An interesting selection of scenes from Wagner operas sung by Non-German artists in various languages.Included are:
Mario DelMonaco, Maria Callas, Renata Tebaldi, Nelly Melba, Josep Palet, Francisco Vignas, Cesar Vezzani, Paul Franz, Fernando de Lucia, Giuseppe de Luca, Mattia Battistini, Germaine Lubin, CloeElmo, Aureliano Pertile, Edward Johnson, Victoria de Los Angeles, Riccardo Stracciari, Emili Vendrell, and Ivan Koslowsky.
Selections from the Saint-Saens opera "Samson et Delilah featuring many fine singers,including:
Ezio Pinza, Robert Merrill, Rise Stevens, Dolora Zajick, Shirley Verrett, Oralia Dominguez, Rita Gorr, Christa Ludwig, Ebe Stignani, Giulietta Simionato, Fiorenza Cossotto, Jose Luccioni, Ramon Vinay, Jon Vickers, Robert Massard, Rene Maison, and Richard Tucker
Many selections in honor of Richard Tucker, for me, the greatest tenor I ever heard in live performance.
Andrea Chenier, Fanciulla Del West, Forza del Destino Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci, Ballo in Maschera, Floridante, La Juive, Turandot, Tosca, Luisa Miller, Manon Lescaut, Trovatore, and songs.
Maria Callas and Renata Tebaldi, two of the greatest divas who ever graced an opera stage, singing the same material as a point of friendly comparison. Selections are from:
La Gioconda, Aida, Louise, Tosca, Mme.Butterfly, Tristan und Isolde, and Andrea Chenier.
There have been many great artists who appeared at the Salzburg Festival in the 30's and 40's, and in other theatres. Here is a pot-piurri that will present some of them to you.
Tiana Lemnitz,Lotte Lehmann, Maria Reining, Charles Kullmann, Koloman Von Pataky, Sigrid Onegin,Marcel Wittrisch, Alexander Kipnis, Michael Bohnen, Ludwig Weber, Selma Kurz, Julius Patzak, Hans Hotter, Dino Borgioli, Maria Cebotari, Ljuba Welitsch, Set Svanholm, and Alfred Piccaver.
Let us give the men a chance! I am so "diva-oriented" I tend to forget that there is an incredible array of male artists who thrill us. Here are some scenes from Verdi operas featuring:
Richard Tucker, Leonard Warren, Robert Merrill, Jussi Bjoerling, Samuel Ramey, Thomas Hampson, Cornell MacNeil, Piero Cappuccilli, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Giorgio Tozzi, Ezio Flagello, Sherrill Milnes, Karl Ridderbusch, Carlo Tagliabue, Galliano Masini, Mario del Monaco, Helge Roswaenge, Heinrich Schlusnus, Ettore Bastianini,Jerome Hines
On occasion, even a jaded opera lover like me finds joy in discovering a great voice. I find that Signor Giordani is one of the great singers in my opera-going experience and I am pleased to present live scenes from various operas that feature him:
Favorita, Manon, Romeo ,Huguenots, Gioconda, Ballo, William Tell(with a BIS!!), Adriana Lecouvreur.
A pot-pourri of 12 different renditions of the famous final trio from Strauss' sublime "Der Rosenkavalier."
Selections are announced on the podcast for your edification.
Artists include: Elizabeth Schwarzkopf, Viorica Ursuleac, Regine Crespin, Lotte Lehmann, Eleanor Steber, Helge Dernesch, Renee Fleming, Elizabeth Grummer, Lisa della Casa (in all three roles), Gundula Janowitz, Elizabeth Soederstrom, Rise Stevens, Sena Jurinac, Tiana Lemnitz, Susan Graham, Frances Bible, Jarmila Novotna, Birgitte Fassbaender, Erna Berger, Lucia Popp, Hilde Gueden, Marita Farell, Judith Raskin, Anne Elgar, Ileana Cotrubas, Anneliese Rothenberger, and Barbara Bonney
This podcast features scenes from Mussorgsky's great work, "Boris Godunov." The artists include:
Cesare Siepi, George London, Norman Treigle, Sam Ramey, Alexander Kipnis, Ludwig Weber, Mark Reizen, Ezio Pinza, Martha Moedl, Eugenia Zareska, Kerstin Thorborg, Nicolai Gedda, Leonard Warren, and Benno Kusche
Another comparison of the aria "Di quella pira," as a quiz for you to guess at least some of them. The photo is of the great Kurt Baum as Enzo. Dig those legs!
Scenes from the magnificent Richard Strauss opera,featuring Leonie Rysanek, Birgit Nilsson, Ingrid Bjoener, Sabine Hass, James King, Irene Dalis, Regina Resnik, Christa Ludwig, Placido Domingo, Inge Borkh, Hildegard Hillebrecht, Franz Grundheber, Walter Berry, Hanna Schwarz, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, and Eleanor Steber
Janet Baker,one of the world's greatest artists, was born on August 21, 1933. I present a tribute to her featuring songs and arias by Handel, Mozart, Pergolesi, Schubert, Donizetti, Wagner, and Elgar.
A Collection of famous German (and Viennese) artists:
Julius Patzak, Leo Slezak, Franz Voelker,Margarete Klose, Maria Olszewska, Karen Branzell, Wilhelm Rode, Emil Scipper, Hans Hotter, Heinrich Schlusnus, Michael Bohnen, Georg Hann, Hilde Gueden, Frida Leider, Erna Berger, Tiana Lemnitz, Maria Cebotari.
Selections from operas where a doctor (or a so-called doctor) is involved in the action. Operas include:
Elisir d"amore, Macbeth, Forza del Destino, Traviata Don Pasquale, Barbiere di Siviglia, Gianni Schicchi, Cosi Fan Tutte, Wozzeck Nozze di Figaro, Vanessa Tales of Hoffmann.
Giacomo Puccini was a composer whose operas tugged at our heartstrings. There are so many emotional moments in his works,and here I include one scene from each of his operas,featuring:
Renata Scotto(in photo), Diana Soviero, Renata Tebaldi, Virginia Zeani, Julia Varady, Krassimira Stoyanova, Beverly Sills, Christina Gallardo-Domas, Magda Olivero, Leontyne Price, Dorothy Kirsten, Richard Tucker, Placido Domingo, Jerry Hadley, and Giovanni Inghilleri
Some of the most affecting scenes from various operas:
Walkure, Siegfried, Peter Grimes, Nozze di Figaro, Saint of Bleecker Street, Elektra, Rosenkavalier, Die Frau Ohne Schatten, Ariadne, Arabella, Parsifal, and Porgy and Bess
A podcast dedicated to some of the somewhat lesser-known Puccini material. It includes some songs, a cantata for tenor, orchestral music, and arias from Rondine,Edgar, Le Villi, and La Rondine, plus the Berio ending from Turandot.
A series of scenes and arias from Donizetti's "Lucrezia Borgia," featuring some very fine artists such as:
Leyla Gencer, Joan Sutherland, Beverly Sills, Mariella Devia, Clara Butt, Tatiana Troyanos, Montserrat Caballe, Alain Vanzo, Giuseppe Filianoti, Gaetano Scano, Jose Carreras, and Bonaldo Giaiotti.
A collection of material that illustrates how opera singers can sometimes become so in love with their own voices, that they forget that the composers would sock them in the mouth if they were alive.
Also included are some rather delusional people who have cracked up even the most serious opera enthusiast.
Whether you like it or not, you cannot say this boring!!!!!!
I just spoke to Zinka, who vishes you a happy Fourth of July, and she vants to tell you that since she is coaching Vassilka Petrova (I think she is dead)...Vell, she vants to see if it helped...So here are two arias she just recorded.
Let me know your comments so I can tell her if she is a good teacher up there (or down there...)
(8 delusional minutes of pleasure)
P.S. Birgit got very angry at me when I told her I spliced in the great Petrova high unnatural B that ends "La Mamma Morta' into her "In questa reggia." (I will someday podcast it)
The Carnegie Hall audience goes totally ballistic at this 1988 OONY performance of Jenufa, starring the amazing Leonie Rysanek, Gabriella Benackova, and Wieslaw Ochman
Celebration of the birthdays of some important artists:
Peter Anders 7/1/08 Bianca Scaciatti 7/3/1894 Birgitte Fassbaender 7/3/39 Herman Jadlowker 7/5/1877 Willy Treffner 7/5/03 Matti Salminen 7/7/45 Eberhard Waechter 7/9/29 Sergei Lemeshev 7/10/02 Josephine Veasey 7/10/30 Ljuba Welitsch(photo) 7/10/13
What true opera lover can resist our darling Olive Middleton, a cult figure at New York's (in)famous La Puma Opera in the 60's.( the 1960's). So what if she sang about three tones flat and had no teeth? She was adored,as you will hear on this brief (Thank GOD) podcast
When Dorothy Kirsten passed away in 1992, we learned she was actually about 9 years older than originally believed. This is even more amazing,considering how fresh and clear she sounded in 1974 and beyond.
The selections are from: Thais, Fanciulla, Rondine, Butterfly, Louise, Tosca,La Rondine and she also sings Gershwin's "Someone To Watch Over Me." Kirsten had an uncanny ability NOT to sound 'operatic' in pop music!
Robert Merrill, Hugo Hasslo, Gabriel Bacquier, Theodore Uppman, Heinrich Schlusnus, Giuseppe Danise, Ettore Bastianini,Igor Gorin, Mattia Battistini, John Charles Thomas, Riccardo Stracciari, Pavel Lisitsian (in photo) (50 minutes)
Montserrat Caballe, Arlene Auger, Maria Callas, Kiri Te Kanawa, Virginia Zeani, Eda Moser, Maria Chiara, Regine Crespin, Renata Scotto, Catherine Malfitano, Margaret Price,Rene Fleming, Anita Cerquetti, Pilar Lorengar,Ileana Cotrubas
Arias as sung by one of the greatest divas in opera history.
Included are arias from Traviata, Ballo, Sonnambula, Les Huguenots, La Perle du Bresil, Semiramide, Vespri, Rosalinda (Veracini), and the Proch Variations.
Scenes from George Gershwin's "Porgy & Bess," featuring many wonderful artists such as:
Todd Duncan, Anne Brown, Camilla Williams, Avon Long, Helen Jepson, Lawrence Tibbett, Robert Merrill, Inez Matthews, Cynthia Clarey, Willard White, Leontyne Price, Renee Fleming, Kiri Te Kanawa, and Paul Robeson
A magnificent array of fifteen tenors of the French school. Included in this collection are:
Georges Thill, Paul Franz, Giuseppe Lugo, Jose Luccioni, Leon Escalais, Cesar Vezzani, Leon Campagnola,, Marius Corpait, Jose de Trevi, Charles Friant, Gaston Micheletti, Rene LaPelletrie, Rene Verdiere, Josef Rogatchewsky, and Emile Marcellin
Still more insane happenings on opera stages and in the studio. Perfect for opera parties or if you feel like taking time off from Pelleas et Melisande.
Scenes and arias from Verdi's "Luisa Miller" featuring many fine artists such as:
Sondra Radvanovsky, Montserrat Caballe, Aprile Millo, Antonietta Stella, Nelly Miricioiu, Richard Tucker, Jose Carreras, Giuseppe Anselmi, Alessandro Bonci, Luciano Pavarotti, Sherrill Milnes, Vladimir Chernov, Vladimir Galouzine, Piero Cappuccilli,& Giorgio Tozzi
Ten selections from the enormous output of this legendary artist.
Words have always failed me when I attempt to describe the depth of my admiration...idolization...for this remarkable tenor who left us all too soon, but whose legacy will remain with us all our lives.
A HAPPY BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE TO THE BELOVED RISE STEVENS,ONE OF THE GREAT ARTISTS IN MY MEMORY
(Photo: Rise posed with every single member of her music club at our last gathering out on the island at Westhampton Beach, New York..This was followed by everyone being thrown into the swimming pool.(Except me..I never learned to swim!)
A podcast in which we hear examples of Shakespeare's influence on (mostly) opera. We feature selections from:
Hamlet,Falstaff, Merry Wives of Windsor, Macbeth, Antony & Cleopatra, I Capuletti ed I Montecchi, The Otellos of Verdi & Rossini, The Romeo of Gounod, The Romeo of Berlioz, West Side Story & Kiss Me Kate.
The great Bellini opera "Norma" surely lends itself to performances by some of our most memorable artists. Here are some scenes which feature a number of them:
Maria Callas, Montserrat Caballe, Shirley Verrett, Lauren Flanigan, Marisa Galvany, Zinka Milanov, Gina Cigna, Rita Hunter, Beverly Sills, Renata Scotto, Joan Sutherland, Leyla Gencer, Lili Lehmann, Marilyn Horne, Ebe Stignani, Gino Penno,Kurt Baum, Carlos Cossutta, Lamberto Furlan, Carlo Bergonzii, Franco Corelli, Elena Nicolai, Roberto Francesconi, AND Olive Middleton (well, nobody's POIFEKT!)
A collection of artists of Dutch ancestry.Included are:
Jacques Urlus, Nan Merriman, Elizabeth Ohms, Elly Ameling, Maartje Offers, Jard Van Nes, Cora Canne Meijer, Gre Brouwenstijn (in photo), Christina Deutekom, and Jo Vincent
In the early part of the 20th century, many artists recorded mostly Wagnerian material, as performed at the Sopot (Poland) Forest Theatre Festival, known as the "Bayreuth of the North."
Tenors: Jacques Urlus, Richard Schubert, Albert Reiss, Fritz Soot
Bassos/Baritones: Georges Baklanoff, Desider Zandor, Robert Vom Scheidt, Heinrich Knote, Adolf Schoepplin
Sopranos: Frida Leider, Helene Wildbrunn, and Meta Seinemeyer.
Part one of an interesting and exciting podcast in which we can compare various sopranos singing the great "Pace" from Verdi's "La Forza del Destino." As usual,with this kind of program, I will not list the sopranos here, because I have designed the podcast so that you do not know the names until each group of three has been played.
An exciting comparison of various sopranos singing the great aria from Turandot, "In questa reggia." I am not going to list the sopranos here because some of you like to play guessing games. Each soprano will be named after each group of selections.
A compilation of exciting cabalettas from various operas as sung by some of the great artists of the past:
Shirley Verrett, Montserrat Caballe, Virginia Zeani, Virginia Zeani, Elena Suliotis, Beverly Sills,Mado Robin Giulietta Simionato, Marilyn Horne, Christa Ludwig, Antonietta Stella, Joan Sutherland, Nicolai Gedda, Luciano Pavarotti, Alfredo Kraus, Franco Corelli, Piero Cappuccilli, Nicolai Ghiaurov,Sherrill Milnes, Carlo Bergonzi, and Richard Tucker
In tribute to this great artist, I present scenes from: Mefistofele, Boris, Coq D'or, Susannah, Faust, and Markheim.
If you are interested in Brian Morgan's fine new book, which is entitled, "Norman Treigle, Strange Child of Chaos, " it may be obtained from www.iuniverse.com or call the store at: 1-800-288-4677
Many selections from the Giordano opera,featuring:
Beniamino Gigli, Jussi Bjoerling, Daniele Barioni, Giacinto Prandelli, Ferruccio Tagliavini, Piero Pauli Giuseppe Di Stefano, Galliano Masini, Saturno Meletti, Giuseppe Giacomini, Diana Soviero, Renata Tebaldi, Mirella Freni, Magda Olivero, and Elena Nicolai
Exciting music from some of Verdi's early operas such as:
Attila, Aroldo, Stiffelio, Alzira, Il Corsaro,Oberto, I Lombardi,Gerusalemme,Un Giorno di Regno, I Masnadieri, I Due Foscari,Giovanna D'Arco, and La Battaglia Di Legnano.
Among the artists featured are:
Renata Tebaldi, Marisa Galvany, Leyla Gencer, Luisa Maragliano, Montserrat Caballe, Justino Diaz, Piero Cappuccili, Renato Bruson, Renato Cioni, Aprile Millo, Antonietta Stella, and Angeles Gulin
Songs and arias as performed live by the brilliantly talented young tenor, Rolando Villazon, who has endeared himself to so many operalovers, by nature of his brilliant voice, ans his totally captivating personality.
Giuseppe Verdi wrote some of his most remarkable music for baritone and soprano. This podcast features duets from eleven of his works, and features baritones such as:
Cornell MacNeil, Piero Cappuccili, Leonard Warren, Roberto Frontali, Gino Bechi, Sherrill Milnes, Antonio Boyer, Ettore Bastianini, and Gian-Giacomo Guelfi.
The sopranos include: Montserrat Caballe, Virginia Zeani, Zinka Milanov, Leyla Gencer, Renata Tebaldi, Renata Scotto, Maria Callas, Shirley Verrett, & Sondra Radnovsky
(Photo: Maria Guleghina and Renato Bruson in Nabucco)
Part one of a tribute to the very great Zinka Milanov, born on May 17th, 1906. She meant more to me than any other singer I ever heard live, and I continue to cherish her memory.
Highlights from one of the most exciting recordings of Verdi's opea. The cast includes Caterina Mancini, Gino Penno, Giuseppe Taddei, and Giacomo Vaghi, conducted by Fernando Previtali (1951)
A comparison of various renditions of Strauss' Four Last Songs, including the world premiere (1950) as sung by Kirsten Flagstad.
Since many people like to test themselves on a podcast like this, I am deliberately not listing the artists here. The artists' names will be provided after each group of three selections.
Many scenes and arias from Verdi's sometimes neglected masterpiece featuring the following artists:
Zinka Milanov, Antonietta Stella, Leyla Gencer, Josela Ligi, Christina Gallardo-Domas, Elizabeth Rethberg, Carlo Bergonzi, Richard Tucker, Giovanni Martinelli, Lawrence Tibbett, Leonard Warren, Giuseppe Valdengo, Jose Van Dam, Cesare Siepi, Leo Nucci, Frank Guarrera, Tito Gobbi, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Sesto Bruscantini, Franz Grundheber, Giuseppe Taddei,Andre Turp, and Gwynne Howell
You now have access to ARCHIVES as noted to the right of the page,by month. Therefore you can begin to download anything from the past that you might have missed.
OWING TO THE ORIGINAL GLITCH,MY NARRATION DID NOT COME THROUGH. YOU MIGHT PLAY A GUESSING GME OR SCROLL DOWN AND SEE THE SELECTIONS.
These are Italian operas sung in German and German operas sung in Italian: (1-9 in German.Rest in Italian)
1. Cavalleria Duet:Astrid Varnay,James Pease
2. Figaro Finale: Erich Kunz, Hilde Gueden, Elizabeth Grummer, Paul Schoeffler
3/4. Tosca act two scene: Hildegard Ranczak and Georg Hann and then Leonie Rysanek and Josef Metternich
5. Forza Duet:Gottlob Frick and Carla Martinis
6. Rigoletto Duet:Rita Streich and Josef Metternich
7. Turandot: Gertrude Grob-Prandl
8. Macbeth aria: Martha Moedl
9.Aida Nile Duet:Leonie Rysanak and George London
10. Rienzi aria:Francesco Vignas
11. Brangaene's Warning: Cloe Elmo
12. Parsifal Act Two Scene Maria Callas and Africo Baldelli
13/14. Renata Tebaldi in Tannhauser and in Lohengrin(w.Gino Penno)
15. Edward Johnson(Former Met General Manager) in Parsifal Finale.
Sorry for the problem.All will be resolved soon.
NOTE: On earlier podcasts,you will see a note at the end of the podcast that you click on so you can download it.
This is a podcast in which famous opera stars sing popular music. Since I have not revealed the names of the artists until AFTER the selections, as a kind of guessing game, I am not listing them here. Have fun !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One of the all-time greatest bassos, Cesare Siepi, is heard in arias and scenes from Salvator Rosa, Nozze di Figaro, Forza del Destino, Ernani, Vespri, Don Carlo,La Favorita, Italiana in Algeri, in a selection of Italian songs, and in his renditions of some of the songs of Cole Porter.
A selection of arias from various Handel operas: Rinaldo, Rodelinda, Alcina, Serse, Giulio Cesare, Judas Maccabeus, Joshua, Floriodante, Semele Acis and Galatea. Artists featured are:
Bryn Terfel, Richard Tucker, Ewa Podles, Marilyn Horne, David Daniels, Janet Baker, Samuel Ramey, Beverly Sills, Norman Treigle, Kathleen Ferrier, Kathleen Battle, Joan Sutherland, Fritz Wunderlich, and Lorraine Hunt Lieberson
Well,let us see how this works, and if it does, in the words of my friend Arnie, "I'll be bach."
Fifteen exciting interpretations of the great mezzo aria "O Don Fatale." I am not announcing the names of the artists until each group of three is played because I want you to play a guessing game;also you might want to use this post as a quiz at an opera party.
Exciting Scenes from the four Wagner Ring operas, featuring such artists as:
Birgit Nilsson, Wolfgng Windgassen, Herman Uhde, Martha Moedl,Gertrude Grob-Prandl, George London Gottlob Frick, Astrid Varnay, Gustav Neidlinger, Ludwig Weber, Regina Resnik, Lauritz Melchior, Rita Hunter, Marjorie Lawrence, Set Svanholm, Leonie Rysanek, Hans Hotter, Jon Vickers, Ramon Vinay, and Hans Beirer
Diana Soviero, considered one of the greatest "Verismo Divas" in recent years, following in the tradition of Claudia Muzio, Mafalda Favero, Virginia Zeani, and Magda Olivero, is heard in selections from:
Tosca,Adriana,Butterfly,Risurrezione,Fedora, Andrea Chenier, Pearl Fishers, Mefistofele, Gloria, The Leoncavallo Boheme, Romeo et Juliette, and La Traviata.
I had to crack up tonight because I had Diana listen to some of this podcast while we were on the phone...What was funny is that she kept saying, "Did I do that??" She is just such fun and hope to get your comments on the singing.
