Leonard Warren sings "Gran Dio ! - Oh de verd'anni miei"

One of my heroes sings this great aria.
From a live Met performance.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Primobaritono
• opera
• Ernani
• Verdi
• Leonard
• Warren

[julesrod]

Peerless. Singing at its very best!!!Hvorostovsky, for all your white hair and machismo, you're a comprimario next to the great Warren.

[izar1234]

"Hvorostosksy is a great baritone"

For Russian songs. Certainly not remotely the caliber of Warren for opera, especially Verdi. I've heard Hvor. in several Verdi roles at the Met. Or rather, I've strained to hear him.

[mazzone1]

dull and what's that top note all about? bet Callas would have a thing to say about that.

[Fasolt100]

Wunderbar!

[stevevandien]

@redgrapeskins Actually, I think MacNeil's wobble problems have been exaggerated. Yep, he had it from time to time, no doubt about it. But go through his YouTube vids and you won't hear it as omnipresent, even in some performances from the 1970s and early 80s (and he was born in 1922). We should also note that NO singer, even the great ones, has ever been PERFECT that we know of. Each has had some faults, which must be granted when we assess them.

[Scarpia90]

@julesrod totally agree my friend! I totally agree!

[DonPaolissimo]

MacN was a good second, but Warren was the KING & has not been approached as Rigoletto 50 years after his death!

[DonPaolissimo]

MacN was a good second, but Warren was the KING & has not been approached as Rigoletts 50 years after his death!

[redgrapeskins]

@ShawDAMAN  I am sometimes too hard on Cornell --he had a thrilling top and power to spare --- I listened to him quite often during the Saturday boadcasts- He was a staple in his roles as Warren was - He stayed on pitch and always gave 110% as Warren did - McNeil was naturally dramatic in his approach and this stirred his admirers - To me his voice sounded older earlier than it should have [ unlike Pavarotti]-I will listen to those early McNeil performances

[ShawDAMAN]

@redgrapeskins I know the problem of which you speak regarding macneil but early in his career he was fine. you may have heard them already, I think his prime performances of this were superb... one is posted on youtube by mrcafiero and it will knock your socks off. I don't doubt that Warren had a more healthy technique though as well as the others you mention.

[redgrapeskins]

@ShawDAMAN Macneil was the king of the wobble !! There is a  vocal vibration which falls within the acceptability of any voice where vibrato is concerned - To fast a tremolo- too slow a wobble-- Macneil faiiled -His was too slow-These are the scientific facts that lab tests [and one's ears] will show -Yes he had range and power --But at the cost of a perfectly produced voice. Even Milnes, who sang flat more often than not had his moments!! Just listen to Warren Tibbett and Merrill

[redgrapeskins]

@izar1234 Exactly !!! There are those who just don;t want to admit that someone is peerless- Whether in sports, acting, dancing, speaking, singing etc-- They will argue for the sake of argument - Warren was a giant The students and professionals alike from the time [and even today] would agree with you --He is the standard -Warren I'm sure was aware of this!