(btw, If you are looking for the BREAKING NEWS that Opera Chic reported from early last evening, where La Scala General Manager Lissner cancelled director Robert Carsen's upcoming production of Lenny's Candide, click here and here.)
The moment has arrived for the final judgment of the penultimate Celeste Aida! The one that would make even Maestro Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi pewp his pants!
In addition to the marvelous comments, Opera Chic had a few thought-provoking write-in ballots that will remain anonymous (as was requested), but I will recap the #1 super awesomeness that converged.
From the plucky cj quinn:
1. Bjoerling in the studio, 1936 (mp3 file here)
2. Del Monaco live in Tokyo, 1961 (mp3 file here)
From the lovely Crew "It has to be Jussi Bjoerling...For me!" Mantle:
Jussi Bjoerling 1955; Jon Vickers 1964; Jose Carreras 1980; Placido Domingo 1974; Richard Tucker 1955; Franco Corelli 1976; Carlo Bergonzi 1975; Del Monaco 1951 LIVE Mexico City.
From the brilliant Fignaz:
1. Bergonzi Verona 1966 (youtube link here)
2. Bergonzi Tokyo 1971 (youtube link here)And then a super-saturated file of Celeste Aida (rapidshare zip file here) containing: Alagna (Copenhagen 2005 & 1998 studio with Abbado); Bjoerling (In Swedish, 1936); Martinelli (Met 1937); Gigli (Covent Garden 1939); Tucker & Toscanini (1949); Georgi Nelepp (In Russian 1953 studio); Del Monaco (Met 1953); Bergonzi (2 performances, Met); Corelli (5 performances, Met)
From the gentle Mimi: a vote for Franco Corelli
From the sweet Paul Velda: a vote for Plácido Domingo
Well, Opera Chic has a dark horse in the running, and has thus chosen the warm and elegant crescendo that emits from Alfredo "Werther" Kraus! His Celeste Aida plucked from the Orfeon Records recording of Alfredo Kraus Sings Operatic Arias I! I LAV EET SO MUCH!
But really, in the humanitarian spirit of the holiday, love thy neighbor/blogger, I declare this contest.......a TIE! EVERYONE WINS! PWN PWN TAKE THAT U NEFARIOUS & INADEQUATE TENORS!
Therefore, in the next half-hour (coda: unless there is more breaking news from La Scala), I will email everyone who participated in the contest with a super h0t, super exclusive, half-nekkid picture of Bolle (preview: LO-OK left). It may even melt your inbox (if you know what i'm sayin).
In the meantime, please enjoy the more tepid images of Bolle above and below, and thanks again to Crew Mantle for suggesting to me this competition. Truly, this was a contest worthy of kings.
