The true lyric tenor possesses a sound most people, even if not interested in opera, would recognise. When we think of tenors, it is this voice-type that is usually brought to mind. Sweet, lyrical, legato singing, matched with some power, is the pre-requisite of this voice. Pavarotti, Carreras and Domingo all have essentially lyric tenor voices. (Domingo is the only one of these singers to have broadened into the lirico spinto repertoire, making him capable of the heavier Italian roles of verismo opera such as Calaf, Andrea Chenier and Otello - there have been others before him, such as Corelli, Martinelli, and Del Monaco.) However, one role captivates all lyric and lyric-spinto tenors above all others: Puccini’s hero of La Bohème, Rodolfo.
It is a lyric tenor’s perfect role allowing him to demonstrate all that he has to offer – smooth legato singing, ringing top notes, memorable arias, ensemble singing and a character that the audience adores. Only Mimi can steal the tenor’s thunder, and without a good tenor there is no point in producing this opera. It is not until his first aria, “Che gelida manina”, that we begin to really appreciate the fullness of the lyric tenor voice, its soaring capacity on those broad Puccini phrases, and its ability to match the soprano. It is interesting to note that the highest note written in the score is a B flat, yet an opposite line give us the top C so expected in any performance of this aria (at the words “la dolce speranza”). After his aria and Mimi’s response “Si, mi chiamano Mimi”, the tenor sings the closing Act I duet with Mimi, “O soave fanciulla”, which again shows off the broad lyrical singing of both characters.
|
There are great ensemble scenes at the beginning of Act I, Act II and Act IV, but it is Act III and the final scene of Act IV that make this part so rewarding. Rodolfo’s duet with Marcello, where he elaborates first on Mimi’s flirtatiousness and finally on his own doubts about her survival, bring tears to an audience, as he admits there is nothing he can do to help her and she would be better off without him. The writing here is sublime, not taxing, but eloquent and lyrical. It then moves into the finale of Act III, starting as a duet for Mimi and Rodolfo then turning into a quartet, as Marcello and Musetta squabble while Mimi and Rodolfo agree not to part till the spring. The writing for Rodolfo matches that for Mimi, and it soars up to B flat at the end of the last phrase. It must be sung sweetly and lyrically, as any pushing here would ruin the moment, and it is exactly what the lyric tenor does best.
During Act IV, when Musetta enters to tell Rodolfo she brings Mimi to him, he realises that Mimi’s time is up. Yet, it is his response to the situation that brings an audience to share in his grief at the death of Mimi. It is his anguished cries, “Mimi! Mimi!”, in the closing bars that can affect the audience more deeply than in any other opera. No wonder it is the perfect vehicle for any aspiring lyric or lirico spinto tenor. It is a role that demands much, but will ensure the tenor a place in history, if performed well.
Ian Wilson-Pope
|
