Brian Asawa Countertenor 02

[danielleosimpson]

Bravi! Well done both!

Daniel Léo Simpson

Composer

San Francisco

[klemperer100]

splendido !!!

anche la versione in disco diretta da Rousset e' bellissima, anzi, in disco canta ancora meglio, con maggior partecipazione emotiva.

[Schwanengesang415]

beautiful!

[Christofellis88]

bravo, bellissima voce, ma freddo e privo di mordente.

[pepix54]

@Christofellis88 Agree!

[bbbartolo]

strange he needs the score--when was this shot? he's a star in the "Mitridate Re di Ponce" set I own, (whence this aria) along with Bartoli and a terrific cast. He's supposed to be an adolescent, I think, thus an appropriate register.

[RoyalSnowbird]

Good voice but not enough power to it here - he would almost need to be microphoned here as a few of his other performances. . . - yet there is talent here!

[TranslucentPlenum]

If you didn't see the video yet heard the audio you wouldn't be able to tell it's a man.

[ykaiilah]

Not true.

[ivancito18]

me encanta ese tipo de voz!!!

[avatarprimus]

sublime!!!

[intietereo]

de locos

[keretceres]

I like his voice.... it doesnt have the slightly forced nasal qualities of most countertenors... myself included

[tommyboyfierce]

true

[rbryanh]

Fixed, wooden, and wearing an expression of controlled terror more commonly associated with dental work... It's hard to hear the voice when it looks as though he's expecting the finale to be removed from him with pliers.

[sfkcbf]

If one had time to listen to most countertenor recordings available today, Andreas Scholl's recording of this composition must be one of the most amazing and satisfying of all. His technique is precise and clear, his da capo tasteful, and his tone remains beautiful thoughout. His skill defies explanation.

[chumscrubber0lover]

Oh my gosh, his voice sounds like a woman's. That is absolutely fascinating! I never even knew countertenors existed!! It's fantastic that an interest in such realms of music are still so prevalent and popular!

[dbrel]

I would agree with several -- I have a recording of Jake Heggie pieces with Asawa, and I am just not impressed. The voice is not up to the hype, and seeing him here singing off of a score makes it worse. Plus, I find him cold -- just nothing behind the notes.. Daivd Daniels blows him out of the water -- not even in the same class..

[richardfactory]

Hi! Im a counter tenor in So-Cal. Do you know his contact? I wanna meet him!

[vlnvlaclogbaerhpno]

decent, but Brian, you're supposed to add some variation by means of ornamentation when you repeat the first section of the area. you didn't do any of that. why not just give us a sedative? you have so much talent, but you need to release yourself. a great recording of this aria to listen to is Jochen Kowalski's. keep up the good work. just let go, emote, and for god's sake, add some ornamentation when you have a repeated theme in this kind of music!!!

[vlnvlaclogbaerhpno]

sorry, i DO know how to spell....a-r-i-a, NOT 'area'

[makoto174]

This aria is as you say a typically da capo aria, so the repeated part is supposed to be sung with some additional ornamentationsl. But in the case of this aria, I cannot help but wonder whether adding ornamentation will turn out to consequently have a good effect or not. I am sure that the omission of ornamentation is not his innabity to do so.

[garden0fgraves]

he just sounds like a so-so female alto.

[urgrad03]

Why the HELL is he still reading this music out of his score for at this point? He's not sounding as great as one would imagine considering all the hype.

[dbutlin]

Sorry but Daniels is still better! Daniels is a lot less inhibited and his voice is much more emotive...well that's how I feel anyway.

[herculesihk]

Could anyone tell me which opera and role does this aria come from? Thank you.

[Vaslav72]

This aria is Venga pur, minacci e frema from Mitridate, re di Ponto. I suppose the role is Mitridate.

[sluttyRuth]

you got the aria right but the role is farnace, older son of mitridate.

[Cmac1528]

The role is Farnace.

[gnnoriega]

He sings quite good, but with the faces he makes, he looks like a frightened little lamb XD hahaha

[beezoid27]

It's all about opening the inner resonance of the pharynx :)

[Gerwent47]

For me, he's not an artist with poetry. it's "machine" with trebles ! listen the first falsetti, as Alfred Deller, René Jacobs, Henri Ledroit. I wish that you will understand.

[gehaktmolen]

i don't like his voice, sorry..:o Idd, he sounds boring, not a nice sound. Andreas Scholl for the win:D

[altosuperior]

I agree lionelpower. It's bit camp also. And I can't believe a singer of Brian Asawa's ability (I'm not disputing the fact that he's brilliant singer) is giving a recital with a score.

David Daniels' recording of this is definitive (in my humble opinion, of course).

[dalem]

Isn't it the etiquette, that you play with the score, unless it's an orchestra accompanying you? (As in, chamber music) You can see, he rarely looks at the score.

[lionelpower]

The bravura arias are not for him...

[correpetitor]

It's a little bit boring and all the time the same color...

[berlingoski]

Very Good, loved it, I'd say he's become my 2nd fav, right after Master Scholl. The way he sings Questo cor non cederá, right before the pause really beautiful. Someone clapped at the pause LOL. That happens when you listen to some musical piece for the first time and don't know whether it's a pause or the end hehehe.

[tinofilipino]

I've grown attached to this song. I sing it all the time. Good ol Mozart

[Asterionu]

Venga pur! one of the best Countertenor arias :D

and asawa! asawa rulz!