I met Thomas Stewart and Evelyn Lear by happenstance in a CD store once. They were the kindest, humblest, most generous-in-spirit people I ever met. They were genuine.
Tom and I sang bass in a Baylor U. choir. I stood next to him because he always knew what notes to sing and when. I visited him and Evelyn is Santa Fe one summer, then attended his "Elektra" in SFO. Meeting him afterward, my friend said "He's got the sexiest eyebrows I've ever seen!" He was a pleasure to know. --Don Griffis in Denver
I never knew him but after listening to him, he was a consummate professional artist . I knew his wife Evelyn Lear, also an incredible artist. I took a few a few lessons from her,in my immature way had no idea that I was working with a real professional artist. Most voice teachers that I knew were frustrated singers who never had the fortitude to try singing for a career. Evelyn had a fabulous career in Europe for almost 15 years. The one thing she said to me that rang was "'Sing a line until it's perfect ." I'm now learned ng what that means.
Really a fine artist and singer, but my experience of him at the Met-the only place I heard him-was that the voice was just not big enough for a house that size. I imagine in Europe and Bayreuth that was not an issue-sorry I didn't have that experience. But on recordings that is not an issue, and he left a fine legacy.
+Labienus > "the voice was just not big enough." Possibly you caught Stewart on an off-night. I heard him many times at Chicago Lyric (3500 seats) and War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco (3100 seats), and he normally had the most penetrating voice on the stage. Stewart wasn’t a true bass but a dramatic baritone, so in Wagner his instrument had a brighter timbre but opened out and rode the orchestra exactly when it needed to, D to F# above the staff -- unlike heavier voices such as Hines, Frantz, or Tomlinson, who could get lost in the shuffle. I saw Stewart from the 1960s into the 80s, along with many other name baritones from that period - Gobbi, Evans, Cappuccilli, Manuguerra, Raimundi, Adam, McIntyre, Berry, Neidlinger, Nienstedt, etc. Only Adam and Neidlinger were in Stewart’s weight class, and his sound had a warmth and firmness theirs hadn’t. It’s a shame that some self-appointed U.S. experts can be unappreciative of U.S. performers, because, in my experience, Stewart was as good as they came. Anyhow, many thanks for your perceptive and stimulating comments!
+FP Walter Well, I heard him more than once-not a lot because of what I said-and that motivation was a result of finding the voice just a little undersized. As you read, I had a lot of admiration for him, and I imagine that elsewhere that would have not been an issue. I know he was primarily a Germanic helden baritone-of course he probably didn't see it that way-but I also heard him live as Iago. Again, especially with the great baritones of that era (MacNeil, Milnes, Merrill, etc funny how you leave them out), it just was not adequate on that stage. I have never been to the venues you mention (as with most Amer. houses far too large-but maybe you sat close?) but the Met has a wonderful acoustic, and voices I've heard there of lesser amplitude, of a certain type, carried very well. But they were not singing Wagner with an open orchestra pit. Who ever said he was a true bass? Doesn't call himself that in the interview? And let's not get into being "unappreciative" of Amer. artists-that's not the issue-the baritones I mentioned above were all American, through and through. Interesting that you mention McIntyre-because I had the same experience with him. I had heard his Walkeure on the radio, and was so impressed that I drove for hrs. from where I live to hear him live. Same problem as with Stewart-like a veil of orchestral sound between him and the auditorium. At this hr. I may have the story confused in my mind-but it was either, Stewart or MacIntyre, in Walkeure with Leinsdorf conducting. He had been good trying to control the orchestra, and in the final scene (I was close enough to see his face), he sort of looked at the stage, shrugged-as if to say they can't hear him anyway-and whipped the orchestra into a glorious frenzy to the end-as if to say we might as well have fun with this.
+Labienus Thanks for your civil and knowledgeable response. I hadn't meant to imply you were unappreciative of American artists, nor that you thought Stewart a genuine bass -- my apologies if I gave such an impression. I simply was recalling assorted N.Y. criticisms I'd heard over the years. True, Stewart's sound was brighter than some, yet it actually carried better -- e.g., I remember, in Chicago, his dominating Talvela during the Dutchman / Daland duets. But he clearly didn't resemble Frantz, Edelmann, and other basso Wotans some listeners had gotten used to -- hence the criticisms. Otherwise, you and I have had such different experiences in such different venues, we seem to be comparing apples and oranges. Alas, I never caught Merrill, MacNeil, and Milnes live in Chicago, so I didn't allude to them. Also, I've had only one experience at the new Met, a 1996 "Fedora" from the 2nd balcony ... EVERYBODY sounded small. Even so, balcony seats were my norm. RE my own Chicago & San Fran hearings of Stewart in Wagner, Strauss, Mozart, Verdi, and Reimann -- back then, I did PR work for both houses and got to hear a lot of shows. I caught Stewart off form once in FALSTAFF (underpowered and marking as Ford); elsewhere he often carried better than other cast members. I especially remember his Dutchman, Lear, and Almaviva as sonorous and impressive, ditto a Milwaukee Giovanni. And, like you, I've often found his recordings (Wotan, Sachs, Telramund, Amfortas) powerfully compelling. Hence, some of my strongest operatic memories are of his work. Otherwise, I, too, was surprised that McIntyre had less sound and presence than I'd anticipated (he sang Gunther in Chicago). As for your evening with Leinsdorf, could he have been grappling with "Siegfried" Act 3? As Hotter has remarked, it has passages where NO baritone can be heard. Again, many thanks for your insights.
+FP Walter I can't believe it; a civil exchange on You Tube about voices! Your experience with Stewart was clearly more extensive than mine. As I said I tended to shy away from him based on those experiences, also at that time I was less into Wagner, and the absolute feast of great Italianate opera giants tended to make that my priority.(the 3 baritones I mentioned among them-whatever else is valuable in their singing they all had huge voices) Well to be correct it was really the Ring I hadn't fully gone after yet, but other earlier Wagner, and even Tristan I was going to. For example my first Dutchman was George London and Rysanek. I do feel the Met was not the best place to hear Stewart's voice. I've attended the new Met probably a few hundred times, and was even at the opening of the new hosue.As I pointed out, the new Met (as well as the old which I attended a number of times) has wonderful acoustics for "traditional' opera. With Wagner and Strauss the open pit, and bright acoustics make for wonderful orchestral sound, but does create a wall of sound between the audience and the stage. You do need a big voice to be effective through it. Whereas with other operas the orchestra supports the voice and it seems to float on or over the orchestra. In general I'd call it a house that favors bigger voices,or put it this way-small voices don't fare well. But outside of Wagner/Strauss a voice of decent amplitude, that is well produced with a bit of focus to it, will carry quite well. I'm pretty sure my reference to Leinsdorf and letting the orchestra rip because the Wotan couldn't be heard anyway was Walkeure-but might apply to either--though I was thinking the orchestra doesn't get as whipped up in Siegfried until Wotan has exited. But we both seem to be recalling the same story about Hans Hotter coaching James Morris when he is pointing out different parts of the role where you might as well not try to be heard over the orchestra because you simply won't be.
+Labienus My further thanks for your further remarks! I envy your experiences at the Met. Unfortunately I've never lived on the eastern seaboard and rarely had to do business there, hence I made it to the Met just that one time. Naturally I've heard innumerable broadcasts, but the singers are spotlit and the engineers often hike the gain during soft passages ... hardly a reliable way to gauge a voice's size or carrying power. Heard live in Chicago, however, I DO recall singers whose sizable voices were a surprise -- Sutherland in Lucia, or Janis Martin's Sieglinde. Plus there were others whose instruments were self-evidently powerful -- Stewart's Dutchman and Almaviva as I've mentioned ... Vickers (biggest of the tenors) ... and Gwyneth Jones, a singer whose recordings I'd rarely enjoyed but whose live Fidelio proved the largest, fullest soprano sound I'd encountered in this venue--and that includes Nilsson and Lindholm. My seat locations? I almost always sat in the lower balcony. As for Merrill, MacNeil & Milnes (and let's not forget Warren), only Milnes appeared in the Windy City during my tenure, and not often at that -- alas, I missed him (Cappuccilli was alternating, and also covering much of the Verdi back then). Of course I've enjoyed many recordings by these baritones, and I can certainly understand your fond memories of them. Once more, thank you for your stimulating comments!
I met Thomas Stewart and Evelyn Lear by happenstance in a CD store once. They were the kindest, humblest, most generous-in-spirit people I ever met. They were genuine.
Excellent GERMAN TOM! We miss you!
Tom and I sang bass in a Baylor U. choir. I stood next to him because he always knew what notes to sing and when. I visited him and Evelyn is Santa Fe one summer, then attended his "Elektra" in SFO. Meeting him afterward, my friend said "He's got the sexiest eyebrows I've ever seen!" He was a pleasure to know. --Don Griffis in Denver
I never knew him but after listening to him, he was a consummate professional artist . I knew his wife Evelyn Lear, also an incredible artist. I took a few a few lessons from her,in my immature way had no idea that I was working with a real professional artist. Most voice teachers that I knew were frustrated singers who never had the fortitude to try singing for a career. Evelyn had a fabulous career in Europe for almost 15 years. The one thing she said to me that rang was "'Sing a line until it's perfect ." I'm now learned ng what that means.
It's perfect
In this da Capo the da Capo with Evelyn Lear is mentioned. Is this available?
I only knew him as a Wagner singer and was pleasantly surprised by his Iago. Great Verdi singing!!!
Actually, I’m not the greatest fan of his...
@bodiloto's hater Well, de gustibus non est disputandum...
50:37 What a voice!
Really a fine artist and singer, but my experience of him at the Met-the only place I heard him-was that the voice was just not big enough for a house that size. I imagine in Europe and Bayreuth that was not an issue-sorry I didn't have that experience. But on recordings that is not an issue, and he left a fine legacy.
+Labienus
> "the voice was just not big enough."
Possibly you caught Stewart on an off-night. I heard him many times at Chicago Lyric (3500 seats) and War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco (3100 seats), and he normally had the most penetrating voice on the stage. Stewart wasn’t a true bass but a dramatic baritone, so in Wagner his instrument had a brighter timbre but opened out and rode the orchestra exactly when it needed to, D to F# above the staff -- unlike heavier voices such as Hines, Frantz, or Tomlinson, who could get lost in the shuffle. I saw Stewart from the 1960s into the 80s, along with many other name baritones from that period - Gobbi, Evans, Cappuccilli, Manuguerra, Raimundi, Adam, McIntyre, Berry, Neidlinger, Nienstedt, etc. Only Adam and Neidlinger were in Stewart’s weight class, and his sound had a warmth and firmness theirs hadn’t. It’s a shame that some self-appointed U.S. experts can be unappreciative of U.S. performers, because, in my experience, Stewart was as good as they came. Anyhow, many thanks for your perceptive and stimulating comments!
+FP Walter
Well, I heard him more than once-not a lot because of what I said-and that motivation was a result of finding the voice just a little undersized. As you read, I had a lot of admiration for him, and I imagine that elsewhere that would have not been an issue. I know he was primarily a Germanic helden baritone-of course he probably didn't see it that way-but I also heard him live as Iago. Again, especially with the great baritones of that era (MacNeil, Milnes, Merrill, etc funny how you leave them out), it just was not adequate on that stage. I have never been to the venues you mention (as with most Amer. houses far too large-but maybe you sat close?) but the Met has a wonderful acoustic, and voices I've heard there of lesser amplitude, of a certain type, carried very well. But they were not singing Wagner with an open orchestra pit.
Who ever said he was a true bass? Doesn't call himself that in the interview? And let's not get into being "unappreciative" of Amer. artists-that's not the issue-the baritones I mentioned above were all American, through and through.
Interesting that you mention McIntyre-because I had the same experience with him. I had heard his Walkeure on the radio, and was so impressed that I drove for hrs. from where I live to hear him live. Same problem as with Stewart-like a veil of orchestral sound between him and the auditorium. At this hr. I may have the story confused in my mind-but it was either, Stewart or MacIntyre, in Walkeure with Leinsdorf conducting. He had been good trying to control the orchestra, and in the final scene (I was close enough to see his face), he sort of looked at the stage, shrugged-as if to say they can't hear him anyway-and whipped the orchestra into a glorious frenzy to the end-as if to say we might as well have fun with this.
+Labienus
Thanks for your civil and knowledgeable response. I hadn't meant to imply you were unappreciative of American artists, nor that you thought Stewart a genuine bass -- my apologies if I gave such an impression. I simply was recalling assorted N.Y. criticisms I'd heard over the years. True, Stewart's sound was brighter than some, yet it actually carried better -- e.g., I remember, in Chicago, his dominating Talvela during the Dutchman / Daland duets. But he clearly didn't resemble Frantz, Edelmann, and other basso Wotans some listeners had gotten used to -- hence the criticisms.
Otherwise, you and I have had such different experiences in such different venues, we seem to be comparing apples and oranges. Alas, I never caught Merrill, MacNeil, and Milnes live in Chicago, so I didn't allude to them. Also, I've had only one experience at the new Met, a 1996 "Fedora" from the 2nd balcony ... EVERYBODY sounded small.
Even so, balcony seats were my norm. RE my own Chicago & San Fran hearings of Stewart in Wagner, Strauss, Mozart, Verdi, and Reimann -- back then, I did PR work for both houses and got to hear a lot of shows. I caught Stewart off form once in FALSTAFF (underpowered and marking as Ford); elsewhere he often carried better than other cast members. I especially remember his Dutchman, Lear, and Almaviva as sonorous and impressive, ditto a Milwaukee Giovanni. And, like you, I've often found his recordings (Wotan, Sachs, Telramund, Amfortas) powerfully compelling. Hence, some of my strongest operatic memories are of his work.
Otherwise, I, too, was surprised that McIntyre had less sound and presence than I'd anticipated (he sang Gunther in Chicago). As for your evening with Leinsdorf, could he have been grappling with "Siegfried" Act 3? As Hotter has remarked, it has passages where NO baritone can be heard.
Again, many thanks for your insights.
+FP Walter
I can't believe it; a civil exchange on You Tube about voices!
Your experience with Stewart was clearly more extensive than mine. As I said I tended to shy away from him based on those experiences, also at that time I was less into Wagner, and the absolute feast of great Italianate opera giants tended to make that my priority.(the 3 baritones I mentioned among them-whatever else is valuable in their singing they all had huge voices) Well to be correct it was really the Ring I hadn't fully gone after yet, but other earlier Wagner, and even Tristan I was going to. For example my first Dutchman was George London and Rysanek. I do feel the Met was not the best place to hear Stewart's voice.
I've attended the new Met probably a few hundred times, and was even at the opening of the new hosue.As I pointed out, the new Met (as well as the old which I attended a number of times) has wonderful acoustics for "traditional' opera. With Wagner and Strauss the open pit, and bright acoustics make for wonderful orchestral sound, but does create a wall of sound between the audience and the stage. You do need a big voice to be effective through it. Whereas with other operas the orchestra supports the voice and it seems to float on or over the orchestra. In general I'd call it a house that favors bigger voices,or put it this way-small voices don't fare well. But outside of Wagner/Strauss a voice of decent amplitude, that is well produced with a bit of focus to it, will carry quite well.
I'm pretty sure my reference to Leinsdorf and letting the orchestra rip because the Wotan couldn't be heard anyway was Walkeure-but might apply to either--though I was thinking the orchestra doesn't get as whipped up in Siegfried until Wotan has exited. But we both seem to be recalling the same story about Hans Hotter coaching James Morris when he is pointing out different parts of the role where you might as well not try to be heard over the orchestra because you simply won't be.
+Labienus
My further thanks for your further remarks! I envy your experiences at the Met. Unfortunately I've never lived on the eastern seaboard and rarely had to do business there, hence I made it to the Met just that one time. Naturally I've heard innumerable broadcasts, but the singers are spotlit and the engineers often hike the gain during soft passages ... hardly a reliable way to gauge a voice's size or carrying power.
Heard live in Chicago, however, I DO recall singers whose sizable voices were a surprise -- Sutherland in Lucia, or Janis Martin's Sieglinde. Plus there were others whose instruments were self-evidently powerful -- Stewart's Dutchman and Almaviva as I've mentioned ... Vickers (biggest of the tenors) ... and Gwyneth Jones, a singer whose recordings I'd rarely enjoyed but whose live Fidelio proved the largest, fullest soprano sound I'd encountered in this venue--and that includes Nilsson and Lindholm. My seat locations? I almost always sat in the lower balcony.
As for Merrill, MacNeil & Milnes (and let's not forget Warren), only Milnes appeared in the Windy City during my tenure, and not often at that -- alas, I missed him (Cappuccilli was alternating, and also covering much of the Verdi back then). Of course I've enjoyed many recordings by these baritones, and I can certainly understand your fond memories of them.
Once more, thank you for your stimulating comments!
Mr. Stewart is a great human being, very kind, and a great singer, but i must say I don`t like his Wotan, his voice is not large enough in my opinion.
Same as Theo Adam - you hear no emotions.
@@pega17pl Theo Adam is overrated.