happy birthday, jon vickers!
The legendary dramatic tenor is 82 years old today.
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Joining Vickers for this 1967 clip from Die Walküre is Gundula “They tried to make me go to rehab” Janowitz.
Vickers was Tristan on my first visit to Covent Garden back 1978 – he wasn’t well on that night and we got only the final 20 minutes of act three. I heard him do it again two years later with Berit Lindholm, then another two years on with Gwyneth. He was astonishing in every respect. I also heard him as Canio and Grimes where he was truly gripping. At the risk of sounding like an old fart, there simply is no one like him around today. Legendary indeed.
Having said that, this clip rather reminds of Thunderbirds…
T0 David Utterback. Sylvia Fisher was originally from Melbourne Australia. I can remember as a kid in the 50;s she appeared in Leonore -Fidelio, Ortrud -Lohengrin and Ellen Orford (Grimes)
I heard him in the last run of Grimes he did at the MET, and then again on his last broadcast as Samson (Saint-Saens). In Grimes, he was singularly gripping and presented a fascinating, unique portrayal. It really burned in.
I read the biography published a few years back, and have trouble getting by some of the enormities of his personality. He was one mean irrational mofo at times, which is sometimes an indicator of the Alzheimer’s that appears later.
As a BOF I recall Sylvia Fisher as the resident jugendlich dramatisch soprano at the ROH from the late 40s until about ’57, when she unwisely took on Isolde and Brünnhilde. Of couse before the Vicar steps into his pulpit, she in no way compared with Doris Doree or Margaret Harshaw
.
Fisher had a later career well into the 70s in Britten roles such as Lady Billows and Gloriana. By then a substantial performer those who saw the latter role will never forget the sight of the poor Essex heaving her off
the ground in La Volta.
Paddypig: Vickers as canio swung Stratas over his shoulder and to this day I rembember her gaping mouth and staring eyes as stormed off stage.
None suffered quite so graphically as Vickers and his Laca was the most brooding and intense I have ever seen.
A live recording of him as Parsifal has just appeared on the ROH Heritage label.
Grimgerde: I was at that Tristan too where Vicker’s voice gave out. Roberta Knie was making her only ROH appearance as Isolde.
My favourite Siegmund. And Grimgerde, you’re not an old fart; you’re just stating a fact. There isn’t anyone like him today.
I should that he looks pretty good in tights too!
Never liked his voice and a pox on him for all eternity for the arrogance inherent in changing some of the text of Peter Grimes.
Vickers could be labeled the Art of the Perfect Grizzler with all his histrionics he went on with, both on and off stage. As Siegmund, Melchior leaves Vickers for dead.
Never thought of this before, but Vickers there looks a bit like French actor Jean Marais. And, frankly, I think Amy would be more exciting than Gundula. That little piping flutter she comes out with is hardly in the Leonie league.