Shave and a haircut - 3 videos!!!

Hello All,

Anybody up for a haircut and a shave? Well, we got three offers this week. It's Largo al factotum from The Barber of Seville with 2 Italian baritones and one wacky tenor. Our first contestant is Leo Nucci from a town called Castiglione die Pepoli which is near Bologna in the middle of northern Italy. Here is a man singer who actually sings closed [e] at the end of his words. (Also, notice how dark his final [i] vowel is for those of you who think that an [i] vowel is bright.

Secondly we have Tito Gobbi from a town in northern Venice called Bassano del Grappa. Notice how he colors his vowels for character and how crisp his diction is.

Thirdly, we have Mario del Monaco from Florence on the west coast. I'm sending this video more for the visual than for the Italian though his Italian is in stark contrast to the other two. He was a bit of an animal and he sings like it. But notice how much he really wants to sing on vowels while still managing to get in all of the doubled consonants and notice how bright his [a] vowel is except when he wants to hook into a high note. You have my permission to not look at the words during this video. I've never seen anything like it.

Otherwise, notice how the single r's between vowels are never rolled. This is a big deal. It's how it is. And be sure to actually watch the words and/or score while watching these videos. Part of the point of these is for you to have reinforced what you've learned with what you see with what you hear.

By the way, for you baritone lovers, if you want to hear something impressive, listen to Leonard Warren’s version.

R


Leo Nucci

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwCtBABrUWQ

Tito Gobbi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r981BmXzhPY&feature=related

Mario del Monaco

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSFhbHf0fvM&feature=related

Score

http://www.dlib.indiana.edu/variations/scores/bhr1214/large/index.html (Begins on page 31)


Largo al factotum della citta. Make way for the topman of the city.
Presto a bottega che l'alba e gia. Rushing to his shop now that it's dawn.
Ah, che bel vivere, che bel piacere Ah, isn't life good, how pleasant it is
per un barbiere di qualita! For a barber of class!
Ah, bravo Figaro! Ah, nice one Figaro!
Bravo, bravissimo! Nice one, really nice one!
Fortunatissimo per verita! I am the luckiest it's true to say!
Pronto a far tutto, Ready for anything,
la notte e il giorno night and day
sempre d'intorno in giro sta. Always busy and around.
Miglior cuccagna per un barbiere, A better lot for a barber,
vita piu nobile, no, non si da. A more noble life cannot be found.
Rasori e pettini Razors and combs
lancette e forbici, Lancets and scissors,
al mio comando At my command
tutto qui sta. Are all here.
V'e la risorsa, And there are `extras',
poi, de mestiere Then, for the business
colla donnetta... col cavaliere... With women... and with gentlemen...
Tutti mi chiedono, tutti mi vogliono, Everyone asks for me, everyone wants me,
donne, ragazzi, vecchi, fanciulle: Women, young people, old people, the golden haired;
Qua la parruca... Presto la barba... What about the wig... A quick shave...
Qua la sanguigna... Some leeches for bleeding...
Presto il biglietto... Quick the note...
Qua la parruca, presto la barba, What about the wig, a quick shave,
Presto il biglietto, ehi! Hurry - the note, o me!
Figaro! Figaro! Figaro!, ecc. Figaro! Figaro! Figaro! etc.
Ahime, che furia! Heavens, what mayhem!
Ahime, che folla! Heavens, what crowds!
Uno alla volta, per carita! One at a time, For pities sake!
Figaro! Son qua. Figaro! Here I am.
Ehi, Figaro! Son qua. O me, Figaro! Here I am.
Figaro qua, Figaro la, Figaro here, Figaro there,
Figaro su, Figaro giu, Figaro up, Figaro down,

Pronto prontissimo son come il fumine: Quicker and quicker the sparks fly with me;
sono il factotum della citta. I am the topman of the city.
Ah, bravo Figaro! Bravo, bravissimo; Ah, nice one Figaro! Nice one, really nice one;
a te fortuna non manchera. From you luckiness will not depart.