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Just watched this Lawrence Tibbett showpiece again, & wanted out of curiosity to see what IMDB had to say about Virginia Bruce's aria--to my considerable surprize, she's given credit for singing it. She had, I know, a pretty good "popular" singing voice, but frankly I'm still a little dubious about that aria. However, what floored me was the claim that ALICE BRADY (looking unusally pretty) also sang her aria! Well, I only hope all this is true--I abhor dubbing; better a second-rate "real" voice than a first-rate dubbed one.

Tibbett's singing & ACTING of "Road to Mandalay" isn't merely unsurpassable, it's got to be beyond equal--hearing this only on a record would be the palest of imitations.

Tibbett had some acting ability and an engaging personality- I think he'd have had a fine picture career if health problems - and a big drinking problem - hadn't affected him.

I'm sure it was Richard Barrios who said Tibbett's voice was the finest ever recorded on film up to that time after hearing the soundtrack to Rogue Song.

Barrios says Tibbett had "a baritone to kill for."

His Victor disc of "The Glory Road" and "Edward" was a deservedly good seller.

I've got the set where he sings Porgy - he does a fine job, if you can get the mental picture out of your head.

Something wrong with "black face"?

drednm wrote:Something wrong with "black face"?

Mentally picturing his somewhat plump face blacked, yes. A moot point though - he never did the part on stage - it's a beautifully sung album of Porgy and Bess with an all white cast.

FrankFay wrote:

drednm wrote:Something wrong with "black face"?

Mentally picturing his somewhat plump face blacked, yes. A moot point though - he never did the part on stage - it's a beautifully sung album of Porgy and Bess with an all white cast.

He did, however, star in an operatic version of THE EMPEROR JONES at the Met a year or two before he made METROPOLITAN.

I would be interested in hearing that, but assume it was never recorded.

FrankFay wrote:His Victor disc of "The Glory Road" and "Edward" was a deservedly good seller.

I've got the set where he sings Porgy - he does a fine job, if you can get the mental picture out of your head.

Doubtless you know he sings "Glory Road" in this picture--not my cup of tea at all. "Edward" I like considerably better, but it's still a little strange for my ears; much prefer he'd stuck with Verdi.

That magnificent baritone (or bass-baritone) of his must have been somewhat career-limiting in opera, the plum roles reserved of course for all those puling tenors...a circumstance, perhaps, that drew him to Porgy, Emperor Jones, and other choices I can't help but feel somewhat unworthy of his stupendous talent. Appealing exclusively to my tastes, let me be quick to acknowledge, would have severely crimped his record sales.

Tibbett made the cover of Time in 1933 for Emperor Jones.



After 1940, you just have to look away.

bobfells wrote:After 1940, you just have to look away.

I'd have looked away in '33. (Certainly not for any reason pertaining to PC.)

On the opera theme in general although quite a few presumably made the transition to early talkies I always seem to pair off Tibbett with Grace Moore although I haven't seen any of the latter's films. How does Ms. Moore's voice hold up in her roles?

I haven't seen Metropolitan since high school--was this the one with the charming scene of Tibbett and Bruce listening to the Met broadcast on the car radio while trying to fix up one of the cars?

Tibbett made such superb recordings. I don't know if he recorded any of Emperor Jones, but George London recorded the number "Standin' in the need of prayer," though i don't know if it is still in print.

greta

Yes, Greta, that's the one. Tibbetts voice is one of the glories of the opera world. One of my all time favorite baritones.

alistairw wrote:On the opera theme in general although quite a few presumably made the transition to early talkies I always seem to pair off Tibbett with Grace Moore although I haven't seen any of the latter's films. How does Ms. Moore's voice hold up in her roles?

Moore's voice holds up splendidly in films - she was like like Jeanette Macdonald in that she had a voice AND looks.

alistairw wrote:On the opera theme in general although quite a few presumably made the transition to early talkies I always seem to pair off Tibbett with Grace Moore although I haven't seen any of the latter's films.

I make that same pairing, though they only made one picture together: New Moon--very, very good, but not the equal of One Night of Love, unquestionably her best H'wood film, and also the best "opera world" picture I've ever seen.

However, her supreme cinematic performance (and her last picture) occurs in the 1938 French production of Charpentier's Louise. The latter is somewhat unusual is affording an outstanding part for baritone, and although the French baritone singing that role is magnificient, an accomplished actor as well as singer, it would have been even more wonderful to see Tibbett paired once again with Moore. (How she managed to grab this immensely coveted--at least in France--role from the French sopranos who'd have died for it, I've never heard explained, but it stands to reason there were no more parts available for Americans.)

Ah, for me Grace Moore is a nother kettle of fish. I'm a big opera fan and love Jeannette, but I can't stand either Grace Moore's voice or personality. I haven't seen.Louise yet, though, and am anxious to do so, but i have both her and Jeannette's recordings of Depuis le jour and much prefer Jeannette's. I'm sure it won't erase memories of Renee Fleming.

Greta

greta de groat wrote:Ah, for me Grace Moore is a nother kettle of fish. I'm a big opera fan and love Jeannette, but I can't stand either Grace Moore's voice or personality. I haven't seen.Louise yet, though, and am anxious to do so, but i have both her and Jeannette's recordings of Depuis le jour and much prefer Jeannette's. I'm sure it won't erase memories of Renee Fleming.

Greta

Yes, but would Jeanette have dared to sing "Minnie the Moocher" in When You're in Love? Doubtless, she would, if asked, but Grace beat her to it. If, with a straight razor held to my throat, I was forced to choose between the two, I'd have to pronounce the name of Jeanette--that combination of body & voice defines "sublime." (And could that girl trip the light fantastic, when, rarely, she chose to do so!)

As for Grace's personality, the fact that she & Kay Francis were best friends reveals much...all of it good, in my opinion.

Greta: According to Andrew Farkas' (ed) scholarly "Lawrence Tibbett, Singing Actor," Amadeus Press,
1989- Tibbett recorded Emperor Jones world premiere (conductor Serafin) on January 7th 1933 for the
Metropolitan, then a condensed version for the Packard Hour on October 16th, 1934 (EJS 124; R.5324)
Good luck finding them!

Just noticed that tomorrow's (Friday) TCM schedule includes, at 12:15 pm, Grace Moore's I'll Take Romance, 1937.

Jeanette started out as a dancer and was known in the 20s on Broadway as a dancer who could sing.

drednm wrote:Jeanette started out as a dancer and was known in the 20s on Broadway as a dancer who could sing.

Only once, as far as I know, did she ever show her stuff on film: her wild Gypsy dance in Firefly. This, however, takes place in the background of the scene, & she's not shown to full advantage.

Tibbet's electrifying version of "Standin' in the Need of Prayer" from THE EMPEROR JONES can be heard here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRGsdVHPvTs" target="_blank

ajabrams wrote:Tibbet's electrifying version of "Standin' in the Need of Prayer" from THE EMPEROR JONES can be heard here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRGsdVHPvTs" target="_blank" target="_blank

Thanks, got my earphone on now!

greta