Sun, 7 November 2010
I adored Verrett and always placed her way up there with the greatest mezzos (sopranos also, since she did both mezzo and soprano roles.) When they leave us, a piece of us gets ripped away, since these "bigger-than-life" personalities have been so endearing to us,
As ever Charlie |
Thu, 21 October 2010
My adored "sorella" Virginia Zeani turns 85 today,Oct.21. She has been a dear friend for many years and those of you who do not know her art can go to Youtube for a sample, or come to my house and hear all her material. (Full body search on the way out.)) I am so happy for her and Mr.Smith, a friend, surprised her with a fabulous book dedicated to her, with contributions by many people (me too!). Bless Virginia!!!
P.S.I ran into a few more glitches so PULEEEZE be patient.The new podcast system needs to be worked out. Meanwhile, new and old listeners have plenty to listen to. Love Charlie |
Mon, 2 August 2010
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Mon, 2 August 2010
When the London/Decca Ring recordings were finished, Deryck Cooke recorded a most enlightening analysis of the Ring, using scenes from the recordings. I found this most enlightening, and wish to present about 50 minutes of it to you. I hope you enjoy it. Remember, I miss your comments, so send them to me at Placido21@aol.com. I had to cancel that comment section owing to those ads. (50 min.) |
Thu, 29 July 2010
May I pause and give credit for these podcasts to my buddy,James Jorden, of Parterre Box fame. He taught me how to podcast,videocast, and remain a legend in my own mind. If you wish to order any of the albums on the podcast page, click the selection(s) and James gets a commission from Amazon.That is at least something we can do to thank him for his special efforts..and great talent! Il tuo caro amico, Charlie |
Wed, 28 July 2010
The great Leonard Warren stars in highlights from a 1950 Mexico City Simon Boccanegra.Also in the cast are Mario Filippeschi,Celia Garcia, Roberto Silva, and Ignacio Ruffino. The conductor is Renato Cellini (62 min.) |
Sun, 25 July 2010
The great Renata Tebaldi in scenes from Andrea Chenier,Manon Lescaut, L'Assedio di Corinto, Faust, and the Stabat Mater of Rossini (Inflammatus) (69 min.) |
Fri, 9 July 2010
A pot-pourri of some of the oddities I have previously pubished, but now all together to make you laugh,cry, or never talk to me again,etc. I think you will have fun..Great for parties!!!! (74 min.) |
Thu, 8 July 2010
My dear friend just came back from Czechoslavakia where he coached and conducted Boheme act 3......but there was a slight mishap in the show... Instead of SNOW falling at the end of the act...BUBBLES came down....and they were still coming down in the fourth act....Poor Bohemians...they could slip all over!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They should have used Corn Flakes..They are not slippery.
OI VEY...To run an opera house.... Charlie "Bubbles' Handelman
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Mon, 5 July 2010
My all-time favorite basso passed away today.Cesare Siepi was the possessor of a luscious,velvety voice and on stage he was sensational.I saw him countless times and am so saddened at his passing. Here is a brief article about his many successes.: His international reputation was established in 1950, when Sir Rudolf Bing brought him to the Metropolitan Opera in New York to open the 1950 season as King Philip II in Don Carlos. He was to remain principal bass at the Met until 1974, adding roles such as Boris Godunov (in English) and Gurnemanz in Parsifal (in German), and singing all the major roles of the bass repertoire. His also gave his debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in 1950, and appeared there regularly until the mid 1970s. In 1953 Siepi debuted at the Salzburg Festival with a legendary production of Don Giovanni conducted by Wilhelm Furtwängler, staged by Herbert Graf, and designed by Clemens Holzmeister. He made an immediate impact in the title role of Don Giovanni which became perhaps his best known role, as it had been for the most famous Italian bass of the generation before, Ezio Pinza. This performance has been released on CD, and a 1954 mounting of this production was filmed in color and released in 1955. Siepi was a frequent guest at the Vienna State Opera. In 43 performances he sang Don Giovanni, more often than any other singer in modern times except for Eberhard Waechter. In 1967 Siepi was Don Giovanni in a controversially received production staged by Otto Schenk and designed by Luciano Damiani that showed Mozart's masterpiece in the light of the commedia dell'arte, emphasizing the comic and ironic elements of this opera (conductor Josef Krips strongly opposed this production's concept). In Vienna he also sang Basilio (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Colline (La bohème), Fiesco (Simon Boccanegra), Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro), Padre Guardian (La forza del destino 1974 in a new production conducted by Riccardo Muti), Gurnemanz (Parsifal), Mephisto (Faust), Filippo II (Don Carlos), and Ramphis (Aïda). His final performance at the Vienna State Opera was in Norma (Oroveso) in 1994. He was a particularly fine recital artist, especially in Community Concerts under Columbia Artist Management, and a sensitive interpreter of German Lieder. He married Met ballerina Luellen Sibley and they have two children. Siepi enjoyed a long career, and performed regularly until the 1980s, including lead roles in the ill-fated Broadway musicals Bravo Giovanni and Carmelina. In addition to his studio recordings, there are also many live recordings of performances of his major roles. According to the Italian Wikipedia, Siepi's formal farewell to the operatic stage occurred at the Teatro Carani in Sassuolo on 21 April 1989. Indeed, Capon's List shows live recordings made as late as 1988. Siepi's last studio recording was as the old King Archibaldo in RCA's 1976 taping of Montemezzi's L'amore dei tre re, with Anna Moffo and Plácido Domingo in the cast. Rest in Peace, my beloved Cesare. P.S. For my podcast on Siepi,see archives of May 3, 2006
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