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

https://vimeo.com/174245102

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

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!!!

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."

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.

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.

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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.

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!!!

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!!!!!

Discovered another great Polish artist. This man has such passion and I loved him so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I sent this teenager to my teacher,Armen Boyajian. He was a teen in the school where I taught..Armen made another basso..along with Plishka and Ramey...BRAVO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Did I dream that KID I knew in high school,where I taught, would arrive at this point..What a star!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

   Love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 I sent this to Fabiano and Beczala. I think they had to run to the....you know!!!!!

I have not been so thrilled with an artist since the olden days! Well,Piotr has good taste,as his idols are Gedda and Wunderlich!!!!!

(Prince Igor aria)

Marisa celebrates on June 20 and two daddies join her for Fathers' Day..Sam and Harry were little kids here!!!!!!

My loving buddy,Piotr Beczala, who makes my life so joyous..as he does for so many. He said this might come out on DVD...I hope so!!!!!

Anyone who has not been on this planet recently might not know of the great Mari Lynn.She can be found on Youtube and I must warn you..If you have a weak stomach, do NOT watch this.

 She is currently coaching with Amelita Galli-Curci!!!!

I keep finding them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Brava!!!!

She gained international attention for the first time in 1994 after stepping in at the last minute to perform Giulietta in I Capuleti e i Montecchi with Geneva Opera. This role was also the vehicle of her debut at the Paris Bastille, with the Munich Radio Orchestra, Los Angeles Opera and Pittsburgh Opera.

Another of her roles is Gilda in Rigoletto, which she has performed at Canadian Opera Company, Lausanne Opera, Opéra Bastille, Pittsburgh Opera, New Israeli Opera, Teatro Municipal de Santiago de Chile, Canadian Opera Company, Teatro Municipale Giuseppe Verdi Salerno, Houston Grand Opera, and The Dallas Opera.

Her Lucia di Lammermoor at Houston Grand Opera "literally catapulted the opening night audience to its feet with her creativity and versatility." (Don Moser, Houston Voice).

Other notable roles have been her Linda di Chamounix; Marie in La fille du régiment; La Comtesse Adèle in Le Comte Ory, Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare; Morgana in Alcina; Olympia in Les contes d'Hoffmann, and Ophélie in Hamlet.

She got her start at San Francisco Opera where she held an Adler fellowship, singing roles such as Xenia in Boris Godunov, Papagena in Die Zauberflöte, Duchesse Medina-Sidonia in Milhaud's Christoph Colombe, Marie in La fille du régiment and Fiakermilli in Arabella. Her role-debut of Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos was the vehicle of her return to San Francisco Opera in 2002. She reprised the role at the Richard-Strauss-Festspiele in Garmisch with Ulf Schirmer, Los Angeles Opera and at Houston Grand Opera.

I keep finding them!!!! Watching the Pogner in Meistersinger and discovering a voice reminiscent of the great bassos like Ludwig Weber and Kurt Moll.  Just gorgeous tone!!!!

Fedora Barbieri  6/4/1920
When I first went to the Met, one of the most amazing organ-like voices was Fedora Barbieri. The voice was rich and full, and she was one of our favorites ,The incredible lows shortened the very top, so B flat was virtually her easiest top note. (She does not take B natural in the Eboli.)
She was able to bring the chest voice up in an incredible way, so if you picture the last utterance in the Judgement Scene, the word "Anatema" before "su voi" was in CHEST!!!! When she broke away from De Luna, the "Deh rallentati,o barbari" shook the house. (Warren got mad and did not want her to take a solo.)
In 1976, when she returned for Trittico, I had made her some tapes, and met her backstage,mentioning the Trovatore scene. She then launched into it (lower key), and I then realized that she was not too shy. When she and Leyla came to be honored several years ago, at a Licvia Gala, she proceeded to sing some lines of a song, also in a rather low key.
She did a Master Class at Manhatten School of Music which was rather uninteresting. They can sing..but not always teach! We did spend some time backstage and she made me feel "calm" but she was still as much fun as ever. (Euphemism for "nuts!")
  I hope she and Giulietta made up, because I was always told they would not sing on the same planet!!!
   One of the greatest voices I ever heard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  Happy Birthday to Cecilia Bartoli, June 4, 1966.  I think someone told me she loved this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

               Long Live La Puma
I finally decided to spread the insane La Puma opera stories to the world that listens to my podcasts. I know I have written them previously, but as long as I want to share with people from Angola to Zanzibar,I will repeat some of them, so do not accuse me of repetition. I NEVER repeat anything. Remember, these tales are true! I was there, or in a few cases others told me of their experiences. Picture yourself there with your opera buddies.(They eventually threw us out!!!!)
1. Chorus lady in Aida wearing a watch.(Memphis Standard time?)
2. Nedda who did not know the music after the ballatella, so Tonio had to leave.
3. Iago falling off the cheap junior high school table during the Brindisi.
4. Prompter in Faust SCREAMING the words from offstage.
5. Silva in Ernani bidding "Entrate ola miei fidi cavalieri."  One old guy enters.
6. Olive Middleton, the cult soprano (had a career 50 years ago), with a flashlight in act one Walkure. (This is BEFORE Herheim was born.).Well, it's dark in there.
7.Mme.La Puma (mother of the famous Met coach Alberta Masiello) announcing, "Barnaba ees seeck. We no do Gioconda.Instead we do Tristan und Isolde.
8. The last time we went, because they threw us out when a peasant girl with a big white bow, age about 65, let out an Elektra geschrei, when Leporello got fresh in the Zerlina/Masetto scene. We ran out in hysterics, and I wasn't even wearing my diapers.
    In your city, do they have anything l;ike this?  We have the MET!
  (BTW..Met singers used to attend.I hope they were courteous)
GO to Youtube "La Puma" for more punishment.

    Another great emotional star from Bulgaria,like Raina Kabaiwanska.

After graduating from the Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski " and the Herzen University in Saint Petersburg She worked briefly at the Bulgarian Scientific Research Institute of Education in Sofia.^[1]

She wrote a dissertation on "Inclusion of children from preschool to universal moral values." Co-author of "Concept for the development of public preschool education in Bulgaria", "Concept for the socialization of socially disadvantaged Romani children” (under the auspices of UNICEF), "White Paper on Pravets" (2010) and the book "Pravets. Chronicles of the private city "(2011).

Author also of dozens of articles on topical issues of public life in the years of Bulgaria's transition to democracy and market economy, published in Bulgarian and foreign Internet and print media (including publications of the European Union) as well as her personal blog.^[2]

Information from her essay “The private cities of Bulgaria” (2008) has become part of the book "The New Bulgarian Demons" by the German investigative journalist Juergen Roth.^[3][4]

As a guest of the famous morning show "Hello, Bulgaria" to NOVA television on November 14, 2008 She determines Pravets as "the first private city", owned by the representative of the oil giant Lukoil in Bulgaria - Valentin Zlatev, prompting a flagrant dismissal of high-ranking journalist Georgi Koritarov.

Svetla Vassileva is co-founder of several non-profit associations.

Svetla Vassileva was awarded the "Golden Key" for 2014 in the category "journalism" of the Access to Information Programme.

I DO FIND GREAT ONES!!!!

I now add Evan Bowers to my list of fine tenors. This is a tenor world these days. We have Beczala,Giordani,Giordano,Fabiano,Calleja,Camarena,Flores, Breslik, Kaufman, Polenzani,Hymel,etc.

I bring some of those I know cd's, because my collection is gathering dust.

Evan is superb!!!!!

Still discovering new talent. Evan Bowers, superb tenor, plus the 76 year old Bruson, a legend. Svetla Vassileva also wonderful. Also never heard this opera!!!

1. Marton vs. Cigna in Turandot ("Straniero, ascolta!")
2. Calleja vs. Filippeschi vs. Pertile in Aida ("Celeste Aida")
3. Stemme & Dessì vs Gencer vs. Pedrini in Aida ("O patria mia")
4. Licitra vs. Salvarezza in Turandot ("Nessun dorma")
5. Alagna vs. Zanelli in Otello (Tu, indietro!... Ora e per sempre")
6. Guleghina vs. Nilsson in Turandot ("In questa reggia")
7. Vogt vs. Völker in Lohengrin ("In fernem Land")
8. Kaufmann vs. Di Stefano vs. Björling in Faust ("Salut demeure")
9. Kaufmann vs. Filippeschi vs. Salvarezza in Il Trovatore ("Di quella pira")
10. Hampson vs. Granforte in Il Barbiere di Siviglia ("Largo al factotum")***
11. Florez vs. Filippeschi vs. O'Sullivan in Guillaume Tell ("Asil héréditaire"/"O muto asil del pianto")
12. Gavanelli vs. Stracciari in Andrea Chenier ("Nemico della patria")
13. Hunter Morris vs. Svanholm vs. Melchior in Siegfried ("Nothung, Nothung, neidliches Schwert")
14. Pape vs. Reinmar in Die Walküre ("Leb wohl, du kühnes")

Wonderful stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Beverly and Carol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hilarious!!

Happy Birthday to a great lady. Note the final double attack on the D..It was something awesome.

  MIRACLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Age 90

Vat???I never keeecked my train in Tosca!!!!

Who said that?????   (EVERYONE)

May 17, 1906. I only saw her 88 times.I did have to graduate college. NO ONE has ever affected me like Zinka. God bless her.

May 17, 1918

You had to be there!!!!! God bless the incredible Birgit Nilsson!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just the most amazing thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lovable!!!

   Bless all you wonderful mothers out there. My ma really never left me. She will be with me forever!!!!!!

Happy birthday to my wonderful Michael Fabiano (May 8).I have seen them all, and Michael in my view is a great star!

  Corelli texted me that he enjoyed this when I sent it to him...and he was not jealous!!!!!

We have come to love Michael Fabiano as one of the great singers the present day. I also invited him to come and raid my collection,because I have too much!!!

He is a special guy to us!!!!!

How exciting to hear a fine voice for the very first time. Last night Mme.Haroutounian sang a beautiful Amelia in Simon Boccanegra, and I am so happy to discover her!!!!!

 (And you know how much of a pain I am about singers)      Charlie

Last evening, we were privileged to see Korean baritone Hyung Yun, on very short notice, sing Nottingham in Roberto Devereux at the Met. How wonderful to witness a marvelous new voice, a consummate musician

I LOVE HIGH NOTES!!!! I am not afraid to say I like them more than Pelleas et  Melisande.

The miraculous (81) Magda Olivero..................

Just came back from Mme.Butterfly.Alagna was superb ,and more than that, backstage he was so lovable, funny,enjoyable for all to relish.

Nicest thing he said, "I know you...because I can see in your eyes your love for opera."  But I said, "Who,me???"

Sam, you are so magnificent...and they give you a BIS!!!!!!

  Happy birthday to dear Sam Ramey, Mar.28, 1942. We go back to our 1970 Bolena, and later on Barbiere, Hoffman,etc.  Great guy..fabulous career.

           We knew you would make it!!!!

                            Love Charlie

For me, the greatest MIRACLE in opera history!!!!!!!

Met debut  4/3/75  at 65.  We cried all night!!!!!

Note the last "Rimuuuuuneri" cosi...That word alone gave me chills.  Ovation cut...we were devastated.

  Mar.25, 1910.  The MIRACLE!!!!!!!!!!

In her 80's. I called her always on her birthday..and today "called her" in my heart......

Our lovable talented Facebook buddy!! Jack will go far!!! Wonderful guy!!!

  Dear faithful opera buddies,
  

It is always frustrating for me not to be able to allow comments, since the site becomes inundated with annoying commercials. If you have comments, suggestions, or if you are an artist who has some Youtube clips I can post for you, let me know  at Placido21@aol.com.
 

Also, I assume you sometimes search the archives and listen to some of the old material, but if for some reason you cannot find an old favorite, I will gladly repost it.
           My best    Charlie

More of Jack Swanson. Look out, Camarena!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Another of our Facebook buddies, now beginning an amazing career.  What agility and range!!!!!!

Andre Courville is featured in the new Opera News magazine. This is a superb young bass-baritone who will go far!!!!

Here is the young and talented Jack Swanson, obviously headed for a fine career.

  We encounter really superb young artists on Facebook, and I like to introduce you to them.

  I adore Heldenbaritones and Mr.Gazheli is a superb artist in the tradition of Schoeffler, Uhde, and others. Wonderful!!!!

I found a new guy!!!!!!  Wonderful voice. He  is the baritone on t he DVD Alzira, which I better play. Go to Youtube and find his superb clips.

  Boy, could we use him at the Met!!!  Here are some reviews:

Mark Stryker (Detroit Free Press from 21.10.2013)
German bass-baritone Thomas Gazheli’s Dutchman was a marvel. He brought a
deeply resonant voice to the stage and a heightened sense of feeling — but
also proportion so that his torment rang of true human suffering and
desperate yet dignified yearning.

Huffington Post - 24.10.2013
Bass Baritone Thomas Gazheli's Dutchman was spot-on, and his rich vocal
textures lived up to the title role. His acting delivered on a tormented
soul seeking redemption. His tender, expressive voice played well off and
at times carried Soprano Lori Phillips's Senta, who seemed not always
comfortable in her upper range.

George Bulanda (Detroit News)
Just as you can’t have a convincing performance of Hamlet without a strong
title character, you can’t mount a persuasive production of The Flying
Dutchman without a Dutchman who can deliver the part with panache. There
were no reservations about German bass-baritone Thomas Gazheli, who made
his MOT debut. He’s got a big, brawny voice, but he knows how to use it to
dramatic effect. His first-act Monologue was infused with agony and sad
resignation, but when power was required, he rolled out the cannons.

Style, grace, beauty of tone, incredible top voice. I think this is TRUE JOY!

Javier Camarena thrilled me last night in Don Pasquale.....

Javier Camarena last night in Don Pasquale...never heard him live..Something THRILLING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

D flat in aria like "Di quella pira!!!!!"

Anyone see this before???The genius who did this makes us hysterical!!!!!!!!

CHARM!!!!  Claudia Novikova, born March 9, 1895, taught London and Gedda.  This drunk Perichole aria is priceless!!!!!!

Any member of Facebook knows what a sweetheart Larry Brownlee is. He is such a great fun guy.I loved Eglise in an aria once, but not at the Met, sadly.

  This is great stuff!

I will do more audios..I keep promising...I will!

IN KEY!!!!  I know...I am jaded...but anything like this today????????????? Let me know!!!!!

Love them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A clip from a GREAT singer...Not many like Kristine Opolais these days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PECCATO!!!!  Had she been around at the first Barbiere, she could have saved it from the failure it was!!!

I finally appreciate titles.!!!

Did you ever see the clip of the INfamous "Baby Jane Maria Stuarda???"  I just saw the opera with Sondra Radvanovsky and I imagine she has seen this and laughed her head off.

  Maria and Elizabeth never met, but in opera you suspend belief...and a lot more!

  This scene would be great with Hillary and Sarah!!!!!!

  Dear friends from all over the globe,

   Wishing you a Happy Valentines Day...and more podcasts to come!!!!!

                     Love  Charlie

Vergogna,Carlo..NEVER heard this version.

I played the B flat 5 times..at least..Now you see what we went through!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The closest to her LIVE!!!!!!!!!  Scared us!!!!

This was 1970..OK the very top was going..BUT it was a sensation....The "tre assi e un paio" in the house was as if ten cannons went off.....

  We ripped up programs........confetti!!!!

We were 18..First row Carnegie Hall. She winked at us..and then....here it is!!!!!

    Happy Birthday to one who will remain forever in our hearts.

Click the word "General" to see photo. She said, "Dammi il braccio,mio piccino." I was 18, but knew enough to respond,

"Obbedisco,signora!"

More to follow..

Slezak's international career commenced in London at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, where he sang Siegfried (a punishing role that he would soon drop from his repertoire) and Lohengrin in 1900. (He would return to Covent Garden in 1909 after undertaking further vocal studies in Paris the previous year with a great tenor of a previous era, Jean de Reszke.)

Slezak secured a three-year contract with the New York Metropolitan Opera in 1909. Met audiences acclaimed him in performances of works by Wagner and Verdi. Along with Italy's Giovanni Zenatello, he became the most famous Otello of his generation, famously performing the role at the Met with Arturo Toscanini conducting.

He was a convivial person, and many anecdotes reveal his amiable sense of humour. The best-known example is as follows: during a performance of Wagner's Lohengrin, a stage hand sent the swan out too early, before the tenor could hop aboard. Seeing his feathered transportation disappear into the wings, Slezak ad-libbed to the audience: "Wann fährt der nächste Schwan?" ("When does the next swan leave?").

Slezak had a versatile repertory which embraced 66 roles. They included notably Rossini's Guillaume Tell, Manrico, Radames, Walter, Tannhäuser, Hermann and, as we have seen, Otello and Lohengrin. He sang 44 roles in Vienna alone, where he chalked up 936 appearances in 1901-12 and 1917–27 and became an idol of audiences.

Dame Blanche,Euryanthe,Queen of Sheba

BRAVO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Come to NY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fine young tenor from Barcelona...Follows in great company.....you know who??????

Some people  are offended at stuff like this.However, if you get up in front of people, you have to take the consequences.

   If you are a young artist and make an error...OK...BUT you must have some semblance of technique.

  I do like crazy stuff...not to be mean...but look, if you are SERIOUS about singing..you cannot do this!!!!

Zinka and Ethel loved each other...That figures!!!!

I taught at the high School (Bryant) where Ethel Zimmerman attended.....My friend was in her class and at 16, she could BELT!!!

 Born Jan.16, 1908...I saw her first when I was 12.(Annie Get Your Gun),Dolly, Gypsy, and revival of Annie.

  The brass and the wobble (more pronounced here..it is late Ethel) meant nothing live..She was a thrill!!!!!!!!

  Hi..I must apologize..every time I start an audio podcast..something goes wrong..so doing some videos.

I do not want to lose my BUDDIES....I will work on it this week..... OK?

 Love Charlie

Superb!!!!  By t he way,the Poliuto was a rehearsal..so that is why you have no audience reaction.

  This guy is the real stuff.  He is BUSY!!!!!

http://operabase.com/a/Piero_Pretti/14186

Supern tenor...Pretti does the aria uncut and adds some notes....Superb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SQUILLANTE!!!!!  More to come....

http://www.handelmania.com/mad.htm

I did this when I was normal..Guess the Tosca screams and you get my entire collection..postage free.

Nice to find exciting new talent. I hope you enjoy Jamison as I do.

Opera Resolutions...but not the boring,mild ones I just read on Facebook.They never read MAD magazine:

1. Samson-Stop the steroids.Your boobs are bigger than Hedy Lamar's. Grow up and get more Mature.

2. Wotan/Gurnemanz/King Marke- Ask sleeping friends to give you gifts if you can tell your stories in one minute, plus in the case of Tristan, just take a quick-acting dose of arsenic so Isolde does not have to wait 3 hrs.

3. Any Manon- if you sing with Grigolo, tell him that if he screams in your ear at the end, you will make him a castrato.

4. Tosca- make sure in act 2, you kick Scarpia..not your train.They do that only in Zagreb

5. William Tell- if you think the Jemmy is a nasty singer, get Bocelli to shoot the apple.

6. The 8 Walkyries before your sister runs in- just lipsynch to Angela Gheorghiu;it's quieter that way.

7. Arturo (Puritani)- audition tenors who wish to sing you, making sure they can F like Larry Brownlee or Eric Owens.

8.  Macbeth- if any tenor tries to sing you, don't make his life peaceful.

9. Rigoletto- I don't care if Herheim tells you to hump Gilda..just lay off girls.....unless the Giovanna looks like Netrebko.

10. Queen of the Night- stick to your F's and stop watching Richard Simmons' shows.

11. Don Giovanni-if it lasts more than 14 hrs., go see Dulcamara.

12. Azucena- marry a good fireman.

13. Simpleton- Run on a third party. You can beat Trump and the rest of them.

14. Klytaemnestra- Join Facebook. We need at least one normal person.

15. Salome- Aw..grow up and use your head.

16. Tosca Shepherd.-if you want to sing Mario some day, ask A-Rod for some good stuff.

17. Violetta- Stay out of the Met.We have enough coughers, and that is Too Bad (TB)

18. Octavian-better see a therapist to find out what gender you prefer ("Why is that lady singing a man,dressing like a lady?")

19. Gutrune- You are really a nice girl.Don't believe Anna Russell when she calls you a Gibitch.

20.  Lousy Manrico- Groucho,Harpo, and Chico will replace you with Michael Fabiano.


I am sure you can add others, unless you are off the same drugs I take.
 
Carlo Pazzo, nel giardino

   A wonderful Happy New Year to all of you!!!!!!!

  Resolution No.1-More audio podcasts, but the videos are still nice.

                        My best   Charlie

Again, on Piotr's birthday, I present the kind of singing that I feel is RARE today!!!!!

This season Piotr interpolated a high C# in the cadenza.......Unfortunately for him, the pole dancer girl who appears at curtain rise was not around.....

 Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not since my "olden days" have I loved a tenor like. Piotr Beczala.

Birthday is 12/28/1966.

Sweetest guy one could know..Loves Gedda,Tauber,Wunderlich..That figures...and I bring him their CD's....

Just discovered Piero Pretti!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I went PAZZO....with all the extra high notes!!!!!

Gelb is sleeping...GET HIM!!!!!!!

For years every time Franco sang that high C on "re-endero" I went nuts...Now,dear Michael Fabiano did the opera.(I had the audio complete, but just found the video of the aria.). Lord!!!! He is so marvelous and now is becoming a world-famous artist.

  Love and success to him!!!!!!

Enrico and I wish you all the happiest of holidays and I treasure your appreciation for my podcasts.

  I have sent mostly videos lately, but will resume more audios soon.

   From all over the globe, you make me very happy!!!!!

    Love     Charlie

  12/14/1910...Made it to 99!!!

At 9:22 chests very high..BUT Fedora chested on the last "Anatema" before :su voi!!" THAT is high!!!!

Barbieri texted me and said she STILL would not speak to her "rivale."....even down there...

THIS is the REAL TOSCA!!!!!!!!

Ravens kicker Justin Tucker beautifully sings Ave Maria

 

Any TUCKER is great....but Richard could not play because if he came out with no helmet, the Jet's fans would laugh at the 99 cent toupee........ Great.........I was so thrilled..Next season Arod will sing the National Anthem at Yankee Stadium..three octaves HIGH HIGH HIGH!!!!! Ravens kicker Justin Tucker beautifully sings Ave Maria

What could be more loving than these two? Rolando is just such a sweetheart and I am glad he is better after some vocal problems.

  Next to him,I always felt calm and reserved....Just such fun always!!!!!!

How come NO MIMI since Scotto/Soviero..plus Favero,Muzio,Zeani,Albanese,etc..know how to produce emotion and color the voice like Nelly Miricioiu?

  Sweetest,kindest,nicest Facebook friend.....and a lady who should teach Met singers what style is all about.

Remember "Ma quando vien lo sgelo" is the highlight!!!!!

If Callas ONLY did this, you would understand what a genius the lady was. Just seems like she is in "another world."

Beverly Sills supposedly said she would like 5 years of Callas than 25 years of her!

Take 1949-1955 and a few performances later on, and you are witness to a God-Given artist, who left us so soon.

Dec.2, 1923 is a date we must remember in her honor!!!!