Search - Robert Merrill, Giuseppe Verdi, Ruggero Leoncavallo :: Robert Merrill: Arias from Otello, Un Ballo in Maschera, Il Trovatore

Glorious Bob!

Charlus | NYC | 01/02/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Dark, vivrant, perfectly focused and free, Robert Merrill (1919-2004) had the best baritone voice in the second half of the XX Century. Others have been called better actors, some have presumed to be deeper interpreters, but when it comes to a gorgeous, well-produced voice, Bob Merrill could outsing them all.



He also had that intangible called charisma: although he does not do a trick a minute, unlike many a pretentious singing narcissist, he sustains interest because he believed, completely, in his own style, his unaffected vocal approach, his unbeatable bel canto technique. Through the decades, it never failed him, or us. Turn this CD on, and wallow in pure baritone heaven."

Thanks for the memories....................

Robert C. Hufford | Hopewell, VA USA | 06/11/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If all you know of Robert Merrill is The National Anthem at Yankee Stadium, that's sad. Oh, he did that, and it was grand. The story is that his early ambition was to pitch for the Yankees, but he had a voice, not an arm. He remained a Yankee fan, and provided some great times for all of us Yankee fans [and misery for the Dodgers].



As to specifics, the whole album consists of signature pieces from the baritone repertoire....The "Don Carlo" and "Otello" selections are fabulous, and the Prologue from "I Pagliacci" defines what real singing is all about...talk about a chance to show off! Of course, you better be really good if you want to show off like this...don't worry....



This wonderful album will show what kind of singer he really was....a fabulous one....one of the baritones for the ages. Ruffo may have had a grander voice, but Robert had Style. One of my very early influences to like Opera was watching him, and others, on the Ed Sullivan Show on Sunday nights. Get this one, and find out what all the fuss was about. Decca deserves a big "thank you" for making it, and the others in the series, available again."

A baritone for all time

Phil S. | USA | 02/12/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Here is a great collection, mostly from Verdi opera, all recorded in 1963, all solo performances, at the same session(s). This cornerstone of the Metropolitan Opera was in his 40s and producing some of the most wonderous tones to grace the cosmos.

The piece from Pagliacci is quite familiar but perhaps has been under-represented on classical radio these days; other works from Levoncallo are less familiar, but have the same auditorium-filling power.

The CD is of course a reissue in the new medium and so presents what appears to be the original liner notes. A reproduction of the original package is appreciated, though the limitations of the format are revealed when one attempts to read the notes without a very sturdy magnifying glass.

I haven't found many CDs available on this artist, other than Opera releases. It appears that he was not overly interested in the record

business - perhaps his training in the era before amplification, inhibited his remarkable powers of projection, when facing a microphone and a row of engineers behind a glass. This CD, however, suggests a very happy marriage of sound and technique.

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