La donna è mobile, Rigoletto, Verdi - Enrico Caruso, direct 78 transfer (1908)

The famous aria "La donna è mobile" from Verdi's opera Rigoletto.

Recorded by Caruso Monday, 16. March 1908.

Monumental performance (if you ask me....) - enjoy the tremendous power of his voice and at the same time his gentle sensitivity. This digital transfer from an original 78 recording may be the closest we'll ever get to how Caruso sounded. A lot of nuances have been lost in the recording due to the poor recording technique, but one can still hear and feel the impact his voice must have had on people at the time. And it is not even a live recording (Caruso never recorded anything live).

If blocked in your country, go here: http://www.enricocaruso.dk/musicdetails.php?mid=259

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Rigoletto
• Opera
• Enrico
• Caruso
• Verdi

[Arellessful]

tomfroekjaer, I had an elderly friend ,who had seen Rico live, from the front row . He told me that the sound was so huge,and unbelievably beautiful at the same time, I heard him retell that story many times, such was the effect of Rico's singing.

Rob.

[tomfroekjaer]

@Arellessful Dear Rob. Seems that I didn't respond to this great comment of yours. Since we are left with recordings of very poor quality, "eye witness" accounts - as the one from your elderly friend - are invaluable and precious to me personally. Thank you.

Tom

[Arellessful]

Of course I'm not exactly sure ,how Rico sounded ,live, but I would imagine that this is getting very close, what a singer,what a voice, thank you.

[tomfroekjaer]

@Arellessful I'm not sure either how Rico sounded live - I guess, we'll never really know. But apparently he created quite an impact on people who heard him at the MET (and other places - Berlin - Paris, etc.).

A visitor on my website wrote this: .... see my next comment ....

[tomfroekjaer]

@Arellessful continued... "I am by now 72 years old. My grandfather told me about Caruso. That he heard him live in the Metropolitan Opera as Radames. That he could not sleep after that for some nights. That he decided to see and hear him again in that role because he thought to have dreamt. So he went to hear him once more.

And that overwhelming experience lasted all his life."

[Arellessful]

@tomfroekjaer Thank you Tom, you are very welcome.

Regards Rob.

[tomfroekjaer]

@65attila Thanks, John.

The reason I started this YT channel: I wanted to share my own experiences/feelings when listening to Caruso's singing with others. That so many people have visited the channel, I think is great. The voice of Enrico Caruso can still move people - 90 years after his death.

Lauritz Melchior is another legend - Danish as myself - the ultimate, probably till now - unsurpassed heldentenor....

[65attila]

@tomfroekjaer

Tom

Rico was the first tenor I remember hearing and the bar has been set high. Even on old worn 78s hw was unbelievable. IMO only Melchior in his fach has a similar unique position,

Your work with Caruso videos is so wonderful and important and when my friends here them they also wish to thank you.

Best wishes and regards-John

[tomfroekjaer]

@65attila I fully understand ! Jussi, Luciano and others were divine in their own art of singing. I love them all, But when I hear Rico sing, I tend to forget all the others.

He was not an educated man - he was more a "Fluke of Nature" ...

[65attila]

Tom

I heard Rico sing this performance @ 60 years ago and it as impossible as it seems, it improves with age and hearing other tenors even greats like Jussi and Luciano do wonderfully by the aria.

Regards-john-