Opera clips on Youtube - Post your links here!

I'm hoping this will be a lively topic where we can discuss various opera singers past and present and a variety of different operas.

I'm always on youtube looking up clips of arias, selections from operas and particular singers and i thought in this topic we could share some of the videos we find.

So if you happen to come accross a particular opera video on youtube you find interesting then post it as a reply in this topic for the rest of us to discuss.

Obviously we will all have different tastes and, i hope, this will make it all the more interesting. I often find i discover great things from playing around on youtube, so maybe this topic will be educational too!



Ok...to start with i have to post a video of the great Luciano Pavarotti who i think was one of the finest tenors of all time.

Pavarotti in Rigoletto 1971.

I keep returning to this video because it never fails to impress me just how much of accomplished singer Pavarotti was in his prime. Here he is well and truly in it in 1971. Apart from his beautiful tonality listen to the beautiful clarity of his high notes. Wonderful!

Comments please

Its a shame nobody has posted here...i'd have thought this topic would be interesting.

I think it is an interesting topic. Your clip of Pav as the Duke again demonstrates one of his best roles.

Anyway I have seen Hoffman recently what of the clip I have posted of Domingo in the role? I know you can get it on dvd ( I do have a copy) but I thought I'd help open up the debate.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=SQwtYth15-k

Welcome to the forum jflatter

Is this the same production the ROH are using at the moment? If so...the sets are amazing! Is that Stella stood on the balcony to the left? (maybe not...would have been a good idea though)

I always find this aria really interesting how it changes in mood from the beginning where Hoffmann is quite jovial, until he gets quite depressed by the end when he thinks about his failed relationships.

I'm not a huge Domingo fan, but i do think that Hoffmann was one of his best roles. In particular i find his voice rather well suited to this repertoire.

He is very different to Rollando Villazon in this role. Rollando Villazon - Les Contes D'Hoffmann. What do we make of Rollando?

Yes it is the same production. Yes the sets are brilliant. I have seen some critics reviews (thankfully not this site) say that this production should be pensioned off. They don't know what they are talking about. This is just the sort of opera and production that will get first timers hooked because of its opulence.

Anyway Villazon was brilliant as Hoffman but I would have to disagree with you about Domingo as I think he has been amazing throughout his career.

The critics who say that obviously don't have a clue!

I'd not thought of 'Les Contes D'Hoffmann' as a first timer opera...but it could be.


Are there any videos you could link us to which show Domingo's greatest roles?

How about some golden oldies?

Giuseppi di Luca doing Figaro in Barber of Seville!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp8YwsegyVM

OK it's a bit dated but WOW!

Merrill and Bjorling doing the pearl fishers duet. I know it's famous, but it's famous for a reason...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PYt2HlBuyI

Richard Tauber and Lotte Lehmann in die tote stadt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsVy7UfhPr0

crackly but the quality of his voice in particular comes over.

I just love all of these!

I'd not thought of 'Les Contes D'Hoffmann' as a first timer opera...but it could be.