@CrystalFlames Mozart was not married at that time; he was only 17 years old. He wrote it while in Milan for castrato Venanzio Rauzzini and after he had written and successfully present his operas Lucio Silla and Mitridate for the Duke of Milan.
I find what you say very exciting as I have thought that I would love to see new music with a baroque style!!! I need to check out those guilds you mention.
The Mozart Exsultate Jubilate is part of the new CD and is a much better quality recording than the earlier live recording used for this video. The chosen Mozart selections appear to show off his voice to his best advantage.
To add to your comment, Steven, not only will he be in demand because baroque is gaining in popularity but, new music in this style is being written even now! There are a few composers who've grown disenchanted with the atonal crap prevalent these days and have turned back to the old masters for inspiration. I knwo of two guilds that have been formed, the Delian Society and the Vox Saeculorum. There's a countertenor aria featured by a Delian composer that Michael would be perfect for.
If you would like further information about Michael Maniaci, along with interview information, go to the specialty website (altered here so that it can be posted) MaleSopranos dot com Then Forums, then Michael Maniaci.
@Zerrith falsetto means: a false voice, its not your chest voice or head voice, we use middle voice mixed with head and chest voice(we the countertenors)
Vitas does have an amazing falsetto, better than most who try. It is interesting also, that musically and visually, his productions "pull out all the stops," much as Baroque opera did 250-350 years ago. I doubt, however, that he has had Classical or Baroque vocal training. He may also have a range limited to those very high notes, whereas opera arias require a much wider range + shades of tone and expression. It would be interesting to hear him sing Baroque. Please let me know if he does.
Plenty of women sopranos have the necessary voice and power -- any good singer would. Maniaci's voice is actually quite sweet and light, although it may deepen as he ages. For the moment however, his is a relatively light soprano voice. Full and without the flutey qualities of a falsettist and the flatness of a castrato -- but quite light all the same. Comparatively, Voigt could blast the people out of the first three rows of seats.
I can't recommend it highly enough. They write beautiful music. Their sites are chalk full of mp3's but they're midis since they can't get the establishment to take them seriously. Tragic, that. To think that such beautiful music may never see the concert hall, at least, not for a few more decades while the atonality breathes its last.
Clarification: What they would like, many of them, is for an ensemble to play their music before an audience. If you write a Concerto Grosso or an Opera Seria, you want it performed by musicians. One guy lied and claimed that his music was written by several ancestors (took up pen names) and said it was long lost lute music. They ate it up and started playing his stuff. When they found out it was somebody writing here and now, they discarded it as antiquated and unoriginal.
For modern times, Michael's voice is extremely rare for a male (I have heard him live); however, there are some voices that (to my understanding and perception) are more pleasing. For examples: Gundula Janowitz had a golden tone and a more focused, controlled voice, e.g., with higher, louder notes. The "artificial" voice of countertenor Andreas Scholl is more focused and controlled. For my productions, I rejected Michael's recording of the other parts of "Exsultate" for these reasons.
I suspect that, Michael having a voice that is the type that statistically is 1 in 1,000,000,000 people, will be in increasing demand for roles. For example, the General & Artistic Director of the Central City Opera, who aims for quality and authenticity, attempted to hire Michael for the role of Nerone in Monteverdi's "Poppea;" however, Michael was already booked.
Based upon my years of research, I would guess that Caffarelli and Maniaci's voices would be very different, primarily in that Caffarelli's voice would have been very voix blanche while Maniaci has a rather pronounced vibrato.
I understand. What I was proposing is the getting away from the midi sound with a more realistic sound. True you'd want performers to execute the music, however, to give ideas to prospective investors, real sounding music is better than midi.
Too bad that you will not hear Micheal at Santa Fe, but I know it is very hard to book him. Now that Baroque is becoming more popular, we could use 100 times as many male sopranos. Santa Fe, however, is not the best way to hear him unless you are sitting front-row, center. The more subtle differences in voices can be lost in that large, open setting.
it's not falsetto, its different, im a controtenore(countertenor) the equivallent to a castrato but i do have balls and my voice its normal it just happens that i can sing high notes, but the colour of the castrato's voice it's different than to the countertenor's voice... i study proffesional singing in italy and it's really amazing how the story about the castratos...
Janowitz was formidable--that's a tough standard to hold anyone to. And to a certain extent, it's apples and oranges, anyway: a modal countertenor is no more a female soprano than he is a bass. I wonder if he has ever done "Deh per questo istante solo." One of my pipe-dream fantasies is to cast him and Radu Marian together in La Clemenza di Tito.
I forget who is Voigt. Why would you want to be "blasted" out of your seat though? Power isn't the same as volume anyway. Truth is, this was written for a man to sing because a man's full soprano voice has something about it that a female's doesn't. It's less penetrating, for one, and something of the child's sweetness about it but highly amplified.
I don't think our society will be at that point ever again without some pretty massive changes. Opera isn't as popular or lucrative to give incentive. The churg wouldn't dare reinstitute them in its choirs. And, noone would make the sacrifice anyway. What we may see is mroe cases like Radu Marian where the parents saw to it their son got training when they saw his voice wouldn't break. I've mixed feelings on that one.
As it happens, I looked into her. Your comment is silly. My not knowing of one verismo singer who sings at the Metropolitan opera negates my entire ability to opine on opera in general and a baroque opera singer in particular? What monstrous narrow-mindedness you have, really.
Oh OK. It is intresting to hear a man sing a soprano range. (I thought he'd sound a bit sterytopical "Bish" due to the immature vocal folds, and was suprised to hear he sounds normal!)
Scholl could never hope to compete against a full-voiced male alto if one stepped forward. Never. He's a falsettist and that's that. An exceptional one but a falsettist just the same. Compare Michael's rendition to one by a falsettist and you'll see the analogy. Heck, compare him to a woman soprano and you can see the analogy. Very few women would have the power needed to truly carry this off like a man.
![5 Pieces by Hans Zimmer \\ Iconic Soundtracks \\ Relaxing Piano [20min]](/img/n.gif)
Michael Maniaci is amazing! He is a male soprano with a voice that is as loud and powerful as a spinto or dramatic tenor! Does any one agree?
@CrystalFlames Mozart was not married at that time; he was only 17 years old. He wrote it while in Milan for castrato Venanzio Rauzzini and after he had written and successfully present his operas Lucio Silla and Mitridate for the Duke of Milan.
Frantastic! thanks for posting, Stephen.
what a blessing to hear this..
I find what you say very exciting as I have thought that I would love to see new music with a baroque style!!! I need to check out those guilds you mention.
The Mozart Exsultate Jubilate is part of the new CD and is a much better quality recording than the earlier live recording used for this video. The chosen Mozart selections appear to show off his voice to his best advantage.
Just beautiful!
amazing thanks stefhen!
To add to your comment, Steven, not only will he be in demand because baroque is gaining in popularity but, new music in this style is being written even now! There are a few composers who've grown disenchanted with the atonal crap prevalent these days and have turned back to the old masters for inspiration. I knwo of two guilds that have been formed, the Delian Society and the Vox Saeculorum. There's a countertenor aria featured by a Delian composer that Michael would be perfect for.
If you would like further information about Michael Maniaci, along with interview information, go to the specialty website (altered here so that it can be posted)
MaleSopranos dot com
Then Forums, then Michael Maniaci.
@Zerrith
falsetto means: a false voice, its not your chest voice or head voice, we use middle voice mixed with head and chest voice(we the countertenors)
@OperaPhan1 I have the CD and have listened to it with great care. There is a review of the CD on the website MaleSopranos.
Vitas does have an amazing falsetto, better than most who try. It is interesting also, that musically and visually, his productions "pull out all the stops," much as Baroque opera did 250-350 years ago. I doubt, however, that he has had Classical or Baroque vocal training. He may also have a range limited to those very high notes, whereas opera arias require a much wider range + shades of tone and expression. It would be interesting to hear him sing Baroque. Please let me know if he does.
Plenty of women sopranos have the necessary voice and power -- any good singer would. Maniaci's voice is actually quite sweet and light, although it may deepen as he ages. For the moment however, his is a relatively light soprano voice. Full and without the flutey qualities of a falsettist and the flatness of a castrato -- but quite light all the same. Comparatively, Voigt could blast the people out of the first three rows of seats.
I can't recommend it highly enough. They write beautiful music. Their sites are chalk full of mp3's but they're midis since they can't get the establishment to take them seriously. Tragic, that. To think that such beautiful music may never see the concert hall, at least, not for a few more decades while the atonality breathes its last.
Clarification: What they would like, many of them, is for an ensemble to play their music before an audience. If you write a Concerto Grosso or an Opera Seria, you want it performed by musicians. One guy lied and claimed that his music was written by several ancestors (took up pen names) and said it was long lost lute music. They ate it up and started playing his stuff. When they found out it was somebody writing here and now, they discarded it as antiquated and unoriginal.
For modern times, Michael's voice is extremely rare for a male (I have heard him live); however, there are some voices that (to my understanding and perception) are more pleasing. For examples: Gundula Janowitz had a golden tone and a more focused, controlled voice, e.g., with higher, louder notes. The "artificial" voice of countertenor Andreas Scholl is more focused and controlled. For my productions, I rejected Michael's recording of the other parts of "Exsultate" for these reasons.
Michael also has an artificial voice. For a natural, his voice is too weak.
I suspect that, Michael having a voice that is the type that statistically is 1 in 1,000,000,000 people, will be in increasing demand for roles. For example, the General & Artistic Director of the Central City Opera, who aims for quality and authenticity, attempted to hire Michael for the role of Nerone in Monteverdi's "Poppea;" however, Michael was already booked.
Thanks, I'll do!
Based upon my years of research, I would guess that Caffarelli and Maniaci's voices would be very different, primarily in that Caffarelli's voice would have been very voix blanche while Maniaci has a rather pronounced vibrato.
I understand. What I was proposing is the getting away from the midi sound with a more realistic sound. True you'd want performers to execute the music, however, to give ideas to prospective investors, real sounding music is better than midi.
Too bad that you will not hear Micheal at Santa Fe, but I know it is very hard to book him. Now that Baroque is becoming more popular, we could use 100 times as many male sopranos. Santa Fe, however, is not the best way to hear him unless you are sitting front-row, center. The more subtle differences in voices can be lost in that large, open setting.
it's not falsetto, its different, im a controtenore(countertenor) the equivallent to a castrato but i do have balls and my voice its normal it just happens that i can sing high notes, but the colour of the castrato's voice it's different than to the countertenor's voice... i study proffesional singing in italy and it's really amazing how the story about the castratos...
Janowitz was formidable--that's a tough standard to hold anyone to. And to a certain extent, it's apples and oranges, anyway: a modal countertenor is no more a female soprano than he is a bass.
I wonder if he has ever done "Deh per questo istante solo." One of my pipe-dream fantasies is to cast him and Radu Marian together in La Clemenza di Tito.
Maybe fir dus aria, because it is for soprano and for other range than Scholl´s.
I forget who is Voigt. Why would you want to be "blasted" out of your seat though? Power isn't the same as volume anyway. Truth is, this was written for a man to sing because a man's full soprano voice has something about it that a female's doesn't. It's less penetrating, for one, and something of the child's sweetness about it but highly amplified.
@Nakkinak What's falsetto mean?
Well they might want to speak with me. I can take midi files and make real music from it with the software program I just purchased. Stay tuned....
@GwenBeauregard We know that Vitas is NOT a "true soprano" because he sings in a tenor/baritone range in his songs.
I don't think our society will be at that point ever again without some pretty massive changes. Opera isn't as popular or lucrative to give incentive. The churg wouldn't dare reinstitute them in its choirs. And, noone would make the sacrifice anyway. What we may see is mroe cases like Radu Marian where the parents saw to it their son got training when they saw his voice wouldn't break. I've mixed feelings on that one.
As it happens, I looked into her. Your comment is silly. My not knowing of one verismo singer who sings at the Metropolitan opera negates my entire ability to opine on opera in general and a baroque opera singer in particular? What monstrous narrow-mindedness you have, really.
So he doesn't use falsetto??? WOW
Oh OK. It is intresting to hear a man sing a soprano range. (I thought he'd sound a bit sterytopical "Bish" due to the immature vocal folds, and was suprised to hear he sounds normal!)
didn't Mozart write this for his wife or something?
Scholl could never hope to compete against a full-voiced male alto if one stepped forward. Never. He's a falsettist and that's that. An exceptional one but a falsettist just the same. Compare Michael's rendition to one by a falsettist and you'll see the analogy. Heck, compare him to a woman soprano and you can see the analogy. Very few women would have the power needed to truly carry this off like a man.
Michael sings in falsetto. It was heard live.
Not really true....
If you don't know who Voigt is, you aren't really knowledgeable enough about opera to have an educated opinion, really ...
Vitas is a much better singer then this guy. VItas can go much higher using his falsetto voice and has a better vibrato.
play a real instrument.