I have heard Cesare Valletti referred to as a tenore leggero, or a light tenor. I disagree with this assessment of him. I would characterize him as a lyric tenor. He, like many other operatic singers, could bring his voice down enough to sing Lieder, of which I have posted one example here. When I listen to him, the phrase “singing on the breath” comes to mind. The vibrations from the vocal cords seem to attach to an effortless emission of air. It is almost as if the air does the singing, not the vocal cords. You can really hear this when he holds a note and crescendos to the end of the phrase. The real treat in this post is live excerpt from La Sonnambula with Callas, conducted by Bernstein. Valletti was a wonderful singer, and I hope that you enjoy him.
Donizetti, L’elisir d’amore, “Una furtiva lagrima”
Una furtiva lagrima
negli occhi suoi spuntò:
Quelle festose giovani
invidiar sembrò.
Che più cercando io vo?
Che più cercando io vo?
M’ama! Sì, m’ama, lo vedo. Lo vedo.
Un solo instante i palpiti
del suo bel cor sentir!
I miei sospir, confondere
per poco a’ suoi sospir!
I palpiti, i palpiti sentir,
confondere i miei coi suoi sospir…
Cielo! Si può morir!
Di più non chiedo, non chiedo.
Ah, cielo! Si può! Si, può morir!
Di più non chiedo, non chiedo.
Si può morire! Si può morir d’amor.
Donizetti, The elixir of love, “A single secret tear”
A single secret tear
from her eye did spring:
as if she envied all the youths
that laughingly passed her by.
What more searching need I do?
What more searching need I do?
She loves me! Yes, she loves me, I see it. I see it.
For just an instant the beating
of her beautiful heart I could feel!
As if my sighs were hers,
and her sighs were mine!
The beating, the beating of her heart I could feel,
to merge my sighs with hers…
Heavens! Yes, I could die!
I could ask for nothing more, nothing more.
Oh, heavens! Yes, I could, I could die!
I could ask for nothing more, nothing more.
Yes, I could die! Yes, I could die of love.
Compare with Schipa, his teacher.
Schumann, “Der Nussbaum”, Op. 25, No. 3
Es grünet ein Nussbaum, vor dem Haus,
Duftig,
Luftig
Breitet er blättrig die Blätter aus.
Viel liebliche Blüten stehen d’ran,
Linde
Winde
Kommen, sie herzlich zu umfahn.
Es flüstern je zwei zu zwei gepaart,
Neigend,
Beugend
Zierlich zum Kusse die Häuptchen zart.
Sie flüstern von einem Mägdlein, das
Dächte
Die Nächte
Und Tagelang, wüsste ach! selber nicht was.
Sie flüstern—wer mag verstehen so gar
Leise
Weis’?
Flüstern von Bräut’gam und nächstem Jahr.
Das Mägdlien horchet, es rauscht im Baum;
Sehnend,
Wähnend
Sinkt es lächelnd in Schlaf und Traum.
Schumann, “The Walnut Tree”, Op.25, No. 3
A nut tree blossoms outside the house,
Fragrantly,
Airily,
It spreads its leafy boughs.
Many lovely blossoms it bears,
Gentle
Winds
Come to caress them tenderly.
Paired together, they whisper,
Inclining,
Bending
Tenderly their delicate heads to kiss.
They whisper of a maiden who
Dreamed
For nights
And days long of, alas, she knew not what.
They whisper—who can understand
So soft
A song?
Whisper of a bridegroom and next year.
The maiden listens, the tree rustles;
Yearning,
Musing
She drifts smiling into sleep and dreams.
Mozart, Don Giovanni, “Il mio tesoro”
Il mio tesoro intanto
Andate, andate a consolar
E del bel ciglio il pianto
Cercate, cercate di asciugar
Cercate, cercate di asciugar
Cercate, cercate di asciugar
Ditele che i suoi torti
A vendicar io vado
A vendicar io vado
Che sol di strage e morti
Nunzio vogl’io tornar
Nunzio vogl’io tornar
Si, nunzio volg’io tornar, ah, ah, ah
Il mio tesoro intanto
Andate, andate a consolar
E del bel ciglio il pianto
Cercate di asciugar
Cercate, cercate, cercate di asciugar
Cercate di asciugar
Ditele che i suoi torti
A vendicar io vado, a vendicar vado
Che sol di strage e morti
Nunzio vogl’io tornar
Nunzio, nunzio vogl’io tornar
Che sol di strage e morti
Nunzio vogl’io tornar
Si, nunzio vogl’io tornar
Mozart, Dpon Giovanni, “My darling in the meantime”
My darling in the meantimeGo, go and console
And the crying of the beautiful eyelash
Try, try to dry
Try, try to dry
Try, try to dry
Tell her her wrongs
I go to take revenge
I go to take revenge
What a massacre and death
Nunzio I want to return
Nunzio I want to return
Yes, Nunzio, I want to return, ah, ah, ah
My darling in the meantime
Go, go and console
And the crying of the beautiful eyelash
Try to dry it
Try, try, try to dry
Try to dry it
Tell her her wrongs
I go to avenge, I go to avenge
What a massacre and death
Nunzio I want to return
Nunzio, nunzio I want to return
What a massacre and death
Nunzio I want to return
Yes, Nunzio, I want to return
Bellini, La Sonnambula, “Prendi, l’anel ti dono”
Callas, Valleti, Bernstein, 1955
ELVINO
Perdona, o mia diletta,
il breve indugio. In questo dì solenne
ad implorar ne andai sui nostri nodi
d’un angelo il favor; prostrato al marmo
dell’estinta mia madre, oh benedici
la mia sposa! le dissi. Ella possiede
tutte le tue virtudi: ella felice
renda il tuo figlio qual tu rendesti
il padre. Ah, lo spero, ben mio,
m’udì la madre.
AMINA
Oh! fausto augurio!
TUTTI
E van esso non fia.
ELVINO
Siate voi tutti, o amici,
al contratto presenti.
(Il notano si dispone a stendere il contratto.)
NOTARO
Elvin, che rechi
alla tua sposa in dono?
ELVINO
I miei poderi, la mia casa,
il mio nome, ogni bene
di cui son possessore.
NOTARO
E Amina?…
AMINA
Il cor soltanto.
ELVINO
Ah! tutto è il core!
(Mentre la madre sottoscrive, e con essa i testimoni,
Elvino presenta l’anello ad Amina.)
Prendi: l’anel ti dono
che un dì recava all’ara
l’alma beata e cara
che arride al nostro amor.
Sacro ti sia tal dono
come fu sacro a lei;
sia de’ tuoi voti e miei
fido custode ognor.
TUTTI
Scritti nel ciel già sono,
come nel vostro cor.
ELVINO
Sposi or noi siamo.
AMINA
Sposi!…oh tenera parola!
ELVINO (le dà un mazzetto)
Cara! nel sen ti posi
questa gentil viola…
AMINA
Puro, innocente fiore!
ELVINO
Ei mi rammenti a te.
AMINA
Ah! non ne ha d’uopo il cuore.
ELVINO e AMINA
Caro/a, dal dì che univa
i nostri cori un Dio,
con te rimase il mio,
il tuo con me restò.
CORO
Scritti nel ciel, ecc.
AMINA
Ah! vorrei trovar parole
a spiegar com’io t’adoro!
Ma la voce, o mio tesoro,
non risponde al mio pensier.
ELVINO
Tutto, ah! tutto in questo istante
parla a me del foco ond’ardi:
io lo leggo ne’ tuoi sguardi,
nel tuo vezzo lusinghier!
L’alma mia nel tuo sembiante
vede appien la tua scolpita
e a lei vola, è in lei rapita
di dolcezza e di piacer!
Tutto, ah! tutto, ecc.
TUTTI
Ah! così negli occhi vostri
core a core ognor si mostri,
legga ognor qual legge adesso
l’un nell’altro un sol pensier.
Bellini, The Sleepwalker, “Take the Ring that I give you”
Callas, Valleti, Bernsatein, 1955
ELVINO
Forgive me, beloved,
for this brief delay.
On this solemn day I went
to ask an angel’s blessing on our vows;
prostrate at my mother’s tomb,
“Bless my wife,” I said,
“She has all your virtues:
May she make your son happy
as you did his father.” Beloved,
I hope my mother heard.
AMINA
Oh happy omen!
ALL
Let it not be in vain.
ELVINO
And now, friends, all of you,
witness our betrothal contract.
(The notary prepares everything for the signatures.)
NOTARY
Elvino, what gifts do you bring
to your wife?
ELVINO
My farms, my house,
my name, everything
that I possess.
NOTARY
And Amina?…
AMINA
Only my heart.
ELVINO
Ah! the heart is everything!
(As Amina’s mother and the witnesses sign, Elvino
presents a ring to Amina.)
Here, receive this ring
that the beloved spirit
who smiled upon our love
wore at the alter.
Let this gift be sacred
as it was to her
let it always be
witness of our trust.
ALL
Your vows are sealed in Heaven
as they are in your hearts.
ELVINO
Now we are betrothed.
AMINA
Betrothed!…Oh sweet word!
ELVINO (giving her a bouquet)
Beloved, upon your heart
let this violet stay.
AMINA
Flower, pure and innocent!
ELVINO
May it remind you of me.
AMINA
My heart doesn’t need it.
ELVINO and AMINA
Beloved, ever since the day
that God joined our hearts,
mine has stayed with you,
and yours has not left me.
CHORUS
Your vows are sealed, etc.
AMINA
Ah! could I but find words
to tell how I adore you!
But my voice, beloved,
cannot hold my thoughts.
ELVINO
Everything at this very instant
tells me of the flame I feel:
I discern it in your glance,
in your lovely manner now!
In your countenance my soul
sees itself completely mirrored,
flies to you, is enraptured
with your sweetness and with joy!
Everything at this, etc.
ALL
Ah! thus in your eyes, your hearts
to each other show themselves,
may you always share your thoughts,
read each other’s as you do now.
Cesare Valletti
December 18, 1922 – May 14, 2000
In the early post-war era, two tenors dominated the scene where the lighter, lyrical roles were concerned. One was Ferruccio Tagliavini; the other was the more stylish, sober Cesare Valletti.
Valletti was born in Rome and studied privately until making his debut, as Alfredo, at Bari in 1947. He came to prominence when he sang Don Narcisco in Il turco in Italia, with Callas and Mariano Stabile also in the cast, at Rome in 1950. He was soon in demand in the major houses in Italy, and began to record for the Italian company Cetra.
Valletti’s compact, slightly reedy tone and effortless technique were ideal for the tenor parts in Mozart, Rossini and Donizetti, and in those he was considered the true successor to the legendary Tito Schipa: Valletti matched his great predecessor in terms of fastidious style as exemplified in well-nigh faultless phrasing.
Valletti sang Fenton in Falstaff with the company of La Scala on its visit to Covent Garden in 1950. Here was the sweet, plangent tone and airy manner the role calls for, and some gift for acting. Unfortunately, he did not appear at the Royal Opera House again until 1958, when he was an impassioned Alfredo to Callas’s legendary Violetta.
By then his voice had strengthened while losing little of its old beauty of timbre, so that he was able to sing Alfredo’s denunciation of Violetta in Act Two with the requisite strength; in the Act One and Act Three duets his style and tone were as appealing as ever.
In the early 1960s, at the end of his career, he gave a series of recitals at the Wigmore Hall of French and Italian repertory, which displayed his ease of manner and intelligence in a non-operatic context.
The main part of Valletti’s international career was at New York’s Metropolitan, with whom he appeared, at the home house or on tour, 113 times, from his admired debut as an elegant and much-praised Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni in 1953 through until 1959, when he left in a huff after a row with the dictatorial director, Rudolf Bing. He was particularly feted for his Almaviva (The Barber of Seville) and Ernesto (Don Pasquale), but he also essayed the heavier parts of Pinkerton and Werther with appreciable success.
Among several complete roles he adorned with his gracefully accomplished singing were Nemorino in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore, Don Ramiro in Rossini’s Cenerentola, and Lindor in the same composer’s L’Italiana in Algeri. In all these roles he was sure-voiced, effortless in his fioritura and poised in his phrasing.
Valletti also appeared at the Vienna State Opera, at the Colón in Buenos Aires, and at Amsterdam and Paris. He sang Don Ottavio for Karajan at the 1960 Salzburg Festival. After a vocal crisis in 1967, he decided to retire and became a successful businessman in the pasta-making business of his second wife’s father. He made one further appearance, in 1968, at the Caramoor Festival in the US as Nero in L’incoronazione di Poppea.