I  saw this first at City Opera

with the great Lauren Flanigan.

Happy Mothers' Day!!!

Regina was my friend for

55 years....My third "mommie"

after my ma and Tebaldi.

   I wish you great people

a Happpppy Mothers' Day.

I hope your ma remembers

if you are really her kid.

If you go to Youtube you

will find Michael's arias.

I always listed to the Corelli

Poliuto, and never thought

I would have the thrills of

another great tenor..Now

we are blessed to have dear

Michael Fabiano,fast becoming

one of the world's great singers,

and you know I have heard them

all!!  Happy Birthday!!!

Nice to communicate on

Facebook with nice divas

and let others appreciate

them.My new friend!

Perhaps you do not cherish

terrible funny singing but this

crazy lady has 125 videos,all

lipstinked. ADDIO DEL PASSATO

and  E TARDI!!!!!

We did not realize in the

early days how wonderful

Peters was..accurate and a

fine artist..and the voice was

so brilliant. I met her twice

and she was so sweet!!!!!

On her birthday,the huge

voiced Dimitrova. My dentist

had her as a patient. Imagine

looking down her throat!!! I

did that when Galvany and Ramey

and I rehearsed Bolena. Marisa

had a mike down there!!!

Only later did we realize

what a great man he was.

At 77 I saw a recital.The man

was sensational!!!

So I am prejudiced, but

Zeani here is so great that

I just go PAZZO..Agree?

Enzo Sordello, Apr.20/27 sang

Lucia with Callas. She could not

hold the D in the duet.Well,he

held his note...and they say

she had him FIRED!!!!

Maria...tu sei orribille!!!!

Ricciarelli,Baltsa,

Raimondi,Carreras

have a BALL!!!!!

On Facebook, the wonderful

Warren Moulton, has a site

with over 10,000 members

entitled "Dead Tenors." More

people should investigate the

"so-called" less-familiar singers.

It is incredible how many you

find.

  Only Cossotto and Sondra

Radvanovsky sound live

as they were sitting next

me. AMAZING resonance.

Del Monaco too!!!!

Like the great Martha Moedl

one can be a sensation without

a gorgeous voice.We lost him

last year.LOVE HIM!

Very famous Astrid Varnay

in Jenufa w. Cochran,Cox

Hillebrecht.  She was to be

a standee at the Met.They

called her the night before.

She NEVER sang an opera.

She replaced Lehmann on

the Walkure Matinee,instead

of standing..Why could that

not have happened to me???

We will miss this beloved

lady!!!! The joy she brought

will never be forgotten!

Christa Ludwig, a MEZZO,

was an absolute marvel.

Boehm made a small cut.

It was 1966 and I think it

was the greatest all-around

show in my LIFE!!!!!

The very great Christa

Ludwig has departed.

One of the all-time

greatest singers.

The GREAT Leonard Warren

4/21/11 until I saw him

die before me on 3/4/60.

I see it now...so tragic!!

Greatest baritone of my

life..I saw his tragic

death!!!!!!

La Morte de un Fenomeno
Alfred Hubay's detailed account of the death of the great Leonard Warren is posted, but since I was there, I thought I would give you my views as an audience member.
It was Tebaldi's return on Mar.4, 1960 and for whatever reason, I had a ticket to upstairs standing room, where you had to run like mad to get one of the few spots in the Family Circle where you could see.
Warren sounded as great as always in the "Urna fatale" and just as it ended i turned slightly toward my friend as if to say, "Here comes the sensational high A flat." Roald Reiten entered on stage left and announced, "Lieta novello, e salvo!" The music started before the cabaletta..Warren sang "E salvo..o gioja..." and fell!!!
He was dead immediately, but someone came out and said he was ill and there would be an intermission. No one left...Suddenly, to a GROAN, Bing came out and said, "This is the saddest night in the history of the Met.
My friends and I could not leave..we had a sandwich and just sat there stunned.When I got home, my mother already knew...it had been on radio.
Mar.5,before the Dutchman overture, Thomas Schippers conducted the last act Traviata prelude in Warren's memory. We went to a great Chenier that evening....but nothing could adequately erase the memory of that terrible tragedy.
The man was as close to perfection as any singer I ever heard;as a person, I hear some personal negative tales...but that means nothing because he was a KING in his field.....I see it before me right now....God Rest His Soul!!!!!

La Morte de un Fenomeno Alfred Hubay's detailed account of the death of the great Leonard Warren is posted, but since I was there, I thought I would give you my views as an audience member. It was Tebaldi's return on Mar.4, 1960 and for whatever reason, I had a ticket to upstairs standing room, where you had to run like mad to get one of the few spots in the Family Circle where you could see. Warren sounded as great as always in the "Urna fatale" and just as it ended i turned slightly toward my friend as if to say, "Here comes the sensational high A flat." Roald Reiten entered on stage left and announced, "Lieta novello, e salvo!" The music started before the cabaletta..Warren sang "E salvo..o gioja..." and fell!!! He was dead immediately, but someone came out and said he was ill and there would be an intermission. No one left...Suddenly, to a GROAN, Bing came out and said, "This is the saddest night in the history of the Met. My friends and I could not leave..we had a sandwich and just sat there stunned.When I got home, my mother already knew...it had been on radio. Mar.5,before the Dutchman overture, Thomas Schippers conducted the last act Traviata prelude in Warren's memory. We went to a great Chenier that evening....but nothing could adequately erase the memory of that terrible tragedy. The man was as close to perfection as any singer I ever heard;as a person, I hear some personal negative tales...but that means nothing because he was a KING in his field.....I see it before me right now....God Rest His Soul!!!!!

Enzo Sordello was born on 4/20/27

but ( at 56:15) some nasty

diva had him fired for holding

a note,after she could not.

Povero baritono!!!!!!

Here is another "less-known"

singer. I have to post more,

especially since the virus has

kept me home.

  I note now over 2 million

"hits" since I started this

site, and I am so grateful

to you all!!!!!

Pavarotti's impressions

of Corelli!!! Sad that we

do not have their kind

of singing now. I love

Fabiano,Camarena, and

Beczala, but these guys

were legendary!

So sorry the virus closed

the Met, but we have our

beloved memories of a

great era...and the duet

is in the high key.

In Turandot, you could

not believe what they

did!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Saw him 40 times.

I have a dear friend

who said he was a

sweetheart...yes,he

was temperamental!

So what!!!!!

Vittoria!!! Oh DIO!

They made him sing

"Cor'ingrato" after

the show!!!!

We went crazy! It was

a phenomenal show!

On Apr.8, 1921 a great

singer,whom we miss so

much,was born.Here he is

with the great Renata!!

When I was teaching in

high school,I sent this 16

year old kid to my teacher.

Now,the "kid" from Zinka's

land has had a career!!!!!!

I have put dear Mme.Lynn here

previously. I know you will

still adore her.When I played

her Traviata letter, Soviero

almost fell off my couch!

She coaches now with Ponselle.

  Some day these singers

will make me rich,since I

choose to be their "unpaid

agent."Galvany and Soviero

owe me a fortune!!!!!!

Great moment with the

two Anjas.Harteros as the

Sieglinde and Anja Kempe

as Brunnhilde.

I become very angry when

some people say that I

live "in the past." We MUST

respect the greats of all

generations,and discover

many superb artists.

On Facebook,I get requests

from singers and others.

I write them after seeing

their page and often discover

new talent.

Earlier Zinka,but I did see

5 in 1954.There were some

bad top notes,but my all-time

favorite singer still was a

great thrill.

Sam loved Treigle.He

inherited many of his

roles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was 1970.This new guy Sam

Ramey opened his mouth at

our first Bolena rehearsal. Did

we know his career would be

one of the greatest. We had

fun in Barbiere,and also we were in Hoffman. Sam is so dear!!!!!

Whoever could do this

at 99???? Incredible.

4/3/75 Met Debut.

I was overwhelmed!!!

   At 96!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Magda sang around

the house past 100.

Magda,il miracolo
One could say Magda Olivero had an "old voice" in a sense.....Well,let us think of the great divas like Moedl as an example...who could read the dictionary and be as beloved.
I saw Fedora and Tosca in Newark, and her Met debut on Apr.3,1975. You had to RUN to the bathroom to change reels(No cassettes then).
I saw people from the olden days...and one lady said to a friend, "This looks like a gay bar!!!!!!!!" (Like the Milanov club, "not a man in sight.")
Her voice projected magnificently and the "Vissi d'arte"(my tape on youtube) put any diva to shame....that ending is so difficult....but on the 'Rimuuuuuuneri" cosi...it was heaven.
I am so glad I spoke to her a few times on birthdays and my dear friend David Spiro visited her several times....an angel!!!!!
God Bless the memory of dear Magda,who was a veritable "miracolo"

Magda,il miracolo One could say Magda Olivero had an "old voice" in a sense.....Well,let us think of the great divas like Moedl as an example...who could read the dictionary and be as beloved. I saw Fedora and Tosca in Newark, and her Met debut on Apr.3,1975. You had to RUN to the bathroom to change reels(No cassettes then). I saw people from the olden days...and one lady said to a friend, "This looks like a gay bar!!!!!!!!" (Like the Milanov club, "not a man in sight.") Her voice projected magnificently and the "Vissi d'arte"(my tape on youtube) put any diva to shame....that ending is so difficult....but on the 'Rimuuuuuuneri" cosi...it was heaven. I am so glad I spoke to her a few times on birthdays and my dear friend David Spiro visited her several times....an angel!!!!! God Bless the memory of dear Magda,who was a veritable "miracolo"

I went nuts.....He did three..I saw

one in 1955.He was a sensation

Incredible voice.None

other as gorgeous..Early

Di Stefano no.2

Same day as Gigli.God

was in a great mood!!!!!

3/20/1890

    3/20/1890...same as Gigli

Sensational man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Diana makes you cry

all over.GREAT singing.

Fabulous lady!!!!

  My darling Diana as

Juliette...and her Romeo

was another Mar.19 birthday,

Alberto Cupido.....

Comments

Tale of the Soviero Pardon me as I gush forth, but some experiences stay with you forever, such as hearing Milanov and Tebaldi live, or Magda Olivero's Met debut. I wish to relate my very first exposure to our Mar.19 birthday lady and I trust you will not run for valium...or Immodium. My dear late buddy,Bill Bondar, liked opera (not nutty like yours truly),but told me he had seen a Paglicci at City opera in 1977 with someone named Diana Soviero. Bill and I always laughed when I said to myself, "Well,I saw the greatest....how good could she be?" I liked Mauro, so on Mar.13, 1977,I attended La Boheme. As we know, Mimi begins "scusi" and then enters and SUDDENLY the very jaded Charlie,who had seen Tebaldi,De Los Angeles, and Albanese, not to mention recordings of Muzio and my sister Zeani, heard "Oh,sventata,sventata" and I almost fell to my death of the third ring at Koch theatre (whatever it was called...oh yes,the Koch Ring.) RENATA NUMERO DUE!!!! This luscious voice, with warmth and feeling for the vocal line,brilliant top register, and what I had NOT heard for ages, just gave me the kind of sudden thrill that I experienced at Zinka's "Enzo adorato" or Baum's high C. No list then...I ran backstage and said, Who are you??Not since Tebaldi have I heard anything like this." She said, "Tebaldi once kissed me!!." Well, that figured!!!! I told her I would send her my illegal tape (probably with lots of my yelling) and on MARCH 19,she called me and told me it was her birthday .....and I said, "and my mother's!!!) Last time we met was with dear Bill and took her to Fiorello's,across from where we had met..We adored the tale of the courtroom,which was a cross between the Ring and a Joan Crawford fim...and a bit of Elektra. Bless my two divas, who made my life so happy. Has to repeat some of this...something fouled up 1 comment Comments Alina Zamfir

Rossini asked me (on my time

machine)...Who wrote that?

Be careful not to turn up

the volume or she will

destroy your speakers!

Sensational!!!!!

Not since Zinka Milanov

have I had any dealing

with Croatia. I called

Marin,now 15, and am

sending him clips to

help him to learn more

about singing.It was a thrill

to speak to him and his

lovely mother.

When I wrote dear Sondra

Radvanovsky-Lear about

her flying over the Nile,

she laughed.

My 95 year old Virginia

Zeani.We speak often

by phone.A great lady.

One of the true delights.

Just adorable!!!!

We lost this wonderful

conductor too soon. He

will always be remembered

Sam told me that as a young

singer he saw this "skinny"

guy backstage. He opened

his mouth and as we know

Sam inherited many of the

roles of the great Treigle.

Sam has been a buddy since

our Bolena and Barber.

Left us so soon.Saw him so

much.Incredible DYNAMO

of a man!!!!!!

 My aim is to acquaint others

her and on all Facebook sites

with the "less famous" artists.

There are so many great singers

the average opera lover may not

know. 3/6/1890 Belgian tenor.

Cigna and Elmo burn up

the place. We do not have

singing like this anymore.

I have no words.I adored

Zinka more than anyone!!!

The Norma gong was a garbage can cover sprayed copper with spray paint. When Olive banged it, it went “chunk… chunk...chunk”. We howled almost as loudly as the chorus it inspired to arrive on stage - with monk’s robes, eyeglasses (the Gall branch of Cohen’s Optical?), spears, and shields with the music taped on the back. 

The Norma gong was a garbage can cover sprayed copper with spray paint. When Olive banged it, it went “chunk… chunk...chunk”. We howled almost as loudly as the chorus it inspired to arrive on stage - with monk’s robes, eyeglasses (the Gall branch of Cohen’s Optical?), spears, and shields with the music taped on the back. Yes, the Valkyries also used that scores on the back of shields trick. And yes, Olive had a flashlight - and a cane - as Sieglinde, and had to leave the stage for a while, because her leopard skin schmatah was falling off. Big BIG safety pin fixed that. The siegmund had sung Nemorino the week before. The Gioconda Dance of the Hours was performed by one septuagenarian woman with a scarf. Should have been renamed, Dance of the Years. During the 2 Forzas I lived through, I had to take a break before Olive’s “Pace, pace” and go to the Howard Johnson’s nearby (this was at the Palm Gardens on W. 52 St) to have a coffee milkshake to regain my strength, exhausted from laughing, so I would have the energy to get through Act IV. The “Pace” took all her strength and mine. The Miserere lived up to its name, but Olive did the Kitty Carlisle high C, which made it more than worth it. Bella was the name of the chorus woman who, inexplicably in a Cavalleria peasant costume no matter the opera, made the speech about donations. She also looked out into the audience one night during her spiel and (pace Anna Russell) said - “Boys, why don’t you bring your girlfriends?!” That probably got the biggest laugh of the night - and that was BEFORE the opera started. Those were indeed the days. Miss it desperately. So lucky I was told to go there.

Comments

Only a BORE would not need DEPENDS I have previously posted on the hilarious La Puma opera co. but I recently went toward the Koch Bridge and there was a travel agency named "La Puma." No, Olive did not come out, but it reminded me of those hysterical days,sadly gone, of how we were finally thrown out of the junior high where La Puma performed. New members here...go to "Days and Nights of La Puma' and you will be...not sure... So here is a little repost of what I saw or knew from others: 1. 65 plus chorus lady in Aida with wristwatch ( 8:00 P.M. Memphis Standard Time??) 2. Prompter in Faust offstage screaming the words. 3. Sacristan entering in Tosca and,in time with the faster music, shaking his ass back and forth. 4.Our first time..Otello w.baritone Americo Iorio, getting up on JHS table for the drinking song, and falling off.(We then told all our friends...MY GOD..YOU GOTTA COME!!!!" 5. Walkure on Youtube act 2 prelude....and conductor stops and then goes on, and they tell me Olive Middleton had a flashlight in act one (Sieglinde, it is DARK and you were Hunding for Siegmund.) 6. Walkure again..Music on the ladies shields. 7. Norma- 75 yr.old Olive tried to ring the Norma gong..finally does it, to great applause. (We met her at a Milanov Gioconda and treated her like a star..she had career as Olive Townend in Malibran's era.) 8. On Youtube,see Don Carlo..lighting by Bocelli'tenor high B unnatural sounds like he was sitting on a nail;baritone angry when he gets shot and people applaud,and he admonished the audience,like Bonisolli. 9. We signed their guest book...I wrote things like "Enrico Caruso." A lady with a very Jewish inflection was at the desk and in the chorus.From the stage,saw someone enter and not give a donation, and yelled "Cheap Chisler!!!). 10. By the way,when I did a Coppelius, we had to hire their chorus.They never shut up, and I yelled, "Go back to La Puma where you belong." Reminds me of someone at Tebaldi Met Otello backstage accidentally tripping over something during quiet "Salce." 11. Hard to come in late and recognize the opera..took time...oh.."It's Werther." 12. Speaking of being late, one orchestra player walked in DURING Don Giovanni overture and then joined the group.(They needed Von Karajan!!!!) 13. Tosca..Olive,no teeth, about 75, chest up to high C...did hit great high C in "Io quella lama." SHOCK. 14. Pagliacci at Ansonia Hotel where Steber sang at the old gay baths...Nedda sang aria..Tonio enters..She did not know the music...He had to LEAVE!!!! 15. Ernani w.Mario Leone. ANYONE guy here is better..Then he sang "Entrate i miei fidi cavalieri" and one old stupid guy with a dumb cap on entered..He was the chorus. In Anna Russell's RING words, "I am NOT making this up!!!!!" 14. Finalmentye...My friend who had a laugh that made you hysterical and I...TRIED,with hankies ready, to get through a Don Giovanni. In the Zerlina/Masetto scene, Leporello is supposed to pinch a peasant girl. Well, the ancient lady with a huge bow on her hair, let out an ELEKTRA GESCHREI, causing Joanie and I to run hysterical out...and a man yelled, "GET OUT!!!. " We ran up Broadway (around 95th St.) and that was it!!!!! I never came back until they went to the Ansonia...but hen Mme.la Puma, mother of famous Met coach,Alberta Masiello, died or just retired. Oh..I forgot...a friend called up, "What are you doing tonight?" Answer: "Turandot with LOLITA SCHULTZ!!" Also, to conclude..the Gioconda Barnaba fell ill and mme.La Puma came out and said..We have to do "Tristan and Isolde." I was told some Met singers did sometimes attend...I can imagine..... well, you heard the TRUTH...I WANT THEM BACK!!!!!! To hell with the virus!!!!! Comments Write a comment…

Margarete Teschemacher ,3/3/1903

and the great Marcel Wittrisch

in a favorite of mine.

How can ONE NOTE cause you

to call a singer your all-time

favorite, and I saw her 88

times. Still go nuts!!!!

Well, if she can be a tenor,

I can sing Norma!!!!! Play

this for people but do not

tell them it is a lady.

She had those "Gerryflappers"

who loved her.This was in

my mother's era, and she

was a dancer in that time.

I was a brat and made fun

of ma's old photos,and she

threw them out!!!!!

Lucine told me that when

she ended the trio on the

C# (I was there),Monteux

had to hold the drumroll

because of so much applause

before Tucker ran in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hR6BllmsTRc

Still has a lot of voice.

Delightful lady!!

Called Lucine yesterday.

Such fun at 95. She was

so reliable she became a

House singer," which can

be a detriment...Gorgeous

voice...even a lot left. Also,

her jokes cannot be told

here....(gggg)

One of my all-time favorite

recordings. At Rise Steven's

home at one of our club

gatherings,Rise spoke of the

Eva of Lehmann,when she

was a young student.Rise was

"in a trance." Amazing that

they ended up together in Met

Rosenkavalier!!!!!

Caruso   2/25/1873

Destinn 2/26/ 1877

Golden age!!!!!!!

Over the years,the top

got very flat,but in her

prime,she was amazing.

The tenor is not too bad

either!!!!!

For many years I have posted

over 1644 clips. In the

]beginning,I got many

commercials but I had

to stop the comment

section, but I want to

know what you think of

the site and what ideas

you have.I have now over

2 million "hits." PLEASE

get in touch if you desire

through E-mail  at:

Placido21@aol.com.He

know we have the same

birthday,although I am poor.

One of the greatest voices

I have ever heard.Really

magnificent.

Marni Nixon was the voice

of so many stars in fim.I

saw her LIVE in My Fair Lady.

Wonderful...not credited...

Zenatello2/22/1876

Destinn  2/26/1878

 Two greats

No one...NO ONE can rival

the GOD of singing.I know people

whose fathers or grandfathers

heard him live..and say we only get

1/3 of what he was

 2/25/1873   Bless him FOREVER!!!

It is heavy for her, but,very exciting.

This was when she spoke of

the "gente di merda." She

did make up w.Luciano.

(No prelude performed)

Some day they will do the whole Ring

and throw tomatoes at Hagen.

https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9oYW5kZWxtYW5pYS5saWJzeW4uY29tL3Jzcw/episode/OWRkMmY3OTAxZGIxODc1OGNiZGRjYjhkMGNkYTEzYWU?hl=en&ved=2ahUKEwit7r7AvfbuAhVPk1kKHes-A1EQjrkEegQIAxAI&ep=6

You may get to this.  I sang

in a company with the worst

singer EVER...and needed

RAID since he took a bath

every one year. I hope you

get this.

https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9oYW5kZWxtYW5pYS5saWJzeW4uY29tL3Jzcw/episode/OWRkMmY3OTAxZGIxODc1OGNiZGRjYjhkMGNkYTEzYWU?hl=en&ved=2ahUKEwit7r7AvfbuAhVPk1kKHes-A1EQjrkEegQIAxAI&ep=6

https://www.podchaser.com/creators/charles-handelman-107aIXC1ob

For new people..Reminding

you that 1644 podcasts,and

early ones with narration,

are available!!!!! Loveya!!!!

https://www.podchaser.com/creators/charles-handelman-107aIXC1ob

In English...but what a

delight.She stole the

opera and he was a very

great artist.

 I am doing more...right?

The Virus keeps me home.

I was at this Gioconda with

my favorite singer,Zinka,

and friend of over 50 yrs.

Regina Resnik. Bing hardly

gave Regina dramatic roles

and she had to fight her way.

Exciting Gulin with Baglioni

in Gioconda duet.Cigna and

Elmo also to be remembered.

We have no really dramatic

tenors..Remember,I saw

Corelli and Del Monaco

each 40 times. Good to have

one at least in recent past.

Incredible courage after

paralysis.I met her at

closing old Met.

Rita Gorr was a fabulous

mezzo.A friend saw the

Fricka in Paris and was

just raving. 2/18/26

with George London

https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/handelmanias-Podcast-p1133650/?topicId=122333772

easy to hear my podcasts here.

https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/handelmanias-Podcast-p1133650/?topicId=122333772

LOVE to you all on

this Valentine's Day!

I will be posting more

but please remember

you are so wonderful

all these years, and I

appreciate it so much.

  Love  Charlie

If he sounded like this

live,I would go nuts!!!!

  Jussi was a legendary singer, but live

I found the voice smallish.I do not

think I missed great years.

Did I ever post anything

from the (in)famous old

La Puma Opera. I needed

diapers...but we had fun!

Note the GREAT tenor and

his approach to the top.

We had such fun, until

they threw us out.

Her return to the Met.

I called her every birthday

and let me tell you,

she was the most beloved

person to all of us.

She slowly rose from the

chair,came forward, and

when she got to " E mio,"

the roof fell in.NO OTHER

soprano ever had the volume

coupled with the beauty.

I will treasure her forever.

Last B flat is the closest

to what we heard live.

It was AWESOME!!!!

The "second madre" of

my life..my darling friend

Renata Tebaldi. Hard to

find words to express

what she meant to us!!!!!