Cesare Siepi & Giulio Neri - Don Carlo Duet

[lyricaccademy]

Sono le più belle voci di basso .Sono semplicemente due GIGANTI!!!Mezzosoprano Nicoletta Ciliento.

[Sieglinde84]

Tremendous. Neri really sounds like an ancient evil, some sepulchral creature, and it's a very nice pairing with Siepi's more velvety voice. I like when Filippo and the Inquisitor demonstrate the difference between cantante and profondo.

[AulicExclusiva]

I heard Siepi live, as Don Giovanni, Figaro, King Philip, Mephistophélès and Colline in La bohème. He did not have a huge voice, but it was perfectly placed on the breath, and one could always hear him perfectly. It carried, because of the clarity of his vocal emission. One could also always understand every word he sang. He was a first-rate musician, a real bel-canto technician, and a good actor. And very handsome, too. He looked like an Italian Prince. Quite a singer!

[bassbaritone60]

che Meraviglia !!

[marcellny]

my f...ing lord. giulio neri and cesare siepi. hahaha neri makes siepi sound almost like a tenor. and siepi is one of my heroes.

[bodiloto]

Sublimi entrambi !

[federricoilgrande]

Siepi ottimo, significa ogni frase che dice, Neri ha solo una gran bella voce

[gemelloblanka]

Cesare Siepi, a true bass. Giulio Neri, a true deep bass.

[Sieglinde84]

Wonderful duet. I'm a bass addict, and they make it really great.

(But speaking of Langdon: is there a version with him too? He owns the recording of Billy Budd so intensively that he must have been great in this too.)

[WhiteProfondo]

bass adicted? Such people exists? Cool( I´m a bass, too;-) ) Normally most people loves tenors, but have very great "respect" for basses, so its nice to read that women also can love bass-voices! :-)

[Sieglinde84]

Oh yes. Baritones and basses are the true men, and IU can't understand why those sopranos prefer the tenor. Now if I was Leonora or Elisabeth, operas would end differently. :D

Even the most wicked bass characters have a certain charm. *addicted to Hagen and Claggart*

[WhiteProfondo]

Hey, you´re beginning that I like you ;-) You´re a true woman! I´m looking forward singing Herrmann, Daland and Escamillo...would you like to be my Carmen? ;-)

[Sieglinde84]

Actually, I want to re-start singing lessons when I'll have the money for it. Carmen would most likely fit my range, although my former teachers couldn't decide what I am. But that was about 8 years ago. Lower regions are more comfortable.

[WhiteProfondo]

Wow, you´re maybe Alt??? GREAT!! I love dark woman-voices!! Don´t say to me, you look attractive, beacuse then you would be dangerous for me ;-)

Yeah, I know, private singing lessons are quite expensive, I know that. I studying in Berlin, there aren´t high studying-costs... Would like to meet you! Thanks for your "invitation"!

[Sieglinde84]

I don't think Alto, either a dramatic mezzo or a heavier dramatic soprano. I could go over high C when I was studying.

Well, attractive, I don't know. :D

Berlin isn't that far from Hungary...

[WhiteProfondo]

Great, big voices are rare so you just have to keep up your training! Then you come to Berlin and sing for Bachelor/ Master, I will guide you ;-)

But...maybe...that depends on your charm:D...you shouldn´t get in my way, I have a girl-friend...:-)

So don´t make me weak,ok?^^

[Sieglinde84]

Oh, don't worry. I'm not Lulu. :D I'm better a good girl.

[WhiteProfondo]

But please give me a favour and have fun at singing in future, ok? Maybe one day we can have a look at each other!?;-) Enjoy your life and find the path of your heart; it´ll be the best one you can follow...

[Sieglinde84]

I will. :D Don't worry.

[zoetta74]

@WhiteProfondo Tenor, not Baritone, is the most common male voice in all the world (as my teacher always says). True baritonal "timbro" is not so common as everyone could think. Moreover, Bass singer are very rare, expecially for Profundo repertoire. That's because is so easy to be addicted, as I am too (and I'm only a poor Dramatic tenor ;-P).

[stefanbassi]

Neri never made it to Covent Garden. He died of a heart attack just before the premiere. Michael Langdon stepped in and performed admirably as the grand inquisitor. There exists however a studio recording with Christoff as Filippo and Neri as the inquisitor. For me Siepi was the greatest Filippo of all time and Neri and Hines the grandest of all grand inquisitores.

[Varsonoviev]

I've read that Neri went to Covent Garden to sing the Inquisitor opposite Christoff as Phillip. It rahter puzzles me that I've hear that he sang the King.Any idea if he did, or,if not as to why?He was definitely a stellar performer.

[TatitiLatulipe]

Magnifique interprétation. Même 50 ans après, elle reste moderne et au niveau. Wouah ! Et Verdi est extraordinaire avec ce thème d'Opéra dramatico - lyrique. Merci pour ce cadeau musical. Que du bonheur ^^

[lmspr]

This is one of my favorite versions of this duet. Totally amazing voices.

[operabuff1]

this is greatness!

[orsothecat]

I never saw Neri, but many years ago I found a record of basso arias he had made. I've been looking all over (Italy, NYC) for a copy ever since. Does anyone know where one can be found? By the way, the Ghiaurov/Talvela recording is not too shabby.

[docoud]

For Giulio Neri try "Lebendige Vergangenheit

[orsothecat]

Thanks kindly for the lead, but it wasn't there. Nevertheless, it's a good site to know about.

[Funghiallapanna]

Preiser does have a Neri CD on their Lebendige Vergangenheit series. It's #89580 and contains brani from BARBIERE, RIGOLETTO, DON CARLO, AIDA, GIOCONDA, BOHEME and MEFISTOFELE. The RIGOLETTO scena with Taddei is very impressive and Neri's final low note is stunning, cavernous, black and just keeps going. A great Sparafucile!

[bassoprof]

Just great! Such deep, powerful, expressive voices... These people give us great joy andddd... great inferiority complexes.

[canafinwe]

Neri's voice is tremendous and sounds really a very old man.

It's a pity he died so early. :(

[cameratamaestro]

Neri had a huge voice, there's no doubt, although I did not see him live. He died young from a brain tumor. Siepi told a friend of mine, "If Neri had lived he would have put us all out of business." Maybe Siepi was just being modest but I think he was commenting on Neri's greatness. To me, the most thrilling Inquisitore I ever saw was Hines with Plishka in 1980.

[primobaritono]

Yes, Neri was surely tremendous. His top was not comparable to Siepi or Hines however. I personally find Siepi was the Greatest basso of his generation and with Jose Mardones the Greatest in the history of recording. I wrote him this in a personal letter a month ago also. He was absolutely stupendous as an interpreter, actor and vocalist. A true legend and inspiration.

[robertwbecker]

You wrote a letter to Siepi? I would love to write him myself to tell him how much he has influenced my life. I began the study of singing at age 18 after hearing him and to this day I am still performing and a student of voice, 44 years later! Thanks for this posting!

[1donpizarro]

@cameratamaestro Did he? I know it does't matter a lot, but I always heard that Giulio Neri died from a heart attack. He was young, anyway, since he died at only 49 years old.

[marokt]

You can find a really great bass very rare. It's a fantastic joy if you hear TWO great basses.

[wotan3000]

Don't let recordings fool you - Domingo sounds like he has a robust voice on a recording- so they mic him live to make up for the difference.

Siepi's voice was ginormous. Listen to Siepi/Hines in Siepi's debut. Same selection - different result. AGAIN both huge voices.

Anyone who heard them life able to comment? I would like to know how it soudned live.

[primobaritono]

My dad heard him sing Mephistopheles. He says Siepi not only had a huge sound with a lot of ring, but had an unbelievably captivating stage-presence as well.

Cesare Siepi was perhaps the greatest bass that has ever lived.

[wotan3000]

What I have heard is similar. I would have loved to have heard him live. As I would have lover to have heard so many of the older singers live.

Specifically, did your father have the chance to hear Neri and comment on his vocal size?

Other basses to love - Ezio Pinza, Nazzareno De Angelis, Jose Mardones, and Adamo Didur.

[primobaritono]

Unfortunately he never heard Neri live.

I get so jealous when he tells me of the great singers he has heard. Simon Boccanegra with Warren,Christoff and Tebaldi. Or Andrea Chenier with Warren & Tucker....I'm so jealous lol !!!

[hologramlink108]

From I read so far, the best and most impressive basses of that generation were Neri and Deangelis, for central and singing basses.

[Funghiallapanna]

Giulio Neri and Nazzareno De Angelis were really from different generations. Neri was born in 1909 and De Angelis in 1881. However, because Neri died so tragically young he only died 4 years before De Angelis (1958/1962 respectively) but Neri was 49 when he died and De Angelis 81.

[12010830]

I heard him alive as Philip great voice superb technic never tough just singing flowless in any range never lost colour in high without artificially darkening his voice, Hines I heard him alive in Gounod Faust mephistopheles fearful and playful huge voice, Neri is famous and a huge voice on recordings he sang these secondary roles I would love to have some Fiesco, Oroveso or Don Silva with him

[Funghiallapanna]

I heard Siepi (and Hines) many times. Siepi was the greatest basso of my time (and I saw Ghiaurov, Christoff, Hotter and many others.) Siepi's voice was big, beautiful and all-enveloping. He had it all: voice, technique, musicianship, brains, looks, acting ability, stage presence and big personality.

[orsothecat]

In the 1960s I saw Siepi several times at the old Met in Faust, among other roles, and saw Hines' Inquisitor. They both had sizeable voices that could fill the hall and be heard at the back of beyond.

[Funghiallapanna]

Siepi had a large, resonant voice, extremely velvety and smooth. Hines was also big but a rougher more gruff sound, compared to Siepi. The one who was truly enormous was young Ghiaurov --- just a wall of sound. I heard them all. Neri's home base was Rome and I never heard him live. My heart belongs to Siepi but I was a big Ghiaurov admirer as well. The Filippo/Grande Inquisitore scene which was the most exciting was with Ghiaurov and Martti Talvela (with Abbado conducting). Two titans.

[rovingdesertfox]

@wotan3000 I was sitting in the highest balconey when attending Romeo and Julliete with Domingo around

1970 or so. His top pressed me into my seat. I've never felt anything like that in my life. Maybe you are being fooled.

[wotan3000]

@rovingdesertfox

i haven't logged into this account for a while. funny to see a reply to a 2 year old comment.

i should be more clear.... with domingo, the burnished "baritone" sound is misleading. that part of domingo's range does not penetrate. domingo does have a nice bloom and penetration with his high notes. even as of a couple years ago, his high notes were the high point (pun intended).

what i know, i know first hand in this case.

[twizzle99]

oooh, siepi seems to have a small voice compared to neri..? well magnificent duo anyway

[Moffolover]

Great scene, and great basses.

[Trojanman21c]

neri's voice is HUGE. holy crap

[bobom1]

thanks for posting this! really good stuff. Love Siepi's top F at the end...