Boris Christoff - Don Carlo - Ella giammai m'amo

[boagirl333]

No bass can match this one!

[poluxfoxterrier]

MERCI a vous Gabba, c'est divin , la belle et longue carriére de Christff ne nous laisse que trop peu d'enregistrements, mais c'est si bon

[Gordancho]

Incredible performance-Thank you for posting it-a real treasure!!!!

[bodiloto]

INEGUAGLIABILE.

[BassoCantante19]

@bodiloto Paragoni questa versione di Christoff con quella di Siepi, di Furlanetto, di Hines, di Renè Pape e si accorgerà che Christoff è la voce di basso più NASALE che si sia mai udita.

[bodiloto]

@BassoCantante19 amico,il tuo commento ti tradisce,cioè tu non hai ascoltato mai la voce di Christoff dal vivo,questo e un fatto!

Boris Christoff era vero basso,aveva una voce splendida,era un artista ineguagliabile,ogni suo suono dal vivo penetrava nei cuori del pubblico!

Hines aveva una bella voce -purtroppo come artista non era "splendido"

Furlanetto con i miei amici italiani lo chiamiamo "Urlanetto"...

Pape e basso baritono,ha una bella voce purtroppo non ha il livello di Christoff.

[BassoCantante19]

@bodiloto Ma amico mio!!! Lei cita spesso il grande Riccardo Stracciari...lei sicuramente sa che Christoff ha studiato con Riccardo Stracciari. Lei sicuramente sa che Stracciari riteneva Christoff un baritono, lo ha addestrato da baritono...e Christoff ha fatto il basso. Chi aveva ragione, il maestro Stracciari o l'allievo Christoff? Comunque, "ove son?" e "sparì dai miei occhi" sono suoni COMPLETAMENTE nel NASO.

[bodiloto]

@BassoCantante19 chi aveva ragione?ahahahahahah sei magnifico!

Quale é il maestro tale é l'allievo! Anche penso che Stracciari non ha avuto la possibilità di vedere in quale leone si ha trasformato Christoff con gli anni.Vuoi un esempio? Bene!

Dal vivo 10 Ramey =1 Christoff e ancora!

Dal vivo la voce di Christoff non era nasale,la sua tecnica era perfetta! Nessun suono "ingollato",nessun suono "gridato",ti sembrano "nel naso" perché questo e un effetto del microfono che "odia" i grandi voci!

[BassoCantante19]

@bodiloto Va bene, spero che lei abbia ragione, la registrazione non è un granchè.

[bodiloto]

@BassoCantante19 da chi dipende per te la "bellezza" di una registrazione?

[BassoCantante19]

@bodiloto La registrazione può essere fedele o traditrice. Può fare schifo o può essere accurata. Ma se il cantante è bravo, professionista e sa cantare, risulta una perlomeno una bella voce SEMPRE in QUALUNQUE registrazione. Qui sento un Christoff nasale, goffo e vecchio. Non si può dare la colpa SOLO alla registrazione: non si addice a un cantante professionista.

[bodiloto]

@BassoCantante19Non amico mio,con l'arrivo di STEREO tutto ha cambiato!Non voglio raccontarti tutto,voglio che il tuo cuore e la tua anima rimangano belli e sinceri come sono in questo momento.

Bene,l'ultima volta ho sentito Christoff durante 1 settimana faceva registrazioni nella chiesa"Alexandar Nevski"era 1979.Tutti coristi e i solisti che prendevano parte delle registrazione avevano una idea soltanto,di cantare meglio possibile,Boris Christoff copriva tutti con la sua voce! Incredibile!

[bodiloto]

@BassoCantante19 la bellezza di una registrazione dipende dai tecnici del suono...

[abracadabranque]

@BassoCantante19 Ton oreille te trompe;le son est dans la gorge et produit des résonances apparemment nasales mais ne passant pas du tout par le nez:Illusion auditive!

[federic017]

Uno dei più grandi interpreti di tutti i tempi!!!Un'arte innata per far capire all'ascoltatore le proprie emozioni e quelle dell'autore...Grande... Immenso.Saluti

[ruffoite]

i think that the maestro is Lothar Zagrosek. can anyone confirm this? thanks

[operaclassica2]

What quality...

What has happened to the Opera World.

Christoff, Ghiaurov, Hines, Siepi and many more quailty voices singing in the same time period.

Today, if someone makes it through the aria, he has a chance to be a star.

What an ugly opera world we have today.

Youtube bares witness against the awful "Opera Makers" of today and their destruction of "Quality Voices"

[TheOriginalBudweiser]

He is one big reason to be a better man. I want meet him in heaven.

[nancywilken]

Don't believe I'll ever recover from this later rendition of King P's aria--although, not in vocal prime, Christoff captures all the paintings of this conflicted, tortured figure of absolute power that encompasses the "human" side of a man who chooses the aforementioned over the heart, broken, but can't recant--his personal tradegy more so because he himself chose it--heartbreaking & Christoff captures that emotion incredibly! I'll never forget this posting--Tx!

[kraechr]

Fantastic

[dinacarina88]

Sublime

[deepfugue]

The Tortured King--what a voice!

[MaestroVNG]

Great Bulgarian voice - Bravo !!!

[OperaDanceHall]

Bic Histoty Boris ... i love you As a King. Im see him in Sofia also later in the opera haus in sofia in the 90 "tis

[antonellolvr]

"Lectio magistralis" su stile e tecnica di canto verdiano. Credo sinceramente sia stato il più grande basso del secolo XX.

[TheChiambretti]

Che brivido ... un'emozione senza pari !!!!

[ubedajils]

simplemente... wao!

[lassisimo]

How impressing !!! The great Christoff at the age of 66 years at least ( or more if you wrote that this was recorded in the 80´s ) ... with an amazing interpretation and - what a preserved voice !! This is a jewel.. thanks for posting this !!!

[novamelicaeuterpidea]

brividi...

[dermotafan]

Uncomparable. Just great, whatever age he was at the time of recording.

[asphaltburningch]

the greatest bass of the all time

[ideale]

It's not "quite" in his prime?? Just listen all those contemporary basses in THEIR actual PRIME and than judge about being in prime...

[boris1281]

This performance is not about the voice, it is about the style. There are no longer such keepers of the good style and taste like Christoff any more. Amazing!

[shelev55]

Mai sentito cosi! BRAVO! Cosi si interpreta!

[tomzoricic]

Unsurpassable!!!

[Apollogranforte]

Great voice, magnificent interpretation, inpeccable diction. Perhaps the recording has a slight wow and flutter...But thankyou Gabba02

[franimalistic]

I wonder if any current singers will sound so good at 68...

[hinotama11]

Lol =P nice

[Spiritakis]

According to the information I have, this must be a recording from a concert on 10.05.1982. Boris was then almost 68 years old and had been on the concert and opera stage for well over than 30 years.

Boris is truly a musical phenomenon of incredible calibre.

[JWallWill]

The best recording of that aria I have personally heard. Inspiring!

[d2i0s0c0o]

I wonder if nowadays there is the way or technique or something to learn singing like that.

[35Matteo]

Christoff interpreta il personaggio, sente e fa sentire il dolore della sua condizione di padre tradito. Siepi è stilisticamente bravissimo, ma sembra cantare senza interpretare il personaggio, cioè senza dolente partecipazione. Come se cantasse a freddo.

[otherway1]

could somebody tell me,if is different in technique of singing between christoff and siepi?thx

[BBozhkilov]

sure there is difference. Every singer has his own unique technique. Besides the different teachers who have their own way of teaching their students.

[Lanark8]

It is interesting also to note that Siepi also taught himself...;). My warm regards,

[miamisms]

also that they grew up in different areas and learned different styles and their main language affected their singing... bulgarian vs. italian.... boris is more masked and dark (russian/bulgarian)... where siepi is dark but still bright (italian)

[palokkk]

un placer escuchar al cabezon boris

[emmatoth]

Oh, God! He made me cry!

Why we don't hear voices like his anymore?

[kgarmaker123]

He is some singer, I tell you! I love this aria, I love his performance, his voice. It is exquisite, for any age.

[Anoush23]

@emmatoth watch videos of Hayk Deinyan, an Opera Singer from armenia. I think this comes close to Mr. Christoff, only is Hayk Deinyan not as famous as him. But I think he is absolutley stunning and very unique. :) ;)

[pasfresh123]

Gabba: Thank you for posting. Boris: Thank you for performing.

[spurtler]

Definitely a favourite of mine. Thankyou for putting this on youtube.

[PifchoBG]

I am proud he is Bulgarian. R.I.P Boris...

[liedersanger1]

I have heard recordingso of Pinza, Siepi, Ghiaurov, Van Dam, Ramey, Cheek, Pape, EARLIER Christoff--I even went up in the library in college to find an old recording of Chaliapin--and I've concluded this performance is the BEST.

[Mariosergio61]

Great voice. Great singer. Great actor.

A trully great artist.

[jacquesurlus]

Il est né en 1914, donc il a 66 ans. Si ses moyens sont diminués son art est intact.

Une des plus grande basse du sciècle avec

Reizen et Pinza. Cela dit le chef est indigne de lui.

[durchfuerung]

Ecoutez ici l'enregistrement du meme air interprete toujours par B.Christoff et presente avec des tableaux de Rembrandt. C'est un enregistrement en studio et c'est encore mieux.Peut-etre c'est le meilleur.

[Rende77]

What a wonderful opera artists this small country (Bulgaria) has- some of the greatest ever.. Christoff, Ghiaurov, Gjusselew.. Kassarova, Tomova-Sintow, Dimitrova, Kabaiwanska..

I hope to visit it one day and hear some beautiful voices like these they have given to the world..

[egymagyar1111111]

I was presented alive this man talked to us..,. god save us he knows something, he is talking to god

[artmartdc]

Maybe not in his prime, but, Oh my! What a voice!

[Mariosergio61]

Right. Yet a great voice, and a truly great singer.

[musicbreath]

The best Don Carlos I've ever heard. I'm born in Bulgaria and I'm sorry that Boris Christov could not be known to the world public like was Pavaroti.

[orfeo456]

great performance!

Just listen to the nuances of the voices, how he conveys the words!!!

Unrivalled

[stoleczna14]

Strong voice in the low register. But sounding unnatural. As if he was chewing on some food while singing. Top notes not sounding out unless forced. Many people sing like this these days. Emphasis on over-prouciation of consonants. Contrast this with Pavarotti's "r", which never breaks his legato. Still, quite a nice performance.

[clymnestre]

Still the best interpretation and for ever, whatever Boris has sung. Love and artistic admiration for ever!!!

[kolyoboom]

I'm Bulgarian and, i am vary proud that we had such a singer.

His voice was so powerful and pure!!!

We will always remember you!

[canafinwe]

Beautiful. I like slavish basses as Philip, there is something in their voices, something "kingly" and sad.

I heard this with Ghiaurov, with our (Hungarian) bass king Mihály Székely, with László Polgár (all are great), with Raimondi (not his best role) and with José van Dam in the Franch version.

Please, please, somebody upload it with Matti Salminen... *big eyes*

[kateholli]

simply beautiful. Thanks for posting this!

[allanyip]

excellent!!!

[michaelwalsh1234]

I heart basses

[agathosj]

She never loved me!

No, her heart is closed to me,

she doesn't love me!

I still recall

how sad she looked

when she saw my white hair

the day she arrived from France.

No, she does not love me

[Johnny1206]

He´s one of the great basses of all times! His rounded voice reminds me George London´s, another magnificent singer too.

[kmillard]

What a towering force of nature! It's easy to understand why Verdi had the slavic type of bass voice in mind when he wrote the role of Phillipo. Christoff's heavy Bulgarian accent came through in all his singing but only worked to enhance the dramatic effect and never to detract or distract from the essential truth of the drama.

[Operafiend22]

I've never heard him sing with a Bulgarian accent!?! His Italian is perfect...he lived there for 40 years!?!

[kmillard]

I have a Macedonian friend who knows nothing of opera and I played him him recordings of Cesare Siepi and Boris Christoff back to back and only said one was Italian and one was Bulgarian. He quickly identified Christoff as the Bulgarian without hesitation and said it was easy as he could identify the "thicker" slavic consonants. It's not a knock on Christoff whom I absolutely LOVE!

[Operafiend22]

OK, but I know Italian and opera (as it's my profession), and I think you were correct before when you suggested his pronunciation was enhanced for dramatic effect. Siepi and Christoff sang very differently stylistically...Siepi was always sang with great legato (emphasis on vowels) whereas, Christoff always bit into the language (be it Russian, Italian, French) to heighten the text.

[Operafiend22]

...so I think it has less to do with having a slavic accent. I have recordings of Christoff giving interviews in Italian and there is no hint of any Slavic accent. Anyway, I ramble...I'm glad that there are so many people who like Christoff as I do...cheers!

[sorbino9]

I also speak Italian, and Russian too, which is close to Bulgarian, and have lived in both countries, and he certainly does have an accent - slavic consonants and vowels, especially the "l" and "oh" vowel. But I also agree that this only increases the emotive power of his performance, the text of which is perfectly clear.

[duefoscari]

No words about this ! Great composer, great song and great artist. I love it !

[lyside1]

ma come si fa a cantare cosi a 66 anni suonati? un mito intramontabile....grazie Cristoff

[clymnestre]

66 years old only . Boris was born in 1914... But his last recording is beautiful his voice the same as he was young and he was 78 years old! I had been lucky to meet him, and of corse, said him my admiration.

[12010830]

he did not need any makeup to be the role as he owned it, nothing lost in his age of 76!!!! I remember him from his live performances how he could fight with Callas both has the same quality majestic excellence in Forza del Destino I would like to have them together or other...

[r215666f]

OMG! i finally found this song! so beautiful! i heard this from Lust Caution's trailer! and fell in love with this song!

[antoniomirasoli1979]

assolutamente magnifico!!!

difficile trovare artisti che VIVONO il dramma sul serio. Bravissimo boris!

[nobisotti]

wow! Respekt, mein lieber Herr Gesangverein!

[s1egfr1d]

We all must say only "Bravo Maestro"

[cr0ckdile]

Was Boris Christoff considered a basso cantante?

[otello31]

Que gran bajo era este hombre...un fraseo elegante pero lleno de intensidad...me encantaria escuchar un Filippo asi del vivo...

[12010830]

I have heard him alive, here he is 76 years old, he could do anything a human voice is good for, listen the Bulgarian pravoslav masses recorded in Plovdiv that is singing among the originals he had about a 3 1/2 octave black velvet or thunder and in between

[Vio12]

I heard this in the trailer for Lust, Caution. It's really cool to hear the entire piece here.

[jmccracken1963]

Just like Carlo Bergonzi's performances from the 1980's and 1990's, this isn't "the prime of his career," BUT the outstanding artistry and feeling (AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE VOICE) are still there. Good to see this performance: thanks for posting it!!!

[sorbino9]

Too bad Verdi never got to see this.

[VivaRenata]

To hear this! What a wonderful thought, but you never know. I have no words to express my gratitude for this interpretation. Thank you for posting it!

[operamanagers]

No doubt Christoff was pure passion and expression with a beautiful voice. I consider Christoff and Giulio Neri the best basses in history.(after Chaliapin)

[Holovanov]

I know that this might be a useless argument, bu Christoff is much better and sophisticated singer than Shaliapin. He has raised the art of singing to another, higher level.

[operamanagers]

besides his voice, it is the passion that matters. Today's singers sing without any passion.

[njtenor57]

Has any one here ever heard of Pinza?

[Gabba02]

Yes?

[zuccero2007]

Gabba02, don't you have by chance more of the Christoff's records? I simply find it regretful that such a great singer and artist has so little coverage on YouTube:-(

[zuccero2007]

What a voice!!! Why do you say that Chrisoff's voice is not in its prime? My opinion is that even at this age he sounds as impressive as when he was younger, and his voice hasn't lost neither volume nor richness! Brilliant artist anyways!! Best bass ever! Thanks for the great post!

[Gabba02]

It isn't a criticism of him, he is my favourite singer and even at this age he is better than every other bass I've heard. I am just comparing him to his recordings which I know and love very well indeed.

[stchoukine]

more I hear him more I am convinced he his the best bass the world has ever had!-

[ledonciccio]

what about Siepi, Reizen or Kipnis then?

[stchoukine]

I have no doubts that Siepi,Reizen or Knipis are great basses but Christoff has something more!GENEALITY!

[CzarDodon]

People are always applying superlatives to individual artists here. I would be happy if we had any one of those great basses today, Pinza, Kipnis, Reizen, Siepi or Christoff they were all great artists. Luckily I suppose we don't have records of Leblanche ... otherwise someone would be saying "But Leblanche..."