He sang this as part of his audition for "Oklahoma." It impressed Rogers and Hammerstein so much they new they had found their leading man for their next show "Carousel" and wrote the Soliloquy for him.
Just INCREDIBLY good! The man's DiCTION was superb. Every single syllable was clear as could be, and yet the pace -- the flow -- and the comic qualities -- were just PERFECT. He was a "natural," I guess. I haven't found any material telling us he was professionally trained as a singer. Just a blessed Force of Nature. Too bad! He could have been a GREAT opera singer. And no matter what HE said about himself, I think he was a TENOR -- and a damned fine one.
Also it was regular into the mid 20th century for the the text to be translated into whatever the language of the country performing it was. Playing around with the text keeps it fresh. The idea that it needs to be exactly as originally performed with no edits makes it stale and unapproachable.
*@Jeremy Hicks* - It was common practice in Europe and the US from the late 1800s to the 1950s to translate all operas and operettas into the dominant language in whatever country the pieces were performed. This began slowly changing in the 1960s, with operas finally being performed as written by the 1980s (if I’m not mistaken). For the people in the US, English translations are always provided for audiences attending the opera.
@@RockStarOscarStern634 - What on Earth are you talking about?? It’s not called “The Beautician of Seville,” is it?? If that was supposed to be a joke, it bombed!
I have listened to operatic version of this aria as well Mr Raitt. Again, I will say, why had not he have snatched up by the Met? Diction, his voice EXCELLENT! Or at those times they just wanted singers from the continent instead of a local Irish guy? Love ya, John!
My face muscles are in rictus from smiling for four solid minutes! The timbre and personality make me think of John Charles Thomas. But what personality and ease of articulation! I guess he was really a mezzo-tenor; he could pop off a high B flat in the Soliloquy.
As stated below, this man was a tenor regardless of what he said of himself...what a great operatic voice...would loved to have him do this aria in Italian.
He had unusual resonance in his upper register for a baritone, but he definitely was a baritone. No way a true tenor could have sung the low notes in "Soliloquy" the way he did.
@@dmnemaine Soliloquoy doesn't go particularly low. And Rossini wrote many low As and G#s that are required for a tenor and are sung by tenors. Literally look at any performance of Chris Merritt performing. John NEVER had the projection in the low as Chris and no one has ever called Chris a baritone. Because he is not.
Raitt's technique in the original CAROUSEL was near-operatic, but he clearly realized he was really an Irish tenor, and spent the rest of his career as such. Several recordings prove him right for relaxing a bit.
No. Raitt was a lyric baritone with an unusually resonant upper register. No way a real tenor could have sung the low notes in "Soliloquy" the way he did.
He's got a great voice, but I'm guessing due to how it would sound if he sang the actual translation in English it just wouldn't flow as well. Here's the lyrics with the basic English translation above each line. Largo al factotum of the city. Largo al factotum della citta. Wide! Largo! La la la la! La la la la la la la LA! Soon to the shop that the dawn is already. Presto a bottega che l'alba e gia. Soon! Presto! La la la la! La la la la la la la LA! Ah, what a beautiful life, what a nice pleasure (how nice Ah, che bel vivere, che bel piacere (che bel pleasure) piacere) for a quality barber! per un barbiere di qualita! (quality!) (di qualita!) Ah, good Figaro! Ah, bravo Figaro! Good very good! Bravo, bravissimo! Good boy! Bravo! La la la la! La la la la la la la LA! Lucky for truth! Fortunatissimo per verita! Good boy! Bravo! La la la la! La la la la la la la LA! Lucky for truth! Fortunatissimo per verita! Lucky for truth! Fortunatissimo per verita! La la la, la la la, la la la la! La la la la, la la la la, la la la la la la la LA! Ready to do everything, night and day Pronto a far tutto, la notte e il giorno always around around is. sempre d'intorno in giro sta. Best bonanza for a barber, Miglior cuccagna per un barbiere, nobler life, no, don't give up. vita piu nobile, no, non si da. La la la la la la la la la! La la la la la la la la la la la la la! Scissors and combs Rasori e pettini hands and scissors, lancette e forbici, at my command al mio comando everything here is. tutto qui sta. Scissors and combs Rasori e pettini hands and scissors, lancette e forbici, at my command al mio comando everything here is. tutto qui sta. There is the resource, V'e la risorsa, then, a trade poi, de mestiere with the little woman ... with the knight ... colla donnetta... col cavaliere... with the little woman ... there la la la la la colla donnetta... la la li la la la la la with the knight ... la la la la la la la !!! col cavaliere... la la li la la la la la la la LA!!! Ah, what a beautiful life, what a nice pleasure (how nice Ah, che bel vivere, che bel piacere (che bel pleasure) piacere) for a quality barber! per un barbiere di qualita! (quality!) (di qualita!) Everyone asks me, everyone wants me, Tutti mi chiedono, tutti mi vogliono, women, boys, old men, girls: donne, ragazzi, vecchi, fanciulle: Here the wig ... I shave ... Qua la parruca... Presto la barba... Here the sanguine ... Soon the ticket ... Qua la sanguigna... Presto il biglietto... Everything asks me, everyone wants me, Tutto mi chiedono, tutti mi vogliono, everyone asks me, everyone wants me, tutti mi chiedono, tutti mi vogliono, Here the wig, soon the beard, soon the ticket, Qua la parruca, presto la barba, presto il biglietto, Hey! ehi! Figaro ... Figaro ... Figaro ... Figaro ... Figaro ... Figaro... Figaro... Figaro... Figaro... Figaro... Figaro ... Figaro ... Figaro ... Figaro ... Figaro !!! Figaro... Figaro... Figaro... Figaro... Figaro!!! Alas, (alas) what a fury! Ahime, (ahime) che furia! Alas, what a crowd! Ahime, che folla! One by one, Uno alla volta, for charity! per carita! (for charity! for charity!) (per carita! per carita!) One at a time, one at a time, Uno alla volta, uno alla volta, one at a time, for charity! uno alla volta, per carita! Figaro! Figaro! I'm here. Son qua. Hey, Figaro! Ehi, Figaro! I'm here. Son qua. Figaro here, Figaro la, Figaro here, Figaro la, Figaro qua, Figaro la, Figaro qua, Figaro la, Figaro up, Figaro down, Figaro up, Figaro down. Figaro su, Figaro giu, Figaro su, Figaro giu. Ready very ready they are like the fumine: Pronto prontissimo son come il fumine: I am the factotum of the city. sono il factotum della citta. (of the city, city, city, city) (della citta, della citta, della citta, della citta) Ah, good Figaro! Ah, bravo Figaro! Good very good; Bravo, bravissimo; Ah, good Figaro! Ah, bravo Figaro! Good very good; Bravo, bravissimo; to you luck (to you luck, to you luck) not a te fortuna (a te fortuna, a te fortuna) non will miss. manchera. Ah, good Figaro! Ah, bravo Figaro! Good very good; Bravo, bravissimo; Ah, good Figaro! Ah, bravo Figaro! Good very good; Bravo, bravissimo; to you luck (to you luck, to you luck) not a te fortuna (a te fortuna, a te fortuna) non will miss. manchera. I am the factotum of the city, Sono il factotum della citta, I am the factotum of the city, Sono il factotum della citta, of the city, of the city, della citta, della citta, Of the city!!! Della citta!!!
Opera is usually sung in the language of the audience. It is only quite recently that opera is done in the original language. I've sung Barber a couple times (Basilio & Bartolo) - always in English. If had been a little better I suppose I would have had to learn it in Italian so I could do it at the Met. But comedies are much more effective if the audience can follow the dialog. In the early twentieth century Barber would have been done in English in England and in German in Germany. Herman Prey and Fritz Wunderlich for example made a wonderful video of Barber in German. The jet plane is partly to blame. In Caruso's day it took an ocean liner a week or more to cross the Atlantic. European singers came to America for a season. But now if you want to hear the guy on the record (e.g. Placido Domingo) singing in your home town for only a performance or two - he'll just fly in. But even if he speaks English he'll probably have to do it in the original language. A singer can't be expected to learn a dozen different translations. When Pavarotti sang Tosca in Moscow - he sang it in Italian. The rest of the cast probably sang in Russian. If you wanted Pavarotti to sing it in Russian - too bad. He'd just go somewhere else.
to those who think that John Raitt's mo was to just show up and sing, do not know his mo. His voice teacher lived with him and John sang every day of his life. Whether you want to classify his voice as tenor, lyric tenor, etc...it makes no difference, he sang the baritone roles brilliantly and we'll never have another voice like his onstage.
@@songbirdforjesus2381 he once said he didn't get more opportunities in movies because one of his eyes was just 'off kilter' - pointed in a slightly different direction. On stage it was no big deal. They dealt with it in the movie "Pajama Game," but that's what he said about the lack of film opportunities.
Actually, John Raitt was classified as a lyric baritone with an exceptionally resonant higher register. That's why a lot of people say "tenor". Soliloquy being written for Raitt's specific singing voice is why many baritones struggle with it, and why the low notes in it are troublesome for tenors.
What the majority of people in the comments section here are failing to acknowledge is that an operatic baritone and a musical theatre baritone are very different. John Raitt was known for his roles on Broadway, where he was considered a baritone (by others, as well as himself). Perhaps if he had sung mainly in opera, that would be different. Musical theatre singing requires lighter voices than in opera due to the usage of microphones (although at the time Raitt was around, they only had foot mics) so a baritone in musical theatre often might sound closer to an operatic tenor than an operatic baritone. There are very few baritones in musical theatre that have the deep, booming voice required for an operatic baritone. Those who do, in musical theatre, would often be considered bass-baritones. To sum up: John Raitt was a MUSICAL THEATRE baritone.
Gail Williams Foot mics were used at the time, not body mics like we have today quite yet, but still. Also, mics are only part of it. Generally, musical theatre singing needed and still needs to be lighter because of the style. Opera is more dramatic and heightened, I would say, calling for more dramatic voices. Musical Theater, while still not necessarily realistic, falls closer to realism largely due to spoken dialogue. And thus, the singing voices need to blend more seamlessly with the spoken voices of the actors, and since most people don’t talk with an extremely heavy, round tone, the sound will therefore be lighter.
Why quibble? He was the best I have ever heard in the Carousel Soliloquy, ending on high Bb. In his best day, this writer (now a baritone emeritus) could sing only a high Ab, as could Joel McRea.
Bill Howard Vocal range is largely a personal thing, and does not alone define voice type. I can’t tell if your comment is refuting my original comment or merely praising Raitt’s vocal range. So, sorry if I come off as argumentative.
@@hauntsandamusements Actually, from what my musical theater friends and research have told me, the microphone didn't come into full use until 1965. In the MT world they talk about pre and post '65 as the dividing line for rep choices in auditions, as well as vocal style. So all of the classic 1950's musicals would have been sung au natural in heightened or operatic resonance to project. Thus operatic trained voices like Andrews or true belt like Merman. Makes you appreciate more what the pre-1965 Bway singers did and had to do. There is a video of Merman's final performance in Gypsy taken illegally from the audience. She's not mic'ed, and gets covered quite often by the brass in the pit. Even if they used footlight mic'ing, it would have been primitive and highly selective, so the singer would still have to project naturally. One of the reasons we have the belt and operatic styles of singing....how do you throw your voice to the back of the theater without a microphone.
Wow! A truly bravura performance from a true B/Way Legend! It's so wonderful to hear this level or artful singing (sure sounds like a tenor too, to THIS ol' tenor! :-) ), but it also make's one yearn for this sophisticated singing in American music today, 2020. (Even the rather pedestrian translation actually works with such a skilled performer bringing it to vivid life with such ease and aplomb!)
Rossini wrote most of his serious operas at this stage in his career for Naples. Naples had a lot of tenors so Rossini wrote operas with lots of tenor roles. Armida for example has five lead tenor parts. It has one bass role and no baritones. But Rossini also wrote comedies for more northerly theaters. For example Cenerentola and Barber. In these operas there is only one tenor and three basses. In Cenerentola for example Magnifico, Alidoro, and Dandini are all often sung by the same basso buffo in different productions.The same is almost true in Barber. But a performance tradition has arisen to differentiate the three roles. So Figaro is taken up and Basilio is taken down. A century ago no one sang all those high G's in Largo. But lately higher and higher baritones have interpolated Gs an A Flats. Raitt sings all the highest additions. Tenors have been known to end the aria with a High C.
.As to the question as to what range Raitt is - is he a tenor or is he a baritone? The answer isn't simple. If he had gone into opera he would have almost certainly sung as a tenor. But on Broadway and operetta the leading male roles are for high baritones. Most singers can move up or down a classification or so. For example Placido Domingo being Spanish and the son of singers at first sang in zarzuelas - the operetta like Spanish national musical theater genre. In a zarzuela the hero is the baritone like Broadway. But when Domingo went into Italian opera he sang as a tenor. Raitt and Domingo probably have the same range. Domingo is now singing baritone again.
This is great. This was no easy feat. I would have no desire to sing this at all in any translation. Raitt is very good here. I like the way he sits in the chair and sighs. He is so glad it is over. Great post. Thanks!
I think absolutely classic (and excellent) high lyric baritone. Just because he has such great ease with the top doesn't make him a tenor - the timbre and quality of the middle voice are first class baritone. Even with the rocky English text, one of the best sung of this I've heard and certainly the sexiest, most virile. I saw him in SF in 1970 as Zorba - outstanding!
dmnemaine He was a tenor. Listen to his timbre, it’s bright and steely like a spinto, or perhaps dramatic tenor’s would be, as opposed to the dark and rounded tone possessed by baritones. Even tenors can need well-developed low notes, but the possession of them does not a baritone make.
Yes, yes, yes, *everything* about his voice is tenor :) Range, timbre... He sang at the Dallas Summer Musicals many (!) years ago in 'Carousel' and ended 'The Highest Judge of All' on a high C.
What a lovely, and powerful, TENOR voice. Seriously, have people forgotten what voices have sounded like? He's a tenor; a powerful tenor with strong low notes, but a tenor nonetheless, and hardly "baritonal." To my ears, his voice sounds similar to Franco Corelli or Richard Tucker, two spinto tenors. So that's probably the closest to his vocal type. If anyone's interested in some very dark tenor voices, listen to Hendrik Appels, Lauritz Melchior, Ramon Vinay, Jon Vickers, Hans Beirer, and Ludwig Suthaus; those gentleman actually sound "baritonal."
People have this weird disconnected view of opera and don’t understand that it’s also all about entertainment. It should connect with people and be fun. It’s all broadway!! John Raitt was an amazing talent. This has always been a song that’s meant to make people laugh and is all about personality. And that’s what I see here. When I was young, I got to see John and Bonnie performing together for a Christmas benefit and it was an amazing night of wonderful musicianship. I’m rambling but thank you so much for posting this.
This guy didn’t only possess one of the greatest voices in recorded theater history (tho I personally prefer another Scot-American, Gordon MacRae), he also had enough personality for 50 people! Everybody surely got more than their money’s worth when they caught one of his performances, and I love his daughter’s talent, too....just amazing!
Every summer in the 1950"s there was a replacement for the Dinah Shore Show staring Edie Adams, Janet Blair and John Raitt. I remember him sing this back then. It must have been filmed then but I don't know the exact year.
The astonishing John Raitt singing the wrong material and failing. Not helped by a misunderstanding of the style and an inept and clunky lyric. But when he sings Broadway material - OH, BOY!
Wow! Raitt should be praised more than he is.
He sang this as part of his audition for "Oklahoma." It impressed Rogers and Hammerstein so much they new they had found their leading man for their next show "Carousel" and wrote the Soliloquy for him.
Just INCREDIBLY good! The man's DiCTION was superb. Every single syllable was clear as could be, and yet the pace -- the flow -- and the comic qualities -- were just PERFECT. He was a "natural," I guess. I haven't found any material telling us he was professionally trained as a singer. Just a blessed Force of Nature.
Too bad! He could have been a GREAT opera singer. And no matter what HE said about himself, I think he was a TENOR -- and a damned fine one.
Lyric baritone with an unusually resonant upper register.
@@dmnemaine He actually got training as a tenor. And considered himself a natural tenor singing baritone. He talked about it in interviews.
Also it was regular into the mid 20th century for the the text to be translated into whatever the language of the country performing it was. Playing around with the text keeps it fresh. The idea that it needs to be exactly as originally performed with no edits makes it stale and unapproachable.
Only time I ever really liked this aria. Sung in English without hammy fake Italian posturings. Bravo, Mr. John Raitt!
And this is why they need to create English versions of Opera's. :)
Why not have a Soprano sing it 8va?
*@Jeremy Hicks* - It was common practice in Europe and the US from the late 1800s to the 1950s to translate all operas and operettas into the dominant language in whatever country the pieces were performed. This began slowly changing in the 1960s, with operas finally being performed as written by the 1980s (if I’m not mistaken). For the people in the US, English translations are always provided for audiences attending the opera.
@@RockStarOscarStern634 - What on Earth are you talking about?? It’s not called “The Beautician of Seville,” is it?? If that was supposed to be a joke, it bombed!
@@voraciousreader3341 I heard a Soprano sing it 8va once & I wanted to make an all Female version of it
Something can get lost in the translation.
Such a voice. And this was his warm up exercise.
Wow! I stumbled on this looking for Bonnie's music. Definitely an amazing vocalist in his own right.What a nice treat!
I have listened to operatic version of this aria as well Mr Raitt. Again, I will say, why had not he have snatched up by the Met? Diction, his voice EXCELLENT! Or at those times they just wanted singers from the continent instead of a local Irish guy? Love ya, John!
I think he has the perfect voice for Lyric Baritone rep. If you listen to his musical theatre work the baritonal qualities show through even more.
Just confirms what I've always thought. The best voice that ever hit Broadway. Wonderful!
My face muscles are in rictus from smiling for four solid minutes! The timbre and personality make me think of John Charles Thomas. But what personality and ease of articulation! I guess he was really a mezzo-tenor; he could pop off a high B flat in the Soliloquy.
I guess that nobody else was able to do it because everybody else has sung “or die” with the same note.
This guy has a bright future ahead of him on the stage. Bravo.
John Emmet Raitt (/reɪt/; January 29, 1917 - February 20, 2005) was an American actor and singer best known for his performances in musical theatre.
As stated below, this man was a tenor regardless of what he said of himself...what a great operatic voice...would loved to have him do this aria in Italian.
He had unusual resonance in his upper register for a baritone, but he definitely was a baritone. No way a true tenor could have sung the low notes in "Soliloquy" the way he did.
@@dmnemaine Soliloquoy doesn't go particularly low. And Rossini wrote many low As and G#s that are required for a tenor and are sung by tenors. Literally look at any performance of Chris Merritt performing. John NEVER had the projection in the low as Chris and no one has ever called Chris a baritone. Because he is not.
Just great, thanks!
I loved this!!! I would really like the sheet music to this.
The music is the same just the lyric changed to english
wow-WEEEEEEE!!!
Raitt's technique in the original CAROUSEL was near-operatic, but he clearly realized he was really an Irish tenor, and spent the rest of his career as such. Several recordings prove him right for relaxing a bit.
No. Raitt was a lyric baritone with an unusually resonant upper register. No way a real tenor could have sung the low notes in "Soliloquy" the way he did.
anybody wonder where Bonnie Raitt got her singing talent from is from this man HER FATHER.
does someone know where can i find the lyrics?
He's got a great voice, but I'm guessing due to how it would sound if he sang the actual translation in English it just wouldn't flow as well. Here's the lyrics with the basic English translation above each line.
Largo al factotum of the city.
Largo al factotum della citta.
Wide!
Largo!
La la la la!
La la la la la la la LA!
Soon to the shop that the dawn is already.
Presto a bottega che l'alba e gia.
Soon!
Presto!
La la la la!
La la la la la la la LA!
Ah, what a beautiful life, what a nice pleasure (how nice
Ah, che bel vivere, che bel piacere (che bel
pleasure)
piacere)
for a quality barber!
per un barbiere di qualita!
(quality!)
(di qualita!)
Ah, good Figaro!
Ah, bravo Figaro!
Good very good!
Bravo, bravissimo!
Good boy!
Bravo!
La la la la!
La la la la la la la LA!
Lucky for truth!
Fortunatissimo per verita!
Good boy!
Bravo!
La la la la!
La la la la la la la LA!
Lucky for truth!
Fortunatissimo per verita!
Lucky for truth!
Fortunatissimo per verita!
La la la, la la la, la la la la!
La la la la, la la la la, la la la la la la la LA!
Ready to do everything, night and day
Pronto a far tutto, la notte e il giorno
always around around is.
sempre d'intorno in giro sta.
Best bonanza for a barber,
Miglior cuccagna per un barbiere,
nobler life, no, don't give up.
vita piu nobile, no, non si da.
La la la la la la la la la!
La la la la la la la la la la la la la!
Scissors and combs
Rasori e pettini
hands and scissors,
lancette e forbici,
at my command
al mio comando
everything here is.
tutto qui sta.
Scissors and combs
Rasori e pettini
hands and scissors,
lancette e forbici,
at my command
al mio comando
everything here is.
tutto qui sta.
There is the resource,
V'e la risorsa,
then, a trade
poi, de mestiere
with the little woman ... with the knight ...
colla donnetta... col cavaliere...
with the little woman ... there la la la la la
colla donnetta... la la li la la la la la
with the knight ... la la la la la la la !!!
col cavaliere... la la li la la la la la la la LA!!!
Ah, what a beautiful life, what a nice pleasure (how nice
Ah, che bel vivere, che bel piacere (che bel
pleasure)
piacere)
for a quality barber!
per un barbiere di qualita!
(quality!)
(di qualita!)
Everyone asks me, everyone wants me,
Tutti mi chiedono, tutti mi vogliono,
women, boys, old men, girls:
donne, ragazzi, vecchi, fanciulle:
Here the wig ... I shave ...
Qua la parruca... Presto la barba...
Here the sanguine ... Soon the ticket ...
Qua la sanguigna... Presto il biglietto...
Everything asks me, everyone wants me,
Tutto mi chiedono, tutti mi vogliono,
everyone asks me, everyone wants me,
tutti mi chiedono, tutti mi vogliono,
Here the wig, soon the beard, soon the ticket,
Qua la parruca, presto la barba, presto il biglietto,
Hey!
ehi!
Figaro ... Figaro ... Figaro ... Figaro ... Figaro ...
Figaro... Figaro... Figaro... Figaro... Figaro...
Figaro ... Figaro ... Figaro ... Figaro ... Figaro !!!
Figaro... Figaro... Figaro... Figaro... Figaro!!!
Alas, (alas) what a fury!
Ahime, (ahime) che furia!
Alas, what a crowd!
Ahime, che folla!
One by one,
Uno alla volta,
for charity!
per carita!
(for charity! for charity!)
(per carita! per carita!)
One at a time, one at a time,
Uno alla volta, uno alla volta,
one at a time, for charity!
uno alla volta, per carita!
Figaro!
Figaro!
I'm here.
Son qua.
Hey, Figaro!
Ehi, Figaro!
I'm here.
Son qua.
Figaro here, Figaro la, Figaro here, Figaro la,
Figaro qua, Figaro la, Figaro qua, Figaro la,
Figaro up, Figaro down, Figaro up, Figaro down.
Figaro su, Figaro giu, Figaro su, Figaro giu.
Ready very ready they are like the fumine:
Pronto prontissimo son come il fumine:
I am the factotum of the city.
sono il factotum della citta.
(of the city, city, city, city)
(della citta, della citta, della citta, della citta)
Ah, good Figaro!
Ah, bravo Figaro!
Good very good;
Bravo, bravissimo;
Ah, good Figaro!
Ah, bravo Figaro!
Good very good;
Bravo, bravissimo;
to you luck (to you luck, to you luck) not
a te fortuna (a te fortuna, a te fortuna) non
will miss.
manchera.
Ah, good Figaro!
Ah, bravo Figaro!
Good very good;
Bravo, bravissimo;
Ah, good Figaro!
Ah, bravo Figaro!
Good very good;
Bravo, bravissimo;
to you luck (to you luck, to you luck) not
a te fortuna (a te fortuna, a te fortuna) non
will miss.
manchera.
I am the factotum of the city,
Sono il factotum della citta,
I am the factotum of the city,
Sono il factotum della citta,
of the city, of the city,
della citta, della citta,
Of the city!!!
Della citta!!!
@@cruisematt8585 king
One at a time
Isn't it actually pretty rare for these operatic pieces to be sung in English?
Opera is usually sung in the language of the audience. It is only quite recently that opera is done in the original language. I've sung Barber a couple times (Basilio & Bartolo) - always in English. If had been a little better I suppose I would have had to learn it in Italian so I could do it at the Met. But comedies are much more effective if the audience can follow the dialog.
In the early twentieth century Barber would have been done in English in England and in German in Germany. Herman Prey and Fritz Wunderlich for example made a wonderful video of Barber in German.
The jet plane is partly to blame. In Caruso's day it took an ocean liner a week or more to cross the Atlantic. European singers came to America for a season. But now if you want to hear the guy on the record (e.g. Placido Domingo) singing in your home town for only a performance or two - he'll just fly in. But even if he speaks English he'll probably have to do it in the original language. A singer can't be expected to learn a dozen different translations. When Pavarotti sang Tosca in Moscow - he sang it in Italian. The rest of the cast probably sang in Russian. If you wanted Pavarotti to sing it in Russian - too bad. He'd just go somewhere else.
That is interesting. This is the best piece ever written.
Keeping in mind that he is singing a rather bad translation, and John Rait's MO was to just come out and sing, with no warm up.
And so did L Price and Domingo! LOL. Some voices can do that, others have to warm up extensively.
“Largo al factotum” /was/ his warm-up.
Horrible sound quality
he is kinda sharp and says dipthongs
Thank you for posting. He was such a great talent. The Pavarotti of Broadway.
to those who think that John Raitt's mo was to just show up and sing, do not know his mo. His voice teacher lived with him and John sang every day of his life. Whether you want to classify his voice as tenor, lyric tenor, etc...it makes no difference, he sang the baritone roles brilliantly and we'll never have another voice like his onstage.
That's a tenor.
Without a doubt.
The old recording is a little thin on low tones but he's clearly a tenor.
Great singer who was never given enough opportunities
@@songbirdforjesus2381 he once said he didn't get more opportunities in movies because one of his eyes was just 'off kilter' - pointed in a slightly different direction. On stage it was no big deal. They dealt with it in the movie "Pajama Game," but that's what he said about the lack of film opportunities.
Actually, John Raitt was classified as a lyric baritone with an exceptionally resonant higher register. That's why a lot of people say "tenor". Soliloquy being written for Raitt's specific singing voice is why many baritones struggle with it, and why the low notes in it are troublesome for tenors.
Thank you for posting this. His passaggio sounds a bit like Del Monaco. This was entertaining as he wandered inbetween Broadway and Opera resonance.
@UCwa3arJb5rQeMs-YlBQtB_Q
Rogers & Hammerstein loved his English version. Hey can we have a Soprano sing this one? That would sound high but sweet
Might be a bit low for a soprano. Better a mezzo.
I saw him live in Pajama Game. Wish he'd have done opera too.
I love his roguishness! It's part of what makes his duet with Jan Clayton (1954?) so wonderful -- that and her extraordinarily expressive face!
I love his moments of "wow, I'm just really awesome guys". haha He can do whatever he wants because he's John Raitt.
He's the Broadway version of Chuck Norris!
What the majority of people in the comments section here are failing to acknowledge is that an operatic baritone and a musical theatre baritone are very different. John Raitt was known for his roles on Broadway, where he was considered a baritone (by others, as well as himself). Perhaps if he had sung mainly in opera, that would be different. Musical theatre singing requires lighter voices than in opera due to the usage of microphones (although at the time Raitt was around, they only had foot mics) so a baritone in musical theatre often might sound closer to an operatic tenor than an operatic baritone. There are very few baritones in musical theatre that have the deep, booming voice required for an operatic baritone. Those who do, in musical theatre, would often be considered bass-baritones. To sum up: John Raitt was a MUSICAL THEATRE baritone.
I don't believe microphones were in use on Broadway when Mr. Raitt was singing.
Gail Williams Foot mics were used at the time, not body mics like we have today quite yet, but still. Also, mics are only part of it. Generally, musical theatre singing needed and still needs to be lighter because of the style. Opera is more dramatic and heightened, I would say, calling for more dramatic voices. Musical Theater, while still not necessarily realistic, falls closer to realism largely due to spoken dialogue. And thus, the singing voices need to blend more seamlessly with the spoken voices of the actors, and since most people don’t talk with an extremely heavy, round tone, the sound will therefore be lighter.
Why quibble? He was the best I have ever heard in the Carousel Soliloquy, ending on high Bb. In his best day, this writer (now a baritone emeritus) could sing only a high Ab, as could Joel McRea.
Bill Howard Vocal range is largely a personal thing, and does not alone define voice type. I can’t tell if your comment is refuting my original comment or merely praising Raitt’s vocal range. So, sorry if I come off as argumentative.
@@hauntsandamusements Actually, from what my musical theater friends and research have told me, the microphone didn't come into full use until 1965. In the MT world they talk about pre and post '65 as the dividing line for rep choices in auditions, as well as vocal style. So all of the classic 1950's musicals would have been sung au natural in heightened or operatic resonance to project. Thus operatic trained voices like Andrews or true belt like Merman. Makes you appreciate more what the pre-1965 Bway singers did and had to do. There is a video of Merman's final performance in Gypsy taken illegally from the audience. She's not mic'ed, and gets covered quite often by the brass in the pit. Even if they used footlight mic'ing, it would have been primitive and highly selective, so the singer would still have to project naturally. One of the reasons we have the belt and operatic styles of singing....how do you throw your voice to the back of the theater without a microphone.
Wow! A truly bravura performance from a true B/Way Legend! It's so wonderful to hear this level or artful singing (sure sounds like a tenor too, to THIS ol' tenor! :-) ), but it also make's one yearn for this sophisticated singing in American music today, 2020. (Even the rather pedestrian translation actually works with such a skilled performer bringing it to vivid life with such ease and aplomb!)
Rossini wrote most of his serious operas at this stage in his career for Naples. Naples had a lot of tenors so Rossini wrote operas with lots of tenor roles. Armida for example has five lead tenor parts. It has one bass role and no baritones.
But Rossini also wrote comedies for more northerly theaters. For example Cenerentola and Barber. In these operas there is only one tenor and three basses. In Cenerentola for example Magnifico, Alidoro, and Dandini are all often sung by the same basso buffo in different productions.The same is almost true in Barber. But a performance tradition has arisen to differentiate the three roles. So Figaro is taken up and Basilio is taken down.
A century ago no one sang all those high G's in Largo. But lately higher and higher baritones have interpolated Gs an A Flats. Raitt sings all the highest additions.
Tenors have been known to end the aria with a High C.
wonderful job!
he's having so much fun :o)
.As to the question as to what range Raitt is - is he a tenor or is he a baritone? The answer isn't simple. If he had gone into opera he would have almost certainly sung as a tenor. But on Broadway and operetta the leading male roles are for high baritones.
Most singers can move up or down a classification or so. For example Placido Domingo being Spanish and the son of singers at first sang in zarzuelas - the operetta like Spanish national musical theater genre. In a zarzuela the hero is the baritone like Broadway.
But when Domingo went into Italian opera he sang as a tenor. Raitt and Domingo probably have the same range. Domingo is now singing baritone again.
In an interview, he classified himself as high lyric baritone
Patrick Boyle
Patrick Boyle
He's a wonder! 😍
Who wrote the English lyrics? Anyone know?
This is great.
This was no easy feat. I would have no desire to sing this at all in any translation.
Raitt is very good here.
I like the way he sits in the chair and sighs. He is so glad it is over.
Great post.
Thanks!
Idk about anyone else but I wouldn't let anyone singing in only "las" and his own name anywhere near my hair
I think absolutely classic (and excellent) high lyric baritone. Just because he has such great ease with the top doesn't make him a tenor - the timbre and quality of the middle voice are first class baritone. Even with the rocky English text, one of the best sung of this I've heard and certainly the sexiest, most virile. I saw him in SF in 1970 as Zorba - outstanding!
Outstanding
Superb. A tour de force. But not lyrical!
stop overthinking this voice, he had exceptional technique and I truly think he could sing whatever he wanted.
With the right training I have no doubt he could have sung SIEGRFIED.
Figaro is a baritone role. Siegfired is a tenor role. John Raitt was a baritone.
dmnemaine He was a tenor. Listen to his timbre, it’s bright and steely like a spinto, or perhaps dramatic tenor’s would be, as opposed to the dark and rounded tone possessed by baritones. Even tenors can need well-developed low notes, but the possession of them does not a baritone make.
It's hard to judge by this recording because it was very treble-y.
@@dmnemaine he sings a high Bb in Soliloquy.
@@boundary2580 Soliloquy doesn't go that high. I have the score. The highest it goes is a high G. That's well within lyric baritone range.
Bravo
Definitely a baritone
Johnny Rait was a tenor, not a baritone, not a lyric baritone. He had ringing High B flats and his timbre is tenor.
Yes, yes, yes, *everything* about his voice is tenor :) Range, timbre... He sang at the Dallas Summer Musicals many (!) years ago in 'Carousel' and ended 'The Highest Judge of All' on a high C.
👍
What a lovely, and powerful, TENOR voice. Seriously, have people forgotten what voices have sounded like? He's a tenor; a powerful tenor with strong low notes, but a tenor nonetheless, and hardly "baritonal." To my ears, his voice sounds similar to Franco Corelli or Richard Tucker, two spinto tenors. So that's probably the closest to his vocal type.
If anyone's interested in some very dark tenor voices, listen to Hendrik Appels, Lauritz Melchior, Ramon Vinay, Jon Vickers, Hans Beirer, and Ludwig Suthaus; those gentleman actually sound "baritonal."
People have this weird disconnected view of opera and don’t understand that it’s also all about entertainment. It should connect with people and be fun. It’s all broadway!! John Raitt was an amazing talent. This has always been a song that’s meant to make people laugh and is all about personality. And that’s what I see here. When I was young, I got to see John and Bonnie performing together for a Christmas benefit and it was an amazing night of wonderful musicianship. I’m rambling but thank you so much for posting this.
This guy didn’t only possess one of the greatest voices in recorded theater history (tho I personally prefer another Scot-American, Gordon MacRae), he also had enough personality for 50 people! Everybody surely got more than their money’s worth when they caught one of his performances, and I love his daughter’s talent, too....just amazing!
So, do we think gorgeous Johnny is a dramatic tenor? I know he could sing bwy tenor or lyric baritone roles with equal ease, but I hear tenor.
Good job for a tenor
What a voice! Why did this wonderful manly man not become a great star?
He WAS!
Excellent.
I agree Patrick.
wow
These aren't the English lyrics!
telephonic33 how do you know?
A virtuoso tenor!
He's a baritone.
When was this filmed?
Gail Williams 1956 I think.
Every summer in the 1950"s there was a replacement for the Dinah Shore Show staring Edie Adams, Janet Blair and John Raitt. I remember him sing this back then. It must have been filmed then but I don't know the exact year.
The astonishing John Raitt singing the wrong material and failing. Not helped by a misunderstanding of the style and an inept and clunky lyric.
But when he sings Broadway material - OH, BOY!