TITO
GOBBI
(Born
Bassano del Grappa 1913 d. Rome 1984)
Life
After
he studied law at the University of Padua, Gobbi studied singing
with Guilio Crimi in Rome. He made his debut as Count
Rodolfo in 'La Sonnambula' at Gubbio in 1935. First
prize in an international contest in Vienna in 1935 led to
debuts as Germont in two Rome Opera Houses; the Adriano (1937)
and the Opera (1939).
Like
so many other singers, his career was severely hampered by
the outbreak of WW II but by the time of his retirement from
the Operatic stage in the mid 1970's, Tito Gobbi had gained
the kind of fame that among male singers is normally
reserved for tenors of the first rank.
In
addition to his operatic career, Gobbi made 35 films and became
a successful operatic producer. As he remarks in his
autobiography, any temptation to say "That's it; I've
nothing more to add!" was constantly contradicted by
experience.
Voice
If
Maria Callas was the greatest singing actress of the 20th
Century then Tito Gobbi was the greatest singing actor, He
had a repertoire that embraced more than 100 roles and to
each he brought extraordinary dramatic sensibilities, making
even paper-thin creations burst into life.
A legend
as Verdi's Rigoletto and Iago (Otello) he was none the less
most famous for his portrayal as Scarpia (Tosca), frequently
with Maria Callas in the title role, in performances that
have been sculptured into the memory.
He
was not only the complete operatic artist in his concerns
for singing and acting but, like Callas, he became the ultimate
exponent in the rarer, most essential art of acting with
the voice. His voice in itself was not exceptional; it
was good but not very large although there was a thrilling
individuality about its timbre which made it instantly recognisable.
There
was always something new; and that is something we can share
in listening to his records. Fortunately, Gobbi made
many complete Operatic recordings as well as recitals in an
age which coincided nicely with the advent of Long Playing
records and in addition there are many good 'live' recordings
available.
Gobbi
as Falstaff
In
his 1956 rendition of L'onore! (Falstaff - Verdi),
Gobbi as Falstaff has prepared letters to two ladies who he
plans to seduce and order his two rascally cronies, Bardolf
and Pistol, to deliver them. Imagine his amazement when
they refuse on the grounds that their honour will not allow
it! Listen to how Gobbi's voice drips with quivering
contempt as he addresses them, Ladri! (Thieves!). In
the process of dressing them down he lectures them on honour.
What is it? A word! He returns to berate them again,
finally chasing them out with a broom Via
di qua!
(Get out!)
The
lyrics are so hilarious that they are reproduced in part:
L'onore!
Ladri. Voi
state ligi all'onor vostro,
voi
cloache d'ignominia, quando non sempre noi possiam star ligi
al nostro.
Si`,
io stesso, io, io, devo talor da un latro porre il timor di
Dio
e,
per necessità, sviar l'onore usare,
stratagemmi
ed equivoci, destreggiar, bordeggiare.
E
voi, coi vostri cenci e coll'occhiata torte
da
gattopardo e i fetidi sghignazzi,
avete
a scorta il vostro Onor!
Che
onore!? Che onor?
Che
onor! che ciancia! Che baia!
Può
l'onore riempirvi la pancia? No.
Può
l'onor rimettervi uno stinco? Non può.
Nè
un piede? No. Nè un dito? No? Nè un capello?
No...
Honour!
Thieves!
You are faithful to your honour,
you
sewers of infamy, when not always can even we keep faith with
ours!
Yes,
even I, I, I must sometimes lay aside the fear of God
and,
of necessity, outwit my honour with some
stratagem,
some ambiguity, the better to tack with deftness;
and
you, in your rags, with your crooked
jackal's
eye, your fetid laughter,
keep
company with Honour!
What
honour? What honour indeed?
Such
chatter! What a joke!
Can
honour fill your belly? No.
Can
honour set a broken shin? It cannot.
Or
mend a foot? No. Or a finger? No, Or a hair? No…
In
his 1950 rendition of Pari siamo (Rigoletto - Verdi),
Gobbi as the jester Rigoletto is making his way home in darkness,
having just been accosted by the assassin, Sparafucile, offering
his service. Left alone, Rigoletto muses Pari siamo
(we are alike, I with my tongue, he with a dagger).
He is afraid for his future and he is full of self pity. He
broods upon his master the Duke, young, handsome and powerful and
as he echoes his words, Fa' ch'io rida, buffone
(make me laugh, fool), Gobbi's voice is so close to tears
it almost breaks. Quick as a flash, his mood changes
to sneering contempt for the courtiers who make his life a
misery then just as quickly reverts back to self pity Mi
cogliera sventura? (Is it an omen?). As he reaches
the gate of his house, he dismisses his thoughts Ah no,
e` follia (Ah, no, this is folly)..
In
his 1963 rendition of Come Paride vezzoso (L'Elisir
d'amore - Donizetti) Gobbi as the pompous, swaggering
Sergeant Belcore arrives in the village with his platoon,
and, comparing himself to Paris of Greek history, he presents
flowers to Adina while at the same time bragging as to how
irresistible he is. In this recording Gobbi has a wonderful
time as Belcore. His voice is full, rounded and puffed up
to bursting with self-importance. As the bragging Belcore,
he is irrepressible. Listen to the gleeful pomposity in his
voice as he sings Son galante e son Sergente ! (I'm
gallant, and I'm a Sergeant too!) In his own opinion,
he is just too good to be true! Who can resist him? Gobbi
conjures up the perfect image of this swaggering peacock of
a soldier who expects nothing less than ladies to swoon at
the sight of him!
Audio
files
L'onore! sung by Tito Gobbi in 1956
Pari
siamo sung by Tito Gobbi in 1950
Come
Paride vezzoso sung by Tito Gobbi in 1963
(g.m.)
Comment
In
a long career, Gobbi touched many and typical baritone roles
in opera but opted for absolute protagonists, operas' eponymous
heroes specially those outside bel canto: Don Giovanni, Figaro
(Rossini), Rigoletto, Rodrigo di Posa, Simon Boccanegra, Jago,
Falstaff, Scarpia, Gianni Schicchi and Wozzeck.
A
singing actor par excellence, Gobbi had a voice which was
fiery, dark and personal but neither cantabile nor
made of steel. He supplanted the thrill of resounding and
glorious
acuti
(alla Bechi, for example) with scenic efficiency,
facial mimics and psychological depth.Vocally, he found ideal
refuge in buffo characters like Falstaff, Figaro and Gianni
Schicchi.
His
Scarpia has been acclaimed by the whole world for a varied
and subtle approach. Agree. However, the commanding vocal
weight expected from the despot fell off, particularly in
the Te Deum scene of Tosca act I. As Scarpia, Gobbi
was unable to match the torrid
passion and impetuous accents of Zancanaro, the vibrant
and dark-hued timbre of Bastianini, the frightening power
and characterization of Granforte in the same role.
(j.f.)
Recalls
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”There
is one thing to be said for glory - you can take glory
with you, when it is your time to go”