At the Met Boris had to tumble

all the way down many

steps. We always gasped.

A great man!!!!!!!!!

Adore Shirley as much as

Ebe Stignani!!!! Thrilling

in this opera;saw it w.

Kraus in Carnegie Hall.

Shirley Verrett!! Happy Birthday!!!

One of the greatest singers who

sang mezzo and soprano.5/31/31

  Olivia is a great soprano

and good friend.Works

with inner-city kids.

A gem of a person.

My darling friend,Olivia Stapp

is 80...Was once a mezzo.

She is a sweetheart and she

takes that great D. Mean other

buddy Ramey is the King.

Great but troubled artist.

My friend Gwynne Cornell

is with her.Gwynne passed

away at 50.We sang

together a lot.

  Stratas was a fabulous intelligent

artist.despite problems.

Great voice but poor

technique.Callas imitator.

Could have been great.

   Really wonderful guy!!!!

Zak!!!!!! Superb guy!!!!

Just found him

Forget records! You had to be

there. Titanium vocal chords.

It was a miracle!!!!!

You HAD to be there,

especially for Gioconda,

to hear those glorious

tones. I am glad I graduated

from college, cutting classes

to stand for her perf.

My all-time favorite singer

whom I saw live. She made

my life so happy,even though

her name KUNC represented

her personality. May 17, 1906

was Nilsson's and Zinka's birthdays

I know her caretaker

who said she could sing

like this almost to the end

at 104. I consider Magda

as the vocal miracle of opera

  We mourn the passing

of the great Gabriel Bacquier,

who would have turned 96

next week! Fabulous man!!!

I love sam

Met debut.I was there.

Held final B until the

curtain closed!!!!!

When I met Sam Ramey,it was a 1970

Bolena rehearsal. Since then he

became of the opera's greatest stars

and a dear guy we all love.

Met did Porgy and Bess. I wonder

how Gershwin would have

loved this rendition!

  I really loved this guy

Should have been  more appreciated.

,,  my error!!!   I cut off Sondra's

name,saying like Cossotto,

she sounds as if she is singing

in my EAR! Another friend,

Stephen Costello, is the

tenor.They have fun!!!!

  Still sings little high notes on the phone!!!!!!!

One of the greatest singers ever.

  Sounded as if she was singing in my ear.I could not believe that could happen.  Radvanovsky does that too.

     Great man...….What a way to go....in your glory@!!!!

But will never get over this.....

No words can express 3/4/60 and he sounded great until last moment."   O Gioija"

My all-time favorite baritone

I miss my Rolando......what a guy!!!!!!

Testing problem

 Have to adjust some posts

She is wonderful

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My fav.Corelli note is

the Poliuto, but in error

put too many in there

(A friend had just died and

I was nervous.

LOVE YOU AND PLEASE STAY HOME

Corelli Vittoria is not bad.

Loretta just shot Zinka because she caught him kissing her.

Mario left...I wonder why>>>>>

God bless FRanco...but if Loretta

saw anyone in heaven now

touch him,she would use her

UZI!!!!!!!

  THE KING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Saw you 40 times …...Never will forget you!!!!!

Saw debut and 41 times.....NO ONE

GREATER!!!!!!

When I told her NO ONE sings

like her today, she had me

do a master class for her

students..She knows I

know what a rarity she is.

  She will never die

in my heart!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 To my beloved friends all

over the world. May God

bless you for your courage

in this terrible time. I wish

you my love and the prayers.

         Sincerely  Charlie

  Only 65....Greatest evening

imaginable. Ovation Cut.

  My dear friend Sam,

KING of Facebook and superb

singer. Compares Trump

to Adolf H. (who???)

I have two Romanian sisters.

Nelly and Virginia!!!!!!!

   Since we sang in Barber,Bolena

and know each other since 1970,

I adore Sam, by dear lovable guy!

  Her caretaker said she still sang around 

the house into her late 90's!!!!!!!

   God Bless Her!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Magda Olivero was for me

a miracle.Mar.25, 1910.MaDE

IT TO 104.i CALLED HER EVERY

BIRTHDAY....bLESS HER!!!

Tell me I exaggerate!

My Mar.19 divas.....

Mom and Diana

POLITICS??????? Why is she

not as famous as she

should have been??????

I am her unpaid manager....

  I told Cupido he was NOT STUPIDO.

Birthdays  3/19...…………..

SHARES BIRTHDAY WITH HER

Romeo,ALBerTO  CUPIDO

and my madre!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mar.19,1946  Shares birthday

with my mother.....Fell out

of balcony at her Mimi...as good

as Tebaldi,who once kissed her

3/13/77 friendship began

  Adored Robert Weede!!

Should have done more here.

(Warren might have been too

great...oh well!!!!)

Thomas Schippers was

so wonderful>(You can ask

Menotti.). Sad he left us so soon.

A few bad high notes but play

act 4 "In Mia Man" and hear

the glory of my favorite

singer.(Who loved herself only.)

Sam Ramey followed in Treigle's

 footsteps. Nicest guy IWe met in 1970)

It was Bolena.. Wow!!!!!!!!

Ivan Koslovsky 3/11/1900

 I think Rossini wrote this!

But I adore Leyla!!!!!

 Gina Cigna Met Norma.

She was born 3/6/1900.

 Not a pretty sound but WILD!

  We lost Elinor this week.

A fine soprano  at 88 yrs.old

  Sorry for a few typos..Too much Vodka

  Sensational lady who could

drown out three jets!!!!!!!!!

Gone too soon. Saw him many,

many times. Just FABULOUS!!!!

Lost too son. Saw Norman Treigle

many,many times.. a vocal GOD!!!!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhhkGyJ092E

Mirella Freni was so adored.

So sad we just lost her.

I saw Met debut. Beloved!!!!

  God Bless them!!!!!!!

     Heaven!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lotte Lehmann for me is the CARUSO 

of divas 2/27/88.   Sensational!

Rise sat at her desk and spoke

of Lehmann's Eva as if in

a trance....and ended up

doing Octavian with her!!!!!!!!!

  This rendition thrills me

  beyond belief. Imagine if

 he had lived 15 more years

(he died at 48), what treasures

(live also) we would have.

  2/25/1873  No words express

  what this man was!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last note of Butterfly addio (A)...my friend hit me in the ribs from fright....Old standee line was right across from pit and I was in front.

NO ONE could imagine the sound!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When my ma met her, I could not speak Italian and she had not much English...so I spoke Spanish..That is why she called me "Carlos" and every time we met, she asked for my madre…..

  I have no words anymore for what she wasto us!!!!

Last time I saw her.

Tre assi e un paio SCARED the life out of us!!!!!!!!!!!

OK..The top got flat....so what...she was the most wonderful diva in the world.....and we became close.....

Listen to the last note.It broke the chandeliers at the Met!!!!!    No one had the  Wagnerian volume and beauty of tone.

I called her every birthday  2/1/22    and "call her" forever.

Where was I on 1/31/55??Standing for the debut of Renata Tebaldi, whose birthday (we did not know) was 2/1/55. I will never forget my darling friend and the greatest soprano one could imagine...

I cannot write more..I am crying on the keyboard......

That top range was a miracle!

Great artist and friend!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sadness never leaves me.

Addio,mio caro amico!

Will never forget!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Greatest Diva voice (1/22/1897)

 Sensational...debut with Caruso!!!!!!

Was my Zinka better?????

  ….No Bogie...but Maltese great tenor

Joseph Calleja came out me and said, "Are you Charlie? You are more famous than I am!!" me a hug!!!!!

 A wonderful sweet guy.1/22/78.  From now on, when I write him, I say,  "Charlie, more famous."

Great singer and lovable!!!!!!!!

  Great man, despite some choices

I do not like, but one of the

greatest singers ever. Happy Birthday

to us both on 1/21

Happy Birthday,Placido and me.

I do not have 300 million and I

am not xxx rated, but I used

to have some good baritone

notes (like you do now.)

  Placido, happy birthday to us!

 My baritone voice was not as

good as yours, but you did have

lots of xxxxxx- rated fun.

I guess Marta accepted it.

 Well,when you are worth 300 million

it is not too bad.  Was I a bass? I

did 50 roles but managed it.

  I am honored to share 1/21 birthday

with a great man. Nice of Verdi

to put his name in an aria. A shame

they suddenly realized what everyone knew.

Pavarotti today would be in the

same situation. I always told Soviero

to wear metal panties. Love to a

great man.I do not approve of his

baritone singing, but we all know

what a fabulous career he has had.

Gee. my high notes are as good as

his middle. 

  1/19/09  Hans Hotter was a 

sensational bass and baritone

A GOD among artists!!!

  I told my buddy Beczala that Jean De R. was louder in the house...but a good man....

Bruson not known for Warren,Milnes,MacNeil top....but the great style...vocal line...still singing!!!!!!

Charles Kullman   1/13/03   did small roles late...but in his prime......superb!!!!!!

We met a few times...a sweetheart..... 1/12/20

People would yell on the street, "Hi,Papageno"

Great Renato Bruson….still siging at Charlie's age.

He is 1/13/36...ChARLIE AND pLACIDO ARE 1/21,,,,EXCEPT I AM A REAL BARITONE

  Piangero per sempre!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sondra and Steven have FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After my dear buddy had his birthday, Piotr Beczala, I sent him this.

I hope he did not throw up his Xmas dinner.

1/6/03   Close to Schipa birthday.  Favero!!!!

One of my all-time great recordings...No one like Favero,Muzio,Zeani……..  Today it is

    BLAH.....after Soviero........They are so generic

1/2/89   Schipa did not have to be a Corelli.

I saw his farewell...Like Kraus...GREAT taste!!!!!

1/4/37    Great singer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  HAPPPPPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!

   Greatest tenor since Baum!!!

   Poland DECLARED A HOLIDAY!!!!

Happy Birthday to my favorite singer.

Nicest guy around and great singer!!!!!!

 12/28     LOVEYA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This holiday season I miss

my friend Marcello, but at least

heaven will be blessed!!!!

   Love to all of you this

  holiday season!!!!!!!!!  Charlie

To all you dear people:

  My love for a wonderful

 holiday season:

 CHARLIE

Superb voice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Miguel Villabella, gorgeous voice.

  One of our great voices.Happy Holidays from the happy couple.