dre,
i tried a few searches but, i couldn't find any reference to it
either. it's likely, if he did sing it, that he filled in for some ailing
singer or, may have even tried it for a novelty. even though the part
doesn't go above an A, as i recall, he may have taken some options (although,
why would anyone sing the part intentionally, if they had to opt out?).
(george london recorded the part of mandryka in 'arabella' taking
unauthorized options. 'what was the point?', i wonder.)
the A above middle C is not necessarily out of reach for a
bass-baritone (i think ruggero raimondi threw in that interpolated A in the
finale of 'don giovanni') and, an ability to sing this note does not suddenly
change one's fach. if fischer-dieskau did sing the evangelist, i'm sure he
did so with his characteristically lightened top. the singing of this part
certainly wouldn't make him a baritone (in accordance with such logic, it
would make him a tenor).
as a friend of mine once pointed out "just because aaron copeland
wrote 'rodeo', it doesn't mean he's a horse".
mike
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