In the 1960's, New York opera lovers who attended the La Puma Opera Company "adopted" the diva Olive Middleton whose prime years (including singing at Covent Garden) were in the 1920's. Olive was around 80, and of course the notes were rather "approximate," but she had great feeling for the music, and the spoken material really sounds like a legitimate singer, even at her advanced age.
     Unless you are a total "purist" you might have some fun with this podcast. We met her once at the Met and treated her like a real diva;she ate it up. She passed away in 1974 at age 93,so do the math!
      At present she is coaching with Zinka Milanov, Adelina Patti, and Ethel Merman.                          Enjoy(maybe) !!!   Charlie

A comparison of famous divas performing the Phedre Recitative and the "Poveri Fiori" from Cilea's "Adriana Lecouvreur." Who is your favorite?

Magda Olivero,Renata Tebaldi, Aprile Millo, Diana Soviero, Montserrat Caballe,Mafalda Favero,Renata Scotto,Leyla Gencer(Phedre only), and
Nelly Miricioiu (Phedre only.).

                                 70 min.)

A compilation of various Mimi/Marcello scenes from act three of La Boheme. In the following order, the singers are:

Renata Scotto/Frank Guarrera
Luisa Maragliano/Giangiacomo Guelfi
Mirella Freni/Calvin Marsh
Victoria de los Angeles/Robert Merrill
Victoria de los Angeles/Renato Capecchi
Trude Eipperle/Karl Kronenberg(In German)
Raina Kabaiwanska/Matteo Manuguerra
Bidu Sayao/Giuseppe Valdengo
Renata Tebaldi/Frank Guarrera
Diana Soviero/Allan Monk
Rosetta Pampanini/Gino Vanelli
Licia Albanese/Afro Poli
Rosanna Carteri/Giuseppe Taddei
                             (70 min.)

  The opera world has been enriched by the presence of so many artists of Spanish/Hispanic origin. I hope you enjoy this compilation of material featuring many of the wonderful performers from various Spanish-speaking lands:

Victoria de los Angeles, Montserrat Caballe, Conchita Supervia, Maria Barrientos, Hina Spani, Maria Galvany, Mercedes Capsir, Pilar Lorengar, Oralia Dominguez, Ramon Vinay, Miguel Fleta, Placido Domingo, Jose Palet, Hipolito Lazaro, Emile Vendrell, Antonio Cortis, Francisco Vinas, and Jose Mardones.

                               (73 minutos)

Some opera stars really can "crossover" into superb renditions of "Pop" music.(Well,most of them,anyway). Here are some examples featuring:

Thomas Hampson,Bryn Terfel, Kip Wilborn, Dorothy Kirsten, Rise Stevens, Sumi Jo, Maureen Forrester, Dorothy Bishop, Thomas Quasthoff, Rene Fleming, Federica Von Stade, Placido Domingo,
Diana Soviero (at 17), Regina Resnik, Renata Tebaldi,Cesare Siepi, and the famous Burnette/Horne/Farrell trio.

                       (72 min.)

A podcast dedicated to the "lost art" of verismo soprano style. Included are arias by:

         Magda Olivero,Virginia Zeani, Maria Farnetti, Rosetta Pampanini,
         Pia Tassinari, Claudia Muzio, Maria Zamboni,
          Bianca Sciacciati, Hina Spani, Mafalda Favero, Rosanna Carteri,
          Licia Albanese, Angela Gheorghiu, Renata Scotto, and Diana 
          Soviero.   (64 min.)

  I have selected some artists I feel belong in my "controversial" category. I love most of them,but some I never could grasp...that is the way of things in life. One person exits a film and raves;the other one is totally negative. Same with opera, so PLEASE do not send me too much hate mail, because after all, I am a fairly nice guy.
    The artists are:
        Martha Moedl, Leonie Rysanek, Theresa Stitch-Randall, Boris Christoff, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Conchita Supervia, Lily Pons, Christina Deutekom, Ivan Koslovsky, Giovanni Martinelli, Maria Callas, Renata Scotto, Magda Olivero, and Leyla Gencer.
                                 (71 minutes)