Alfredo Kraus - Di quella pira (Studio Recording)

Alfredo Kraus, (1927-1999) was a distinguished Spanish tenor of Austrian descent, particularly known for the artistry he brought to opera's bel canto roles. His singing technique is considered by many to be second to none.
Here he sings 'Di quella pira' from Il trovatore in a studio recording. Unlike Pavarotti, he was wise enough not to attempt the role of Manrico on stage.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Alfredo
• Kraus
• di
• quella
• pira
• il
• trovatore
• giuseppe
• verdi
• austrian
• spanish
• tenor
• opera
• manrico
• studio
• recording

[vincitor]

so "german opera singer", u think that Pavarotti wasn't wise for doing il travatore? Interesting :)

[GermanOperaSinger]

Yes, I think he wasn't wise for doing trovatore. =)

I'm sure many will agree.

[tonyantony]

No way Pavarotti was the ideal Manrico. He lacked vocal weight,his low notes were weak ,his voice wasn't big enough for the spinto repertoire. He wasn't wise at all for picking this role.

[SHICOFF1]

Juive seemed cursed in old days. Caruso's last opera was Juive and Tucker who sang it in performance in Spain in Dec./74 --died only weeks later , Jan. 8,1975. He also sang it in New Orleans in Oct./ 73 and in March / 73 in Concert performance in London with success. Shicoff sang it in Europe and at the Met. in 03' and is still alive and healthy! Otello was a voice wrecker for many.

[SHICOFF1]

@TwistingWays Pav. never sang some early Verdi but did sing Forza in Italy, perhaps two performances  but he cracked once and said he would not sing it again. He sang the Otello's in Chicago and NY in Concert version mainly because Solti in Chicago insisted he sing it, but it was not well received as he sang it seated in a chair with his leg problems by that time and he was not an Otello voice nor was Jussi B. but he recorded the duet with Merrill very well, that's a recording though.

[SHICOFF1]

@TwistingWays CONTINUED FROM BELOW--Pav sang Otello in Chicago and I heard it,his voice was still fine below the very top, it was not a role of course for a basic lyric tenor, he sang it alright but the press flamed him because he didn't have an Otello Dramatic or Spinto voice and at the time he was not well and sang it seated. Kraus sang Boheme once but not again with his lighter voice, that was a great role for Pav and I heard him do it in 74' Kraus could have recorded it in Studio very well

[TwistingWays]

@SHICOFF1 I believe it was a goal of Pavarotti's to perform in every Verdi opera, or at least record it. The only one he did not perform because many believe it to be cursed was "La forza del destino".

[SHICOFF1]

I heard both Pav. and Kraus In House and both many times. Kraus may have had a smaller voice (though Pav did not really have a big voice either) but Kraus could easily be heard anywhere in the house, it projected and had point also without being a big voice. I did prefer Kraus in some of the same roles over Pav.on stage. Kraus never sang this role on stage anyhow and I agree it was not a best role for the lyric voice of Pav. but Pav. did it , also Otello and Chenier later, why who knows.

[8x8MaVerick8x8]

@jrichardsontenor Yeah... I mean... The temptation is that as a lighter voice, you have easy access to everything ("Oh, no problem, I can sing the aria in the original C major, unlike a lot of folks") but unfortunately the weight and size add something. That's why, like him or not, Corelli was so lucky, possessing both ease of range and weight and size (though even he sang it in B, most often).

[jrichardsontenor]

@tonyantony I realize I'm replying to a 3 year old post, but I 100% agree. I loved and still love Pavarotti's voice. But he did not have the weight to sing this role.

[mark6230]

A lesson of singing.

[90lysander]

@hibyeeee2 Kraus' voice as big as Corelli's? What?