dirktenor (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)

I am a singer and what my teacher keeps reminding me is: 1) we as humans cannot hear ourselves properly when the decibels go up; 2) singers are not machines, they are organic, changeable, fluid indiivduals, and live performances are seldom flawless; and 3) all recording devices (except old devices like Victrola horn) compress the human voice and omit many aspects of the full dynamic of volume, colour and timbre. Modern recordings mislead and cloud our experience of the beautiful and unique.

dirktenor (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)

To Turridu25 and everyone: yes, it's the recording quality definitely. I had the privelege of hearing Mr. Smith live in Italy in the summer of 2006 and this singer has a powerful and wonderfully potent tenor voice.

Turridu25 (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)

I love the quality but this guy sounds like Tamino not Walther. I don't know maybe it is just the recording but he has little projection.

balthasarzorn (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)

Ich habe ihn dieses Jahr als Tristan in Bayreuth gehört - eine absolute Bank!!! Präsent und überzeugend bis zum Schluss.

WagnerNietzsche (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)

Smith has a lovely voice, but his problem is that (at least in Vienna) you simply can´t hear him most of the time. I saw him several times in "Tristan" along with Polaski and Welser-Möst and for the most part you just heard the orchestra playing. Beautiful voice - I wouldn´t argue that one

2800Hertz (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)

Play faster, conductor! Geeez!

instafford12 (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)

This man's voice is incredibly beautiful, expressive, and evocative. Is is just me, or does anyone else wonder why on earth he isn't extremely well known and admired? Hope his beautiful Tristan for the Met (no rehearsal--absolutely unbelievable!!!) means we'll be seeing and hearing alot more of him.

isoldewagner (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)

Heard him in the met broadcast Tristan. Most beautiful voice I head as Tristan. No "Bayreuth bark". Hope someone has access to that and post it!!

sammyscroll (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)

Absolutely thrilling voice. I would love to hear him whenever he really opens up...I can just imagine the power he has.......

carraisahero (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)

Saw him in Cambridge on the live HD relay from the Met (Nwe York) singing Tristan with Deborah Voigt (Isolde) on 22 March 2008. A revelation. Beautiful voice, if not the biggest, but lovely sustained tone and good intonation.