Tibbett was a very famous baritone. He was an opera singer and recording artist who also performed as a film actor and radio personality. A baritone with large, deep, and dark-timbred voice, his dynamic range ranged from forceful fortes to delicate pianissimos. He sang leading roles with the Metropolitan Opera.
Tibbett’s vocal production was good. There is no sign of tension in the voice, even though the sound was dark. His production was resonant, meaning that the air flowed unimpeded through the vocal cords to the resonating cavities in the head. His Germont from La Traviata was especially famous. Germont’s aria “Di Provenza il mar, il suol” is posted below.
Leoncavallo, I Pagliacci, Prologo dei Pagliacci
PROLOGO
Tonio, in costume da Taddeo come nella commedia, passando attraverso al telone
TONIO
Si può?… Si può?…
poi salutando
Signore! Signori!… Scusatemi
se da sol me presento.
Io sono il Prologo:
Poiché in iscena ancor
le antiche maschere mette l’autore,
in parte ei vuol riprendere
le vecchie usanze, e a voi
di nuovo inviami.
Ma non per dirvi come pria:
«Le lacrime che noi versiam son false!
Degli spasimi e de’ nostri martir
non allarmatevi!» No! No:
L’autore ha cercato
invece pingervi
uno squarcio di vita.
Egli ha per massima sol
che l’artista è un uom
e che per gli uomini
scrivere ei deve.
Ed al vero ispiravasi.
Un nido di memorie
in fondo a l’anima
cantava un giorno,
ed ei con vere lacrime scrisse,
e i singhiozzi
il tempo gli battevano!
Dunque, vedrete amar
sì come s’amano gli esseri umani;
vedrete de l’odio i tristi frutti.
Del dolor gli spasimi,
urli di rabbia, udrete,
e risa ciniche!
E voi, piuttosto
che le nostre povere gabbane d’istrioni,
le nostr’anime considerate,
poiché siam uomini
di carne e d’ossa,
e che di quest’orfano mondo
al pari di voi spiriamo l’aere!
Il concetto vi dissi…
Or ascoltate com’egli è svolto.
gridando verso la scena
Andiam. Incominciate!
Rientra e la tela si leva.
Leoncavallo, Prologue from I Pagliaci
PROLOGUE
Tonio in the costume of Taddeo in the play, coming through the curtain
TONIO
Excuse me!
bowing
Ladies and gentlemen,
forgive me for appearing alone.
I am the Prologue.
Since the author is putting on the stage
again the old Comedy of Masks,
he would like to revive
some of the old customs
and so sends me out again to you.
But not to say, as of old,
“The tears we shed are feigned!
Do not alarm yourselves at our sufferings
and our torments!” No.
The author instead has sought to paint
for you a scene from life.
He takes as his basis simply
that the artist is a man
and that he must write for men.
His inspiration was a true story.
A horde of memories
was one day running through his head,
and he wrote, shedding real tears,
with sobs to mark the time!
So you will see love,
as real as the love of human beings:
You will see the sad fruit of hate.
You will hear agonies of grief,
cries of rage and bitter laughter!
So think then, not of our poor
theatrical costumes
but of our souls,
for we are men of flesh and blood.
Breathing the air of this lonely world
Just like you!
I have told you his plan.
Now hear how it is unfolded.
calling towards the stage
Come. Let’s begin!
He goes in, and the curtain rises.
Verdi, La Traviata, “Di Provenza il mar, il suol”
GERMONT
Di Provenza il mar, il suol
chi dal cor ti cancellò?
Al natio fulgente sol
qual destino ti furò?
Oh, rammenta pur nel duol
ch’ivi gioia a te brillò;
e che pace colà sol
su te splendere ancor può.
Dio mi guidò!
Ah! il tuo vecchio genitor
tu non sai quanto soffrì.
Te lontano, di squallor
il suo tetto si coprì,
ma se alfin ti trovo ancor,
se in me speme non fallì,
se la voce dell’onor
in te appien non ammutì.
Dio m’esaudì!
Né rispondi d’un padre all’affetto?
ALFREDO
(Scuotendosi, vede sulla tavola la lettera di Flora, la
scorre ed esclama:)
Ah! ell’è alla festa!
Volisi l’offesa a vendicar.
Verdi, The Fallen Woman, “The sea, the hills of Provence”
The sea, the hills of Provence,
who effaced them from your heart?
What destiny took you away
from the sunny land of your birth?
Oh, remember in your sorrow
what joy warmed you there;
and that only there
can your soul find peace again.
God brought me here!
Ah! You cannot know
how your old father has suffered.
With you away
his house is clouded with sorrow.
But at last I have found you,
if my hope has not been in vain.
If the voice of honour is not wholly stilled in you.
But I have found you again.
God has answered my prayer!
Don’t you return your father’s love?
ALFREDO
(Suddenly he sees Flora’s letter on the table and
exclaims:)
Ah! She is at the party! Let me fly
to take revenge for this offence.
Verdi, Un ballo in maschera, “Eri tu”
Eri tu che macchiavi quell’anima,
La delzia dell’anima mia…
Che m’affidi e d’un tratto esecrabile
L’universo avveleni per me!
Traditor! che in tal guisa
Dell’amico tuo primo la fè!
O dolcezze perdute! O memorie
D’un amplesso che l’essere india!…
Quando Amelia sì bella, sì candida
Sul mio seno brillava d’amor!…
È finita – non siede che l’odio,
E la morte sul vedovo cor!
O dolcezze perdute, o speranze d’amor!
Verdi, A Masked Ball, “It was you”
And it is you who stained that soul,
The delight of my soul …
Who confided in me and for one execrable instant
Poisoned the universe for me!
Traitor! In such a manner you repay
The faith of your former friend!
O lost delights! O memories
Of an embrace that rendered happiness! …
When Amelia is so beautiful, so pure
On my breast shone with love! …
It’s finished – nothing remains but hatred,
And death in my widower’s heart!
O lost delights, O hopes of love!
Lawrence Mervil Tibbett
November 16, 1896 – July 15, 1960
Tibbett began his performing career as an actor and church singer in Los Angeles, where he studied voice with Basil Ruysdael. In 1923, after moving to New York City and beginning vocal study with Frank La Forge, he made his operatic debut at the Metropolitan Opera as Lovitsky in Modest Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov. His first major success came in 1925 at the Metropolitan, when he played Ford in Giuseppe Verdi’s Falstaff. His performance completely overshadowed that of Antonio Scotti, the well-known Italian baritone, who was playing the title role. Over the next several years he sang most of the leading baritone roles at the Metropolitan, continuing with the company for 27 seasons. He was also a popular figure in early talking films and on radio, and he produced the first operas on television.
Tibbett sang in the premiere performances of several native American operas at the Metropolitan, creating the title role in Louis Gruenberg’s The Emperor Jones (the first world premiere to be broadcast live from the Metropolitan) in 1933, Eadgar in Deems Taylor’s The King’s Henchman (1927) and Colonel Ibbetson in Taylor’s Peter Ibbetson (1931), and Wrestling Bradford in Howard Hanson’s Merry Mount (1934). He also played Guido in the first Metropolitan performance of Richard Hageman’s Caponsacchi (1937) and created the title role in Sir Eugene Goossens’ Don Juan de Mañara at Covent Garden, London, in that same year. Films in which he appeared include The Rogue Song, New Moon, The Southerner, and Cuban Love Song. He also did considerable work in radio and recording. He appeared at the Metropolitan for the last time in 1950 in the role of Ivan in Mussorgsky’s Khovanschina, and his last stage appearance was in the musical comedy Fanny on Broadway in 1956. Tibbett’s autobiography, The Glory Road, was published in 1933.