Gregory Kunde as Arturo " A te o cara" from I Puritani

[bluechazzan]

Who is the soprano? She is singing her parts too loud; she overpowers him. His voice is as even as they come. This clip was a fortunate discovery. Many thanks for posting.

[NMEnrique]

@bluechazzan you are so wrong i was there and he was drowning her all the time but because of the camera you think that she is louder. to the camera the female voice is more appealing while live the tenor is a lot louder

[mitegive]

BRAVO GREGORY

[weixiaoyu1986]

brava anche soprano!



[MrSkylark1]

Does not project, on verge of a wobble. Listen to SERGEI LEMESHEV.

[MariaCaIIas]

What excites me even more than his wonderful top notes is the tremendous beauty of line!

.

I know that agencies and politics of opera houses often do not let real stars shine as they should, but it always depresses me a bit when I hear such exceptional talents...

I mean the guy is obviously having a nice career anyway... However, he deserved to be a household name...

[baltoman24]

Gregory Kunde is amazing, a great singer, I was fortunate to see him in I Puritani here in Baltimore in 2004- a rare experience to hear singing of this quality live anywhere! thank you for this wonderful posting.

[craicheaDARA]

Kunde means Gay In KURDISH :))

[kiepura1902]

I agree with many of the posters. Why is this tenor not regarded and listed as one of the great singers of our epoche? In the German version of Wikipedia even doesn´t exist an article about him. The guy has a great voice. Maybe we cannot directly compare him with the real superstars of the Italian Opera as Caruso, Corelli, Pavarotti, Florez, di Stefano, etc. but he comes very close to them. Anyhow he has deserved much more attention than he did so far!!

[bugsbunny66]

I attended one of the performances of this I Puritani in 1987. Gregory Kunde has been seriously underated as a Bellini tenor.I would love to purchase a DVD or CD copy. Anyone know where?

[DragTas]

@bugsbunny66 Check out Premiere Opera. Google search should find you the site.

[bugsbunny66]

@DragTas Thank you very much . I ordered it today.

[bugsbunny66]

@DragTas Just recieved the Puritani DVD yesterday,

Thanks again

[CaptFitzbattleaxe]

Wow, Luciana Serra sounds a lot like...Gruberova!

Kunde has some very good notes; an enjoyable performance. A pity recording companies didn't try to take advantage of such an elegant Bellini tenor back in the 90s.

[gardygar]

I prefer Kunde's to all others.

[leprincebeaumont]

Favolosi entrambi! Uno dei duetti meglio eseguiti che abbia mai sentito.

[Nadir2711]

Le bel canto dans toute sa beauté...Les mots ne suffisent pas à traduire l'émotion suscitée en écoutant une telle page..Toutes les voix sont excellentes et Mr.Kundé un des meilleurs ténor qui soit dans ce rôle...son timbre est magnifique..sa ligne vocale superbe.....

Bellini méritait bien un tel interprête....

[paulofilhoful]

Perfeitos!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­!! Tenor e soprano absolutamente perfeitos! Bravo!

[luscinialuscinia]

I realy root for this guy. He's peculiar but I can hear real belcanto here. His brilliant high notes seem to bloom out of absolutely average middle range, But I like it, But I like It .....

[maxmarce]

Me encanta !!!

[totoplanet]

Esecuzione meravigliosa

[totoplanet]

Esecuzione meravigliosa

[PonselleLover]

Sublime.

[turbofreddy]

Magnificent

[inchiavedido]

magnifico

[mactopolis]

phenom!!!

[rabcio1]

Kunde is very cool and for me he is much much better than Florez, aunque I like flores in lighter repertoire.

[DTowersey]

gregory kunde is much better then juan diego florez!!!

florez vibratos are weird and he doesnt hit the note he always grows to it!!! i like florez! but they over valorize him!

kunde, youre awesome!!!

[girardje70]

J'étais présent a cette soirée a la place des Arts de Montreal,j'ai aimé cette soirée

ç'étais magnifique

[unotenore]

While Kunde gives a credible performance of this scene, he is by far not the best performer of the role as suggested by naddaclue1. Including Bocelli in the same breath with others who are serious opera singers shows a lack of serious knowledge of the art form.

Kunde is credible with considerable technique problems, but surely causes some swooning because of his looks.

[CONTESTAR]

I completely disagree with unoten... that his looks have anything to do with his spectacular interpretation of this entrance aria.

A C-sharp cannot be reached by a cute profile...

I actually wonder why he didn't reach the stardom that lesser singers have!

I do not hear any technical problems. I do not need the clichés that nobody is perfect. He is humanly perfect in this piece and that says a lot.

[naddaclue1]

I have heard all the performers on YouTube portraying Arturo, and though the sound quality of the broadcast does not lend it self well to his depth and richness of voice, Kunde is by far the best in this role. Bocelli also sings this well with the great Pavarotti a close 3rd. I do prefer Lady Sutherland as Elvira though and would liked to have seen this performance. As an aside.....I am not discounting any other performer this is just my humble opinion. not biased for a fav.

[alexninko]

@naddaclue1 Bocelli???

[flaze3]

@naddaclue1 Have to say I preferred John Osborn's version, though this is still a very good performance.

[luizapsm]

Excellent.. Wonderfull

LU and PV and Adelle

[potitodos]

Look Kunde is just great here, who can argue about it???? We dont have many left now of this quality...I don't agree that JDF is too thin he is just perfect. He's not european but he is one of the best now and for many years to come!!!

[cocoloco707]

bravo kunde!! very beutifull voice

[rouman7]

yes its ok. but i would still listen to kraus, first as he is better. and why settle for second best?

[jmahlon]

Why eat only one meal for the rest of your life when there are lots of different foods that are also delicious, and full of different flavors and experiences?

[rouman7]

your choice? not mine i would rather drive a rolls royce than a mini would,t you? he just does not match up to kraus , or di stefano. or lanza. for me its about not settling for second or 3rd best.

[jmahlon]

No I'd rather hear as many singers as possible who possess the requisite technique and artistry for this repertoire, than limit myself. I don't have to like one or two artists at the expense of all others.

[rouman7]

yes by all means listen to other , artists. as i do myself but donot kid yourself he is not in there league the ones i have said. i donot dislike him he.s ok but thats all the problem is be honest no new singer is as good as the past ones, i cannot think of one who in time will be remembed as the past tenors. i hope one day we get one to match the ones that have gone...

[jmahlon]

If the internet was around in the 60s and 70s I'm sure we would could do a search and find an almost identical statement against the 3 tenors you listed...although I dont think the original popera star Lanza belongs in the same category. I can't remember ever hearing a recording of him singing bel canto.

[rouman7]

you just might, many think jussi bjorling was the best ever. i don,t as for lanza many people dislike the route he took, but he has a superb voice. there will allways be someone better in other peoples eyes, but the 3 plus gigli. andcorreli you would find it hard to beat them, from any today. oh i missed Mcormack out he too was outstanding. i listen to many its just that todays just donot match up my opinion...

[enricodicapri]

You can add a lot of tenors to that list. I think Wunderlich beats many of the ones you named before. It all depends of which arethe parameters. Beaty of voice, Presence, Style, Technique. And sure Lanza was a superb voice and he had wonderful musicality but he never got to polish that. Ah, and before mackormack I would add Lemeshev!

[rouman7]

yes wunderlich, was a fine tenor too. but the great man himself said(caruso) Mcormack was the best. everyone has a diffrent taste, for pure raw talent on voice only not technique i give it to lanza. his voice gets to your soul, and on both voice, and technique i give it to kraus. many say bjorling was the best ever, but he is one who i never took too. not my taste i like many even pav, but kunde well he is only ok noway can he sing as good as kraus but hey thats my choice, ., ...

[enricodicapri]

You are wright, that´s your choice.

Good for you!

[enricodicapri]

IDoing this role he is for sure in kraus' league. May be not in others. but here he is. If we discuss if he is in the same level as kraus speaking of the hole package, there you are wright. sure Kraus was better and within the bests we had. But in puritani i prefer kunde's voice.

[enricodicapri]

Because Kunde is not second. his tone is more beautiful than kraus. In fille du regiment i with no doubt prefer Kraus over Kunde. Here it is the other way.

[lititzoperabuff]

Kunde is one of the bright spots in the tenor galaxy these days, with the deaths ten years ago of Kraus, and in 2007 of Luciano. There are few voices of this richness today - Florez is too thin - Alagna is a bit mercurial and doesn't do this piece often, etc. I only wich this were a better recording, as it has flaws which mask some of the beauty of the duet. Great job by both singers, but especially Kunde. Five Stars.

[martindogo]

precioso!!!

[Milordvega]

Oh my God, that high C sharp (or D?) at 2:45. One of the best tenor notes above high C that I have ever heard.

[cacahahacaca]

@Milordvega Yep, pretty amazing! C#

[gjhardy]

Brilliant, just brilliant!

[bergiacaimo]

Kunde è semplicemente BRAVISSIMO!!!

[voicefan]

Let me say just this again... heavenly !

[voicefan]

I like Gregory's singing Arturo better than Gedda

[liricoperart]

Grande Gregory !

[TheAdmiringFool]

Simply wonderful!!

[blakemooney]

Kunde is several light years ahead of Florez. Normally, every tenor mentioned is ahead of Florez. As a definition of singing there once was a Webster Dictionary descrirption of the human singing voice as "prolonged speech intensified." When Florez first sang it they changed that entry by adding two words: "and thinned." I read about this in St. Louis back in 1918.

[saagua1953]

Yes he is better than Florez in this and in most Bellini. He has a heavier voice that can be colored better than Florez's always thin, white tone.

[dvdgrog]

This is one of those melodies that sounds like it must have always existed. Bravo Bellini! As for who is better among gods like Kunde and Florez, it's a waste of time to argue. Each rules in their own way. As for Serra, she seems to be singing in a different key altogether!

[Taiririko]

Beautiful!

[54spiritedwill54]

This is one of the best A te o cara I've ever heard.

[faust05]

Bravissimo Gregory! BRAVISSIMO!

[oden60]

Grazie a Oneguin65 ho potuto vedere questa rarità dai Puritani datata 1987: un già fantastico Kunde di 20 anni addietro e la belcantista Serra, dotata di un virtuosismo vocale non comune, giunta alla ribalta internazionale, dopo molta "gavetta", all'inizio anni 80 quale splendida Lucia e via via sino al repertorio rossiniano e franco-tedesco.

Coppia fantastica!!!!

[girardje70]

this one is better

[ultracam]

Dears

Kunde´s fantastic voice seems a lyric tenor sometimes...notwithstanding, Florez´s has , to me, a faster vibrato, unique. Both are splendid, maybe Florez more stratospherical, Kunde has a kind of Gedda´s way, a more robust .

Regards

[herartjilen]

I love this aria, its maybe my favorite, and i like Kundes interpretation, but Florez its maybe better for me.

[luenendonk1]

I dont think so. Kunde has a much healthier and more professional sound and technic than florez. Cheers.

[Mooorhe]

Not true at all, Florez's technique is much more secure than Kunde's... Florez's breath support is perfect.

[dragig00]

superbe video bravo

[Devereux82]

Superb Maestro!

[mrtyles]

have any of you heard lawrence brownlee? he sounds a lot like kunde.

[SarrasaniPianoCircus]

Maybe not enormous voice, but what clarity and what a pleasurable legato!

[cambrasmacho]

You are wrong. The music was made for a Leggiero Tenor, not for a Lyrical.

[Dymension]

You're all wrong. It's for the tenor that can sing it. There have been a variety of tenors who have sung it, from Pavarotti, Gedda, Kraus, di Stefano, etc. I think Gregory reminds me more of Kraus than anyone. It's a leggero with a real healthy body to it. He's singing here in Chicago currently with the Symphony: Damnation of Faust.

[tehen162]

He has a surprisingly big voice live.

[Etariko]

Finding this clip on Youtube just made my day! Thank you very much for posting it Oneguin65.

[mrtyles]

wow that high c was almost as good as pavarotti's.

[corellilover]

it´s actually a high d flat

[CONTESTAR]

His legato is stunning

[bellinianodoc]

Did you ever listen Kunde in theatre? I listened him in Sonnambula. Helas, his voice was so little that it as very hardly audible...

[RADAMES1983]

Kunde is wonderfull! thank you very much!

a realy liryc high belcanto tenor! And how beautifull his interpritation!!

I listen it every day and every time i find somthing new and feel a really huge joyfull!

thank you!

[iubanne]

Luciana Serra, with a voice so sweet girl ... and was one of the few to be able to give a reading very particular to the character of Elvira! not a major item .. but a small voice capable, especially n this work, d give a single reading more rare. I love the Caballè in this role

[Anandakala]

Open your ears! Luciana Serra sounds beautiful and partners Kunde perfectly. It's a lovely performance from both of them (and the chorus)

[pohalloran85]

hes amazing..the soprano...uggggg

[pohalloran85]

its not fair...its like he doesnt have a passagio...then again...he probab cant sing some of the fun dramatic stuff..take waht u get u know

[agnellodei]

Both the high C# and the high F are just half notes, why do tenors hold them for a full measure usually? hahaha. Still, great singing.

[tenormaniati]

If i could sing them like he does, I would hold them at least two full measures...

[HighNotesRenaissance]

A friend of mine told me that "A te o cara" seems to have been written for him. And I AGREE, of course! Splendid.

[periodictable47]

Yes, he's just beautiful in this role, perfectly matched to it.

[aspsingr]

this is the best a te o cara i have heard its just so smooth

[mertsungu]

Elegance! Dignified! Viva Kunde!

[dxhty]

I have no idea why is this man not celebrated as a Great American Tenor. In fact why do Americans not give tenors their due when they come along and sing as brilliantly as this.

[rafaeldeaguiar]

WOW!!! Unbeatibul version of this aria... :0

[jesuisravi]

A splendid voice.

[CONTESTAR]

I mean this is a stunning performance and irrelevant of whatever happened to have set his career back at some point, it is a shame that he wasnt a regular in the recording business and the major theatres before...

[iriisblue]

This is splendid. Kunde is not the greatest of voices, but negotiates this expertly. I sang with him in the 80s and he was a thoughtful, well-respected colleague.

[monamourBB]

Beautiful voice Perfect performance,I dont care the size of the voice.I like his Les Troyensas well..

Bravo

[DragosCojocaru]

Magnifico!

[maxmarce]

Que bueno!!!!

[Roscieto]

I wonder why he's not so famous.

[Oneguin65]

Mr. Kunde had a serious problem of health in the middle of the 90 and that separated something him of the great operatic circuits.

[Roscieto]

Well that sucks. He sounds really ultimately awesome.

[tenorbear60]

Beautifully sung Mr. Kunde, very elegant and musical. This is such a throat killer... I had the C# but the rest of where the aria lies is a real test to get through. I've always loved this music and I can't really express why... perhaps its so simple and sincere. Anyway, this guy KILLED it. Coming down from the C# was actually kind of soulful and sexy. Go figure!

[matiasquiroz80]

impresionante,muy bien

[monumentfloyd]

Yes, but they can they sing San Antonio Rose?

[Ahdren]

what a lovely and pure voice of absolute correct taimbre to tackle this highly taxing piece. Wonderful

[mezereum]

verdaderamente una magnificente interpretacion

[darewolf]

This is one of the best A te o cara I've ever heard.

[KenViewer]

Thank you.

[CONTESTAR]

It's amazingly musical, beautiful, and this killer-aria sounds like the easiest song on earth as it is done by him here.... L.Sera beautiful with poised tone as ever.

[flaitehunter]

What a wonderful voice of Kunde !!! great phrasing and musicality.

[piimargall]

Gràcies també. No sabia res de Gregory Kunde. I ho fa molt bé.

[bugsbunny66]

Thank you so much for posting this video!

I saw this performance in 1987 and have never heard anyone sing this aria as beautifully as Mr. Kunde.

I wish I knew where I could get a copy of this definitive I Puritani.

[MrGuizot]

I'd like to hear more about the original performance--CDC doesn't ring a bell! Where was it? Why havent I heard about these singers (well that was rhetorical, sorry)

It has a nice tempo and relaxed elegant feel--wonderful singers!

[bugsbunny66]

This is a video recording of a performance at Opera de Montreal in 1987. It was broadcasted on CBC televison in Canada.