Vieni fra queste braccia – Arturo and Elvira, Act III

Towards the end of the opera, it becomes really dangerous for Arturo again, at least as far as the notes are concerned. In this duet – a mutual declaration of love – the high notes seem to stand for the highest of feelings: Arturo must sing two high Ds alongside (once again) countless Gs and As. And where we just talked about "catchy": This duet is also so "catchy" that it has occasionally been recorded by tenors as a solo number (see recording 2).

Recording 1: Alfredo Kraus & Montserrat Caballé (Studio 1979)

The Spanish tenor Alfredo Kraus (1927-1999) was one of the singers who was significantly involved in a bel canto renaissance in the 60s and 70s, because he was one of the few who could sing these operas "in a modern way". The voice was large, carried excellently and sounded uniform up to the high D. In addition, Kraus was not only a reliable musician, but also very rarely canceled. You could rely on Kraus. The strict Riccardo Muti also knew how to appreciate this, who selected Kraus for this recording.

Recording 2: Eugene Conley (Studio 1948)

This recording shows "Vieni fra queste braccia" as a solo number, as a showpiece of a tenor who had a truly uniquely beautiful high range. When the American Eugene Conley (1908-1981), who incidentally had sung the Puritani at the Teatro alla Scala in 1950, sings his high Ds, the voice opens with such radiance that you can only marvel. And as if the whole thing wasn't demanding enough: Conley ends the piece with a high C that Bellini hadn't even written.

Credeasi misera – Arturo and Ensemble, Act III

However, Bellini saved the biggest bang effect for the end. This involves a longer ensemble scene in which Arturo sets the tone, namely with a high F, which is the highest note ever notated in classical opera for a tenor. The crux of the matter is that by modern standards (i.e., if you expect the tenor to sing his notes with a somewhat uniform sound) it is actually not singable. Almost every man has to resort to head voice to reach this note. That it then falls out of the frame, so to speak, is clear. And only a few could sing this note without involuntarily achieving a comic effect. That's why many simply sang "only" a Db instead. Or transposed the entire number down by a semitone to make it a C.

Recording 1: Luciano Pavarotti (Studio 1973)

Pavarotti once compared the role of Arturo to a tightrope walk: And always sing high notes with full voice! Well, apart from the high F of course, which Pavarotti also sang with head voice. But with him it sounded more musical and natural than with many others. This recording is certainly one of the best of "Credeasi misera" with the high F. As incredible as it sounds: Pavarotti later said that he found the Sonnambula even more difficult: "Whoever has a good high range can sing an incredible Arturo without being a great singer. But in La Sonnambula you also have to be able to phrase really well in the middle range and high range. If I could sing the Sonnambula as it was intended... then I would know what Belcanto really means."

Recording 2: Giuseppe di Stefano (1952)

Finally, a classic. Forgive the terrible sound quality, but actually you have to be glad that anything survived from Mexico in the early 1950s. Here is an example of how bel canto was sung in the 50s and 60s. Giuseppe di Stefano (1921-2008) sings here alongside Maria Callas: without high F and the substitute notes a bit too low. But romantic-veristic, emotionally charged and with really full voice. What you prefer is ultimately, like so many things, a matter of taste.