Robert Merrill- live 1955 "Eri tu" (Verdi, "Ballo")

Thought this was on youtube already but it wasn't. My personal favorite rendition of his of those I've heard, wonderful. Great sound considering. The rest of the excellent cast included Peerce, Milanov and M. Anderson.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• merrill
• robert
• un
• ballo
• in
• maschera
• verdi
• eri
• tu
• aria
• yt:quality=high

[stevevandien]

Many singers with dramatic voices have also had large, powerful (but not necessarily muscular) physiques: Caruso, Slezak, Ruffo, Nilsson, Horne, Vickers, Ghiaurov, Warren, Melchior, Corelli, Milnes, MacNeil, Farrell, etc. But Merrill was about five-feet eight and 150 pounds in his prime. Merrill's example and that of Norman Treigle (who was downright SKINNY) demonstrate that a big, powerful voice does not require a big body, powerful or no, as its source:) --

[ShawDAMAN]

@stevevandien well said :]

[stevevandien]

What was the date of this performance?

[ShawDAMAN]

@stevevandien hmm dont know exactly, I believe september 1955 but I could be wrong. thanks for your comments :)

[halavey]

Beautiful voice and great high notes, nothing that beautiful ever, what a Baritone he was!

[Greekbaritone]

Merrill was actually about 5'10 and a good 175 pounds. At the time of our meeting he was using a cane, but he still looked sturdy and robust. Then in his eighties, he was acting as the MC for an banquet honoring Barbara Cook. He never took himself to seriously either. - a real down to earth type of guy.

[jmccracken1963]

This is a GREAT performance of this scena by Merrill!!!!! Thank you VERY much for sharing this with us. (Unfortunately, the rest of the broadcast is not up to this standard: Peerce doesn't sing particularly well (NOTHING like his red-hot outstanding performance in Toscanini's broadcast almost 2 years before), Milanov had yet another "off" afternoon, Anderson was in parlous voice, and Mitropoulos was simply the WRONG conductor for this work - as BOTH of his Met broadcasts testify.....)

[jmccracken1963]

@ShawDAMAN The date of this performance is Saturday, 10 December 1955. Merrill's co-stars in that broadcast are Jan Peerce (Riccardo), Zinka Milanov (Amelia), Marian Anderson (Ulrica), Roberta Peters (Oscar), Giorgio Tozzi (Samuel), Norman Scott (Tom), Calvin Marsh (Silvano), James McCracken (Chief Justice), and Charles Anthony (Amelia's Manservant). Dimitri Mitropoulos conducted.

[federic017]

Questa interpretazione è una delle più grandi mai udite...da me...saluti

[stevevandien]

@legatofancier GLAMOUR is exactly the right word for Merrill's voice! Warren's voice was huge, rich and handsome, with an overwhelming upper register and matchless command of mezza voce.. Gobbi was a great interpreter; his blunt, powerful sound had little or no glamour, yet it was certainly commanding. But Merrill, good heavens, what a sheerly GLORIOUS sound. Not to mention sound technique; his voice loosened over the years, but he still sang well into his 70s:) --

[legatofancier]

@stevevandien - As a friend of mine once said, "If you could combine Robert Merrill's voice and Titto Gobbi's brain, you would have had the greatest baritone who ever lived." My friend really had something there! Merrill's voice had glamour, there's really no other word for it! Although I've grown to better understand Leonard Warren's appeal; respect Gobbi as an interpreter; and enjoy a number of other artists for their respective virtues, Merrill's naturally beautiful voice just sends me!

[noneisbetter]

Robert Merrill is one of my favorite singers of all time! Thanks for posting this great recording... You can really feel all the sadness, frustration and anger this character has for losing his wife. This is the sort of singing music students should hear to know how it's supposed to be done...

[stevevandien]

@ShawDAMAN Thanks very much:). Best, Steve