It is amazing to me that the dummos who insist on trying to advertise here cannot grasp the fact that all I do is make one little CLICK, and all their ads are deleted..I guess they are living in a "Fools' Paradise."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNniGHmTrNo&feature=rec-fav-watch-cur_emp-farside_rn

Darling Magda, a miracle, turns 100 on March 25. Recently a friend of mine spent a few hours with her in Milano..She said, "If you can breathe, you can sing!!" She sure BREATHED!!!!!

                                    With love   Charlie

Highlights from Mascagni's much-neglected "L'Amico Fritz" featuring:

Beniamino Gigli, Gianni Raimondi, Ferruccio Tagliavini, Cesare Valletti, Roberto Alagna, Carlo Tagliabue, Rosanna Carteri, Mafalda Favero, Angela Gheorghiu, Rina Gigli, and Mirella Freni   (72 min.)

What more can one say about the legendary soprano Kirsten Flagstad, possessor of one of the greatest natural voices in opera history?
    This podcast features songs and arias from her career, from the early days to her farewell, plus some commercial recordings made later on. I know you will enjoy this marvelous soprano.

    Featured are scenes from Tannhauser, Gotterdamerung, Walkure,
    Parsifal, the World Premiere of the Strauss' Four Last Songs in 1950,  and some miscellaneous material as narrated.   (74 min.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKChjB7-aAc&NR=1

.....because they want only "pretty singing' and Muti hates high notes.....Charlie

Now look!!!!!!

        I always speak of  singers with great chest voice but FINALLY I have found the greatest chest-voiced singer in captivity, Manuela Trasobares. In fact she has more "chests" than most divas. I think you will want to go to her site on youtube where she sings a lot of other songs, arias, etc. I especially want you to hear her great Kundry from Parsifal (sung to the recording of another Kundry.)
     ...and I thought I had problems..............

  Lovingly  Charlie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wVbunJWSYg

A selection of great artists in Verdi material.In order, they include:

Alessandro Bonzi, Aureliano Pertile, Jussi Bjoerling, Giovanni Zenatello,
Tito Schipa, Enrico Caruso, Irene Minghini-Cattaneo, Ebe Stignani,
Elizabeth Retherbeg, Hina Spani, Esther, Mazzoleni, Giannina Arangi-Lombardi, Ezio Pinza, Nazareno De Angelis, Tancredi Pasero,
Alexander Kipnis, Ricardo Stracciari, Beniamino Gigli (w.Pinza and Rethberg.)                   (72 min.)

A new release on the BonGiovanni label of a live performance of Manon Lescaut, from Piacenza, 1974.( highlights ). The sound is pretty good, with some flaws, but I think you will enjoy the wonderful Virginia Zeani and Flaviano Labo in the leading roles. Alberto Rinaldi is the Lescaut and Leonida Bergamonti sings Geronte, conducted by Umberto Cattini.(66 min.)

Hi all,

Just a reminder that I am uploading and also taking clips from Youtube .so many wonderful video clips.If you click on "Favorites" you will be presented with a wide variety of material, in  addition to what is there that I personally uploaded. Have fun!!!

http://www.youtube.com/mrfriendofopera#p/f

Rosanna Carteri, one of the most emotional divas in my experience, is heard in material from Adriana, Lodoletta,Turandot, Mme.Butterfly (w.Carlo Bergonzi), Suor Angelica, La Traviata, La Boheme (w.Giuseppe Taddei). Bio to follow   (69 min.)

Rosanna Carteri (born December 14, 1930) was an Italian soprano primarily active in the 1950s through the mid-1960s.

Rosanna Carteri was born in Verona and studied with Cusinati and started singing in concert at the age of twelve. She won a RAI singing contest in 1948 which led to her operatic debut at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome as Elsa in Lohengrin in 1949, aged only 19. She made her La Scala debut in 1951. Other debuts were at the Salzburg Festival as Desdemona in Otello in 1952 under the direction of Wilhelm Furtwängler, San Francisco as Mimi in La Bohème in 1954, the Lyric Opera of Chicago as Marguerite in Faust in 1955, the Arena di Verona as Mimi in 1958, Covent Garden as Tosca in 1960, Opéra de Paris in 1961 as Violetta in La Traviata.

Carteri made a few recordings for Cetra early in her career, such as Matilde in Guglielmo Tell, opposite Giuseppe Taddei, La Bohème with Ferruccio Tagliavini and Suor Angelica. She also recorded La Traviata for RCA Victor with Cesare Valletti and Leonard Warren under the direction of Pierre Monteux. She participated in several television productions for RAI such as Le nozze di Figaro, La Traviata, Otello and Falstaff.

Carteri also participated in the creation of some contemporary works such as Ifegenia by Ildebrando Pizzetti in 1950, Proserpine e le straniero by Juan Jose Castro in 1952, Calzare d'argento again by Pizzetti in 1961 and Il mercante di Venizia by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco also in 1961.

Rosanna Carteri decided to retire from singing in the mid-1960s while still only in her thirties to devote herself to her family.

   I have selected commercial recordings of Verdi material as sung by my all-time favorite diva, Zinka Milanov. Since Nimbus has just put out two Milanov albums (one pictured), I thought I would celebrate the recordings made on RCA by Mme.Milanov. Featured are highlights from Aida, Trovatore, Forza, Ballo, and Otello. I have chosen scenes from the Nimbus album and from other commercial recordings...but again I tell you, you HAD TO BE THERE!               (69 min.)

You will LOVE this one!   Sixteen divas singing cabalettas..Lots of trills,thrills, high notes,etc...Have fun!!!!!!

Lili Pons, Mado Robin, Beverly Sills, Katya Ricciarelli, Gilda Cruz-Romo, Federica von Stade, Shirley Verrett, Antonietta Stella, Maria Chiara, Magda Olivero, Zinka Milanov, Leontyne Price, Joan Sutherland, Monserrat Caballe, Christina Deutekom, and Virginia Zeani.

                  ( 68 min.of carrying-on)

Volume 2 of exciting divas, including:

Maria Spacagna, Maria Dragoni, Linda Vajna, Anna de Cavalieri, Margherita Roberti, Maria Chiara, Emma Renzi, Gigliola Frazzoni,Nora de Rosa, Tiziana Fabbricini, Elena Suliotis (in photo), Clara Petrella,
Anita Cerquetti, Rosanna Carteri, and Caterina Mancini.  (68 min.)

The first of two podcasts that celebrate the careers of some of the divas who perhaps did not receive as much recognition as I believe they deserved. Remember, if you are not an avid collector, you do not necessarily have access to the (mostly live) performances they gave.
Therefore, enjoy listening to them:

Angeles Gulin, Lucia Aliberti, Luisa Maragliano, Josella Ligi, Mariana Niculescu, Rita Orlandi, Cesy Broggini, Ilva Ligabue, Gina Cigna (in photo), Maria Vitale, Margherita Grandi, Virginia Gordoni, Milena Dal Piva, and Maddalena Bonifaccio. (71 min.)

Vol.2 of the "Pace,pace" sopranos. Here we listen to the voices of:

Maria Caniglia, Maria Nistor Slatinaru, Carla Martinis, Aprile Millo, Antonietta Stella, Leyla Gencer, AND two of the greatest "party tape divas" (Proceed at your own risk), Olive Middleton and Vassilka Petrova.

   The podcast concludes with three versions a sung by my all-time favorite singer, Zinka Milanov (1952, 1953, 1956).  (70 min.)

NO PEEKING!!!!!    (If you wish to use this podcast as a quiz for yourself and/or others. This is volume one of the "Pace,pace" podcast with 11 sopranos and I hope you enjoy it.Here they are:

Eileen Farrell, Elizabeth Barbato, Stella Roman, Raina Kabaiwanska, Gre Browenstijn, Monserrat Caballe, Elinor Ross, Maria Callas, Leontyne Price, Adriana Guerrini, and Renata Tebaldi.   (71 min.)

                   More to come!!!!!!!!!!!

A thrilling compilation of tenors who had the reputation of being able to knock  your socks off with brilliant top notes. I know you will enjoy them, as long as you do not expect The Dichterliebe.

Mario Gilion, Eduardo Garbin, Antonio Paoli, Giovanni Zenatello, John O'Sullivan (pictured), Leon Escalais, Giacomo Lauri-Volpi, Bernardo De Muro, Galliano Masini, Mario Filippeschi, Gino Penno, Mario del Monaco, and Franco Corelli     (73 min.)

You will be thrilled by this superb HOTTT Mexico City 1952 Rigoletto under Umberto Mugnai, and featuring Maria Callas in one of her rare appearances as Gilda. Also starring are Giuseppe Di Stefano and Piero Campolonghi.   (70 min.)

By popular request (ME), here are some more wonderful excerpts featuring the beloved Virginia Zeani.I hope you enjoy the scenes from:

Piccolo Marat (w.Giuseppe Gismondo), Elisir d'amore (with Nicola Rossi-Lemeni),Mefistofele, La Boheme, La Rondine, Forza del Destino, Il Console, Tosca, and La Sonnambula, plus a brief interview.  (72 min.)

Highlights from Charpentier's "Louise." Featured are the following artists:

Georges Thill and Ninon Vallin (commercial recording) of act one opening.

Grace Moore and Raoul Jobin and Beverly Sills and John Alexander in act three scenes.

Grace Moore, Ezio Pinza, and Doris Doe In act four material.
Renee Fleming and Sam Ramey in the final scene.   (69 min.)

OH!!! Did you think I meant Beverly SILLS????  Although the great Beverly Sills is represented on this podcast, I did this one for a fine young lyric soprano by the name of Beverly Thompson, one of the talented Dolora Zajick students.
   This is the third podcast for one of these young artists, where I ask them about their repertory and their favorite artists and, adding some of my choices, I offer them an opportunity to sample some of the beautiful performances that are out there.

   Included here are selections  by:
 

      Beverly Sills, Leontyne Price, Renata Scotto,Kiri Te Kanawa, Elizabeth Grummer, Irmgard Seefried, Virginia Zeani, Diana Soviero, Renee Fleming, Renata Tebaldi, Mirella Freni, Eleanor Steber, and Bidu Sayao.
       I sincerely hope Beverly and all of you enjoy them.(65 min.)

A compilation of mostly Russian bassos (or bassos who sing in the Russian mode):

Maxim Mikhailov  (Sadko)
Len Sibirjakov      (Prince Igor)
Fyodor Chaliapin   (Don Quixote)
Yvgenyi Nesterenko  (Life for the Czar)
Nicolai Ghiaurov (None but the lonely heart)
Paul Plishka   (Eugene Onegin)
Boris Gmyria   (Yolantha)
Mark Reizen (in photo)  Walkure
Alexander Kipnis (Tannhauser)
Alexander Pirogov (Tsar's Bride)
Sergei Aleksashkin  (Mazeppa)
                       (74 min.)

Opera scenes featuring the exciting Italian soprano, Adriana Guerrini (1907-1970). Mme.Guerrini. Featured are arias and scenes from:

Il Trovatore, Mme.Butterfly, Manon Lescaut (with Beniamino Gigli at 60), La Forza del Destino, and many scenes from her recording of La Traviata with Paolo Silveri and Luigi Infantino.   (72 min.)

    Each August 30th, I present my special tribute to Regina Resnik, one of the greatest artists in the world of music. As I have previously stated, not only had Mme.Resnik sung as both soprano and mezzo with remarkable success.(This year is the 65th anniversary of her Met debut), but as teacher,coach,filmmaker,producer, director, she has distinguished herself in the opera world in a totally unique way.
     In this podcast I present to you some extended scenes from some of her greatest roles:

Klytaemnestra in Elektra with Inge Borgkh
Sieglinde in Walkure with Ramon Vinay and Astrid Varnay
Fricka in Die Walkure with Jerome Hines
Ulrica in Un Ballo in Maschera
     
        I am happy to present this podcast in honor of dear Regina Resnik"s birthday, and I know you will enjoy it as you have enjoyed my previous celebrations of her art.   (70 min.)

http://handelmania.libsyn.com