An interesting German Radio (Koln) 1950 performance of Tales of Hoffmann under Eugen Szenkar with Rudolf Schock, Alexander Welitsch, Wilma Lipp, Martha Moedl, Elfriede Trotschel, Maria von Ilosvay(Niklaus), Otto Von Rohr (Crespel),  Willy Hofmann (Spalanzani), Walter Kassek (Franz and Pitichinaccio),  Marion Matthaus (Mother's voice), and Robert Blasius (Schlemil).   (73 min.)

  Beginning in 1830, Vincenzo Bellini embarked on a project to compose an Ernani, but he never got to complete it. Very few fragments remain, and we present them here, with the Oltenia Phil.Orchestra under Franco Piva. The cast is as follows:

Ernani        Patricia Morandini (a travesti role written for Giuditta Pasta)

Elvira          Rosanna Savoia

Don Carlo   (a tenor in this version)   Paolo Pellegrini

Don Sancio   (also a tenor)     Patrizio Saudelli

Ines               Nina Batatunashvili  (mezzo)

       I hope you enjoy this rare set of excerpts.          (37 min.)

  Claudia Novikova was born on Mar.9 ,1895. This has to be one of the most charming (and funny) renditions of ANYTHING!!!!!  La Perichole "drunk aria."

  Christina is due to come to a comedy show near you!!!!!!!!   This is a riot!!!!!!!!!

Which one do you like the best???? For me it was Del Monaco,who walked across the Met stage holding the note and we went ballistic!!!!!!!!

Wilhelm Furtwaengler conducts scenes from a 1937 Covent Garden Gotterdamerung with Kirsten Flagstad, Lauritz Melchior, Kerstin Thorborg, Herbert Janssen, and Ludwig Weber  (71 min.)

 In the 1970's (I do not have the exact date), the great tenor Nicolai Gedda gave a recital (broadcast) from New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Musica Aeterna Orchestra was conducted by Frederick Waldman, and the French horn soloist was Antony Miranda (in the Britten piece.).

    Gedda  sings the Serenade for tenor, horn, and strings by Benjamin Britten, followed by arias of Rameau and Gretry.    (39 min.)

 A fine cast in this Scala 1968 Bellini "I Capuletti e i Montecchi" under Claudio Abbado, featuring Renata Scotto (Giulietta), Giacomo Aragall (Romeo),  Luciano Pavarotti (Tebaldo), Agostino Ferrin (Capellio), and Alfredo Giacomotti (Lorenzo.)   (72 min.)

Gina Cigna, born March 6, 1900,lived to 100!  Here is Met 1937 broadcast with Martinelli and Castagna. Thank God,I never knew of this perf.I sang along with the Cetra,where she did not take the D..otherwise I would have ruined my voice at 16!!(What voice???)

Highlights from a Dresden 2011 Gala under Christian Thielemann. It features excerpts from Lehar's Giuditta, Land Of Smiles, Paganini, and Der Zarewitsch.   (28 min.)