Verdi’s apotheosis to misery and self pity is one of opera’s greatest arias. The recitative which starts the scena is better than most composers’ best arias. The aria itself is sublime. It requires an extraordinary tenor to bring it off. For no reason other than I like it so much here are three performances of it by three of the most celebrated tenors of the mid 20th century – Mario Del Monaco, Giuseppe Di Stefano, and Richard Tucker.
The piece requires a spinto voice. Del Monaco was way beyond a spinto; he was a true dramatic tenor. His performance recorded in New Orleans in 1953 shows that he could sing softly when he wanted; he has been unjustly accused of being incapable of anything less than forte. But it’s clear that loud was his greatest strength. He was overqualified for anything less than Otello. Del Monaco Forza
Giuseppe Di Stefano had the most beautiful lyric tenor of his era and perhaps of any, but of course he wanted to sing parts beyond his strength. Forza is an opera he should not have attempted, but this recording made in Vienna in 1960 shows the tenor in exceptional voice even though he was several years into the vocal decline that prematurely ended his career; he adds the unique touches and moving phrases that made his singing unlike anyone else’s. He also doesn’t blast his way through the passagio. His tone is focused and doesn’t spread. This may have been his last really good outing. Di Stefano Forza
Richard Tucker, clearly the only American tenor to rank with the greatest international stars, had the ideal voice for Alvaro. Recorded in New York in 1956 this is the gold standard for this aria. The tone is pure and burnished. Tucker’s vocal reserve seems limitless. The delivery is passionate. This is as good as it gets. His continuous presence at the Met for 30 years was enough to make the period a golden age. Tucker Forza
Both the Italian and English texts are below. Alvaro is deep into codependency. He’s in a slough of despair. He’s not happy. But Verdi’s genius elevates the solipsism to great art.
Alvaro:
La vita è inferno all’infelice.
Invano morte desio!
Siviglia!
Leonora!
O, rimembranza! Oh, notte
Ch’ogni ben mi rapisti!
Sarò infelice eternanmente, è scritto.
Della natal sua terra il padre volle
Spezzar l’estranio giogo,
E coll’unirsi
All’ultima dell’Incas la corona
Cingere confidò.
Fu vana impresa.
In un carcere nacqui;
M’educava il deserto;
Sol vivo perchè ignota
È mia regale stirpe!
I miei parenti
Sognaro un trono, e li destò la scure!
Oh, quando fine avran
Le mie sventure!
O tu che seno agli angeli
Eternamente pura,
Salisti bella, incolume
Dalla mortal jattura,
Non iscordar di volgere
Lo sguardo a me tapino,
Che senza nome ed esule,
In odio del destino,
Chiedo anelando,
Ahi misero,
La morte d’incontrar.
Leonora mia, soccorrimi,
Pietà del mio penar!
Pietà di me!
Alvaro:
Life is a hell to the unfortunate. In vain
do I long for death. Seville! Leonora!
Oh, memories! Oh, night
that robbed me of all joy!
I shall be unhappy forever – so it is written.
My father wished to shatter the foreign yoke
on his native land, and by uniting himself
with the last of the Incas, thought to assume
the crown. The attempt was in vain!
I was born in prison, educated
in the desert; I live only because my royal birth
is known to none! My parents
dreamed of a throne; the axe awakened them!
Oh, when will my misfortunes end?
Oh, you who have ascended, forever pure,
to the bosom of the angels,
lovely and untouched
by mortal sorrow,
do not forget
to look down on me, unhappy wretch,
who, nameless and exiled,
the prey of fate,
longingly seeks to encounter death,
unfortunate that I am!
Leonora, help me,
have pity on my anguish.
Help me, have pity on me!
I was just listening to this opera earlier today–the recording with del Monaco, Tebaldi, Siepi and Bastianini from 1955. I was thinking how crazy and unbelievable the plot was, but the music is so beautiful. Del Monaco is really magnificent as Alvaro.
La vita è inferno all’infelice
Invano morte desio!
O tu che seno agli angeli
Eternamente pura,
Salisti bella, incolume
Pietà di me!
This is like Sophocles and Shakespeare writing together. di Stefano’s passion is sublime and makes yours Alvaro’s pain
I liked Del Monaco very much…….until I heard Corelli…. My favorite Forza the ’58 rai video. Tears up my guts when he sings “Oh tu che seno..” And how did he sing that duet with Battistianini so beautifully..flat on his back…?????? Tho I could do without the mustache…..
Tucker and Di Stefano both sound like fog horns to me.
Chacun a sa gout……
More thoughts. Maybe a guy thing???
I know of no women who like Tucker. Yet here are you very knowledgable males so ardent about him..
So I will try to be specific
Aside from not liking the voice I hate his going so nasal on closed vowels.
His phrasing is very choppy and lacks nuance. Also excessive blustering instead of ardent feeling. The ends of phrases are especially clipped. Tempi often too fast.
Power yes, but without the control to phrase effectively.
Corelli developed the control to do the most incredible phrasing I’ve heard from any tenor. And tho sometimes extreme, its always in character. Not even an aria, just “Mini, non piangere..” at the end of Act 1 of Fanciulla takes my breath away….he gets heart and soul into it(a role I saw him in). Words other tenors sing so casually he gives so much meaning to.
Have converted many to opera with Corelli. Tucker, never.
Incidentally…isn’t it Tu che in seno…..?? I seem to remember it that way……..but maybe I learned it wrong.
More gender thoughts…
Men seem to enjoy loud noise for its own sake. I love my 26 year old diesel truck…except that its so noisy. My tenant put a chip in HIS DIESEL truck to make it louder. When I stop my tractor I alway drop it to an idle..men always leave them revved. When I’m done with noisy equipment I immediately turn it off. Men keep it running, even having to talk over the noise. When you hear booming noise from the radio of a passing car…its alway a male driving.
(vocal) Power the ultimate aphrodisiac (for men)????
In general, women have more acute hearing than men and are more sensitive to loud noises. What you are describing has a straightforward physiological explanation. On the other hand, men have better distance vision and depth perception, and usually better vision in artificially lighted environments.
Also, my wife’s favorite tenor is Richard Tucker. So there’s at least one woman who likes his voice.
And that women are far more sensitive to wind?? I know it drives me nuts.
Yes, I try to get by on the least light possible. Even hate sunny days……..
La donna e mobile, qual piuma al vento
muta d’accento e di pensiero.
This donna is now being driven crazy by tiny, but so LOUD……birds!! Repellers that work on all other birds do not deter these mobiles. They ride all the ventos to my house. I can’t even have a pensiero because of the noise. Feel like I’m in a Hitchcock movie. I can’t think of an operatic equivalent.
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There is only one guy today who sing this Aria like the big ones of the past.
La vita è inferno all’infelice…O tu che seno agli angeli – GIANCARLO MONSALVE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOFdN253mAI
http://www.giancarlomonsalve.com
There are big singers with wonderful unique voices today, we have just to discover them! Not the ones on the record label markets, bt the real deal ones, please listen this young Tenor! This recording is from October 2013 in the Washington National Opera. He just blew up the house.
Greetings David
PD: I recorded this audio with my Iphone :^)
My favourite piece, from my favorite opera…