What could be more fitting than to have my new "discovery," Andrew Owens sing an aria from Mitridate on Wolfgang's birthday

Category:general -- posted at: 6:07pm EDT

Another selection by a superb young tenor. I am "discovering" this briliiant talent and wish to share it with you.

Category:general -- posted at: 11:28am EDT

Winner of the Zarzuela prize at the 2015 Francisco Viñas International Singing Competition, American tenor Andrew Owens has quickly built a reputation as one of the most promising singers of his generation, exhibiting a beautiful Italianate timbre, soaring top notes, and effortless agility.  In the 2014-2015 season, Andrew Owens returns to the Theater an der Wien main stage as Chevalier Léon in Milhaud’s La mere coupable.  He will also debut at Theater Magdeburg as Tamino in Die Zauberflöte and Camille de Rosillion in Die lustige Witwe.  The operatic season concludes with his professional lead debut in the US as Don Ramiro in La Cenerentola with Opera Saratoga.  On the concert stage, highlights include the tenor soloist in The Genius of Mozart at the National Concert Hall, Dublin with the RTÉ Symphony Orchestra. The 2013-2014 season was Andrew Owens’ final season as a member of the Junges Ensemble at the Theater an der Wien, where he performed Don Ramiro, Tito in La clemenza di Tito (Kammeroper), Scitalce in Vinci’s Semiramide, Gastone in La Traviata, and Barbarigo in I due Foscari opposite Plácido Domingo.

 

You all know I have seen the greats! Here is a superb tenor who has a brilliant,easily-produced voice, and quite a range!

  I love to introduce all of you to new stars!!!!

Category:general -- posted at: 11:17am EDT

I forgot this!!!!!!!!

Category:general -- posted at: 9:33pm EDT

Love the guy!!! Jan.25, 1963...Brilliant voice....So thrilling!!!  He is a throwback to the "squillante tenors."

  He is also a sweet guy...well,all my tenors are!!!!

Category:general -- posted at: 9:10pm EDT

When I sang Galvany's doctor in 1965, I KNEW this was so gorgeous!!!!!

Two GREATS are singing this duet!!!!!

Category:general -- posted at: 8:27pm EDT

Who is that guy with Charlie?

                     Happy Birthday,Jan.21 to US!!
 

1. We speak Spanish.

2.We love opera.

3. One of us is a baritone.

4. I rent..he owns Madrid.

5.I take the train.He has 7 Jets.

    But we have had pretty nice lives!!!!

Category:general -- posted at: 3:19pm EDT

Yes, it ain't opera..But Ethel Merman,whom I saw 5 times, was born on Jan.16, 1908. She and Zinka respected each other...they were two TOUGH girls.

   Some do not like the brassy sound..This clip is a little late in her career....but on stage she was a DYNAMO!!!!

  I taught at the high school where "Ms.Zimmerman" attended..Bryant H.S.In Astoria,New York. One of my older colleagues said she was in her class, and she could belt it out at 17.

  Fantasy: Merman as Gioconda and Zinka as Dolly.

 

 

 

Category:general -- posted at: 11:22am EDT

Not for Marisa Galvany in Mayr's "Medea in Corinto." I think she said she still gets up to C....

Category:general -- posted at: 5:56pm EDT

My girlfriend!!!

She sang, "Carlo adorato, you are a pain!!!"

Category:general -- posted at: 5:04pm EDT

Some NERVE! I just yelled (only kidding ) that Virginia did not tell me of this upcoming 9 cd set on the occasion of her 90th birthday (in October.)

 I never yelled at a diva...not that I didn't want to tell Zinka to be more like Tebaldi!!!!!

 

Bless Virginia..one of the greats!!!!

Category:general -- posted at: 6:57pm EDT

Kullman was born on 1/13/ 1903 and Grace Moore, sadly killed in a plane crash,was also a fine artist..They should do this opera by Montemezzi,sadly neglected ('L'amore de Tre Re.).This is so exciting!!!

 

P.S. Have not done some podcasts lately, but I will soon.

Category:general -- posted at: 12:33pm EDT

Magnificent baritone, still singing at 79..Born 1/13/36. Due Foscari for me is still the best.

He has the style,feeling,beauty of tone.....A great artist!!!!!

Category:general -- posted at: 12:28pm EDT

  At the Met in 1976, she caused a FUROR!!!!!!

Category:general -- posted at: 3:13pm EDT

The great powerhouse of a mezzo,Elena Obratsova, has passed away at 75. She was one of the great stars and a voice (especially in the low register) that was unforgettable.  l

Category:general -- posted at: 3:06pm EDT

It took me too long not to notice the great talent of Nelly.She is a fabulous and versatile artist,who recalls a style (Gencer?) totally absent these days. She is also a lovable person  (See Facebook.)

 

 

Biography

 

Born in Adjud, Romania, Miricioiu started singing at 5 and was hailed as a child prodigy. At 9 she started studying piano and at 14 she won her first singing contest, "Young Talents, Great hopes". At 18 she sung in Pergolesi's La serva padrona and joined the Conservatory of Iași where she continued her studies with Tibi Popovici. In 1972 she was the youngest contestant in the Francisco Vinas Musical Competition in Barcelona and in 1975 she won the first prize at the very first Maria Callas Grand Prix in Athens. More first prizes followed at competitions in Geneva, Paris, Sofia, Oostend.

 

Miricioiu made her operatic debut in Mozart's The Magic Flute, as the Queen of the Night at Iaşi Romanian Opera, and continued to sing at Brasov Opera House between 1975 and 1978 in roles such as Mimì in La bohème, Micaëla in Carmen and Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus.

 

In 1981, she fled the communist regime and months later she debuted in Glasgow at the Scottish Opera as Violetta in La traviata; Manon Lescaut and Tosca followed. The following year she made her debut at the Royal Opera House in London as Nedda in Pagliacci, opposite Jon Vickers, Piero Cappuccilli and Thomas Allen. She later appeared as Marguerite in Gounod's Faust, Antonia in The Tales of Hoffmann and Valentine in Les Huguenots. In 1983, she made her debut at La Scala in Milan in the title role of Lucia di Lammermoor, and thereafter appeared at most major opera houses of Europe: Amsterdam, Brussels, Rome, Hamburg, Geneva, Munich, Vienna, Salzburg, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, earning considerable acclaim for her interpretation of Violetta in La traviata, amongst many other roles such as Mimì in La bohème, Cio-Cio San in Madama Butterfly, Silvana in Respighi's La fiamma, the title role in Cilea's Adriana Lecouvreur and the title role in Zandonai's Francesca da Rimini.

 

Miricioiu has also appeared in the United States, notably in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Dallas, San Francisco, and made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York as Mimì (La bohème) in 1989. She also appeared in South America, notably in Santiago, and the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires.

 

In 1992, she sang Amenaide in Rossini's Tancredi to great acclaim in Salzburg, and then began concentrating on the bel canto repertory, singing other Rossinian heroines such as the title roles in Armida, Semiramide, Ermione, as well as Donizetti and Bellini roles, such as in Anna Bolena, Roberto Devereux, Il pirata and Norma.

 

In 1996, she was trusted with the revival of the infamous Tosca production for Maria Callas at the Royal Opera House.

 

She began an association with Opera Rara, appearing in long-forgotten works by Rossini and Donizetti but also by composers such as Pacini and Mercadante, both in concerts and recordings, notably Ricciardo e Zoraide, Rosmonda d'Inghilterra, Maria de Rudenz, Pacini's Maria, regina d'Inghilterra, and Mercadante's Orazi e Curiazi and Emma d'Antiocchia.

 

Her repertory also includes Verdi roles in operas such as Ernani, Luisa Miller, I vespri siciliani, Don Carlo. She has worked with some of the most prestigious conductors and directors, and opposite leading artists of the day, such as José Carreras, Plácido Domingo, José Cura, Roberto Alagna, to name but a few.

 

Discography

 

  • Puccini: Tosca, Naxos
  • Donizetti: Rosmonda d'Inghilterra, Opera Rara
  • Donizetti: Roberto Devereux, Opera Rara
  • Donizetti: Maria de Rudenz, Opera Rara
  • Rossini: Ricciardo e Zoraide, Opera Rara
  • Mercadante: Orazi e Curiazi, Opera Rara
  • Mercadante: Emma d'Antiochia, Opera Rara
  • Pacini: Maria Regina d'Inghilterra, Opera Rara
  • Respighi: La fiamma, Agora
  • Mascagni: Cavalleria rusticana, Chandos
  • Rossini Gala, Opera Rara
  • Mercadante Rediscovered, Opera Rara
  • Donizetti: Szenen und Ouvertüren, Opera Rara
  • La Potenza d'amore, Opera Rara
  • Mercadante – Les Soirées Italiennes, Opera Rara
  • Rossini: Three Tenors, Opera Rara
  • Nelly Miricioiu, Etcetera
  • Nelly Miricioiu – Bel Canto Portrait, Opera Rara
  • Prinsengracht Concert, Vanguard
  • Live at the Concertgebouw, Challenge
  • Recital at Wigmore Hall, Etcetera
  • Nelly Miricioiu Live in Amsterdam, Vanguard

 

Category:general -- posted at: 11:10am EDT

Wonderful Aida today from the Met!

Mme.Wilson,the FIRST Aida in years with rich lows.(e.g.Della mia patria,degna Saro" and beautiful feeling, pianissimi, loved her in my favorite opera!!!!

Great talent!!! (and you all know how

many Aidas I have seen.)

Category:general -- posted at: 4:30pm EDT

 

 

 

 

The night after we saw Warren die, Mar.5,1960,we were somewhat uplifted….and thrilled..at the Chenier with Zinka and Bergonzi (last duet in the high key)..Note especially Zinka’s “Abbracciami, AMAAAAANTE”which is one of her greatest moments. This is from Atlanta.but you get the idea. Compare this anything in the last years..That is like comparing me to Siepi….well,sort of…

Category:general -- posted at: 12:31pm EDT

The marvelous Latvian soprano,Marina Rebeka,sings "Non mi dir" from Don Giovanni. The production is not too traditional.

  It is my desire to introduce people to the "new" talent out there.....not that you are bored with Soviero,Zeani, and Zinka. 

                                     Sincerely   Charlie 

Category:general -- posted at: 9:14pm EDT

 

Bonisolli gave tenors a bad name.Talked to  audiences,gets booed for some antics  Calls for "Wasser"in  middle of the Pira).

 I do not recall a singer who acts as if he escaped from a mental institution. A shame..there WAS talent there, but I think he consumed lasagna laced with SPEED!!!

  Are there any normal tenors?

 

Category:general -- posted at: 11:37am EDT

40 years ago, Jan.8, we lost my favorite tenor (of those I saw live). I saw him over 60 times.He was a vocal GOD to me, and yes, he sometimes cried (like Gigli), and there were some exaggerated phrases, but the man sang LEGATO most of the time......Great man....We miss him!!!!  Best quote was from Regina Resnik,who said "He left his blood all over the stage!!!!!"

 

 

 

Category:general -- posted at: 12:49pm EDT

60 years ago tonight I was thrilled attend the historic debut of Marian Anderson,who paved the way for Afro-American singers..like a Jackie Robinson Story. When that curtain rose, it was a phenomenal reaction......Bless her!

So sad we missed out on Adele Addison, Camilla Williams, and others who were not allowed in the "big time."   At least we have had,since Anderson, Bumbry,Price,Verrett,Mitchell,Brownlee,etc......Thanks to this great lady!!

Category:general -- posted at: 8:11pm EDT

What singer would you like to see do this???

 

I know one or two,,,,but they would have to re-inforce the stage.

Category:general -- posted at: 12:20am EDT

Another superb artist from Albania.

 

 

She began studying singing at the age of six. After completing her studies at the Liceu Artistik "Jordan Misja" in Tirana in 1992 for singing she was accepted at the Academy of Fine Arts in Tirana where she studied for one year. After winning a competition organized by the Italian soprano Katia Ricciarelli in Albania, she moved to Italy where she studied for one year at the Academy of Mantova. After completing her studies she was accepted at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, where she studied for singing and piano for five years.

Career

She has won many international competitions including the Giacomo Puccini competition in Milan, Italy 1997, Spontini International Competition in Ancona, Italy 1998, Zandonai in Rovereto, Italy 1999, and The Best Singer at the Wexford Festival, 2000. She has performed in opera houses worldwide including the Royal Opera in London, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Berlin Staatsoper, the Paris Champs-Élysées, Teatro San Carlo Naples, Italy, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Opéra de Marseille, Arena di Verona, Teatro Verdi in Trieste, Teatro La Fenice, Theatre Capitole in Toulouse, etc. Her repertoire ranges from Violetta in La traviata, Maria Stuarda, Manon, Mireille, Amina in La sonnambula, Mimi in La bohème, Michaela in Carmen, Giulietta in I Capuleti e i Montecchi, Anna Bolena, etc.

Category:general -- posted at: 1:37pm EDT

Latvia has sent us some wonderful divas. In addition Mme. Rebeka, we have Mme.Garanca and Mme.Opolais.

Category:general -- posted at: 1:45am EDT

We know what an incredibly challenging role Violetta is.Here is MarinaRebeka, our  newest Met Violetta. Bio to follow:

 

 

Rebeka began her musical studies in Latvia, and in 2007 she graduated from the Santa Cecilia Conservatory in Rome. She also attended the Internationale Sommerakademie Mozarteum University of Salzburg where she studied with Grace Bumbry, and the Accademia Rossiniana in Pesaro, under the guidance of Alberto Zedda.

Since her international debut in 2009 at the Salzburg Festival in Rossinis Moïse et Pharaon, Rebeka has appeared as a regular guest of the world's most prestigious concert stages and opera houses, including the New York Metropolitan Opera and Carnegie Hall, Royal Opera House Covent Garden London, Vienna State Opera, Opernhaus Zürich, Teatro alla Scala, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, Rossini Opera Festival Pesaro, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in Florence, and the Palau de les Arts in Valencia.

Rebeka has sung under the baton of Riccardo Muti, Zubin Mehta, Antonio Pappano, Fabio Luisi, Paolo Carignani, Roberto Abbado, Alberto Zedda, Michail Jurowski, Stéphane Denève, Yves Abel, Michele Mariotti, Teodor Currentzis, Alessandro De Marchi, Gustav Kuhn (de). On the concert stage, she has sung Britten's War Requiem with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Rossini's Stabat Mater at the Rossini Opera Festival of Pesaro and Brahms' Ein Deutsches Requiem with the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra.

Recent engagements include Don Giovanni (Donna Anna) at the New York Metropolitan Opera and Vienna State Opera, Moïse et Pharaon at Carnegie Hall in New York, La traviata at the Deutsche Oper Berlin and Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Don Giovanni at the Zürich Opera, and Guillaume Tell in Amsterdam. She was also recently heard as the soprano soloist in Rome in Rossini's Petite messe solennelle with conductor Antonio Pappano and the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, and at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan under the baton of Ottavio Dantone with the Filarmonica della Scala in a program of W. A. Mozart and G. F. Handel.

Her first EMI release was issued in April 2013 as the soprano soloist in Rossini's Petite messe solennelle under the baton of Antonio Pappano with the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia.

Since 2010, Rebeka is married to the tenor Dmytro Popov.[1]

Category:general -- posted at: 1:40am EDT

Instead of the "Three Tenors" we have them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Category:general -- posted at: 12:53pm EDT

A wonderful guy named "Coluratura made this up of Grace Bumbry in two roles at the same time..How did he do this?????

Category:general -- posted at: 12:27pm EDT

The happiest birthday to one of opera's great singers.Grace Bumbry has had a fabulous world-wide career, and on Jan.4 we honor her.

Category:general -- posted at: 12:22pm EDT

Does Mr. Yang sound like this LIVE???   Sign him up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Category:general -- posted at: 2:49pm EDT

1


More Great Music

January 2015
S M T W T F S
     
        1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Archives

Syndication

Contact