https://www.youtube.com/user/MrFriendofopera. Good stuff!

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Category:general -- posted at: 8:31am EDT

A

Proclaimed a “gifted young tenor” by the New York Times, Joshua Guerrero returns to the Los Angeles Opera in his role debut as Macduff in Macbeth with Plácido Domingo as Macbeth and James Conlon conducting, a role in which he will debut at the Zurich Opera with Gianandrea Noseda conducting. Mr. Guerrero makes his London debut at the English National Opera as the Duke of Mantova in Jonathan Miller's famous production of Rigoletto. In concert, he will tour Europe with Gustavo Dudamel and the Simón Bolivar Orchestra singing Beethoven's 9th Symphony and sing Haydn's

 
    • Photo: Gabriel Guzman
      Photo: Gabriel Guzman
    • Photo: Gabriel Guzman
      Photo: Gabriel Guzman
    • Photo: Gabriel Guzman
      Photo: Gabriel Guzman
    • Photo: Gabriel Guzman
      Photo: Gabriel Guzman

Buy Online

 
  • rigliano & William M. Hoffman: The Ghosts of Versailles
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Category:general -- posted at: 11:56am EDT

Happy Birthday to a marvelous soprano.Her Met Amelia was a joy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Hope she returns!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Category:general -- posted at: 12:59pm EDT

OK..So his German was not like Svanholm's.

Category:general -- posted at: 12:30am EDT

Mario in the Limo (circa 1955)
Category:general -- posted at: 12:26am EDT

On the great Mario Del Monaco's birthday on 7/27 (1915), here, in outline form, are some recollections:


1.November 1951.My first opera.EXPENSIVE orchestra seat at 7.50. I remember very little, except the curtain opened, and a guy with WHITE TEETH came forward..First singer in my LIFE!


2. Oct.31, 1956  Callas debut.(bad!).  Act two (in those days in was act 4) he sings one low-lying line in the duet: "No,si vil non sono!"  I swear to this day it seemed he was singing that "innocent" line in my poor EAR, but one night he did say "Hello,boys" when he came out the stage door in my poor EAR again!


3. A friend supered in Otello.In act three he scared everyone with "Anima mia, ti malediiiico!" My friend's poor EAR!!!!!!!


4.Samson et Delilah 1958 matinee.(Rise and Mario looked even better than Vic and Hedy).End act 2...."No,I sing "TRAHISON" not off stage." (In his mind!)  It is a matinee....He ran out of the tent.....remember it was a BROADCAST!!! and sang it in front of the stage!  You big HAM!!!!  (Grazie a Dio!!)


5. Hard for him to sing over the passaggio with that voice..(Celeste AidOOOO) on F....but tried to sing piano and with Zinka did sing high B flat pp with her at end of Aida. He apologized once to Magda in Francesca rehearsal when he entered too LOUD...but at least he was aware of his shortcomings.


6. As years passed, the middle became "white," especially after his motorcycle accident, but last video is 1976 and the top remained great..but his "Riders to the sky" is disaster...and his live Fedora entrance,before the aria,  has someone saying something like "OI VEY," or something..I think it might be "Ma no!!!!! (It was with Magda.)


7. He got very sick, and was on Dialysis for a few years,until a rather early death..in his 60's.


8. He gave 1000% every night..Never faked it.....we adored him so much! When he came down those stairs in act one Chenier (our first Chenier..we sneaked in to dress rehearsal) and full voice started the Improvisso..we went nuts!


9. Gala once around 1960...Act One Butterfly..Why the white hair? Pinkerton didn't retire!


10. Called Franco a "goat" but they later made up. (It's in the Corelli book.)


11. He hardly did Manrico..but at my first Trovatore, he sang it. I saw him 40 times..Never will forget him.God Bless!!!!

 

Some of the lines are cut off..I just could not fit it all, but you get the idea....

Category:general -- posted at: 12:22am EDT

Here is the great man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Category:general -- posted at: 12:16am EDT

John Lundgren

A friend was listening to the live Bayreuth Walkure, featuring the debut of Swedish baritone, John Lundgren. He was CRAZY..likening him to Hotter and London. I tuned in and I was just AMAZED!!

Of course it is unique, but he must be ranked as one of the great singers of today. He is the Rance on the DVD Fanciulla w.Stemme, and I hope he records more.

Not often do we hear this level of singing, especially in such difficult music.  Bless him!!!!!

 

 

Category:podcasts -- posted at: 6:44pm EDT

https://vimeo.com/174245102

 

On or off stage, I love this guy...Who doesn't????

Category:general -- posted at: 4:51pm EDT

Carlo Bergonzi emerged as one of the greatest artists in opera history. Here,in 1986, he returns to the Met. He was born on 7/13/24.

The "slancio" is incomparable...a GOD in music!!!

Category:general -- posted at: 12:38pm EDT

Dominic Cossa

Born in Jessup, Pennsylvania, Cossa studied with Anthony Marlowe in Detroit, Michigan, Robert Weede in Concord, California, and Armen Boyajian in New York City. He made his debut at the New York City Opera as Morales in 1961, and a week later sang Sharpless with the company. He won the American Opera Auditions in 1964 and was sent to Italy for debuts at the Teatro Nuovo in Milan and Teatro della Pergola in Florence.[2]

He made his debut at the San Francisco Opera in 1967 as Zurga in Les pêcheurs de perles. His Metropolitan Opera debut took place on January 30, 1970 as Silvio in Pagliacci. Other roles there were Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Lescaut in Manon Lescaut, Marcello in La bohème, Mercutio in Romeo and Juliette, Masetto in Don Giovanni, Valentin in Faust, Yeletsky in Pique Dame, Germont in La traviata, and Albert in Werther. In 1976 he created the role of David Murphy in the world premiere of Gian Carlo Menotti's The Hero with the Opera Company of Philadelphia.[3]

Cossa's left a few notable recordings of his best roles such as Belcore in L'elisir d'amore opposite Dame Joan Sutherland and Luciano Pavarotti, Achillas in Handel's Giulio Cesare opposite Norman Treigle and Beverly Sills, Nevers in Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots, again opposite Sutherland, Martina Arroyo and Huguette Tourangeau, and the baritone solo part in Roger Sessions' When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd. He can also be heard on the Classical Record Library's A Celebration of Schumann and Schubert with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.

He has sung as soloist with the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony, the Chicago Symphony, the Israel Philharmonic, and the National Symphony.

He was chosen by Licia Albanese to be the recipient of the Puccini Foundation's Bacccarat Award in 2004, and in 1993 was inducted into the Hall of Fame for Great American Singers at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia.

Cossa taught at the Manhattan School of Music and in 1988 he accepted a position as Professor of Music at the University of Maryland, College Park, where he became chair of Voice/Opera.

 

Also, a SWEET GUY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Direct download: cossa.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 4:07pm EDT

Adamo Didur

His North American debut was as Alvise in Ponchielli's La Gioconda at the second season opening of Hammerstein's Manhattan Opera House. It was the night of "Golden Age" stars, also featuring American debuts of Giovanni Zenatello as Enzo and Jeanne Gerville-Réache as La Cieca, while Lillian Nordica sang the tile role, Mario Ancona was Barnaba and Eleanora de Cisnero was Laura. A year later, Metropolitan Opera engaged Didur as Méphistophélès in Gounod's Faust at the inauguration of the new Brooklyn Academy of Music to be followed two days later by his Ramfis in Giuseppe Verdi's Aida. On this all-star opening night of the 1908 season, Arturo Toscanini was in the pit and the rest of the cast included Emmy Destinn in her Met debut as Aida, Enrico Caruso (Radames), Louise Homer (Amneris) and Antonio Scotti (Amonasro). He remained with the company for a quarter of a century and became one of its principal bass singers, counting 933 performances in 55 roles.[9]

It was at the Met in 1913 that he appeared in the title role of Boris Godunov in the American premiere of Mussorgsky's opera.[10][11][12] Didur created the roles in three operas by Giacomo Puccini at the Met, La fanciulla del West and the Il tabarro and Gianni Schicchi of the Il Trittico trilogy. He also appeared at the world premiere of Humperdinck's Die Königskinder. His other important "firsts" at the Met include the US premieres of Mozart's Così fan tutte, Smetana's The Bartered Bride, Borodin's Prince Igor (singing both Prince Galitzky and Khan Konchak), and Montemezzi's L'amore dei tre re. He also sang under the baton of Gustav Mahler in Mozart's Le nozze de Figaro, Smetana's The Bartered Bride and the Met premiere of Tchaikovsky's The Queen of Spades. Didur's last appearance at the Met was in the role of Coppélius in Les Contes d'Hoffmann on 11 February 1932.[9] His voice had been on the wane for some time and he returned to live in Europe.[13

Direct download: didur.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 3:50pm EDT

Rare stage appearances by Virginia Zeani. She just told me they did a festival in her honor in Romania.

Who deserves it more?  Remember she is my "sister."

Category:general -- posted at: 7:40pm EDT

When I find a new voice,I want others to sample it.Note remarkable pianissimo tones, AND mixed chest voice on "Crudel," which pleases me so much.

Category:general -- posted at: 4:30pm EDT

Eleonora Buratto was born in Mantua, Italy. After graduating at the "Lucio Campiani" Conservatory, she continued her studies for three years under the guidance of Luciano Pavarotti and then with Paola Leolini. 
She made her debut in the role of Musetta in La Bohème in 2007, winning the competition " Adriano Belli " in Spoleto.
In 2009, conducted by Riccardo Muti, she debuted in the role of Creusa in Demofoonte by Jommelli at Salzburg Festival, Opèra Garnier and Ravenna Festival. In 2011, again under the baton of Riccardo Muti, she was Susanna in I due Figaro by Mercadante at Teatro Real Madrid, then at Salzburg Festival, Ravenna Festival and at the Colòn of Buenos Aires. In 2012, conducted by Riccardo Muti, she was Amelia in Simon Boccanegra at the Opera Theatre in Rome and in 2013 Norina in Don Pasquale at Teatro Real Madrid and in Rome and she sang in Chicago in the Mass in C minor with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Riccardo Muti. In 2014 she was again Amelia on tour in Japan with the Rome Opera Company.

Category:general -- posted at: 12:07pm EDT

You cannot judge by this clip, but the second this delightful lady sang the first Norina line, it was as if she was "miked." What a fabulous,most unusual resonance. I was thrilled!!!!!

  May she go far!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

Zinka Milanov as Norma

  I was 18.(She was 48). My first introduction to the artist who would become my all-time favorite singer was during the 1953-54 season. I knew enough to realize she did have problems with high C, so I did not include all of the performance.

With Blanche Thebom,Cesare Siepi, and  the LOUDEST tenor on record, Gino Penno,who did not last too long, Zinka emitted some of the greatest sounds I have ever heard.

  Note the opening of "In mia man," where you hear the rich mixed low tones, brilliant top,total involvement with the music, great nobility, and to my ears, a legendary performance.

  I saw her 88 times, and can "play her repertory in my ears."

    She was not a cuddly Tebaldi, but I accepted it. She was a tough lady, until her butcher threw her out for smelling the chickens!

  (VAT??? Don't you know who I am???)

 

 I TOLD you more great stuff is coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Direct download: ZinkaNorma.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 1:59pm EDT

He was born into an Armenian family living in the Russian city of Vladikavkaz, where his father was a mineworker. Pavel first worked in diamond drilling, then as a welder apprentice hoping to follow his father's steps. He first began to sing in a church choir before moving to Leningrad to study cello (1930).

As a strong-voiced soloist of a local amateur group he was commissioned to the Leningrad Conservatory.

He started his vocal career in the Maly Leningrad State Opera Theatre and then in the Yerevan Opera House, where he performed the leads for three years.

From 1940 to 1966, Pavel Lisitsian was the soloist of the Bolshoi Theatre and performed parts of Yeletsky, Onegin, Mazepa, and Robert (in Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades, Evgenie Onegin, Mazepa, and Iolanta respectively), Germont and Amonasro (in Verdi's Traviata and Aida), Escamilo (in Bizet’s Carmen), Tatul (Spendiarov’s Almast), Arsaces II (Arshak II) (Chuhadzhyan’s Arshak II), Napoleon (in Prokofiev's War and Peace), and others.

During a concert tour of the USA in 1960, he appeared at the Metropolitan Opera as Amonasro. He died in Moscow.

 

Tchaikowsky and Rachmaninoff Songs.

  Since he lived from 1911-2004, Dmitri Hvorostovsky told me he knew him;there are similarities, since these two have gorgeous voices.

Direct download: Lisiit.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:11pm EDT

Magda Olivero at Padua

Here is the "Miracle of the Opera World," Magda Olivero, at Padua on 4/7/71 (only 61 yrs.old),accompanied by the famous soprano Irma Adami Corradetti.

 Manon,Turandot,Francesca,Adriana(Poveri Fiori),Pelagio (Mercadente),Manon Lescaut,Adriana (Io son l'umile ancella), and Manon Lescaut (Sola,perduta).

Go to youtube, where she sings at 83, and I know from her caretaker that she had to get rid of her piano,since people asked her to sing, into her 90's.

I called her every birthday until about age 102, but then things got more difficult until she passed away at 104.

GOD BLESS HER!!!

Direct download: Magdapav.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:43pm EDT

Maria Callas in La Sonnambula

Callas, Monti, Cossotto,Zaccaria

Cond.Antonino Votto 8/21/57 

Edinburg  Scala Visit

Direct download: Sonn.callas
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 6:35pm EDT

George London Live

1.Hoffmann w.Stich-Randall (1954-56)

2. Onegin w.Valerie Bak (1954)

3. Prince Igor aria (1953)

4. Aida duet w.Varnay (1953)

5. Walkure scenes w.Varnay (1953)

 

A great man!!!! One of the most dynamic singing/actors in opera. Sadly, the career was cut short by physical problems, but he still managed a fine career.

Direct download: George.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 4:42pm EDT

Vissi D'arte Compilation

Charlie's all-time favorite aria:

Behrens,Caballe, Callas, Galvany, Malfitano, Marton, Milanov, Millo, Olivero, Price, Rysanek, Scotto, Tebaldi

 

Please note: These are all LIVE, so sound may vary.

Direct download: vissis.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 4:05pm EDT

Just a note to thank all of you, from Angola to Zanzibar, for your interest.

Total stats from the start of my podcasts are: 1,692,009 hits.

 

I am sorry I am unable to allow comments, since I get a horrendous number of ads. However, any comments or suggestions you may have can be sent to Placido21@aol.com.

 

   My best  Charlie

 

P.S. I am grateful for a fan who wants more of the audio podcasts.I am aware..I had so many computer glitches..but now can do more...I appreciate your input..Keep it up!!!!!

 

Category:general -- posted at: 1:36am EDT

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