The marvelous Turkish soprano, Leyla Gencer, was born on October 10, 1928. She was born on the same day as we celebrate the 200th birthday of Giuseppe Verdi. She sang 12 Verdi roles, so it is a convenient coincidence.

She sings arias from Werther, Le Nozze di Figaro, Idomeneo, La Wally, Assassino nel Catedrale (Pizzetti), Monte Ivnor (Rocca), Il Trovatore, Forza del Destino, La Traviata, Aida, and IDue Foscari.  (68 minutes)

Oct.10, 1813 (Giuseppe Verdi) and Oct.10, 1928 (Leyla Gencer).How incredibly fitting for the great Leyla,who sang 12 Verdi roles, to be born on Verdi's birthday!!!!!

First time the great Jonas Kaufmann sang this role!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chereau, who just passed away, was criticized for his "controversial" Ring. It was great....and I cry my eyes out every time at the way Jones and McIntyre embrace with that divine music!!!!!!!

A blazing performance of Nabucco from Naples, 1949 under Vittorio Gui. The cast includes Maria Callas,in her vocal prime, Gino Bechi, Gino Sinimberghi (Ismaele),Luciano Neroni (Zaccaria), and Amalia Pini (Fenena)   72 minutes)

Imagine that you are a member of the Italian audience at the premiere of Verdi's Nabucco, and you are witness to history! The audience made them encore the chorus and it was the beginning of a fabulous career as an incredible genius, whose 200th birthday we celebrate on Oct,10.,

Celebrating the 200th year of Verdi's birth.(Oct.10, 1813), Riccardo Chailly leads the Orchestra Sinfonica of Milan in a series of rarely-heard Verdi orchestral music, including opera preludes later discarded.  VIVA IL MAESTRO!!!  (63 min.)

Here is a "goofy"(pictured) podcast of all sorts of strange happenings (announced) that I think might be enjoyable for opera parties. Over the years,we have collected so many of these 'oddities," and I wish to share them with you.

Mamma mia!!!! This is a blazing performance of Donizetti's "Maria Stuarda" from Florence 1967 under Francesco Molinari-Pradelli. The cast includes Leyla Gencer, Shirley Verret, Franco Tagliavini,Agostini Ferrin (Giorgio), Giulio Fioravanti (Cecil), and Mafalda Masini (Anna.)   (69 min.)

 A seldom-heard but truly superb work, Donizetti's "Poliuto," from opening night La Scala, December 7, 1960 under Antonino Votto. The cast features Franco Corelli, Maria Callas, Ettore Bastianini, and Nicola Zaccaria.  (69 min.)