Here is another finale again by MacNeil, I really love the sound of his voice at the end, something about it is just so harrowing: watch?v=w7iLeU1epXc
No contest at all. Milnes is in a class by himself, not only for Rigoletto, but any role in which he plays that requires a high note. Examples are Andrea Chenier, Pagliacci, Lucia Di Lamermoor, Othello, Ernani, Il Vespri Siciliani just to name a few.
Sherrill told me that he got the idea of putting the high B natural into the "maledizione" from the tenor aria "Folle di gelosia" in TABARRO which has a similar cadence. Was he trying to teach Plácido a thing or two?
I don't want to say that a higher note is always better just because it's higher, but in this case, I absolutely love Milnes going up to the B natural. It just sounds so much more anguished, and fits the situation perfectly. If you search YouTube for "La Maledizione Rigoletto" you'll find a clip of Gerard Kim doing it the same way as Milnes, the high B sounds so perfect and full of despair. Verdi's original line of Fb-Eb-Db sounds dead boring in comparison.
@ArentWeSpecial No,as you say. It is not the note itself,though very taxing after an evening of high tessitura singing,that is the issue,but the effect it makes. The total ruin of Rigoletto´s life and his great despair comes out to a overwhelming effect with this high b. Maybe Milnes is not on complete solid ground in the low register in E morta! But the final scene of Rigoletto gets the final climax that makes the audience moved to the utmost.,
Tito Gobbi superiore a qualsiasi Rigoletto...non per la voce, ma per la grandezza con cui scandisce ogni parola,e fa sentire all'ascoltatore veramente il suo stato d'animo e le emozioni che lui prova trasmettendole al pubblico...artista Irripetibile...poi se guardiamo la prodezza vocale, Warren,MacNeil i più sicuri...saluti
What none of them do, and I loved the only time I ever heard it, was mingled cries/screams of horror after the final note ends. The important thing about the opera is that it's not just tragic, it's horrifying in a gut twisting way. Mimi wastes away from an unfortunate disease... This girl and her father are completely manipulated and horrifically destroyed.
@kimancuo Justino Diaz has the big luck of having an enormously wide range. Listen to him singing Sarastro's aria In diesen heil'gen Hallen with the final gravelly low E!
@crow66693 I take it back.3rd place goes to Paolo Gavanelli.I love the how she just wails the note out with power.Not as powerful as Warren but beautiful.
I had the great honor of seeing Warren as Rigoletto 4-5 times during my operatic "breaking in" period. He set the unforgettable standard for that difficult role & while all of these gentlemen are acceptable in their own way, Leonard Warren remains the king as far as I'm concerned!
Nicolai Herlea and Leonard Warren produced great high As here. I also liked Leo Nucci and Paolo Gavanelli whose high A had a feeling of tragedy about it, just like it should be.
Herlea and the Americans (Warren, Milnes, Macneil) for the win. Warren has that unbelievably rich cavernous sound that no one else has been unable to produce. Macneil has his trademark speakiness to his sound which is unique. Milnes has the most ease and ring in the top, going a step higher than everyone else. Ruffo is great too, and though he doesn't go above the Ab, that Ab is very focused! Herlea's timbre is very attractive and top is very ringing.
Fantastic. btw, Milnes actually sings a B, not a Bbb. Insane. But he's also the only one that you can't really hear on the "E' morTA" I know it's an unaccented syllable, but still. No low voice.
they all do an awesome job, but my personal favorite is MacNeil and Milnes a close second, they just sound like they have the most full open sound on that note
@kimancuo I happened to hear baritones (not bass-baritones or dramatic baritones) who went down to E or D. In fact, a good baritone who wants to sing A in a proper way has to reach G or even F. So, I don't think your point is quite right. By the way, someone wrote that Sherill Milnes could put some dramatic tenors to shame...
@pryzqxkl I agree here, I started my studies as a tenor, and my most vivid memory is of my Bass-Baritone teacher showing my how a Bb was done. And damn, did he show me how it was done. Then he proceeded to sing a great "Quia fecit..." the next day.
Milnes was fatastic, still is, but in a different way. He could have had those low notes, but unfortunately pushed his high register to the point that he lost much of his voice. Fortuately with that loss came humility.
Complete nonsense. Everybody who knows something elementary about vocal classification confirms you that the difference is not only in range, but also in timbre, agility, tessitura, "weight" of the voice and so on... And remember some of the baritones (usually Verdi baritones) can even climb up to tenor high C.
All these guys are incredible...and deserve the utmost of praise.. I am studying voice now again at 43 years of age...and just listening to Baritones hit the high G's A flats and A's is a joy, and Milnes hitting the B flat just for kicks...is great. I have the A flat solid ...but beyond that it is sketchy and guess work... Thanks for posting this cage match....GREAT STUFF...
You are not deaf, that's for sure. You are, simply, right --- that's, also, for sure. Herlea is alive and he is living in Bucharest, ROMANIA. Nicolae Herlea is the best baritone of all times and only deafs could deny this. He is a owner of a wonderful voice with unique capabilities - and that is a gift. But, also, he has discipline, an unique legato and a good understanding of each and every character he played
I think Milnes has the most stunning one, he goes up to the B which gives it this awesome tension, it gives me chills. I have the whole cd of that one (with pavarotti/sutherland etc.) and listening to the whole thing and then coming to the end and hearing that puts it in a totally different light, like i said. best i've heard.
From the baritones you included in this clip,I would have to vote for Warren. However,I sure wish you would have included the incomparable Ettore Bastianini.He was my personal favorite.Grazie mille for sharing this excellent compilation.
Non è esattamente uno dei miei baritoni preferiti ma qui è oggettivamente magnifico : S. Milnes. Molto bravo anche C. MacNeil. T. Gobbi, pur non raggiungendo il la naturale, offre un'interpretazione di primissimo livello ( tra tutti è quello che meglio esprime la disperazione del personaggio ). A tratti un po' vociferante L. Nucci.
Ciao Nicola, ascolta S. Milnes sinceramente non ha mai fatto impazzire neppure me ma qui è oggettivamente splendido : ha un controllo dello strumento vocale a dir poco strabiliante, ( becca addirittura un Si 3 ). Ti dirò di più : dal mio punto di vista non è sempre necessario avere voci che sfondano i vetri o i muri per essere considerati migliori di altri. Sicuramente per cantare Verdi non sono adatte vocette piccole ma, ripeto, non è necessario sfondare le pareti. Ciao.
Caro amico,per me una registrazione non ha nessun valore artistico,,ancora meno una frase finale che nell' originale di Rogoletto non esiste,é una tradizione.
Per me importante é il colore di voce e la bellezza della interpretazione,non la forza.
Verdi ha scritto i suoi capolavori per baritoni come Ruffo,Danise,Stracciari,
Milnes is overrated He flats more than a twice plugged tire on cactus needles.. He often sings off pitch[usually flat] and it's unpleasant..That liitle high grace note at very end was fine but he came down to the next note so badly out of tune"flat.The note a few seconds before [going into the final series] was terribly flat . I never make allowances for him. I have heard him on live broadcasts so many times and am puzzled why people enjoy this man's art so much
@lpvcrcd: I personally fail to see how Milnes is overrated. Yes he was very well regarded in his prime and deservedly so, but especially on Youtube I have have actually seen more hate than love for him and some of the attacks are starting to get personal(ie. criticising his teaching for one). I speak as a fan and admirer of him, it's not just his powerful and masculine voice I love about him, it's also his outstanding acting, secure musicianship and mastery of legato and acting with the voice.
@Beth29252: Carrying on, lpvcrcd, I do wish you would stop carping about his pitch, yes I have heard him sing flat especially when his voice got edgier but he is not the only singer to sing flat, never has been and never, ever, EVER will be. I have actually sung in opera productions and choirs, and heard a fair amount of soloists as well as being one, and a lot of them sing a lot flatter than Milnes did at his worst. I forgot to say that he has a brilliant top especiallywith the prologue A flat.
Herlea, Warren, MacNeil, Milnes. I think this isn't Merrill's best nor is it Nucci's although I'm more inclined not to like it. I do think this Milnes recording is a couple cents flatter than the rest, but doesn't take away from the wonderfully brilliant tone. Who is this Herlea? He's marvelous! (From a soprano who loves those baritones!)
One of the most wrenching moments in all of opera - and hearing it 12 times in a row with different artists is truly an emotional experience! I grew up hearing MacNeil and Merrill - both fabulous! And while there is no weak link in the entire chains - OMG Warren - from the gods on high!! He was Verdian par excellence - and I still think that there was never a greater Count Di Luna in Trovatore. His "il Balen" remains without equal all these many years!
Hey, no one but no one could produce the sound that Warren did. Still, i give kudos to Milnes for his grace note high B. And Macneill, even when his middle voice became as wobbly as a rocking chair, still had great high notes. If I could go back in time to hear anyone (besides Caruso, of course) it would be Ruffo.
I thank the author for this wonderful compilation. My favorite is Milnes, but then, he usually is. I saw both him and MacNeil live, the latter in Rigoletto
I had the distinct honor and pleasure of hearing and seeing the great baritone Giuseppe Taddei do Rigoletto in Philadelphia in 1968. It still resounds in my memory. He did the A at the end and it was thrilling! What a complete portrayl! Nothing comes close in my experience.
Milnes high notes are great. But lets face it the Fb that is the only note apart from the final Db that is actually written is not. I love Milnes but he was obsessed like a tenor with his high notes. In the Eb/E/F he could often sound rough.
Warren for me has the all round beauty,character and strength.
Absolutely. No question here. And for me it's because he sings the PHRASE correctly, musically and emotionally. Simply the best here. I would add that the only other to challenge him may be Cappucculli, if we could find it, alas!
Just to let you know, Bastianini did sing the high A in his complete recording with Gavazzeni from 1960. I can post it as a response if you want me to.
Warren! Yes, The dark tones - in the mask - are the main characteristic of a baritone, specially in the middle range. Some of these singers are too tenoral. Ettore Bastianini, dark and powerful too! Gobbi??? Milnes version is an absurdity!
I´ve listened to basses and baritones for 5,5 decades. The main specification of the voice is the dark colour. Verdi did not even write the g#. Singing it is a tradition. Of what I know Milnes could hardly sing a low Bb. In my book he is not a baritone. The Verdi baritone is defined as a dark baritone having the capacity and stamina to stay in the higher third of his range and yet come down to a good low A in a cadenza. Otherwise ha, ha yourself!
As far as the singing itself is concerned, Warren without question. How could it be anyone else? Merrill never had a very good top although his middle register was incredible, and yes Milnes was impressive, but he lost his voice bawling out tenor notes like that. He should have been more conservative.
Your comment is interesting. Some people say that Milnes lost his voice not because of high notes but because he was a tenor who sang baritone. Then there are some (like me) who think it was because he had poor passagio technique.
I would have to give top honors to Warren for sheer thrust on a high note beyond the usual baritone range and a tip of the hat to Robert Merrill whose voice was the most beautiful baritone voice ever
Bellissima carrellata con Titta Ruffo Re assoluto pur non facendo il la naturale e come secondo il grande Warren, poi Milnes, Macneill.....gli altri chi più chi meno sullo stesso piano
My understanding is Milnes only did high c flat in studio. Cappucilli recording is come scritto and is only commercial recording of him. And any fool who says someone wimped out at the END of Rigoletto has never had the pleasure/torture of singing it.
well...i can see why the c flat(we are talking double flats here) would be a bit much...for some - but I just love me some milnes in his prime. I know Leo, and his acting just rocks. I wished I could have heard Warren and the glorious Merrill in their primes(live). Happy new year all!!!
that is a dumb comment. high A is near the very top of the baritone range. they did not wimp out because i believe both could hit that note. they chose or were told to stick to the score. If i were a conductor i would tell all singers to stick to the score.
I would love to hear Hvorostovsky´s or Gaslop`s finale. These are also wonderful singers. Especially Warren, Nucci and Herlea.. Milnes has the hi B which is awesome too..
As usual, Gobbi is 100% involved and nearly mad with grief; Warren's is the best sung. Herlea, previously unknown to me, does well and Merrill had a gorgeous voice.
Milnes for the win! I'll post a response to this with Milnes singing the same line while holding the B then Ab alittle longer...some of the other voices in the video response aren't as pleasant but interesting none the less
Merrill is my favorite simply because I'm convinced he easily has the most beautiful sound out of all of them. I also like Herlea and Macneil. I don't like Milnes here, well actually just most of the time.
I always find an interesting trilogy re:Merrill. Those that think he had a beautiful voice also adore Tebaldi and Bjorling. It's a weird trifecta I see again and again. I'm not saying those three didn't have beautiful voices, just saying I wish I could hear them as beautiful. And I've tried. For me, Merrill has one of the the most bland voices around, and that opinion puts me in an extreme minority.
Lol. I actually don't care for Bjorling or Tebaldi. At all! Lol. Interesting you should say that Merrill's voice is bland. Definitely a minority view. ;)
Not everyone likes the same voice. While i would agree with you that you are in an infinitesmally small minority[concerning Merrill] there is obviously something you aren't moved by. I might think Bjoerling and possibly Tebaldi are often more harshly treated by listeners than a Merrill. But as you suggest, Bjoerling is mightily worshipped by many as is Tebaldi .Merrill had a clean rich luscious sound.Don't give up on him. When you hear that voice you KNOW it's him! Do you like Warren?
Oh, my favorites are Ruffo, Warren, Herlea, and Gobbi.
The Lučić version has very dramatic conducting. Really heightens the moment...
Bastianini did a complete studio recording with Krauss and Scotto. I've got a transfer from the original LPs (actually better than the crummy CDs transfers) if you're interested.
They don't, their tuning adjusts up because of the chord change underneath, so they do sing a little higher, I guess, if you want to be technical, but they don't go all the way up to the A nat.
I don't like the B! It just kind of cheapens the effect to me. It's funny that he's able to hit it so well, because he doesn't completely make it the Ab..
Maybe the characterization, but certainly not the voice. He barely had a top to speak of. I remember a really good deal on eBay offering any of the EMI Callas box sets (complete recordings) for $8 each. I responded, "Send me every single one EXCEPT those that have Gobbi." To each his own, I guess. I find his voice to be empty and snarling, without heft. He is a truly great actor, however, impossible to say otherwise, but the voice was nothing amazing.
paolo gavanelli is not even a baritone lol... even placido domingo is more baritonish than him
124235346 2 weeks ago
Leo Nucci...numero uno!!!!
TheMaestro68 1 month ago
warren,nucci,gobbi,c'est un choix mais l'ensemble est superbe,merci
ininacsot 1 month ago
Damn, Gavanelli was drowned out by the orchestra. But he sounded really good.
martythetickler 1 month ago
@martythetickler Agreed!
MrOpera67 2 weeks ago
it gives me the shivers..burrrrrr
vashtiverous78 2 months ago
Sherrill Milnes is the One, lets be fare guys he's nr One.
MrEricschlesinger 3 months ago
This is really a challenge for the listener. It really shows how many wonderful and complete baritones that has been around.
The two most ideal Rigoletto´s with both heart and voice for me will always be
Titta Ruffo and Leonard Warren.
For the mere power and gorgeous sound:
Nicolae Herlea and Sherrill Milnes.
For beauty and baritonal wealth:
Robert Merrill and Cornell Mcneill.
And of course Cappuccilli should be here too
as Stracciari,Galeffi,Franci and Inghilleri from the past. Great job!!
klokheten 4 months ago
This is really a challenge for the listener. It really shows how many wonderful and complete baritones that has been around.
The two most ideal Rigoletto´s with both heart and voice for me will always be
Titta Ruffo and Leonard Warren.
For the mere power and gorgeous sound:
Nicolae Herlea and Sherrill Milnes.
For beauty and baritonal wealth:
Robert Merrill and Cornell Mcneill.
And of course Cappuccilli should be here too
as Stracciari,Galeffi,Franci and Inghilleri from the past. Great job!!
klokheten 4 months ago
Here is another finale again by MacNeil, I really love the sound of his voice at the end, something about it is just so harrowing: watch?v=w7iLeU1epXc
ArentWeSpecial 5 months ago
Milnes and Mac are out there!
mlcollins10 5 months ago
Cornell Macneil, no question!
daniellockwood 5 months ago
Despite all these wonderful high A's, Gobbi is still Rigoletto to me.
bluefish990 5 months ago
No contest at all. Milnes is in a class by himself, not only for Rigoletto, but any role in which he plays that requires a high note. Examples are Andrea Chenier, Pagliacci, Lucia Di Lamermoor, Othello, Ernani, Il Vespri Siciliani just to name a few.
maturebodybuilder 6 months ago
Sherrill told me that he got the idea of putting the high B natural into the "maledizione" from the tenor aria "Folle di gelosia" in TABARRO which has a similar cadence. Was he trying to teach Plácido a thing or two?
Figaro48 6 months ago
I don't want to say that a higher note is always better just because it's higher, but in this case, I absolutely love Milnes going up to the B natural. It just sounds so much more anguished, and fits the situation perfectly. If you search YouTube for "La Maledizione Rigoletto" you'll find a clip of Gerard Kim doing it the same way as Milnes, the high B sounds so perfect and full of despair. Verdi's original line of Fb-Eb-Db sounds dead boring in comparison.
ArentWeSpecial 6 months ago
@ArentWeSpecial No,as you say. It is not the note itself,though very taxing after an evening of high tessitura singing,that is the issue,but the effect it makes. The total ruin of Rigoletto´s life and his great despair comes out to a overwhelming effect with this high b. Maybe Milnes is not on complete solid ground in the low register in E morta! But the final scene of Rigoletto gets the final climax that makes the audience moved to the utmost.,
and Rigoletto will remain the nr 1 tragic piece.
klokheten 4 months ago
The Burchinal orchestra sounds up around 445, and the Milnes around maybe 440.
richstout 6 months ago
Nice compilation! I am a pianist, and this reminds me exactly of the "16 pianists play Tchaikovsky Concerto octaves" video here on YouTube.
OrangeSodaKing 6 months ago
Milnes is best.
mlcollins10 6 months ago
@mlcollins10
Awesome MILNES! Never heard before an ending like this!
pfh 5 months ago
Sherrill Milnes' one isn't the same as the rest, all the others sing the A. Sherrill sings the B!!! Great stuff!
davohan123 7 months ago
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davohan123 7 months ago
Tito Gobbi superiore a qualsiasi Rigoletto...non per la voce, ma per la grandezza con cui scandisce ogni parola,e fa sentire all'ascoltatore veramente il suo stato d'animo e le emozioni che lui prova trasmettendole al pubblico...artista Irripetibile...poi se guardiamo la prodezza vocale, Warren,MacNeil i più sicuri...saluti
federic017 8 months ago
Warren!
liEder89 8 months ago
For me Milnes and Warren had the most impressive High A, followed by Herlea and Merrill.
Beth29252 8 months ago
What none of them do, and I loved the only time I ever heard it, was mingled cries/screams of horror after the final note ends. The important thing about the opera is that it's not just tragic, it's horrifying in a gut twisting way. Mimi wastes away from an unfortunate disease... This girl and her father are completely manipulated and horrifically destroyed.
8x8MaVerick8x8 9 months ago
Wow...why is Sherrill Milnes so amazing? High B...come on...Even if you like someone better than him, you have to admit that it's impressive!
LiveArtistVocal1 10 months ago
Warren, hands down. Even Milnes never laid a glove on him.
silverroka 10 months ago
Unless you still haven't gotten the bastianini recording, I found one on youtube: watch?v=xpDW_c4g_PU
It's a short A, but he does get up there
ElSalvador50 11 months ago
Leo Nucci...il più grande interprete de " il rigoletto " !!!!
TheMaestro68 11 months ago
mes préférés sont gavanelli et lucic avec une musique forte!!!
clown84700 1 year ago
Gobbi per l'intenzione drammatica è in'arrivabile,per il finale sul la credo sia il migliore Warren,per la sicurezza vocale...saluti
federic017 1 year ago
sherrill milnes is a beast
11792654 1 year ago 2
1. Herlea
2. Gobbi
3. Warren
4. Merrill
5. Milnes
6. Macneil
7. Kucic
bluefish990 1 year ago
For me its Warren then Milnes with the high B natural! Nucci is great too.
romello788 1 year ago
Even Justino Díaz, a bass-baritone could sing a high B natural!
kimancuo 1 year ago
@kimancuo Justino Diaz has the big luck of having an enormously wide range. Listen to him singing Sarastro's aria In diesen heil'gen Hallen with the final gravelly low E!
DanyNicola 1 year ago
In my opinion:
1.Leonard Warren
2.Cornell MacNeil
3.Robert Merill.
But I think Titta Ruffo had the most power of all voices.
Its so beautiful hearing these baritones sing.
crow66693 1 year ago
@crow66693 I take it back.3rd place goes to Paolo Gavanelli.I love the how she just wails the note out with power.Not as powerful as Warren but beautiful.
crow66693 1 year ago
I like the first example--wow!!
petrina1022 1 year ago
Bastianini? there is complete recording with him
tomzoricic 1 year ago
I had the great honor of seeing Warren as Rigoletto 4-5 times during my operatic "breaking in" period. He set the unforgettable standard for that difficult role & while all of these gentlemen are acceptable in their own way, Leonard Warren remains the king as far as I'm concerned!
DonPaolissimo 1 year ago
Nicolai Herlea and Leonard Warren produced great high As here. I also liked Leo Nucci and Paolo Gavanelli whose high A had a feeling of tragedy about it, just like it should be.
MrOpera67 1 year ago
Herlea
Warren
Macneil
Hit the best high A. But we all know the last two were the best Rigolettos.
bluefish990 1 year ago
NICOLAE HERLEA: BEST OF THE BEST!!!
oprom 1 year ago
Herlea and the Americans (Warren, Milnes, Macneil) for the win. Warren has that unbelievably rich cavernous sound that no one else has been unable to produce. Macneil has his trademark speakiness to his sound which is unique. Milnes has the most ease and ring in the top, going a step higher than everyone else. Ruffo is great too, and though he doesn't go above the Ab, that Ab is very focused! Herlea's timbre is very attractive and top is very ringing.
FacePaster 1 year ago
Fantastic. btw, Milnes actually sings a B, not a Bbb. Insane. But he's also the only one that you can't really hear on the "E' morTA" I know it's an unaccented syllable, but still. No low voice.
scottlbeasley 1 year ago
they all do an awesome job, but my personal favorite is MacNeil and Milnes a close second, they just sound like they have the most full open sound on that note
ElSalvador50 1 year ago
Herlea and Warren.
mad1alina 1 year ago
Milnes
Pawelp 1 year ago
Warren, Herlea, MacNeil
xavierfersanta 1 year ago
I've always said that baritones are tenors with limited high notes.
kimancuo 1 year ago
@kimancuo I happened to hear baritones (not bass-baritones or dramatic baritones) who went down to E or D. In fact, a good baritone who wants to sing A in a proper way has to reach G or even F. So, I don't think your point is quite right. By the way, someone wrote that Sherill Milnes could put some dramatic tenors to shame...
pryzqxkl 1 year ago
@pryzqxkl I agree here, I started my studies as a tenor, and my most vivid memory is of my Bass-Baritone teacher showing my how a Bb was done. And damn, did he show me how it was done. Then he proceeded to sing a great "Quia fecit..." the next day.
Milnes was fatastic, still is, but in a different way. He could have had those low notes, but unfortunately pushed his high register to the point that he lost much of his voice. Fortuately with that loss came humility.
Baritime 1 year ago
@kimancuo or that tenors are baritones with limited low notes.
ddevicente 1 year ago
@kimancuo
Complete nonsense. Everybody who knows something elementary about vocal classification confirms you that the difference is not only in range, but also in timbre, agility, tessitura, "weight" of the voice and so on... And remember some of the baritones (usually Verdi baritones) can even climb up to tenor high C.
hugodraslik 1 year ago
@kimancuo
I love your sense of humor. In fact, whales are the same animals as rabbits (only a bit bigger), aren´t they?
zdymadlo 1 year ago
Amaizing post!!!
I think that it is impossible to decide wich one is better... They are all so great!!!
ezev8logos 1 year ago
Sherill Milnes is the best one
WANK83 1 year ago
Sherill Minles is one of the most brilliants of them.
WANK83 1 year ago
All these guys are incredible...and deserve the utmost of praise.. I am studying voice now again at 43 years of age...and just listening to Baritones hit the high G's A flats and A's is a joy, and Milnes hitting the B flat just for kicks...is great. I have the A flat solid ...but beyond that it is sketchy and guess work... Thanks for posting this cage match....GREAT STUFF...
MrMattystar123 1 year ago
@MrMattystar123 B natural, not B flat!
Kavafy 1 year ago
C'mon did you hear Herlea?? am I deaf? Incredible.....!!!!!
MrMattystar123 1 year ago 14
@MrMattystar123
You are not deaf, that's for sure. You are, simply, right --- that's, also, for sure. Herlea is alive and he is living in Bucharest, ROMANIA. Nicolae Herlea is the best baritone of all times and only deafs could deny this. He is a owner of a wonderful voice with unique capabilities - and that is a gift. But, also, he has discipline, an unique legato and a good understanding of each and every character he played
oprom 1 year ago
@MrMattystar123 Herlea is the best voice on there, but Milnes has the best A.
GregJebailybaritone 7 months ago
@GregJebailybaritone best A or best B? hahaah He's ridiculous!
Operasinger91 7 months ago
I think Milnes has the most stunning one, he goes up to the B which gives it this awesome tension, it gives me chills. I have the whole cd of that one (with pavarotti/sutherland etc.) and listening to the whole thing and then coming to the end and hearing that puts it in a totally different light, like i said. best i've heard.
followthehatecrewild 1 year ago 4
@followthehatecrewild I completely agree. Chills!
Pawelp 1 month ago
From the baritones you included in this clip,I would have to vote for Warren. However,I sure wish you would have included the incomparable Ettore Bastianini.He was my personal favorite.Grazie mille for sharing this excellent compilation.
CraigFrancisSoto 1 year ago
Sherill Milnes and Mcneil the best for me here..
Željko Lučić the most dramatic, very very good!!!
P.S I would put Renato Bruson here as my favorite, but that's just my opinion...
borneo230 1 year ago
I love Macneill, but I feel he's second to Milnes here. Good showing by all the Yanks, IMO.
ANd man, thought Ruffo didn't go up to the A, his was still VERY impressive.
clarksc1988 1 year ago
cornell macneil all day
LoudFast1234 1 year ago 2
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Konwitschny 1 year ago
sherill milnes handsdown
chuckdontgiveaphuck 1 year ago 2
Gobbi is best !
privatjakomo 1 year ago
Although he doesn't have the best voice here (and doesn't even try for the top note,) Gobbi to me will never be topped
as Rigoletto.
finylvinyl66 2 years ago
Erlea and Warren
aguacun 2 years ago
Non è esattamente uno dei miei baritoni preferiti ma qui è oggettivamente magnifico : S. Milnes. Molto bravo anche C. MacNeil. T. Gobbi, pur non raggiungendo il la naturale, offre un'interpretazione di primissimo livello ( tra tutti è quello che meglio esprime la disperazione del personaggio ). A tratti un po' vociferante L. Nucci.
31122051 2 years ago
@31122051 :caro amico ,dal vivo Herlea
aveva piccola voce era bravo Barbiere ma non era grande artista .1Ruffo
2 Warren 3 Gobbi 4 Mac Neil ecc..ma per me manca un mostro Stoyan Popov .
Dal vivo durante Nabucco nella sala si sentivano due voci la sua e quella di Dimitrova,coro e orchestra inesistenti.Popov quando sparava il la
finale di Rigoletto la sensazione nella sala era che i muri del teatro cadranno.
PS Milnes dal vivo aveva poca voce,e come artista = Herlea. N.
bodiloto 2 years ago
Ciao Nicola, ascolta S. Milnes sinceramente non ha mai fatto impazzire neppure me ma qui è oggettivamente splendido : ha un controllo dello strumento vocale a dir poco strabiliante, ( becca addirittura un Si 3 ). Ti dirò di più : dal mio punto di vista non è sempre necessario avere voci che sfondano i vetri o i muri per essere considerati migliori di altri. Sicuramente per cantare Verdi non sono adatte vocette piccole ma, ripeto, non è necessario sfondare le pareti. Ciao.
31122051 2 years ago
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bodiloto 2 years ago
Caro amico,per me una registrazione non ha nessun valore artistico,,ancora meno una frase finale che nell' originale di Rogoletto non esiste,é una tradizione.
Per me importante é il colore di voce e la bellezza della interpretazione,non la forza.
Verdi ha scritto i suoi capolavori per baritoni come Ruffo,Danise,Stracciari,
Granforte ecc..... ecc.... Ciao .
bodiloto 2 years ago
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ironfuscia 2 years ago
I agree with you about Herlea.
But Gobbi and Ruffo are on this, because they sound great too. In fact, Gobbi is my other favourite for this role. ^^
ElisabettaVS 2 years ago
Nucci
SireniaItalyOfficial 2 years ago
if is important only high note in all opera,why dont sing only the end and we are finish for few minuts
nilamadhava 2 years ago
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bodiloto 2 years ago
Milnes is overrated He flats more than a twice plugged tire on cactus needles.. He often sings off pitch[usually flat] and it's unpleasant..That liitle high grace note at very end was fine but he came down to the next note so badly out of tune"flat.The note a few seconds before [going into the final series] was terribly flat . I never make allowances for him. I have heard him on live broadcasts so many times and am puzzled why people enjoy this man's art so much
lpvcrcd 2 years ago
@lpvcrcd: I personally fail to see how Milnes is overrated. Yes he was very well regarded in his prime and deservedly so, but especially on Youtube I have have actually seen more hate than love for him and some of the attacks are starting to get personal(ie. criticising his teaching for one). I speak as a fan and admirer of him, it's not just his powerful and masculine voice I love about him, it's also his outstanding acting, secure musicianship and mastery of legato and acting with the voice.
Beth29252 8 months ago
@Beth29252: Carrying on, lpvcrcd, I do wish you would stop carping about his pitch, yes I have heard him sing flat especially when his voice got edgier but he is not the only singer to sing flat, never has been and never, ever, EVER will be. I have actually sung in opera productions and choirs, and heard a fair amount of soloists as well as being one, and a lot of them sing a lot flatter than Milnes did at his worst. I forgot to say that he has a brilliant top especiallywith the prologue A flat.
Beth29252 8 months ago
Herlea, Warren, MacNeil, Milnes. I think this isn't Merrill's best nor is it Nucci's although I'm more inclined not to like it. I do think this Milnes recording is a couple cents flatter than the rest, but doesn't take away from the wonderfully brilliant tone. Who is this Herlea? He's marvelous! (From a soprano who loves those baritones!)
isobelchristina 2 years ago
One of the most wrenching moments in all of opera - and hearing it 12 times in a row with different artists is truly an emotional experience! I grew up hearing MacNeil and Merrill - both fabulous! And while there is no weak link in the entire chains - OMG Warren - from the gods on high!! He was Verdian par excellence - and I still think that there was never a greater Count Di Luna in Trovatore. His "il Balen" remains without equal all these many years!
JoanNilson 2 years ago 3
i love Macneil, Herlea, and Warren, but Gavanelli sings the role so beautifully that I can't be objective. He is an incredible Rigoletto!
tborsting 2 years ago
1Titta Ruffo 2 Leonard Warren 3 Mac Neil 4Tito Gobbi 5 Robert Merrill !
bodiloto 2 years ago
Super compilation. Warren, hands down. Puts the whole character into it.
silverroka 2 years ago
Hey, no one but no one could produce the sound that Warren did. Still, i give kudos to Milnes for his grace note high B. And Macneill, even when his middle voice became as wobbly as a rocking chair, still had great high notes. If I could go back in time to hear anyone (besides Caruso, of course) it would be Ruffo.
pachydermo 2 years ago
Herlea then Warren
baritonZIGS 2 years ago
Warren is such a mystery voice. he has easier high notes than most of the baritones hear, but his color sounds like a bass.
raigekimaru 2 years ago
1. McNeil
2.Milnes
3. Merril
4. Ruffo
5. Gobbi
I think this is my 30th time watching this lol These are my top 5 after this listen.
alumian 2 years ago
the best are Cornell MacNeil and Gobbi!!!
Imperatormudi 2 years ago
I thank the author for this wonderful compilation. My favorite is Milnes, but then, he usually is. I saw both him and MacNeil live, the latter in Rigoletto
Operafilli 2 years ago
I had the distinct honor and pleasure of hearing and seeing the great baritone Giuseppe Taddei do Rigoletto in Philadelphia in 1968. It still resounds in my memory. He did the A at the end and it was thrilling! What a complete portrayl! Nothing comes close in my experience.
CarloQuinto 2 years ago
Warren & Ruffo beat the rest by a mile!
DonPaolissimo 2 years ago 2
Milnes high notes are great. But lets face it the Fb that is the only note apart from the final Db that is actually written is not. I love Milnes but he was obsessed like a tenor with his high notes. In the Eb/E/F he could often sound rough.
Warren for me has the all round beauty,character and strength.
babyscab 2 years ago 2
1) Herlea and Milnes (tie) Herlea has the best color, but Milnes's high B is hard ass
3) Warren
4) Merrill
5) McNeil
raigekimaru 2 years ago
PERFEC LEO NUCCI Y ROBERT MERRILL
tenorisimo1975 2 years ago
Warren, Herlea, McNeil & Merrill are the best in my view.
revivaljesus 2 years ago
i agree with you
xavierfersanta 2 years ago
CORNELL MACNEIL . HANDS DOWN
tenorismo 2 years ago
Absolutely. No question here. And for me it's because he sings the PHRASE correctly, musically and emotionally. Simply the best here. I would add that the only other to challenge him may be Cappucculli, if we could find it, alas!
baritono81 2 years ago
I migliori sono sine dubbio MacNeill, milnes e warren, mentre Gobbi è INASCOLTABILE!
DinDonDan94 2 years ago
friggin milnes hitting the high B grace note. Unreal.
pilo0024 2 years ago
nice match
HERLEA!!!!!
RUFFO!!!!
GOBBI!!!
alwiz2010 2 years ago
Just to let you know, Bastianini did sing the high A in his complete recording with Gavazzeni from 1960. I can post it as a response if you want me to.
samdrophy 2 years ago 5
Please do!
baritonoguapo 2 years ago
The Bastianini video is uploaded on my channel - for some reason I'm having problems posting it as a response to this video.
samdrophy 2 years ago
I vote for Milnes anytime of the day, especially for his extra-note in the end! Bravo Milnes!
celioguim 2 years ago
tito gobbi for ever,li batte tutti
luigipava 2 years ago
Warren! Yes, The dark tones - in the mask - are the main characteristic of a baritone, specially in the middle range. Some of these singers are too tenoral. Ettore Bastianini, dark and powerful too! Gobbi??? Milnes version is an absurdity!
Bassoturco 2 years ago 3
haha Milnes is absurd! I love him!
pilo0024 2 years ago 2
I´ve listened to basses and baritones for 5,5 decades. The main specification of the voice is the dark colour. Verdi did not even write the g#. Singing it is a tradition. Of what I know Milnes could hardly sing a low Bb. In my book he is not a baritone. The Verdi baritone is defined as a dark baritone having the capacity and stamina to stay in the higher third of his range and yet come down to a good low A in a cadenza. Otherwise ha, ha yourself!
Bassoturco 2 years ago
Milnes sings a B in this passage: Ab - B- Bb
LaMaledizione 2 years ago
Haven´t you forgotten here one of the best baritonos of all times +Ettore Bastianini??????
sienaopera 2 years ago 2
As far as the singing itself is concerned, Warren without question. How could it be anyone else? Merrill never had a very good top although his middle register was incredible, and yes Milnes was impressive, but he lost his voice bawling out tenor notes like that. He should have been more conservative.
GermanOperaSinger 2 years ago
Your comment is interesting. Some people say that Milnes lost his voice not because of high notes but because he was a tenor who sang baritone. Then there are some (like me) who think it was because he had poor passagio technique.
leadoffeohippus 2 years ago
He sounds like a baritone to me.
GermanOperaSinger 2 years ago
Another baritone: Riccardo Stracciari did the G# on a 1930 reccording
Twilightsire 2 years ago
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CC01 2 years ago
It is in full voice, but for the baritone the resonnance goes into head starting at G#4, like a tenor singing on a high B.
Twilightsire 2 years ago
Are you saying there's another register break at G#?
leadoffeohippus 2 years ago
My favorite was Nicloae Herlaea and Senghyoun Ko who has been overlooked and not familiar to the westerners.
steakopera 2 years ago
I would have to give top honors to Warren for sheer thrust on a high note beyond the usual baritone range and a tip of the hat to Robert Merrill whose voice was the most beautiful baritone voice ever
stephpwall 2 years ago
Milnes sings a - C!! - b - a - d
cenodus 2 years ago
Bellissima carrellata con Titta Ruffo Re assoluto pur non facendo il la naturale e come secondo il grande Warren, poi Milnes, Macneill.....gli altri chi più chi meno sullo stesso piano
chiccricca 2 years ago
Excellent video, the interpretation of baritones is good though, is the first time that I hear most of them:
"È morta!
Ah la maledizione!"
crstioherz 3 years ago
Milnes...holy shit!!!
wotansschwert 3 years ago
My understanding is Milnes only did high c flat in studio. Cappucilli recording is come scritto and is only commercial recording of him. And any fool who says someone wimped out at the END of Rigoletto has never had the pleasure/torture of singing it.
Scarpialetto 3 years ago 2
Milnes sings a h'' and not a c'' !!!!
Pumatz 2 years ago
De estos fragmentos de la Escene Final de Rigoletto yo tengo el CD, DVD de:
*Pavarotti, Suterland, Milnes (CD RIGOLETTO 1971)
*Domingo, MacNeil, Cotrubas (DVD RIGOLETTO 1977)
È morta!
Ah la maledizione!
crstioherz 3 years ago
well...i can see why the c flat(we are talking double flats here) would be a bit much...for some - but I just love me some milnes in his prime. I know Leo, and his acting just rocks. I wished I could have heard Warren and the glorious Merrill in their primes(live). Happy new year all!!!
maestromuffin 3 years ago
Herlea
arrassip31 3 years ago
I'm with you!
dennisdeem 3 years ago
Milnes hands down. it sounds more complete with the high B. that was absolutely magnificent
PS: those two at the end WIMPED OUT, come on it's only an A.
raigekimaru 3 years ago
I agree
Performance101 3 years ago
that is a dumb comment. high A is near the very top of the baritone range. they did not wimp out because i believe both could hit that note. they chose or were told to stick to the score. If i were a conductor i would tell all singers to stick to the score.
pechorin1841 3 years ago
Shut your fuckin mouth.The High A is an amazing note for a baritone.
masqueradeseries 3 years ago
lol; chill dude, it's just youtube.
raigekimaru 3 years ago
A high A for a baritone would be pretty much like a high C for tenors. It's not easy!
ellecho 2 years ago
Warren, without question or pause.
JackOperaMan 3 years ago 2
I'm a little surprised that Merrill had the A!
FacePaster 3 years ago
I would love to hear Hvorostovsky´s or Gaslop`s finale. These are also wonderful singers. Especially Warren, Nucci and Herlea.. Milnes has the hi B which is awesome too..
Shredissimo 3 years ago
Baritone Hall of Fame: eccept Lucic.
FurioMontenegro 3 years ago
Milnes and Warren. Warren had the best "Ah"...so rich and full.
leadoffeohippus 3 years ago
As usual, Gobbi is 100% involved and nearly mad with grief; Warren's is the best sung. Herlea, previously unknown to me, does well and Merrill had a gorgeous voice.
billyguns2 3 years ago
Cornell McNeill sounds rich and full. He IS Rigoletto. Also liked Warren and suprisingly Gobbi(he spits the emotions visible)
juldir 3 years ago
2:39 - 2:55 is our teacher! Go Burchinal!
UGAOpera 3 years ago
Milnes for the win! I'll post a response to this with Milnes singing the same line while holding the B then Ab alittle longer...some of the other voices in the video response aren't as pleasant but interesting none the less
bmatt05 3 years ago
Merrill is my favorite simply because I'm convinced he easily has the most beautiful sound out of all of them. I also like Herlea and Macneil. I don't like Milnes here, well actually just most of the time.
Iareto 3 years ago
I always find an interesting trilogy re:Merrill. Those that think he had a beautiful voice also adore Tebaldi and Bjorling. It's a weird trifecta I see again and again. I'm not saying those three didn't have beautiful voices, just saying I wish I could hear them as beautiful. And I've tried. For me, Merrill has one of the the most bland voices around, and that opinion puts me in an extreme minority.
ElPiconeroalCognac 2 years ago
Lol. I actually don't care for Bjorling or Tebaldi. At all! Lol. Interesting you should say that Merrill's voice is bland. Definitely a minority view. ;)
Iareto 2 years ago
Not everyone likes the same voice. While i would agree with you that you are in an infinitesmally small minority[concerning Merrill] there is obviously something you aren't moved by. I might think Bjoerling and possibly Tebaldi are often more harshly treated by listeners than a Merrill. But as you suggest, Bjoerling is mightily worshipped by many as is Tebaldi .Merrill had a clean rich luscious sound.Don't give up on him. When you hear that voice you KNOW it's him! Do you like Warren?
lpvcrcd 2 years ago
Ecelente video la interpretación es buenisina aunque es primera vez que escucho a la mayoria de eso baritonos
"È morta!
Ah la maledizione!"
crstioherz 3 years ago
very interesting video, thank you very much!
I really love Leo Nucci *-*
OLAPuTiPuTi 3 years ago
Milnes actually interposes a high b natural
wh1048 3 years ago
Milnes, Herlea, Merrill
fghdret 3 years ago
Oh, and there's already a video up of Cappuccilli singing the A. Has the whole duet.
Chiliarches 3 years ago
Oh, my favorites are Ruffo, Warren, Herlea, and Gobbi.
The Lučić version has very dramatic conducting. Really heightens the moment...
Bastianini did a complete studio recording with Krauss and Scotto. I've got a transfer from the original LPs (actually better than the crummy CDs transfers) if you're interested.
Chiliarches 3 years ago
Maybe it's just me, but it sounds like both Ruffo and Gobbi touch the A...
Chiliarches 3 years ago
They don't, their tuning adjusts up because of the chord change underneath, so they do sing a little higher, I guess, if you want to be technical, but they don't go all the way up to the A nat.
fghdret 3 years ago
Milnes, Nucci, Warren, Merill, Gobbi
JOSQUINMA 3 years ago
I don't like the way Milnes sings the last phrase. It sounds artificial and not genuine.
Krawi6 3 years ago
Milnes rocks!!!!
vpgeiger08 3 years ago
Tito Gobbi è il miglior Rigoletto di tutti i tempi!
TheBestOfGobbi 3 years ago
Milnes the best and then (not in a particular order) Nucci, Gobbi and MacNeil.
greve 3 years ago
Milnes, Warren, Merrill, Nucci, MacNeil
fecheverriam 3 years ago
Top 5: Milnes (only because of the B!!!), Warren, Merrill, Herlea, Mac
redsox2213 3 years ago
I don't like the B! It just kind of cheapens the effect to me. It's funny that he's able to hit it so well, because he doesn't completely make it the Ab..
baritonoguapo 3 years ago
Gobbi is the best!!!!
34fgsfgsdtu48w7qtaqt 3 years ago 3
Maybe the characterization, but certainly not the voice. He barely had a top to speak of. I remember a really good deal on eBay offering any of the EMI Callas box sets (complete recordings) for $8 each. I responded, "Send me every single one EXCEPT those that have Gobbi." To each his own, I guess. I find his voice to be empty and snarling, without heft. He is a truly great actor, however, impossible to say otherwise, but the voice was nothing amazing.