Nicholas Spanos:"Frondi tenere" & "Ombra mai fu" from Handel's Serse

[SongForHeart]

wow... un bellissimo uomo con una voce stupenda...wow....handsome with a beautiful voice....great...wow..un hombre bello con una voz muy particular...

[serenaluce]

@SongForHeart L'uomo e' veramente bellissimo e sexy:-), e la sua voce e' stupenda e divine! E' la miglior versione sul YT (la mia parere:-)) Bravissimo il nostro unico Nikos Spanos!

[gwedielwch]

Thank you Plavos. These Youtube recordings of Spanos are amazing. His sound is so pure, strong - and brave. Listening to them, I am filled with wonder and sheer joy.

[serenaluce]

@gwedielwch And I feel the same too: sheer joy is the right description since I discovered for myself Nicholas Spanos's divine voice 2,5 years ago:-). Dear friend, Happy New year to you and to all Spanos's fan club!:-)

[CastraDiva]

Spanos has a horrible voice but he's so cute =P

[serenaluce]

@CastraDiva Dear Castrata Diva,is for you the best voice,NOT horrible voice is Cecilia Bartoli who claims that she is "the most castrated castrato ever"and talks nonsense that she with her SUPERCIAL visceral special effects can really put "a man's voice into a woman's body" and even show how approximately GREAT CASTRATI like Farinelli could SOUND? Cara, first educate yourself what a COUNTERTENOR voice is and then judge who really has a horrible voice:-). Also, PJ is "cute", Spanos is HANDSOME!:)

[CastraDiva]

@serenaluce I don' t like bartoli but why are you mentioning her name? I don't like Spanos voice is that a crime? I am free to like or dislike whatever I want! there are countertenors I really like but Spanos, musically, isn't my cup of tea.

[serenaluce]

@CastraDiva No,it's not a crime that Spanos isn't your cup of tea,but your cup of coffee:-)I mentioned Bartoli here as I thought you made a fun of her ugly version of CASTA DIVA , and also that she sings THIS great aria in the ugliest manner possible claiming that she is "the castratiest castrato" possible! So, I made fun of YOUR user's name CASTRATA DIVA? It is a crime?:-)I just wonder why Spanos has his big fan club, and so many people find his voice BEAUTIFUL, DIVINE and why horrible for YOU?

[MrDizzyvonclutch]

Sorry man i just started taking vacal lessons and i'm having probelems finding man who sound like men . I can tell yur angry, i really don't care. for me to see a man singing like a little boy is sickening. so you go on ahead with your liberal education with your stupid big nose stuck up in the air thinking your better than everyone elsi. and stay angy too so you can fit in with all the other liberal bullshit bickering assholes.

[serenaluce]

@MrDizzyvonclutch Sorry man, but it's not MY problem or countertenors' problem that you have just started taking vocal lessons and English lessons at all. I can tell you have very little inner culture and you are a very arrogant asshole, but I don't care either. Actually I'm a woman, but it doesn't make any difference. If YOU can't find men singing like men, it's YOUR own problem! If for you ALL CTS sing like little boys and you can't tell Spanos singing as MATURE MAN from PJ too BAD for YOU!

[serenaluce]

@MrDizzyvonclutch Also, go to videos of bassi profondi and with your NOT liberal education write there that they don't sing like MEN and such low sounds are just INSANE to produce, and they come from hell. Normal men shouldn't sing lower than regular basses, and it's SICKENING. Personally I can't stand BASSI PROFONDI but I don't go to their videos and don't write all this with my "liberal bullshit". Tastes differ. But it's YOU who showed up here with your "stupid big noes stuck up in the air.."!

[fourmy1060]

As I said before, I find this piece overwhelmingly wonderful. The aria begins in a wonderful sotto voce undertone, growing, ever growing until you think it could not do so any more. But it does, until a moment later the sound ripens into the full blossom of beauty that only Spanos can offer. Somehow the informality of the clothes also adds to the wonder, turning an ordinary moment into a true gift from God. This is my favourite ever version of this world-famous page of music.

[MrDizzyvonclutch]

ugh! horrible! where's the men that sing like men at. yeah cough more audience please.

[serenaluce]

@MrDizzyvonclutch Dear, if you don't know what countertenor voice is, please educate yourself on the subject first and then show those who understand and appreciate it very much YOUR own ignorance and prejudice. REAL COUNTERTENORS, not fake ones like that overpromoted POP FALSETTIST Philippe Jaroussky from the same category as Vitas and Klaus Nomi are men, and sound like MEN! No matter how high normal men who don't pretend like falsettists that they are women or boys always sound like MEN!

[sotevag]

Beautiful voice Nick!

[experimentalis]

ένα μεγάλο ευχαριστώ!

[OlDoinyo]

Fine musicianship and vocal timbre. It could use a bit more connectedness--the character's sense of relief at finally attaining the shade of the tree is a little bit there, but not as palpable as it could be. Concert performances are always more difficult to pull off in this regard, as the stage context is not physically there, to be fair. I wonder why he was miked--surely he did not really need it in this venue?!

[serenaluce]

@OlDoinyo Hi, nice to meet you again:-). Actually, I don't understand what exactly you mean by this "connectedness". I feel perfect relief at attaining the shade of the tree listening to Spanos's interpretation:-). It's smooth, effortless, very connected, exquisite vibrato in "soave piu'"! True sense of relief right in the character of Serse. Spanos is creating this image very palpable for me. I think that his rendition is just too good to be true!:-) Using mikes is a common practice outdoors...

[serenaluce]

@OlDoinyo... taking into consideration accoustics. As for me I've never heard an outdoor performance without a microphone. Even indoor accoustics can be bad depending on a venue. I remember in Novosibirsk Opera theatre there's just awful accoustics. They built it during the second World War with somewhat mistakes in the construction. So, there are "accoustic holes" there, and what you hear depend on where you sit. In some places it sounds the singer has no voice, while he or she has strong one..

[king3rnie]

wow, just wow - this rendition was soooo special

big THX for posting

[seempels]

@fourmi1060

Thank you for your kind words fourmi. I have listened to every rendition of this I can find (it has taken a long time, broadband problems) and there is just something about Spanos singing this that makes it the best. Maybe because he 'feels' it or maybe it's his amazing voice or both.

I cannot wait till Tuesday when hopefully I will be able to listen without pausing all the time.

[serenaluce]

@seempels I think it's both that Spanos feels it and it's his amazing voice. It's impossible to explain how a UNIQUE artist creates this MAGIC! It's just the HIGHEST ART! ...I understand you so well as I had big problems with my Internet connection not long ago too. But now I have Hispeed wireless Internet, and it's pure magic too!:-) So, I'm holding my fingers crossed for you!:-) Hope this Tuesday will be the crucial day for you too!:-) Good luck!

[seempels]

My new passion...Baroque music.

I have spent a while listening to every rendition of this I could find on YT. Some are very good, some are plain awful but Spanos does have that 'something' that lifts his version head and shoulders above all the rest.

I don't know if I can or want to analyse it but it touches somewhere deeper than any other singer's version does.

[serenaluce]

@seempels Welcome to the wonderful world of baroque music!:-) You couldn't choose a better artist to be your guide in this fascinating journey! I appreciate your taste!:-) It just proves my point that those who still CAN and WANT to listen WILL hear this INCREDIBLE BEAUTY, which this unique artist generously shares with us. This aria is about SHEER BEAUTY, I don't think one should analyse it too much!:-). As you say:"It touches somewhere deep and makes the spirit soar". The best analysis:)Brava

[seempels]

@fourmi1060

Amis? Mon pere etait educait a un ecole militaire en Antwerp.

[seempels]

@fourmi1060

Je fais de mon mieux, monsieur ant. I have sent links to his videos to many people. He will be world famous as he is simply the best.

[serenaluce]

@seempels Absolutement!:-)

[seempels]

@fourmi1060

Everytime I listen to this (and I listen non-stop) I find something new to appreciate. You make a very good comment, his control is superb and and his purity of sound is, as you say, a true gift from God.

[miguale]

Absolument superbe ! Quelle pureté ...

Magnifique ! je suis sous le charme.. merci.  Michèle

[seempels]

I have only just discovered countertenors so am not qualified to join the debate...yet!

The only thing I can say is this makes the hairs on my arms stand on end.....it is real 'soul' music, it reaches and touches somewhere deep and makes the spirit soar. I LOVE Nicholas Panos's voice and his emotion. This is truly special.

[serenaluce]

@seempels I think that you are more "qualified" to discuss music than many professionals who give a long boring detailed analysis of a rendition, mention that a performer sings "by the notes", know all the musical terms and can detect right away in what key he or she is singing but can't hear that this artist sings without any soul and sincerely emotions! I also feel sorry for those professionals who show off their knowledge but can't "fly away" to a better world listening to the BEAUTY like IT!

[arpeggio1358]

@fourmi1060 Yes, Nicholas is a brilliant artist, but credit goes to you, too, for your incisive comment.

[serenaluce]

@arpeggio1358 I guess the main credit still goes to Nicholas for being a brilliant, unique artist whose singing is just from a better world but a lot of credit is also for your and fourmi's brilliant comments!:-)

[arpeggio1358]

@serenaluce Lots of credit goes to you, too, for all your fine comments on Nicholas's artistry.

[serenaluce]

@arpeggio1358 Thank you:-). If my comments are FINE, they are only caused by the FINEST artist!:-)

[arpeggio1358]

@serenaluce He really is the FINEST artist!. And your comments are FINE, too!

[arpeggio1358]

Once again, Nicholas Spanos proves why he's one of the very best countertenors around. His technique and breath control and phrasing are sheer perfection. fourmi1060 is right. Spanos carries, cnotrols, and sculpts the melody. Very well put, fourmi1060.

[arpeggio1358]

Once again, Nicholas Spanos proves what a perfect countertenor he is. His technique and breath control are excellent. Each note is a thing of beauty. Fourmi is right, Spanos gives us the melody controlled and sculpted. i couldn't have said it better.

[serenaluce]

@fourmi1060 You are not alone in finding this overwhelming! It's really a gift grom God! It's simply the best version, and really the more you listen to it the more you like it! Spanos's great art has such a power! It's overwhelming...Nothing short of a miracle...

[derbeh]

Indescribable. The warm sensual nature of his voice gently touches the ears, as if with warm gentle breath - I feel like I have somehow been ravaged with beauty.

[plavos]

I attended this recital : Singing outdoors, just with piano, the wind blowing fiercely at times, before a small audience; the video is NOT edited. Still, the quality of musicianship is outstanding. Imagine this voice in proper environment, with a good orchestra and better conditions...

[serenaluce]

You see, I'm right!:-) I'm happy that you can understand and appreciate it too!:-)

[serenaluce]

You are absolutely right. I am beginning to run out of superlatives too:-) wonder too what more could anyone ask! If you understand it, I understand it, I wonder why there are so few comments on this version?! Everybody who listens to it is just stunned and speechless?!:-)

[serenaluce]

Actually there are more words in the recitative than in the aria itself:-) Though I like Kowalski's version very much, his coloratura in this aria seems a bit too plain to me. Taylor's version is wonderful - high and very beautiful, ethereal timbre, and with an orhestra! But I prefer Spanos's even higher version because of his more beautiful, warmer tone and the most exquisite very light coloratura!

[serenaluce]

There are so many interpretations of this one of the most famous Baroque arias ever. Only 10 words but it's pure magic! Spanos's version is very beatiful in it's own original way! Very beautiful coloratura! Enchanting voice!

[PAVUL0N]

Good job!