We are all hoping that dear Rolando Villazon returns to us soon. He is one of the most affectionate dudes I have ever met, and he is slightly more hyper than even me.

Irina Rindzuner and Elinor Ross with Charlie after a Puccini concert in 2008.

      (Unfortunately the role is no longer in my extensive repertory.)

A podcast dedicated to the beloved Bidu Sayao:

 I failed to identify the first selections which are:

 "Batti,batti' from Don Giovanni, "Deh vieni,non tardar" from Le Nozze di Figaro, and an aria from Gomes' "Il Guarany."
     These selections are followed by five Brazilian folk songs, and then the Rigoletto finale w.Leonard Warren, "Mi chiamano Mimi," and the third act Mimi/Marcello Scene from la Boheme w.Giuseppe De Luca.
      Following are Juliette's Waltz song from "Romeo et Juliette," the Manon "Adieu,notre petite table" and the St.Sulpice duet with Charles Kullman.
        Concluding the podcast is the famous 1945 premiere recording (done in one take) of the Cantilena from Heitor Villa-Lobos" Bachianas brasileira," op.45.                   (74 min.)

Welcome to TENOR HEAVEN!!!!!

    There are so many superb tenors in the opera world today,I thought you would like a sample of their art.They include:

Lawrence Brownlee, Eric Cutler, Jan Botha, Salvatore Licitra, Ben Heppner, Marcelo Alvarez, Ramon Vargas, Roberto Alagna, Juan Diego Flores, Jonas Kaufmann, Rolando Villazon, David Daniels (countertenor), Marcelo Giordani, Joseph Calleja, Piotr Beczala (in photo).        (70 min.)

   A podcast tribute to a lady who possessed one of the most phenomenal voices in opera history,Dame Eva Turner. I was first introduced to her by someone playing her ?"In questa reggia," and ever since I have marvelled at the beauty and power of a voice that thrilled thousands for almost 30 years.  The material I have included is as follows:

  Arias from Tosca. Aida, Gioconda, Mme.Butterfly, Cavalleria Rusticana, Il  Trovatore.
  "Homing" by Del Riego
   "God save the King" with chorus from the live 1937 Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth
     "In questa reggia" and the Riddle Scene from a live 1937 Covent Garden performance of Turandot, with Giovanni Martinelli, conducted by John Barbirolli>
         I sincerely hope you enjoy this miraculous voice.
 

The famous Zerbinetta aria from Strauss' "Ariadne Auf Naxos" as sung by six marvelous coluratura sopranos. They are:

Rita Streich, Hilde Gueden (in photo), Edita Gruberova, Ruth Welting, Natalie Dessay, and Beverly Sills (1912 version.)   (71 min.)

A mini podcast that features five tenors singing the famous  "Fille du Reggiment" aria with the nine high C's. You therefore get to hear a total of 45 of them!!!!!!

Included are Grayson Hirst, Enrico De Giuseppe, Alfredo Kraus, Luciano Pavarotti, and Juan Diego Flores.    (41 min.)

P.S. After you hear this, try it yourself...So what if your family disowns you!!!!!!

 This is the second podcast in which I feature singers and repertory at the request of one of Dolora Zajick's group of truly amazing young artists. If you click the following link, it will take you to the "Seguidilla" from Carmen, as sung by the bright young mezzo, Allegra de Vita (in photo.)
 

                http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6BLYCj3i28

   I have therefore presented a pot-pourri of mostly lyric mezzos singing some of the works tht Mme.De Vita is studying, plus some additional material I feel appropriate. The artists are:

Janet Baker, Magdalena Kozena, Joyce di Donato, Sonia Ganassi, Susan Graham, Sarah Connolly, Josephine Veasy, Elina Garanca, Viveca Genaux, Vesselina Kasarova, and (the only more dramatic mezzo), Shirley Verrett. 
      I sincerely hope this podcast will be a useful aid to Mme.De Vita's studies and we wish her our best for future success.    (70 min.)

Highlights from three recordings of Verdi's early opera, "La Battaglia di Legnano."  I wish they would perform this fine work more often. The three casts are as follows:

Caterina Mancini, Amadeo Berdini, Rolando Panerai
Antonietta Stella, Franco Corelli, Ettore Bastianini
Leyla Gencer, Giovanni Gibin, Ugo Savarese
                                 (56 min.)
                             

   The third volume of "Che gelida manina" as sung by 15 tenors. 
     Included (in order) are:

Enrico Caruso, Dino Borgioli (abridged), Jan Peerce, Jerry Hadley, Neil Shicoff, Rolando Villazon, Jose Carreras, Giacinto Prandelli, Giacomo Aragall, Ferruccio Tagliavini, Sandor Konya, Hipolito Lazaro, Giuseppe Lugo (In French), Gianni Raimondi, and Roberto Alagna.
                             (74 min.)