#belcanto — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #belcanto, aggregated by home.social.
-
#BelCanto (My Mesmering) Uniforn
https://youtu.be/xO15bGlidl8?is=l-WsH0rygr6j7Nio -
Here are two very different subreddits that I created and administrate.
This is a subreddit for those who love, or are even curious about, opera and its singers from the 1950's and earlier. Feel free to ask questions, share reviews and links, and discuss this wonderful genre of music and the singers and composers who brought it to life. Everyone, from beginners to experts, is welcome.
https://www.reddit.com/r/OldOpera/
If you want to join apositive subreddit for the blind, try r/BlindandFine. The subject matter is far less strict than at r/blind, since not everything needs to be related to blindness. This is more of a place where we can get to know each other and have fun. We allow sighted people to join as well, and we welcome questions about blindness if they are genuine, requests for feedback on surveys or technology about/for the blind, etc. However, I do ask that you join only if you are eighteen or older. Please also note that this is not a therapy/support group. If you need that, then r/blind is for you. I am not an administrator there, only of Blind and Fine.
https://www.reddit.com/r/BlindAndFine/
#accessibility #BelCanto #blind #blindness #composers #friendship #hobbies #music #opera #records #recordings #Reddit #singers #subreddits #technology
-
Here are two very different subreddits that I created and administrate.
This is a subreddit for those who love, or are even curious about, opera and its singers from the 1950's and earlier. Feel free to ask questions, share reviews and links, and discuss this wonderful genre of music and the singers and composers who brought it to life. Everyone, from beginners to experts, is welcome.
https://www.reddit.com/r/OldOpera/
If you want to join apositive subreddit for the blind, try r/BlindandFine. The subject matter is far less strict than at r/blind, since not everything needs to be related to blindness. This is more of a place where we can get to know each other and have fun. We allow sighted people to join as well, and we welcome questions about blindness if they are genuine, requests for feedback on surveys or technology about/for the blind, etc. However, I do ask that you join only if you are eighteen or older. Please also note that this is not a therapy/support group. If you need that, then r/blind is for you. I am not an administrator there, only of Blind and Fine.
https://www.reddit.com/r/BlindAndFine/
#accessibility #BelCanto #blind #blindness #composers #friendship #hobbies #music #opera #records #recordings #Reddit #singers #subreddits #technology
-
Here are two very different subreddits that I created and administrate.
This is a subreddit for those who love, or are even curious about, opera and its singers from the 1950's and earlier. Feel free to ask questions, share reviews and links, and discuss this wonderful genre of music and the singers and composers who brought it to life. Everyone, from beginners to experts, is welcome.
https://www.reddit.com/r/OldOpera/
If you want to join apositive subreddit for the blind, try r/BlindandFine. The subject matter is far less strict than at r/blind, since not everything needs to be related to blindness. This is more of a place where we can get to know each other and have fun. We allow sighted people to join as well, and we welcome questions about blindness if they are genuine, requests for feedback on surveys or technology about/for the blind, etc. However, I do ask that you join only if you are eighteen or older. Please also note that this is not a therapy/support group. If you need that, then r/blind is for you. I am not an administrator there, only of Blind and Fine.
https://www.reddit.com/r/BlindAndFine/
#accessibility #BelCanto #blind #blindness #composers #friendship #hobbies #music #opera #records #recordings #Reddit #singers #subreddits #technology
-
Here are two very different subreddits that I created and administrate.
This is a subreddit for those who love, or are even curious about, opera and its singers from the 1950's and earlier. Feel free to ask questions, share reviews and links, and discuss this wonderful genre of music and the singers and composers who brought it to life. Everyone, from beginners to experts, is welcome.
https://www.reddit.com/r/OldOpera/
If you want to join apositive subreddit for the blind, try r/BlindandFine. The subject matter is far less strict than at r/blind, since not everything needs to be related to blindness. This is more of a place where we can get to know each other and have fun. We allow sighted people to join as well, and we welcome questions about blindness if they are genuine, requests for feedback on surveys or technology about/for the blind, etc. However, I do ask that you join only if you are eighteen or older. Please also note that this is not a therapy/support group. If you need that, then r/blind is for you. I am not an administrator there, only of Blind and Fine.
https://www.reddit.com/r/BlindAndFine/
#accessibility #BelCanto #blind #blindness #composers #friendship #hobbies #music #opera #records #recordings #Reddit #singers #subreddits #technology
-
comune punto roma punto it / differxai. 2026
in tema di decadenze, due (non)mie arie: basate, come testo, sulle prime due/tre righe della home page del comune di roma. buon ascolto.
differxai(contralto)
*
(soprano)
https://differx.noblogs.org/2026/04/22/comune-punto-roma-punto-it-differxai-2026/
#art #audio #differx #TestiDiMgOnline #text #BelCanto #CantoImmortale #ComuneDiRoma #differxai #homepage -
comune punto roma punto it / differxai. 2026
in tema di decadenze, due (non)mie arie: basate, come testo, sulle prime due/tre righe della home page del comune di roma. buon ascolto.
differxai(contralto)
*
(soprano)
https://differx.noblogs.org/2026/04/22/comune-punto-roma-punto-it-differxai-2026/
#art #audio #differx #TestiDiMgOnline #text #BelCanto #CantoImmortale #ComuneDiRoma #differxai #homepage -
This is a subreddit for those who love, or are even curious about, opera and its singers from the 1950's and earlier. Feel free to ask questions, share reviews and links, and discuss this wonderful genre of music and the singers and composers who brought it to life. Everyone, from beginners to experts, is welcome.
https://www.reddit.com/r/OldOpera/
#BelCanto #composers #opera #music #questions #Reddit #reviews #singers #singing #subreddit
-
This is a subreddit for those who love, or are even curious about, opera and its singers from the 1950's and earlier. Feel free to ask questions, share reviews and links, and discuss this wonderful genre of music and the singers and composers who brought it to life. Everyone, from beginners to experts, is welcome.
https://www.reddit.com/r/OldOpera/
#BelCanto #composers #opera #music #questions #Reddit #reviews #singers #singing #subreddit
-
This is a subreddit for those who love, or are even curious about, opera and its singers from the 1950's and earlier. Feel free to ask questions, share reviews and links, and discuss this wonderful genre of music and the singers and composers who brought it to life. Everyone, from beginners to experts, is welcome.
https://www.reddit.com/r/OldOpera/
#BelCanto #composers #opera #music #questions #Reddit #reviews #singers #singing #subreddit
-
This is a subreddit for those who love, or are even curious about, opera and its singers from the 1950's and earlier. Feel free to ask questions, share reviews and links, and discuss this wonderful genre of music and the singers and composers who brought it to life. Everyone, from beginners to experts, is welcome.
https://www.reddit.com/r/OldOpera/
#BelCanto #composers #opera #music #questions #Reddit #reviews #singers #singing #subreddit
-
🔴 LIVE NOW ON VORTEX
📻 Vortex Abyss 🕳️ (Dark ambient, neofolk, shoegaze, immersive)
──────────────
🎵 Bel Canto - Shimmering, Warm & Bright▶️ Écouter / Listen : VorteX [Radio]
https://lesonduvortex.net💬 Join us on Discord:
https://discord.gg/d82hJZBeDE -
OK! An xcercise for a B4! Practice vowels ONLY everyday, in the higher register. Like #Pavarotti! =>top notes will be easier. #practice! #topnotes #sånglärare Ready for a 1-on-1🎵 lesson, in 🇭🇲/🇲🇫/🇮🇹/🇩🇪/🇸🇪? Comment; yesplease! #belcanto #tenor #grit #ulfbergström #singinglessons #sånglektion #opera
-
The palace in an Italian village where two retired US sopranos ‘repair’ broken opera voices.
Voice coaches Lisa Paglin and Marianna Brilla have transformed an old palazzo in Osimo into a ‘bel canto’ sanctuary where promising young artists and established opera singers alike come to retrain their vocal cords.
#Opera #Italy #Singing #VocalCords #Voice #Culture #BelCanto
-
The palace in an Italian village where two retired US sopranos ‘repair’ broken opera voices.
Voice coaches Lisa Paglin and Marianna Brilla have transformed an old palazzo in Osimo into a ‘bel canto’ sanctuary where promising young artists and established opera singers alike come to retrain their vocal cords.
#Opera #Italy #Singing #VocalCords #Voice #Culture #BelCanto
-
The palace in an Italian village where two retired US sopranos ‘repair’ broken opera voices.
Voice coaches Lisa Paglin and Marianna Brilla have transformed an old palazzo in Osimo into a ‘bel canto’ sanctuary where promising young artists and established opera singers alike come to retrain their vocal cords.
#Opera #Italy #Singing #VocalCords #Voice #Culture #BelCanto
-
The palace in an Italian village where two retired US sopranos ‘repair’ broken opera voices.
Voice coaches Lisa Paglin and Marianna Brilla have transformed an old palazzo in Osimo into a ‘bel canto’ sanctuary where promising young artists and established opera singers alike come to retrain their vocal cords.
#Opera #Italy #Singing #VocalCords #Voice #Culture #BelCanto
-
Musical Interlude: I don't know why this piece has echoed through my head today; it just has. So I'm sharing it.
"Casta Diva," performed by Renee Fleming.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg4L5tcxFcA
#MusicalInterlude #Opera #ReneeFleming #Bellini #Norma #BelCanto #PrayerToTheMoon
-
Musical Interlude: I don't know why this piece has echoed through my head today; it just has. So I'm sharing it.
"Casta Diva," performed by Renee Fleming.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg4L5tcxFcA
#MusicalInterlude #Opera #ReneeFleming #Bellini #Norma #BelCanto #PrayerToTheMoon
-
Musical Interlude: I don't know why this piece has echoed through my head today; it just has. So I'm sharing it.
"Casta Diva," performed by Renee Fleming.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg4L5tcxFcA
#MusicalInterlude #Opera #ReneeFleming #Bellini #Norma #BelCanto #PrayerToTheMoon
-
Musical Interlude: I don't know why this piece has echoed through my head today; it just has. So I'm sharing it.
"Casta Diva," performed by Renee Fleming.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg4L5tcxFcA
#MusicalInterlude #Opera #ReneeFleming #Bellini #Norma #BelCanto #PrayerToTheMoon
-
Musical Interlude: I don't know why this piece has echoed through my head today; it just has. So I'm sharing it.
"Casta Diva," performed by Renee Fleming.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg4L5tcxFcA
#MusicalInterlude #Opera #ReneeFleming #Bellini #Norma #BelCanto #PrayerToTheMoon
-
For those who are curious as to my research reguarding Tito Schipa and Alceste Gerunda, here is the full story, along with what I found. I still have to tie up a few loose ends, but mostly, it's to satisfy my own curiosity and learn what else can be found, particularly in anyting unpublished, as I love anecdotes and whatnot. If anyone is in or from Lecce and could help me, that would be great. I am seeking more recordings by Gerunda's students, and anecdotes about him, as well as those about Schipa and his own teaching methods.
https://dandylover1.dreamwidth.org/252932.html
#anecdotes #AlcesteGerunda #BelCanto #history #Lecce #lessons #opera #singing #Schipa #TitoSchipa #VocalPedagogy
-
For those who are curious as to my research reguarding Tito Schipa and Alceste Gerunda, here is the full story, along with what I found. I still have to tie up a few loose ends, but mostly, it's to satisfy my own curiosity and learn what else can be found, particularly in anyting unpublished, as I love anecdotes and whatnot. If anyone is in or from Lecce and could help me, that would be great. I am seeking more recordings by Gerunda's students, and anecdotes about him, as well as those about Schipa and his own teaching methods.
https://dandylover1.dreamwidth.org/252932.html
#anecdotes #AlcesteGerunda #BelCanto #history #Lecce #lessons #opera #singing #Schipa #TitoSchipa #VocalPedagogy
-
For those who are curious as to my research reguarding Tito Schipa and Alceste Gerunda, here is the full story, along with what I found. I still have to tie up a few loose ends, but mostly, it's to satisfy my own curiosity and learn what else can be found, particularly in anyting unpublished, as I love anecdotes and whatnot. If anyone is in or from Lecce and could help me, that would be great. I am seeking more recordings by Gerunda's students, and anecdotes about him, as well as those about Schipa and his own teaching methods.
https://dandylover1.dreamwidth.org/252932.html
#anecdotes #AlcesteGerunda #BelCanto #history #Lecce #lessons #opera #singing #Schipa #TitoSchipa #VocalPedagogy
-
For those who are curious as to my research reguarding Tito Schipa and Alceste Gerunda, here is the full story, along with what I found. I still have to tie up a few loose ends, but mostly, it's to satisfy my own curiosity and learn what else can be found, particularly in anyting unpublished, as I love anecdotes and whatnot. If anyone is in or from Lecce and could help me, that would be great. I am seeking more recordings by Gerunda's students, and anecdotes about him, as well as those about Schipa and his own teaching methods.
https://dandylover1.dreamwidth.org/252932.html
#anecdotes #AlcesteGerunda #BelCanto #history #Lecce #lessons #opera #singing #Schipa #TitoSchipa #VocalPedagogy
-
(Note. I am not interested in modern theory or ideas. This is strictly about traditional bel canto. And just to get this out of the way, I am a contralto who is only interested in singing in the tenor range.)
Now that I know how to follow Alceste Gerunda's method, I am beginning with Garcia's exercises. However, the first ones I found on Youtube start with messa di voce.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B\_O2kQz4TIA
Schipa made it very clear that Gerunda focused heavily on this aspect of singing. But I asked Perplexity if, since these are my very first lessons, I should be doing this or not. Yes, I know it's ai. But this is why I am sharing the answer with you and asking if this is correct. It certainly does sound plausable. Note that I do have, if not perfect pitch, than something extremely close to it. I also pay very close attention to subtle details in recordings, so I am aware of what my own voice does. I am totally blind and cannot read braille music. At any rate, this is what Perplexity said. The first part of the answer refers to the exercise in the video.
"Duration of the Exercise
If you perform the sustained note exercise once through on each of the five vowels—repeating the full exercise sequence for “ah,” then “ee,” “eh,” “oh,” and “oo”—it could indeed take approximately twenty-five minutes, assuming each pass is five minutes long and you take minimal breaks. However, it is entirely reasonable to begin with just one or two vowels per session, especially as you are establishing your technique. Quality, ease, and concentration outweigh the mere length of the practice; there is no need to force all five vowels in a single session at the very beginning.
Is This Garcia’s “First Exercise”?
The sustained note (messa di voce) exercise is certainly one of the cornerstone practices in Manuel García II’s Treatise on the Art of Singing (originally “Traité complet de l’Art du Chant”) and is central to his vocal method. He places major emphasis upon the production of a sustained, even tone, gradually increasing and decreasing in intensity—essentially, the classic messa di voce. However, García’s treatise first addresses:
•
Physical preparation, posture, and the mechanics of breathing,
•
Simple emission of a clear tone,
•
And only then moves to messa di voce as the foundation for control and expressive development.
Though messa di voce is central and appears early in his method, García’s very first exercises are even more elemental: sustained straight tones on single vowels, without dynamic change, to establish clarity and freedom of production. The dynamic swell of true messa di voce is introduced shortly after, as skill and stability grow.
Should a Beginner Focus on Messa di Voce?
García himself—and the strictest Italian tradition—would ask absolute beginners to spend a period on:
•
Discovering where the voice is “placed,”
•
Cultivating a pure, unstressed sound on a single pitch and vowel,
•
Establishing breath support and freedom.
Only when these basics are secure does one progress to sustained notes with crescendo and diminuendo (the true messa di voce). Attempting dynamic shaping too early can lead to tension, shaky support, or bad habits if the vocal emission is not yet free and even.
Recommended Approach for Your First Lessons
•
Begin with sustained notes on a comfortable pitch and vowel (“ah” is preferred), simply holding a clear, free sound for several seconds at a soft–moderate volume.
•
Once this feels steady, introduce a gentle crescendo and diminuendo—but keep the motion small at first, avoiding strain or pushing.
•
Practise only as many repetitions as feel comfortable—at the outset, one or two vowels for fifteen minutes may suffice.
•
Alternate days: some days work only on pure, straight tone; others introduce a little dynamic shift.
Table: Progressive Approach
Lesson Stage
Activity
Duration
First week(s)
Simple sustained notes, 1-2 vowels
10–15 min
When stable/comfortable
Add gentle messa di voce, more vowels
15–25 min
Later phase
Full messa di voce on all vowels
25 min+"
Both Schipa and Perplexity mentioned voice placement. Can someone please explain this to me? When should I start Concone's and Schipa's exercises? When will I know that it's time to go to the next phase?
#AlcesteGerunda #BelCanto #ClassicalSinging #Concone #Garcia #Gerunda #ManuelGarcia #opera #learning #lessons #Schipa #TitoSchipa #singing
-
(Note. I am not interested in modern theory or ideas. This is strictly about traditional bel canto. And just to get this out of the way, I am a contralto who is only interested in singing in the tenor range.)
Now that I know how to follow Alceste Gerunda's method, I am beginning with Garcia's exercises. However, the first ones I found on Youtube start with messa di voce.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B\_O2kQz4TIA
Schipa made it very clear that Gerunda focused heavily on this aspect of singing. But I asked Perplexity if, since these are my very first lessons, I should be doing this or not. Yes, I know it's ai. But this is why I am sharing the answer with you and asking if this is correct. It certainly does sound plausable. Note that I do have, if not perfect pitch, than something extremely close to it. I also pay very close attention to subtle details in recordings, so I am aware of what my own voice does. I am totally blind and cannot read braille music. At any rate, this is what Perplexity said. The first part of the answer refers to the exercise in the video.
"Duration of the Exercise
If you perform the sustained note exercise once through on each of the five vowels—repeating the full exercise sequence for “ah,” then “ee,” “eh,” “oh,” and “oo”—it could indeed take approximately twenty-five minutes, assuming each pass is five minutes long and you take minimal breaks. However, it is entirely reasonable to begin with just one or two vowels per session, especially as you are establishing your technique. Quality, ease, and concentration outweigh the mere length of the practice; there is no need to force all five vowels in a single session at the very beginning.
Is This Garcia’s “First Exercise”?
The sustained note (messa di voce) exercise is certainly one of the cornerstone practices in Manuel García II’s Treatise on the Art of Singing (originally “Traité complet de l’Art du Chant”) and is central to his vocal method. He places major emphasis upon the production of a sustained, even tone, gradually increasing and decreasing in intensity—essentially, the classic messa di voce. However, García’s treatise first addresses:
•
Physical preparation, posture, and the mechanics of breathing,
•
Simple emission of a clear tone,
•
And only then moves to messa di voce as the foundation for control and expressive development.
Though messa di voce is central and appears early in his method, García’s very first exercises are even more elemental: sustained straight tones on single vowels, without dynamic change, to establish clarity and freedom of production. The dynamic swell of true messa di voce is introduced shortly after, as skill and stability grow.
Should a Beginner Focus on Messa di Voce?
García himself—and the strictest Italian tradition—would ask absolute beginners to spend a period on:
•
Discovering where the voice is “placed,”
•
Cultivating a pure, unstressed sound on a single pitch and vowel,
•
Establishing breath support and freedom.
Only when these basics are secure does one progress to sustained notes with crescendo and diminuendo (the true messa di voce). Attempting dynamic shaping too early can lead to tension, shaky support, or bad habits if the vocal emission is not yet free and even.
Recommended Approach for Your First Lessons
•
Begin with sustained notes on a comfortable pitch and vowel (“ah” is preferred), simply holding a clear, free sound for several seconds at a soft–moderate volume.
•
Once this feels steady, introduce a gentle crescendo and diminuendo—but keep the motion small at first, avoiding strain or pushing.
•
Practise only as many repetitions as feel comfortable—at the outset, one or two vowels for fifteen minutes may suffice.
•
Alternate days: some days work only on pure, straight tone; others introduce a little dynamic shift.
Table: Progressive Approach
Lesson Stage
Activity
Duration
First week(s)
Simple sustained notes, 1-2 vowels
10–15 min
When stable/comfortable
Add gentle messa di voce, more vowels
15–25 min
Later phase
Full messa di voce on all vowels
25 min+"
Both Schipa and Perplexity mentioned voice placement. Can someone please explain this to me? When should I start Concone's and Schipa's exercises? When will I know that it's time to go to the next phase?
#AlcesteGerunda #BelCanto #ClassicalSinging #Concone #Garcia #Gerunda #ManuelGarcia #opera #learning #lessons #Schipa #TitoSchipa #singing
-
Some time ago, I wrote regarding my journey tracing the pedagogical lineage of Tito Schipa, Alceste Gerunda, and Saverio Mercadante, with special emphasis on the first two. Well, I found what I was seeking quite by accident tonight! There is a lot here, so I am only quoting the relevant parts. Please excuse the errors, but this is from ocr text (the "full text" link). I cleaned it up as much as possible. This is not an ai translation. For those who love Schipa, it is worth reading his full interview, as he tells an interesting anecdote and also talks about the first "songs" he was allowed to sing.
https://archive.org/details/EtudeJuly1927
"That I am able to sing such a very great number of engagements, year after year, in opera and in concert, without any breakdown, I attribute very largely to the exhaustive drill of my maestro, Gerunda. When I first went to him, like all boys, I was wasting my voice by shouting. He taught me in the simplest and most natural manner possible, how to place my voice. Then he commenced a series of drills which lasted six and one-half years. Six and one-half years, with nothing but exercises!" He would not permit me under any circumstances to sing a song."
"... every day at every concert and every opera, I realize the enormous benefit that came from this exhaustive training from vocalises and vocal exercises. Sometimes, when my general physical condition is not good, I find that my early training keeps my vocal organs in such shape that I am able to go on with the concert.
“He gave me numerous exercises of his own. He gave me exercises and vocalises of Concone and Garcia. He gave me numerous scales, but he was most persistent upon a beautiful sustained tone, or, as they say in Italian, nota tenuta. In addition to this, I was obliged to practice with the very greatest perseverance, sustained notes, singing them crescendo and diminuendo. Gerunda would make me do this with agonizing care. That is, I would start, for instance, upon C upon the third space of the treble clef, the note becoming gradually fuller and fuller for three and one-half measures and then diminishing in value for another three and one-half measures, until it finally faded away. The importance of the crescendo and diminuendo controlled at the will of the singer is so enormous that I am amazed that more attention is not paid to it regularly. After all, through diminuendo and crescendo, one has one of the most significant elements in expression. How rarely does one hear a good crescendo and a good diminuendo on a sustained tone."
I am going to start by working on individual notes, then progress to scales, then arpegios, and then exercises. Someone actually sent me Garcia's exercises, which do exactly what Schipa was talking about in the interview! Originally, I was avoiding him, since i heard he added science into training, though he didn't dramatically change things. However, if Alceste Gerunda himself used his exercises with his students, I am not going to question that! Plus, this is exactly what Schipa was describing in the interview! It's also for the tenor range, so I feel truly comfortable singing it. Anyway, I was sent the first, but I am including the next two, before "advanced" is added to the titles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_O2kQz4TIA&list=PL-pA3D_qO_cADzuMne5tJyUv_s5wvTutS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzubQvwao60
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZOnhGlp4GI
When can I begin using Schipa's? He taught quite differently, apparently not mentioning single notes, breath, etc. How will I know once I am ready to progress to the next phase? Since I am studying harmony from Prout and must do this by ear (I am blind and cannot read braille music), can I incorporate things such as learning the names of the notes (including changes in different keys and directions of scales) as I do my vocal exercises?
The Reddit links for the above discussions can be found here.
https://www.reddit.com/r/opera/comments/1m3bi3i/update_on_singing_journey_and_research_on_schipa/
#AlcesteGerunda #BelCanto #exercises #Gerunda #opera #Schipa #singing #TitoSchipa #VocalPedagogy
-
Some time ago, I wrote regarding my journey tracing the pedagogical lineage of Tito Schipa, Alceste Gerunda, and Saverio Mercadante, with special emphasis on the first two. Well, I found what I was seeking quite by accident tonight! There is a lot here, so I am only quoting the relevant parts. Please excuse the errors, but this is from ocr text (the "full text" link). I cleaned it up as much as possible. This is not an ai translation. For those who love Schipa, it is worth reading his full interview, as he tells an interesting anecdote and also talks about the first "songs" he was allowed to sing.
https://archive.org/details/EtudeJuly1927
"That I am able to sing such a very great number of engagements, year after year, in opera and in concert, without any breakdown, I attribute very largely to the exhaustive drill of my maestro, Gerunda. When I first went to him, like all boys, I was wasting my voice by shouting. He taught me in the simplest and most natural manner possible, how to place my voice. Then he commenced a series of drills which lasted six and one-half years. Six and one-half years, with nothing but exercises!" He would not permit me under any circumstances to sing a song."
"... every day at every concert and every opera, I realize the enormous benefit that came from this exhaustive training from vocalises and vocal exercises. Sometimes, when my general physical condition is not good, I find that my early training keeps my vocal organs in such shape that I am able to go on with the concert.
“He gave me numerous exercises of his own. He gave me exercises and vocalises of Concone and Garcia. He gave me numerous scales, but he was most persistent upon a beautiful sustained tone, or, as they say in Italian, nota tenuta. In addition to this, I was obliged to practice with the very greatest perseverance, sustained notes, singing them crescendo and diminuendo. Gerunda would make me do this with agonizing care. That is, I would start, for instance, upon C upon the third space of the treble clef, the note becoming gradually fuller and fuller for three and one-half measures and then diminishing in value for another three and one-half measures, until it finally faded away. The importance of the crescendo and diminuendo controlled at the will of the singer is so enormous that I am amazed that more attention is not paid to it regularly. After all, through diminuendo and crescendo, one has one of the most significant elements in expression. How rarely does one hear a good crescendo and a good diminuendo on a sustained tone."
I am going to start by working on individual notes, then progress to scales, then arpegios, and then exercises. Someone actually sent me Garcia's exercises, which do exactly what Schipa was talking about in the interview! Originally, I was avoiding him, since i heard he added science into training, though he didn't dramatically change things. However, if Alceste Gerunda himself used his exercises with his students, I am not going to question that! Plus, this is exactly what Schipa was describing in the interview! It's also for the tenor range, so I feel truly comfortable singing it. Anyway, I was sent the first, but I am including the next two, before "advanced" is added to the titles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_O2kQz4TIA&list=PL-pA3D_qO_cADzuMne5tJyUv_s5wvTutS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzubQvwao60
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZOnhGlp4GI
When can I begin using Schipa's? He taught quite differently, apparently not mentioning single notes, breath, etc. How will I know once I am ready to progress to the next phase? Since I am studying harmony from Prout and must do this by ear (I am blind and cannot read braille music), can I incorporate things such as learning the names of the notes (including changes in different keys and directions of scales) as I do my vocal exercises?
The Reddit links for the above discussions can be found here.
https://www.reddit.com/r/opera/comments/1m3bi3i/update_on_singing_journey_and_research_on_schipa/
#AlcesteGerunda #BelCanto #exercises #Gerunda #opera #Schipa #singing #TitoSchipa #VocalPedagogy
-
Since I am pinning this to my profile, I am shortening it dramatically. To read the post in its entirety and understand exactly what I am seeking and the research I have done so far, please go here.
https://dandylover1.dreamwidth.org/249903.html
I love opera singers from prior to the 1950's. My favourite is Tito Schipa, and I am attempting to learn what he taught and how he learned. I have his ten vocal exercises but not the booklet that came with them. I wrote to Seth Riggs, who studied under him, but he never responded. I am now researching one of Schipa's most famous teachers, Alceste Gerunda (1847-1917) since he studied with him for six years. Gerunda's teacher was Saverio Mercadante. Gerunda himself taught at the Convitto Palmieri, which now olds the Bernardini Library, prior to opening his own school in his home. I wrote to the library but never heard from them. They have two books that interest me, namely "ALCESTE GERUNDA E LA SCUOLA LECCESE DI CANTO" by Silvia Mandurino (ITES 1969) and "IN MEMORIA DEL MAESTRO ALCESTE GERUNDA NE L'AVVIVERSARIO PRIMO DE LA SUA MORTE" by Giulia) Lucrezi (Palumbo. (I found the first online, and while it is fascinating, it doesn't contain what I need.) What I am seeking is anecdotes regarding his lessons, notes he may have written, books he may have used, the pedagogy he followed, etc. I am totally blind and live in New Jersey, America, so it's not possible for me to travel to Lecce. I posted to their subreddit, but I will leave this here in case anyone in the wider community can help. If you or someone you know teaches real bel canto (no scientific or modern ideas), I would love to hear from you.
#AlcesteGerunda #Apulia #BelCanto #education #Lecce #lessons #Italy #opera #music #pedagogy #Puglia #research #SaverioMercadante #singing #teacher #teaching #TitoSchipa #VocalPedagogy #VoiceLessons
-
Since I am pinning this to my profile, I am shortening it dramatically. To read the post in its entirety and understand exactly what I am seeking and the research I have done so far, please go here.
https://dandylover1.dreamwidth.org/249903.html
I love opera singers from prior to the 1950's. My favourite is Tito Schipa, and I am attempting to learn what he taught and how he learned. I have his ten vocal exercises but not the booklet that came with them. I wrote to Seth Riggs, who studied under him, but he never responded. I am now researching one of Schipa's most famous teachers, Alceste Gerunda (1847-1917) since he studied with him for six years. Gerunda's teacher was Saverio Mercadante. Gerunda himself taught at the Convitto Palmieri, which now olds the Bernardini Library, prior to opening his own school in his home. I wrote to the library but never heard from them. They have two books that interest me, namely "ALCESTE GERUNDA E LA SCUOLA LECCESE DI CANTO" by Silvia Mandurino (ITES 1969) and "IN MEMORIA DEL MAESTRO ALCESTE GERUNDA NE L'AVVIVERSARIO PRIMO DE LA SUA MORTE" by Giulia) Lucrezi (Palumbo. (I found the first online, and while it is fascinating, it doesn't contain what I need.) What I am seeking is anecdotes regarding his lessons, notes he may have written, books he may have used, the pedagogy he followed, etc. I am totally blind and live in New Jersey, America, so it's not possible for me to travel to Lecce. I posted to their subreddit, but I will leave this here in case anyone in the wider community can help. If you or someone you know teaches real bel canto (no scientific or modern ideas), I would love to hear from you.
#AlcesteGerunda #Apulia #BelCanto #education #Lecce #lessons #Italy #opera #music #pedagogy #Puglia #research #SaverioMercadante #singing #teacher #teaching #TitoSchipa #VocalPedagogy #VoiceLessons
-
Since I am pinning this to my profile, I am shortening it dramatically. To read the post in its entirety and understand exactly what I am seeking and the research I have done so far, please go here.
https://dandylover1.dreamwidth.org/249903.html
I love opera singers from prior to the 1950's. My favourite is Tito Schipa, and I am attempting to learn what he taught and how he learned. I have his ten vocal exercises but not the booklet that came with them. I wrote to Seth Riggs, who studied under him, but he never responded. I am now researching one of Schipa's most famous teachers, Alceste Gerunda (1847-1917) since he studied with him for six years. Gerunda's teacher was Saverio Mercadante. Gerunda himself taught at the Convitto Palmieri, which now olds the Bernardini Library, prior to opening his own school in his home. I wrote to the library but never heard from them. They have two books that interest me, namely "ALCESTE GERUNDA E LA SCUOLA LECCESE DI CANTO" by Silvia Mandurino (ITES 1969) and "IN MEMORIA DEL MAESTRO ALCESTE GERUNDA NE L'AVVIVERSARIO PRIMO DE LA SUA MORTE" by Giulia) Lucrezi (Palumbo. (I found the first online, and while it is fascinating, it doesn't contain what I need.) What I am seeking is anecdotes regarding his lessons, notes he may have written, books he may have used, the pedagogy he followed, etc. I am totally blind and live in New Jersey, America, so it's not possible for me to travel to Lecce. I posted to their subreddit, but I will leave this here in case anyone in the wider community can help. If you or someone you know teaches real bel canto (no scientific or modern ideas), I would love to hear from you.
#AlcesteGerunda #Apulia #BelCanto #education #Lecce #lessons #Italy #opera #music #pedagogy #Puglia #research #SaverioMercadante #singing #teacher #teaching #TitoSchipa #VocalPedagogy #VoiceLessons
-
Since I am pinning this to my profile, I am shortening it dramatically. To read the post in its entirety and understand exactly what I am seeking and the research I have done so far, please go here.
https://dandylover1.dreamwidth.org/249903.html
I love opera singers from prior to the 1950's. My favourite is Tito Schipa, and I am attempting to learn what he taught and how he learned. I have his ten vocal exercises but not the booklet that came with them. I wrote to Seth Riggs, who studied under him, but he never responded. I am now researching one of Schipa's most famous teachers, Alceste Gerunda (1847-1917) since he studied with him for six years. Gerunda's teacher was Saverio Mercadante. Gerunda himself taught at the Convitto Palmieri, which now olds the Bernardini Library, prior to opening his own school in his home. I wrote to the library but never heard from them. They have two books that interest me, namely "ALCESTE GERUNDA E LA SCUOLA LECCESE DI CANTO" by Silvia Mandurino (ITES 1969) and "IN MEMORIA DEL MAESTRO ALCESTE GERUNDA NE L'AVVIVERSARIO PRIMO DE LA SUA MORTE" by Giulia) Lucrezi (Palumbo. (I found the first online, and while it is fascinating, it doesn't contain what I need.) What I am seeking is anecdotes regarding his lessons, notes he may have written, books he may have used, the pedagogy he followed, etc. I am totally blind and live in New Jersey, America, so it's not possible for me to travel to Lecce. I posted to their subreddit, but I will leave this here in case anyone in the wider community can help. If you or someone you know teaches real bel canto (no scientific or modern ideas), I would love to hear from you.
#AlcesteGerunda #Apulia #BelCanto #education #Lecce #lessons #Italy #opera #music #pedagogy #Puglia #research #SaverioMercadante #singing #teacher #teaching #TitoSchipa #VocalPedagogy #VoiceLessons
-
*Please only add me if you're over twenty-one.
Since the Bio field has such a short character limit, consider this to be my profile/biography.
I don't write about American politics, race, anticapitalism, world affairs (wars, poverty, oppression, etc.), loneliness, bad self-esteem, or anxiety/depression, and will not add those who do so often. The same is true of those who feel it necessary to use obscenities. I am not a modern programmer or gamer, I do not use Linux, and I don't care what social network you use.*Hello. For the sake of honesty, Georgiana Brummell is not my legal name, but it is what I use. I live in New Jersey and am forty-two years old. Some of my interests include studying dandyism, nineteenth-century English grammar, Upper Received Pronunciation, the Italian language, British history, the Regency, opera, and MS-DOS. I like coffee, tea, wine, cooking, reading, watching nature and historical documentaries, gardening, hot weather, and playing cards and dice. I love opera, particularly singers from the 1940-s and earlier, classical music, from Baroque through early Romantic, and popular music from the 1950's through the 1970's, along with some acoustic recordings. I prefer antique menswear and accessories. I love wit, wordplay, and dry humour without vulgarity. I am happily childfree, am not religious, speak my mind and am against political correctness. I also love cats. I have been totally blind since I was two months old, due to Retinopathy of Prematurity.
This is my journal. Anyone can read or comment, whether or not he is a member.
http://dandylover1.dreamwidth.org
This is my dating post on Mastodon, which is shorter than the one on Dreamwidth. It's somewhat similar to this one, but it contains an explanation of what I am seeking in a partner. If you are or know a genuine dandy, or at least, an intelligent, single, childfree man over sixty, please read the link below and/or pass it on to him.
https://someplace.social/@dandylover1/114966815790206512
If you're on MSN via Escargot I am [email protected].
I am also the administrator of the Old Opera, and Blind and Fine, subreddits.
Interests
#accessibility #AgeGapRelationships #animals #atheism #BeauBrummell #baking #BelCanto #birds #BoardGames #books #BritishHistory #BritishLiterature #cards #cats #ChamberMusic #childfree #ClassicalMusic #coffee #cooking #crafts #dandies #dandyism #dating #documentaries #Dreamwidth #England #food #friends #friendship #gardening #grammar #history #humor #humour #introduction #Italian #MSDOS #nature #NewJersey #NoPolitics #NJ #NVDA #OldMen #OldTimeRadio #opera #operetta #paranormal #parapsychology #plants #QuickBasic #reading #ReceivedPronunciation #Reddit #Regency #RoyalFamily #seniors #SilverFork #singing #singles #suits #tea #theater #theatre #TWBlue #TweeseCake #UpperClass #Windows7 #WindowsXP #wine #AmWriting
-
*Please only add me if you're over twenty-one.
Since the Bio field has such a short character limit, consider this to be my profile/biography.
I don't write about American politics, race, anticapitalism, world affairs (wars, poverty, oppression, etc.), loneliness, bad self-esteem, or anxiety/depression, and will not add those who do so often. The same is true of those who feel it necessary to use obscenities. I am not a modern programmer or gamer, I do not use Linux, and I don't care what social network you use.*Hello. For the sake of honesty, Georgiana Brummell is not my legal name, but it is what I use. I live in New Jersey and am forty-two years old. Some of my interests include studying dandyism, nineteenth-century English grammar, Upper Received Pronunciation, the Italian language, British history, the Regency, opera, and MS-DOS. I like coffee, tea, wine, cooking, reading, watching nature and historical documentaries, gardening, hot weather, and playing cards and dice. I love opera, particularly singers from the 1940-s and earlier, classical music, from Baroque through early Romantic, and popular music from the 1950's through the 1970's, along with some acoustic recordings. I prefer antique menswear and accessories. I love wit, wordplay, and dry humour without vulgarity. I am happily childfree, am not religious, speak my mind and am against political correctness. I also love cats. I have been totally blind since I was two months old, due to Retinopathy of Prematurity.
This is my journal. Anyone can read or comment, whether or not he is a member.
http://dandylover1.dreamwidth.org
This is my dating post on Mastodon, which is shorter than the one on Dreamwidth. It's somewhat similar to this one, but it contains an explanation of what I am seeking in a partner. If you are or know a genuine dandy, or at least, an intelligent, single, childfree man over sixty, please read the link below and/or pass it on to him.
https://someplace.social/@dandylover1/114966815790206512
If you're on MSN via Escargot I am [email protected].
I am also the administrator of the Old Opera, and Blind and Fine, subreddits.
Interests
#accessibility #AgeGapRelationships #animals #atheism #BeauBrummell #baking #BelCanto #birds #BoardGames #books #BritishHistory #BritishLiterature #cards #cats #ChamberMusic #childfree #ClassicalMusic #coffee #cooking #crafts #dandies #dandyism #dating #documentaries #Dreamwidth #England #food #friends #friendship #gardening #grammar #history #humor #humour #introduction #Italian #MSDOS #nature #NewJersey #NoPolitics #NJ #NVDA #OldMen #OldTimeRadio #opera #operetta #paranormal #parapsychology #plants #QuickBasic #reading #ReceivedPronunciation #Reddit #Regency #RoyalFamily #seniors #SilverFork #singing #singles #suits #tea #theater #theatre #TWBlue #TweeseCake #UpperClass #Windows7 #WindowsXP #wine #AmWriting
-
*Please only add me if you're over twenty-one.
Since the Bio field has such a short character limit, consider this to be my profile/biography.
I don't write about American politics, race, anticapitalism, world affairs (wars, poverty, oppression, etc.), loneliness, bad self-esteem, or anxiety/depression, and will not add those who do so often. The same is true of those who feel it necessary to use obscenities. I am not a modern programmer or gamer, I do not use Linux, and I don't care what social network you use.*Hello. For the sake of honesty, Georgiana Brummell is not my legal name, but it is what I use. I live in New Jersey and am forty-two years old. Some of my interests include studying dandyism, nineteenth-century English grammar, Upper Received Pronunciation, the Italian language, British history, the Regency, opera, and MS-DOS. I like coffee, tea, wine, cooking, reading, watching nature and historical documentaries, gardening, hot weather, and playing cards and dice. I love opera, particularly singers from the 1940-s and earlier, classical music, from Baroque through early Romantic, and popular music from the 1950's through the 1970's, along with some acoustic recordings. I prefer antique menswear and accessories. I love wit, wordplay, and dry humour without vulgarity. I am happily childfree, am not religious, speak my mind and am against political correctness. I also love cats. I have been totally blind since I was two months old, due to Retinopathy of Prematurity.
This is my journal. Anyone can read or comment, whether or not he is a member.
http://dandylover1.dreamwidth.org
This is my dating post on Mastodon, which is shorter than the one on Dreamwidth. It's somewhat similar to this one, but it contains an explanation of what I am seeking in a partner. If you are or know a genuine dandy, or at least, an intelligent, single, childfree man over sixty, please read the link below and/or pass it on to him.
https://someplace.social/@dandylover1/114966815790206512
If you're on MSN via Escargot I am [email protected].
I am also the administrator of the Old Opera, and Blind and Fine, subreddits.
Interests
#accessibility #AgeGapRelationships #animals #atheism #BeauBrummell #baking #BelCanto #birds #BoardGames #books #BritishHistory #BritishLiterature #cards #cats #ChamberMusic #childfree #ClassicalMusic #coffee #cooking #crafts #dandies #dandyism #dating #documentaries #Dreamwidth #England #food #friends #friendship #gardening #grammar #history #humor #humour #introduction #Italian #MSDOS #nature #NewJersey #NoPolitics #NJ #NVDA #OldMen #OldTimeRadio #opera #operetta #paranormal #parapsychology #plants #QuickBasic #reading #ReceivedPronunciation #Reddit #Regency #RoyalFamily #seniors #SilverFork #singing #singles #suits #tea #theater #theatre #TWBlue #TweeseCake #UpperClass #Windows7 #WindowsXP #wine #AmWriting
-
*Please only add me if you're over twenty-one.
Since the Bio field has such a short character limit, consider this to be my profile/biography.
I don't write about American politics, race, anticapitalism, world affairs (wars, poverty, oppression, etc.), loneliness, bad self-esteem, or anxiety/depression, and will not add those who do so often. The same is true of those who feel it necessary to use obscenities. I am not a modern programmer or gamer, I do not use Linux, and I don't care what social network you use.*Hello. For the sake of honesty, Georgiana Brummell is not my legal name, but it is what I use. I live in New Jersey and am forty-two years old. Some of my interests include studying dandyism, nineteenth-century English grammar, Upper Received Pronunciation, the Italian language, British history, the Regency, opera, and MS-DOS. I like coffee, tea, wine, cooking, reading, watching nature and historical documentaries, gardening, hot weather, and playing cards and dice. I love opera, particularly singers from the 1940-s and earlier, classical music, from Baroque through early Romantic, and popular music from the 1950's through the 1970's, along with some acoustic recordings. I prefer antique menswear and accessories. I love wit, wordplay, and dry humour without vulgarity. I am happily childfree, am not religious, speak my mind and am against political correctness. I also love cats. I have been totally blind since I was two months old, due to Retinopathy of Prematurity.
This is my journal. Anyone can read or comment, whether or not he is a member.
http://dandylover1.dreamwidth.org
This is my dating post on Mastodon, which is shorter than the one on Dreamwidth. It's somewhat similar to this one, but it contains an explanation of what I am seeking in a partner. If you are or know a genuine dandy, or at least, an intelligent, single, childfree man over sixty, please read the link below and/or pass it on to him.
https://someplace.social/@dandylover1/114966815790206512
If you're on MSN via Escargot I am [email protected].
I am also the administrator of the Old Opera, and Blind and Fine, subreddits.
Interests
#accessibility #AgeGapRelationships #animals #atheism #BeauBrummell #baking #BelCanto #birds #BoardGames #books #BritishHistory #BritishLiterature #cards #cats #ChamberMusic #childfree #ClassicalMusic #coffee #cooking #crafts #dandies #dandyism #dating #documentaries #Dreamwidth #England #food #friends #friendship #gardening #grammar #history #humor #humour #introduction #Italian #MSDOS #nature #NewJersey #NoPolitics #NJ #NVDA #OldMen #OldTimeRadio #opera #operetta #paranormal #parapsychology #plants #QuickBasic #reading #ReceivedPronunciation #Reddit #Regency #RoyalFamily #seniors #SilverFork #singing #singles #suits #tea #theater #theatre #TWBlue #TweeseCake #UpperClass #Windows7 #WindowsXP #wine #AmWriting
-
To make a very long story short, I am forty-one and became interested in opera in February of this year. I had been listening to operetta for several years by this point, with special attention to the works of Ivor Novello and Franz Lehar, always preferring original cast recordings, or at least older ones, when possible. Even now, all of the opera singers I like were born prior to 1923. I am interested in learning how to sing for pleasure, and possibly for performance, though not in full operas, as I am totally blind and I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that. I would most likely be singing Neapolitan songs, Italian art songs, a few English parlour songs, and some arias that I enjoy. I am untrained and my voice type has not yet been designated. However, , this is a post that I made reguarding my own discoveries about my vocal range. To summarise, I am a woman, but I feel most comfortable singing in the tenor range and would prefer to stay there. I don't like how high composers force contraltos to sing.
reddit.com/r/opera/comments/1k…
I adore the tenore di grazia voice type and also enjoy lyric tenors. My favourite singer is Tito Schipa, and I wish to learn what he taught, or at least, what he learned. I have the ten exercises that he recorded, including short narrations for each. I wrote about them here, with a transcription of the Italian and an English translation. This way, you will know the school of thought that I am attempting to follow. The one thing I cannot find is the booklet that came with said exercises, which offers more guidance than the record.
reddit.com/r/opera/comments/1k…
Since Schipa left little behind, I began researching his teacher, Alceste Gerunda. It is true that he technically started with Giovanni Albani, but hardly anything is written about him at all in Schipa's biography, and it seems that Gerunda was the one who gave him all of the exercises in any case.
reddit.com/r/opera/comments/1k…
reddit.com/r/opera/comments/1k…
I learned that Gerunda was born in 1847, and that his teacher was Saverio Mercadante. Neither left books, exercises, or published notes. But I found the school where Gerunda taught prior to opening a private one in his home. It has since become a library. They have two books on him that I want and that may shed light on some of his teaching practices. These are "ALCESTE GERUNDA E LA SCUOLA LECCESE DI CANTO" by Silvia Mandurino (ITES 1969) and "IN MEMORIA DEL MAESTRO ALCESTE GERUNDA NE L'AVVIVERSARIO PRIMO DE LA SUA MORTE" by Giulia) Lucrezi (Palumbo.
biblioteche.regione.puglia.it/…
Perhaps, there are anecdotes within them that can help me. They may also have the books that he used to teach, assuming he used any. I have written to them asking if they could assist me, but haven't yet received a response.
In the meantime, I am trying to find information about the pedigogs of his time, so that I can at least learn the ideas and methods that he may have passed down to Schipa. But, of course, there were as many schools of thought as there were teachers. To make matters worse, Gerunda and Schipa themselves appeared to differ in their teaching style. While the former would tell the latter when he made mistakes in exercises, Schipa seemed to just give them and play the piano without giving much commentary. Ironically, Mercadante is said to have taught like that. From what I understand, if I did follow the regular bel canto style, I would need to work on notes, then scales and arpegios, then ornamentation, then songs/arias, all of this taking many years. It seems that Schipa didn't work on breath control, individual notes, tone, tamber, and so on with his students but went straight to vowels and scales. I don't know if this is from his own teacher or if it was his personal philosophy. I have definitely heard of the breath-first and larynx-first schools of thought, so it could stem from there.
People keep saying that i need to see a teacher, but most charge $100 or more per lesson, and at that rate, I can't afford more than two lessons per month. Plus, I want to find someone who knows the old ways, not modern ideas and terminology that I will need to unlearn. As it is, I am already studying harmony from "Harmony its theory and practice" by Ebenezer Prout, and Italian from "An Italian conversation grammar" by N Perini. It's just voice that is giving me a problem.
#AlcesteGerunda #BelCanto #Italy #Lecce #MusicTheory #NineteenthCentury #opera #SaverioMercadante #singing #TitoSchipa #VocalPedigogy
-
To make a very long story short, I am forty-one and became interested in opera in February of this year. I had been listening to operetta for several years by this point, with special attention to the works of Ivor Novello and Franz Lehar, always preferring original cast recordings, or at least older ones, when possible. Even now, all of the opera singers I like were born prior to 1923. I am interested in learning how to sing for pleasure, and possibly for performance, though not in full operas, as I am totally blind and I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that. I would most likely be singing Neapolitan songs, Italian art songs, a few English parlour songs, and some arias that I enjoy. I am untrained and my voice type has not yet been designated. However, , this is a post that I made reguarding my own discoveries about my vocal range. To summarise, I am a woman, but I feel most comfortable singing in the tenor range and would prefer to stay there. I don't like how high composers force contraltos to sing.
reddit.com/r/opera/comments/1k…
I adore the tenore di grazia voice type and also enjoy lyric tenors. My favourite singer is Tito Schipa, and I wish to learn what he taught, or at least, what he learned. I have the ten exercises that he recorded, including short narrations for each. I wrote about them here, with a transcription of the Italian and an English translation. This way, you will know the school of thought that I am attempting to follow. The one thing I cannot find is the booklet that came with said exercises, which offers more guidance than the record.
reddit.com/r/opera/comments/1k…
Since Schipa left little behind, I began researching his teacher, Alceste Gerunda. It is true that he technically started with Giovanni Albani, but hardly anything is written about him at all in Schipa's biography, and it seems that Gerunda was the one who gave him all of the exercises in any case.
reddit.com/r/opera/comments/1k…
reddit.com/r/opera/comments/1k…
I learned that Gerunda was born in 1847, and that his teacher was Saverio Mercadante. Neither left books, exercises, or published notes. But I found the school where Gerunda taught prior to opening a private one in his home. It has since become a library. They have two books on him that I want and that may shed light on some of his teaching practices. These are "ALCESTE GERUNDA E LA SCUOLA LECCESE DI CANTO" by Silvia Mandurino (ITES 1969) and "IN MEMORIA DEL MAESTRO ALCESTE GERUNDA NE L'AVVIVERSARIO PRIMO DE LA SUA MORTE" by Giulia) Lucrezi (Palumbo.
biblioteche.regione.puglia.it/…
Perhaps, there are anecdotes within them that can help me. They may also have the books that he used to teach, assuming he used any. I have written to them asking if they could assist me, but haven't yet received a response.
In the meantime, I am trying to find information about the pedigogs of his time, so that I can at least learn the ideas and methods that he may have passed down to Schipa. But, of course, there were as many schools of thought as there were teachers. To make matters worse, Gerunda and Schipa themselves appeared to differ in their teaching style. While the former would tell the latter when he made mistakes in exercises, Schipa seemed to just give them and play the piano without giving much commentary. Ironically, Mercadante is said to have taught like that. From what I understand, if I did follow the regular bel canto style, I would need to work on notes, then scales and arpegios, then ornamentation, then songs/arias, all of this taking many years. It seems that Schipa didn't work on breath control, individual notes, tone, tamber, and so on with his students but went straight to vowels and scales. I don't know if this is from his own teacher or if it was his personal philosophy. I have definitely heard of the breath-first and larynx-first schools of thought, so it could stem from there.
People keep saying that i need to see a teacher, but most charge $100 or more per lesson, and at that rate, I can't afford more than two lessons per month. Plus, I want to find someone who knows the old ways, not modern ideas and terminology that I will need to unlearn. As it is, I am already studying harmony from "Harmony its theory and practice" by Ebenezer Prout, and Italian from "An Italian conversation grammar" by N Perini. It's just voice that is giving me a problem.
#AlcesteGerunda #BelCanto #Italy #Lecce #MusicTheory #NineteenthCentury #opera #SaverioMercadante #singing #TitoSchipa #VocalPedigogy
-
To make a very long story short, I am forty-one and became interested in opera in February of this year. I had been listening to operetta for several years by this point, with special attention to the works of Ivor Novello and Franz Lehar, always preferring original cast recordings, or at least older ones, when possible. Even now, all of the opera singers I like were born prior to 1923. I am interested in learning how to sing for pleasure, and possibly for performance, though not in full operas, as I am totally blind and I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that. I would most likely be singing Neapolitan songs, Italian art songs, a few English parlour songs, and some arias that I enjoy. I am untrained and my voice type has not yet been designated. However, , this is a post that I made reguarding my own discoveries about my vocal range. To summarise, I am a woman, but I feel most comfortable singing in the tenor range and would prefer to stay there. I don't like how high composers force contraltos to sing.
reddit.com/r/opera/comments/1k…
I adore the tenore di grazia voice type and also enjoy lyric tenors. My favourite singer is Tito Schipa, and I wish to learn what he taught, or at least, what he learned. I have the ten exercises that he recorded, including short narrations for each. I wrote about them here, with a transcription of the Italian and an English translation. This way, you will know the school of thought that I am attempting to follow. The one thing I cannot find is the booklet that came with said exercises, which offers more guidance than the record.
reddit.com/r/opera/comments/1k…
Since Schipa left little behind, I began researching his teacher, Alceste Gerunda. It is true that he technically started with Giovanni Albani, but hardly anything is written about him at all in Schipa's biography, and it seems that Gerunda was the one who gave him all of the exercises in any case.
reddit.com/r/opera/comments/1k…
reddit.com/r/opera/comments/1k…
I learned that Gerunda was born in 1847, and that his teacher was Saverio Mercadante. Neither left books, exercises, or published notes. But I found the school where Gerunda taught prior to opening a private one in his home. It has since become a library. They have two books on him that I want and that may shed light on some of his teaching practices. These are "ALCESTE GERUNDA E LA SCUOLA LECCESE DI CANTO" by Silvia Mandurino (ITES 1969) and "IN MEMORIA DEL MAESTRO ALCESTE GERUNDA NE L'AVVIVERSARIO PRIMO DE LA SUA MORTE" by Giulia) Lucrezi (Palumbo.
biblioteche.regione.puglia.it/…
Perhaps, there are anecdotes within them that can help me. They may also have the books that he used to teach, assuming he used any. I have written to them asking if they could assist me, but haven't yet received a response.
In the meantime, I am trying to find information about the pedigogs of his time, so that I can at least learn the ideas and methods that he may have passed down to Schipa. But, of course, there were as many schools of thought as there were teachers. To make matters worse, Gerunda and Schipa themselves appeared to differ in their teaching style. While the former would tell the latter when he made mistakes in exercises, Schipa seemed to just give them and play the piano without giving much commentary. Ironically, Mercadante is said to have taught like that. From what I understand, if I did follow the regular bel canto style, I would need to work on notes, then scales and arpegios, then ornamentation, then songs/arias, all of this taking many years. It seems that Schipa didn't work on breath control, individual notes, tone, tamber, and so on with his students but went straight to vowels and scales. I don't know if this is from his own teacher or if it was his personal philosophy. I have definitely heard of the breath-first and larynx-first schools of thought, so it could stem from there.
People keep saying that i need to see a teacher, but most charge $100 or more per lesson, and at that rate, I can't afford more than two lessons per month. Plus, I want to find someone who knows the old ways, not modern ideas and terminology that I will need to unlearn. As it is, I am already studying harmony from "Harmony its theory and practice" by Ebenezer Prout, and Italian from "An Italian conversation grammar" by N Perini. It's just voice that is giving me a problem.
#AlcesteGerunda #BelCanto #Italy #Lecce #MusicTheory #NineteenthCentury #opera #SaverioMercadante #singing #TitoSchipa #VocalPedigogy
-
To make a very long story short, I am forty-one and became interested in opera in February of this year. I had been listening to operetta for several years by this point, with special attention to the works of Ivor Novello and Franz Lehar, always preferring original cast recordings, or at least older ones, when possible. Even now, all of the opera singers I like were born prior to 1923. I am interested in learning how to sing for pleasure, and possibly for performance, though not in full operas, as I am totally blind and I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that. I would most likely be singing Neapolitan songs, Italian art songs, a few English parlour songs, and some arias that I enjoy. I am untrained and my voice type has not yet been designated. However, , this is a post that I made reguarding my own discoveries about my vocal range. To summarise, I am a woman, but I feel most comfortable singing in the tenor range and would prefer to stay there. I don't like how high composers force contraltos to sing.
reddit.com/r/opera/comments/1k…
I adore the tenore di grazia voice type and also enjoy lyric tenors. My favourite singer is Tito Schipa, and I wish to learn what he taught, or at least, what he learned. I have the ten exercises that he recorded, including short narrations for each. I wrote about them here, with a transcription of the Italian and an English translation. This way, you will know the school of thought that I am attempting to follow. The one thing I cannot find is the booklet that came with said exercises, which offers more guidance than the record.
reddit.com/r/opera/comments/1k…
Since Schipa left little behind, I began researching his teacher, Alceste Gerunda. It is true that he technically started with Giovanni Albani, but hardly anything is written about him at all in Schipa's biography, and it seems that Gerunda was the one who gave him all of the exercises in any case.
reddit.com/r/opera/comments/1k…
reddit.com/r/opera/comments/1k…
I learned that Gerunda was born in 1847, and that his teacher was Saverio Mercadante. Neither left books, exercises, or published notes. But I found the school where Gerunda taught prior to opening a private one in his home. It has since become a library. They have two books on him that I want and that may shed light on some of his teaching practices. These are "ALCESTE GERUNDA E LA SCUOLA LECCESE DI CANTO" by Silvia Mandurino (ITES 1969) and "IN MEMORIA DEL MAESTRO ALCESTE GERUNDA NE L'AVVIVERSARIO PRIMO DE LA SUA MORTE" by Giulia) Lucrezi (Palumbo.
biblioteche.regione.puglia.it/…
Perhaps, there are anecdotes within them that can help me. They may also have the books that he used to teach, assuming he used any. I have written to them asking if they could assist me, but haven't yet received a response.
In the meantime, I am trying to find information about the pedigogs of his time, so that I can at least learn the ideas and methods that he may have passed down to Schipa. But, of course, there were as many schools of thought as there were teachers. To make matters worse, Gerunda and Schipa themselves appeared to differ in their teaching style. While the former would tell the latter when he made mistakes in exercises, Schipa seemed to just give them and play the piano without giving much commentary. Ironically, Mercadante is said to have taught like that. From what I understand, if I did follow the regular bel canto style, I would need to work on notes, then scales and arpegios, then ornamentation, then songs/arias, all of this taking many years. It seems that Schipa didn't work on breath control, individual notes, tone, tamber, and so on with his students but went straight to vowels and scales. I don't know if this is from his own teacher or if it was his personal philosophy. I have definitely heard of the breath-first and larynx-first schools of thought, so it could stem from there.
People keep saying that i need to see a teacher, but most charge $100 or more per lesson, and at that rate, I can't afford more than two lessons per month. Plus, I want to find someone who knows the old ways, not modern ideas and terminology that I will need to unlearn. As it is, I am already studying harmony from "Harmony its theory and practice" by Ebenezer Prout, and Italian from "An Italian conversation grammar" by N Perini. It's just voice that is giving me a problem.
#AlcesteGerunda #BelCanto #Italy #Lecce #MusicTheory #NineteenthCentury #opera #SaverioMercadante #singing #TitoSchipa #VocalPedigogy
-
To make a very long story short, I am forty-one and became interested in opera in February of this year. I had been listening to operetta for several years by this point, with special attention to the works of Ivor Novello and Franz Lehar, always preferring original cast recordings, or at least older ones, when possible. Even now, all of the opera singers I like were born prior to 1923. I am interested in learning how to sing for pleasure, and possibly for performance, though not in full operas, as I am totally blind and I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that. I would most likely be singing Neapolitan songs, Italian art songs, a few English parlour songs, and some arias that I enjoy. I am untrained and my voice type has not yet been designated. However, , this is a post that I made reguarding my own discoveries about my vocal range. To summarise, I am a woman, but I feel most comfortable singing in the tenor range and would prefer to stay there. I don't like how high composers force contraltos to sing.
reddit.com/r/opera/comments/1k…
I adore the tenore di grazia voice type and also enjoy lyric tenors. My favourite singer is Tito Schipa, and I wish to learn what he taught, or at least, what he learned. I have the ten exercises that he recorded, including short narrations for each. I wrote about them here, with a transcription of the Italian and an English translation. This way, you will know the school of thought that I am attempting to follow. The one thing I cannot find is the booklet that came with said exercises, which offers more guidance than the record.
reddit.com/r/opera/comments/1k…
Since Schipa left little behind, I began researching his teacher, Alceste Gerunda. It is true that he technically started with Giovanni Albani, but hardly anything is written about him at all in Schipa's biography, and it seems that Gerunda was the one who gave him all of the exercises in any case.
reddit.com/r/opera/comments/1k…
reddit.com/r/opera/comments/1k…
I learned that Gerunda was born in 1847, and that his teacher was Saverio Mercadante. Neither left books, exercises, or published notes. But I found the school where Gerunda taught prior to opening a private one in his home. It has since become a library. They have two books on him that I want and that may shed light on some of his teaching practices. These are "ALCESTE GERUNDA E LA SCUOLA LECCESE DI CANTO" by Silvia Mandurino (ITES 1969) and "IN MEMORIA DEL MAESTRO ALCESTE GERUNDA NE L'AVVIVERSARIO PRIMO DE LA SUA MORTE" by Giulia) Lucrezi (Palumbo.
biblioteche.regione.puglia.it/…
Perhaps, there are anecdotes within them that can help me. They may also have the books that he used to teach, assuming he used any. I have written to them asking if they could assist me, but haven't yet received a response.
In the meantime, I am trying to find information about the pedigogs of his time, so that I can at least learn the ideas and methods that he may have passed down to Schipa. But, of course, there were as many schools of thought as there were teachers. To make matters worse, Gerunda and Schipa themselves appeared to differ in their teaching style. While the former would tell the latter when he made mistakes in exercises, Schipa seemed to just give them and play the piano without giving much commentary. Ironically, Mercadante is said to have taught like that. From what I understand, if I did follow the regular bel canto style, I would need to work on notes, then scales and arpegios, then ornamentation, then songs/arias, all of this taking many years. It seems that Schipa didn't work on breath control, individual notes, tone, tamber, and so on with his students but went straight to vowels and scales. I don't know if this is from his own teacher or if it was his personal philosophy. I have definitely heard of the breath-first and larynx-first schools of thought, so it could stem from there.
People keep saying that i need to see a teacher, but most charge $100 or more per lesson, and at that rate, I can't afford more than two lessons per month. Plus, I want to find someone who knows the old ways, not modern ideas and terminology that I will need to unlearn. As it is, I am already studying harmony from "Harmony its theory and practice" by Ebenezer Prout, and Italian from "An Italian conversation grammar" by N Perini. It's just voice that is giving me a problem.
#AlcesteGerunda #BelCanto #Italy #Lecce #MusicTheory #NineteenthCentury #opera #SaverioMercadante #singing #TitoSchipa #VocalPedigogy
-
🇺🇦 #NowPlaying on #KEXP's #MidnightInAPerfectWorld
Bel Canto:
🎵 Unicornhttps://belcanto.bandcamp.com/track/unicorn
https://open.spotify.com/track/0S7YSpHe37evPOx1PyGegT
🎶 show playlist 👇
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3iCpWlEzeZbjejMyGtl2t6🎶 KEXP playlist 👇
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6VNALrOa3gWbk794YuIrwg -
Feb 21 : Diplomacy
#Bales2025FilmChallenge #FilmMastodon 📽️ 🎬
#BelCanto (2018)
A world-renowned opera singer becomes trapped as a hostage when she's invited to perform for a wealthy industrialist in South America. Red Cross negotiator Messner needs diplomacy to free her.
[1/2] -
Feb 21 : Diplomacy
#Bales2025FilmChallenge #FilmMastodon 📽️ 🎬
#BelCanto (2018)
A world-renowned opera singer becomes trapped as a hostage when she's invited to perform for a wealthy industrialist in South America. Red Cross negotiator Messner needs diplomacy to free her.
[2/2] -
The following is long but quite interesting.
Today, I asked about something that has intrigued me for awhile.Me. "The opera singers I like are usually those who made the transition from acoustic to electric. I stop at the 1950's, when voice sound and quality began to change. But what I would like to understand is the transformation of the sound of opera brought about by Enrico Caruso. Aside from his vocal range, which was truly extraordinary, how did he change people's and singers' expectations of what an opera voice should sound like? How did his predecessor sound?"
Perplexity. "Enrico Caruso profoundly transformed the sound and expectations of opera singing in the early 20th century, largely due to his unique vocal qualities, interpretive style, and his embrace of recording technology.
Caruso's Influence on Opera Singing
1. Vocal Technique and Resonance:
• Caruso possessed extraordinary physiological attributes, including a resonant body that acted as a natural amplifier, allowing for a rich and powerful sound. He sang with correct physiological voice production, achieving a balance between technical precision and emotional expression
• His approach to recitative blurred the line between speech and melody, creating what critics described as "melodious talking," which brought a new clarity and emotional depth to operatic storytelling.
2. Modernisation of Vocal Style:
• Caruso represented a shift from the "old school" Italian vocal style, characterised by lighter and more ornamental singing, to a "modern" style that emphasised dramatic power and emotional immediacy. This is evident in comparisons with predecessors like Fernando De Lucia and Alessandro Bonci.
3. Repertoire Choices:
• He championed verismo operas (realistic operas) by composers like Puccini and Leoncavallo, which demanded more dramatic vocal expression. His performances in roles such as Canio in Pagliacci set new benchmarks for emotional intensity in opera.
4. Impact of Recordings:
• Caruso was one of the first opera singers to embrace recording technology, making over 250 records between 1902 and 1920. His recordings introduced opera to a global audience, standardising expectations for vocal quality and interpretation. His recording of "Vesti la giubba" became the first million-selling record
Comparison with Predecessors
Caruso's predecessors in the late 19th century adhered to the bel canto tradition, which prioritised vocal agility, purity of tone, and intricate ornamentation. Singers like Fernando De Lucia exemplified this style with lighter voices and a focus on elegance over dramatic power
In contrast, Caruso's voice was darker, richer, and more robust, aligning with the demands of verismo operas. His ability to combine technical mastery with raw emotional expression marked a departure from the more restrained performances of earlier tenors..Me. It seems that I prefer the bel canto style, or at the very least, lighter voices. For instance, I find Beniamino Gigli to be overly dramatic. Richard Tauber, while he had a very powerful voice, was also controlled. I love Tito Schipa's voice and lightness, and the sweetness of John McCormac, and especially Leopold Simonau, even though he was a much later singer."
Perplexity. "Your preference for lighter voices and the bel canto style aligns with the hallmarks of this tradition, which emphasises beauty, agility, and emotional subtlety. Singers like Tito Schipa, John McCormack, and Leopold Simoneau embody many of these qualities, offering a contrast to the more dramatic styles of Beniamino Gigli or even Richard Tauber.
Characteristics of Bel Canto Singing
1. Vocal Agility:
• Bel canto singers are renowned for their ability to execute rapid and intricate passages with precision, clarity, and ease. This agility allows for fluid ornamentation, such as trills, runs, and cadenzas, which are essential in this style.
2. Lightness and Control:
• The bel canto approach favours a light tone in the higher registers and impeccable legato throughout the range. This creates a seamless flow of sound that prioritises beauty over sheer power.
3. Expressive Nuance:
• Emotional expression is achieved through subtle dynamics, phrasing, and rubato (flexible tempo). Singers focus on conveying the text's meaning with delicacy rather than dramatic force.
4. Orchestral Balance:
• The orchestration in bel canto operas is intentionally light to allow the voice to shine. Composers like Rossini, Bellini, and Donizetti wrote music that served as a vehicle for vocal virtuosity rather than overpowering it."We then spoke briefly about singing during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.
Me. "Was there anyone recorded (or is there anyone today who sang as they did then? You mentioned Fernando De Lucia and Alessandro Bonci. Would they have followed this older style, or was there's different as well?"
Perplexity. "Fernando De Lucia and Alessandro Bonci, while closer to the older bel canto tradition than many of their contemporaries, did not fully replicate the singing styles of Mozart's time or the early 19th century. Both singers were active during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a period when operatic singing was already transitioning toward more dramatic and less ornamented styles, influenced by verismo and the demands of larger opera houses.
Fernando De Lucia
• De Lucia (1860–1925) is often cited as one of the last tenors with ties to the bel canto tradition. He had a light, flexible voice and excelled in roles requiring agility and ornamentation. However, his recordings reveal a mix of bel canto elegance and some stylistic concessions to verismo, such as heightened emotional expression and dramatic phrasing. His interpretations are considered an important link to earlier styles but are not identical to what might have been heard in Mozart's or Rossini's time.
Alessandro Bonci
• Bonci (1870–1940) was another tenor associated with bel canto ideals. His voice was lighter than that of contemporaries like Caruso, and he adhered more closely to the refined, ornamented singing style typical of earlier periods. Bonci's recordings demonstrate a commitment to legato and agility, making him a closer approximation of older traditions than most singers of his era.
Revival and Modern Efforts
Today, there are efforts to revive older singing styles through historically informed performance practices:
1. Teatro Nuovo: This company specialises in bel canto opera using period instruments and historically informed techniques. Their singers are trained in long expressive lines, challenging coloratura, and improvisatory ornamentation, reflecting earlier traditions.
2. Specialised Singers: Modern artists like Lawrence Brownlee, Vivica Genaux, and John Osborn are celebrated for their ability to perform bel canto roles with agility and stylistic authenticity.
3. Baroque Specialists: While focused on earlier periods, singers in Baroque opera revivals also employ techniques such as improvisation and ornamentation that overlap with early bel canto practices."Me. "Is Teatro Nuovo part of the historically informed movement? If not, who is? I am more familiar with it in classical music."
Perplexity. "Yes, Teatro Nuovo is part of the historically informed performance (HIP) movement. The company explicitly focuses on reviving bel canto operas with attention to period-specific vocal techniques, ornamentation, and the use of period instruments. Their approach involves studying historical treatises and performance practices to recreate the style of 19th-century Italian opera as authentically as possible. For instance, they employ a "primo violino et direttore" (first violinist and director) instead of a modern conductor, reflecting historical practices of ensemble leadership.
The "true purists" of bel canto singing—those who aim to replicate the exact techniques, styles, and interpretative practices of the 18th and early 19th centuries—are rare but do exist. These individuals or groups focus on historically informed performance (HIP) practices, often basing their work on early recordings, treatises, and other historical documentation.
Historical Recordings of Bel Canto Singers
Early sound recordings provide a window into the bel canto tradition as it was practiced in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. While not directly from Mozart’s or Rossini’s time, these recordings capture singers who were trained in methods closer to those older traditions:
• Adelina Patti (1843–1919): Patti was considered one of the last great sopranos of the true bel canto era. Her recordings, such as "Voi che sapete" from The Marriage of Figaro (1905), showcase her light, agile voice and ornamentation skills.
• Fernando De Lucia (1860–1925): Known for his ties to bel canto, De Lucia’s recordings reveal a mix of older ornamentation practices and an emerging verismo influence.
• Mattia Battistini (1856–1928): A baritone often referred to as "the last bel canto singer," Battistini’s recordings highlight his use of portamento, elegant phrasing, and dynamic control.
These singers represent a transitional period where elements of true bel canto were preserved but gradually gave way to more dramatic styles.
Modern Purists and Revivalists
1. Robert Toft: A leading figure in historically informed vocal performance, Toft has written extensively on bel canto practices and teaches singers to apply historical techniques such as improvised ornamentation and expressive declamation.
2. Teatro Nuovo: This company revives bel canto operas using period instruments and techniques. Their singers are trained in historical methods, including improvisation and flexible phrasing.
3. Sydney Conservatorium of Music: Researchers like Neal Peres Da Costa and Helen Mitchell are part of projects that emulate early recordings and experiment with historical vocal techniques to rediscover bel canto soundsMethodology of True Purists."Me. I wonder if listening to bel canto basses and baritones would help me appreciate them more. I usually prefer tenors, not just because of their vocal range but because they tend to be lighter. I don't like loud, dramatic, heavy voices, even though I know some are definitely required. Likewise with suppranos. Many simply give me a headache with extremely high notes, and even in English, I sometimes have difficulty understanding them. That may not be true for bel canto singers."
Perplexity. "If you generally prefer lighter voices and find dramatic, heavy voices less appealing, exploring bel canto basses and baritones could indeed offer a new perspective. Bel canto basses and baritones often display a lighter, more agile vocal quality compared to the heavier, dramatic styles associated with later Romantic or verismo opera. Their focus on legato phrasing, ornamentation, and text clarity aligns with the principles of bel canto singing.
Characteristics of Bel Canto Basses and Baritones
1. Agility: Unlike the stentorian basses of later opera (e.g., Wagnerian roles), bel canto basses and baritones are required to execute intricate coloratura passages with precision.
2. Lightness of Tone: The emphasis is on beauty of sound rather than sheer power, allowing for a more lyrical and nuanced performance.
3. Expressive Nuance: Bel canto singers use tools like messa di voce (gradual swelling and diminishing of tone) and portamento (sliding between notes) to enhance emotional expression.
4. Text Clarity: Clear diction and rhetorical phrasing are essential, which might address your difficulty in understanding some sopranos.
Key Roles for Basses and Baritones in Bel Canto
• Basses: Roles such as Don Basilio (Il barbiere di Siviglia by Rossini) or Dr. Dulcamara (L'elisir d'amore by Donizetti) often require a combination of vocal agility and comedic timing.
• Baritones: Roles like Figaro (Il barbiere di Siviglia) or Belcore (L'elisir d'amore) showcase the lyrical and florid aspects of the baritone voice.
Singers to Explore
1. Past Singers:
• Luigi Lablache: A renowned 19th-century basso cantante who excelled in Rossini roles.
• Mattia Battistini: Known as the "King of Baritones," his recordings reflect bel canto elegance.
2. Modern Revivalists:
• Alessandro Corbelli: A master of comedic bel canto roles with a light, agile bass-baritone voice.
• Ildebrando D’Arcangelo: Noted for his performances as Don Giovanni and Leporello, blending lyricism with agility.#baritones #basses #BelCanto #HistoricallyInformedPerformance #opera #singing #tenors #VocalStyles
-
The following is long but quite interesting.
Today, I asked about something that has intrigued me for awhile.Me. "The opera singers I like are usually those who made the transition from acoustic to electric. I stop at the 1950's, when voice sound and quality began to change. But what I would like to understand is the transformation of the sound of opera brought about by Enrico Caruso. Aside from his vocal range, which was truly extraordinary, how did he change people's and singers' expectations of what an opera voice should sound like? How did his predecessor sound?"
Perplexity. "Enrico Caruso profoundly transformed the sound and expectations of opera singing in the early 20th century, largely due to his unique vocal qualities, interpretive style, and his embrace of recording technology.
Caruso's Influence on Opera Singing
1. Vocal Technique and Resonance:
• Caruso possessed extraordinary physiological attributes, including a resonant body that acted as a natural amplifier, allowing for a rich and powerful sound. He sang with correct physiological voice production, achieving a balance between technical precision and emotional expression
• His approach to recitative blurred the line between speech and melody, creating what critics described as "melodious talking," which brought a new clarity and emotional depth to operatic storytelling.
2. Modernisation of Vocal Style:
• Caruso represented a shift from the "old school" Italian vocal style, characterised by lighter and more ornamental singing, to a "modern" style that emphasised dramatic power and emotional immediacy. This is evident in comparisons with predecessors like Fernando De Lucia and Alessandro Bonci.
3. Repertoire Choices:
• He championed verismo operas (realistic operas) by composers like Puccini and Leoncavallo, which demanded more dramatic vocal expression. His performances in roles such as Canio in Pagliacci set new benchmarks for emotional intensity in opera.
4. Impact of Recordings:
• Caruso was one of the first opera singers to embrace recording technology, making over 250 records between 1902 and 1920. His recordings introduced opera to a global audience, standardising expectations for vocal quality and interpretation. His recording of "Vesti la giubba" became the first million-selling record
Comparison with Predecessors
Caruso's predecessors in the late 19th century adhered to the bel canto tradition, which prioritised vocal agility, purity of tone, and intricate ornamentation. Singers like Fernando De Lucia exemplified this style with lighter voices and a focus on elegance over dramatic power
In contrast, Caruso's voice was darker, richer, and more robust, aligning with the demands of verismo operas. His ability to combine technical mastery with raw emotional expression marked a departure from the more restrained performances of earlier tenors..Me. It seems that I prefer the bel canto style, or at the very least, lighter voices. For instance, I find Beniamino Gigli to be overly dramatic. Richard Tauber, while he had a very powerful voice, was also controlled. I love Tito Schipa's voice and lightness, and the sweetness of John McCormac, and especially Leopold Simonau, even though he was a much later singer."
Perplexity. "Your preference for lighter voices and the bel canto style aligns with the hallmarks of this tradition, which emphasises beauty, agility, and emotional subtlety. Singers like Tito Schipa, John McCormack, and Leopold Simoneau embody many of these qualities, offering a contrast to the more dramatic styles of Beniamino Gigli or even Richard Tauber.
Characteristics of Bel Canto Singing
1. Vocal Agility:
• Bel canto singers are renowned for their ability to execute rapid and intricate passages with precision, clarity, and ease. This agility allows for fluid ornamentation, such as trills, runs, and cadenzas, which are essential in this style.
2. Lightness and Control:
• The bel canto approach favours a light tone in the higher registers and impeccable legato throughout the range. This creates a seamless flow of sound that prioritises beauty over sheer power.
3. Expressive Nuance:
• Emotional expression is achieved through subtle dynamics, phrasing, and rubato (flexible tempo). Singers focus on conveying the text's meaning with delicacy rather than dramatic force.
4. Orchestral Balance:
• The orchestration in bel canto operas is intentionally light to allow the voice to shine. Composers like Rossini, Bellini, and Donizetti wrote music that served as a vehicle for vocal virtuosity rather than overpowering it."We then spoke briefly about singing during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.
Me. "Was there anyone recorded (or is there anyone today who sang as they did then? You mentioned Fernando De Lucia and Alessandro Bonci. Would they have followed this older style, or was there's different as well?"
Perplexity. "Fernando De Lucia and Alessandro Bonci, while closer to the older bel canto tradition than many of their contemporaries, did not fully replicate the singing styles of Mozart's time or the early 19th century. Both singers were active during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a period when operatic singing was already transitioning toward more dramatic and less ornamented styles, influenced by verismo and the demands of larger opera houses.
Fernando De Lucia
• De Lucia (1860–1925) is often cited as one of the last tenors with ties to the bel canto tradition. He had a light, flexible voice and excelled in roles requiring agility and ornamentation. However, his recordings reveal a mix of bel canto elegance and some stylistic concessions to verismo, such as heightened emotional expression and dramatic phrasing. His interpretations are considered an important link to earlier styles but are not identical to what might have been heard in Mozart's or Rossini's time.
Alessandro Bonci
• Bonci (1870–1940) was another tenor associated with bel canto ideals. His voice was lighter than that of contemporaries like Caruso, and he adhered more closely to the refined, ornamented singing style typical of earlier periods. Bonci's recordings demonstrate a commitment to legato and agility, making him a closer approximation of older traditions than most singers of his era.
Revival and Modern Efforts
Today, there are efforts to revive older singing styles through historically informed performance practices:
1. Teatro Nuovo: This company specialises in bel canto opera using period instruments and historically informed techniques. Their singers are trained in long expressive lines, challenging coloratura, and improvisatory ornamentation, reflecting earlier traditions.
2. Specialised Singers: Modern artists like Lawrence Brownlee, Vivica Genaux, and John Osborn are celebrated for their ability to perform bel canto roles with agility and stylistic authenticity.
3. Baroque Specialists: While focused on earlier periods, singers in Baroque opera revivals also employ techniques such as improvisation and ornamentation that overlap with early bel canto practices."Me. "Is Teatro Nuovo part of the historically informed movement? If not, who is? I am more familiar with it in classical music."
Perplexity. "Yes, Teatro Nuovo is part of the historically informed performance (HIP) movement. The company explicitly focuses on reviving bel canto operas with attention to period-specific vocal techniques, ornamentation, and the use of period instruments. Their approach involves studying historical treatises and performance practices to recreate the style of 19th-century Italian opera as authentically as possible. For instance, they employ a "primo violino et direttore" (first violinist and director) instead of a modern conductor, reflecting historical practices of ensemble leadership.
The "true purists" of bel canto singing—those who aim to replicate the exact techniques, styles, and interpretative practices of the 18th and early 19th centuries—are rare but do exist. These individuals or groups focus on historically informed performance (HIP) practices, often basing their work on early recordings, treatises, and other historical documentation.
Historical Recordings of Bel Canto Singers
Early sound recordings provide a window into the bel canto tradition as it was practiced in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. While not directly from Mozart’s or Rossini’s time, these recordings capture singers who were trained in methods closer to those older traditions:
• Adelina Patti (1843–1919): Patti was considered one of the last great sopranos of the true bel canto era. Her recordings, such as "Voi che sapete" from The Marriage of Figaro (1905), showcase her light, agile voice and ornamentation skills.
• Fernando De Lucia (1860–1925): Known for his ties to bel canto, De Lucia’s recordings reveal a mix of older ornamentation practices and an emerging verismo influence.
• Mattia Battistini (1856–1928): A baritone often referred to as "the last bel canto singer," Battistini’s recordings highlight his use of portamento, elegant phrasing, and dynamic control.
These singers represent a transitional period where elements of true bel canto were preserved but gradually gave way to more dramatic styles.
Modern Purists and Revivalists
1. Robert Toft: A leading figure in historically informed vocal performance, Toft has written extensively on bel canto practices and teaches singers to apply historical techniques such as improvised ornamentation and expressive declamation.
2. Teatro Nuovo: This company revives bel canto operas using period instruments and techniques. Their singers are trained in historical methods, including improvisation and flexible phrasing.
3. Sydney Conservatorium of Music: Researchers like Neal Peres Da Costa and Helen Mitchell are part of projects that emulate early recordings and experiment with historical vocal techniques to rediscover bel canto soundsMethodology of True Purists."Me. I wonder if listening to bel canto basses and baritones would help me appreciate them more. I usually prefer tenors, not just because of their vocal range but because they tend to be lighter. I don't like loud, dramatic, heavy voices, even though I know some are definitely required. Likewise with suppranos. Many simply give me a headache with extremely high notes, and even in English, I sometimes have difficulty understanding them. That may not be true for bel canto singers."
Perplexity. "If you generally prefer lighter voices and find dramatic, heavy voices less appealing, exploring bel canto basses and baritones could indeed offer a new perspective. Bel canto basses and baritones often display a lighter, more agile vocal quality compared to the heavier, dramatic styles associated with later Romantic or verismo opera. Their focus on legato phrasing, ornamentation, and text clarity aligns with the principles of bel canto singing.
Characteristics of Bel Canto Basses and Baritones
1. Agility: Unlike the stentorian basses of later opera (e.g., Wagnerian roles), bel canto basses and baritones are required to execute intricate coloratura passages with precision.
2. Lightness of Tone: The emphasis is on beauty of sound rather than sheer power, allowing for a more lyrical and nuanced performance.
3. Expressive Nuance: Bel canto singers use tools like messa di voce (gradual swelling and diminishing of tone) and portamento (sliding between notes) to enhance emotional expression.
4. Text Clarity: Clear diction and rhetorical phrasing are essential, which might address your difficulty in understanding some sopranos.
Key Roles for Basses and Baritones in Bel Canto
• Basses: Roles such as Don Basilio (Il barbiere di Siviglia by Rossini) or Dr. Dulcamara (L'elisir d'amore by Donizetti) often require a combination of vocal agility and comedic timing.
• Baritones: Roles like Figaro (Il barbiere di Siviglia) or Belcore (L'elisir d'amore) showcase the lyrical and florid aspects of the baritone voice.
Singers to Explore
1. Past Singers:
• Luigi Lablache: A renowned 19th-century basso cantante who excelled in Rossini roles.
• Mattia Battistini: Known as the "King of Baritones," his recordings reflect bel canto elegance.
2. Modern Revivalists:
• Alessandro Corbelli: A master of comedic bel canto roles with a light, agile bass-baritone voice.
• Ildebrando D’Arcangelo: Noted for his performances as Don Giovanni and Leporello, blending lyricism with agility.#baritones #basses #BelCanto #HistoricallyInformedPerformance #opera #singing #tenors #VocalStyles
-
The following is long but quite interesting.
Today, I asked about something that has intrigued me for awhile.Me. "The opera singers I like are usually those who made the transition from acoustic to electric. I stop at the 1950's, when voice sound and quality began to change. But what I would like to understand is the transformation of the sound of opera brought about by Enrico Caruso. Aside from his vocal range, which was truly extraordinary, how did he change people's and singers' expectations of what an opera voice should sound like? How did his predecessor sound?"
Perplexity. "Enrico Caruso profoundly transformed the sound and expectations of opera singing in the early 20th century, largely due to his unique vocal qualities, interpretive style, and his embrace of recording technology.
Caruso's Influence on Opera Singing
1. Vocal Technique and Resonance:
• Caruso possessed extraordinary physiological attributes, including a resonant body that acted as a natural amplifier, allowing for a rich and powerful sound. He sang with correct physiological voice production, achieving a balance between technical precision and emotional expression
• His approach to recitative blurred the line between speech and melody, creating what critics described as "melodious talking," which brought a new clarity and emotional depth to operatic storytelling.
2. Modernisation of Vocal Style:
• Caruso represented a shift from the "old school" Italian vocal style, characterised by lighter and more ornamental singing, to a "modern" style that emphasised dramatic power and emotional immediacy. This is evident in comparisons with predecessors like Fernando De Lucia and Alessandro Bonci.
3. Repertoire Choices:
• He championed verismo operas (realistic operas) by composers like Puccini and Leoncavallo, which demanded more dramatic vocal expression. His performances in roles such as Canio in Pagliacci set new benchmarks for emotional intensity in opera.
4. Impact of Recordings:
• Caruso was one of the first opera singers to embrace recording technology, making over 250 records between 1902 and 1920. His recordings introduced opera to a global audience, standardising expectations for vocal quality and interpretation. His recording of "Vesti la giubba" became the first million-selling record
Comparison with Predecessors
Caruso's predecessors in the late 19th century adhered to the bel canto tradition, which prioritised vocal agility, purity of tone, and intricate ornamentation. Singers like Fernando De Lucia exemplified this style with lighter voices and a focus on elegance over dramatic power
In contrast, Caruso's voice was darker, richer, and more robust, aligning with the demands of verismo operas. His ability to combine technical mastery with raw emotional expression marked a departure from the more restrained performances of earlier tenors..Me. It seems that I prefer the bel canto style, or at the very least, lighter voices. For instance, I find Beniamino Gigli to be overly dramatic. Richard Tauber, while he had a very powerful voice, was also controlled. I love Tito Schipa's voice and lightness, and the sweetness of John McCormac, and especially Leopold Simonau, even though he was a much later singer."
Perplexity. "Your preference for lighter voices and the bel canto style aligns with the hallmarks of this tradition, which emphasises beauty, agility, and emotional subtlety. Singers like Tito Schipa, John McCormack, and Leopold Simoneau embody many of these qualities, offering a contrast to the more dramatic styles of Beniamino Gigli or even Richard Tauber.
Characteristics of Bel Canto Singing
1. Vocal Agility:
• Bel canto singers are renowned for their ability to execute rapid and intricate passages with precision, clarity, and ease. This agility allows for fluid ornamentation, such as trills, runs, and cadenzas, which are essential in this style.
2. Lightness and Control:
• The bel canto approach favours a light tone in the higher registers and impeccable legato throughout the range. This creates a seamless flow of sound that prioritises beauty over sheer power.
3. Expressive Nuance:
• Emotional expression is achieved through subtle dynamics, phrasing, and rubato (flexible tempo). Singers focus on conveying the text's meaning with delicacy rather than dramatic force.
4. Orchestral Balance:
• The orchestration in bel canto operas is intentionally light to allow the voice to shine. Composers like Rossini, Bellini, and Donizetti wrote music that served as a vehicle for vocal virtuosity rather than overpowering it."We then spoke briefly about singing during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.
Me. "Was there anyone recorded (or is there anyone today who sang as they did then? You mentioned Fernando De Lucia and Alessandro Bonci. Would they have followed this older style, or was there's different as well?"
Perplexity. "Fernando De Lucia and Alessandro Bonci, while closer to the older bel canto tradition than many of their contemporaries, did not fully replicate the singing styles of Mozart's time or the early 19th century. Both singers were active during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a period when operatic singing was already transitioning toward more dramatic and less ornamented styles, influenced by verismo and the demands of larger opera houses.
Fernando De Lucia
• De Lucia (1860–1925) is often cited as one of the last tenors with ties to the bel canto tradition. He had a light, flexible voice and excelled in roles requiring agility and ornamentation. However, his recordings reveal a mix of bel canto elegance and some stylistic concessions to verismo, such as heightened emotional expression and dramatic phrasing. His interpretations are considered an important link to earlier styles but are not identical to what might have been heard in Mozart's or Rossini's time.
Alessandro Bonci
• Bonci (1870–1940) was another tenor associated with bel canto ideals. His voice was lighter than that of contemporaries like Caruso, and he adhered more closely to the refined, ornamented singing style typical of earlier periods. Bonci's recordings demonstrate a commitment to legato and agility, making him a closer approximation of older traditions than most singers of his era.
Revival and Modern Efforts
Today, there are efforts to revive older singing styles through historically informed performance practices:
1. Teatro Nuovo: This company specialises in bel canto opera using period instruments and historically informed techniques. Their singers are trained in long expressive lines, challenging coloratura, and improvisatory ornamentation, reflecting earlier traditions.
2. Specialised Singers: Modern artists like Lawrence Brownlee, Vivica Genaux, and John Osborn are celebrated for their ability to perform bel canto roles with agility and stylistic authenticity.
3. Baroque Specialists: While focused on earlier periods, singers in Baroque opera revivals also employ techniques such as improvisation and ornamentation that overlap with early bel canto practices."Me. "Is Teatro Nuovo part of the historically informed movement? If not, who is? I am more familiar with it in classical music."
Perplexity. "Yes, Teatro Nuovo is part of the historically informed performance (HIP) movement. The company explicitly focuses on reviving bel canto operas with attention to period-specific vocal techniques, ornamentation, and the use of period instruments. Their approach involves studying historical treatises and performance practices to recreate the style of 19th-century Italian opera as authentically as possible. For instance, they employ a "primo violino et direttore" (first violinist and director) instead of a modern conductor, reflecting historical practices of ensemble leadership.
The "true purists" of bel canto singing—those who aim to replicate the exact techniques, styles, and interpretative practices of the 18th and early 19th centuries—are rare but do exist. These individuals or groups focus on historically informed performance (HIP) practices, often basing their work on early recordings, treatises, and other historical documentation.
Historical Recordings of Bel Canto Singers
Early sound recordings provide a window into the bel canto tradition as it was practiced in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. While not directly from Mozart’s or Rossini’s time, these recordings capture singers who were trained in methods closer to those older traditions:
• Adelina Patti (1843–1919): Patti was considered one of the last great sopranos of the true bel canto era. Her recordings, such as "Voi che sapete" from The Marriage of Figaro (1905), showcase her light, agile voice and ornamentation skills.
• Fernando De Lucia (1860–1925): Known for his ties to bel canto, De Lucia’s recordings reveal a mix of older ornamentation practices and an emerging verismo influence.
• Mattia Battistini (1856–1928): A baritone often referred to as "the last bel canto singer," Battistini’s recordings highlight his use of portamento, elegant phrasing, and dynamic control.
These singers represent a transitional period where elements of true bel canto were preserved but gradually gave way to more dramatic styles.
Modern Purists and Revivalists
1. Robert Toft: A leading figure in historically informed vocal performance, Toft has written extensively on bel canto practices and teaches singers to apply historical techniques such as improvised ornamentation and expressive declamation.
2. Teatro Nuovo: This company revives bel canto operas using period instruments and techniques. Their singers are trained in historical methods, including improvisation and flexible phrasing.
3. Sydney Conservatorium of Music: Researchers like Neal Peres Da Costa and Helen Mitchell are part of projects that emulate early recordings and experiment with historical vocal techniques to rediscover bel canto soundsMethodology of True Purists."Me. I wonder if listening to bel canto basses and baritones would help me appreciate them more. I usually prefer tenors, not just because of their vocal range but because they tend to be lighter. I don't like loud, dramatic, heavy voices, even though I know some are definitely required. Likewise with suppranos. Many simply give me a headache with extremely high notes, and even in English, I sometimes have difficulty understanding them. That may not be true for bel canto singers."
Perplexity. "If you generally prefer lighter voices and find dramatic, heavy voices less appealing, exploring bel canto basses and baritones could indeed offer a new perspective. Bel canto basses and baritones often display a lighter, more agile vocal quality compared to the heavier, dramatic styles associated with later Romantic or verismo opera. Their focus on legato phrasing, ornamentation, and text clarity aligns with the principles of bel canto singing.
Characteristics of Bel Canto Basses and Baritones
1. Agility: Unlike the stentorian basses of later opera (e.g., Wagnerian roles), bel canto basses and baritones are required to execute intricate coloratura passages with precision.
2. Lightness of Tone: The emphasis is on beauty of sound rather than sheer power, allowing for a more lyrical and nuanced performance.
3. Expressive Nuance: Bel canto singers use tools like messa di voce (gradual swelling and diminishing of tone) and portamento (sliding between notes) to enhance emotional expression.
4. Text Clarity: Clear diction and rhetorical phrasing are essential, which might address your difficulty in understanding some sopranos.
Key Roles for Basses and Baritones in Bel Canto
• Basses: Roles such as Don Basilio (Il barbiere di Siviglia by Rossini) or Dr. Dulcamara (L'elisir d'amore by Donizetti) often require a combination of vocal agility and comedic timing.
• Baritones: Roles like Figaro (Il barbiere di Siviglia) or Belcore (L'elisir d'amore) showcase the lyrical and florid aspects of the baritone voice.
Singers to Explore
1. Past Singers:
• Luigi Lablache: A renowned 19th-century basso cantante who excelled in Rossini roles.
• Mattia Battistini: Known as the "King of Baritones," his recordings reflect bel canto elegance.
2. Modern Revivalists:
• Alessandro Corbelli: A master of comedic bel canto roles with a light, agile bass-baritone voice.
• Ildebrando D’Arcangelo: Noted for his performances as Don Giovanni and Leporello, blending lyricism with agility.#baritones #basses #BelCanto #HistoricallyInformedPerformance #opera #singing #tenors #VocalStyles
-
The following is long but quite interesting.
Today, I asked about something that has intrigued me for awhile.Me. "The opera singers I like are usually those who made the transition from acoustic to electric. I stop at the 1950's, when voice sound and quality began to change. But what I would like to understand is the transformation of the sound of opera brought about by Enrico Caruso. Aside from his vocal range, which was truly extraordinary, how did he change people's and singers' expectations of what an opera voice should sound like? How did his predecessor sound?"
Perplexity. "Enrico Caruso profoundly transformed the sound and expectations of opera singing in the early 20th century, largely due to his unique vocal qualities, interpretive style, and his embrace of recording technology.
Caruso's Influence on Opera Singing
1. Vocal Technique and Resonance:
• Caruso possessed extraordinary physiological attributes, including a resonant body that acted as a natural amplifier, allowing for a rich and powerful sound. He sang with correct physiological voice production, achieving a balance between technical precision and emotional expression
• His approach to recitative blurred the line between speech and melody, creating what critics described as "melodious talking," which brought a new clarity and emotional depth to operatic storytelling.
2. Modernisation of Vocal Style:
• Caruso represented a shift from the "old school" Italian vocal style, characterised by lighter and more ornamental singing, to a "modern" style that emphasised dramatic power and emotional immediacy. This is evident in comparisons with predecessors like Fernando De Lucia and Alessandro Bonci.
3. Repertoire Choices:
• He championed verismo operas (realistic operas) by composers like Puccini and Leoncavallo, which demanded more dramatic vocal expression. His performances in roles such as Canio in Pagliacci set new benchmarks for emotional intensity in opera.
4. Impact of Recordings:
• Caruso was one of the first opera singers to embrace recording technology, making over 250 records between 1902 and 1920. His recordings introduced opera to a global audience, standardising expectations for vocal quality and interpretation. His recording of "Vesti la giubba" became the first million-selling record
Comparison with Predecessors
Caruso's predecessors in the late 19th century adhered to the bel canto tradition, which prioritised vocal agility, purity of tone, and intricate ornamentation. Singers like Fernando De Lucia exemplified this style with lighter voices and a focus on elegance over dramatic power
In contrast, Caruso's voice was darker, richer, and more robust, aligning with the demands of verismo operas. His ability to combine technical mastery with raw emotional expression marked a departure from the more restrained performances of earlier tenors..Me. It seems that I prefer the bel canto style, or at the very least, lighter voices. For instance, I find Beniamino Gigli to be overly dramatic. Richard Tauber, while he had a very powerful voice, was also controlled. I love Tito Schipa's voice and lightness, and the sweetness of John McCormac, and especially Leopold Simonau, even though he was a much later singer."
Perplexity. "Your preference for lighter voices and the bel canto style aligns with the hallmarks of this tradition, which emphasises beauty, agility, and emotional subtlety. Singers like Tito Schipa, John McCormack, and Leopold Simoneau embody many of these qualities, offering a contrast to the more dramatic styles of Beniamino Gigli or even Richard Tauber.
Characteristics of Bel Canto Singing
1. Vocal Agility:
• Bel canto singers are renowned for their ability to execute rapid and intricate passages with precision, clarity, and ease. This agility allows for fluid ornamentation, such as trills, runs, and cadenzas, which are essential in this style.
2. Lightness and Control:
• The bel canto approach favours a light tone in the higher registers and impeccable legato throughout the range. This creates a seamless flow of sound that prioritises beauty over sheer power.
3. Expressive Nuance:
• Emotional expression is achieved through subtle dynamics, phrasing, and rubato (flexible tempo). Singers focus on conveying the text's meaning with delicacy rather than dramatic force.
4. Orchestral Balance:
• The orchestration in bel canto operas is intentionally light to allow the voice to shine. Composers like Rossini, Bellini, and Donizetti wrote music that served as a vehicle for vocal virtuosity rather than overpowering it."We then spoke briefly about singing during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.
Me. "Was there anyone recorded (or is there anyone today who sang as they did then? You mentioned Fernando De Lucia and Alessandro Bonci. Would they have followed this older style, or was there's different as well?"
Perplexity. "Fernando De Lucia and Alessandro Bonci, while closer to the older bel canto tradition than many of their contemporaries, did not fully replicate the singing styles of Mozart's time or the early 19th century. Both singers were active during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a period when operatic singing was already transitioning toward more dramatic and less ornamented styles, influenced by verismo and the demands of larger opera houses.
Fernando De Lucia
• De Lucia (1860–1925) is often cited as one of the last tenors with ties to the bel canto tradition. He had a light, flexible voice and excelled in roles requiring agility and ornamentation. However, his recordings reveal a mix of bel canto elegance and some stylistic concessions to verismo, such as heightened emotional expression and dramatic phrasing. His interpretations are considered an important link to earlier styles but are not identical to what might have been heard in Mozart's or Rossini's time.
Alessandro Bonci
• Bonci (1870–1940) was another tenor associated with bel canto ideals. His voice was lighter than that of contemporaries like Caruso, and he adhered more closely to the refined, ornamented singing style typical of earlier periods. Bonci's recordings demonstrate a commitment to legato and agility, making him a closer approximation of older traditions than most singers of his era.
Revival and Modern Efforts
Today, there are efforts to revive older singing styles through historically informed performance practices:
1. Teatro Nuovo: This company specialises in bel canto opera using period instruments and historically informed techniques. Their singers are trained in long expressive lines, challenging coloratura, and improvisatory ornamentation, reflecting earlier traditions.
2. Specialised Singers: Modern artists like Lawrence Brownlee, Vivica Genaux, and John Osborn are celebrated for their ability to perform bel canto roles with agility and stylistic authenticity.
3. Baroque Specialists: While focused on earlier periods, singers in Baroque opera revivals also employ techniques such as improvisation and ornamentation that overlap with early bel canto practices."Me. "Is Teatro Nuovo part of the historically informed movement? If not, who is? I am more familiar with it in classical music."
Perplexity. "Yes, Teatro Nuovo is part of the historically informed performance (HIP) movement. The company explicitly focuses on reviving bel canto operas with attention to period-specific vocal techniques, ornamentation, and the use of period instruments. Their approach involves studying historical treatises and performance practices to recreate the style of 19th-century Italian opera as authentically as possible. For instance, they employ a "primo violino et direttore" (first violinist and director) instead of a modern conductor, reflecting historical practices of ensemble leadership.
The "true purists" of bel canto singing—those who aim to replicate the exact techniques, styles, and interpretative practices of the 18th and early 19th centuries—are rare but do exist. These individuals or groups focus on historically informed performance (HIP) practices, often basing their work on early recordings, treatises, and other historical documentation.
Historical Recordings of Bel Canto Singers
Early sound recordings provide a window into the bel canto tradition as it was practiced in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. While not directly from Mozart’s or Rossini’s time, these recordings capture singers who were trained in methods closer to those older traditions:
• Adelina Patti (1843–1919): Patti was considered one of the last great sopranos of the true bel canto era. Her recordings, such as "Voi che sapete" from The Marriage of Figaro (1905), showcase her light, agile voice and ornamentation skills.
• Fernando De Lucia (1860–1925): Known for his ties to bel canto, De Lucia’s recordings reveal a mix of older ornamentation practices and an emerging verismo influence.
• Mattia Battistini (1856–1928): A baritone often referred to as "the last bel canto singer," Battistini’s recordings highlight his use of portamento, elegant phrasing, and dynamic control.
These singers represent a transitional period where elements of true bel canto were preserved but gradually gave way to more dramatic styles.
Modern Purists and Revivalists
1. Robert Toft: A leading figure in historically informed vocal performance, Toft has written extensively on bel canto practices and teaches singers to apply historical techniques such as improvised ornamentation and expressive declamation.
2. Teatro Nuovo: This company revives bel canto operas using period instruments and techniques. Their singers are trained in historical methods, including improvisation and flexible phrasing.
3. Sydney Conservatorium of Music: Researchers like Neal Peres Da Costa and Helen Mitchell are part of projects that emulate early recordings and experiment with historical vocal techniques to rediscover bel canto soundsMethodology of True Purists."Me. I wonder if listening to bel canto basses and baritones would help me appreciate them more. I usually prefer tenors, not just because of their vocal range but because they tend to be lighter. I don't like loud, dramatic, heavy voices, even though I know some are definitely required. Likewise with suppranos. Many simply give me a headache with extremely high notes, and even in English, I sometimes have difficulty understanding them. That may not be true for bel canto singers."
Perplexity. "If you generally prefer lighter voices and find dramatic, heavy voices less appealing, exploring bel canto basses and baritones could indeed offer a new perspective. Bel canto basses and baritones often display a lighter, more agile vocal quality compared to the heavier, dramatic styles associated with later Romantic or verismo opera. Their focus on legato phrasing, ornamentation, and text clarity aligns with the principles of bel canto singing.
Characteristics of Bel Canto Basses and Baritones
1. Agility: Unlike the stentorian basses of later opera (e.g., Wagnerian roles), bel canto basses and baritones are required to execute intricate coloratura passages with precision.
2. Lightness of Tone: The emphasis is on beauty of sound rather than sheer power, allowing for a more lyrical and nuanced performance.
3. Expressive Nuance: Bel canto singers use tools like messa di voce (gradual swelling and diminishing of tone) and portamento (sliding between notes) to enhance emotional expression.
4. Text Clarity: Clear diction and rhetorical phrasing are essential, which might address your difficulty in understanding some sopranos.
Key Roles for Basses and Baritones in Bel Canto
• Basses: Roles such as Don Basilio (Il barbiere di Siviglia by Rossini) or Dr. Dulcamara (L'elisir d'amore by Donizetti) often require a combination of vocal agility and comedic timing.
• Baritones: Roles like Figaro (Il barbiere di Siviglia) or Belcore (L'elisir d'amore) showcase the lyrical and florid aspects of the baritone voice.
Singers to Explore
1. Past Singers:
• Luigi Lablache: A renowned 19th-century basso cantante who excelled in Rossini roles.
• Mattia Battistini: Known as the "King of Baritones," his recordings reflect bel canto elegance.
2. Modern Revivalists:
• Alessandro Corbelli: A master of comedic bel canto roles with a light, agile bass-baritone voice.
• Ildebrando D’Arcangelo: Noted for his performances as Don Giovanni and Leporello, blending lyricism with agility.#baritones #basses #BelCanto #HistoricallyInformedPerformance #opera #singing #tenors #VocalStyles