80 & 90-year-olds singing "Nessun Dorma"

[Hannah Bell]

Angelo Loforese at 89.5:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHurFkD_0AU&feature=related


Lauri Volpi at 80 (singing starts about .30:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12kt5jmgZAs&feature=related


I'm in awe. They're still singing in the original key & they can hold the notes. They still sing better than most singers out there.


Volpi at 86:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0lgOXVc9k0&feature=related

He says: Get all those sucky tenors of today here and let them sing the same piece in the same key! I did it, at 86 years of age, sitting here... let them come! Let's do a competition!

[Le Taz Hot]

1. The guys don't lose their voice as quickly as

women do. It's just not fair! And don't get me started on today's tenors. There's one in particular (I won't say his name 'cause it's likely to piss off some fans) that is the darling of the "pop" opera crowd. He's just TERRIBLE and yet he's selling millions of CD's and selling out concerts. I swear to goddess I've heard better local tenors.

Thanks for the links.

[WinkyDink]

2. I hope you don't mean Paul Potts, as I've heard him in person twice.

And I heard Pavarotti twice. Potts might not be Pavarotti (as who was/is?), but he is great.

[Le Taz Hot]

3. No, but Potts desperately

needs vocal training. Sorry, but anyone with classical vocal training can spot the problems. Again, nothing that a good vocal coach can't correct as the core instrument is a solid one.

[Golden Raisin]

4. And to be able to sing

and project the voice in a large theatre UNAIDED by amplification and microphones. His Italian is execrable as well.

[Le Taz Hot]

5. I saw Renee Fleming a couple of years ago.

Full orchestra, theater seating about 2,000, full to capacity, no microphone. I was in the back in the cheap seats and her pp was perfection. I have a tendency to cry when I hear/see great art and I'm telling you I blubbered through the entire performance.

[NV Whino]

7. Sutherland always brought tears to my eyes

To this day I tear up with the Sutherland, Horne duet from Norma. The most beautiful blending of voices I've ever heard.

[Hello_Kitty]

12. Renee Fleming is amazing.

I first became aware of her at the One Inauguration Concert in 2009. She sang "You"ll Never Walk Alone" with the Navy Choir. So I looked her up and found a bunch of other great stuff.

[DavidDvorkin]

8. Josh Groban, I assume

He's awful.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

9. You wouldn't be referring to Josh Groban, would you?

:rofl:

I don't understand why he's so popular, unless it's because he's good-looking and sings "romantic" music in that excessively dramatic way that causes swooning in some women (though not me). I got the evil eye from my SIL once for dissing Groban; she *adores* him.

:puke:

[DavidDvorkin]

13. Good looking? Ugh!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

15. Well, some people think he is.

He's definitely cuter than Pavarotti ever was, just can't sing for shit.

[Hannah Bell]

10. why is that? i looked for female equivalents & found some, but they were much more

quavery, couldn't sustain the notes.

is it something about the range or what?

[NV Whino]

6. I'll agree with the sucky tenors of today

But remember these guys aren't out there every day belting it out at full bore. Voices don't last for those who do. Of course Pavarotti only belted at full bore for the Friday crowd, never for the Wednesday crowd.

[Hannah Bell]

11. someone unrecced this. pitiful.

[Zanzobar]

14. Crusty old dudes could barely hold a note

Below average compared to any random tenor on youtube.

[Hannah Bell]

16. lol.