Static Perfection

Bring on the Bel Canto
A selection of sound only clips of superb singing. Clips that remind me that in 30 years of opera going I have yet to hear this kind of singing. No covered, falsely ornate, artificially beautiful sounds here. Just open, bright, vibrant and naturally beautiful strong sounds that hold nothing back.

And it's not just the sound, add the factor of old style tempo, and most singers today would never get through the entire opera if they tried to sing like this. Some would have to be taken off the stage in a stretcher after the first aria if they even tried, or have to walk off stage in a huff when the booing starts raining down. Either way, they can't touch this lot. Stick your headphones on and listen for yourselves. Enjoy...

Jussi Bjorling (the best thing to come out of Sweden apart from Celia Farber) singing live, no idea where but it is a superb recording back from the 1950's. Salut from Faust by Gounod.


Leyla Gencer "La Turca" raises the roof of the Comunale in Florence in a show of "forza pura". A live recording from 1967 with Shirley Verrett, of the confrontation between two sister queens from Maria Stuarda by Donizetti.


Mario Filippeschi & Virginia Zeani sing their lungs and hearts out in this live recording form Trieste form 1957 of the duet from I Puritani by Bellini.


Giacomo Lauri-Volpi & Gino Bechi sing live from Rome in a recording from 1943 of the duet from La Forza Del Destino. Just superb...


Magda Olivero still remains the definitive Adriana on recording. An incomparable interpretation of this beautiful aria and part of the finale from the popular "verismo" opera Adriana Lecouvrer by Cilea.


Franco Corelli is my idea of a perfect voice. The perfect tenor. The best, for my money, even singing out of his natural repertory as he does here. A te o cara from I Puritani by Bellini.