Don Pasquale, 1932
https://www.reddit.com/r/OldOpera/comments/1r548mc/don_pasquale_1932/

Tonight, for Valentine's Day, I decided to treat myself to Don Pasquale. I had promised myself I would listen to it, first at Christmas, then New Year, and failed to do so both times. Now, I'm glad I waited. What could be better than my favourite singer in a work by my favourite operatic composer?

Libretto
https://archive.org/details/donizettisoperad00doni

Wikipedia Link ((since I mentioned it)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Pasquale

Recording
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FeEiRH5ULk

Unlike when I first heard the opera, I didn't read the full libretto, just the Wikipedia entry. This is simply because I wanted to enjoy the beautiful voices and music and not be distracted by my screen reader speaking while it was playing, or have to stop occasionaly to read and then listen to more. However, I do remember it, and I love the story itself. It's hilarious, with scheming but no violence or cruelty, just fun. I laughed on a personal note as well, because I myself prefer seniors for partners. I felt sorry for poor Don Pasquale when he saw all of the things being bought and how much money was being spent, but the acting made it extremely comical, and the interaction between him and Norina was priceless.

This was an excellent production, with wonderful sound quality. The only thing that annoyed me was the huge gaps during the record changing. I would expect them when listening to real seventy-eights, not a digital copy. I have never heard this anywhere else, including the 1907 Pagliacci, the much later radio performances of various operas, and even other studio recordings. It was really distracting. The singing, however, was mostly excellent. I say that because although Adelaide Saraceni didn't have an annoying high-pitched, bright voice that gives me a headache (not being mean, it literally does), she didn't really impress me in this role either. I have also heard parts of it sung by Toti Dal Monte and Amelita Galli-Curci, and I wish the latter had been chosen for this recording because she was perfect. I really liked Ernesto Badini and Afro Poli, together and apart. I'm not normally one to gravitate to baritones or basses, but both are worth researching for more recordings. I had definitely heard Afro Poli in the past, so I recognised him, but I had to look up his name. "Cheti, cheti immantinente" made me laugh because it reminded me so strongly of Gilbert and Sullivan's patter songs. Even the plot itself would have been perfect for an operetta. Notice I didn't mention the entire reason for my listening to this opera, namely Tito Schipa! I had forgotten how incredibly small his part was. I'm sure it could easily fit on two seventy-eights. It was, obviously, perfect, but it left me sad and wanting more. It seems that, every time I hear Ferruccio Tagliavini sing something from his repertoir, it's always a big part. I actually heard more of Schipa in Act II of Manon! But, at least it's something, and his arias here were beautiful.

Overall, I would very much recommend this opera for anyone who wants to have fun and laugh. The story, music, and singing are all wonderful.

#Donizetti #opera #review #TitoSchipa

Manon, 1957, Plus a Surprise
https://www.reddit.com/r/OldOpera/comments/1qdawqn/manon_1957_plus_a_surprise/

After giving up on the idea entirely, I finally found Manon in Italian! It wasn't listed on Wikipedia, and no one whom I know personally mentioned this version. It was, to be honest, something I learned from Perplexity, of all places. I thought it was halucinating when it mentioned a Manon with Tagliavini, so, just for fun, I decided to search for it on Youtube, and sure enough, it was there!

Libretto
https://www.opera-arias.com/massenet/manon/libretto/english/

Wikipedia (mentioned later)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manon

Recording
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlobCo2svMA

I normally avoid this site, since their translations usually sound modern and annoying. But this one was excellent, and as with all pages from here, it was completely free of ocr eras, since it was just normal html. The story was wonderful, and is just the sort of thing I love with the upper class, pleasure, love and loss, jealousy, etc. with no violence or gritty realism. The ending was sad, though. There was nothing to indicate the death of Manon in the libretto itself, and I only knew of it due to the description on Wikipedia. Likewise, I was confused as to why Guillot brought the police in act IV. I thought, perhaps, it was because gambling was illegal or because he thought Des Grieux stole from him or cheated. But that still didn't explain the soldiers with Manon. Then, I read it was because she was "Convicted as a woman of ill-fame". This is one of those cases where a little synopsis or some notes in the libretto would have helped.

This time, the music more than matched the story. It was absolutely wonderful, and at no time did I feel bored or as if it were dragging. Tagliavini was perfect, as always, and almost brought me to tears twice with his emotional singing. This is one of the best performances I've ever heard from him, and I've herd several. I had only seen the name of Victoria de los Angeles in passing, though I knew nothing about her. I think she sounded too mature for Manon, who is supposed to be very young, though she did sing well and also completely embodied the character, so this can be forgiven. The acting in the last scene was truly beyond compare. It reminded me very much of the death scene of Mimi in La Boheme. Even had I not read about it in Wikipedia, actually listening to it would have told me what was happening.

I highly recommend this for anyone who wants to hear a great opera, full of fun and some sadness. The singing by all involved was excellent and both the story and music were wonderful.

And now, for my fellow lovers of Schipa, here is a heart-breakingly tantalising treat. It's only Act II, but other than Don Pasquale (recorded in full) it's the only other large fragment I know of with him actually performing in an opera. It's also the first time I am really listening to it, and they are singing in french! I knew that Schipa sang in many languages on his recordings, but I had no idea that he performed full operas in anything other than Italian! I also really like Bidu Sayão as Manon. Her voice is both beautiful and perfect for it. All the other singers here are great as well.

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

#FerruccioTagliavini #Massenet #Manon #opera #review #TitoSchipa

Happy birthday to the gratest singer in the world!

Birthday of Tito Schipa

https://www.reddit.com/r/OldOpera/comments/1pxhits/birthday_of_tito_schipa/

On 27 December 1888, Raffaele Attilio Amedeo Schipa, better known to the world by his childhood nickname of Tito, was born. His mark continues to be felt in the world today, by old and young alike. Not only do he and I share the same birth month (my birthday is on the first), but his voice is the one that made me fall in love with opera, and the leggero tenor in general, in February of this year. To this day, I have never heard anyone sing Una Furtiva Lagrima as perfectly as he did (in all his versions), and only he himself knew how on Earth he was able to take over the character of Werther so fully and completely that he practically owned the role, despite it originally being written for a dramatic tenor! Even now, it's usually sung by a leggero. From his incomparable voice that barely changed until he was at least seventy, to his perfect diction, to his incredible messa di voce, to the way he still touches hearts and brings people into the world of the character he is portraying, even when they don't know Italian, it's no wonder Tito Schipa is one of the greatest singers of all time!

Here, then, are a few links for you to enjoy. Most of you are familiar with them, but it should be fun for those new to opera or even fellow fans. If any of you have anecdotes or interviews to share, or have read his autobiography, please let us know. I read, and enjoyed, the biography of him by his son. Likewise, if anyone knows where on Earth the thirty-cd set of his music, or the booklet to his exercises can be found, please tell us.

Tito Schipa (Wikipedia)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tito_Schipa

Tito Schipa sings Una furtiva lagrima- 1929 video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un_3-NIgePA

Tito Schipa - Pourquoi me reveiller. 1939 (Film clip)
(sung in Italian, as Ah! Non mi ridestar)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgdo0uJO4zE

And yes. He sang it in French, too.

Pourquoi me reveiller (Werther)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wq_eQKsaRZ0

He also wrote many lovely songs in several languages, including When You're In Love, which is one of my favourites. But this is the one best known in Lecce, where he was born. Part of it is actually played daily in a square at noon there. As a sidenote, he was also the first person to record in Salentino, during his acoustic days, with Cuandu te aai la Faace.

Lecce Mia Tito Schipa with Translation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHptzAZYxTw

#birthday #opera #singers #TitoSchipa

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

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/ClassicalSinger/comments/1m4iper/schipas_training_and_update_on_personal_singing/

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

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