Italian Baritone Titta Ruffo ~ Largo Al Factotum (1920)

Italian baritone Titta Ruffo / Largo Al Factotum / Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini) / Orchestra: Josef A. Pasternack / Recorded: April 19, 1920 --

Titta Ruffo (June 9, 1877 - July 5, 1953), born as Ruffo Titta Cafiero, Italian opera star who had a major international singing career. Known as the "Voce del leone" ("voice of the lion"), he was greatly admired, even by rival baritones, such as Giuseppe De Luca, who said of Ruffo: "His was not a voice, it was a miracle" (although not often published is the second part of De Luca's conclusion "...which he [Ruffo] bawled away..."), and Victor Maurel, the creator of Verdi's Iago and Falstaff. Maurel said that the notes of Ruffo's upper register were the most glorious baritone sounds he had ever heard. Indeed Walter Legge, the prominent classical record producer, went so far as to call Ruffo "a genius".

The FULL wikipedia article can be found here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titta_Ruffo

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Category:

Music

Tags:

• Italian
• Baritone
• Titta
• Ruffo
• Opera
• Rossini
• Barbiere
• Acoustic
• 78RPM
• CurzonRoad

[Shabannie]

I enjoyed the music!

-------Ellen

[tukilala]

Bravo !!! Bravo !!!

[ElisabettaVS]

@jacquesurlus I agree on the diction, though I didn't notice it before I read your comment. Wasn't too much of an impact for me, I guess.

[Herur22]

Great voice.

[mayatatyana1]

Thank you, Doug. Magnificent voice! Maya

[jacquesurlus]

Great interpretation, lacks a little clarity in diction, however, remains my favorite riccardo Stracciari, Tito Gobbi is also exellent

[Labienus]

other greats have approached that sound but never quite had the ease of production, the depth-the sheer body of the sound- the darkness the dramatic edge, the top-with all that ,it was agile, could sing at any volume and for being the lion his soft singing was haunting and what else, biting clear enunciation- a miracle

No one seems to have the 1907 largo where for the only time he does some triple tongue trick-is that a rare recording? it was on an old LP we hear this one, and what 1912,13

[transformingArt]

The Great Lion of Pisa! Thanks for posting this. I hope you can also post the 1917 version by Stracciari or 1911 version by Amato some day. They are also really great recordings of this aria.

[klokheten]

Comparable with anyone,anywhere..

The baritone that will reign forever through the centuries.

[titaruffo2]

My favorite singer