RIP Carlo Bergonzi

Posted by: Drew Turner on 28 July 2014

One of the greatest operatic Tenors ( and most unappreciated  IMO ) of any generation ,has passed away. I grew up listening to Bergonzi's elegant , heartfelt singing in  Boheme and Butterfly with Renata Tebaldi and conducted by Serafin . These 2  great Puccini  recordings are still my personal benchmark. Peerless in Verdi as well. Artistically speaking, perhaps my all round favourite Tenor. RIP CB 

Posted on: 28 July 2014 by bluedog
Originally Posted by Drew Turner:

One of the greatest operatic Tenors ( and most unappreciated  IMO ) of any generation ,has passed away. I grew up listening to Bergonzi's elegant , heartfelt singing in  Boheme and Butterfly with Renata Tebaldi and conducted by Serafin . These 2  great Puccini  recordings are still my personal benchmark. Peerless in Verdi as well. Artistically speaking, perhaps my all round favourite Tenor. RIP CB 

Very fine, tasteful and intelligent singer; a master in several areas of  operatic repertoire.  I have many recordings and had the privilege of seeing Bergonzi sing with Joan Sutherland in a performance of Lucia di Lammermoor  at ROH in the late 1980's.  

Posted on: 01 August 2014 by Drew Turner

Thanks Bluedog. I'm glad someone out there knows how special Bergonzi was. Unfortunately , I don't  hear Bergonzi's  kind of intelligent ,  unforced  and beautiful singing anymore from the current batch of Tenors. Instead , lot's of belting and singing poorly chosen roles that stress the voice and sound strident.