Rolando Villazon " Che gelida manina" La boheme NYCO

[corzoidor]

Que cosa tan aburrida este Villazon.A pesar de su buena voz no tiene agarre,no emociona ni convence su actuacion desapasionada(Tampoco su fisico lo ayuda) A veces es comico el resto patetico......pero tiene la voz.

[GERMANYFrankie]

I think he is not a Tenor!

[SirMagnet]

Lo MAXIMO!! Bravisimo Rolando Bravisimo!!!



[redhotchiliangel]

Its a high B.

[hgburgin]

wrong key. This is Ab coorect pitch, not G.

[henkjmueller]

so he is not singing a high C?

[Bonnie95XD]

@jaketaz , actually is one of the best tenors of today, And if u knew anything, u would know that he has a cistern inside his vocal chords that he had before he began to sing opera, when he was younger, it has nothing to do with his technique, but he sings with so much passion and gives a million percent, he has damaged his vocal chords, but only because he an amazing singer and an amazing person

[quizjazz1]

Villazon always sings it half step lower. And before I saw this recording I had a thing against him on that matter. But here everything is done so well that I might never remember my disagreement . Bravo, Rolando. You're truly among the best ones!

[intermezzo246]

For all those who like to complain about it being transposed half step down, his voice is not like distefano's or pavarotti's. His is a deeper more baritonalish similar to that of Carreras' who's interpretation was also transposed in the famed san francisco 1973 performance which sent the critics raving. Puccini alowed transpositions for Caruso who according to Puccini performed it like no one else.

[SQUIRTHUNTER2]

nada sutil !!!

[Fegen]

When I first heard Rolando sing this on tv from the NYC Opera Company I knew

he had the makings of a great tenor and it wasn't long before he was at the Met

Opera House. He is wonderful singer on stage and sings with alot of passion

and is an good actor.

[pippytoul]

watch Carreras and Caballe - he sings a step down and tell me it isn't one of the most beautiful renditions of the song (Liceu 1980)- full of emotion, not just acting and singing technique...so easy to criticize.....Onegin65 many many thanks for all your postings they are magnificent

[thebriginshaw]

I think he's wonderful.

[22441932]

It is obvious this is a very young Villazon at the NYCO, who would certainly be on his way to the Met. He deserved to be. He is wonderful and a delight. I think he is up there with the other great tenors of today or tomorrow.

[andytaylor100]

"speranza": con qué fuerza fascinante en esta dulce palabra culmina esta difícil aria el gran Villazón!!

[arumtriphyllum79]

Ma che andasse a cagare lui e tutti quelli del palazzo suo.

[MusicalTenor23]

people who says shit about villazon.. eat your crap! you dont even get close enough to villazons singing! just shut your mouth. if you dont like him, dont listen to him you trying hard wannabe critics!

[neelsdp1]

wow, he sings very well and his vibrato is strong and sounds very natural and unforced. Im going to listen it again just now.

[Canuckoperafan]

Rolando at his youthful best....Bravo!

[vivaverdi1]

Rolando is the best!

[mcchornist]

This is stunning!

[fashionablesixties]

Who is the soprano?

[Brahmsfourth]

Villazon is thrilling in this aria. 

[JohnnyBlowstar]

He sounds as if he's having to work very hard to accomplish the sound - listen to Roberto Alagna in the 1995 Paris Opera version (on YouTube) to hear how effortlessly a significantly better tenor sings it ...

[fvizcainoortega]

@JohnnyBlowstar

Alagna, a significantly better tenor? What is this, a joke? For God's sake...

[MusicalTenor23]

@JohnnyBlowstar well.. its your taste.. mines villazon.. alagnas fine too..  peace!

[BenjaminDLarsen]

The technique is sound, even if it needs polishing when compared to some of the greats. But his superb acting and fluidity on stage multiply the performance. Bravo, Villazon!

[Yeppr]

I don't know why people make operas about poor dying gypsys

[vanyanni]

Cómo admiro a VIllazón

[amadorpheus9]

Hes not yet any Placido Domingo, nor is he just any Rolando Villazon, something unique may come from this young, gifted singer! Bravo!!!

[adri235]

in 4:43 really looks like young Domingo!!

[welshtony26]

The poetry is as fascinating as his voice. Why all the criticism? I bet you would all like to sing as well!

[husasaheh]

Get to your keyboard and check the pitch, it is a half step lower. Better safe than sorry I guess.

[charlie90027]

@husasaheh  I think you are right that he sang it lower; however, it was incredibly beautiful to hear his voice. At about 4:16 to 4:28 it looks like his voice takes over his body control.

[samandaerin]

Ha ha ! Finally someone who shares my thoughts. Well, I wouldn't really go to such extremes, but his voice sounds a bit muffled. It doesn't have the same ringing sensation as other tenors. 

[SuperNini2010]

De los mejores TENORES!!! GRANDE!!

[tena2]

Tengo que opinar, si se me permite sin recibir palabras feas, que la técnica de este señor y su linea de canto son de las peores que he visto nunca en toda la historia de la ópera. Recuerdo que cantó una vez Manon y se le resvaló la voz 3 veces seguidas. No apoya bien la voz, no canta bonito y el sonido es poco bello. Pero claro, si a Domingo le gusta el marketing ya lo tiene hecho.

[fmontesq]

@tena2 Además es igualito al de Martes y Trece (ni que decir tiene que hace las mismas muecas y la voz a veces se le riza en un vibrato cabretesco).

[tena2]

@fmontesq No veo nada de talento en este Señor, tiene mucho que agradecerle a Domingo por abrirle tantas puertas. Esta visto que en esta vida no prima los talentos sino los padrinos.

[fmontesq]

@tena2 Desde luego, en los agudos está forzando la voz sobremanera, aparte de que no le sale nada bonito después ha tenido tantos problemas por esa forma de cantar. Lástima que cantantes de calidad tengan que ver estas cosas desde el anonimato mientras este señor "arrasa" bajo la tutela de D. Plácido.

[tena2]

@fmontesq Por desgracias es asi y será toda la vida, quien tiene padrino en cualquier profesion y/o oficio ya lo tiene todo resuelto. Es una pena pero hay que asumir lo que la mayorái quieren.

[BufonCuantico]

@tena2 cuando cerres sesion en youtube, anda al baño y sacate la cera de los oidos

[phatphace]

Rolando always sings with great passion... perhaps too much considering the overbearing weight of that B on his throat. Despite that i feel the performance is very exuberant, how i feel Rodolfo should be. Often this aria is sung a little too methodically.

[elendo1]

Bravo!

[andyroma72]

meglio di pavarotti piu profondo piu caldo

[manueltraquina]

Quem é esta Mimi?

[Kapputschino12]

Why not sing it 4 tones lower so it could be sang by a great bariton!!I mean,why not?

[halavey]

Does his mouth seem opened wider then most on Forte notes?

[halavey]

Many super star tenors sing it live with the High B, so what? Hell even great high C tenors like Bjorling in his 40's sang it with a High B live and in fact in 1948 at the Met he sang Boheme with the B in this aria and he was 37, depends how they feel. Peerce sang the C with Toscanini in 46 live but he sometimes did not sing C's and he had them. Tucker sang the C in studio Boheme with Moffo but live in the aria he did not yet he did sing C's l live in Ballo, Calaf and Lescaut duet always.

[thelivesofme1]

strange though, because i've heard him do it in the proper key, maybe he was unwell that day?

[wazii6]

i think the key doesnt realy matter as mush as the fact that its a little too sustained reduce the sustain becuas its a musical play oterwise this is a master piece

[baritoneortenor]

Who gives a damn if it is a B? Where are all the posts with you people singing it in the original key? I say respect the man for this great bit of singing. BTW I have this on VHS; it's a very interesting production.

[FD2143]

I can sing it with a high F, if it's needed. That will be on another channel - soon. ;)

[wazii6]

@baritoneortenor  i agre im not thpe thats intersted in opera but their so much neat thing in the production

[andrewhei0804]

The whole song is a semitone lower than the original key.

[jhoelmusic]

the note in 4:18 is a B4

[A7madeus]

yea not a C but a long B4 full voice with emotions is surely better that a week less sustained C what do u think??

[kevin86h]

That's definitely not a high C; sounds like a B to me.

[kharlitoz]

It's a B...

[FD2143]

Listen to the orchestra at 0.22

[FD2143]

This is NOT a High C. Listen to Cerco - cerco directly before the aria. It's there where they are "lovering" it.

[kevin86h]

Do you mean cerca-cerca, after se la lasci riscaldar? That's where it began to sound flat/low to me.

[FD2143]

Listen to the voiolins between "in verità", and cerca-cerco (i'm correcting myself).

[JuliaDarling]

I think Villazon is fantastic because I believe him. He's so sincere! I love his voice because there is a reason for everything he's saying. He knows that it's not just about singing. :)

[dendrix01]

No entiendo por qué tanta alharaca alrededor de este cantante. No tiene nada de especial ni, mucho menos, de espectacular. Y no sólo su voz es displicente, sino que su excesiva gesticulación resulta patética, por decir lo menos. Sin embargo, la mercadotecnia hace maravillas, él resultó ser el producto del producto: Domingo, engendro mercadotécnico, dio a luz este engendro mal logrado.

[Snowss]

Dios, dios, hasta Domingo canta mejor de barítono que este pobre hombre de tenor , encima transportado, y mira que tiene alguna cosa bien cantada...en estudio, pero en directo es un horror, pobrecitoooo, Vilazón vuelve al colegio de canto!!

[mydiorella]

Villazon is to opera what Svetlana Zakharova is to ballet in the 21st century. Zakharova is an edgier dancer, pushing the limits and extensions the way Villazon pushes and tests his notes. Both edgy and controversial. Both compared to their diseased classical predecessors for not maintaining the tradition. Both criticized for straying slight from the norm of the classical training they received. Yet the most stunning and highest paid performing stage artists. I think they're both spectacular.

[ShawDAMAN]

I am unfamiliar with ballet; however Villazon is criticized, not just because he has "strayed slight from the norm-" many great singers have done so- he is criticized for singing with poor technique, overtaxing his voice and singing repertoire for which he is unsuited. Poor quality singing should not be excused as simply being "different." Nonsense.

[gallusman]

You can criticize him for choosing roles unwisely and singing too much, but hardly for poor technique. I know no other active tenor who is capable of as much expression and simultaneously can take high notes at piano and expand on them. Listen to his una furtiva lagrima. If he has no technique, no one does. Yes, tenors who sing everything with one removed testicle may sing for a long time, but they will never be exciting.

[ShawDAMAN]

I think he had a pretty good measure of natural talent and obviously learned *A* technique, I don't think the technique is a particularly healthy one. For years now he has been choking his way into his upper register and shouting (oversinging may be a part of this.) I did listen to a live "Una furtiva" with Villazon and to be honest I thought it was quite poor!!

[ShawDAMAN]

And frankly I'm a bit tired of people implying that tenors who lasted a long time must lack passion or excitement or are wimpy. NONSENSE. Gedda, Kraus, Tucker, Bergonzi, Peerce, and scores of other greats husbanded their vocal resources, sang correctly, and were able to produce great, high quality performances consistently over long careers. This is something that's missing from opera today (with some exceptions.)

[TheLOLrus12]

Its Saturday early afternoon. I turn on NPR to listen to the MET's radio broadcast.

I hear that Rollando is singing the tenor.

I feel disapointed.

[maxpertile]

è un si naturale non un do

[maxpertile]

marketing, marketing, marketing...

[BufonCuantico]

@maxpertile sordo, sordo, sordo

[maxpertile]

@BufonCuantico Bufon come Buffone Buffone Buffone ora ti blocco blocco blocco, così non fai l'ignorante ignorante ignorante e non rompi le scatole scatole scatole.

[BufonCuantico]

@maxpertile SORDO!

[mkviolin1]

Empty space, filled by hope. Incredible line, beautiful singing

[prueda1]

He certainly sings with a lower key than Pav but his power and intonation, if not his range, reminds me of Jussi Björling. For me this is a great tenor for his vocal and emotional combination.

[JuliaDarling]

I think Villazon is fantastic because I believe him. He's so sincere! I love his voice because there is a reason for everything he's saying. He knows that it's not just about singing. :)

[3rg3rg]

No comparison to Pavarotti's magnificent interpretation and sound.

[chevol]

aaaaaaak! i´m so tired about that shit! villazon sounds great, mo matter what some say!

[truvianni]

@chevol I agree with you 100%

[jaketaz]

@chevol

and he cancelled all his performances for this season because of vocal problems. so he sings with shit technique, no matter what YOU say. And unlike your completely subjective opinions about how he sounds, my opinions are verified by medical evidence.

[Artisticz]

his voice and the way he sings is really off putting! how can anyone not laugh when he is singing and pulling those ridiculous faces? and how big is his mouth suppose to go? that is horrible technique! He totally struggled with the High C - Forcing it out at the end. No wonder voice declined so dramatically! and has been out for like a year or so!

[wwforever517]

I think it is not high C

[hatinbronchos]

@wwforever517 It's written in the music. I really doubt NYCO would allow someone to transpose maestro Puccini's masterpiece.

[MusicalTenor23]

@hatinbronchos well.. even the great pava did it several times. carreras too.. domingo.. schicoff.. lots of tenors does this half step transposition.. well.. well.. no comment on my part.. =) hehe!

[grandmagrumpy]

go ahead and carp all you want.

I like this.

very much.

[elfomusic62]

poverino......................­.

[danwarkful]

If one is singing a performance transposed for certain reasons can be....OK. But to post it in youtube, to be seen by the world it is a shame. I do not think that Villazon is proud of this. If can not sing in original than ............Next days we will see and hear a famous bass-bariton singing "nessun dorma" only because this is a nice, successful aria

[ugottalovetom]

oh my word, that left goosebumps on my arms.....i wish i went to it when it was in town <3 beautiful

[kussmanon]

BRAVISSIMO MAESTRO VILLAZON !

[btsg]

----VillaBean's hard voice does not appeal to me. as tender as a metal saw.

However,

it is just asking for punishment to post here. if one tries to be fair and says--"tech this or tone that" some 17 year old "expert" tenor from florida will undoubtedly rip into you [totally off point] because he read a book and his teacher knew so and so...I am going to listen to him again from Talor...maybe I can get through it. wish me luck!

[dks880]

His voice doesn't appeal to me too.

[satajunior2]

Perfetta "Speranza"

[oswaldobmeraz]

Look 4:17, GREATH VILLAZON!!!

¡Viva México!

[mydiorella]

....WOW.... is all I can say.

[pontedupre009]

Good voice. Dramatic voice. Pure voice. He will be around for a long time, God willing.

[AlexanderNievsky]

elio di elio e le sotrie tese o conzo dei muppet show.... beh, elio canta sicuramente meglio

[voltape]

I'm gonna get a damn inferiority complex, reading your criticisms. I thought I knew about opera and I find it delightful listening to Villazon, particularly when he is coupled with Anna Netrebko. Now it happens that experts find them lousy!

[jcatenor]

This isnt in the original key. And it is so much harder down the half step. I ddont understand why tenors do this to themselves. Get over it and sing the damned high C.

[Chivalryaintdead]

How about you sing the high C if you are so talented..??

[kjboogie]

Thanks for this posting. This version is great.

Again, Thank You

[elenrico25]

Y este pata es sensación actualmente en elo mundo de la lírica???Bah

[bohemio79]

A un millón de años luz de Pavarotti, Bjorling, Di Stefano.

[narfitowa]

....si...especialmente porque ellos estan muertos!!!

[bohemio79]

desgraciadamente están muertos sí, y ya sólo quedan mediocres como éste... pero lo sigo diciendo: a un millón de años luz en lo canoro, en lo vocal y en lo artístico.

[MicrolabsXP]

Completamente de acuerdo contigo, aunque soy mexicano debo reconocer que no sólo Villazón es mediocre, sino practicamente el 90% del estudio de la Ópera y claro, no faltan los incultos con su falso nacionalismo apoyando todo lo de su país aunque esté mal hecho. Y cierto está a millones de años luz del estudio que llevaban los tenores de antaño.

[djtsinopoulos]

Heard him live in Athens a week ago, like him more than ever, singing more controlled than he used to, which is good for him if you consider the vast amount of engagements he has. Bravo Rolando!!!

[TurandotFanatic]

I have his studio recording of this aria, but this one is much better. Oh my God! I loved this, thanks for posting.

[oswaldobmeraz]

I have too!!!

[picapin]

absolute rubbish!

[TomekkPolska]

Villazon can't sing high c's,he transposes everything everywhere just like Placido

[iwannafuckjkresz]

... so why are there recordings of him doing it in the right key? you can't jude by JUST this. this is from 2001, almost 8 years ago. really, grow up.

[TomekkPolska]

If contemporary recordings are Your only arguments the discussion is only waste of time. His recording simply can be fake. Check out interesting thing about it on GermanOperaSinger channel ( key words for ex:Domingo fake ) and really grow up.. But still Villazon posesses much better upper register than Domingo I suppose

[operataste]

There are two tenors to me that are among the best of all time: Franco Corelli and Mario del Monaco. Both have studio records that are totally fake, with the high notes inserted after the total aria being recorded. I love them anyway.

By the way: Villazón is great. And you all are jealous, that's it.

[TomekkPolska]

I am not jealous since nor I like his timbre nor his pushed voice nor muscular technique nor overacted roles. Your argument is senseless. And his lack of high notes is not serious anyway, I think he could' ve been a nice lyrico tenor with some spinto charisma if people like You wouldn't lead him to artistic death with Your unconditional aplause. So firstly, You should have written "could be great" and secondly add "in my oppinion". Your comment is based on taste, mine on facts

[operataste]

Don't make the same mistake several opera dilettantes do. I've seen many many people that use to comment on YouTube videos that use to compare nowadays singers, that we do have EVERYTHING they sing on video (people use to record even using the cellular cameras) to the old ones. The old ones we have just studio or great performances videos and audios. That's not fair comparing them. Have you seen Corelli on his worst days? Have you seen Tebaldi all notes tuneless on an opera? I saw...

[operataste]

Trust me: Villazón, Domingo, Carreras, are great singers, as well many others.

[tauromaniac]

its true you are right...villazon is good but the shadow of "the new domingo" has put so much pressure on his vocal technique that put him to rest for 6 months...im a mexican and proud of rolando but i also know when somebody tell the truth...good comment

[dks880]

I think it's more than 6 months. He already cancelled Carmen for next year. The operation hasn't been done yet.

[tauromaniac]

i was talking about the FIRST break he had to take

[jhvorotin]

One clue is this: wonderful aria (thanks Giacomo). Beautiful timbre. But somehow, I think, Villazon does not cover his upper notes (around G) that much, so we hear some cracks sometimes. Nevertheless, his voice is so powerful, it's great. I just fear that his jaws break. But the high C sounds great It's right on the pitch. Thanks Rolando.

[jimahoney]

please go to a piano and check the "high c"..it`s a transposition!

[jhvorotin]

I did not bother checking, I assumed it from the score. Now yes since it's a high B then it's a bit slack for a tenor

[TheInquisitive4Ever]

Forget about it. He sounds hooted, monochromatic with an overextended passaggio, and has a weak upper register. Go listen to Pavarotti to learn how Che Gelida Manina should be sung. Get a clue people. Are you deaf?

[bailaga]

świetny ten Villazon!

[sincrootto]

Perché la romanza "che gelida manina..." è cantata mezzo tono sotto? Invece del Do (C) acuto, viene così cantato un Si (B) naturale! Non mi piacciono quelli che barano.

[huhas1]

Here Rolando is 28 years old. Has all his charm and fascination. Believable and exiting.

So good he is coming back very soon. Starting 2008 with openning of Werther in Vienna!!