Aris Christofellis, sopranist. Vivaldi: L'Olimpiade

[2010wieliczka]

3:43- Pace of the sea before the storm...

[Sunflowers159]

As a singer myself I know how difficult it is to do those runs and interval leaps and how much breath it needs. I admire him. Lovely voice too - if rather hard-edged.

[2010wieliczka]

2:50 - 3:00 - one of the most beautiful pieces in whole music...

[Rai06f]

Great music and WONDERFUL !*****Video!

Many thanks...

[TahiraDarkmoon]

It's like a party for my ears =D

[aburningpromise]

WOA!

[bellini7verdi]

por cierto en otro de sus programas...de las noches del mundo entero....saco..las noches de paris....y se paso por las mejores salas de musicos y cantantes.....y habia una cantante super voz que huviera echo sombra a la misma SHIRLEY BASSEY.....Y TAMBIEN PUSO EL DISCO......SINCERAMENTE......s­i SHIRLEY BASSEY ERA BUENA Y LO SIGUE SIENDO.....ESTA MUJER.....LO ERA MUCHO MAS.....SU VOZ ERA SUPERIOR..QUE YA ES DECIR.....pero es tan cierto como que lo oimos todos pro television aquel año.....

[bellini7verdi]

en este caso MIGUEL DE LOS SANTOS...presentaba a un medico español de importancia elevada y melomania de aficion.....ese medico tenia el disco en este pais...propiedad de el....y el comentario era que solo 29 personas mas lo tenian en el mundo.....y ademas.....el disco lo puso y se oyo perfectamente....un castrado de finales del siglo xIx que existia todabia por los años 30.....una pasada de voz metalica...increible......asi que a por el.....que todos queremos oirlo.....

[bellini7verdi]

es una noticia mundial para que lo sepa el comun de los mortales......es cierto y no es broma.....un gran presentador español de los años 70 lo saco por television....en unos programas especiales culturales de potente fuentes y buen gusto.el señor MIGUEL DE LOS SANTOS....uno de nuestros mejores presentadores de television y periodosta.

[bellini7verdi]

se que existen en el mundo solo 30 discos de el ultimo castrato grabado en los años 30 o 40 del siglo pasado.se que estan en manos de melomanos y colleccionistas ricos y adinerados que los tienen como joyas......por favor sacadlo para que sepan lo que era capaz de hacer ese hombre....se llevaba una orquesta por delante....solo joan sutherland lo ha logrado por encima de lso castrados

[bbbartolo]

@sfkcbf Air de Sesto is only 5 min. on MaleSopranos. ??

[sfkcbf]

@bbbartolo I once made a truncated video of this aria because it used to be that YouTube could not accept videos longer than 10 minutes. I'll check MaleSopranos to see if the complete version is there. If not, I'll upload it.

[cuirassier08]

une voix vraiment étonnante à entendre et à voir !!

[77Opera]

Impressionnante!

[PiosRodamanArt]

I don't have anything to add other than

Bravo! Bravissimo!

Pios

[rosangel123qw]

the most amazing male soprano.. greek power !! :D

[serenaluce]

@rosangel123q Really amazing! What is Greek power?:-)

[lmspr]

Wow! His coloratura is so clean and so incredibly fast. He makes it all seem so easy, as if he never needed to take a breath. The voice takes a while to get used to, but the coloratura is absolutely amazing!!

[sfkcbf]

Yes, you are right. I have hoped to hear of more recent sopranists to equal Aris; however, I have heard none. The great technical difficulties Aris had to conquer understandably result in an unusual tone and difficulty with enunciation; however, his male throat and beath capacity permit him to sing in a manner closer to that of a Baroque castrato than most women are able to because of their natural sound and lesser breath capacity. His vocal agility is amazing.

[2010wieliczka]

@lmspr It is close to 100 notes in 9 seconds. Cecylia Bartoli can it too :) I think voice of Cecylia is natural and in liryc arias is much more better than "falsetto", but in this aria voice should be like wind on the sea- sharp, prickly. It is quite good, I cant imagine sublime voice of Dariusz Paradowski in such fast music- it is not necessary at this point.

[greggreg03]

@2010wieliczka The legato technique is much more perfect than Bartoli's. Especially that B. absolutely lacks it. :)

[TahiraDarkmoon]

Aris is simply amazing!

[Falstaff85]

Many years ago i had some lectures about the history fo opera (on tape, no less) and this aria was included as an example of 'opera seria'. i've been searching for this singer ever since.

[aryah47]

@Falstaff85 TTC's How to Listen to and Understand Opera, w Greenberg as the lecturer by any chance? That brought me here too, to find out who's that amazing singer!

[Falstaff85]

@aryah47 It was indeed!

[greggreg03]

@aryah47 I am here for the same reason.

[fan2jnrc]

I adore this acrobatic falsetto.

Aris Cristofellis is absolutely the one to do that, there is no other countertenor for this, his voice is unrepeatable.

[serenaluce]

Stunningly beautiful! Great technique! Breathtaking indeed! Also great selection of pictures. Thanks for posting.

[vdenise]

breathtaking

[TheEternaut]

I have a question. Yesterday a very well known music teacher who dedicates his life to teach about the Great Music in the media in my country (Argentina) played this very aria as an example of a Sopranist's singing; and this teacher said this opera is actually called "Monctezuma" (please excuse the likely mispellings) and not "L'Olimpiade". Maybe this teacher made a mistake, but believe me, this guy knows big, big deal of music. Could anyone please confirm or refuse this fact? Thanks.

[idaspe]

¿A que maestro te referís? En 1er lugar, el aria fue escrita para un castrato soprano, no para un sopranista. En 2do lugar, es un aria de L'Olimpiade, no de Montezuma. Lo que sí es cierto es que para las 2 óperas Vivaldi contó con el mismo castrato soprano (Marianino Nicolini), que en L'Olimpiade tenía el rol de Aminta, y en Montezuma el rol de Asprano. Espero haberte aclarado algo, saludos ;-)

[TheEternaut]

Por tu lenguaje deduzco que sos argentino también, así que capaz que lo conocés: Marcelo Arce (tiene programas de radio y hace galas de apreciación musical por el país) Yo mencioné que la puso como ejemplo de un sopranista, NO que hubiese sido compuesta PARA sopranista. Pero sí me aclaraste mucho con tu comentario. De hecho, se nota que sabés un montón. Ojalá podamos conversar sobre el Gran Arte de la música en otro momento. Mil gracias por el mensaje!

[TheZacharyArneson]

Well, both operas were by Vivaldi, and it was common to take arias from other operas and put them in new ones, so it is entirely possible that this aria appears in both pieces.

I am not sure about Montezuma, but I do know that this aria is in L'Olimpiade

[Falstaff85]

@TheEternaut I have always always ALWAYS heard this aria associated with 'L'Olimpiade' by Vivaldi.

Don't forget, though: in the Baroque era (and after0 many composers used arias from one opera in another, as a way to include some well-known 'hits' in a new and untested opera.

I love 'El Eternauta', para que sepas

[singingtruth76]

@TheEternaut

There's no doubt that this aria is from Olimpiade. Motezuma is a Vivaldi's Opera which was belived lost up to a few years ago when an incomplete manuscript missing the first act was found. Shortly afterward it was recorded by Alan Curtis. "Siam navi all'onde algenti" was written by VIvaldi specifically for the famous castrato Marianino Nicolini, one of the best singers who worked with Vivaldi ever.

[TheEternaut]

@singingtruth76 Thanks a lot for the explanation my friend!

[dberiol]

Good work! Just a little thing about the lyrics... "algenti" doesn't mean "silver" but "cold".

Bel lavoro! Solo una cosa riguardo il testo... "algenti" non significa "d'argento" ma "fredde".

[shilpah]

If Farinelli had testicles.... and a chin!

But seriously, excellent work!

[lalungenuictdestens]

Castration surgery wasn't about extracting the testicles, it's what we call nowadays: Vasectomie, that's how it was done.

[Alicantino1976]

Puede que su voz no sea las más "cristalina" entre los sopranistas actuales pero su agilidad es única. Ya me gustaría escuchar a Radu Marian u otros interpretar este aria al tempo que lo hace él.

[brockjarrett789]

To use pure falsetto like this is incredible...

[xr1983kr]

amazing! fiato piu forte di jaroussky. tecnica insuperabile

[RaphaelMetal20]

maravilhoso!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­!!

[CanadaPisces]

A marvelous performance! TY!

[LordMagros]

como que: no esta mal!!!, esto no solo no esta mal!!! esto es magnifico!! gran Christofellis!!!

This interpretation is the best, Aris the best Sopranist, and in my opinion the best Aminta of the actuallity...

thanks!!

[jewish1972]

si, esta mucho mejor k en las dos interpretaciones k le he oido antes

[belcantista]

mmmmm no esta mal

[1loboestepario]

I have no words but thank you very very much to the one who has edited this video and thanks God for creating such a wonderful creature like Christofellis.

Amazing technique, amazing sentiment, amazing stile.

He shuoud never ever die.

[lalagonegaga]

For some inexplicable reason, this recording works for me like a time machine. It's odd, I know, but somehow, when I listen to it, I have the impression that I am hearing a direct broadcast from an 18th century opera house with one of the castrati superstars performing. I know it's irrational, this guy's voice is not even that good, but I think it is just the peculiarity that gives it its charm. Like there's a slight error in the transmission from three centuries ago. :)

[jewish1972]

you must consider that this guy has balls, has not been castrated, he can never be as good as a real castrato

[lalagonegaga]

As long as his art touches me, I don't really care.

[LohengrinT]

@lalagonegaga

I get the exact same feeling of listening an Old Era singer with Ewa Podles - perhaps it has to do with hermaphrodite voices in general

[singingtruth76]

@lalagonegaga

I totally understand what you mean as Christofellis' voice has the very same power on me. I believe Christofellis' voice is somehow totally beyond our times. But most importantly I do believe that what you say is the perfect demonstration of what outstanding artistic sensitivity, amazing talent and greast musical intelligence actually mean!

[kobemcgrady01]

i think it is very difficult to sing rapidly changing notes

[toddydelahov]

É simplesmente maravilhoso!!!!! perfeito! O Aris canta bem, tem uma voz esplendida, é lindo e pode tudo! è o cara!!!!!!

[jewish1972]

es bonito el portugues

[LaBohemienne8]

Just wow! Technique sounds a bit like Callas' I must say, the ease with which he sings the runs remind me of Callas. Must be the Greek origin.

[piluvv]

I mean it's unbelievable that a man is able to reach this clear high voice, nice :)

[piluvv]

i can't believe it, but georgous

[agdhani]

I love Aris, have for years. Thanks for this!

[websterlips]

excellent,loved it 5/5 thanks for posting :)

[emperoroberon]

Great pictures creepy voice

[Dacookstar]

Creepy? More like gorgeous.

[rabulio]

absolutely wonderful, did you find the pictures on the witcombe website ?

[mradaChris]

Are you sure it is falsetto? Sounded like head voice to me.

[mradaChris]

Holy smokes!  C6! Gosh I wish I could go that high so easily. Impressive!!