They once said that McCormack

said to Caruso, "How is the

world's greatest tenor?" They

said Caruso replied, "I did not

know you became a baritone!"

That may be true..but listen to

the last high piano note here

and it is GLORIOUS!!!

On this Fathers' Day I

pay loving tribute to two

wonderful artists whom

I knew and who left us too

soon. Marcello always talked

about how some people did

not love his "squillo" as did

I, and the two "Russian kisses"

I always got on my cheeks from

Dmitri were so affectionate.

I always write on chat to Wilma,

Mrs.Giordani, a courageous lady,

and I wish all you DADDIES my best.

  The Pandemic forces me to do

more posts for you...and more

coming.( over 2 million now.)

My ma danced in the Follies

in the 1930's, and her dear

friend was Jimmie Durante.

Rudolf Bing fired the great

Helen Traubel(6/16/1898)

because she sang with Durante.

My ma eventually came to love

opera, met Tebaldi and other

artists.

A beautiful performance

of Verdi's opera,with

Svetlana Vassileva, Renato

Bruson(still can sing now),

and Facebook friend, fine tenor

Evan Bowers.

Catching up on recent

birthdays.It was so very

sad that Jerry killed himself

over terrible depression. With

my dear Soviero and Leo Nucci,

still active today.

My darling 95 yr.old friend,

Virginia Zeani, sings to her

"daddy." Note the one word

"caro," which represents the

kind of emotion that is so

special.We speak often on

the phone.

Another from the "old school"

of divas who were so emotional and

exciting.

Dragana Del Monako,related

to the Del Monaco family, had

ingested perhaps valium.I do

not think she was drunk. The

poor tenor!!!!

I am of the opinion, at times

seeming intolerant, that in

this era of mostly "pretty"

singing, that Burzio represents

the kind of emotional output

that belongs to Zeani,Muzio,

Favero,Albanese,Scuderi,Scotto,

Soviero,Spani,Callas and others.

this era

Galvany always said that her

"controversial" voice would

have been more appreciated

had Callas been around longer.

Audiences did go wild over

dear Marisa...and I was so

thrilled in Bolena rehearsals

to look down her throat on  her

D and E flat....