{"id":6570,"date":"2025-08-31T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-31T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voicedetective.com\/?p=6570"},"modified":"2025-08-31T19:16:34","modified_gmt":"2025-08-31T17:16:34","slug":"lg-ramon-vinay-tenor-august-31-1912","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voicedetective.com\/de\/2025\/08\/lg-ramon-vinay-tenor-august-31-1912\/","title":{"rendered":"RAMON VINAY, TENOR, AUGUST 31, 1912"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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ramon vinay, tenor
AUGUST 31, 1912<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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The individual performance I remember best was that of Ram<\/span><\/i>\u00f3<\/span>n Vinay as Otello; it was the two hundredth time he had sung the role, and never in my life have I heard it sung and acted so perfectly.<\/span><\/i>[1]<\/span><\/sup><\/a> Rudolf Bing<\/span>
<\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

So spoke Rudolf Bing, certainly a man who knew his singers and performers like no other in his decades as General Manager of New York\u2019s Metropolitan Opera. The season was that of 1951-52. By all accounts Vinay was one of the most outstanding Otellos, not just of his own era, but of all time.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Otello is a dramatic tenor role, but Vinay was not always a tenor. In fact he started as a baritone singing in Mexico City where he studied singing and debuted in 1931 as Alphonse in La favorita<\/i>.<\/span>[2]<\/span><\/sup><\/a> He sang the major Verdi baritone roles of Rigoletto, Count di Luna and Baron Scarpia until in 1943 when studying with Ren<\/span>\u00e9 Maison <\/span>he was re-invented as a tenor in the role of <\/span>Don Jos<\/span>\u00e9<\/span>,<\/span>[3]<\/span><\/sup><\/a> still in Mexico. It was the switch in voice though, that launched his international career and the recognition his greatness deserved. He debuted in New York City Opera in 1945 as Otello, and just one year later in 1946 he was engaged at the Metropolitan in the same role.<\/span>[4]<\/span><\/sup><\/a> He was to perform Otello hundreds of times and each time his interpretation was new, exciting and dictated not by routine, but a full and conscious identification with the role. A great leading lady with a huge voice too, Astrid Varnay, recalled, \u2019every time he sang it [Otello], he was constantly adding, subtracting, refining, and responding in character to whatever stage situations might arise. This explained what many people would go back to hear him sing the role over and over, because there would always be added some profundity to his characterization. In the final act, after I had been well and truly suffocated by the hero, I happened to land in death heavily on one arm. As I had already shuffled off this mortal coil, to quote another Shakespearean source, I was in no position to retain my moribund verisimilitude and get comfortable at the same time. Somehow i managed to whisper to Vinay, <\/span>\u201c<\/span>Ram<\/span>\u00f3<\/span>n, my arm.\u201d His response was pure genius. Ever so gently, he drew my arm away from the edge of the bed and made it part of his acting, clutching it to his own grieving breast, studying it in motionless recumbency, and using it, so to speak, as a surrogate for the rest of me. It was an incredibly touching moment, even for me.\u2019<\/span>[5]<\/span><\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Vinay was not a one-role singer. As well as Don Jos<\/span>\u00e9<\/span> and Rodolfo, he sang the great Verdi and Wagner heroes; Manrico, Tristan, Siegfried, Tannh\u00e4user and Parsifal.<\/span>[6]<\/span><\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

In 1962, Vinay returned to baritone roles.<\/span>[7]<\/span><\/sup><\/a> From 1969 to 1971 he was artistic director of the Santiago Opera in his native Chile. In all he sang baritone roles for 17 years and tenor ones 19 years. We know that he was a thoughtful singer, both in regards to interpretation, and as selfless colleague who would support other singers.<\/span>[8]<\/span><\/sup><\/a> His colleagues marvelled at his intensity when bringing roles to life.<\/span>[9]<\/span><\/sup><\/a> Pederzini said, \u2018his intensity was galvanizing, and I enjoyed very much appearing with him as Dalila too.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

One final story brings us closer to the character of the man and performer. Rudolf Bing related the story of the three Tristans. Vinay had been the original casting and was sick, the second casting tenor too was sick and the third casting also was sick. A nervous Bing faced the auditorium and after reassuring the audience that Nilsson would be singing Isolde, spoke, \u2018However we are less fortunate with our Tristan. The Metropolitan has three distinguished Tristans available, but all are sick. In order not to disappoint you, these gallant gentlemen, against their doctors<\/span>\u2019 <\/span>orders, have agreed to do one act each.\u2019 <\/span>[10]<\/span><\/sup><\/a> This was above and beyond the call of duty.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Ramon Vinay, great dramatic tenor, born on this day in 1912 in Chill\u00e1n, Chile, died in Mexico City on 4 January1996.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/span><\/div>\n
\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n


<\/p>\n

\n
\n

[1]<\/span><\/sup><\/a> BING, RUDOLF., 5000 NIGHTS AT THE OPERA<\/u>., DOUBLEDAY & CO. (1972). P.182<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

[2]<\/span><\/sup><\/a> ROSENTHAL, HAROLD., VINAY, RAMON<\/u> IN MACY, LAURA (EDITOR) THE GROVE BOOK OF OPERA SINGERS<\/u>, OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS, (2008), P.522<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

[3]<\/span><\/sup><\/a> IBID. P.522<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

[4]<\/span><\/sup><\/a> IBID. P.522<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

[5]<\/span><\/sup><\/a> VARNAY, ASTRID (WITH ARTHUR, DONALD.). 55 YEARS IN FIVE ACTS – MY LIFE IN OPERA<\/u>, NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY PRESS, (2000). P.212<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

[6]<\/span><\/sup><\/a> IBID. P.522<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

[7]<\/span><\/sup><\/a> IBID. P.522<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

[8]<\/span><\/sup><\/a> IBID. PP.176-7<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

[9]<\/span><\/sup><\/a> RASPONI, LANFRANCO., THE LAST PRIMA DONNAS<\/u>., VICTOR GOLLANCZ LTD, (1984). P.50 ELENA NICOLAI, P.251 RENATE TEBALDI AND P.301 GIANNA PEDERZINI<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

[10]<\/span><\/sup><\/a> IBID. P.253<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“The individual performance I remember best was that of Ram\u00f3n Vinay as Otello; it was the two hundredth time he had sung the role, and never in my life have I heard it sung and acted so perfectly”. Rudolf Bing<\/p>\n

So spoke Rudolf Bing, certainly a man who knew his singers and performers like no other in his decades as General Manager of New York\u2019s Metropolitan Opera. The season was that of 1951-52. By all accounts Vinay was one of the most outstanding Otellos, not just of his own era, but of all time.<\/p>\n

Otello is a dramatic tenor role, but Vinay was not always a tenor. In fact he started as a baritone singing in Mexico City where he studied singing and debuted in 1931 as Alphonse in La favorita. He sang the major Verdi baritone roles of Rigoletto, Count di Luna and Baron Scarpia until in 1943 when studying with Ren\u00e9 Maison he was re-invented as a tenor in the role of Don Jos\u00e9, still in Mexico. It was the switch in voice though, that launched his international career and the recognition his greatness deserved. He debuted in New York City Opera in 1945 as Otello, and just one year later in 1946 he was engaged at the Metropolitan in the same role. He was to perform Otello hundreds of times and each time his interpretation was new, exciting and dictated not by routine, but a full and conscious identification with the role. A great leading lady with a huge voice too, Astrid Varnay, recalled, \u2019every time he sang it [Otello], he was constantly adding, subtracting, refining, and responding in character to whatever stage situations might arise. This explained what many people would go back to hear him sing the role over and over, because there would always be added some profundity to his characterization. In the final act, after I had been well and truly suffocated by the hero, I happened to land in death heavily on one arm. As I had already shuffled off this mortal coil, to quote another Shakespearean source, I was in no position to retain my moribund verisimilitude and get comfortable at the same time. Somehow i managed to whisper to Vinay, \u201cRam\u00f3n, my arm.\u201d His response was pure genius. Ever so gently, he drew my arm away from the edge of the bed and made it part of his acting, clutching it to his own grieving breast, studying it in motionless recumbency, and using it, so to speak, as a surrogate for the rest of me. It was an incredibly touching moment, even for me.\u2019 <\/p>\n

Vinay was not a one-role singer. As well as Don Jos\u00e9 and Rodolfo, he sang the great Verdi and Wagner heroes; Manrico, Tristan, Siegfried, Tannh\u00e4user and Parsifal. <\/p>\n

In 1962, Vinay returned to baritone roles. From 1969 to 1971 he was artistic director of the Santiago Opera in his native Chile. In all he sang baritone roles for 17 years and tenor ones 19 years. We know that he was a thoughtful singer, both in regards to interpretation, and as selfless colleague who would support other singers. His colleagues marvelled at his intensity when bringing roles to life. Pederzini said, \u2018his intensity was galvanizing, and I enjoyed very much appearing with him as Dalila too.\u2019<\/p>\n

One final story brings us closer to the character of the man and performer. Rudolf Bing related the story of the three Tristans. Vinay had been the original casting and was sick, the second casting tenor too was sick and the third casting also was sick. A nervous Bing faced the auditorium and after reassuring the audience that Nilsson would be singing Isolde, spoke, \u2018However we are less fortunate with our Tristan. The Metropolitan has three distinguished Tristans available, but all are sick. In order not to disappoint you, these gallant gentlemen, against their doctors\u2019 orders, have agreed to do one act each.\u2019 This was above and beyond the call of duty.<\/p>\n

Ramon Vinay, great dramatic tenor, born on this day in 1912 in Chill\u00e1n, Chile, died in Mexico City on 4 January1996.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6571,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[73],"tags":[74],"class_list":["post-6570","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-legendary-singers","tag-legendary-singers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/voicedetective.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6570","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/voicedetective.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/voicedetective.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/voicedetective.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/voicedetective.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6570"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/voicedetective.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6570\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/voicedetective.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6571"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/voicedetective.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6570"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/voicedetective.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6570"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/voicedetective.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6570"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}