How do you do full justice to one of the greatest geniuses in all music? On May 22, we celebrate the 200th birthday of Richard Wagner. We know from various sources that he was not exactly a Teddybear, but most of us who appreciate opera, treasure his work, separately from any personality characteristics;in fact, if we delved into the lives of many composers, we might not find everyone as lovable as we might want. Who cares?

   Here are some scenes from his operas with the Vienna Philharmonic under Hans Knappertsbusch:

Gotterdamerung: Dawn and Siegfried's Rhine Journey and Funeral Music

Parsifal: "Ich sah das Kind" sung by Kirsten Flagstad

Walkure Finale sung by George London

Tristan und Isolde Prelude and Liebestod sung by Birgit Nilsson.        (63 min.)

The finale of the closing  of the old Met. "Auld Lang Syne" gets to me every time. Remember, I lived my youth on the old standee line, and the joys of friendship with so many other opera lovers, the fun we had, the great performances we saw (after freezing outside the Met for so many hours.) will remain in my heart forever.

Aida  Triumphal Scene:  Verna,Madeira, Baum, Sereni,Macurdy, Scott.

Cosi Fan Tutte:  Trio with Stratas, Miller, Guarrera

Magic Flute: Quintet with Pracht, Grillo, Kriese, Shirley, Uppmann

Vanessa: Quintet  with Steber, Thebom, Dunn, Alexander, Harvuot

Rosenkavalier Final Trio with Caballe, Raskin, Elias

Andrea Chenier: Final Duet with Milanov, Tucker (Zinka's very last Met appearance.)

Faust (the opera that opened the Met in 1883) Trio with Tucci, Gedda, Hines

Auld Lang Syne  (and many,many tears)          (56 min.)

 Here is part two of the Met closing of April 16, 1966:

Osie Hawkins first announces some cancellations, and then the following are sung:

Forza final trio:  Rigal,Peerce,Tozzi

Gioconda Act 2 duet:  Crespin, Cvejic

Trovatore: D'amor sul'alli rosee:   Price

Manon Lescaut Act 2 Love Duet:  Tebaldi, Corelli

Die Meistersinger  Prize Song:  Sandor Konya.

Gotterdamerung Immolation Scene;  Nilsson         (48 min.)

 Part one of the closing of the Old Met.Contents as follows:

Nat.Anthem;Lauder Greenway greeting; Tannhauser Entrance of Guests (Stokowski) and introduction of honored guests;Rudolf Bing Greeting.

Lucia Sextet: Moffo, Sergi,Walker, Diaz, Ordassy,Anthony

Ballo: Eri tu:  Merrill     Otello duet: McCracken,Colzani

Don Carlo aria: Siepi     Louise Depuis le jour: Kirsten

Carmen Quintet:  Resnik, Votipka, Baldwin, Franke, Cehanovsky

Butterfly Un Bel di:Albanese (and she kissed the stage)

Walkure: Wintersturme: Vickers

Barber of Bagdad: Heil,diesem Hause   Corena

Barbiere: Una voce poco fa    Peters

  Some of my favorite singers in this Vespri Siciliani from Palermo, 1957 under Tullio Serafin. Featured are Antonietta Stella, Giuseppe taddei, Mario Filippeschi, and Bernard Ladysz.  (70 min.)

  The great miracle of singing, Birgit Nilsson, was born on May 17, 1918. In tribute to her we present the following scenes:

Ariadne:Est gibt ein Reich (Stockholm, 1949) under Eugen Jochum

Die Frau Ohne Schatten: Act 2 finale (Munich 1977) w.Theo Adam under  Wolfgang Sawallisch   

Tristan act 2 sc.w.Grace Hoffman (Florence 1977) under Artur Rodzinski

Liebestod from Orange 1977 under Karl Boehm

Siegfried Final sc.w.Hans Hopf  Bayreuth 1960 under Rudolf Kempe

Gotterdamerung Immolation Scene  Bayreuth 1960 under Kempe       (71 min.)

An exciting performance of Verdi's "I Lombardi" from  Rome, 1969 under Gianandrea Gavazzeni, with Renata Scotto, Luciano Pavarorri, Ruggero Raimondi, Anna di Stasio (Viclinda), and Umberto Grilli (Arvino.)

 Marisa Galvany and I go back 45 years...Still one of the greats....and I make sure everyone knows it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  The OPERA GODS must have loved May 17, for they created Zinka Milanov (1906) and Birgit Nilsson (1918). Bless their memories!!!

What more is there to say??I have heard this live and on records over a zillion times, and the effect never ceases to be less than a MIRACLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!