La Gioconda, Florence 1956

Highlights from a 1956 Florence Gioconda under E.Tieri. The cast includes Anita Cerquetti, Ebe Stignani, Ettore Bastianini, Gianni Poggi, and Giuseppe Modesti. The "Stella del Marinar" was not performed, but I gave it to you in another brief podcast.  (66 min.)

Direct download: Gioconda_Cerquetti2.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 6:37pm EDT

Stignani Stella del Marinar

Since they chose to cut Stignani's aria in Gioconda,in my latest podcast, here it is from another perf.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tZh-9M9Sgk

Category:general -- posted at: 12:14am EDT

Rest in Peace, Sena Jurinac,wonderful soprano

Opera singer Sena Jurinac, one of the most celebrated sopranos of the post-war period, has died aged 90.

Born in Travnik in Bosnia in October 1921, the Austrian star studied in Zagreb, and made her debut there 1942 as Mimi in La Boheme.

She made very few recordings across her career, although the BBC recently issued a CD of her 1961 Proms show.

The Vienna State Opera, of which she was an honorary member, confirmed the singer had died in southern Germany.

In a statement, it said it was mourning the loss of a "legendary artist who shaped not only the Vienna State Opera but also the entire opera world".

Jurinac first sang for the company in 1944, playing Cherubino in The Marriage Of Figaro, and remained a member until 1983, when she made her farewell as Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier.

She appeared at the Salzburg Festival in 1947, and soon after made her London debut, singing Dorabella at Covent Garden.

Jurinac went on to become a favourite at Glyndebourne, and was renowned for her interpretation of Mozart.

Scholar Peter Branscombe described her voice as "beautifully pure, rich and even throughout its range".

Austrian news agency APA reported that Jurinac died Tuesday at her home near Augsburg.

From other news sites

Category:general -- posted at: 12:19am EDT

Eugen Onegin Letter Scene

A comparison of five Eugen Onegin Letter Scenes:

   Sena Jurinac (Rest in Peace), Makvala Kasrashvili, Margaret Price, Theresa Zylis-Gara, and Gallina Vishnevskaya.     (65 min.)

Mme.Vishnevskaya is in the photo

Direct download: Onegin_Letter.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 1:40am EDT

HAPPY THANKSGIVING !!!

Hi all,

           Not everyone in the universe celebrates Thanksgiving as we do in the U.S.A. However, it really does not matter, because we all have a lot to be thankful for, and we must also think of those who may have less than we do, and reach out to them always.  I wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving, and all my sincere thanks for your support.

             Hey, when we get to a million downloads, I will have to think of a special podcast.  Maybe Justin Bieber singing the Winterreise????

 My best,

 Charlie

Category:general -- posted at: 8:20pm EDT

ROBERT WEEDE

A compilation of material as sung by the magnificent Robert Weede. Included are his Verdi album,scenes from Most Happy Fella, Milk and Honey, and A Cry for Us All.In addition, from a 1951 radio broadcast, he sings Gounod's "Nazareth." 

 

Direct download: Weede.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 8:09pm EDT

Opera Lovers in China

  We have now about 954,000 downloads over 6 years. The U.S. leads with 211,322 and the SECOND country, with 24, 853 is China. Of course the podcasts seem to go all over the world, but I just wanted to congratulate the opera lovers in China for being number 2...not in any way forgetting the rest of the world.

          By the way, I was most surprised to see some downloads from Mars. I wonder if their sopranos used chest voice.

Category:general -- posted at: 1:19am EDT

EUGEN ONEGIN 1953

  A fine performance (in Italian) of Tchaikowsky's Eugen Onegin from RAI Milano 1953 under Nino Sanzogno. The cast features Giuseppe Taddei, Cesare Valletti, Rosanna Carteri, Eugenia Zareska, and Rafael Arie.   (68 min.)

Direct download: Onegin_Taddei.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 9:58pm EDT

FORZA 1961, PART TWO

Here is part two of the 1961 Forza del Destino (51 min.)

Direct download: Forza_Farrell_pt.2.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 8:04pm EDT

LA FORZA DEL DESTINO PART ONE 1961

Part one of an abridged Forza del Destino from 1961 under George Schick. The brilliant cast features Eileen Farrell, Richard Tucker, Robert Merrill, Jerome Hines, and Fernando Corena.  (63 min.)

Direct download: Forza_Farrell_pt.1.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 7:24pm EDT


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