Georgiana BrummellHere is another operatic conversation I had with Perplexity. I literally just found dino Borgioli tonight and I love what I hear. I think he may rate in my top five, the others being Schipa at number one, Simoneau, and though he was very different, Tauber. I don't have a fifth yet, but Borgioli may slip into third place if this loveliness continues. I don't know much about Fernando de Lucia. He seems decent, but not in the way of my immediately loving his voice. As for Caruso, I seem to prefer his earlier recordings prior to his voice change, even though, on a scholarly level, I am fascinated by it.<br><br>Me. "Over the last month, I have started to learn about opera. With only one exception, I prefer the singers from prior to the 1950's. I especially love tenore de grazia, but I listen to other types as well. It seems that there is a list of songs that almost everyone recorded, so I use them as a quick determinent of someone's voice and singing style. These are "Che gelida manina", "Un furtiva lacrima", "Il mio tesoro intanto", and occasionally, "La donna è mobile", and "O Sole Mio" if they sang it (yes, I know the last is not opera). But most sang the first three, at least. I love comparing different versions. So far, I think the best "Un furtiva lacrima" was sung by Tito Schipa, and the best "Il mio tesoro intanto" was sung by Leopold Simoneau. I couldn't decide between Schipa and Enrico Caruso for "Che gelida manina". But Caruso may win on "La donna è mobile". I must test him against a few others. Other singers I've reviewed include Richard Tauber, John McCormack, Beniamino Gigli, and Louis Graveure. I must include Fernando de Lucia, and newly discovered (for me) Dino Borgioli in my reviews. Are these good songs? Can you recommend others or will these give a good idea of voices, strengths, etc?"<br><br>Perplexity. "Your selection of arias for comparing opera singers, particularly those from the early 20th century, is indeed excellent. These pieces are widely regarded as staples of the tenor repertoire and offer a good basis for evaluating a singer's technique, expressiveness, and overall vocal quality.<br>"Che gelida manina" from Puccini's "La Bohème", "Una furtiva lagrima" from Donizetti's "L'elisir d'amore", and "Il mio tesoro intanto" from Mozart's "Don Giovanni" are all excellent choices for assessing different aspects of a tenor's abilities. These arias showcase lyrical singing, emotional depth, and technical prowess, respectively.<br>Your preference for tenore di grazia, or leggero tenor, is well-served by these selections, particularly "Una furtiva lagrima" and "Il mio tesoro intanto". These roles often require the light, flexible voice characteristic of this voice type.<br>To further expand your comparative listening, you might consider adding:<br>1. <br>"Dalla sua pace" from Mozart's "Don Giovanni"<br>2. <br>"Je crois entendre encore" from Bizet's "Les pêcheurs de perles"<br>3. <br>"Ecco ridente in cielo" from Rossini's "Il barbiere di Siviglia"<br>These pieces would complement your existing list, offering additional opportunities to assess agility, legato singing, and stylistic interpretation across different composers and periods.<br>Your selection of singers is also commendable, focusing on some of the most renowned tenors of the early recording era. Tito Schipa, in particular, is often hailed as one of the finest exponents of the tenore di grazia style. By comparing these arias across different singers, you're employing an effective method to discern the nuances of vocal technique, interpretation, and artistry that defined the golden age of opera singing. This approach will undoubtedly provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the great tenor voices of the past."<br><br><a class="hashtag" href="https://blob.cat/tag/beniaminogigli" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#BeniaminoGigli</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://blob.cat/tag/dinoborgioli" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#DinoBorgioli</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://blob.cat/tag/enricocaruso" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#EnricoCaruso</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://blob.cat/tag/fernandodelucia" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#FernandoDeLucia</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://blob.cat/tag/johnmccormack" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#JohnMcCormack</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://blob.cat/tag/leopoldsimoneau" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#LeopoldSimoneau</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://blob.cat/tag/louisgraveure" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#LouisGraveure</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://blob.cat/tag/richardtauber" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#RichardTauber</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://blob.cat/tag/opera" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#opera</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://blob.cat/tag/singing" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#singing</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://blob.cat/tag/tenors" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#tenors</a> <a class="hashtag" href="https://blob.cat/tag/titoschipa" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#TitoSchipa</a>