Tamerlano - Act III - A dispetto d'un volto - David Daniels

Countertenor David Daniels sings the aria "A dispetto d'un volto ingrato" from Act III of Handel's opera Tamerlano. (Placido Domingo is in the white robe to the right.)

From an April 30, 2008 performance.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Handel
• Tamerlano
• David
• Daniels
• Washington
• National
• Opera
• DC
• Baroque
• countertenor
• aria
• dispetto
• d'un
• volto
• ingrato

[serenaluce]

You are absolutely right. I've listened to all the versions of this aria available on YT. Actually, Spanos's version is simply the best! Both very beautiful and dramatic, expressive! The perfect image of Tamerlano!  After Spanos this is even painful to listen. No agility at all and the voice is discoloured... Sorry.

[BuHg3oP]

Yes, I agree PLAVOS, his passages sound very immature :\ a shame, really :(

[serenaluce]

@fourmi1060 This is just a poor recording in all regards. David Daniels is definitely not in his best voice. It happens. But there's his wonderful studio high quality recording on YT on veneziaenapoli's channel. There he SHINES! Though all the same I prefer Spanos's version as it's really the most BRILLIANT one in EVERY RESPECT: the most beautiful timbre IMO, perfect balance of all the components - the image, expressiveness, emotions, the best technique and the most EXQUISITE coloratura! CLASS!

[serenaluce]

@hautecontrre Tol'ko chto posmotrela vash kanal. Da vam, dorogoi, do Spanosa - kak do neba! Vot vy i obzavidovalis'! A zavist' - plokhaya shtuka! Nado nad technikoi rabotat'. Kak voobshe s vashim po idee muzykal'nym slukhom mozhno bylo takuyu glupost' skazanut', chto Spanos - napodobie soprano? Vot Christofellis - eto chistyi sopranist. A vy slyshali vse arii Tamerlano v ispolnenii Spanosa i rechitativy? Neuzheli vy dumaete, chto sopranist mozhet pet' tak nizko? A ego Der Tod und das Madchen?...

[serenaluce]

@hautecontrre Who is crazy? Are you talking about yourself? SPANOS is a child compared with Daniels?! SPANOS is soprano like? Are you sure that you are talking about SPANOS and not that PARODY on Tamerlano and baroque at all Philippe Jaroussky with his CHILDISH, teddybear image? Perhaps you just pushed the wrong button? You can't hear that Spanos has a VERY MANLY, MASCULINE VOICE and has the greatest, smoothest, effortless TECHNIQUE EVER?! He sounds as a MATURE MAN and is MEZZO,not soprano!!

[tamerlano236]

Great music. But this isn't the best performance. The best version on YT is definitely Nicholas Spanos's.

[Gentario]

I liked him, but this performance is too poor for the best Daniels!

[CountertenorJ]

@hautecontrre I agree fully. Though, I don't think many posting really seem to know how aging affects the countertenor voice. Then again, most here are merely posting opinions not based in reason but in emotion. Also it is easier for people to compare others to whom they think is better instead of giving merit on qualities within the actual performance -- the latter requires knowledge, the former requires only opinions.

[hautecontrre]

Execuse me, are you crazy?

What are all of you telling about?

Spanos is a child in compared with Daniels. David's voice is enough dramatic for Tamerlano. He has a brilliant timbre and very powerful heavy voice with very good coloraturas. This amature record can't show his passages in their true sounding.

Spanos voice is too thin (soprano alike) for Tamerlano.

[XPRT10R]

My GOD what has happened to David Daniels?? He used to be FANTASTIC and a real virtuoso. This is POOR!

[idaspe]

???