I have heard ‘em all. Herlea is without doubt the most satisfying heavy baritone singing this aria. The A flat near the end is beyond stunning. No other singer comes close. I know comparisons are odious, but this man’s voice hits the spot for me. He is truly one of the greats.
I never heard of him til he got CZcamsd. This is gorgeous. Such a beautiful and expressive voice. His manipulation of chest and head is fabulous. And how bout those high notes!!!
There was a Live recording from the MET here on YT till a few years ago...they cut it down... That was the best recording ever of this aria... The public were DELIRIC, ecstatic in the end of the aria, not even waiting for the last G.
Domnule Herlea, veti ramane intotdeauna in inima mea si a celorlalti ce iubesc opera. Ati fost un zambet al copilariei mele. Un model de cultura si de rezistenta. Dumnezeu sa va odihneasca.
This is THE easential Herlea record for which he is justly famous. Ive been told his voice was not large- which I find difficult to believe. What a voice!
Sinceramente, creo que es uno de los Prólogos mejores que he oído en mi vida, y no digo el mejor porque habría muchos italianos que mentalmente quisieran apedrearme. Y que quede constancia que he oído todos los recogidos en audio.
Only Gobbi tops this. I saw Herlea many years back in a Prologue video clip from Romania. Great actor he was. His voice changed though. It was more flat and thin, less overtones. Here it's mature and deep.
Some years ago or so I was doing Zuniga in Carmen. There was a discussion about who was the best baritone so I made up a cassette tape called "World's Best Baritone". Most of these baritones were totally unknown to the singers. I didn't include identifications. This was one of the selections. Nobody got it. Who could this guy possibly be? No unknown is this good. Nobody got Straciari's Largo either. The real stumper was "Come Due Tizzi Accesi" from "L'arlesiana" sung by Barry Anderson.
Well, thank you for the comment. Of course, I'm no vocal specialist. I used to listen to Gobbi when I was a boy, sometime back in 50's. I still consider him the greatest baritono & an actor ever. As for the voice quality, I not only second G.Lauri-Volpi, I judge myself. Almost any famous baritono had better material. I think it's the ability to use it that made him the great.
viva lo stereo ! dal vivo Herlea aveva una voce bella del baritono rossiniano vero. la sua voce era di qualità più bella da quella di Nucci e tutti baritoni odierni... purtroppo aveva poca voce accanto à quelle di Popov,Petroff,Guelfi,Bastianini,Reali etc.etc.etc.... sui dischi la voce di Herlea è davvero impressionante ! dal vivo era un'altra cosa. come dico spesso una registrazione è una dolce illusione...e viceversa. questo /come Figaro,Posa/ era il suo repertorio ! bravo !
It is true that his voice darkened and got more mature as he grew older, but as to Tito Gobbi topping Herlea's rendition....well as an actor yes, but as far as singing, and the high notes are concerned i don't think so. Gobbi's high notes don't come out, they don't break through, it is as if they remained somewhere in the back. Remember though, that this is just my opinion, i don't want to start a fight with anybody. :)
Plenty of people say that Gobbi had a poor voice, i think they are almost all rehearsing comments from others. Gobbi's voice is fantastic, he has marvellous open top notes, and power throughout the range, combined with a pleasing tone and beautiful control of timbre. Most of the videos on youtube are from when gobbi was very young. If you want to hear his mature voice listen to the cd "Tito Gobbi masterclass", the Ab on that is huge.
Scuze!Un PS urmatorii,in ordinea valorii sunt tot romani. As aminti,doar,pe Iordachescu,Ohanesian,Konya Ladislau,Tumageanian si lista ar putea continua.
Aveti dreptate... Eu i-as mai adauga pe Stefanescu-Goanga si pe Mihail Arnautu, ca sa ii conectez pe cei numiti cu inaintasii lor din trecutul apropiat. Nicolae Herlea a fost un mare bariton, probabil cel mai mare, intr-o constelatie de baritoni de mare clasa. Aparitia si formarea lui in Romania nu a fost intamplatoare. Concurenta si dorinta de a performa in mediul respectiv trebuie sa fi fost foarte intense.
Va multumesc pentru postarea d-voastra si chiar inaite de-a citi,m-am uitat pe o inregistrare cu"Paiate",spectacol dirijat de Riccardo Muti,avand in distributie,intre altii,pe Placido Domingo.Dezamagire totala fata de acesti mari maestri,ca au acceptat o regie atat de grotesca(Poate ca-s eu depasit)si colaborarea cu niste interpreti alesi, probabil,dupa alte criterii decat talentul.(Parera mea)In distributie mai erau Svetla Vassilieva si Juan Pons(Prologul fara acute...,am citit ca cineva spunea:"ca mâncarea fara sare si piper".Va multumesc inca odata si am speranta ca se va gasi cineva care sa opreasca asemenea tendinte.Nu ARTA trebuie sa coboare,ci semenii nostri sa se ridice la nivelul ARTEI.Dar...pana când"Peste tot banu-i domnitor"...Totusi speram.
the same recording when Herlea was coming out from the bass drum has been seen in many countries and it happened that i saw that. there he was younger than in this recording and sounded perfect. i can't help you to with hearing . I am not an ENT doctor, but I think you can't hear right. this singer used enough contrasts in phrasing and was perfect in tune, so go back to Basiola and enjoy listening to him. all the best!
Absolutely beautiful, powerful, well-rounded, colourful, full range voice. However, I prefer a few more “valleys” among the “mountains” eg. “Un nido di memorie” could be reigned in a little to lead to a more dramatic ending.
Reminds me a bit of Tagliabue , Valdengo, Zancanaro. Not that they sound a like, its that rare , fine grained, fast spinning bel canto style with some added heft. And the A? Almost TOO good.
There's nothing wrong with my hearing, and I'm not alone in opinion that Herlea's voice changed with years. Plus, I said nothing about his being in or out of tune. I said his acting and voice were fantastic but appeared flat (colorless) to me back then. Recording may have been the problem. But, as I said, I stick to my opinion. And you don't have to be snarky.
Herlea was not a success at the Met. The Time magazine review at the time claimed he sang sharp. I remember that clearly but I've never heard sing sharp on any of his many recordings. Something fishy, I think. There have been several other super baritones since then but not Juan Pons or Thomas Hampson (ugh). Herlea has the right shape and texture: dark, creamy and a blazing top.
Actually if you listen to the recordings here on YT from Don Carlo (Posa's death) and "Eri tu" from from Ballo, he does indeed often sing sharp. It personally doesnt worry me and I much prefer it to someone like Milnes who was constantly just under the note.
I agree Patrick Boyle - Hampson is utter garbage. He should be arrested, tried,and convicted for taking money under false pretences! 2 singer friends of mine who participated in a 'masterclass' he was giving years ago reported that he is a major perv with a foul mouth. Some PR idiot, doubtless paid by the Deutsche Gramaphon, dubbed Hampson the 'Thinking Man's Baritone'. WHAT A PILE OF WANK!! Personally I would pay only to hear the singing man's baritone!!
That is surprising for a voice like Herlea's... Probably, the Time Magazine reviewer could not find the right qualifiers: "pure gold", "velvet"... to name only two of those used by more inspired critics! Herlea's voice should be objectively analyzed to asses its unique harmonic texture. The Met must have good recordings of his performances to make this possible.
Basiola was great , but ..... there is a major difference in phrasing and quality of tone, beside the difference of generation and the recording technical capabilities of their times.
Herlea had different voice when I first saw him. His appearance from a huge bass drum was shown many times in USSR. Fenomenal acting and singing, but pretty flat voice. Sorry, but that first impression stayed with me all my life. On this record he sounds completely different. Yet, Basiola's voice and singing quality are more in my liking and Gobbi's acting is incomparable, IMHO.
No fights. Question: did you hear Gobbi as Prologue in the "Mad about opera"? of the Belcanto Society. Nobody to compare with him there.I don't know how to upload that clip, maybe it's impossible. His high notes resonate as nothing else. Herlea's voice is fuller, but Gobbi, after all, had pretty poor voice.
@Cecilcern Man Of course it's only my own opinion. After all this is the place where anyone can voice his likes or dislikes about this or that singer, isn't it?
I have heard ‘em all. Herlea is without doubt the most satisfying heavy baritone singing this aria. The A flat near the end is beyond stunning. No other singer comes close. I know comparisons are odious, but this man’s voice hits the spot for me. He is truly one of the greats.
ONE OF THE BEST BARITONES I EVER HEARD!
I never heard of him til he got CZcamsd. This is gorgeous. Such a beautiful and expressive voice. His manipulation of chest and head is fabulous. And how bout those high notes!!!
There was a Live recording from the MET here on YT till a few years ago...they cut it down... That was the best recording ever of this aria... The public were DELIRIC, ecstatic in the end of the aria, not even waiting for the last G.
Yeah where did that one go???? What the hell
Божественно! Какое наполнение голоса несравненное! Брависсимо!
Domnule Herlea, veti ramane intotdeauna in inima mea si a celorlalti ce iubesc opera. Ati fost un zambet al copilariei mele. Un model de cultura si de rezistenta. Dumnezeu sa va odihneasca.
Otto Weber 4q3q
That is unbeliveable! This Baritone has quality on his singing and a Huge voice!I Wish I could hear him on stage or see him on a video!!!Amazing!
I had to honor to meet and learn from Nicolae Herlea in a few master classes in Bucharest. It was an absolute unforgettable experience.
This is THE easential Herlea record for which he is justly famous. Ive been told his voice was not large- which I find difficult to believe. What a voice!
Я сейчас послушала Бастианини и Херлиа рядом в этой арии..и стало понятно,насколько больше голос Синьора Бастианини..мое мнение, конечно
Brilliant! Thank you Peter Boldizsar for posting it. I return to this clip every now and then, when I want perfection.
Spectacular! I've never heard this done any better, BIG BIG voice!
I totally agree with you! Exquisite! I cannot imagine a better interpretation and his high A flat shocking in it's perfection!
Sinceramente, creo que es uno de los Prólogos mejores que he oído en mi vida, y no digo el mejor porque habría muchos italianos que mentalmente quisieran apedrearme. Y que quede constancia que he oído todos los recogidos en audio.
Can you ask for more than this? Splendid interpretation, no doubt at all. That high note has all beauty, that can come from a human (baritone) throat.
Una de las mejores grabaciones que he escuchado del prólogo.Voz estupenda
Fenomenal!
I just love his low, rich baritone voice. So soothing and clear. Specia Baritone!
I heard him at the Met -- a wonderful baritone the likes of which you do not hear today. His Nemico from Andrea Chenier is matchless.
Baryton exceptionnel!Superbe phrasé legato,aigus très faciles,bravo!
Yet another first-rate Tonio. We CZcams viewers are a lucky lot. Thank you for this.
Only Gobbi tops this. I saw Herlea many years back in a Prologue video clip from Romania. Great actor he was. His voice changed though. It was more flat and thin, less overtones. Here it's mature and deep.
his voice.... wow. this is a very good recording. he sounds great!
So breathtaking, powerful rehearsal. I'm so happy to have opportunity to hear this amazingly titanic human!
Gorgeous voice- well sung. Thanks Peter...
la perfezione di tanti cantanti di opera romeni ,no rumeni come dicono alcuni in Italia,
For me is the best.
Melodiosa e maravilhosa esta excelente interpretação!!
Some years ago or so I was doing Zuniga in Carmen. There was a discussion about who was the best baritone so I made up a cassette tape called "World's Best Baritone". Most of these baritones were totally unknown to the singers. I didn't include identifications.
This was one of the selections. Nobody got it. Who could this guy possibly be? No unknown is this good. Nobody got Straciari's Largo either. The real stumper was "Come Due Tizzi Accesi" from "L'arlesiana" sung by Barry Anderson.
Divina, orum n !
N-am auzit interpretare mai frumoasa
grazie !!!!!!!!!!
SUPERLATTIVO !!!!!!!
Bravissimo!!
Well, thank you for the comment. Of course, I'm no vocal specialist. I used to listen to Gobbi when I was a boy, sometime back in 50's. I still consider him the greatest baritono & an actor ever. As for the voice quality, I not only second G.Lauri-Volpi, I judge myself. Almost any famous baritono had better material. I think it's the ability to use it that made him the great.
viva lo stereo !
dal vivo Herlea aveva una voce bella del baritono rossiniano vero.
la sua voce era di qualità più bella da quella di Nucci e tutti baritoni odierni...
purtroppo aveva poca voce accanto à quelle di Popov,Petroff,Guelfi,Bastianini,Reali etc.etc.etc....
sui dischi la voce di Herlea è davvero impressionante !
dal vivo era un'altra cosa.
come dico spesso una registrazione è una dolce illusione...e viceversa.
questo /come Figaro,Posa/ era il suo repertorio !
bravo !
Спасибо Фигаро и Поза любимые персонажи
Best!
Minunat,de neîntrecut
It is true that his voice darkened and got more mature as he grew older, but as to Tito Gobbi topping Herlea's rendition....well as an actor yes, but as far as singing, and the high notes are concerned i don't think so. Gobbi's high notes don't come out, they don't break through, it is as if they remained somewhere in the back. Remember though, that this is just my opinion, i don't want to start a fight with anybody. :)
@TheAdmiringFool I love this response!!! Very, very well put.
Plenty of people say that Gobbi had a poor voice, i think they are almost all rehearsing comments from others. Gobbi's voice is fantastic, he has marvellous open top notes, and power throughout the range, combined with a pleasing tone and beautiful control of timbre. Most of the videos on youtube are from when gobbi was very young. If you want to hear his mature voice listen to the cd "Tito Gobbi masterclass", the Ab on that is huge.
In the quality of the voice you can compare Warren only with Herlea and Alexander Sved. A great voice with great characterization.
Scuze!Un PS urmatorii,in ordinea valorii sunt tot romani.
As aminti,doar,pe Iordachescu,Ohanesian,Konya Ladislau,Tumageanian si lista ar putea continua.
Aveti dreptate... Eu i-as mai adauga pe Stefanescu-Goanga si pe Mihail Arnautu, ca sa ii conectez pe cei numiti cu inaintasii lor din trecutul apropiat. Nicolae Herlea a fost un mare bariton, probabil cel mai mare, intr-o constelatie de baritoni de mare clasa. Aparitia si formarea lui in Romania nu a fost intamplatoare. Concurenta si dorinta de a performa in mediul respectiv trebuie sa fi fost foarte intense.
Va multumesc pentru postarea d-voastra si chiar inaite de-a citi,m-am uitat pe o inregistrare cu"Paiate",spectacol dirijat de Riccardo Muti,avand in distributie,intre altii,pe Placido Domingo.Dezamagire totala fata de acesti mari maestri,ca au acceptat o regie atat de grotesca(Poate ca-s eu depasit)si colaborarea cu niste interpreti alesi, probabil,dupa alte criterii decat talentul.(Parera mea)In distributie mai erau Svetla Vassilieva si Juan Pons(Prologul fara acute...,am citit ca cineva spunea:"ca mâncarea fara sare si piper".Va multumesc inca odata si am speranta ca se va gasi cineva care sa opreasca asemenea tendinte.Nu ARTA trebuie sa coboare,ci semenii nostri sa se ridice la nivelul ARTEI.Dar...pana când"Peste tot banu-i domnitor"...Totusi speram.
the same recording when Herlea was coming out from the bass drum has been seen in many countries and it happened that i saw that. there he was younger than in this recording and sounded perfect. i can't help you to with hearing . I am not an ENT doctor, but I think you can't hear right. this singer used enough contrasts in phrasing and was perfect in tune, so go back to Basiola and enjoy listening to him. all the best!
Absolutely beautiful, powerful, well-rounded, colourful, full range voice. However, I prefer a few more “valleys” among the “mountains” eg. “Un nido di memorie” could be reigned in a little to lead to a more dramatic ending.
Because he sounds really nice.
RIP
wow!
how I envy you to be present there
Reminds me a bit of Tagliabue , Valdengo, Zancanaro. Not that they sound a like, its that rare , fine grained, fast spinning bel canto style with some added heft. And the A? Almost TOO good.
Does anyone know whether this recording is on a CD, too? If it's there, I'm eager to order it.
ha tempo eu nao ouvia um baritono com tanto prazer
Top Notch
日本国で拝聴しています！！
I don't know for sure, but somewhere in the sixties I figure
niemand hat es besser gesungen
I can't find a CD with this version of the Prologue on it. Is one in print?
When was it recorded?
4:40
There's nothing wrong with my hearing, and I'm not alone in opinion that Herlea's voice changed with years. Plus, I said nothing about his being in or out of tune. I said his acting and voice were fantastic but appeared flat (colorless) to me back then. Recording may have been the problem. But, as I said, I stick to my opinion. And you don't have to be snarky.
Mi name is Péter Boldizsár
e la lista e molto lunga ......
Herlea was not a success at the Met. The Time magazine review at the time claimed he sang sharp. I remember that clearly but I've never heard sing sharp on any of his many recordings. Something fishy, I think.
There have been several other super baritones since then but not Juan Pons or Thomas Hampson (ugh). Herlea has the right shape and texture: dark, creamy and a blazing top.
Actually if you listen to the recordings here on YT from Don Carlo (Posa's death) and "Eri tu" from from Ballo, he does indeed often sing sharp. It personally doesnt worry me and I much prefer it to someone like Milnes who was constantly just under the note.
I agree Patrick Boyle - Hampson is utter garbage. He should be arrested, tried,and convicted for taking money under false pretences! 2 singer friends of mine who participated in a 'masterclass' he was giving years ago reported that he is a major perv with a foul mouth. Some PR idiot, doubtless paid by the Deutsche Gramaphon, dubbed Hampson the 'Thinking Man's Baritone'. WHAT A PILE OF WANK!! Personally I would pay only to hear the singing man's baritone!!
That is surprising for a voice like Herlea's... Probably, the Time Magazine reviewer could not find the right qualifiers: "pure gold", "velvet"... to name only two of those used by more inspired critics! Herlea's voice should be objectively analyzed to asses its unique harmonic texture. The Met must have good recordings of his performances to make this possible.
Basiola was great , but ..... there is a major difference in phrasing and quality of tone, beside the difference of generation and the recording technical capabilities of their times.
min 0:30
If Gedda was a baritone, he would sound like this guy.
How do ya figer?
Very good, but I liked the Milnes video on CZcams better -- excellent singing plus the live performance video (unlike the blue screen for Herlea)
Herlea had different voice when I first saw him. His appearance from a huge bass drum was shown many times in USSR. Fenomenal acting and singing, but pretty flat voice. Sorry, but that first impression stayed with me all my life. On this record he sounds completely different. Yet, Basiola's voice and singing quality are more in my liking and Gobbi's acting is incomparable, IMHO.
Спасибо я заметила плоский голос..от него устаешь..он не меняется.. остальное красиво!
Indeed not as good as Sherrill Milnes ... "good" is a poor word in this case, and this interpretation is not "good" - it s DIVINE :)))
No fights. Question: did you hear Gobbi as Prologue in the "Mad about opera"? of the Belcanto Society. Nobody to compare with him there.I don't know how to upload that clip, maybe it's impossible. His high notes resonate as nothing else. Herlea's voice is fuller, but Gobbi, after all, had pretty poor voice.
@Cecilcern Man Of course it's only my own opinion. After all this is the place where anyone can voice his likes or dislikes about this or that singer, isn't it?
By the way, did you hear Mario Baziola as Prologue? May be the most beautiful voice ever, but no match to Gobbi & Herlea.