Comments on: Ettore Bastianini

By: gabriel velasco

gabriel velasco — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:52:31 +0000

I think that Bastianini is the very definition of the dramatic baritone, no one ever has sounded like him; it is sad he did not reach his 50s and 60s where his voice would have sounded like God’s voice.

By: felicia

felicia — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:37:25 +0000

I love Bastianini! As the kids say, he rocks!

Thanks for the nice article and soundclips. The live recording of La Battaglia di Legnano with Corelli and Stella is also very enjoyable.

By: Wally

Wally — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 12:26:05 +0000

Bastianini indeed sounds very sweet when he dares to: his rendition of “il balen” in Trieste (can be found as a bonus track of the Gencer’s Lucia on Bongiovanni) comes to my mind. And that beautiful “Per me giunto” under Karajan’s baton… Isn’t it lovely?

Btw, some old people from la Scala and elsewhere told me the same thing about his demeanour on and off-stage: I find it funny.

The same people told me that Corelli and Bastianini were such friends that Ms Corelli was almost concerned… Almost, they said. Good old gossip of the good past days.

Anyway, Bastianini was an exquisite singer in his prime, and a very reliable, if not that refined one in his later days.

By: Sylvia Burrage

Sylvia Burrage — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:16:12 +0000

I heard Bastianini in 1963 as Gerard in Chenier. He seemed in some vocal distress then. Still one of my most incredible opera nights of my life with Corelli and Tebaldi. Afterwards, getting autographs, Corelli was talking rapid fire in Italian to Ettore who was rather quiet. My guess is he was comforting him. Anyway they seemed to be great friends.