Sun, 30 March 2014
A happy birthday to our dear Facebook friend, Nelly Miricioiu, who represents a style of singing mostly absent today. She was born on Mar.31, 1952 in Roumania, which seems to be a country where the 'air" produces some of the most exciting artists(Guess who else!)
Category:general
-- posted at: 7:42pm EDT
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Sun, 30 March 2014
On Sept.29, 1965 both Mirella Freni and Gianni Raimondi made their Met debuts in La Boheme,under Fausto Cleva. The tape is a bit distant in sound, but it was a special performance and I know that you will enjoy it. Others in the cast were as follows: Heidi Krall Musetta Calvin Marsh Marcello John Macurdy Colline Clifford Harvuot Schaunard Lorenzo Alvary Benoit Andrea Velis Alcindoro |
Sat, 29 March 2014
More superb singing from the great Frida Leider. As I had said, sometimes a great singer "escapes" notice, owing to all there is,but here we have some more excerpts from her repertory. 1. Oberon "Ozean,du Ungeheuer 2. The Wagner Wesendonck Songs 3. Ariadne "Est gibt ein Reich" 4. Don Giovanni "Or sai chi l'onore 5. Schubert: Erlkonig and Auf dem Wasser zu singen 6. Schumann Widmung 7.Tristan und Isolde Liebestod |
Sat, 29 March 2014
I know you enjoy my pot-pourris and i hope you will appreciate this one as well: 1. Meta Seinemeyer Tristan und Isolde "Liebestod" (so sad,she died at 33.) 2. Cesare Siepi L'Italiana in Algeri "Le femmine d'Italia" 3. Diane Soviero Risurrezione (Alfano) "Giunge il treno" 4. Steber/DelMonaco Fanciulla act two duet (with opened cut, which I love.) 5. Stella/Guelfi Aida Nile Duet (They are superb) 6. Rise Stevens Orfeo "Che faro" 7. Luisa Tetrazzini Semiramide "Bel raggio" 8. Richard Tucker Andrea Chenier "Improvisso" 9. Pavarotti/Millo Ballo Love duet 10.Leonard Warren Forza Cabaletta (He was about to sing this when he died.I will never forget it.) 11. Zinka Milanov Forza "La vergine degli angeli (1965 concert.) 12.Giuseppe di Stefano Carmen "Flower Song" 13. Magda Olivero Manon Lescaut "In quelle trine morbide" 14.Titta Ruffo Pagliacci Prologue (a force of nature.) 15. Beverly Sills Tabarro aria (her only Trittico) 16.Riccardo Stracciari Traviata "Di Provenza " (Charlie's favorite baritone) |
Fri, 28 March 2014
I love this guy!!!! He is one of my five all-time favorite tenors, of those I never saw live. I find the Russian "high vocal placement' so appealing, Here he sings (In Russian) arias from: Fra Diavolo, Huguenots, Martha, Luisa Miller, Lohengrin, Faust, Mignon, Roussalka (Dargomijsky), The Demon (Rubenstein), Onegin (act one), May Night (2 arias), Onegin (Kooda,kooda), Pique Dame Here is some material I fouind interesting about "rivalry." (71 Min.) Lemeshev-maniaLemeshev’s talent, artistry, acting skills and conspicuous charm very quickly made him a public idol. Almost all his performances during the 1930s and 1940s were accompanied by crowds of fans followed him through the streets, spending days and nights near his house. [1] While Lemeshev was one of the leading tenors of the Bolshoi Theatre, he was admired by female fans, who were jokingly called "lemeshistki." The theatre lobby was a venue for scuffles between the "lemeshistki" and the "kozlovityanki" (female fans of Lemeshev's rival Ivan Kozlovsky).[2] Additionally, the film "The Musical Story" (1941) [3] in which he played the main role, brought him the Stalin prize, and even more widespread furore and fame all over the USSR. |
Thu, 27 March 2014
A great French soprano,who had a sad experience as to possible collaboration with the Nazis during the war, but acquitted.(I have her own words below.). She sings arias from: Tannhauser,Siegfried,Walkure,Tristan und Isolde,Freischutz, Sigurd (Reyer), Tosca, and songs as follows: Chopin: Tristesse Schubert: Erlkonig Faure: Au bord de l'eau Debussy: Beau soir and Je tremble en voyant ton visage. (55 min.) For her part, Lubin denied all ties to Nazi Germany, and grew deeply bitter over her treatment at the hands of the French government. She once said that
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Wed, 26 March 2014
Here is one of Sam's great roles! (Sam,put a shirt on!!)
Category:general
-- posted at: 8:08pm EDT
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Wed, 26 March 2014
Category:general
-- posted at: 8:05pm EDT
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Wed, 26 March 2014
It was our first Bolena rehearsal in 1970.This young guy, born Mar.28, 1942, opened his mouth and we heard for the first time someone who would become one of the great singers of our time.Sam always spoke of Treigle,and he ended up inheriting many of his great roles. We sang in Hoffmann,Bolena,Barber,etc..and i am so happy to have known him all these years..,Bravo,Sam!!!!!
Category:general
-- posted at: 8:03pm EDT
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Tue, 25 March 2014
Do you think it was easy spending NINE DOLLARS on a box seat on Mar.5, 1960? Well,it turned out to be worth it, as the incredible cast of Milanov,Bergonzi,Bastianini, and our beloved contralto, Belen Amparan (Madelon) gave a sensational performance, conducted by Fausto Cleva. It was also a sad time for us, as the night before,we had witnessed the untimely stage death of Leonard Warren. At least this phenomenal performance took us temporarily out of our sadness. Here are some special notes that might help you to pinpoint some of the reasons we were so thrilled: 1. Bergonzi's amazing sense of phrasing. The ultimate example of "slancio," where the man was a vocal GOD to us, as he has been for so long. 2. Zinka's double attack on the act two pianissimo on "ora soave" and the "U" vowel on the word "sventura"in the third act aria, which was one of the examples of her brilliant placement. 3. Bastianini's remarkable "Nemico della patria," offering us at least another great baritone sound, having sadly lost another. 4. Belen Amparan's true contralto tones. We loved her so much. 5. The stunning last act duet (in the high key) and in particular, Zinka's "Abbracciami, Baciami, AMOOOOOORE" which to this day I retain in my mind. Listening to this, I again told myself I am glad I was there for shows like this, and again repeat that there is NOTHING in this repertory today (at least not at the Met) that can compare. |