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| re: This gives me hope for a film of THE MOST HAPPY FELLA | |
| Posted by: larry13 02:12 pm EST 02/15/21 | |
| In reply to: re: This gives me hope for a film of THE MOST HAPPY FELLA - Michael_Portantiere 01:27 pm EST 02/15/21 | |
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| As I tried to point out earlier(but maybe not clearly enough), I do NOT think the main reason a tenor is so wrong for Tony is that I'm used to the role being sung by baritones.(As far as I know, it has never been sung by anyone other than a baritone or bass and there is a much much greater divide between a tenor and baritone than between a baritone and bass.)The composer--doesn't he matter?--wrote the part for a baritone. Usually, the composer knows what (s)he's doing and for good reason(s). Sometimes composers have altered the music or allowed changes, sometimes with good results, sometimes not. I'm very aware of lead characters such as Eleazar--and many others for older men--being written for tenors.(The Emperor is a minor character.)Tony, however, is in a show that was written the middle of the past century and, in fact, not for the opera house. And, again, Loesser wrote it for a baritone and I think he was right. As another poster mentioned, the sound--and glory--of Pavarotti's voice is not at all the voice for Tony. Yes, I'm aware Domingo started(and is ending?)as a baritone. And that he never had the secure highest notes Pavarotti and most other tenors who sang his repertory had, often to late in their careers. I personally don't think he had a wonderful rich baritonal quality throughout his career nor do I think he sounded fine in the baritone roles he has recently assumed. He IS amazing for someone his age to be able to sing--and sing well--everything he has but, again in my opinion, I don't find this at all comparable to the sound real baritones--such as Weede(and Leonard Warren, Robert Merrill, Cornell MacNeil, Sherrill Milnes, etc. etc.)displayed in the roles Verdi and others wrote for their voice range. |
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| re: This gives me hope for a film of THE MOST HAPPY FELLA | |
| Posted by: Michael_Portantiere 02:28 pm EST 02/15/21 | |
| In reply to: re: This gives me hope for a film of THE MOST HAPPY FELLA - larry13 02:12 pm EST 02/15/21 | |
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| Thanks. Again, I do understand but I simply disagree with most of what you wrote, even though you have supported your opinions well. It could be that Loesser felt it was super-important for Tony to be a high baritone rather than a tenor, or maybe not. Maybe if he knew of a middle-aged or older operatic tenor who he wanted to pre-cast in the role, he would have written the part a little higher. The fact that it's written for SUCH a high baritone would seem to indicate that a darker, lower voice quality was not really what he was going for. Oh, and the fact that the second largest male role in the show, that of Joe, was also written for a baritone might just as easily have prompted to write Tony for a tenor as another way to go with that role. By the way, did you by any chance get to hear Paul Sorvino as Tony in THE MOST HAPPY FELLA when he did it at City Opera, either live or in video/audio clips? That performance was, alas, a near-disaster, but (in my opinion) not because his very tenorish sound was in any way inappropriate for the role. I thought he sounded great from a vocal standpoint, so it was a pity that he was unable or unwilling to learn the role properly in the time allotted. |
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| re: This gives me hope for a film of THE MOST HAPPY FELLA | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 07:47 pm EST 02/15/21 | |
| In reply to: re: This gives me hope for a film of THE MOST HAPPY FELLA - Michael_Portantiere 02:28 pm EST 02/15/21 | |
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| The fact that it's written for SUCH a high baritone would seem to indicate that a darker, lower voice quality was not really what he was going for. Was the role written for Robert Weede, or was he cast after the fact? I think the idea that it's SUCH [sic] a high baritone role is subjective, and it depends on the singer at hand. Obviously it worked for Weede. You say Tozzi had troubles with it, but it was also late in his career, and it's a heavy role to sing every night. Every voice is different. I can still easily see Pavarotti looking at the role, realizing it wasn't really right for his "fach" and that furthermore it wouldn't show him off in the way he would have wanted. Maybe there's someone out there who knows what actually happened. |
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| re: This gives me hope for a film of THE MOST HAPPY FELLA | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 07:36 pm EST 02/15/21 | |
| In reply to: re: This gives me hope for a film of THE MOST HAPPY FELLA - Michael_Portantiere 02:28 pm EST 02/15/21 | |
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| By the way, did you by any chance get to hear Paul Sorvino as Tony in THE MOST HAPPY FELLA when he did it at City Opera, either live or in video/audio clips? That performance was, alas, a near-disaster, but (in my opinion) not because his very tenorish sound was in any way inappropriate for the role. I did not see/hear Sorvino, but from what I seem to remember, some were indeed saying that the main problem was that the voice didn't fit the role. |
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| re: This gives me hope for a film of THE MOST HAPPY FELLA | |
| Posted by: Michael_Portantiere 08:23 pm EST 02/15/21 | |
| In reply to: re: This gives me hope for a film of THE MOST HAPPY FELLA - Chromolume 07:36 pm EST 02/15/21 | |
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| "I did not see/hear Sorvino, but from what I seem to remember, some were indeed saying that the main problem was that the voice didn't fit the role." As I've already noted, I strongly disagree that this was the main problem with Sorvino as Tony, but if you like, you can continue to push that narrative even though you did not see/hear him in the role. |
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| re: This gives me hope for a film of THE MOST HAPPY FELLA | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 08:33 pm EST 02/15/21 | |
| In reply to: re: This gives me hope for a film of THE MOST HAPPY FELLA - Michael_Portantiere 08:23 pm EST 02/15/21 | |
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| Michael - I'm not trying to "push a narrative," I'm just saying that at the time that's something I remember reading from various sources. I'm not making it up. | |
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| re: This gives me hope for a film of THE MOST HAPPY FELLA | |
| Posted by: larry13 02:38 pm EST 02/15/21 | |
| In reply to: re: This gives me hope for a film of THE MOST HAPPY FELLA - Michael_Portantiere 02:28 pm EST 02/15/21 | |
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| No, I didn't see Sorvino in the role.(I guess, then, that at least one tenor HAS portrayed Tony.)I'll look to see if I can find audio and/or video clips. I do enjoy Sorvino's work on the BAKER'S WIFE and CARMELINA recordings, even if he isn't exactly what the latter calls for. Thank you for your comments. As always. |
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