Bass Cage Match: Sparafucile’s Low F

From Act 1, scene 2 of Rigoletto. Sparafucile meets Rigoletto and gets the chance to sing a sustained, exposed low F. A shining or embarrassing moment, depending on the bass. In chronological order: 1. Virgilio Lazzari, 1935 (with Lawrence Tibbett as Rigoletto) 2. Giulio Neri, 1946 (with Tito Gobbi) 3. Italo Tajo, 1950 (with Leonard Warren) 4. Niccolo Zaccaria, 1955 (with Tito Gobbi) 5. Giorgio Tozzi, 1956 (with Robert Merrill) 6. Martti Talvela, 1971 (with Sherill Milnes)