100 Greatest Singers: LEO SLEZAK

THIS PROJECT IS RESERVED ONLY FOR THE GREATEST! Do you agree with me choosing Slezak? Please comment!

Leo Slezak, Tenor (1873-1946)

Giuseppe Verdi - Otello
Ora per sempre
(Recorded 1912)

My personal opinion: Leo Slezak was in a class of his own. His voice was extraordinary. It was a lyric-dramatic tenorvoice with unmistakably timbré. She was resonant, but every time bright plained. His mezzavoce sometimes surpassed even Caruso or - later - Gedda. In elder years he became weightily and heavy, a real colossus, but his voice and his phrasing remained beautiful. Sometimes he was a little bit to sentimental and (in his funny movies) too "kitschig". Nevertheless we don´t have tenors like him any more.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Leo
• Slezak
• Belcanto
• Caruso
• Met
• Otello

[primavoce444]

If ever there was an underestimated singer, Slezac would be at the head of the queue. I am not alone in my praise of him I am happy to see, clarity, colour and stability are all there, in abundance. Nimbus have an exceptional cd of his singing, don't hesitate to add it to your collection. Top 100? sure he is and well up the list.

[trekfreak007]

Wow, my Uncle Leo could hold his notes.

[stevevandien]

Slezak's voice at its best was powerful and thrusting even as it was lyrical and beautiful.  An extraordinary singer.

[owenhsmith]

Outstanding!

[MrCodygrowe]

@wwjacod13 -

Slezak sang Otello hundreds of times! He was one of the first wave of tenors to interpret the role throughout Europe at the start of the 20th century. He sang under Mahler at the Viennastaatsoper, and was a heroic tenor of remarkable refinement. Who better to sing this role?

[MrCodygrowe]

According to his wonderfully humorous autobiography, this was a role he loved and performed extensively. He was an Otello in the fist wave of the role's being interpreted, and has many stylistic connections to the late 19th century and the time of Otello's being composed. He sang under Mahler at the Vienna State Opera! I love Slezak and his unique voice. Thanks for posting!

[c4ndleinthewind]

slezak has always been one of the greatest in my opinion

[Fradiavolo1900]

Auf jeden Fall einer der besten Tenöre aller Zeiten. Die besten Aufnahmen stammen aus seiner frühen Zeit, bevor er als Othello Weltkarriere gemacht hat - er war ein hoher lirico-spinto, kein Heldentenor. Am eindrucksvollsten finde ich ihn in Werken der "Grande Opéra", Meyerbeer-Opern, der Stummen von Portici, Ernani, Jüdin usw. Schon zu seinen Lebzeiten kam seine Art des Singens bei europäischen Hörern besser an als bei den Amerikanern - scheint sich bis heute nicht geändert zu haben...

[runupahill1]

I am not alone in thinking this is a heroic tenor voice of great power and beauty, with much better musicianship than Caruso, and it is one of the most impressive performances of this work.

[vully70]

Stimmt, ein toller Sänger, dessen Ruhm als Musiker vielleicht unter seinem späten Ruhm als Komiker und der Selbsironie seiner Autobiographie etwas gelitten hat.

Wenn wir bei Heldentenören der Vergangenheit sind: Einer der besten, für mich NEBEN, nicht nach Melchior, fehlt noch: Jacques Urlus!

Musik-Vorschlag: Rienzi oder Euryanthe.