Added: Nov 20, 2008
From: khankonchak
Duration: 3:59
Janis Zabers (1935-1973)I've held a great fondness for Latvian tenor Janis Zabers ever since my first voice teacher brought him to my attention a few years ago. The possessor of a beautifully honed lyric instrument that acquired some spinto properties as the voice darkened in his early 30s, Zabers' career was unfortunately destined to be a short one- he was cut down in his prime by a brain tumor, aged 37.Zabers was born in Meirani and had his early vocal training at the Latvian National Conservatory in Riga, making his debut at the city's Opera in 1960, as Narraboth. He was, along with such singers as Noreika and Magomaev, one of few Soviet artists granted permission to study in the West, staying in Milan between 1962-64 and working under the direction of Giorgio Favaretto and Giovanni Barra. As with the other abovementioned singers, these studies were certainly fruitful; Zabers' recordings in Italian show a keen grasp of style, and diction far superior to that of most of his Soviet peers. Along with fellow tenors Anzhaparidze, Atlantov, Noreika, etc., all of whom rose to prominence in the 1960s, Zabers represented a departure from the tradition of "tenori bianchi" that had (with a few exceptions) dominated operatic singing in Russia for decades. Smirnoff, Kozlovsky, Lemeshev, and Vinogradov were perhaps the best-known exponents of the latter category, but Zabers' temperament was more akin to that of Georgi Nelepp, the previous generation's most popular spinto. And while the latter's voice was probably a good deal larger, it was also rather monochrome. The metal core in Zabers's voice, on the other hand, was always tempered by a significant timbral sweetness and abundance of overtones. In this recording, he is accompanied by the Latvian Opera Theater Orchestra, led by Rihards Glazups.
Channel: Music
Tags: aria bollenti de' giuseppe italian janis latvian miei opera spiriti tenor verdi zabers
Rating: 5.00 (4 ratings) Views: 213' favoriteCount='2 Comments: 4
theirisher Says:
Nov 23, 2008 - Listen to how similar are his phrasing, pronunciation, and production to that of Lanza. A better singer than Lanza, but the similarity is unmistakable.
khankonchak Says:
Nov 23, 2008 - Well, yes and no. I like Zabers very much indeed (otherwise I wouldn't have posted this!), but he doesn't quite measure up to the size, heft, color, and seemingly limitless overtones of Lanza's voice. The latter's instrument was also substantially darker after 1954. However, I definitely agree that both men phrase very naturally and instinctively, and share an emotionally charged interpretive approach.
khankonchak Says:
Nov 23, 2008 - Comparisons for this particular aria aren't very instructive, as Lanza's only version was made in 1940, when he was just 19. The recording shows him to be very much a work in (rapid) progress. But when I listen to Zabers' ardent "Che gelida manina", I am more than once reminded of Lanza's 1950 studio performance. Lanza was very popular in the USSR of the '60s, and Zabers would certainly have heard his records. There is no doubt, however, that Zabers was a great talent in his own right.
theirisher Says:
Nov 27, 2008 - Do you have Lanza's 1940 version? If so, and if you are willing to post it, I would be greatly interested in hearing it. As to Lanza's vocal "heft" I was told that in his only live operatic performance (in New Orleans) his voice was drowned out by every orchestral crescendo. There is no shame in this, of course. Some singers just have bigger voices than others. Thank you for your always astute and interesting comments.
khankonchak Says:
Dec 2, 2008 - Is amplitude the only thing we listen for when evaluating a voice? I should hope not. I agree that there's nothing shameful in being small-voiced. But why should a particular singer be tagged as such if it's simply untrue? Keep in mind that Lanza has probably been the subject of more rumors and gossip than any classically-trained singer in history. The "small" or "weak" voice is one of the most insidious of these myths. Listeners who bring it up typically mention some unknown, dubious source.
khankonchak Says:
Dec 3, 2008 - But this claim is contradicted by a plethora of well-documented statements from Lanza's colleagues(people who sang with him and/or heard him live). From Albanese to Tucker, London to Sutherland, they all certify that Lanza's voice never wanted for size or power. There are also a number of unedited concert and non-commercial records (quite rare) that incontrovertibly support their words. I will expand upon this issue in my next video, which I think will be a real ear-opener for most listeners.
loybillyrock Says:
Dec 26, 2008 - interesting!
ShawDAMAN Says:
Nov 21, 2008 - A very good and underrated tenor who I am only recently becoming familar with. THanks- I would like to hear more.Isn't it crazy how many great tenors died prematurely?! Add Zabers to the list :'(