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#TitoSchipa

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Georgiana Brummell

Here is another opera review, this time with a twist. I already know the results and have grouped them accordingly. In this case, it's those who have no business singing this and those who sing it perfectly. Make no mistake. Everyone here has a beautiful voice. But not every voice type can, or should, sing everything.

Let's start with those who should not sing this aria.

Louis Graveure E lucevan le stelle

youtube.com/watch?v=rH-B7ftmBX…

As I have said in other reviews, the story of Louis Graveure is quite amazing. He came to Clara Novello Davies unable to sing at all, with extreme congestion. Caruso's own doctor recommended him to her, knowing that she helped with breathing exercises. After years of study, he became a phenomenal baritone. However, at some point, he deliberately changed into a tenor. While he has a very powerful voice, I could hear him struggling several times. At the very least, his voice made noises that it shouldn't have and it detracted from the performance. He was far better off as a baritone, but he is still good when he sings less demanding tenor roles.

Puccini: Tosca / Act 3: "E lucevan le stelle" Léopold Simoneau

youtube.com/watch?v=xYOqImv1PI…

When I read this, I burst out laughing. Simoneau has the sweetest voice I have ever heard from anyone, and he has no chest voice, which is not a bad thing, but it doesn't work here. His Mozart pieces are lovely, though.

Tito Schipa - E lucevan le stelle (1913)

youtube.com/watch?v=UD6tQ6wpqk…

It is no secret that I consider Tito Schipa to be the best singer in the world. I adore his voice. But I am eternally grateful that he stopped singing such things within a few years after this recording, though there is one from 1915 and another from 1919. This, from 1913, is one of his earliest records. It's not that he couldn't sing the aria well. In fact, he sang it so well that the conductor, during one of his performances of it, begged him personally for an encore! It's that had he continued in these heavy roles, they would have completely destroyed his voice. Those who know his incredible mezza voce and general control know exactly what I mean.

Ferruccio Tagliavini ＂E lucevan le stelle＂ Tosca

youtube.com/watch?v=8RuKd4hld6…

Ferruccio Tagliavini had such a beautiful voice when younger that he could almost have equalled Schipa himself. But by this point, it was already changing, precisely due to singing roles such as this. Fortunately, he was able to adjust, but there is something to say for the phrase "you can never go home again". If you hear him in a lighter song, such as Una Furtiva Lagrima, in the 1940's and then in the late 1950's or 1960's, there is a huge difference. All the sweetness is gone in the later ones. Schipa's versions of it are beautiful from the 1920's straight to 1962, with only a few signs of age showing. As for this aria, Tagliavini does perform it well, but it's still a cautionary tale.

Now, we get to those who should be singing this sort of thing.

Enrico Caruso - E lucevan le stelle (Zonophone, April 19, 1903)

youtube.com/watch?v=rL6h90m2Ig…

This is from 1903, so his voice transformation (careful and deliberate, not damage) hadn't taken place yet. But his strength and depth is still evident. He can very easily handle this aria, emotionally, vocally, and most of all, physically. There is no strain in his voice at all, and it's a pleasure to listen to.

Beniamino Gigli E Lucevan Le Stelle Audio HQ

youtube.com/watch?v=D5HwI2hMiD…

Gigli was born to sing this sort of role. His rendition sent shivers down my spine. (For a similar experience, listen to his Nessun Dorma, which is incomparable.) Here, he sings even the quieter parts with a certain authority and firmness, yet with such control that it is amazing. When he does sing at full capacity, his emotions are completely in tune with the melody and character. He reaches all notes with ease. Whereas Graveure had some kind of feature in his voice, Gigli's slight changes are a hallmark of his and have been described by some as almost like sobbing. Here, though, they work to great effect to bring out the meaning of the words. Yes, I did research this one in translation.

YouTubeLouis Graveure E lucevan le stelleBy Andreas Lenhardt
#EnricoCaruso#BeniaminoGigli#FerruccioTagliavini
Public
Georgiana Brummell
Here is another opera review, this time with a twist. I already know the results and have grouped them accordingly. In this case, it's those who have no business singing this and those who sing it perfectly. Make no mistake. Everyone here has a beautiful voice. But not every voice type can, or should, sing everything.

Let's start with those who should not sing this aria.

Louis Graveure E lucevan le stelle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH-B7ftmBXM

As I have said in other reviews, the story of Louis Graveure is quite amazing. He came to Clara Novello Davies unable to sing at all, with extreme congestion. Caruso's own doctor recommended him to her, knowing that she helped with breathing exercises. After years of study, he became a phenomenal baritone. However, at some point, he deliberately changed into a tenor. While he has a very powerful voice, I could hear him struggling several times. At the very least, his voice made noises that it shouldn't have and it detracted from the performance. He was far better off as a baritone, but he is still good when he sings less demanding tenor roles.

Puccini: Tosca / Act 3: "E lucevan le stelle" Léopold Simoneau

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYOqImv1PII

When I read this, I burst out laughing. Simoneau has the sweetest voice I have ever heard from anyone, and he has no chest voice, which is not a bad thing, but it doesn't work here. His Mozart pieces are lovely, though.

Tito Schipa - E lucevan le stelle (1913)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD6tQ6wpqkA

It is no secret that I consider Tito Schipa to be the best singer in the world. I adore his voice. But I am eternally grateful that he stopped singing such things within a few years after this recording, though there is one from 1915 and another from 1919. This, from 1913, is one of his earliest records. It's not that he couldn't sing the aria well. In fact, he sang it so well that the conductor, during one of his performances of it, begged him personally for an encore! It's that had he continued in these heavy roles, they would have completely destroyed his voice. Those who know his incredible mezza voce and general control know exactly what I mean.

Ferruccio Tagliavini ＂E lucevan le stelle＂ Tosca

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RuKd4hld6o

Ferruccio Tagliavini had such a beautiful voice when younger that he could almost have equalled Schipa himself. But by this point, it was already changing, precisely due to singing roles such as this. Fortunately, he was able to adjust, but there is something to say for the phrase "you can never go home again". If you hear him in a lighter song, such as Una Furtiva Lagrima, in the 1940's and then in the late 1950's or 1960's, there is a huge difference. All the sweetness is gone in the later ones. Schipa's versions of it are beautiful from the 1920's straight to 1962, with only a few signs of age showing. As for this aria, Tagliavini does perform it well, but it's still a cautionary tale.

Now, we get to those who should be singing this sort of thing.

Enrico Caruso - E lucevan le stelle (Zonophone, April 19, 1903)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rL6h90m2Ig8

This is from 1903, so his voice transformation (careful and deliberate, not damage) hadn't taken place yet. But his strength and depth is still evident. He can very easily handle this aria, emotionally, vocally, and most of all, physically. There is no strain in his voice at all, and it's a pleasure to listen to.

Beniamino Gigli E Lucevan Le Stelle Audio HQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5HwI2hMiDI

Gigli was born to sing this sort of role. His rendition sent shivers down my spine. (For a similar experience, listen to his Nessun Dorma, which is incomparable.) Here, he sings even the quieter parts with a certain authority and firmness, yet with such control that it is amazing. When he does sing at full capacity, his emotions are completely in tune with the melody and character. He reaches all notes with ease. Whereas Graveure had some kind of feature in his voice, Gigli's slight changes are a hallmark of his and have been described by some as almost like sobbing. Here, though, they work to great effect to bring out the meaning of the words. Yes, I did research this one in translation.

#EnricoCaruso #BeniaminoGigli #FerruccioTagliavini #LeopoldSimoneau #LouisGraveure #opera #TitoSchipa #review
YouTubeLouis Graveure E lucevan le stelleBy Andreas Lenhardt
#review
Public
Georgiana Brummell
It's time for another opera review! As always, please remember that my knowledge of operettas is far more extensive than that of opera, and I am not any sort of professional. I do this for fun, and just started this journey a few weeks ago. Having said that, this time, we have two new voices to add to the collection, along with a few familiar ones.

Enrico Caruso - Ideale (1906)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w85mS_Z8OAQ
In the first few notes, it actually sounds as if some instruments are a bit flat here, and I have no idea why! I am accustomed to very old recordings, so that's not it. Anyway, this is supposed to be prior to Caruso's voice change, or right around there of, but to me, I can already hear a deepness in his voice. He's singing it as a tenor, but there is a sort of dark tamber to it. He slides notes very heavily and smoothly. He is also very expressive and rolls his rs a lot.

John McCormack - Ideale (1909)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGqt47GaYAg
I wasn't originally going to include him, but after listening to a bit of his version, I decided to do so. He is the only non-Italian in our list today. His pitch is the same as Caruso's. His pronunciation sounds accurate, judging by that of the others. He has a light l sound. He rolls his rs as well. Not only does he reach the high note, but upon sliding down from it, he ads a special sound that I cannot describe. His voice has more vibrato on those notes. He also ends on a high note, like Caruso, and holds it for a long time.

Dino Borgioli - Ideale (undated)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoPIAlqpNeY
He sings this at the same pitch as McCormac. His voice is light, sweet, and clear. He also slides notes, but has a wonderful control of his dynamics. His rs are not rolled strongly. Interestingly, he doesn't end on a high note as the previous two did.

Ferruccio Tagliavini： Ideale (Tosti) (1955)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQCX0i2mC3Q
I actually have two different versions from him, the other being from 1964. However, I chose this one because he's closer to the age of the other singers. It's worth noting that in the later one, he does sing it in a lower key. That said, here, he is almost parallel with Caruso in pitch. He, too, has excellent dynamics He rolls his rs slightly more than Borgioli. He ends on a higher note, but not the highest.

Tito Schipa Ideale (Recorded 1930)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWZ_8k2l9io
His version is in the highest pitch. His phrasing seems a bit shorter than the others. Like Caruso, his rs are rolled, and I can also hear the dark l sound. His dynamics are also displayed wonderfully, as is to be expected, since he has excellent breath control. As always, the clarity of his words is quite obvious.

Final Analysis
I was surprised at the variations here, from pitch to end-note. Even though I truly enjoy the voice of Tagliavini (one of our newcomers), in this instance, he really didn't impress me as much. His performance seemed not to be as expressive as the others. The reason I kept mentioning rolled rs is that some Italians seem to have it while singing but some don't. I had mistakenly believed that Schipa came from Naples, since he sang so much Neapolitan music, but that's not true. He was from Lecce, which has its own dialect, called Salentino. Still, he and Caruso, who did come from there, both share this characteristic. But what I really found interesting is that McCormac, an Irishman, did this as well! I was also surprised that, even though this is his lighter period, Caruso's voice still had a dark sound to it. Yet he ended on a high note.

And my personal winner is... John McCormac! I was all set to choose the other newcommer to our list, Dino Borgioli, whose performance was exceptional and whose voice is truly amazing. But after hearing McCormac, I was forced to change my mind. It was such a close call, though, that it was almost a draw. But he had that little something extra. I thought, before starting this, that Schipa would win, since he is my favourite singer. In fact, I deliberately went against the timeline and put him last in the list so that I wouldn't be partial to his version! I guess it worked.

#DinoBorgioli #EnricoCaruso #FerruccioTagliavini #JohnMcCormac #opera #review #TitoSchipa
YouTubeEnrico Caruso - Ideale (1906)By Tom Frøkjær
#titoschipa
Public
Georgiana Brummell
I never thought that I would find anyone to equal Tito Schipa. I still haven't. But I've come very, very close. The man to finally do it is Ferruccio Tagliavini. What a voice! He even impressed me with Una furtiva lagrima (several versions, but I like the one when he was older), and his Che gelida manina is wonderful, too! Sadly, I couldn't find Il Mio Tesoro, but I'm sure he would have sung that marvellously as well. So now, my top five are Tito schipa, Leopold Simoneau, Dino Borgioli, Ferruccio Tagliavini, and Richard Tauber. The first and fifth are steady, but The others might switch around, the more I listen to them.

#DinoBorgioli #FerruccioTaglivini #LeopoldSimoneau #RichardTauber #opera #TitoSchipa
#titoschipa
Public
Georgiana Brummell
Here 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.

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?"

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.
"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.
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.
To further expand your comparative listening, you might consider adding:
1.
"Dalla sua pace" from Mozart's "Don Giovanni"
2.
"Je crois entendre encore" from Bizet's "Les pêcheurs de perles"
3.
"Ecco ridente in cielo" from Rossini's "Il barbiere di Siviglia"
These pieces would complement your existing list, offering additional opportunities to assess agility, legato singing, and stylistic interpretation across different composers and periods.
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."

#BeniaminoGigli #DinoBorgioli #EnricoCaruso #FernandoDeLucia #JohnMcCormack #LeopoldSimoneau #LouisGraveure #RichardTauber #opera #singing #tenors #TitoSchipa
#titoschipa
Public
Georgiana Brummell

I have a little gift for all of you. I just found it today. For those of you who are seasoned veterans, I'm sure you already know about it. But for those of us who are new to opera, and who won't accept anything but the best, there is a full recording of Don Pasquale from 1932! Not only does it naturally have wonderful singing, due to the time in which it was recorded, but Tito Schipa himself is in it! For my blind peers, do not turn it off after the first song if you inten to hear it all. After each song, there is a little pause, since these were originally 78s, not lps. For my fellow operetta lovers, this, while a true opera, is, nonetheless, very light, so it should appeal to you.

youtube.com/watch?v=lOOkdoN7pE…

If, like me, you don't know Italian, here is the libretto in English. I'm sure there are others, but this is from a year before Schipa's birth, so it's not full of modernised language and other nonsense. I don't know if that is done often with operas (it is with operettas, to my extreme annoyance), but it's better to be safe than sorry. My strategy has been to read one or two scenes, then listen to some of it, then read more.

archive.org/details/donizettis…

YouTubeDON PASQUALE - Tito Schipa 1932 (Complete Opera Donizetti)By belcantopera
#78Rpm#DonPasquale#FullOpera
Public
Georgiana Brummell

Yesterday, I had a long conversation with Perplexity, as usual. We were discussing vocal ranges, opera, and operetta. Anyway, I found a video that was perfect for me to test my range. Keep in mind that I am not accustomed to these notes as numbers, as this became popular after my time of study. But to make things easier, I will use them to explain my results.

youtube.com/watch?v=feuJ7sW2g7…

Apparently, My comfortable range is F3 to C5, with an extended range of D3 to F5, with the last two top notes feeling thin. I can also hit C3, but only quietly.

I then asked to hear various contraltos. I found a few, but almost all sang high, despite obviously being able to sing lower. So I then asked about songs sung by Tito Schipa, since our ranges overlap. I know he couldn't go as high as I (sources say he couldn't hit a high C), but I have never heard him hit a low note that I can't. Perplexity recommended the following.

  1. "A te, o cara" from Bellini's "I Puritani"
  2. Arias from Donizetti's "L'elisir d'amore", particularly Nemorino's parts.
  3. Selections from Massenet's "Werther".
  4. Arias from Donizetti's "Don Pasquale", especially Ernesto's recitatives.

Then, I began to wonder if there are any songs within operetta that would match me well. I received these in reply.

  1. "Vilja-Lied" from Franz Lehár's "The Merry Widow"
  2. "Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise" from Sigmund Romberg's "The New Moon" (I need to find a tenor version, aas it was originally written for a baritone.)
  3. "Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life" from Victor Herbert's "Naughty Marietta"
  4. "I'm Falling in Love with Someone" also from "Naughty Marietta"
  5. "Serenade" from Romberg's "The Student Prince"
  6. "Wanting You" from Romberg's "The New Moon"
  7. "Love, Come Back to Me" also from "The New Moon"

Since three of these are from the same work, and since I actually have The New Moon, both as a full modern (sadly) recording and some original songs, I am going to watch that some time soon. It will be good to take a break from opera and go back to operetta. I just have to be careful because finding such music, or I should say, full English productions with dialogue, is incredibly difficult!

At any rate, I then asked which of these songs would be good for a beginner, and Perplexity chose "Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life", "I'm Falling in Love with Someone", "Vilja-Lied", and "Serenade".

Even though I have perfect pitch and photographic musical memory (once I know a song), it will take a long time before I can sing any of these truly correctly. But what do you think about the suggestions in general? Remember, I am not studying to actually perform on stage. This is simply for the love of singing. Personally, after hearing them, I think, other than the operettas, a good starting point might be Schipa's Neapolitan songs. They seem much easier.

But realistically, before I do any of that at all, I need to work on my exercises from Madam Clara! To that end, I have asked my friend to record the first group, on pages 140 to 145. Once I learn these, I will continue to the next set and so on.

archive.org/details/youcansing…

For those who are wondering why I don't learn from Schipa himself (he taught singing and there are exercises from him online), he has an entirely different approach. The exercises (particularly the Preliminaries and Breath-Lock Physicals) in You Can Sing are good for my health and work very well for me.

YouTubeContralto Vocal Range Made SUPER Easy For Beginners | 30 Day SingerBy 30 Day Singer
#ClaraNovelloDavies#contralto#opera
Public
Georgiana Brummell

Mini Review
I will not be analysing the singers as I usually do, but I will give my general opinion.
While I primarily love tenors, there is a certain voice type that I adore, and it is extremely rare. It's the lyric/light tenor, and yes, I put them together deliberately, because, according to my research, these voices could do both. They are not dramatic, but are light and sweet, and if used correctly, their owners have a mastery of phrasing and clarity, rather than sheer volume and/or weight. So far I had only found one serious opera singer with all of these qualities, namely Tito Schipa. Last night, I found another man, named Leopold Simoneau, and I was so moved by his voice that I immediately began downloading his recordings. I even matched him directly against Schipa himself, at one of the roles for which the latter is well-known, and Simoneau was so good that I gave up on trying to decide between them! Here, then, is the same song sung by both. Which do you prefer?

Tito Schipa sings Una furtiva lagrima- 1929
youtube.com/watch?v=un_3-NIgeP…

Léopold Simoneau; ＂Una furtiva lagrima
youtube.com/watch?v=5-37KU6gQL…

Here is another comparison. I chose a slightly later recording by Schipa, as the sound is better and it really shows off his voice better than the original.

Tito Schipa live at St. Louis in 1941 - ＂Il mio tesoro＂ from Mozart's ＂Don Giovanni
youtube.com/watch?v=dnCdtz7i03…

Leopold Simoneau - ＂Dalla sua pace＂, ＂Il mio tesoro＂
youtube.com/watch?v=UuPgWtLbk-…

Since the Simoneau version had another song attached, here is a bit more Schipa to compensate. He actually created a role in this opera, meaning that it was written for him. He was seventy-six when recording this, but his voice is still amazing!

Tito Schipa - No! Non lasciarmi solo (La Rondine) (Private recording, 1964)
youtube.com/watch?v=mJex-q5BvX…

Analysis
If I really had to compare these two singers, I would say that Simoneau's voice has a little something that Schipa's lacks, but I can't exactly explain it. Maybe, it's more delicate, flexible, or smooth. I'm not sure. But there is a quality that many other singers have, where they'll start soft, and then overpower everything with loud, booming voices. This is not only true of most modern singers who, after they sing a few notes, I turn off due to dislike of their style. Even the greats who had beautiful voices and sung in the old way did it. I realise, naturally, that some parts truly require this sort of voice, so it is quite necessary. But if I am going to sit down with a glass of wine and listen to someone sing for sheer enjoyment, as I am doing now, I don't want that. I can listen to both Schipa and Simoneau all day without tiring. Even at their loudest and most passionate, they still sound gentle and lovely, which is why they are so rare.

YouTubeTito Schipa sings Una furtiva lagrima- 1929 videoBy Felipe Ruiz de Chávez
#opera#LeopoldSimoneau#review
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