Rockwell Blake - Les Huguenots

Fitz65 Comenta:

Aug 6, 2006 - I've heard Corelli in this role...not live...but I have heard live recordings. Of course I prefer the intrinsic sound of Corelli's voice, but he could not have the ease in the role that a highly placed voice like Blake's does....and as such could not sing in so nuanced a style. They are their own singers....I tend not condemn one singer because I prefer another in a role. Counterproductive really. I do, though, find Blake's french overaccented. Regardless, those booers are tasteless morons.

bigpinkypig Comenta:

Aug 7, 2006 - Yes it's overaccented but it allows us to understand every word. Actually this was Rockwell Blake's last role debut and probably the last of his carreer. Sob, sob...

Fitz65 Comenta:

Aug 7, 2006 - I'll miss Blake's voice. I've never objected to it's timbre like many do, and I find his singing stylish and tasteful. I do prefer his earlier work, as the voice took on a harder edge later on....the absolutely rediculous ease he sang with from the late 70's to early 90's began to leave him. I love his 1981 La Donna del Lago from Houston. And that video of the English language Cenerentola from around the same time is sheer brilliance. There is no other like him.

brolobear Comenta:

Aug 8, 2006 - Stupid people. Booing is just unnecessary. End of his career? Shame. Except for the fact that the sound at times is almost too bright (actually piercing) the voice sounds quite intact...all the notes are there. if I had any complaint, it's that his accents are too much at times. Other than that, bravo.

fabiantenor Comenta:

Aug 11, 2006 - You had to ask those two Germans: First of all, did Corelli had the balls to sing the WHOLE aria, like Rocky did??? Those two idiots probably thought Blake invented all those cadenzas himself, poor ignorant people!!! I just hear an audience bravoing like crazy in acceptance of a great and very nuanced performance!!!

drewski67 Comenta:

Dec 5, 2006 - I don't know, bigpinkypig, "MAAAAZE", "DAAAAAZE" and "BLAAAAH-SHEEH" don't constitute perfect French in my book.

girardje Comenta:

Jan 22, 2007 - je n'aime pas ce timbre de voix ,mais je doit dire que c'est un bon ténor

bondal Comenta:

Feb 11, 2007 - If you want to hear a tenor sing this to perfection listen to richard leech sing it on the complete live recording!

SimSutcliff Comenta:

May 24, 2007 - Oui... son français est ici presque caricatural... Ça écorche un peu l'oreille d'un francophone...

operajk Comenta:

Jun 6, 2007 - Le timbre n'est plus parfait, la prononciation pas tout à fait parfaite non plus mais alors qu'elle technique. Bravo à Mr Blake, moi qui y était il m'a coupé le souffle à plus d'une reprise. Et tant pis pour les amateurs d'hurlements.

Agorante Comenta:

Aug 5, 2007 - I'm the one who posted that English language Cenerentola video. Please notice I also posted a number of Corelli videos. People who can't appreciate more than one style of tenor are to be pitied. I wrote a long appreciation of Corelli on my opera web site. I guess I'll have to do the same for Blake.

safrir Comenta:

Sep 8, 2007 - I had the priviledge to be there. Rockwll Blake was an inseperable part of that unforgetable experience. Fortunately nobody booed in my part of the theater neither did anyone fart - both manifestations of socially unfortunate behavior by people who should, out of common decency stay home. David F.

tenorismo Comenta:

Sep 18, 2007 - Rockwell didn't have the most beautifull voice , but the repitor that he sang is becomeing a faded memory.

spgtenor Comenta:

Oct 1, 2007 - And eternal appreciation for that amazing video. It's great to be able to see the span of Rocky's career and how his voice changed through the years. One thing never changed; his commitment to the text and music and his passion for performing.

erial80 Comenta:

May 16, 2009 - Me trae a la memoria lo sucedido a Mario de Candia (el gran tenor del siglo 19), en las postrimerías de su carrera. Un espectador se asombró que lo aplaudieran (sucedía en Londres), y se lo dijo a otro espectador y éste le replicó: " Si, pero usted lo hubiera oído hace veinte años". Era otro público que escuchaba a los grandes no sólo con sus oído, sino con sus recuerdos y su amor por ellos. Erial80

cuckthefardinals Comenta:

Sep 1, 2009 - It is a very sad thing to see such a legend as Rocky booed... Still fantastic agility and beautiful timbre until the very very top of his voice.. Really, maybe 4 or 5 notes were a bit offensive, but it is to be expected when one sees a world class singer at the end of their days... I absolutely adore Rocky, he is my idol as a young studying lyric leggerio tenor... I am saddened, being born in 1989, that I just missed his live career.. What year was this?

leprincebeaumont Comenta:

Sep 18, 2009 - Grandissima tecnica e grandissimo senso dello stile e dell'interpretazione! Chi l'ha contestato è un mentecatto!!! Rocky, sei il migliore!!!

ertjfk Comenta:

Sep 28, 2009 - Sinceramente lui sempre è stato un grande artista, e la gente che protesta non sa un cavolo di canto, ne meno capisce cos'è salire sul palco scenico è cantare con questa musicalità e a questo punto de la carriera, allora state zitti e date grazie al cielo di aver potuto sentire il grande blake, che io pur troppo non ho avuto questo piacere...

ecotton21 Comenta:

Oct 13, 2009 - AMAZING!!!!

donatello1 Comenta:

Nov 9, 2009 - Jeezz, a lot of hard critics out there...You would have thought that it was unbearable to listen to according to some of the comments, not his best work, but not bad at all..Gotta love Rocky! What year was this?

verdiotello Comenta:

May 20, 2010 - Bravissimo!!!!!!!! Grande Tenore!!!!!!

papoocanada Comenta:

Aug 24, 2010 - ....terrible singer Blake is.....the timbre of his voice makes me feel like I'm at the dentist........ the viole d'amour sounds better

capuletto Comenta:

Nov 12, 2010 - Extraordinary! 

mrrk Comenta:

Mar 25, 2011 - What an ugly voice

mrrk Comenta:

Mar 25, 2011 - so true