He left us far too soon. Norman Treigle, born Mar.6, 1923, was a DYNAMO onstage.For me he was one of the greatest singers  I ever heard, and I heard him live countless times. He was truly a fabulous artist, actor, vocalist, with a HUGE voice and amazing stage personality. I honor his memory!

Cilea's rarely-heard "Gloria" from RAI Turino, 1969 under Fernando Previtali featuring:

Margherita Roberti (Gloria), Flaviano Labo  (Lionetto), Ferruccio Mazzoli (Aquilante), Lorenzo Testi (Bardo), Enrico Campi (Il Vescovo), Anna Maria Rota (La Senese), Alberto Albertini (Il Banditore)

(65 min.)

NOTE: I had a defective "Gloria' up there, and have deleted it.

We adored this "king of the comprimarios," who made the smallest role important. He was born on Mar.5, 1893 and would have sung even past his 60's, had he not died in an auto crash. One of the most delightful things he sang was the old Prisoner in Perichole, where he cracked us up with his "leeetle pen knife." He was beloved by all of us!

I was just directed to the Youtube clip of this escappe from a mental institution. She is all over Youtube, and when I watched the Semiramide aria, I sent it to Joyce Di Donato,who might decide to retire,since she could never equal her rendition. I tell you one advantage of this...that I never felt so NORMAL in my life after seeing this.

In your country, are there any singers .ike this?

 In the event that you just joined this site, I wanted you to have an idea of what the La Puma Opera Co.was like. It was not nice for them to throw us out at a Don Giovanni..but you can get the idea. Since they performed in an elementary school auditorium, they must have used the third-graders' orchestra. The company became a kind of "cult experience" amd attracted more and more people who wanted to pppppp in their pantalones!

 A rarity; Mario del Monaco as Siegmund in act one of a Walkure from 1966 under Ferdinand Leitner. The Sieglinde is Hildegard Hillebrecht, and the Hunding is Otto Von Rohr. The sound is on the distant side, but I think it is intersting to hear the great Del Monaco in this opera.( 60 min.)

 Hey!!!! Who has so much voice at 87. Lucine turns 89 on Mar.1 and she continues to sound as young and fresh as anyone could sound at her age. She saved many Met shows and retained so much of the voice. I made her tapes from 1948, and believe me, there is still that youthful quality.

Happy birthday to a fun lady!!!!!

Maria Callas as Norma in various performances as follows:

1. Trieste 1953 with Elena Nicolai and Franco Corelli under Antonino Votto.(Note the end of the trio has Corelli attacking a B natural and Callas' D natural, making for the kind of singing that just cannot exist today). I love to go to the opera, but they do not seem to "permit" this kind of vocalism. Perhaps singing teachers are afraid that their pupils will not last if they emit sounds like these. I disagree violently!

2. The first part of the "Mira,O Norma" scene w.Fedora Barbieri from Buenos Aires 6/17/49

3.  From a Gala in Buenos Aires from 7/9/49, the Casta Diva and cabaletta. These two Buenos Aires scenes are conducted by Tullio Serafin.

4. The Casta Diva and cabaletta from the 1958 Rome 1/2/58 performance, which she did not complete owing to illness. This was a scandal in those days. Gabriele Santini conducts. (Anita Cerquetti completed the performance.)

 Erich Leinsdorf leads a 1969 Parsifal from Buenos Aires with Wolfgang Windgassen, Regine Crespin, Franz Crass, and Theo Adam. It had taken quite a number of years for me to totally appreciate this work, but now it is a favorite.(as long as I can listen at home!)   (73 min.)

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJef71OpgiU