JE CROIS ENTENDRE ENCORE
from Bizet's Les Pecheurs de Perles

"Je crois entendre encore" is one of the most beautifully seductive arias in all of French opera.  It exists commonly in an Italian version (Mi par d´udire ancora).  How could it not?  So many of the most magnificent voices of the last century performed and recorded in that tongue to equally beautiful effect.  Some believe that it is even more beautiful in Italian.  I will lend my support to that view by beginning with recordings by Ferruccio Tagliavini and Giuseppe di Stefano which are not only incredibly lovely, but wonderful examples of singers who understands that Bizet gave his song words for a very good reason.  The diction, especially di Stefano's, is amazingly pure and recordings such as these should be assigned study by all voice teachers.

I chose to begin this journey to the enchanted land that is this aria, "Je crois entendre encore", with the great Italian tenors because the subsequent contrasting effect of the French singers really is quite stunning.  The classic French style is wonderfully represented by Alain Vanzo.  It is a less emotional style, allowing the music a purity of essence.  I find it fascinating that the aria works so well in both languages.

You will even hear a recording sung in Russian and one in German, not as satisfying linguistically, but the singing is beautiful.

"Je crois entendre encore" is sung here by many of the greats.  The above comments are appropriate to a number of others, but I will let you hear for yourselves why I have begun the Indulge Me page with this aria. 

I urge you to pay close attention to the interpretive differences from one generation to the next over the five generations represented here, as well as those due to the differen linguistic operatic traditions.  I think you will find them even more revealing that what we have seen in the the interpretation of piano music over the same period of time.

Included are recordings by Caruso singing "Je crois entendre encore" in Italian and the original French.  His French diction is not so good, and these are ancient recordings, but one does get a sense of the voice of the man whose name was synonymous with opera for a hundred years.

Let me draw to your attention a gorgeous voice, that of the American tenor, Lawrence Brownlee.  It is a name with which you might not be familiar and might pass over in the face of so many choices.

And if you are curious, the performance of Je crois entendre encore that brings me closest to tears is the one by Rolando Villazon, whose Rodolfo also touches my heart.

FERRUCCIO TAGLIAVINI (1913-1995)
Italian tenor

recorded in 1948