On November 13, 1986, Diana Soviero made her Met debut as Juliette, conducted by Placido Domingo, and featuring Alfredo Kraus and Paul Plishka. I know you will love it!!!! (58 min.)

In memory of the late wonderful Shirley Verrett, we present highlights from a live La Scala performance of Samson et Delilah, from 1970 under Georges Pretre. Richard Cassilly, Robert Massard, and Leonardo Monreale complete the cast.

As a bonus, Shirley Verrett sings the Death of Dido from a Troyens perf. in 1969 in Rome.  (72 min.)  When they leave us, a part of us breaks away,but our memories stay with us forever.

                                                                                                       Charlie

http://www.google.com/search?q=Handelmania&hl=en&tbs=vid:1

 

I wanted to remind you of my Google Videos, in addition to my Mrfriendofopera videos on youtube.

 

I will take care of the Propaganda interruptions soon.

 

As ever   Charlie (going gaga over this Met Don Carlo on Sirius)

Hiya all,

    

     You know I have become acquainted with this glorious Polish tenor, Piotr Beczala, and I will be seeing  him soon at the Met in Boheme and Romeo (I ordered tickets for THREE Romeos...I rarely do anything like that.). From Piotr's new album on the Orfeo label, I present arias from Prince Igor, Janek (Zelenski), and Eugen Onegin. I heartily recommend this album to you and hope these three selections give you a sampling of the album.

                                                       Thanks for your patience

 

P.S.  I re-installed Propaganda and will fix those interruptions..They think I am NEW!!!!!!                                                                  Charlie

 

 

Hi everyone.  I'm back - hopefully.  This is a test to make sure everything is working.  Please enjoy Vittorio Grigolo singing from Luisa Miller.  More later....Charlie

 I adored Verrett and always placed her way up there with the greatest mezzos (sopranos also, since she did both mezzo and soprano roles.) When they leave us, a piece of us gets ripped away, since these "bigger-than-life" personalities have been so endearing to us,

 

  As ever Charlie

  My adored "sorella" Virginia Zeani turns 85 today,Oct.21. She has been a dear friend for many years and those of you who do not know her art can go to Youtube for a sample, or come to my house and hear all her material. (Full body search on the way out.)) I am so happy for her and Mr.Smith, a friend, surprised her with a fabulous book dedicated to her, with contributions by many people (me too!). Bless Virginia!!!

 

 P.S.I ran into a few more glitches so PULEEEZE be patient.The new podcast system needs to be worked out. Meanwhile, new and old listeners have plenty to listen to.  Love Charlie

1. Mirella Freni, one of the great sopranos  in the world of opera, is presented in live performances. She sings the Strauss Four Last Songs, and arias from Gianni Schicchi,Adriana Lecouvreur, L'Amico Fritz, La Boheme, Turandot,Carmen, Vespri Siciliani, and the Eugen Onegin Letter Scene.  (70 min.)

When the London/Decca Ring recordings were finished, Deryck Cooke recorded a most enlightening analysis of the Ring, using scenes from the recordings. I found this most enlightening, and wish to present about 50 minutes of it to you. I hope you enjoy it.

Remember, I miss your comments, so send them to me at Placido21@aol.com. I had to cancel that comment section owing to those ads.    (50 min.)

  May I pause and give credit for these podcasts to my buddy,James Jorden, of Parterre Box fame. He taught me how to podcast,videocast, and remain a legend in my own mind.

  If you wish to order any of the albums on the podcast page, click the selection(s) and James gets a commission from Amazon.That is at least something we can do to thank him for his special efforts..and great talent!

                                 Il tuo caro amico,   Charlie

  The great Leonard Warren stars in highlights from a 1950 Mexico City Simon Boccanegra.Also in the cast are Mario Filippeschi,Celia Garcia, Roberto Silva, and Ignacio Ruffino. The conductor is Renato Cellini   (62 min.)

   The great Renata Tebaldi in scenes from Andrea Chenier,Manon Lescaut, L'Assedio di Corinto, Faust, and the Stabat Mater of Rossini (Inflammatus)                    (69 min.)

A pot-pourri of some of the oddities I have previously pubished, but now all together to make you laugh,cry, or never talk to me again,etc. I think you will have fun..Great for parties!!!!  (74 min.)

My all-time favorite basso passed away today.Cesare Siepi was the possessor of a luscious,velvety voice and on stage he was sensational.I saw him countless times and am so saddened at his passing. Here is a brief article about his  many successes.:

His international reputation was established in 1950, when Sir Rudolf Bing brought him to the Metropolitan Opera in New York to open the 1950 season as King Philip II in Don Carlos. He was to remain principal bass at the Met until 1974, adding roles such as Boris Godunov (in English) and Gurnemanz in Parsifal (in German), and singing all the major roles of the bass repertoire.

His also gave his debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in 1950, and appeared there regularly until the mid 1970s.

In 1953 Siepi debuted at the Salzburg Festival with a legendary production of Don Giovanni conducted by Wilhelm Furtwängler, staged by Herbert Graf, and designed by Clemens Holzmeister. He made an immediate impact in the title role of Don Giovanni which became perhaps his best known role, as it had been for the most famous Italian bass of the generation before, Ezio Pinza. This performance has been released on CD, and a 1954 mounting of this production was filmed in color and released in 1955.

Siepi was a frequent guest at the Vienna State Opera. In 43 performances he sang Don Giovanni, more often than any other singer in modern times except for Eberhard Waechter. In 1967 Siepi was Don Giovanni in a controversially received production staged by Otto Schenk and designed by Luciano Damiani that showed Mozart's masterpiece in the light of the commedia dell'arte, emphasizing the comic and ironic elements of this opera (conductor Josef Krips strongly opposed this production's concept). In Vienna he also sang Basilio (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Colline (La bohème), Fiesco (Simon Boccanegra), Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro), Padre Guardian (La forza del destino 1974 in a new production conducted by Riccardo Muti), Gurnemanz (Parsifal), Mephisto (Faust), Filippo II (Don Carlos), and Ramphis (Aïda). His final performance at the Vienna State Opera was in Norma (Oroveso) in 1994.

He was a particularly fine recital artist, especially in Community Concerts under Columbia Artist Management, and a sensitive interpreter of German Lieder. He married Met ballerina Luellen Sibley and they have two children.

Siepi enjoyed a long career, and performed regularly until the 1980s, including lead roles in the ill-fated Broadway musicals Bravo Giovanni and Carmelina. In addition to his studio recordings, there are also many live recordings of performances of his major roles.

According to the Italian Wikipedia, Siepi's formal farewell to the operatic stage occurred at the Teatro Carani in Sassuolo on 21 April 1989. Indeed, Capon's List shows live recordings made as late as 1988.

Siepi's last studio recording was as the old King Archibaldo in RCA's 1976 taping of Montemezzi's L'amore dei tre re, with Anna Moffo and Plácido Domingo in the cast.

    Rest in Peace, my beloved Cesare.

P.S. For my podcast on Siepi,see archives of May 3, 2006

 

A Met benefit concert in 1951, featuring some of the artists who were singing at that time.They include:

Lucine Amara,Lily Pons, Dorothy Kirsten, Regina Resnik, Gladys Swarthout, Roberta Peters, Bidu Sayao, Rise Stevens, Giuseppe Valdengo, Brian Sullivan, Salvatore Baccaloni, with guest appearance by Jimmy Durante (tenor??baritone?? basso??)

   The beloved Renata Tebaldi makes her final stage appearance at a recital in La Scala on May 23, 1976. No one could be as beloved as this great lady, and my life was made so much richer knowing her on and off stage. Bless her memory forever!   (60 min.)​

  Hi all,
       I just watched the Weimar Ring, and mezzo Nadine Weissmann, the Erda and the Waltraute, possesses a superb,rich,luscious voice. I urge you to watch her:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr8EeExG_fY​

I know I can pick them!!!!!!!!!!

 On Friday, June 11, Rise Stevens, the first singer I ever met..and the kindest and most lovable human being one could know, turns 97. She brought me and thousands of others to opera.We went to her home every year when the club existed.Bless her forever in my heart!!!​

  A thrilling Cavalleria (excerpts) with Marisa Galvany, Placido Domingo, and Signore Ciminelli under Anton Guadagno from 1973 in Hartford,Ct.
   I also​ added a Galvany bonus (What else is new?) with scenes from Macbeth,Medea,Traviata and Nabucco.    (60 min.)   After Marisa

 did Mayr's "Medea in Corinto" we posed for the photo you see.

   Listen to highlights from an exciting live performance of Zandonai's thrilling opera "Francesca da Rimini from 1973 under Eve Queler. It features Placido Domingo, Raina Kabaiwanska, and Matteo Manuguerra. I know you will enjoy it!!!

  (65 min.)​

The superb basso, Carlo Colombara, a good buddy to many of us on Facebook,sings Italian and American songs. I know you will enjoy them. He reminds me of Cesare Siepi.  

  

 Highlights from a Berlin 1980 Macbeth w.Olivia Stapp,  Renato Bruson, Veriano Luchetti, and

Victor von Halem ,conducted by Giuseppe Sinopoli    (71 min.)

   This is in celebration of dear Olivia's birthday on May 30.

 

 

    The superb lyric-coluratura soprano, Diana Damrau, in a recital of songs by Berg, Strauss, Mahler, Zemlinsky, and Wolf,plus a Mozart concert aria w.orch.(59 min.)

Today, May 5,2010 we pay tribute to the great Giulietta Simionato, who passed away at age 99. She was a phenomenal icon in the world of opera and we remember her fondly. I include highlights from Aida, Cavalleria, Barbiere, Mignon, Anna Bolena, Mignon, Carmen, and Werther  (72 min.)

Ten wonderful sopranos sing the finale of Act one of Anna Bolena. The singers (in order of selections)are:

Renata Scotto, Beverly Sills, Olivia Stapp, Maria Callas(in photo), Elena Suliotis, Dimitra Theodossiou, Joan Sutherland, Leyla Gencer, Edita Gruberova, and Marisa Galvany.                (50 min.)

Send me a VOTE on your top 2 favorites!!!!!!!!!!

The phenomenal voice of Montserrat Caballe is heard in two Donizetti works:

Parisina (exc.) w.Jerome Pruett, Louis Quilico, and James Morris

Roberto Devereux (exc.) with Jose Carreras and Vicente Sardinero

                                             (66 min.)

Hiya all,

         Despite allergies, arthritis, beri-beri, and misery not going yet to the MET,
I am back with you to present various singers in live performances on radio from the 1940's.

Included are:
                  Eileen Farrell, Stella Roman (pictured),Gladys Swarthout,Hilde Reggiani, Astrid Varnay,Licia Albanese, Norina Greco, Jan Peerce, Rene Maison, Robert Weede, Lauritz Melchior,and Richard Bonelli.   (61 min.)

                              As always, thanks so much for your lovely comments.

                                                 Carlo Handelmania

The  2/8/77 Amsterdam farewell recital of Elizabeth Schwarzkopf, accompanied by Geoffrey Parsons. (70 min.)

She performs songs of R.Strauss, Wolf, Schubert, MahlerLiszt, Schumann, Wolf-Ferrari.

 A tribute to Jerome Hines, a great artist. The selections are anounced and biographical material is included. (73 min.)

The American Jerome A. Hines (November 8, 1921 – February 4, 2003) was a well-known basso opera singer who was associated with the Metropolitan Opera for many years. His height (6ft 6 inches, or 2m), stage presence and stentorian voice made him ideal for such roles as Sarastro in The Magic Flute, Mephistopheles in Faust, Ramfis in Aida, the Grand Inquisitor in Don Carlos, the title role of Boris Godunov and King Mark in Tristan und Isolde.

Hines was born Jerome Albert Link Heinz in Hollywood, California. He studied mathematics and chemistry at the University of California, while also taking vocal lessons. Hines made his operatic debut at the San Francisco Opera in 1941, singing Monterone in Rigoletto. He changed his surname to Hines at the suggestion of his manager Sol Hurok to avoid the anti-German feelings prevalent during World War II.[1]

In 1946, Hines made his debut at the Met as the Sergeant in Boris Godunov. He went on to sing forty-one seasons there, longer than any other Met singer, encompassing forty-five roles in thirty-nine operas. During this time he pursued further voice studies with Samuel Margolis and Vladimir Rosing.

In 1953, Hines made his European debut with Glyndebourne as Nick Shadow at the Edinburgh Festival in the first British performances of Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress. In 1958, he made his debut at La Scala in the title role of Handel's Hercules. From 1958 to 1963, he sang at Bayreuth in the roles of Gurnemanz, King Mark and Wotan. In 1961, he first appeared at the San Carlo in the title role of Boito's Mefistofele. In 1962, he sang Boris Godunov at the Bolshoi in Moscow, famously for Soviet leader Nikita Khruschev on the eve of the resolution of the Cuban Missile crisis.

Hines turned to coaching later in his career, founding the Opera-Music Theatre Institute of New Jersey in 1987, but he continued performing virtually until the end of his life; among his last appearances was a concert performance as the Grand Inquisitor with the Boston Bel Canto Opera in 2001 at the age of 79.

A born-again Christian and member of the Salvation Army, Hines composed an opera on the life of Jesus, I Am the Way. He sang the role of Jesus at the Met in 1968 and performed the work many times around the world.

Hines wrote a memoir, This is My Story, This is My Song (1969) ISBN 0-8007-0313-8, and two books on singing, The Four Voices of Man (1997) ISBN 0-87910-099-0 and Great Singers on Great Singing (1982) ISBN 0-87910-025-7.

Hines died of undisclosed causes in 2003, at age 81 at a Manhattan hospital.

Hines was married to the soprano Lucia Evangelista from 1952 until her death from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in 2000. They had four children, David, Andrew, John and Russell. For most of his life, he lived in South Orange, New Jersey.

[edit] External links

Jussi Boerling Returns to the Met on Nov.16,1959,sadly,only one year before the great man's passing.

Giulietta Simionato is a sensational Santuzza, with Rosalind Elias, Walter, Cassell, Thelma Votipka (Cond.Nino Verchi) (50 min.)

    GOD BLESS HIM FOREVER!!

A tribute to the lovely French soprano, Eide Norena. She sings arias from Zauberflote, Seraglio,Hamlet, William Tell, Turandot, Traviata,Rigoletto,and Gounod's Serenade.  (44 min.)

   We mourn the passing of the superb mezzo, Blanche Thebom. Here are scenes from Aida, Norma, Samson et Delilah, Don Carlo, and Tristan und Isolde. She was a wonderful singer and artist, with a beautiful rich voice.  Rest in peace.

 How can anyone adequately describe the miracle of the today 100 year old Magda Olivero. I spoke to her this morning and she gives you all "un abbraccio!!"

     CENT'ANNI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Listen to the selections and thrill to this great great lady!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    (66 min)

 

Correction:The Fedora I mentioned was in New Jersey, not in New York as I stated.

 

P.S.

Ballo in Maschera highlights from 1944 under Bruno Walter. The cast includes Zinka Milanov,Leonard Warren, Jan Peerce, Frances Greer, and Kerstin Thorborg (67 min.)

Songs and arias as sung by the legendary tenor, Tito Schipa, a master of exquisite phrasing and the "love of the vocal line." His singing is a true vocal LESSON in how to phrase with beauty and delicacy.   (68 min.)

Celebrating the birthdays of the great Beniamino Gigli and the equally great Lauritz Melchior, both born on March 20, 1890. I guess the Gods were smiling on that day!           (45 min.)

 You want a fabulous cast?????? Listen to this Adriana Lecouvreur from Naples, 1959 under Mario Rossi.

Magda Olivero (100 yrs.old on Mar.25),Franco,Corelli, Giulietta Simionato, Ettore Bastianini   (67 min.)

  March 19, 2010 marks the birthday of my two favorite divas:
        First, my darling friend and great opera star, Diana Soviero, heard here in Puccini roles, and then my adored mother, who couldn't sing, but she did a mean fox-trot and was in the Follies. I would add that while mom never met Richard Tucker, she did know Sophie!

     A beautiful happy birthday to dear Diana, someone who captured my heart over 30 years ago. I have heard them all (well, after Melba), and she remains for me one of the greatest sopranos and a beautiful human being!

 Enjoy highlights from the 1986 Romeo et Juliette, marking the Met debut of my dear Diana Soviero and the marvelous Alfredo Kraus, with Paul Plishka and Brian Shexnayder under Placido Domingo.  (57 min.)

Gee, the photo shows we were young once-upon-a-time.

You like divas???????????????

http://www.irinarindzuner.com/video.aspx

 

So go here and sample the art of the marvelous Irina Rindzuner, and also I placed clips on my site:

http://www.youtube.com/mrfriendofopera

  What a great lady!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A compilation of baritones (and one lady) singing the Rigolettto "Cortigiani."

Included (in order) are:Riccardo Stracciari, Giuseppe Danise,Michael Bohnen, Heinrich Schlusnus, Paolo Silveri, Piero Cappuccilli, Franz Grundheber, Louis Quilico, Thomas Tipton, Cornell MacNeil, Robert Merrill, Leonard Warren, and in a Julliard coaching  session in 1971 with baritone Sung Kil Kim, MARIA CALLAS!
                                                           (74 min.)

 

The opera world mourns the passing of the superb Philip Langridge, pictured here in his last role, the witch in Hansel and Gretel. Here is some biographical material:

Philip Gordon Langridge CBE (16 December 1939 – 5 March 2010)^[1] was an English tenor,^[2] considered to be among the foremost exponents of English opera and oratorio.^[3][4]

Langridge was born in Hawkhurst, Kent, educated at Maidstone Grammar School and studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London.^[5] He started his career as an orchestral violinist, which exposed him to a greater variety of music than professional singers ordinarily experience.

Langridge was admired for his fine technique coupled with keen dramatic instincts. His repertoire was broad, ranging from the operas of Claudio Monteverdi and Mozart to more modern works by Ravel, Stravinsky, Janáček and Schoenberg. At the end of his life, he was adding some Wagner roles, including Loge from Das Rheingold. Langridge was also a fine concert singer and regularly performed the sacred music of Bach and Handel. He also won great acclaim for his assumption of the title role in Elgar's oratorio, The Dream of Gerontius.

For all his versatility, he was at his most distinguished performing the works of Benjamin Britten.^[6] Much of Britten's vocal music was written specifically for his artistic and life partner, tenor Sir Peter Pears. Many regarded Langridge as Pears' true successor because they shared similar vocal qualities and brought uncommon immediacy to the music they performed. He recorded many of his famous roles, including Peter Grimes and the Prologue / Quint in The Turn of the Screw, as well as all the orchestral song cycles for tenor voice.

Langridge's association with Harrison Birtwistle began in 1986 when he created the role of Orpheus in his opera The Mask of Orpheus. He also sang The Lawyer in the world premiere recording of Punch and Judy (1989) and created the roles of Kong in The Second Mrs Kong (Glyndebourne, 1994) and Hiereus in The Minotaur (Royal Opera House, 2008).^[7] Birtwistle composed Vanitas (based on a poem by David Harsent) especially for Langridge's 70th birthday concert at London's Wigmore Hall in November 2009.^[6]

Langridge was made Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to music in 1994. He was married to Irish mezzo-soprano Ann Murray until his death from bowel cancer. Langridge is survived by their son Jonathan Philip (born 1986, Greenwich, London),^[8] and his three adult children from his previous marriage: Anita, Jennifer,^[9] and opera director Stephen. ^[10]

[)

 A fine Tosca from Vienna ,1976 under Horst Stein,

 Featured are Montserrat Caballe, Carlo Bergonzi, and Gianpiero Mastromei  (71 min.)

 Highlights from a great 1955 Salome under Dimitri Mitropolous. It features:

Christel Goltz, Ramon Vinay,Blanche Thebom, Paul Schoeffler, and Brian Sullivan,     (69 min.of excitement)

The famous exponent of Bel Canto, Mattia Battistini (1856-1928), who even sang at 70. He was quite an amazing singer, but sadly ocean voyages scared him, so we never had him in New York.(He said, "The channel was enough!")

 

He sings material from Don Giovanni, Ernani (w.Emilia Corsi),Damnation of Faust,Hamlet,Ballo,Traviata, Martha, Favorita,Zampa, Don Sebastiano, and Cocchi's "Per la patria."

The baritone Herman Uhde was one of our finest artists.Sadly he passed away at 51 but he does leave us a legacy of his live appearances:

You will hear scenes from Das Rheingold, Julius Caesar, Don Carlo, Fidelio, Parsifal, Arabella (w.Lisa della Casa), Gotterdamerung, Elektra (w.Chrystal Goltz), and Wozzeck (in photo) w.Eleanor Steber) (64 min.)

 We remember the great Russian mezzo, Irina Arkhipova, who just passed away at 85. She sings scenes from Boris, Pique Dame, Mazeppa, and a Monologue from Arensky's "The Fountain of Bakhchisarai. (70 min.)

                            All music inspired by Alexander Pushkin

 Medea exc.from 1958 Dallas under Nicola Rescigno.

Maria Callas, Jon Vickers, Teresa Berganza,Elizabeth Carron, Nicola Zaccaria

  You want FIRE???????????????? Here it is!!!!!!!    (70 min.)

A superb Lucrezia Borgia under Nicola Rescigno from Dallas, 1973.

Featured are: Leyla Gencer, Tatiana Troyanos, Jose Carreras, and Matteo Manuguerra.   (68 minutes)

Songs and arias as sung by the magnificent tenor, Charles Kullman (1903-1983). Kullman should be heralded as one of the finest tenors in opera history.   (54 min.)

The tragedy of the  early death of the marvelous Fritz Wunderlich will always haunt us, but at least he left a legacy of superb recordings. Here is an abridged WDR Radio)performanc e under Franz Marszalek( 71 min.)

Fritz Wunderlich as Sou-Chong
Antonia Fahberg as Lisa
Ernst Stankovski as Graf Gustl
Luise Camer/Gerlinde Locker as Mi

Part Two of that glorious 1955 Aida. (ooops, I put my brief narration at the end in error.)

Stella, Corelli, Barbieri, Colzani, Petri  (Gui )

Part one of a fabulous Aida from Naples 1955 under Vittorio Gui.

 

Featured are Antonietta Stella, Franco Corelli, Fedora Barbieri, Anselmo Colzani, and Mario Petri   (48 blazing minutes)

   This magnificent 1957 Andrea Chenier will thrill you as much as it did me when I saw it live. Zinka Milanov, Richard Tucker, and Leonard Warren are the leads, with Frank Valentino, Fernando Corena, and Rosalind Elias under Fausto Cleva.

     I await your comments on this great performance. (69 min.)

 

 

   A collection of material as composed by Hector Berlioz. Featured are:

Edmont Clement, Richard Mayr, Jean Planel, Berthe Auguez de Montalant, Pol Plancon, Emilio de Gogorza, Maurice Renaud, Giovanni Zenatello, Giuseppe Malipiero, Georges Thill, and Germaine Martinelli.                (60 min.)

Highlights from Aroldo/Stiffelio of Giuseppe Verdi. Here I compare Lina's act two aria in both versions.

  In Stiffelio I present  Rosalind Plowright, Angeles Gulin, and Dimitra Theodossiou.

  In Aroldo we hear Montserrat Caballe, Carol Vaness, Lucia Aliberti, and Maria Callas

                                                (72 min.)

Highlights from several performances of the Verdi Requiem. Featured are:

 

Zinka Milanov, Leontyne Price, Gundula Janowitz, Richard Tucker,Marcello Giordani, Nan Merriman, Dolora Zajick, Fiorenza Cossotto, Giorgio Tozzi,Rene Pape, and Nicolai Ghiaurov.   (74 min.),

  A compilation of material involving tenors. Lots of bizarre stuff amidst some truly exciting singing....but get ready...this podcast is defintely not for purists like me.   (71 glorious minutes)

A wonderful 1957 Carmen with my all-time favorite Carmen, Rise Stevens, and featuring Mario del Monaco, Lucine Amara, and Frank Guarrera. The conductor is Dimitri Mitropolous. (72 min.) Here is a link to a Youtube selection. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egEVbRy50JE

I thought it might be fun (and you can use it as a quiz, as long as you turn down the volume when I introduce the selections) to select various files from the zillions I have and make up a pot-pourri for you. If you like the idea, let me know, and in the future I can do others.

Featured are:  (in order)

Paul Schoeffler, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Dmitri Smirnov, Jussi Bjoerling, Franz Voelker, Virginia Zeani, Daniele Barioni, Shirley Verrett, Vassilka Petrova (oi vey!), Maria Callas, Leonard Warren, Anita Cerquetti, Mario del Monaco and Victoria de los Angeles, Jussi Bjoerling and Robert Merrill, and Zinka Milanov.   (71 min.)

  Let  me know if you like this idea.  as ever  Charlie

 

   Even in "the wrong language" this magnificent 1950 Macbeth from Berlin in 1950 under Joseph Keilberth will thrill you, especially owing to the power and intelligence of Martha Moedl, one of the great divas of opera.
   Also in the cast is the superb Josef Metternich as Macbeth, Theo Hermann as Banquo, and Alfred Hulgert as Macduff.  (67 min.)

The happiest of birthdays (Jan.22) to the superb tenor (and lovable guy) Joseph Calleja. Mr.Calleja, who hails from Malta, is fast becoming one of opera's most renowned artists and here are some examples of his great voice:

 The arias are from:  Mme.Butterfly, Adriana Lecouvreur, Don Sebastiano, La Belle Helene, Romeo et Juliette, I Lombardi, and La Traviata.

   I also must mention that yesterday we celebrated (well, I did, anyway) the birthdays of two other great stars, Placido Domingo and Carlo Handelmaniac(Or is it EGOmaniac?)

Now do not shoot me for the following:

    "Were I the impresario of an opera house years ago, and heard boy soprano Calleja, I would cast him in "Die Frau Ohne Schatten" so we could therefore call him the "Maltese Falcon."

                         With all my best to a great guy!     Charlie

Highlights from Mascagni's "Iriis," a much-neglected work.

Featured, from four separate recordings are:

Magda Olivero,Clara Petrella, Ilona Tokody, Giuseppe Di Stefano,Placido Domingo, and Giulio Neri.  (72 min.)

These are highlights from the English National Opera 1982 performance (live) of Donizetti's "Maria Stuarda," sung in English under Charles Mackerras. Featured is the phenomenal Dame Janet Baker and as cast that also includes:

Rosalind Plowright    Elizabetta
David Rendall           Leicester
John Tomlinson        Talbot
Alan Opie                  Cecil
Angela Bostock           Hannah Kennedy
                       (55 min.)          

Several great singers sing sings by Francesco Paolo Tosti.In order they are:

Mattia Battistini, Augusto Dianni, Tom Burke, Alfred Piccaver, Charles Dalmores, Fernando de Lucia, Giuseppe Anselmi, John McCormack, Richard Tauber, Enrico Caruso, Dusolina Giannnini, Adelina Patti, Emma Eames, Rosa Ponselle, and Luisa Tetrazzini.  (57 min.)

Highlights from two performances of Mozart's "Marriage of Figaro."

First we have (in German) the 10/25/38 studio recording under Karl Boehm featuring:

Margarete Teschemacher  Countess
Maria Cebotari (in photo)  Susanna
Paul Schoeffler               Figaro
Mathieu Ahlersmeyer      Count
Angela Kolniak                     Cherubino

This is followed by a live Salzburg  8/11/37 performance under Bruno Walter with:

Aulikki Rautawaara  Countess 
Esther Rethy        Susanna          
Ezio Pinza    Figaro
Mariano Stabile   Count
Jarmila Novotna    Cherubino

            (73 min.)

Many collectors consider this 1938 Boheme recording as the definitive performance of the work. See what you think as Licia Albanese and Beniamino Gigli thrill us with their magnificent singing. Others in the cast are as follows:

Marcello         Afro Poli
Musetta          Tatiana Menotti
Schaunard       Aristide Baracchi
Colline             Duilio Baronti

       Conducted by Umberto Berretoni     (71 min.)

Next season the Met will feature the 100th anniversary of  the great Puccini work, "La fanciulla del West." My opera buddy's dad saw the 1910 premiere with Caruso, Destinn, and Amato. Imagine my friend's frustration when all his dad remembered was that "It was fine!" (He wanted to know exactly what Caruso did with every phrase)

 This blazing hot Scala performance with Gigliola Frazzoni,Franco Corelli, Tito Gobbi, and Enzo Sordello under Antonino Votto will thrill you (despite a few distorted moments in loud climaxes). ENJOY!
                                    (73 min.)

Hi all,

  Just a reminder that I have been putting up a great number of magnificent videos from my collection and from Youtube links (see under favorites) on my video site. I know you will appreciate them.

http://www.youtube.com/mrfriendofopera

My best   Charlie

Highlights from a superb performance of Mme.Butterfly from 1996, featuring my beloved Diana Soviero, Richard Leech, Juan Pons, and Wendy White, conducted by Julius Rudel.    (69 min.)

Not too bad a cast for this 1957 Scala Ballo under Gianandrea Gavazzeni,

Maria Callas, Giuseppe  Di Stefano, Ettore Bastianini, Giulietta Simionato, Eugenia Ratti.               (73 min.)

WHY was I not born in Milano??????????????

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO A WONDERFUL TENOR AND THE SWEETEST GUY YOU COULD MEET!  (Except for me, of course)

Piotr Beczała (born December 28, 1966 in Czechowice-Dziedzice) is a Polish operatic tenor. Piotr Beczała was born in southern Poland and initially trained in Katowice. His first engagements were with the Landestheatre in Linz, after which he became a regular member of Zurich Opera. Between 2004-2006, Beczala made several major international house debuts. In April 2004, he made his debut at London's Royal Opera House as the Italian Tenor in Der Rosenkavalier, later returning in October of that year in the title role of Faust, then in June 2005 as the Duke in Rigoletto, and in September 2006, again in Faust. In November 2004, he made his San Francisco Opera and US debut as Lensky in Eugene Onegin. Beczała's La Scala debut came in January 2006 as the Duke in Rigoletto, the role in which he also made Metropolitan Opera debut on December 19, 2006.

In 2007 he was awarded the Munich Opera Festival Prize which acknowledges outstanding accomplishments by departments and members of the Bavarian State Opera as well as members of the Festival performance casts for his performances in in Rigoletto, Der Rosenkavalier and Werther.^[1]

Beczała appears as Alfredo Germont in the Farao Classics recording of La traviata which has been nominated for a 2008 Grammy Award.^[2] The cd is a live recording from the Bavarian State Opera's March 2006 production with Anja Harteros as Violetta, Paolo Gavanelli as Giorgio Germont, and Zubin Mehta conducting.

[edit] References

• musicOMH.com - Interview with Piotr Beczala by Dominic McHugh, September 2006.
• Joshua Kosman, 'Soaring Opera hits new heights in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin', San Francisco Chronicle, November 26, 2004.
• George Hall, Review: Faust at the Royal Opera House. The Stage, October 14, 2004.

  in Eugene Onegin. Beczała's La Scala debut came in January 2006 as the Duke in Rigoletto, the role in which he also made Metropolitan Opera debut on December 19, 2006.

 

P.S.Guess whose birthday is also Dec.28????  Francesco Tamagno!!!!!!!!!!  I told Piotr to stay away from Otello for at least one week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The amazing Magda Olivero in an Amsterdam concert, 1962. She sings arias from Manon Lescaut,Mefistofele, Tosca, Iris, Adriana Lecouvreur, and Risurrezione.    (32 min.)

Youtube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNniGHmTrNo

 

This is the New York City Opera performance of Roberto Devereux of  October 24,1970. It marked the "second career" of Beverly Sills, as she began to essay the Donizetti Queen roles with tremendous success. The tenor is some young fellow named Domingo, and the baritone is Louis Quilico.

   NOTE: The double attack on the high D natural at the end of "Vivi,ingrato." In the theatre we held our collective breaths at this amazing sound!   (70 min.)

P.S. Amazon does sell the Devereux video from Wolftrap, but it costs about $90.00.

    Highlights from a glorious 1955 Covent Garden Tosca with Renata Tebaldi in fabulous voice (I saw about 5 of them at the Met in that period and I never recuperated). I forgot how gorgeous Ferruccio Tagliavini's voice was and of course the great Scarpia of Tito Gobbi is legendary. The conductor is Francesco Molinari-Pradelli.

 This is followed by some act two scenes from Brussels, 1958 w.Ettore Bastianini and Giuseppe Di Stefano.(HEY! The "Vittoria is GREAT!!")

                            (73 minutes of joy!)

  P.S. Why do those Englishmen/ladies not applaud the tenor arias?   Corelli would have screamed at them!

 This live Adriana Lecouvreur from 1977, San Francisco might be one of the greatest performances of the opera, along with the 1959 Olivero,Corelli,Simionato,Bastianini cast.

    Here we have Renata Scotto,Giacomo Aragall,Giuseppe Taddei, and Elena Obratsova conducted by Gianandrea Gavazzeni.   (72 min.)
     

    I bet you do not even miss my voice!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dear friends,

           Until the audio portion of my podcasts is fixed and when I am again able to narrate podcasts, I am presenting operas that really need no detailed explanation by me, since they speak for themselves in their power and excitement to thrill you all.
              This 1962 La Scala Trovatore under Gianandrea Gavazzeni features a great cast:
   Antonietta Stella, Franco Corelli, Fiorenza Cossotto, Ettore Bastianini,
    Ivo Vinco.

              Again I say to you.."They don't make 'em that way anymore!!!!"              Happy Holidays

                                           The silent Charlie

   For whatever reason, my narration did not come out here, but what more can be said about this sensational Turandot..just listen!!!!! I was there and it was something that we will never forget.  Nilsson, Corelli, Moffo, Giaiotti,Guarrera, conducted by Leopold Stokowski.

     We held our breath at the end of the "In questa reggia!!!" NOTHING like that today, and glad to remember the great days of Moffo, who had too short a career. I know you will love this..now, I have to figure out why my voice did not record...After all,I have been a pretty good boy this year!   Love Charlie     (70 min.)

BTW, there is some silly dude who HATES poor Maria Callas and who writes dumb comments..naturally deleted by me..I think Santa will be putting some Callas recordings in his stocking (GGGG).

This 1951 Boheme is one of the finest performances of the great work you will ever hear. It features the following cast:

Mimi        Bidu  Sayao
Rodolfo    Giuseppe Di Stefano
Marcello   Giusppe Valdendo
Colline      Cesare Siepi
Schaunard   George Cehanovsky
Musetta       Lois Hunt
 
       Fausto Cleva   Conductor      (73 min.)

 

The third edition of opera oddities. Included are clips that are exciting, silly, unusual, even hilarious!   (68 min.)

I wish to send you to the site where my friend Donald Collup, who is up to volume 8 of his fabulous collection (How does he get all this stuff??),provides the complete volumes.  

http://www.collup.com/dczcdz/party.html

      Have fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    Charlie

A magnificent Tosca from 1957 Covent Garden with Zinka Milanov,Franco Corelli, and Giangiacomo Guelfi conducted by Alexander Gibson.   You will love this one!!!    (55 min.)

 Dutch soprano Cristina Deutekom in a superb performance of Norma from San Francisco, 1975, conducted by Carlo Felice Cillario.

   Tatiana Troyanos    Adalgisa
   Robleto Merolla       Pollione
   Clifford Grant          Oroveso

                                  (69 min.)

   Maria Callas in the years 1958-1959. First we present a Los Angeles recital under Nicola Rescigno, with arias from La Vestale, La Boheme, Macbeth, Hamlet, Barbiere, and Mefistofele.
    This is followed by some 1958-1959 material, with arias from La Boheme, Tosca, Ernani, Norma, and Mme.Butterfly.

     Have any of you die-hard opera lovers ever experienced the vicarious thrill of being able to identify with someone who at an early age, much like yourselves, loves music so much? Recently, a young boy of 13, Olivier Bergeron, who resides in Montreal, has been reminding me (poor parents) of myself at that tender age. He is a Callas authority, and so I specifically dedicate this podcast to him.
      Let us hope that his life will be as treasurable as ours, loving opera as we do. My problem with him is that his voice has not yet changed, and he must remember he ain't no Manrico (YET!).        (73 min.)

An array of divas who sang the music of Richard Strauss in Vienna. Except for the Rosenkavalier Presentation scene, the selections are from live performances.

The operas are:  Die Frau Ohne Schatten, Capriccio, Daphne, Arabella, Ariadne auf Naxos, and Der Rosenkavalier.

The artists are:

           Sena Jurinac, Irmgard Seefried, Elizabeth Schwarzkopf, Christa Ludwig, Lisa della Casa, Anneliese Rothenberger, Christel Goltz, Gundula Janowitz, Elizabeth Schumann, Maria Olszewska, and Leonie Rysanek.                  (72 min.)

JUST APPEARED!!!!!!!!!!!

A live 1978 "Sola,Perduta" from Manon Lescaut, featuring my beloved Virginia Zeani!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnkC6L52PIE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNniGHmTrNo&feature=rec-fav-watch-cur_emp-farside_rn

 

 

Darling Magda, a miracle, turns 100 on March 25. Recently a friend of mine spent a few hours with her in Milano..She said, "If you can breathe, you can sing!!" She sure BREATHED!!!!!

                                    With love   Charlie

Highlights from Mascagni's much-neglected "L'Amico Fritz" featuring:

Beniamino Gigli, Gianni Raimondi, Ferruccio Tagliavini, Cesare Valletti, Roberto Alagna, Carlo Tagliabue, Rosanna Carteri, Mafalda Favero, Angela Gheorghiu, Rina Gigli, and Mirella Freni   (72 min.)

What more can one say about the legendary soprano Kirsten Flagstad, possessor of one of the greatest natural voices in opera history?
    This podcast features songs and arias from her career, from the early days to her farewell, plus some commercial recordings made later on. I know you will enjoy this marvelous soprano.

    Featured are scenes from Tannhauser, Gotterdamerung, Walkure,
    Parsifal, the World Premiere of the Strauss' Four Last Songs in 1950,  and some miscellaneous material as narrated.   (74 min.)

   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKChjB7-aAc&NR=1

 

 

.....because they want only "pretty singing' and Muti hates high notes.....Charlie

A selection of great artists in Verdi material.In order, they include:

Alessandro Bonzi, Aureliano Pertile, Jussi Bjoerling, Giovanni Zenatello,
Tito Schipa, Enrico Caruso, Irene Minghini-Cattaneo, Ebe Stignani,
Elizabeth Retherbeg, Hina Spani, Esther, Mazzoleni, Giannina Arangi-Lombardi, Ezio Pinza, Nazareno De Angelis, Tancredi Pasero,
Alexander Kipnis, Ricardo Stracciari, Beniamino Gigli (w.Pinza and Rethberg.)                   (72 min.)

A new release on the BonGiovanni label of a live performance of Manon Lescaut, from Piacenza, 1974.( highlights ). The sound is pretty good, with some flaws, but I think you will enjoy the wonderful Virginia Zeani and Flaviano Labo in the leading roles. Alberto Rinaldi is the Lescaut and Leonida Bergamonti sings Geronte, conducted by Umberto Cattini.(66 min.)

Hi all,

Just a reminder that I am uploading and also taking clips from Youtube .so many wonderful video clips.If you click on "Favorites" you will be presented with a wide variety of material, in  addition to what is there that I personally uploaded. Have fun!!!

http://www.youtube.com/mrfriendofopera#p/f

Rosanna Carteri, one of the most emotional divas in my experience, is heard in material from Adriana, Lodoletta,Turandot, Mme.Butterfly (w.Carlo Bergonzi), Suor Angelica, La Traviata, La Boheme (w.Giuseppe Taddei). Bio to follow   (69 min.)

Rosanna Carteri (born December 14, 1930) was an Italian soprano primarily active in the 1950s through the mid-1960s.

Rosanna Carteri was born in Verona and studied with Cusinati and started singing in concert at the age of twelve. She won a RAI singing contest in 1948 which led to her operatic debut at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome as Elsa in Lohengrin in 1949, aged only 19. She made her La Scala debut in 1951. Other debuts were at the Salzburg Festival as Desdemona in Otello in 1952 under the direction of Wilhelm Furtwängler, San Francisco as Mimi in La Bohème in 1954, the Lyric Opera of Chicago as Marguerite in Faust in 1955, the Arena di Verona as Mimi in 1958, Covent Garden as Tosca in 1960, Opéra de Paris in 1961 as Violetta in La Traviata.

Carteri made a few recordings for Cetra early in her career, such as Matilde in Guglielmo Tell, opposite Giuseppe Taddei, La Bohème with Ferruccio Tagliavini and Suor Angelica. She also recorded La Traviata for RCA Victor with Cesare Valletti and Leonard Warren under the direction of Pierre Monteux. She participated in several television productions for RAI such as Le nozze di Figaro, La Traviata, Otello and Falstaff.

Carteri also participated in the creation of some contemporary works such as Ifegenia by Ildebrando Pizzetti in 1950, Proserpine e le straniero by Juan Jose Castro in 1952, Calzare d'argento again by Pizzetti in 1961 and Il mercante di Venizia by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco also in 1961.

Rosanna Carteri decided to retire from singing in the mid-1960s while still only in her thirties to devote herself to her family.

   I have selected commercial recordings of Verdi material as sung by my all-time favorite diva, Zinka Milanov. Since Nimbus has just put out two Milanov albums (one pictured), I thought I would celebrate the recordings made on RCA by Mme.Milanov. Featured are highlights from Aida, Trovatore, Forza, Ballo, and Otello. I have chosen scenes from the Nimbus album and from other commercial recordings...but again I tell you, you HAD TO BE THERE!               (69 min.)

 

You will LOVE this one!   Sixteen divas singing cabalettas..Lots of trills,thrills, high notes,etc...Have fun!!!!!!

Lili Pons, Mado Robin, Beverly Sills, Katya Ricciarelli, Gilda Cruz-Romo, Federica von Stade, Shirley Verrett, Antonietta Stella, Maria Chiara, Magda Olivero, Zinka Milanov, Leontyne Price, Joan Sutherland, Monserrat Caballe, Christina Deutekom, and Virginia Zeani.

                  ( 68 min.of carrying-on)

Volume 2 of exciting divas, including:

Maria Spacagna, Maria Dragoni, Linda Vajna, Anna de Cavalieri, Margherita Roberti, Maria Chiara, Emma Renzi, Gigliola Frazzoni,Nora de Rosa, Tiziana Fabbricini, Elena Suliotis (in photo), Clara Petrella,
Anita Cerquetti, Rosanna Carteri, and Caterina Mancini.  (68 min.)

The first of two podcasts that celebrate the careers of some of the divas who perhaps did not receive as much recognition as I believe they deserved. Remember, if you are not an avid collector, you do not necessarily have access to the (mostly live) performances they gave.
Therefore, enjoy listening to them:

Angeles Gulin, Lucia Aliberti, Luisa Maragliano, Josella Ligi, Mariana Niculescu, Rita Orlandi, Cesy Broggini, Ilva Ligabue, Gina Cigna (in photo), Maria Vitale, Margherita Grandi, Virginia Gordoni, Milena Dal Piva, and Maddalena Bonifaccio. (71 min.)