What could be sweeter??? This is a darling trio!!!!!

AWESOME!!!!!!   This is just a sensational singer....Where has he been all my life?????

I have cried here in my favorite film for many years, but now when I look at  Madeline LeBeau's face at "Mugir les feroces soldats." I just cannot stop!!!!

Vive la France!!!!!!

Weep. weep forever for one of the most beloved artists in opera history, and she knew she was terminal. Nov.14, 1926, Leonie said farewell, but she will never be forgotten.

This is the REAL Moedl fach, and it is just so moving, but you had to see her live to derive all the pleasure. Just something in my life that never fades.

I probably have mentioned singers with flaws who can "read the telephone book" and be thrilling. Such was Mme.Moedl, singing a scene from "Bluthochzeit," by Wolfgang Fortner, which is based on Lorca's "Bodas de Sangre"(Blood Wedding), I taught Lorca so I appreciate the concepts.

Gwyneth Jones is also a soprano you sometimes feel is in serious trouble, and yet she is often more amazing than a soprano with better technique.</strong></span></p>

I saw Moedl in the Ring in 1957, and still see her on the stage as the most riveting singer in my life.

Olivia Stapp told me that she saw an Isolde once where she was "voiceless," and yet everyone went crazy!!!!!

Hope this works!! Have had computer disasters!!!

Lucrezia Bori was a very famous singer. Her name I think was Borgia, and I would not have wanted to eat at her house!

 Here are live scenes from La Rondine w.Mario Chamlee (1934 Chicago), and Manon (1936 Met) with Richard Crooks.   

Hope I can do many more podcasts,before you get frustrated!

She started her career as a member of the chorus with Latvian National Opera in 2001, and in 2003 became a soloist. It was there that she met her future husband, the conductor Andris Nelsons.^[2]

She first achieved wider recognition in 2006, when she made her debut at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin, followed by debuts at 2008 at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan and the Wiener Staatsoper, Vienna in 2008 and in October 2010 the Bavarian State Opera in the title role of Dvořák’s Rusalka in a new production directed by Martin Kušej.^[2]

In 2011, Opolais made her debut with London's Royal Opera, singing the title role in Puccini's Madama Butterfly, conducted by Nelsons.^[3] In 2013, she made her debut at The Proms in London's Royal Albert Hall, singing Verdi and Tchaikovsky arias, with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.^[3]

On 5 April 2014, with just five and a half hours' notice, Opolais substituted as Mimi in the Metropolitan Opera's matinee performance of Puccini's La Bohème.^[4] The substitution was necessitated by the scheduled Anita Hartig being too ill to perform. Although Opolais had performed the role several times in the past, including at the Vienna State Opera, she was currently in the title role of another opera, Puccini's Madama Butterfly, and had sung that there for the first time the previous evening. She hadn't fallen asleep until about 5am, when she was woken by a 7:30am phone call asking her to sing again at the 1pm matinee. Opolais is scheduled to perform in the same role in the Metropolitan Opera's 2014/15 season production of La Bohème.^[4]

Opolais' singing of Cio-Cio San (Madama Butterfly) with the Met has received positive reviews. The New York Observer noted her "soaring voice and penetrating theatrical presence", and that "she is the most compelling Met Cio-Cio-San since Diana Soviero last sang the role here nearly 20 years ago."^[5]

Her Mimi in La Bohème at the Met has also been praised. CDN noted that she "instantly meshed with the existing cast" and "found instant chemistry on stage" and has a "lovely, youthful, effortlessly nuanced voice".^[6]

^{What a sweetheart. She is so dear and what a great voice!!!}

^Nov.13

If I RULED, my first edict would be to order that all experienced opera lovers have the sworn responsability to attempt to awaken others to the values of opera. From my life's experience, I wish to show you examples of how it CAN HAPPEN:

1. I played some videos for a class. They were silent and attentive. Then they wanted to know if Nedda was REALLY dead. No, I informed them that Theresa Stratas did go on to sing for more years. They also (the boys) seemed to enjoy Shirley Verrett's Tosca act two chest..and I do not mean low notes.
  One BRAT deliberatley made comments and faces, but I think he just wanted to be a class troll. I also did not lower his mark..or did I?
  I also deliberately showed them the end of Walkure with all that fire, offering me an opportunity to take the high F# near the end.

  Look, for anything..music,literature,sports,art, etc...the adults need to give their kids a chance to enjoy more than video games, texting, and what goes for music these days.

2.  Mom and her friends, around 1930 or so, "slummed" and saw Walkure at the old Met and she said, "It was a big lady on a little hill."  I looked it up and she might have seen Gertrude Kappel.
  
 However, when dad died, I took her to Traviata. Tebaldi held her hand, and from then on, mom realized that someone with a "Follies background" could eventually tell me she loved Elektra the most, and met Rise, Farrell,Resnik,etc. She also liked Frau, Louise, AND when Corelli and Nilsson ended the "In questa reggia" with that high C, she was breathless.

 Dad did go with me to one opera.It was Trovatore with Rigal,DelMonaco(rarely did Manrico),Merrill, and Barbieri. I seem to recall he enjkoye the "Ai nostri monti theme "at the end of the opera, when it reprises and Azucena sings it. Sadly, dad never got to hear any more opera from the Met or from my singing, but I bet it was "in him" to like it somewhat.
Finally, a friend of my computer expert had said she wanted to sample opera. She is 53, and never ever heard opera. I enjoyed her curiosity and gave her some gifts of DVD's. She LOVED Turandot!!!!!
 
 All we need to do is to expose others to what we enjoy. Some may like, others will not. So what! At least some of the younger (or older) generations can someday say what I say..."I saw Joe Di Maggio!!"
        
 Down with Jay-Z!!!!!!!!  Charlie

Will get to audio podcasts soon..making some additions....Non mi abbandonare!!!!!

   Mamma mia!!!!!!   This is amazing!!!!! We do have Andrew Owens and Larry Brownlee who can do stuff like this..but this is truly something....but I still have my high F in the shower!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Neighbors saw me in the hall and asked if I had a hernia)

This hilarious Gianna Rolandi clip reminds me of what we LOST with the demise of NY City Opera!!! If I was Donald Trump II(but nice...even without the hair)...I would revive it...What stars I saw..some never at Met..but what greats:

 Sills,Welting,Treigle,Soviero,Stapp,Ramey,Poleri, Verrett,Carron, Galvany,Malfitano, Meier,Bible...and on and on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Computer had more troubles..I should be able to get more podcasts on here soon......