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Placido Domingo in Wagner operas?

4K views 17 replies 8 participants last post by  AndyS 
#1 ·
For my taste I don't prefer the great tenor in this music. His voice just seems out of place to me. I like the more German voice in Wagner.
Except, he was great in Meistersinger, a good role for him there, a singer.

But for the rest no likey.

Your opinions?
 
#7 ·
its the Solti, and yes, he did not to me either.
 
#5 ·
"Esteem is founded on comparison," Molière teaches us...

So the obvious question is- among Domingo's contemporaries
(at least contemporary to his essays into the Wagner repertoire)- who do you prefer in those roles??

Granted, his German has come under criticism. Granted, his acclaimed recordings are pretty much studio creations. Granted, his live performances in Wagner operas tend not to come off as well. Still- let's reflect on the alternatives...
 
#6 ·
Heppner, Sieffert, Robert Dean Smith, Kaufman to start.
 
#8 ·
Okay.
Sieffert,
Really? I suppose I shouldn't hold this against his voice, but he's the guy who sings avec a wireless earbud, so that The Prompter can feed him the lyrics more discreetly. It's sort of like if Marlon Brando were to perform in a stage play.:lol:
Robert Dean Smith,
He's nice... but it seemed that Gary Lehman has supplanted him at the MET, at least prior to Lehman's health-troubles. I know no details... but I don't think this was done without reasons.
Can do Siegmund, can be stretched to Walther... but somehow, I just don't see "El Guapo" as Tristan, Tannhäuser, or (the ultimate in mirth-provoking)- Parsifal.:p
 
#9 ·
Domingo has a beautiful voice, but I find his un-idiomatic German a stumbling block. Kaufmann is my tenor of choice for the lighter-weight Wagner roles -- i.e., not Siegfried, Tristan, or Tannhäuser. Speaking of Parsifal: if the rumor mill is accurate, Kaufmann will sing this role in 2013 at the Met.

I didn't know about Seiffert and the earbud. :eek:
 
#11 · (Edited)
Tristan, OY

I wonder who'll sing it on the new Janowski recording.

Thomas Moser sang it on Thielemann's recording. got decent review.

?
 
#12 ·
Really? I suppose I shouldn't hold this against his voice, but he's the guy who sings avec a wireless earbud, so that The Prompter can feed him the lyrics more discreetly. It's sort of like if Marlon Brando were to perform in a stage play


great idea as long as the earbud keeps working.
 
#14 ·
don't get me wrong, PD is a great artist and a great singer, i love his Meistersinger. just seems like his voice is out of place. Siegfried Jerusalem couldn't last for ever.

you should get his Meistersinger, it's awesome.
 
#15 ·
Domingo's German has improved somewhat since he first began to sing Wagner, and he may not be"idiomatic", but his voice is still a heck of a lot more beatutiful than most Wagner tenors who are native speakers of German, with the exception of Jerusalem, whom I also admire greatly.
 
#18 ·
I've just started listening to his Lohengrin with Solti just now...have to admit, I'm not hugely familiar with him yet, but seem to have discretely garnered a wee collection of operas featuring him (La Traviata, Carmen, Tosca, Macbeth albeit in a smaller role)and becoming a big fan - its the sheer beauty of his voice!

Considering his Tristan very soon
 
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