106-491: Richard Tauber (16 May 1891 – 8 January 1948) was an Austrian lyric tenor and film actor. He performed the tenor role in numerous operas, including Don Giovanni by Mozart and Lorenzo Da Ponte . Richard Tauber was born in Linz , Austria, to Elisabeth Seifferth (née Denemy), a widow and actress who performed soubrette roles at the local theater, and Richard Anton Tauber, an actor. His parents were not married, and his father
212-451: A Radio Hilversum concert from 1939, and excerpts from his three series of weekly programs for the BBC (1945–47). Tenor A tenor is a type of male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types . It is the highest male chest voice type. Composers typically write music for this voice in the range from the second B below middle C to
318-797: A 'voice-over', singing the title song in the otherwise silent film I Kiss Your Hand, Madame (1929). While in Vienna, Tauber also conducted at the Theater an der Wien, where, in 1924, he met the soprano Carlotta Vanconti. She soon divorced her Italian husband and married Tauber on 18 March 1926. They separated in 1928 and divorced later that same year in Berlin. However, the divorce was only legally recognized in Germany. In 1929, Tauber met Mary Losseff at Rudolf Nelson's review in Berlin, and they lived together for about five years. Losseff became his muse, and it
424-470: A bright, steely timbre. Dramatic tenor roles in operas: The heldentenor (English: heroic tenor ) has a rich, dark, powerful and dramatic voice. As its name implies, the heldentenor vocal Fach features in the German romantic operatic repertoire. The heldentenor is the German equivalent of the tenore drammatico, however with a more baritonal quality: the typical Wagnerian protagonist. The keystone of
530-498: A duel. Don Giovanni kills the Commendatore with his sword and escapes with Leporello. Donna Anna, returning with her fiancé, Don Ottavio, is horrified to see her father lying dead in a pool of his own blood. She makes Don Ottavio swear vengeance against the unknown murderer. (Duet: " Ah, vendicar, se il puoi, giura quel sangue ognor! " – "Ah, swear to avenge that blood if you can!") Leporello tells Don Giovanni that he (Giovanni)
636-435: A duet with Lotte Lehmann . Among the electrical recordings are albums of German folksongs, 12 songs from Schubert 's Winterreise , accompanied by Mischa Spoliansky , and an album of folksongs by Franz Gabriel and Hermann Löns . Perhaps most prized are the four Mozart arias recorded in 1938 and 1939, and the aria from Der Freischütz made in 1946. Among his final recordings are two songs by Richard Strauss, accompanied at
742-412: A few notes below the C 3 . There are many vocal shades to the lyric tenor group, repertoire should be selected according to the weight, colors, and abilities of the voice. Gilbert Duprez (1806–1896) was a historically significant lyric tenor. He was the first tenor to sing on stage the operatic high C from the chest ( ut de poitrine ) as opposed to using falsettone . He is also known for originating
848-877: A five-year contract with the Vienna State Opera and subsequently performed with the Berlin State Opera . For many years, he divided his time between these two companies, spending four months with each, while reserving the remaining months for concerts, guest appearances with other companies, and international tours. Tauber sang tenor roles in numerous operas, including Don Giovanni , The Bartered Bride , Tosca , Mignon , Faust , Carmen , and Die Fledermaus . He also appeared in modern works such as Erich Korngold 's Die tote Stadt and Wilhelm Kienzl 's Der Evangelimann . According to Daniel O'Hara's Tauber Chronology, he performed over 100 roles in opera and operetta. In June 1919, Tauber made
954-527: A number of operas: Nicklausse of Offenbach 's The Tales of Hoffmann sings a snatch of Leporello's " Notte e giorno ", and Rossini quotes from the same aria in the duettino between Selim and Fiorilla following the former's cavatina in act 1 of Il turco in Italia . Ramón Carnicer 's opera Don Giovanni Tenorio [ es ] (1822) is a peculiar reworking of Mozart's opera to adapt it to Rossinian fashion. It comprises new music by Carnicer on
1060-432: A peace offering of money (Duet: "Eh via buffone" – "Go on, fool"). Wanting to seduce Donna Elvira's maid, and believing that she will trust him better if he appears in lower-class clothes, Don Giovanni orders Leporello to exchange cloak and hat with him. Donna Elvira comes to her window (Trio: "Ah taci, ingiusto core" – "Ah, be quiet unjust heart"). Seeing an opportunity for a game, Don Giovanni hides and sends Leporello out in
1166-425: A range from approximately the C one octave below middle C (C 3 ) to the C one octave above middle C (C 5 ). Spinto tenor roles in operas: Also "tenore robusto", the dramatic tenor has an emotive, ringing and very powerful, clarion, heroic tenor sound. The dramatic tenor's approximate range is from the B one octave below middle C (B 2 ) to the B one octave above middle C (B 4 ) with some able to sing up to
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#17327987921461272-552: A range of voice types. The vocal range of the tenor is the highest of the male voice types . Within opera , the lowest note in the standard tenor repertoire is widely defined to be B ♭ 2 . However, the role of Rodrigo di Dhu (written for Andrea Nozzari ) in Rossini's rarely performed La donna del lago is defined as a tenor but requires an A ♭ 2 . Within more frequently performed repertoire, Mime and Herod both call for an A 2 . A few tenor roles in
1378-410: A short misterioso sequence which leads into a light-hearted D major allegro. Leporello, Don Giovanni's servant, grumbles about his demanding master and daydreams about being free of him (" Notte e giorno faticar " – "Night and day I slave away"). He is keeping watch while Don Giovanni is in the Commendatore's house attempting to seduce the Commendatore's daughter, Donna Anna. Don Giovanni enters
1484-652: A singer specialize in these roles for an entire career. In French opéra comique , supporting roles requiring a thin voice but good acting are sometimes described as 'trial', after the singer Antoine Trial (1737–1795), examples being in the operas of Ravel and in The Tales of Hoffmann . Tenor buffo or spieltenor roles in operas: All of Gilbert and Sullivan 's Savoy operas have at least one lead lyric tenor character. Notable operetta roles are: There are four parts in barbershop harmony : bass, baritone, lead, and tenor (lowest to highest), with "tenor" referring to
1590-743: A singer. After an intensive period of vocal training under Carl Beines , Tauber made his public debut at a concert in Freiburg on 17 May 1912. That same year, his father was appointed Intendant of the Municipal Theater in Chemnitz , which allowed him to arrange Tauber's debut as Tamino in The Magic Flute on 2 March 1913. A few weeks later, on 16 April, Tauber performed the role of Max in Der Freischütz . This performance
1696-599: A slight squint in his right eye, which he camouflaged by wearing a monocle. When paired with a top hat, the monocle enhanced his distinctive and sophisticated look. Tauber first performed in an operetta by Franz Lehár at the Volksbühne in Berlin in 1920. This was Zigeunerliebe , a role he also performed in Linz and Salzburg in 1921. In 1922, he was offered the role of Armand in Lehár's Frasquita [ de ] at
1802-488: A suburb of Linz . In 1897–98, he attended school in Linz, after which his father assumed responsibility for his upbringing, moving him to Graz , Prague , Berlin , Salzburg , and finally Wiesbaden . His father, who was born Jewish , but had converted to Roman Catholicism , hoped his son would become a priest. However, the boy missed the excitement of the theater and instead joined his father in Prague and later, in 1903, at
1908-620: A theme from the duet "O, statua gentilissima" for his set of piano variations. Chopin wrote Variations on "Là ci darem la mano" (the duet between Don Giovanni and Zerlina) for piano and orchestra. Beethoven and Danzi also wrote variations on the same theme. And Beethoven, in his Diabelli Variations , cites the beginning of the opera " Notte e giorno faticar " in variation 22. Cipriani Potter wrote piano variations on "Fin ch'han dal vino", Op. 2 (1816). The turkeys in Chabrier 's "Ballade des gros dindons" (1889) finish each verse imitating
2014-465: A tone of undiminished focus and steadiness, a good line, and somewhat shortened phrasing. Three days after his last performance, Tauber entered Guy's Hospital on October 1, 1947, to have his left lung removed to treat the cancer. Despite this, he died of complications on January 8, 1948, at the London Clinic , Devonshire Place. His Requiem Mass was held at St. James' Church, Spanish Place . He
2120-504: Is D 5 , found in " Mes amis, écoutez l'histoire " from Adolphe Adam 's Le postillon de Lonjumeau and " Loin de son amie " from Fromental Halévy's La Juive ). In the leggero repertoire, the highest note is F 5 (Arturo in "Credeasi, misera" from Bellini 's I puritani ), therefore, very few tenors have this role in their repertoire without transposition (given the raising of concert pitch since its composition), or resorting to falsetto . In SATB four-part mixed chorus,
2226-481: Is a false-hearted seducer. Don Giovanni tries to convince Don Ottavio and Donna Anna that Donna Elvira is insane (Quartet: " Non ti fidar, o misera " – "Don't trust him, oh sad one"). As Don Giovanni leaves, Donna Anna suddenly recognises him as her father's murderer and tells Don Ottavio the story of his intrusion, claiming that she was deceived at first because she was expecting a night visit from Don Ottavio himself, but managed to fight Don Giovanni off after discovering
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#17327987921462332-669: Is all too familiar with the final tune ( Questa poi la conosco purtroppo ) – likely a joke understandable for the original audience, as Felice Ponziani, who sang Leporello's part at the premiere, also sang Figaro's part (including "Non più andrai") earlier in Prague. (Finale "Già la mensa è preparata" – "Already the table is prepared"). Donna Elvira enters, saying that she no longer feels resentment against Don Giovanni, only pity for him. ("L'ultima prova dell'amor mio" – "The final proof of my love"). Don Giovanni, surprised, asks what she wants, and she begs him to change his life. Don Giovanni taunts her and then turns away, praising wine and women as
2438-452: Is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte . Its subject is a centuries-old Spanish legend about a libertine as told by playwright Tirso de Molina in his 1630 play El burlador de Sevilla y convidado de piedra . It is a dramma giocoso blending comedy, melodrama and supernatural elements (although the composer entered it into his catalogue simply as opera buffa ). It
2544-483: Is called the lead. Tenor is sung an interval of a third above the lead. Baritone is the fifth of the scale that has the lead as a tonic, and may be sung below the lead, or even above the lead (and the tenor), in which case it is called "high baritone". Don Giovanni Don Giovanni ( Italian pronunciation: [ˌdɔn dʒoˈvanni] ; K. 527 ; Vienna (1788) title: Il dissoluto punito, ossia il Don Giovanni , literally The Rake Punished, or Don Giovanni )
2650-521: Is faithful ("Non mi dir" – "Tell me not"). Don Giovanni revels in the luxury of a great meal, served by Leporello, and musical entertainment during which the orchestra plays music from popular (at the time) late-18th-century operas: "O quanto un sì bel giubilo" from Vicente Martín y Soler 's Una cosa rara (1786), "Come un agnello" from Giuseppe Sarti 's Fra i due litiganti il terzo gode (1782), and finally " Non più andrai " from Mozart's own The Marriage of Figaro (1786). Leporello comments that he
2756-503: Is immediately attracted to Zerlina, and he attempts to remove the jealous Masetto by offering to host a wedding celebration at his castle. On realising that Don Giovanni means to remain behind with Zerlina, Masetto becomes angry (" Ho capito! Signor, sì " – "I understand! Yes, my lord!") but is forced to leave. Don Giovanni and Zerlina are soon alone and he immediately begins his seductive arts (Duet: " Là ci darem la mano " – "There we will entwine our hands"). Donna Elvira arrives and thwarts
2862-444: Is leading a rotten life; Don Giovanni reacts angrily. They hear a woman (Donna Elvira) singing of having been abandoned by her lover, on whom she is seeking revenge (" Ah, chi mi dice mai " – "Ah, who could ever tell me"). Don Giovanni starts to flirt with her, but it turns out he is the former lover she is seeking. The two recognise each other and she reproaches him bitterly. He shoves Leporello forward, ordering him to tell Donna Elvira
2968-480: Is now convinced that Don Giovanni murdered Donna Anna's father (the deceased Commendatore). He swears vengeance (" Il mio tesoro " – "My treasure" – though in the Vienna version this was cut). In the Vienna production of the opera, Zerlina follows Leporello and recaptures him. Threatening him with a razor, she ties him to a stool. He attempts to sweet-talk her out of hurting him. (Duet: "Per queste tue manine" – "For these hands of yours"). Zerlina goes to find Masetto and
3074-422: Is overcome by sudden chills. The statue offers him a final chance to repent as death draws near, but Don Giovanni adamantly refuses. The statue disappears and Don Giovanni cries out in pain and terror as he is surrounded by a chorus of demons, who carry him down to Hell. Leporello, watching from under the table, also cries out in fear. Donna Anna, Don Ottavio, Donna Elvira, Zerlina, and Masetto arrive, searching for
3180-544: Is usually retained as well. The duet " Per queste tue manine " and the whole accompanying scene involving Zerlina and Leporello from the Viennese version is almost never included. Although the same singer played both Masetto and the Commendatore roles in both the Prague and Vienna premieres, in modern-day productions, the roles are typically taken by different singers (unless limited by such things as finance or rehearsal time and space). The final scene's chorus of demons after
3286-524: Is yet another distinct tenor type. In Mozart singing, the most important element is the instrumental approach of the vocal sound which implies: flawless and slender emission of sound, perfect intonation, legato, diction and phrasing, capability to cope with the dynamic requirements of the score, beauty of timbre, secure line of singing through perfect support and absolute breath control, musical intelligence, body discipline, elegance, nobility, agility and, most importantly, ability for dramatic expressiveness within
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3392-484: The tenore di grazia , the leggero tenor is essentially the male equivalent of a lyric coloratura . This voice is light, agile, and capable of executing difficult passages of fioritura . The typical leggero tenor possesses a range spanning from approximately C 3 to E 5 , with a few being able to sing up to F 5 or higher in full voice . In some cases, the chest register of the leggero tenor may extend below C 3 . Voices of this type are utilized frequently in
3498-472: The Theater an der Wien , and the experience was a resounding success. Although some critics looked down on his venture into operetta, it proved beneficial for Tauber, helping him gain a new audience and revitalizing Lehár's career as a composer of operetta. In the years that followed, Lehár composed several operettas with roles written specifically for Richard Tauber, including Paganini (1925, although Tauber
3604-408: The recitatives , and the usual string section . The composer also specified occasional special musical effects. For the ballroom scene at the end of the first act, Mozart calls for two onstage ensembles to play separate dance music in synchronization with the pit orchestra, each of the three groups playing in its own metre (a 3/4 minuet , a 2/4 contradanse and a fast 3/8 peasant dance), accompanying
3710-583: The theater in Wiesbaden . Although Tauber aspired to become a singer, he failed to impress the teachers he auditioned for, likely because he chose to sing Wagner , a repertoire unsuited to his voice. His father enrolled him at the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt to study piano, composition, and conducting. Tauber made rapid progress in his studies but remained determined to pursue a career as
3816-423: The "Tenor" article at Grove Music Online : In polyphony between about 1250 and 1500, the [tenor was the] structurally fundamental (or 'holding') voice, vocal or instrumental; by the 15th century it came to signify the male voice that sang such parts. All other voices were normally calculated in relation to the tenor, which often proceeded in longer note values and carried a borrowed Cantus firmus melody. Until
3922-466: The "support and glory of humankind" ( sostegno e gloria d'umanità ). Hurt and angry, Donna Elvira gives up and leaves. Offstage, she screams in sudden terror. Don Giovanni orders Leporello to see what has upset her; when he does, he also cries out, and runs back into the room, stammering that the statue has appeared as promised. An ominous knocking sounds at the door. Leporello, paralyzed by fear, cannot answer it, so Don Giovanni opens it himself, revealing
4028-504: The 20th century and productions of the opera now usually include it. The return to D major and the innocent simplicity of the last few bars conclude the opera. Paul Czinner directed a filming of the Salzburg Festival presentation in 1954. A screen adaptation was directed by Joseph Losey in 1979. The Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard wrote a long essay in his book Enten – Eller in which he argues, writing under
4134-415: The C one octave above middle C (C 5 ). Many successful dramatic tenors though have historically avoided the coveted high C in performance. Their lower range tends to extend into the baritone tessitura or, a few notes below the C 3 , even down to A♭ 2 . Some dramatic tenors have a rich and dark tonal colour to their voice (such as the mature Enrico Caruso ) while others (like Francesco Tamagno ) possess
4240-421: The Commendatore's exit gives the singer time for a costume change before entering as Masetto for the sextet, though not much time. The instrumentation is: Don Giovanni, a young, arrogant, and sexually promiscuous nobleman, abuses and outrages everyone else in the cast until he encounters something he cannot kill, beat up, dodge, or outwit. The overture begins with a thundering D minor cadence, followed by
4346-506: The G above middle C (i.e. B 2 to G 4 ) in choral music, and from the second B flat below middle C to the C above middle C (B ♭ 2 to C 5 ) in operatic music, but the range can extend at either end. Subtypes of tenor include the leggero tenor, lyric tenor, spinto tenor, dramatic tenor, heldentenor, and tenor buffo or spieltenor . The name "tenor" derives from the Latin word tenere , which means "to hold". As noted in
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4452-754: The Nazi government of Germany annexed Austria, and Tauber left for good. In response, the Nazis withdrew the Taubers' passports and right of abode ; this left the couple technically stateless , prompting Tauber to apply for British citizenship. He was touring South Africa when World War II broke out and returned to Switzerland until receiving the papers allowing him to enter the UK in March 1940. Germany had banned recordings of his music in 1937. Despite receiving lucrative offers from
4558-630: The Spinto Fach is the Jugendlicher Heldentenor and encompasses many of the Dramatic tenor roles as well as some Wagner roles such as Lohengrin and Stolzing. The difference is often the depth and metal in the voice where some lyric tenors age or push their way into singing as a Spinto giving them a lighter tone and a Jugendlicher Heldentenor tends to be either a young heldentenor or true lyric spinto. Spinto tenors have
4664-698: The United States, he remained in the UK throughout the war. With little opera staged in wartime Britain, he earned a living by singing, conducting, and making gramophone records and radio broadcasts. He even composed English operettas with lyricist Fred S. Tysh. From one of these, Old Chelsea , the song "My Heart and I" became one of his most popular English recordings. It was only these English records that generated royalties for him; for his earlier recordings, he had been paid per performance and had been forced to leave his savings behind in Austria. By this time, he
4770-401: The Vienna premiere of the work, which took place on 7 May 1788 . For this production, he wrote two new arias with corresponding recitatives – Don Ottavio's aria " Dalla sua pace " (K. 540a, composed on 24 April for the tenor Francesco Morella), Elvira's aria " In quali eccessi ... Mi tradì quell'alma ingrata " (K. 540c, composed on 30 April for the soprano Caterina Cavalieri ) – and
4876-496: The ability to create distinct voices for his characters. This voice specializes in smaller comic roles. The range of the tenor buffo is from the C one octave below middle C (C 3 ) to the C one octave above middle C (C 5 ). The tessitura of these parts ranges from lower than other tenor roles to very high and broad. These parts are often played by younger tenors who have not yet reached their full vocal potential or older tenors who are beyond their prime singing years. Only rarely will
4982-989: The assault, he decided to leave Germany for his native Austria, where he continued to perform at the Vienna State Opera until the Anschluss in March 1938. During the mid-1930s, Tauber made several musical films in England. In April 1935, at the premiere of the film Mimi , he met the English actress Diana Napier (1905–1982). After protracted legal proceedings to secure an Austrian divorce from Vanconti, they married on 20 June 1936. Napier appeared in three of his British films: Heart's Desire (1935), Land Without Music , and Pagliacci (both 1936). In 1938, Tauber made his London operatic debut in Die Zauberflöte under Sir Thomas Beecham . Earlier that year,
5088-415: The backers. He was thus forced to tour the United States, Canada, Central, and South America for six months to recoup the losses, with Arpad Sandor and George Schick serving as his accompanists, and Neil Chotem as an assisting artist. In April 1947, Tauber returned to London and sought medical attention for a persistent cough. He was eventually diagnosed with lung cancer : one lung was already useless, and
5194-399: The bass section (though true basses are even rarer than tenors). Many baritones sing tenor even if they are not able to cover the full range in only their chest voice, and sometimes contraltos sing the tenor part. In men's choruses that consist of four male vocal parts (TTBB; tenor 1, tenor 2, bass 1, bass 2), tenors will often sing both in chest voice and falsetto, extending the vocal range of
5300-435: The choir. Within the tenor voice type category are seven generally recognized subcategories: leggero tenor, lyric tenor, spinto tenor, dramatic tenor, heldentenor, Mozart tenor, and tenor buffo or spieltenor. There is considerable overlap between the various categories of role and of voice-type; some tenor singers have begun with lyric voices but have transformed with time into spinto or even dramatic tenors. Also known as
5406-686: The composer). Viardot kept the manuscript in a shrine in her Paris home, where it was visited by many people. Tchaikovsky visited her when he was in Paris in June 1886, and said that when looking at the manuscript, he was "in the presence of divinity". So it is not surprising that the centenary of the opera in 1887 would inspire him to write something honouring Mozart. Instead of taking any themes from Don Giovanni , however, he took four lesser known works by Mozart and arranged them into his fourth orchestral suite , which he called Mozarti ana . The baritone who sang
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#17327987921465512-501: The dancing of the principal characters. In act 2, Giovanni is seen to play the mandolin , accompanied by pizzicato strings. In the same act, two of the Commendatore 's interventions (" Di rider finirai pria dell'aurora " and " Ribaldo, audace, lascia a' morti la pace ") are accompanied by a wind chorale of oboes, clarinets, bassoons , and trombones (with cellos and basses playing from the string section). Mozart also supervised
5618-495: The duet between Leporello and Zerlina " Per queste tue manine " (K. 540b, composed on 28 April). He also made some cuts in the Finale in order to make it shorter and more incisive, the most important of which is the section where Anna and Ottavio, Elvira, Zerlina and Masetto, Leporello reveal their plans for the future (" Or che tutti, o mio tesoro "). In order to connect " Ah, certo è l'ombra che l'incontrò " ("It must have been
5724-400: The early 20th century, a tradition that apparently began very early on. According to the 19th-century Bohemian memoirist Wilhelm Kuhe , the final ensemble was only presented at the first performance in Prague, then never heard again during the original run. It does not appear in the Viennese libretto of 1788; thus the ending of the first performance in Vienna without the ensemble as depicted in
5830-452: The film Amadeus may be an accurate portrayal. Nonetheless, the final ensemble is almost invariably performed in full today. Modern productions sometimes include both the original aria for Don Ottavio, " Il mio tesoro ", and its replacement from the first production in Vienna that was crafted to suit the capabilities of the tenor Francesco Morella, " Dalla sua pace ". Elvira's " In quali eccessi, o Numi ... Mi tradì quell'alma ingrata "
5936-547: The first of more than seven hundred gramophone records. All his vocal recordings were produced for the Odeon Records label, and from 1933 onwards, for the associated Parlophone label. Tauber's lyrical, flexible tenor voice was renowned for its warm, elegant legato. His exceptional breath control allowed him to produce a superb head voice, remarkable messa di voce , and exquisite pianissimo . His physical appearance also contributed to his elegant stage presence, despite
6042-432: The garden from inside the house, pursued by Donna Anna. Don Giovanni is masked and Donna Anna tries to hold him and to unmask him, shouting for help. (Trio: " Non sperar, se non m'uccidi, Ch'io ti lasci fuggir mai! " – "Do not hope, unless you kill me, that I shall ever let you run away!"). He breaks free and she runs off as the Commendatore enters the garden. The Commendatore blocks Don Giovanni's path and forces him to fight
6148-424: The ghost she met") directly to the moral of the story " Questo è il fin di chi fa mal " ("This is the end which befalls to evildoers"), Mozart composed a different version of " Resti dunque quel birbon fra Proserpina e Pluton! " ("So the wretch can stay down there with Proserpina and Pluto! "). These cuts are very seldom performed in theatres or recordings. The opera's final ensemble was generally omitted until
6254-515: The guests of the peasant wedding are in Don Giovanni's house and that he distracted Masetto from his jealousy, but that Zerlina, returning with Donna Elvira, made a scene and spoiled everything. However, Don Giovanni remains cheerful and tells Leporello to organise a party and invite every girl he can find. (Don Giovanni's "Champagne Aria": " Fin ch'han dal vino calda la testa " – "Till they are tipsy"). They hasten to his palace. Zerlina follows
6360-501: The heldentenor's repertoire is arguably Wagner's Siegfried , an extremely demanding role requiring a wide vocal range and great power, plus tremendous stamina and acting ability. Often the heldentenor is a baritone who has transitioned to this Fach or tenors who have been misidentified as baritones. Therefore, the heldentenor voice might or might not have facility up to high B or C. The repertoire, however, rarely calls for such high notes. Heldentenor roles in operas: A Mozart tenor
6466-402: The highest part. The tenor generally sings in falsetto voice, corresponding roughly to the countertenor in classical music, and harmonizes above the lead, who sings the melody. The barbershop tenor range is Middle C to A one octave above Middle C, though it is written an octave lower. The "lead" in barbershop music is equivalent to the normal tenor range. In bluegrass music , the melody line
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#17327987921466572-555: The impostor (long recitative exchange between Donna Anna and Don Ottavio). She repeats her demand that he avenge her and points out that he will be avenging himself as well (aria: "Or sai chi l'onore Rapire a me volse" – "Now you know who wanted to rob me of my honour"). In the Vienna version, Don Ottavio, not yet convinced (Donna Anna having only recognised Don Giovanni's voice, not seen his face), resolves to keep an eye on his friend (" Dalla sua pace la mia dipende " – "On her peace my peace depends"). Leporello informs Don Giovanni that all
6678-456: The information to psychologically torture Mozart even further. The sustained popularity of Don Giovanni has resulted in extensive borrowings and arrangements of the original. The most famous and probably the most musically substantial is the operatic fantasy, Réminiscences de Don Juan by Franz Liszt . The minuet from the finale of act 1 ("Signor, guardate un poco"), transcribed by Moritz Moszkowski , also makes an incongruous appearance in
6784-497: The invitation and Leporello leaves the balcony. Alone, Don Ottavio and Donna Anna pray for protection, Donna Elvira for vengeance (Trio: " Protegga il giusto cielo " – "May the just heavens protect us"). As the merriment, featuring three separate chamber orchestras on stage, proceeds, Leporello distracts Masetto by dancing with him, while Don Giovanni leads Zerlina offstage to a private room and tries to assault her. When Zerlina screams for help, Don Giovanni drags Leporello onstage from
6890-412: The jealous Masetto and tries to pacify him (" Batti, batti o bel Masetto " – "Beat, O beat me, handsome Masetto"), but just as she manages to persuade him of her innocence, Don Giovanni's voice from offstage startles and frightens her. Masetto hides, resolving to see for himself what Zerlina will do when Don Giovanni arrives. Zerlina tries to hide from Don Giovanni, but he finds her and attempts to continue
6996-458: The late 16th-century introduction of the contratenor singers, the tenor was usually the lowest voice, assuming the role of providing a foundation. It was also in the 18th century that "tenor" came to signify the male voice that sang such parts. Thus, for earlier repertoire, a line marked 'tenor' indicated the part's role, and not the required voice type; indeed, even as late as the eighteenth century, partbooks labelled 'tenor' might contain parts for
7102-619: The latter for four hands). " Deh, vieni alla finestra " also makes an appearance in the Klavierübung of Ferruccio Busoni , under the title Variations-Studie nach Mozart ( Variation study after Mozart). Schumann included a piano arrangement of "Vedrai carino" in his Kleiner Lehrgang durch die Musikgeschichte , which was originally intended for his Album for the Young , whereas Muzio Clementi wrote piano variations on Zerlina's other aria, "Batti, batti". Johann Wilhelm Wilms took
7208-508: The mandolin accompaniment of the Serenade. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky always regarded Don Giovanni – and its composer – with awe. In 1855, Mozart's original manuscript had been purchased in London by the mezzo-soprano Pauline Viardot , who was the teacher of Tchaikovsky's one-time unofficial fiancée Désirée Artôt (whom Viardot may have persuaded not to go through with her plan to marry
7314-523: The manuscript of Liszt's Fantasy on Themes from Mozart's Figaro and Don Giovanni , and Sigismond Thalberg uses the same minuet, along with " Deh, vieni alla finestra ", in his Grand Fantaisie sur la serenade et le Minuet de Don Juan , Op. 42. Thalberg also included a piano arrangement of "Il mio tesoro" in his L'art du chant appliqué au piano ", Op. 70. This minuet was also used for sets of variations for piano by Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart (Op. 2), Fanny Hünerwadel and János Fusz (Op. 10,
7420-443: The name " Leporello list" for concertina-folded printed matter, as used for brochures, photo albums, computer printouts and other continuous stationery . Playwright Peter Shaffer used Don Giovanni for a pivotal plot point in his play Amadeus , a fictional biography of its composer. In it, Antonio Salieri notices how Mozart composed the opera while tortured by the memory of his imposing, deceased father Leopold , and uses
7526-399: The narrow borders imposed by the strict Mozartian style. The German Mozart tenor tradition goes back to the end of the 1920s, when Mozart tenors started making use of Caruso's technique (a tenor who rarely sang Mozart) to achieve and improve the required dynamics and dramatic expressiveness. Mozart tenor roles in operas: A Tenor buffo or spieltenor is a tenor with good acting ability, and
7632-519: The open wearing Don Giovanni's cloak and hat. From his hiding place Don Giovanni sings a promise of repentance, expressing a desire to return to her and threatening to kill himself if she does not take him back, while Leporello poses as Don Giovanni and tries to keep from laughing. Donna Elvira, convinced, descends to the street. Leporello, continuing to pose as Don Giovanni, leads her away to keep her occupied while Don Giovanni serenades her maid with his mandolin . ("Deh, vieni alla finestra" – "Ah, come to
7738-571: The opera (with explicit mention of the Mozart score for the finale scene between the Commendatore and Don Giovanni). Gustave Flaubert called Don Giovanni , along with Hamlet and the sea, "the three finest things God ever made." E. T. A. Hoffmann also wrote a short story derived from the opera, "Don Juan" , in which the narrator meets Donna Anna and describes Don Juan as an aesthetic hero rebelling against God and society. In some Germanic and other languages, Leporello's " Catalogue Aria " provided
7844-494: The operas of Rossini , Donizetti , Bellini and in music dating from the Baroque period. Leggero tenor roles in operas: The lyric tenor is a warm graceful voice with a bright, full timbre that is strong but not heavy and can be heard over an orchestra. Lyric tenors have a range from approximately the C one octave below middle C (C 3 ) to the D one octave above middle C (D 5 ). Similarly, their lower range may extend
7950-651: The other nearly so. The Vienna State Opera was in London for a short season at the Royal Opera House – their first visit since the war – and they invited Tauber to sing one performance with his old company. On 27 September 1947, he sang the role of Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni , a relatively small part but with two difficult arias that demand good breath control. Those in the audience reported that he sang wonderfully, earning loud applause. Live excerpts of these two arias from this performance survive, revealing
8056-414: The others, go that way"), Don Giovanni takes Masetto's weapons away, beats him up, and runs off, laughing. Zerlina arrives and consoles the bruised and battered Masetto ("Vedrai carino" – "You'll see, dear one"). Leporello abandons Donna Elvira. (Sextet: "Sola, sola in buio loco" – "All alone in this dark place"). As he tries to escape, he bumps into Don Ottavio and Donna Anna. Zerlina and Masetto also enter
8162-618: The others; Leporello escapes again before she returns. This scene, marked by low comedy, is rarely performed today. Also in the Vienna production, Donna Elvira is still furious at Don Giovanni for betraying her, but she also feels sorry for him. ("Mi tradì quell'alma ingrata" – "That ungrateful wretch betrayed me"). Don Giovanni wanders into a graveyard. Leporello arrives and the two reunite. Leporello tells Don Giovanni of his brush with danger, and Don Giovanni laughingly taunts him, saying that he took advantage of his disguise as Leporello by trying to seduce one of Leporello's girlfriends. The voice of
8268-682: The performance in Berlin. This earned him the nickname "the SOS Tenor." In 1926, he rescued the German premiere of Puccini's Turandot at the Staatsoper Dresden by learning the role of Calaf in three days after tenor Curt Taucher fell ill. After guest appearances at the Wiener Volksoper in 1920, Tauber made his Vienna State Opera debut on 16 June in La bohème , stepping in for an indisposed Alfred Piccaver . In 1922, he signed
8374-420: The piano by Percy Kahn . During his lifetime, his numerous recordings of music by Franz Lehár , much of which was composed specifically for him, and his own songs from the operetta Old Chelsea (1942) were bestsellers, alongside a vast array of lighter and popular music in both German and English. A number of his broadcasts have been preserved, including a series of General Motors Concerts from America in 1937,
8480-454: The pseudonym of his character "A", that "among all classic works Don Giovanni stands highest." Charles Gounod wrote that Mozart's Don Giovanni is "a work without blemish, of uninterrupted perfection." The finale, in which Don Giovanni refuses to repent , has been a captivating philosophical and artistic topic for many writers including George Bernard Shaw , who in Man and Superman parodied
8586-491: The role of Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor . Lyric tenor roles in operas: The spinto tenor has the brightness and height of a lyric tenor, but with a heavier vocal weight enabling the voice to be "pushed" to dramatic climaxes with less strain than the lighter-voice counterparts. Spinto tenors have a darker timbre than a lyric tenor, without having a vocal color as dark as many (not all) dramatic tenors. The German equivalent of
8692-420: The room, accuses Leporello of assaulting Zerlina himself, and threatens to kill him. The others are not fooled. Don Ottavio produces a pistol and points it at Don Giovanni, and the three guests unmask and declare that they know all. But despite being denounced and menaced from all sides, Don Giovanni remains calm and escapes – for the moment. Leporello threatens to leave Don Giovanni, but his master calms him with
8798-487: The scene. Everyone mistakes Leporello for Don Giovanni, whose clothes he is still wearing. They surround Leporello and threaten to kill him. Donna Elvira tries to protect the man who she thinks is Don Giovanni, claiming him as her husband and begging the others to spare him. Leporello takes off Don Giovanni's cloak and reveals his true identity. He begs for mercy and, seeing an opportunity, runs off (Leporello aria: "Ah pietà signori miei" – "Ah, have mercy, my lords"). Don Ottavio
8904-498: The seduction (" Ah, fuggi il traditor " – "Flee from the traitor!"). She leaves with Zerlina. Don Ottavio and Donna Anna enter, plotting vengeance on the still unknown murderer of Donna Anna's father. Donna Anna, unaware that she is speaking to her attacker, pleads for Don Giovanni's help. Don Giovanni, relieved that he is unrecognised, readily promises it, and asks who has disturbed her peace. Before she can answer, Donna Elvira returns and tells Donna Anna and Don Ottavio that Don Giovanni
9010-416: The seduction, until he stumbles upon Masetto's hiding place. Confused but quickly recovering, Don Giovanni reproaches Masetto for leaving Zerlina alone, and returns her temporarily to him. Don Giovanni then leads both offstage to his ballroom. Three masked guests – the disguised Don Ottavio, Donna Anna, and Donna Elvira – enter the garden. From a balcony, Leporello invites them to his master's party. They accept
9116-451: The setting was Villena , Spain; Da Ponte simply writes "city in Spain"). The opera was supposed to premiere on 14 October 1787 for Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria ’s visit, but it was not ready in time and Le nozze di Figaro was substituted. Mozart recorded its completion, finally, on 28 October, the night before the premiere (29 October). The opera was rapturously received, as
9222-465: The standard repertoire call for a "tenor C" (C 5 , one octave above middle C). Some, if not all, of the few top Cs in the standard operatic repertoire are either optional—such as in " Che gelida manina " in Puccini's La bohème —or interpolated (added) by tradition, such as in " Di quella pira " from Verdi's Il trovatore ); however, the highest demanded note in the standard tenor operatic repertoire
9328-495: The statue interrupts and warns Don Giovanni that his laughter will not last beyond sunrise. At the command of his master, Leporello reads the inscription upon the statue's base: "Here am I waiting for revenge against the scoundrel who killed me" ("Dell'empio che mi trasse al passo estremo qui attendo la vendetta"). The servant trembles, but Don Giovanni scornfully orders him to invite the statue to dinner, and threatens to kill him if he does not. Leporello makes several attempts to invite
9434-422: The statue of the Commendatore. With the rhythmic chords of the overture, now reharmonized with diabolic diminished sevenths accompanying the Commendatore ("Don Giovanni! A cenar teco m'invitasti" – "Don Giovanni! You invited me to dine with you"), the statue asks if Don Giovanni will now accept his invitation to dinner. Don Giovanni brazenly accepts, and shakes the statue's proffered hand, only to collapse as he
9540-448: The statue to dinner, but is too frightened to complete the invitation (Duet: "O, statua gentilissima" – "Oh most noble statue"). Don Giovanni invites the statue to dinner himself. Much to his surprise, the statue nods its head and responds affirmatively. Don Ottavio pressures Donna Anna to marry him, but she thinks it is inappropriate so soon after her father's death. He accuses her of being cruel, and she assures him that she loves him, and
9646-550: The success of Mozart's trip to Prague in January and February 1787. The subject may have been chosen because the sub-genre of Don Juan opera had originated in that city. Lorenzo Da Ponte 's libretto is based on Giovanni Bertati 's for the opera Don Giovanni Tenorio , which premiered in Venice early in 1787. In two aspects he copied Bertati: by opening with the Commendatore's murder and by avoiding mention of Seville (for Bertati
9752-430: The tavern to find a better master. The concluding ensemble delivers the moral of the opera – "Such is the end of the evildoer: the death of a sinner always reflects his life" ( Questo è il fin di chi fa mal, e de' perfidi la morte alla vita è sempre ugual ). As mentioned above, productions for over a century – beginning with the original run in Prague – customarily omitted the final ensemble, but it frequently reappeared in
9858-406: The tenor is the second lowest vocal range, above the bass and below the alto and soprano . Men's chorus usually denotes an ensemble of TTBB in which the first tenor is the highest voice. Whilst certain choral music does require the first tenors to ascend the full tenor range, the majority of choral music places the tenors in the range from approximately B 2 up to A 4 . The requirements of
9964-540: The tenor voice in choral music are also tied to the style of music most often performed by a given choir. Orchestral choruses typically call for tenors with fully resonant voices, but chamber or a cappella choral music (choral music sung with no instrumental accompaniment) can rely on baritones singing in falsetto . Even so, one nearly ubiquitous facet of choral singing is the shortage of tenor voices. Most men 18 and older tend to have baritone chest voices, and because of this, many men in choirs tend to prefer singing in
10070-456: The title role in the centenary performance of Don Giovanni in Prague that year was Mariano Padilla y Ramos , the man Désirée Artôt married instead of Tchaikovsky. Michael Nyman 's popular, short band piece In Re Don Giovanni (1981, with later adaptations and revisions) is constructed on a prominent 15-bar phrase in the accompaniment to Leporello's catalogue aria. In addition to instrumental works, allusions to Don Giovanni also appear in
10176-687: The truth about him, and then hurries away. Leporello tells Donna Elvira that Don Giovanni is not worth her feelings for him. He is unfaithful to everyone; his conquests include 640 women and girls in Italy, 231 in Germany, 100 in France, 91 in Turkey, but in Spain, 1,003 (" Madamina, il catalogo è questo " – "My dear lady, this is the catalogue"). In a frequently cut recitative, Donna Elvira vows vengeance. A marriage procession with Masetto and Zerlina enters. Don Giovanni and Leporello arrive soon after. Don Giovanni
10282-467: The villain. They find instead Leporello hiding under the table, shaken by the supernatural horror he has witnessed. He assures them that no one will ever see Don Giovanni again. The remaining characters announce their plans for the future: Donna Anna and Don Ottavio will marry when Donna Anna's year of mourning is over; Donna Elvira will withdraw from society for the rest of her life; Zerlina and Masetto will finally go home for dinner; and Leporello will go to
10388-405: The window"). Before Don Giovanni can complete his seduction of the maid, Masetto and his friends arrive, looking for Don Giovanni in order to kill him. Don Giovanni poses as Leporello (whose clothes he is still wearing) and joins the posse, pretending that he also hates Don Giovanni. After cunningly dispersing Masetto's friends (Don Giovanni aria: "Metà di voi qua vadano" – "Half of you go this way.
10494-694: Was attended by Nikolaus Count von Seebach [ de ] of the Dresden Opera , who had already offered Tauber a five-year contract starting on 1 August. The Count encouraged Tauber to take small roles with other companies to broaden his experience. During his tenure in Dresden, Tauber earned a reputation as an exceptionally quick learner. He mastered Gounod 's Faust in 48 hours and learned Bacchus in Richard Strauss 's Ariadne auf Naxos overnight, astonishing Strauss, who conducted
10600-459: Was for her that he composed Der singende Traum . Although Losseff's career was cut short by alcoholism, Tauber remained her lifelong friend and supported her until his death. In 1931, Tauber made his London debut in operetta, and London performances became a regular part of his schedule. He also toured the United States that same year. In 1933, Tauber was attacked in the street by a group of Nazi Brownshirts due to his Jewish ancestry. Following
10706-716: Was interred in Brompton Cemetery in London. Tauber made over 720 vocal recordings for the Odeon / Parlophone companies, as well as several as an orchestral conductor, primarily of his own works, but also of music by Grieg and Johann Strauss, Jr. . Among the 120 acoustic recordings, the most notable include arias by Mozart , Tchaikovsky , and Kienzl , along with songs by Schumann , Richard Strauss , and Grieg. Additionally, there are five duets with Elisabeth Rethberg , arias by Verdi , Puccini , and others, as well as excerpts from Korngold 's Die tote Stadt , including
10812-506: Was often true of Mozart's work in Prague . The Prager Oberpostamtzeitung reported, "Connoisseurs and musicians say that Prague has never heard the like", and "the opera ... is extremely difficult to perform." The Provincialnachrichten of Vienna reported, "Herr Mozart conducted in person and was welcomed joyously and jubilantly by the numerous gathering." The score calls for double woodwinds , two horns , two trumpets , three trombones (alto, tenor, bass), timpani , basso continuo for
10918-614: Was premiered by the Prague Italian opera at the National Theatre (of Bohemia), now called the Estates Theatre , on 29 October 1787. Don Giovanni is regarded as one of the greatest operas of all time, and has proved a fruitful subject for commentary in its own right; critic Fiona Maddocks has described it as one of Mozart's "trio of masterpieces with librettos by Da Ponte". The opera was commissioned after
11024-884: Was reportedly unaware of his birth as he was touring North America at the time. The child was named Richard Denemy . He was sometimes known as [Carl] Richard Tauber and also used his mother's married name, Seiffert; however, the claim by the Encyclopædia Britannica that he was ever known as Ernst Seiffert is not supported by any of the 12 published books and monographs about him listed in Daniel O'Hara's comprehensive Richard Tauber Chronology. After being adopted by his father in 1913, his legal name became Richard Denemy-Tauber. Tauber accompanied his mother on theatrical tours, but she found it increasingly difficult to manage and eventually left him with foster parents in Urfahr, now
11130-425: Was so crippled by arthritis that he could no longer move in and out of the microphone for softer and louder notes. To address this, a small trolley was constructed on rubber wheels, allowing engineers to silently roll him back and forth while recording. In 1946, Tauber appeared in a Broadway adaptation of The Land of Smiles ( Yours is my Heart ), which flopped, leaving him with huge personal losses and in debt to
11236-467: Was unavailable for the Vienna premiere and first performed it in Berlin in 1926), Der Zarewitsch (1927), Friederike (1928), The Land of Smiles (1929), which featured the famous aria " Dein ist mein ganzes Herz ", Schön ist die Welt (1930), and Giuditta (1934). The hit songs, typically in the second act, became informally known as Tauberlieder . Tauber also appeared in several films, both in Germany and later in England. Notably, he provided
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