pieni voti ***** al grande Maestro

[francesca7564]

@jeanmolin55

Grazie Jean, splendido ...

E grazie per il post .

[bassbaritone60]

the Best !!

[isabella1954able]

MA CHI ERA CELLETTI?GESU CRISTO?

[f1a6b3]

ONE GOD!  ONE BASTIANINI !

[goku12380]

I just saw that in the dictionary if you look up the word Baritone, there is a picture of Bastianini next to it : )

[pucciniify]

Grazie per questo stupendo video, la voce baritonale più bella del mondo a disposizione di noi tutti, grazie. Roberto.

[prodesica]

Povero Bastianini, c'è un misto di ammirazione, commozione e profondo dispiacere nel sentire la voce più bella della storia rovinata dal tumore alla laringe...

[lpvcrcd]

He was a little tentative on some high tones and did not try sustain them but all things being equal his voice is what we would call sonorous, very well placed with large tone which seemed to carry in an opera house[as evident here] Yes he was a great singer. Wish we had a few like him today

[Ricocarrino1]

We have not even one or 50% of him!

[occhioverde71]

Con buona pace di Celletti che fu uno dei suoi più aspri detrattori (secondo me Celletti resta n grandissimo incompetente), ecco la versione di uno dei cavalli di battaglia del grandissimo Bastianini. ed era una voce già minata dalla malattia e dal tumore alla laringe... Grazie Maestro, ti sia lieve la terra

[aguacun]

@occhioverde71 Celletti was a frustrated singer like every one who lives (for recongition or/and money) by writing how bad or how good a singer is.

[chengducat]

Keiner beruehrt wie er

[troppofiato]

Mostro! What a glorious sound!

[lacontessanera]

Le plus grand avec Panerai!!!

[goku12380]

que bestia!!! Bravissimo!!!!

[BrianDonaldMcKay]

Such a noble, beautiful and distinctive voice and, in a very musical way, expressive. How fortunate we are to be in an era that can enjoy such moments.

[voce29]

TRue "Cantilena"

[legatofancier]

Mario Sereni told me that Bastianini refused to have his larynx surgically removed. He did not want to live if he could not sing. Sereni liked Bastianini very much. You could feel Mario's sadness when he spoke of Bastianini like a palpable force in the room.

[Vairguy09]

He did not sound ill. The interpolated high note on "Leonora e mia" was wonderful! He could have been tired that night, jet lag, whatever. I could hope to sing half that well in my best health!

[signorinaermione]

Ricordiamo comunque che siamo nel 1963 ed era già gravemente malato alla gola (e a quei tempi la chemio poteva essere veramente devastante). Si sarebbe ritirato dopo due anni e sarebbe morto dopo quattro. Se si cerca il miglior Bastianini bisogna andare indietro di almeno 5 anni.

[Katiuszkasanda]

Entièrement d'accord avec vous!

[Leporello001]

This is one of the great Baritone lived, but It doesnt sound like he was in the from today, but because he is a good singer he maintain the perfomance quite well

[abritishtarisasoarin]

why is the prompter prompting?

[Shipskeel]

That is his job. If the prompter is too loud or the radio mics in the wrong spots you can hear the prompter at the Met on Saturdays. I suspect it is the primitive recording apparatus that is the blame for his voice being picked up here.

[FrancoMFT8]

Beautiful video, Ettore Bastianini is a great baritone!

[grandeopera]

What a gorgeous voice- yes, he was meant to sing Verdi but also Donizetti. Magnifico Ettore!

[Belcore14]

Definitely an incredible singer - but as he is here, I don't think he can tough Leonard Warren or Robert Merrill

[ingriddoppler]

....don´t forget that at the time of this Video, he was already very sick; you should listen to his earlier recordings -I think you would agree,that he was one of the greatest baritonos of all times.

Ciao

[operabuff1]

Well, if this is the voice of a very sick man - today´s baritones would kill to sound like this!

[Shipskeel]

Yes.. he was very sick. This sounds incredibly good, but you can tell when he sings his high stuff. Those were not the sounds he made in prior years. Still, this is an exceptional record of this man's great voice.

[corellithebest]

Yes, actually, he was sick of throat cancer. Too sad for a singer to have a throat cancer diagnosed! He died of it in 1967, aged 44, because he refused to undergo a life-saving surgery because he wouldn't be able to sing anymore. So he wanted to sing till the very end! I feel so sorry for him! As I understood from his biography, he was such a good person!

[Rogemarin]

Para mi la voz mas hermosa y expresiva de la historia de la opera.

[egymagyar1111111]

I lost my breath... I love this man long time but this recording is something extraordinary even in his superb, Karajan Callas and Il Trovatore in LP, but that Rigoletto as a lightening...

[egymagyar1111111]

just to let you know, I do not want comparision I want you to enjoy.. I had a live performance in Budapest Montserrat Caballe Leonora and a hungarian cast...good one!!! and Carlos the hungarian Georgy Melis, do not compare, just search for his recordings and enjoy them,

[supertraintenor]

La voce di Ettore è di una bellezza incredibile; merita il massimo apprezzamento per la sua grinta e generosità. Non cantate solo con la tecnica, se no, perdete la passione per strada, cioè quella unica cosa che il pubblico, anche il più insensibile, percepisce e lo fa esultare!

[1019q]

I envy those Japanese fans heard him live.

It's hard to believe normally demure Japanese screaming BRAVO! and going crazy over Bastianini.

This is absolutely breathtaking performance.

[listeningtoit]

Wonderful Bastianini. My father loved opera and he was his favorite baritone. Both are in Heaven now...

[canafinwe]

A real Verdi voice. He was born for sing Verdi. :)

[Levmadsa]

One of the greatest baritones the world has known. What a pity that he died so young.

[udilio]

come dovrebbe cantare un baritono verdiano?

cosi!!!! riguardo il piccolo incidente sulla puntatura? questa era gente generosa che prendeva dei rischi!

[occhioverde71]

Grandissimo Bastianini.... Quanto manca a noi tutti la tua voce

[dattor]

Elegance and taste. This was a great artist.

[pasfresh123]

la tenpesta??

[SinginFool82]

F-in cancer !

[vilches88]

i do it better really... i am not joking

[enrigoletto]

You're free to post a video of your performances as conte di luna! Then we can judge...

[ingriddoppler]

...do you realy????you must be than the new sensation in the world of Opera-how come, that I never have heard from you??

A frienly advice: don´t talk about something you obviosly "don´t know anything about"

[Bobballsy]

...

[oliebol67]

beautiful voice

[Costantino80]

Wow! he surely wasn't at his best for the cancer, but what a voice, tecnique and elegance.

[bastianinisfan]

Although he was not at his best, still love him! So sorry for HIM!

[FacePaster]

True, he doesn't sound nearly as good 5 years previously.  But he still sounds great. It's a shame that cancer stole his voice from us.

[Rossalita]

I agree, he is GREAT like always!!!!

[enrigoletto]

I love Bastianini, but in this performance he was not at his best, every fan should admit it. Unfortunately till now it's the only live performance with him that we can see in video, except for the famous Forza from Naples 1958

[nalekhina]

Trovatore of 1957 on video, with Gencer del Monaco, Barbieri.

It's the most beautiful baritone I ever heared. Probably best Gerard and Renato and most convinced don Carlo.

[enrigoletto]

I know and appreciate that trovatore 1957, but it's in playback...

[pabloricciardi]

Excellent! The greates baritone ever!

EL MEJOR BARITONO DE TODOS LOS TIEMPOS!

[ackstrom]

C'est veritablement une observation très ignorante, mais bien sûr il doit respect tous les opinions.

Pauvre ce qui ne peut pas comprendre un tel artiste.

[joanabanyeres]

ackstrom Mais si vous êtes probablement franÇais. alors écrivez moi en français.I recitativi di Ettore sono i migliori per uno studente di canto. Plaese forget his last time ; he was very, very sick and he could not hear well the otchestra.

[jacquesurlus]

Bien sur, peut-être pas sa meilleure interprétation du personnage. Mais un si Grand Artiste ne mérite psa un tel manque de respect,ceci illustre bien la maxime qui dit

qu'on ne doit pas jeter de perles au cochons.

[loganfacincy26]

Bastianini was one of the truly great verdi baritones. His voice was solid and beautiful full of rich tones and fresh colors. IMO he could do no wrong. Thanks ever so much for this clip.... If there are anymore from this performance please post.

[joanabanyeres]

And he was a marvelous person. His recitatives are the best for good beritons for studying.I use then for my students his Verdis are absulutely perfect.

[ackstrom]

BRAVISSIMO¡

[Gabba02]

Fantastic