From New York City in 1994, I bring you the radiant voice of the superb Peruvian tenor, Juan Diego Flores, a man who sings as gloriously as anyone I have ever heard.

  Included (announced) are songs and arias by Bellini,Rossini,Donizetti, Gluck, Morales, Serrano, and Tosti.    (70 minutes).

Note that the only times that encores have been allowed at the Met is when Flores sang the Fille du Reeggiment aria (with 18 high C's) and on a broadcast of Elisir, where he repeated the "Una furtiva lagrima."  This is a rarity in New York Met opera.

  What is left to say about this legend? Yes, we know all about her flaws, personal difficulties, but what remains forever is a legacy of a phenomenal contribution that will never be forgotten. Here is the first of a series of clips for your personal remembrances and in tribute to her.

Gedda is now 87...This is rather recent......Not sure when..but the man is a VOCAL GOD!!!!!

Dedicated to another ageless singer, Martha Eggerth (now 100).

One of the very last exponents of truly emotional style and careful attention to the delicacy of phrasing in opera has been Renata Scotto. This 1967 Radio Turino Butterfly from 1967 under Artuto Basile is an example of her great artistry, despite some of the top notes that were often a bit problematical as the years passed.he is 33 here, but for many more years her Butterfly remained  possibly the greatest of them all.She is joined by Renato Cioni,Franca Mattiucci, and Alberto Rinaldi. (71 min.)

 A delightful Die Fledermaus from Stuttgart Radio, 1938 under Gustav Goerlich.The cast includes Margarete Teschemacher (Rosalinda), Peter Anders (Alfred), Karl Mikorey (Eisenstein), Einar Kristjansson (Orlovsky), Martina Wulf (Adele), and Karl Schmitt-Walter (Dr.Falke.).

   In act two the guests are Erna Berger, Peter Anders, Maria Reining, and Esther Rethy.  (70 min.)

   Darling miraculous Magda Olivero turns 103 on March 25. She will speak in that gorgeous "verismo Italian" when I call her...Hard to imagine a world without this beautiful spirit!!!!

 Here is part two of the Vienna 1961 Son Carlo  (51 min.)

 Part One of a 1961 Vienna Don Carlo under Fausto Cleva,featuring Flaviano Labo,Antonietta Stella, Giulietta Simionato, Eberhard Waechter, and Walter Kreppel. (61 min.)

Renata Tebaldi and Franco Corelli on television in Chenier finale.(In key).

 The GOD of singing in a magnificent example of the heart and soul of the great Caruso. Note the way he enters his "passaggio" on a word like "notte" and for me EVERY Caruso "vocal situation" is unique in my mind. Bless this great man!!!!

The beloved Bidu Sayao makes her Met debut as Manon in 1937 under Maurice Abravanel. The cast is completed by Sydney Rayner, Richard Bonelli, Angelo Bada, Chase Baromeo, and George Cehanovsky.  This is a historic event, for it heralds the great Sayao career.  (71 min.)

         My very dear opera friends,

                     You may or may not understand a "crazy collector's mentality," but as I approach age 77, I look around and feel that some day I do not want my enormous collection to go into a dumpster. My joke is that when I met Anja Silja a few years agho after a Jenufa, I asked her for the Elena Makropolous formula so I could have 356 hyears more to listen to my tapes. She must have thought "who is this nutcase?"
                I have been discarding reels and cassettes (ever hear of them?), but what remains is still an enormous collection of CD's,VHS videos, and LP's, not just the items I used for a 25 year "Pirate business" but lots of commercial material. For example, do you know anyone who has over 50 Elektras or every Ring that was ever recorded?
                  I look around and wonder what I was thinking when I would visit Tower Records after a Met performance and buy something like the complete works of Heinrich Schlachenheimer (??)This is why I am so glad Tower closed because I can save a little money!
             In your travels (and I am also speaking to singers or opera-lovers who reside in other countries), you might know some younger opera lovers, similar to a 17 year old Charlie Handelman who knew every note of Zinka Milanov's repertory.(and most of the words.) Also,you may be affiliated with a school like MSM where young students can enjoy some of my enormous collection...rather than have it lay around and gather dust.
            This does not mean that I am discarding everything, but let's face it....there is just too much...and I would like to "spread the wealth" to those of you who might be interested. Of course, you would need a truck, a U-haul, or a large tenor to pick stuff up. Why should it sit around here and some day be discarded, although my executor can do what he wants with it..but it would be an enormous job.
             Well, that is where I am at the moment, and please feel free to write or phone me if you have any ideas..but do not give anything to anyone who never heard of Claudia Muzio!
                                                     Love  Charlie  Placido21@aol.com

  I have spoken often of the old La Puma Co.and have played you scenes. TELL ME...could any of you sit there and not have a serious accident in your.....They finally threw us out one night...we could not stop laughing..I miss them so..but at least we have the Met.....

 When many opera singers attempt "crossover," they fall on their face..no names mentioned....but when Sumi Jo sings "Send in the Clowns" with such beauty and style, it is indeed a pleasure.

 Scenes from a glorious Parsifal under Hans Knappertsbusch from Bayreuth 1951. The stellar cast includes Martha Moedl, Wolfgang Windgassen, George London, Ludwig Weber, and Herman Uhde (Klingsor.)   (73 min.)

Several Golden Age artists sing songs of Paolo Tosti.(Announced).They as follows:

Adelina Patti, Mattia Battistini, Fernando de Lucia, Emma Eames, Charles Dalmores, Enrico Caruso, Giuseppe Anselmi, John McCormack, Alfred Piccaver, Dusolina Giannini, Rosa Ponsellle, and Richard Tauber.  (62 min.)

  Who cares about the U.S.Financial crisis, problems in the Mideast, will Angela Gheorghiu show up, and all the other pressing problems in this world? The most important news of the day is that it looks like the Hostess company, maker of Twinkies, and other high cholesterol snacks, will be SAVED!

    So many of us who were about to commit "Suicidio" feel that life is worth living again. Thanks the Lord for bringing us out of this potentially disastrous situation!!!

 Another example of the versatilty and artistry of Leyla Gencer, "Queen of the Pirates." This is an Adriana from Naples, 1966, Under Oliviero di Fabritiis. The cast also features Amadeo Zambon, Enzo Sordello, and Adriana Lazzarini.  (70 min.)

 For a little change of pace, I present a series of songs as written by Giuseppe Verdi.(Announced.) They are sung by Renata Scotto, accompanied by Vincenzo Scalera in 1989  (50 min.)

  Ruby Helder, Female Tenor!!!!!!!!

    The two girls teach you what  exciting singing is about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Another "innovative' production of La Boheme,from Salzburg 2012.This is coming out next month on DVD and Blue Ray. It features two of the greatest artists of today, Anna Netrebko and Piotr Beczala. I think you might consider purchasing it ,unless you are a purist.(I used to be.)

  My darling friend, Marisa Galvany, lost her husband, George Kornbluth last week. In his memory,I would like to present this video, thinking that wherever dear George is, he is recalling all the beautiful days with Marisa and all who loved him. He was a wonderful man, and we shall miss him.

Sincerely,

Charlie

  This is a most exciting Ballo from 1940 under Ettore Panizza, featuring Zinka Milanov, Jussi Bjoerling,Alexander Sved, Bruna Castagna, and Stella Andreva. (70 min.). Why didn't mommy take me, even though I was only 4!!!

Even in concert, the remarkable Leonie manages one of her famous GESCHREIS!!!! Did you know the union of stage hands got mad because they could not get any overtime;this is because Leonie rolled around in the dust, and they were not needed!! (Well,figuratively, anyway.)

On her birthday, let us remember the sensational Leonie Rysanek, one of the greatest artists in opera history. Yes, she had her flaws, especially in Italian repertory, but she made roles like Senta,the Empress, Sieglinde,etc. totally unforgettable. We will not see her like again!!!!

 As I indicated in my spoken commentary, sometimes you forget, with all the material available, just how some performances stay in your memory, and how unbelievably exciting the Mexico 1951 Aida was. Here is a mini-podcast of most of act three with Callas,Del Monaco, and Taddei. Sorry, they do not make them like this anymore!!!!  (24 min.)

Wanna hear great singing?????   My old buddy Sam Ramey(hates the wig), Luciano, and a singer I always adored, Lauren Flanigan, in the Lombardi Trio.

   Born November 7, 1926, Joan Sutherland has been one of the greatest singers in opera history. She earned the name "La Stupenda." Note her wild ending of the aria..Count the number of high C's!!!

 The very great mezzo Christa Ludwig in scenes from Parsifal (w.Fritz Uhl and Walter Berry, Vienna 1961 under Von Karajan), Walkure w. James Morris under James Levine, and the marvelous finale of a 1966 Frau Ohne Schatten under Karl Boehm w.Berry,Rysanek, and Dalis.   (70 min.)

Born Nov.8 , 1921...Hines' last appearance..Really amazing!!!!!! A stalwart basso for so many years!!!!

 I want the ones with the high D flat, and the best for me is the first one..Sondra Radvanovsky..some sopranos do not (or cannot) take the note.

In order we have:

    Sondra Radvanovsky, Mariella Devia, Christine Weidinger, Dimitra Theodossiou.Darina Takova, Mariella Devia again, Katia Ricciarelli, Lucia D'Anselmo, Nelly Miricioiu, Joan Sutherland twice, and Vasso Papantoniou.

     I just love these comparisons!!

   We ancient collectors are so STARVED for Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs style of singing..Brilliant tone,warmth of emotion, GREAT LOW NOTES, wonderful easy top range...and what I call "authoritative glottal attacks' on certain phrases.   She is my new "find."

Let's face it!!! When I get started on a new diva, I get CRAZY!!!!! However, you already know about what I love...and this is the kind of singing I DIE FOR!!!!! This is my all-time favorite aria, and she is absolutely magnificent.!!!

   I just discovered a diva who reminds true opera lovers of the kind of singing so badly missing today...Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs lets it all "hang out" like a Caterina Mancini,Marisa Galvany, Maria Callas.   I went nuts!

   She is also a Facebook friend, and a sweetheart!!!! More to come!!!!

   Choruses from French operas, including Mireille, Romeo et Juliette (Gounod), The Pearl Fishers, La Jolie Fille de Perth (Bizet) w.Alfredo Kraus, La Damnation de Faust (Berlioz), Herodiade (Massenet), Hamlet (Thomas) w.Thomas Hampson and Gregory Kunde, and the Salve Regina from Poulenc's Dialgues des Carmelites.   (69 min.)

In 1955, Cappuccilli auditioned for La Scala in Milan, where the auditioners, deeply impressed, encourage him to enter the Viotti competition. After his first place award, he made his official operatic debut in 1957 at the Teatro Nuovo in Milan, singing Tonio in Pagliacci. In 1960, he made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera, singing Giorgio Germont in La traviata, which was to be

Cappuccilli spent most of his career singing in Europe, with only infrequent travels to North and South America. He made his debut at the Teatro alla Scala in 1964, as Enrico, at the Royal Opera House in London as Germont in 1967, and his Opéra de Paris debut took place in 1978, as Amonasro. He also appeared at the Vienna State Opera and the Salzburg Festival. He worked with the greatest European conductors of his time (Karajan, Gavazzeni, Abbado, Kleiber) and became one of the finest interpreters of the Italian repertoire.

Cappuccilli was highly respected as a "Verdi baritone", where his beautiful voice, fine vocal technique, musical elegance, and dignified stage presence, were shown to their best advantage.

He left an impressive discography, he recorded Lucia di Lammermoor twice, first with Maria Callas in 1959, and with Beverly Sills in 1970. Other notable recordings include; Rigoletto, opposite Ileana Cotrubas and Placido Domingo, under Carlo Maria Giulini, Macbeth, opposite Shirley Verrett, and Simon Boccanegra, opposite Mirella Freni and Nicolai Ghiaurov, both under Claudio Abbado. He also recorded Don Carlos, Il Trovatore and Aida under Herbert von Karajan

Cappuccilli sang until his mid-sixties; an automobile accident in 1992 ended his stage career. He died in his native Trieste, at the age of 78.^[2]

 Pagliacci,Zaza,Macbeth,Attila,Due Foscari,Forza,Trovatore,Do Carlo,Pearl Fishers, Chenier, Nabucco,Ernani,Roberto Devereux.

(68 min.)

In my efforts to keep you entertained, I mix audio and video clips along with my podcasts. I consider the Lehmann aria here as one of my top favorite commercial recordings of all time!!!

The final passages send me to heaven!!!!!!!!!!!

Edita Gruberova has a kind of "eccentric' vocal approach..but so exciting..and the way she goes up to the top (scooooops) is a thrill.  I really love her.... WE NEED HER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 A pretty good cast!!!!  Don Giovanni under the legendary Karl Boehm in Naples 1955, with early Birgit Nilsson,Sena Jurinac,Alda Noni, Giuseppe Valdengo, Sesto Bruscantini, Anton Dermota, Gottlob Frick, and a new guy as Masetto named Walter Berry.(He might make it some day!!)  (71 min.)