Some opera stars really can "crossover" into superb renditions of "Pop" music.(Well,most of them,anyway). Here are some examples featuring:

Thomas Hampson,Bryn Terfel, Kip Wilborn, Dorothy Kirsten, Rise Stevens, Sumi Jo, Maureen Forrester, Dorothy Bishop, Thomas Quasthoff, Rene Fleming, Federica Von Stade, Placido Domingo,
Diana Soviero (at 17), Regina Resnik, Renata Tebaldi,Cesare Siepi, and the famous Burnette/Horne/Farrell trio.

                       (72 min.)

A podcast dedicated to the "lost art" of verismo soprano style. Included are arias by:

         Magda Olivero,Virginia Zeani, Maria Farnetti, Rosetta Pampanini,
         Pia Tassinari, Claudia Muzio, Maria Zamboni,
          Bianca Sciacciati, Hina Spani, Mafalda Favero, Rosanna Carteri,
          Licia Albanese, Angela Gheorghiu, Renata Scotto, and Diana 
          Soviero.   (64 min.)

  I have selected some artists I feel belong in my "controversial" category. I love most of them,but some I never could grasp...that is the way of things in life. One person exits a film and raves;the other one is totally negative. Same with opera, so PLEASE do not send me too much hate mail, because after all, I am a fairly nice guy.
    The artists are:
        Martha Moedl, Leonie Rysanek, Theresa Stitch-Randall, Boris Christoff, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Conchita Supervia, Lily Pons, Christina Deutekom, Ivan Koslovsky, Giovanni Martinelli, Maria Callas, Renata Scotto, Magda Olivero, and Leyla Gencer.
                                 (71 minutes)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xczMXSw2Lqc

   Do you like the idea of my sending you to some sites to sample some of the great clips tht exist? Let me know,because it is a nice feature, and you get to become jealous of what I saw live!!!!
    Mario del Monaco had a "bronze column of sound" that in my view was unmatched by any tenor I ever heard. Bottom to middle to top...the man was a phenomenon;he never faked it, gave 1000%, and remains one of the great tenors of my generation.

                               Charlie

P.S. He once almost deafened me for life when he came out the stage door and said, "Hello,boys!" Imagine what it was like to rehearse with him (without earplugs.)

Commercial Recordings from the 1920's of some of the marvelous artists who sang in the Wagner Ring. Included are:

Frieda Leider, Lauritz Melchior, Friedrich Schorr, Emil Schipper, Margarete Klose, Florence Austral, Florence Easton, Walter Widdop, Germaine Lubin, Charles Rousseliere, Andre Verdiere, Ludwig Hoffmann, Ludwig Weber, Maria Olzsewska .
                               (69 min.)

The redone Fanciulla Poker Scene with the following selections:

1. Arlene Saunders/Gianpiero Mastromei
2. Olivia Stapp/Mastromei
3.Johanna Meier/Cornelius Opthof
4 .Eleanor Steber/Giangiacomo Guelfi
5. Marilyn Zschau/John Shaw
6. Magda Olivero/Guelfi
7. Aprile Millo/Marco Chingari
8. Gigliola Frazzoni/Tito Gobbi
9. Renata Tebaldi/Guelfi  (RAI)
10.Renata Tebaldi/Anselmo Colzani

Link to the Youtube video featuring Irina Rindzuner:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvx5irtKov8

                   (59 min.)

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=Handelmania&hl=en&emb=0&aq=f#

A reminder of my video site for those who have not visited it.

                          As ever   Charlie

A comparison of three tenors who thrilled us in our opera-going days from 1951-1975.

     DelMonaco  1951-1960
     Corelli          1961-1976
     Tucker         1951-1975
       
    They sing in Tosca,Fanciulla,Trovatore,Turandot,and Pagliacci

                I saw them a total of about 150 times, and my memories are vivid and clear. I will tell you that audiences were astounded by their brilliant voices, and as much as I like many tenors of today, no one has come along with this "brand" of squillo!!!!!    (70 min.)
               

A comparison of arias as sung by our renowned three tenors, Carreras,Domingo, and Pavarotti. We were lucky to have had these fellows among us.

  The operas represented are:
     Werther,Luisa Miller, Rigoletto, La Boheme, Tosca.
                                    (71 min.)

 The wonderful Margarete Klose is presented in arias and scenes from:

Orfeo,Tristan und Isolde, Alceste, Samson et Delilah, Don Carlo, Gotterdamerung, Il Trovatore, Un Ballo in Maschera, Lohengrin, Elektra, Die Walkure     (64 min.)

An exciting comparison of various singers in the Macbeth Letter Aria from Act One. Included are:

Leonie Rysanek, Birgit Nilsson, Regina Resnik, Christa Ludwig,
Leyla Gencer, Shirley Verrett, Maria Callas, Rita Hunter, and
if you go to the following link, you can see the CBC video of this scene with Marisa Galvany.    (71 min.)

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=Maria+Galvany&hl=en&emb=0&aq=f#q=Marisa%20Galvany&hl=en&emb=0

P.S. On the Marisa Galvany page,you will hear some excerpts from the soprano Maria Galvany, whose rapid-fire staccati are legendary, if also rather strange.

 A comparison of various versions (French and English) of the "O Mio Fernando" aria from Donizetti's "La Favorita." Included are:

Giulietta Simionato, Ebe Stignani, Fedora Barbieri, Regina Resnik,
Shirley Verrett, Ketty Lapeyerette, Fiorenza Cossotto, Gloria Scalchi, Vesselina Kasarova, and Rise Stevens.
         
               So, who is your "favorita?"               (68 min.)
  

    An exciting podcast that features some of the most exciting live scenes and arias in my collection. You may have heard some of them on previous podcasts, but to have them all together might be a special treat, excellent for parties,etc.
    I do contend that this fearless brand of vocalism is  mostly absent these days from the opera scene.This does not mean I do not treasure many of our present-day artists, but I still say that most of you would require a supply of oxygen upon hearing this kind of singing.
     Want a part two???  Let me know!!!!
                              My best   Charlie
                                        (73 min.)

 A podcast that features 15 famous artists of the past singing music appropriate for the holidays. Included are:

Rosa Ponselle,Giovanni Martinelli, Enrico Caruso, Sigrid Onegin, Ernstine Schumann-Heink, Beniamino Gigli, Lotte Lehmann, Emmy Destinn, Lawrence Tibbett, John Charles Thomas, John McCormack, Alma Gluck, Elizabeth Schumann, Richard Crooks, and Claudia Muzio

                                      (59 min.)

     The remarkable Giacomo Puccini was born on Dec.22, 1858. At
this time we celebrate the 150th anniversary of his birth. Can we think of any other composer who has consistenly "tugged at our heartstrings" with the glorious music he composed?
       Featured are excerpts, live and commercial, from each of his operas,plus some symphonic material. I know you wil join me in celebrating the birth of this true genius!

                                   (68 min.)

My most affectionate tribute to Rene Pape, my favorite singer of today.
He has brought so much joy to the opera world by virtue of his magnificent voice and his brilliant musicianship. The selections are from:

Romeo et Juliette, Fidelio, Zauberflote, Die Meistersinger,
Lohengrin, The Demon (Rubenstein), Das Rheingold, and
Tristan und Isolde. (Who goes to a Tristan for a King Marke???)
                                      (50 min.)

A comparison of several versions of the Walkure Act 3 scene between Brunnhilde and Sieglinde. Included are many famous voices, and of special interest, one can sample Nilsson,Moedl,Flagstad, and Varnay in both roles. Other artists included are:

Leonie Rysanek,Hilde Konetzni, Rita Hunter, Lotte Lehmann,
Regina Resnik, Marjorie Lawrence, Helen Traubel, Regine Crespin,
Margaret Curphey.

                                 (72 min.)

    A podcast that features the soprano/mezzo career of the great Regina Resnik, one of the  music world's legendary personalities, not only owing to her successes in two vocal fachs (soprano and mezzo), but who has achieved international recognition as producer, director, filmmaker, teacher and coach. In addition, her brilliant master classes have inspired so many young artists in the opera world in their careers. 
       

                     The selections are from:
Ernani, Queen of Sheba, Cavalleria, Fidelio    (soprano repertory) Carmen, Walkure, Falstaff, Le Cid, Pique Dame, Boris Godunov,
The Medium, Ballo in Maschera, and a hilarious "Chacun a Bing's Gout"
at the Farewell Gala for Rudolf Bing.

                               (72 min.)
      
   

I have more recently come to love the opera Parsifal, especially the roles of Amfortas and Gurnemanz. The depth of emotion and the spirituality of their music are so touching and I am presenting both the Amfortas act one monologue and part of the act three Good Friday scene:

Amfortas:  Paul Schoeffler, George London,Thomas Stewart, Thomas Quasthoff.

Gurnemanz and Parsifal:    Hans Hotter/Jon Vickers,
  Franz-Josef Selig/Placido Domingo, Franz Crass/Sandor Konya
  Ludwig Weber/Wolfgang Windgassen, Alexander Kipnis/Rene Maison.

                                   (74 min.)

   You will hear some tremendously exciting singing in this comparison podcast of various Church Scenes from Gounod's Faust. Included are the following singers:

Erie Mills/Kristin Sigmundsson
Licia Albanese/Ezio Pinza
George Hann/Margarete Teschemacher
Italo Tajo/Dorothy Kirsten
Bryn Terfel/Angela Gheorghiu
Samuel Ramey/Diana Soviero
Cesare Siepi/Victoria de los Angeles
Jerome Hines/Hilde Gueden
Nicolai Ghiaurov/Mirella Freni
                    
                                 Have fun!!!!!   (71 min.)

    Hi all,
         I may have mentioned my huge opera cassette/cd/dvd/vhs catalogues previously, but just a reminder that if you wish to peruse my material, over 10,000 items, please feel free to E-mail me at Placido21@aol.com. Please provide full name and mailing address.
           I do not send the cassette catalogue unless you specifically request it, because it is enormous, and the postage costs are quite high;however, if you want it ALL, do not hesitate to request the whole collection.
             In this way, you will better understand why there is no room in my house for even ME!

                                   My best   Charlie

Soprano Lucia Aliberti in scenes from Beatrice di Tenda, La Traviata,
Aroldo, and Il Pirata.
   I hope they are to your liking.   My best   Charlie

                              (63 min.)

  With new material, here is the promised podcast of the marvelous
  Meta Seinemeyer, who left us tragically at only age 33. I am sure you
will enjoy it. The four cd album on the Preiser label is still available from Amazon,at a greatly reduced price of $40.00,if you wish to sample even more of her art.

                                  My best   Charlie

                                         (73 min.)

The second podcast that features some superb tenors of the French school. They are as follows, in order of the podcast:

Emile Marcellin, David Devries, Agustarello Affre, Jose De Trevi,
Jean Anzani, Paul Goffin, Guy Cazavena, Cesar Vezzani,
Jose Luccioni, Raoul Girard, Gaston Micheletti, Rene Verdierre,
Louis Delaguerriere,Eugene De Creuse, Maurice Capitaine,
Edmond Rambaud, Josef Rogatchewsky, Miguel Villabella (in photo),
and Georges Thill.

                     I sincerely hope you enjoy these wonderful artists!

                                  (73 min.)

  A tribute to the remarkable Placido Domingo on the occasion of his 40th anniversary at the Met, as well as recognition for a career that has emerged as one of the greatest in music history.

Selections are from:   Cavalleria Rusticana, Rienzi, Lohengrin,
   Elijah, Samson et Delilah,Adriana Lecouvreur, Andrea Chenier,
   Manon, Carmen (w.Resnik), Iris, Otello, Luisa Fernanda, El Trust ,     and a beautiful rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

       Our most sincere congratulations to Mr.Domingo for all he has
        achieved in the music world.

                                    (73.min.)

     I sincerely hope you enjoy the voice and artistry of the superb Piotr Beczala, one of our very great singers. Here are some excerpts from his new album "Salut" plus the Land of Smiles aria from the complete recording.
       Inspired by the great Fritz Wunderlich, Mr.Beczala surely is a
"logical successor" to the man, and there are some similarities. The tone is so lush and his musicianship is impeccable. I also realize that there have been other"smart tenors" like Gedda,Bergonzi,Kraus, Tucker, and Gigli who had long illustrious careers because they had the good sense to
carefully choose proper repertory, and therefore I am not worried that Mr.Beczala will be essaying Otello or Tristan!!!!!

                     I know you will enjoy this album as much as I did. If you have any comments, please forward them to me and I will forward them to Mr.Beczala.                         My best   Charlie
P.S.  GO HERE:

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=Handelmania&emb=0&aq=f#q=Handelmania%20Beczala&emb=0

Highlights from various performances of Verdi's "I Due Foscari"(1844).
Featured are some of the fine singers who appeared in this work:

Renato Bruson, Gian-Giacomo Guelfi, Carlo Bergonzi, Mirto Picchi, Leyla Gencer, Margarita Castro-Alberty, and Linda Vajna. (71 min.)

                    )

Twenty Tenors who may not be as well-known as others, but who nevertheless sang beautifully and had major careers, mostly in the earlier part of the 20th century:       Contents as follows:

1.Silvano Isalberti  "Stelle d'oro" (Denza)
2.Carlo Dani   "Le Reve"  (Manon)
3.Giulio Crimi  "O mio picciolo tavolo" (Zaza)
4.Carlos Mejia  "Ecco ridente"   (Barbiere)
5.Wilhelm Herold   Fra Diavolo Aria  (Auber)
6.Bjorn Talen    Barber of Bagdad aria  (Cornelius)
7.Carl Martin Oehmann  "Prize Song" (Meistersinger)

 8.Karl Jorn     "Ah quel plaisir"  (La Dame Blanche)
 9.Karel Burlan (in photo)  "My colleague Caruso" (Burlan)
10.Stanislaw Gruszczynski  "Eternamente"  (Mascheroni)
11.Petra Raitscheff     "E canto il grillo"
12.Ignacy Dygas    Aria from "Haunting Manor"     
13 Giuseppe Krismer   Damnation of Faust Aria (Berlioz) 
14.Tadeusz Liliwa       Aria from "Halka" (Moniusko)
15.Andrei Markovitch Labinski    Dubrovsky Song
16.David Juzhin     Le Prophete aria  (Meyerbeer)
17.Alexander Bogdanovich   "Love is a delightful dream (Bleichman)
18.Alexander Davydov         "Leave me"  (Davydov)
19.Modest Menzinsky          "Barcarolle"
20.Ivan Erschov          Tannhauser Act One Aria  (Wagner)

  (If you can spell every name without looking, I will give you a gift of
     all my Sarah Brightman CD's.)

.                                   (74 min.)

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=Handelmania+Videos&ie=utf8&oe=utf8&num=10&hl=en&gl=us#q=Handelmania%20Videos&ie=utf8&oe=utf8&num=10&hl=en&gl=us&start=0

Just to remind some new members of my videos on Google (Handelmania)

My best  Charlie

FINALMENTE!!!!

          I am happy to be back with you after some problems with the new computer,and I promise to make it up to you. I think you will enjoy these 17 versions of the Otello act two final scene featuring some of the great artists who sang Otello and Iago.

                   I sincerely thank you for your patience.

                             ( 62 min.)

A compilation of 12 sopranos singing the famous Queen of the Night aria from Mozart's "Die Zauberflote." In order, they are as follows:

Lea Piltti, Gitta Alpar, Lucia Popp, Rita Shane, Cynthia Sieden, Aline Kutan, Roberta Peters, Sumi Jo, Erika Koeth, Wilma Lipp, Natalie Dessay, and (an oddity), Maria Galvany.

                                    (45 min.)

  Compilation of choruses from 16 operas as follows:

Nabucco(in photo), I Lombardi, Macbeth (2 versions),
Iris, Mefistofele, War and Peace, Boris Godunov, Prince Igor,
Parsifal, Gotterdamerung, Meistersinger, Fidelio, Les Troyens,
Romeo et Juliette, and Peter Grimes.

                            (74 min.)

   Nostalgia Supreme!   Highlights from the 1974 Callas/Di Stefano tour. The wear and tear on the voices is quite evident, but it is a final memory of the collaboration of two of the world's greatest singers.

                                       (66 minutes)

Highlights from a blazing hot performance of Puccini"s "La Fanciulla del West," from Florence, 1954, conducted by Dimitri Mitropolous and starring Eleanor Steber, Mario del Monaco, and Giangiacomo Guelfi.

                                  (67 min.)

Some of the greatest artists in opera sang Italian opera in German. Although the vocal line does change somewhat, one must make the "sacrifice," since these are marvelous artists, and deserve to be heard.
The artists heard are as follows:

Maria Cebotari(in photo), Gertrude Runger, Viorica Ursuleac, Gertrude Bindernagel, Maria Reining, Martha Moedl, Emmy Leisner, Karen Branzell, Elizabeth Schumann-Heink, Herman Uhde, Alexander Kipnis, Julius Patzak, Lauritz Melchior, Michael Bohnen, Joseph Schwartz,
and Willy Domgraf-Fassbaender.     (72 min.)

20 selections that feature some of the wonderful tenors of German extraction. Included are:

Marcel Wittrisch,(in photo), Richard Tauber,Herbert Ernst Groh,Franz Voelker.
        (These tenors are featured in several selections each.)

  In addition, I added one selection as sung by Peter Anders, Rudolf Lustig, and Rudolf Schock.

               (73 min.)

  A tribute to the phenomenal Rosa Ponselle, one of the greatest singers in opera history. Included are some commercial selections, but mostly live selections from 1951-1954. Enjoy!!!! 

(73 min.)

 Scenes from one of the greatest performances of La Forza del Destino (1952) with a stellar cast including Zinka Milanov,Richard Tucker, Leonard Warren, and Jerome Hines. I know you will be thrilled by these great artists, as I was so many times in my misspent youth

                                 (73 minutes)

  One of the most exciting scenes in opera is the opening of act
  three of Otello, featuring the confrontation between Otello and
   Desdemona. This podcast presents nine performances of the
    scene, all from live performances. The couples are:

M.Price/Domingo             DeLos Angeles/Del Monaco
Albanese/Vinay                 Milanov/McCracken
Rethberg/Martinelli            Millo/Atlantov
Tebaldi/Vickers                 Crespin/Del Monaco
                       Steber/Vinay  
                         

                             (74 minutes)

Commercial and live recordings featuring the very great soprano,Lotte Lehmann (1885-1976). I have always felt that if I had to choose one soprano of the past to have heard (in my time machine), it would be this amazing lady.
                        I hope you enjoy the selections.    

                                       (72 minutes)   

Many selections from opera and operetta featuring the great Danish tenor, Helge Roswaenge (1897-1972). I know you will enjoy this podcast and will realize what a fabulous career this man had.

                              (72 minutes)

   I have come to the conclusion that Roumanian-born Virginia Zeani has emerged, in my opinion, as one of the greatest divas in opera history. I hope you enjoy the selections on this podcast. The works represented are:

Forza del Destino,Maria di Rohan, I Puritani, Tosca,
La Boheme, Turandot, La Traviata, La Rondine,
The Consul, Elisir D'Amore, Vespri Siciliani,Mefistofele,
and The Merry Widow.
            
       I sincerely hope you will enjoy listening to one of the
great artists in opera history, and a very dear friend as well.

                            (72 minutes)  

     Highlights from two analyses of the great Wagner Ring of the  Nibelung.The first is by Speight Jenkins, using scenes from the 1953 Bayreuth Ring, and the second is by Deryck Cook, with material taken from the London Ring Set under Solti.

     Finally, the legendary Ring Analysis as performed by the hilarious Anna Russell. ("She's not making this up, you know!"

                                 (68 min.)
 

A compilation of 13 baritones who sang Wagner, among other material.
The baritones represented sing arias from Tannhauser,Lohengrin,
 Meistersinger,Walkure, Siegfried, Gotterdamerung, Flying Dutchman,
 and Parsifal. Artists included are:

George London, Bryn Terfel, Friedrich Schorr,Ferdinand Frantz,
Herman Uhde, Hans Herman Nissen, Jose Van Dam, Michael Bohnen,
Rudolf Bockelmann, Heinrich Schlusnus, Paul Schoeffler, Joel
Berglund, and Emil Schipper.

                                      (70 minutes)

 A tribute to the great Jussi Bjoerling (1911-1960) with arias and
  songs from his extensive repertory. (Announced.)

                                 (73 minutes)

  This is the first of the Jussi Bjoerling tribute podcasts. We present highlights from the remarkable 1947 Romeo et Juliette with Bidu Sayao as the Juliette.
    I have always considered this one of the all-time greatest examples of Bjoerling's art. (Get your stop-watch ready for the high C at the end of the ensemble.)  

(28 min.)

        In tribute to the late marvelous Leyla Gencer, I present
   highlights from the three Donizetti "Queen" operas, Anna
   Bolena, Maria Stuarda, and Roberto Devereux.
        The great diva has left us in body, but her spirit and
   her legacy will remain forever for those of us who have
   treasured her remarkable contribution to the vocal art. May
   she rest in peace.

                                      (72 minutes)

A birthday tribute to two of the greatest sopranos who ever
 graced opera stages:

 Birgit Nilsson, born May 27, 1918

Zinka Milanov, born May 17, 1906

               The Nilsson photo is separate,as you see, and the Milanov
           photo is very early, from Croatia.

        Our lives would be far less enriched without these two great ladies.

                                           (78 minutes)

   I was so entranced by the recent singing in the Seraglio of soprano Diana Damrau that I thought I would present a few samples of her wonderful "Arie di Bravura," available on the Virgin Classics label.
Included are arias by Righini,Salieri, and Mozart (Announced). I hope you enjoy these samples, and if you like the idea of my presenting samples of various albums (if I have them),let me know..That includes complete operas, recitals,etc.

Go to YOUTUBE and type her name..and you will see ASTOUNDING performances!!!!!!

 Scenes from each Puccini opera,in chronoligical order,
 plus some orchestral material and some songs. Featured are:

Placido Domingo,Aureliano Pertile, Roberto Alagna,
Thomas Hampson, Tommi Hakala, Giuseppe Taddei,
Anselmo Colzani, Renata Tebaldi, Angela Gheorghiu,
Virginia Zeani, Margarita Sheridan, Licia Albanese,
Joan Sutherland, Anita Cerquetti, Angela Maria Blasi,
Diana Soviero.

                                        (69 minutes)

Highlights from this magnificent work (Charlie's second favorite opera).

We feature Birgit Nilsson, Leonie Rysanek,Regina Resnik,
Olivia Stapp,Martha Moedl, Inge Borkh, Gwyneth Jones,
Margarete Klose, Johanna Meier, Ute Vinzing, Herman Uhde.

                               (71 minutes)

   A selection of unusual material for you to GUESS! I hope you have fun with this venture into some of the oddities in the opera world.

                                   (65 minutes)

NOT FOR PURISTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

           Lowlights from the Die Walkure performance at the
     legendary La Puma Opera Company, circa 1965. The
          great Olive Middleton stars as Sieglinde and the inevitable
     bass-baritone Mario Leone is the Wotan.

REMEMBER!  I WARNED YOU!!!!

 (33 glorious minutes)

      Some of you may have heard this clip, but it is so bizarre I
  felt COMPELLED to upload it as a single podcast clip. I was
  seated in the New York State Theatre at the debut of soprano
  Ashley Putnam as Violetta, when, as you will hear, just before
  tenor Henry Price was about to sing his act two aria, some insane
  lady (as we later learned) let out a bloodcurdling Elektra geschrei 
  and ran out of the theatre. 
        The man next to me exclaimed, "Oh my Goddd!" as you
   will hear. To this day, we never learned what motivated this
   nutcase...but at least we have a "treasured memory" that will
   endure forever.
         I used to play this clip for my schoolkids and they demanded
  I play it over and over..some of them would even run up to
  the CD player to hear the scream loud in their little ears.
         So..you thought opera people (beside me,of course)
  were NORMAL?????

   The first podcast dedicated to the art of the legendary
    Maria Callas. Selections include scenes from:

      Aida, Tosca, Norma, Nabucco, Aroldo, Armida,
      Gianni Schicchi, Abduction from the Seraglio,
       Andrea Chenier, Lucia, Tristan und Isolde, Gioconda,
        Vespri Siciliani, plus the Proch Variations and Callas"
          Farewell to her Julliard Students

(73 min.)

Highlights from a marvelous 1968 performance of Verdi's
"Luisa Miller," featuring Richard Tucker, Montserrat Caballe,
Sherrill Milnes, Giorgio Tozzi, and Ezio Flagello, conducted by
Thomas Schippers.

                            (60 minutes)

A Compilation of famous tenors of the "Golden Eras" in opera:

Pertile,Martinelli, Gigli, Bjoerling, Schipa, Thill, Slezak,
Devries, Bonci, Tauber, Zanelli, Patzak, Sobinov,
Smirnov, Tamagno, Clement.

                            (67 minutes)

 Scenes from Manon, Il Tabarro, Tales of Hoffman, and
 Roberto Devereux featuring Beverly Sills and Placido Domingo.
 

(63 min.)                                        

My tribute to Aprile Millo, one of the finest (and nicest) artists I have
had the pleasure of hearing. I present her in scenes from:

Trovatore, Fanciulla, Rusalka, Andrea Chenier, Luisa Miller,
La Gioconda, Adriana Lecouvreur,Tosca, and I Lombardi.
     Also joining Mme.Millo in these scenes are Dolora Zajick,
     Marcello Giordani, Vladimir Atlantov, Taro Ichihara,and
     Vladimir Chernov.

                                   (67 minutes)

  A memorial tribute to the late Giuseppe Di Stefano ("Pippo") .

       The opera world mourns his passing and we present him in scenes from live performances of:

 La Favorita, Faust, Andrea Chenier, Turandot, Iris, Pearl Fishers, 
Ballo in Maschera (w.Maria Callas), La Boheme,
Tosca, Werther, Manon, Mignon, and two Italian songs.

(72 min.)

A  comparison of Kunst(art) and Stimme (voice) sopranos.
Included are the following divas:

Maria Callas, Renata Tebaldi, Joan Sutherland, Martha Moedl,
Kirsten Flagstad, Leonie Rysanek, Nina Stemme, Marilyn Horne,
Conchita Supervia, Elena Suliotis, Maria Caniglia, Zinka Milanov,
Edita Gruberova.

                                       (74 minutes)

Scenes from some of the great Rossini works as presented
on his birthday (Feb.29, born in 1792). Operas include:

Barbiere di Siviglia, Cenerentola, Viaggio a Rheims,
William Tell, L'Italiana in Algeri, Semiramide
L'Assedio di Corinto, and Armida. Featured artists are:

Marilyn Horne, Conchita Supervia, Vesselina Kasarova,
Ewa Podles, Montserrat Caballe, Beverly Sills,
Nicolai Gedda, Marcello Giordani, Fernando di Lucia,
Norman Mittleman, Juan Diego Florez, Maria Callas,
 and Ruggero Raimondi.

                                  (73 minutes)

Scenes from Verdi's Ernani, featuring some of the greatest
singers of the past:

Anita Cerquetti, Leontyne Price, Zinka Milanov, Grace Bumbry,
Leyla Gencer,Caterina Mancini, Gino Penno, Mario del Monaco,
Placido Domingo (past and also present), Flaviano Labo,
Leonard Warren, Mario Sereni, Ettore Bastianini, Leonard Warren,
Cornel MacNeil, Piero Cappuccilli, Lando Bartolini, Cesare Siepi,
Nicolai Ghiaurov.

                                           (76 minutes)

   Songs and Arias as sung by the great Claudia Muzio.
   She passed away at only 47 years of age, but left a
   legacy of true greatness in the opera world.

                                 (78 minutes)

Selections from Aida, Trovatore, Ernani, Nabucco, and
La Battaglia di Legnano featuring the wonderful soprano
Caterina Mancini, whose Cetra recordings introduced me to
the brand of exciting singing usually absent these days. She
is joined in duets by Paolo Silveri, Rolando Panerai,
Giuseppe Taddei, and Carlo Tagliabue

                                   (44 minutes)

So, when does the next swan leave????? (You all know the story!)

Here are scenes from this great opera featuring some great artists:

Leonie Rysanek, Birgit Nilsson, Elizabeth Rethberg, Astrid Varnay,
Lauritz Melchior, Helen Traubel, Marjorie Lawrence,Ninon Vallin,
Wolfgang Windgassen, Rita Gorr, Emmanuel List, Leonard Warren,
Elizabeth Grummer, Eleanor Steber, Nicolai Gedda, Barbro Ericson,
Lotte Lehmann.

                                        (66 minutes)

Highlights from Puccini operas featuring many great artists:

Rosa Ponselle, Claudia Muzio, Virginia Zeani, Licia Albanese,
Margherita Sheridan, Edith Mason, Nelly Melba, Lucrecia Bori,
Magda Olivero, Montserrat Caballe, Mattia Battistini,Titta Ruffo,
Beniamino Gigli, Enrico Caruso, Aureliano Pertile,Tito Schipa,
John McCormack.

                                   (73 minutes)

 Selections from live performances conducted by Leopold Stokowski.
 Featured are Birgit Nilsson, Franco Corelli, and George London.
 In addition to the concert material, we present scenes from the
 legendary 1961 Turandot, featuring Nilsson and Corelli in shining form!

                                    (73 minutes)

  A compilation of scenes from the great Puccini opera,
  featuring many fine artists. I will not write the names here
  since some of you might wish to use this podcast as a quiz.
                                ( 73 minutes)

  By popular request (Ruben!!), here are highlights from
  Cecilia, a truly beautiful, and seldom-heard work. It
  features Renata Scotto as both the Angel and Cecilia, Harry
  Theyard as Valerian, and George Fourie as Almachis. It
  is conducted by Angelo Campori.

                                   (66 minutes)

Famous tenors of past and present whose last names happen
to begin with the letter "V." Included are:

Ramon Vinay, Cesar Vezzani, Albert Vaguet, Alessandro Valente,
Franz Voelker, Rene Verdiere, Francisco Vignas, Miguel Villabella,
Ramon Vargas, and (in photo), Rolando Villazon.

                                  (66 minutes)

IN RESPONSE TO THE COMMENTS THAT I LEFT OUT THE WONDERFUL VALLETTI,VICKERS,AND OTHERS, WHAT I HAD DONE WAS JUST GO TO A SHELF THAT HAD THOSE RECITALS. NO CRUELTY INTENDED!!!!!

Excerpts from the great career of tenor Nicolai Gedda. These
are all live and the operas represented are:

Boheme,Tosca,Tales of Hoffmann,Vespri Siciliani,
I Puritani,The Pearl Fishers, Faust, La Sonnambula
Don Giovanni, Le Roi d'ys,La Traviata,Mignon,
Yolanta.                     (72 minutes)

 An exciting compilation of scenes from Leoncavallo's
 "I Pagliacci," featuring:

  Richard Tucker, Mario del Monaco, Franco Corelli,
  Helge Roswaenge, Jussi Bjoerling, Carlo Bergonzi,
  Licia Albanese, Diana Soviero, Marilyn Horne,
  Hilde Scheppan, Victoria de los Angeles, Robert Merrill,
  Leonard Warren, Ettore Bastianini, Frank Guarrera,
Giovanni Martinelli(in photo)  Manuel Lanza, and
Teresa Stratas

(66 min.)

Great Singers of the "Germanic" School. Included are:

Frieda Leider (in photo), Margarita Perras, Alexander Kipnis,
Lotte Lehmann, Tiana Lemnitz, Friedrich Schorr, Maria Ivogun,
Johanna Gadski, Franz Voelker, Marcel Wittrisch,Wilhelm Hesch,
Maria Olzewska, Lauritz Melchior, Maria Cebotari,Richard Tauber,
Gerhard Huesch, Elizabeth Schumann

                                     (78 minutes)

Marisa Galvany, one of the most exciting artists, in a podcast
featuring material from Aida,Norma,Tosca,Traviata, and
Anna Bolena.

          This is a re-doing of a previous Galvany podcast, with
       the deletion of three items, but the narration remains the
        same, so references to Macbeth, Ernani, and the Aida
         "Ritorna Vincitor"  are to be ignored.

                  Let me know all is now well!!!!!!!!!

Still another "adventure" into some of the unusual happenings
in the opera world. Fun for opera gatherings!!!!!  ENJOY!!!

                                 (54 minutes)

Songs, Arias, and opera scenes, as performed by the great
Pavel Lisitsian, possessive of one of the most beautiful
baritone voices in opera history. (All material announced)

                                   (78 minutes)

Volume One of a compilation of some of the funniest,
most bizarre, most unusual happenings in opera. I do hope
you enjoy this podcast, and will request another.

I strongly recommend you go to:                              http://www.collup.com   

             Donald Collup has prepared four fabulous volumes of these "oddities" and I think you might want to purchase one or more of  them.

(70 min.)

The second part of the celebration of the great Verdi, with
 the finales of:

      Macbeth ( 2 versions), Luisa Miller, Rigoletto, Trovatore,
      Traviata, Vespri Siciliani, Simon Boccanegra, Ballo in Maschera,
      Forza del Destino, Don Carlo, Aida, Otello, and Falstaff

      (All casts announced)         (71 minutes)

The first of a two-part celebration of the great Giuseppe
Verdi's genius, featuring the finale of almost all his works.

Included here are the finales of:
  Nabucco, I Lombardi, Gerusalemme, Ernani, I Due Foscari,
  Giovanna D'Arco, Alzira, Attila, I Masnadieri, Il Corsaro,
   La Battaglia di Legnano, Stiffelio, and Aroldo.

               (Cast details announced)     ( 62 minutes)

The beautiful aria of Prince Yeletsky in act two
 of Tchaikowsky's "Pique Dame" as sung by:

Dmitri Hvorostovsky(in photo), Hugo Hasslo, Bernd Weikl,
William Walker, Pavel Lisitsian, Ettore Bastianini,
Heinrich Schlusnus, Vladimir Chernov, Nikola Mitic,
Andrei Fedosoyev, and Hans Herman Nissen.

                             (53 minutes)

Birgit Nilsson as Elektra from her first
performance in role (1965) to her last
in 1982. A great lady!!

(67 minutes)

 Scenes from the great March 17, 1956 Met Forza del Destino,
  featuring my four favorite singers in their respective voice
  categories (of singers I have seen live):

  Zinka Milanov, Leonard Warren, Cesare Siepi, and Richard Tucker

                                  (74 minutes)

A comparison of several mezzos/sopranos singing the Ortrud Curse from act two of Wagner's "Lohengrin."  Included are:

Astrid Varnay(in photo),Margarete Klose, Janis Martin,
Mignon Dunn, Eva Randova, Nadine Denize, Gwyneth Jones,
Janina Baechle, Linda Watson, Margaret Harshaw,
Kerstin Thorborg, Marjorie Lawrence, Edith Walker

                              (53  loud minutes)

.

I sincerely hope you will enjoy this podcast,dedicated to
a fine tenor, Gianni Raimondi. Raimondi is one of those
artists who deserves more recognition, and it is my pleasure
to present ten arias from his repertory.

                                 (56 minutes)

Ten versions of the finale of act one of Puccini's "Turandot"
featuring some of the great tenors and sopranos who essayed
their roles.

     ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!         Charlie

                                   (73 minutes)

  A comparison of various renditions of the Traviata aria
  "Addio del passato" as sung by 15 great sopranos...and a
   slightly less-famous one.

                                  (84 minutes)

      Twenty songs as sung by the great Enrico Caruso. I think
  you will agree with me that this man has been what many
  have termed a "Vocal God." No words can adequately
  describe the heart and soul that pours from this great tenor.
       I sincerely hope you enjoy this podcast and will comment as you wish.

                                  (72 minutes)
   

A selection of trios from various operas:

William Tell, Norma, Trovatore,Faust,Ernani,
Don Carlo, Gotterdamerung, Beatrice di Tenda,
Cosi Fan Tutte, Tales of Hoffmann, Vespri Siciliani,
 Forza del Destino, I Lombardi ,Rosenkavalier.

   (73 minutes)

Quite a superb new tenor from Turkey. How many tenors
do we know who can take the high E flat in the Lucia duet????

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Bulent+Bezduz&search=Search

 Who is that lady with Charlie???????????????

It is like this: At a party in 1955, she grabbed my hand and said, "Dammi il braccio mio piccino"(Boheme quote with a gender change). I then said,
" Obbedisco,signoraaaa."  (Even then I knew the words.).Someone happened to snap our picture. This experience will live in my heart forever as a happy memory of one of the sweetest people I ever knew.  

Six performances of Romeo et Juliette. Featured in the finale of act two and the act three duet are:

  Jussi Bjoerling/Bidu Sayao, Roberto Alagna/Angela Gheorghiu,
  Marcello Giordani/ Nora Ansellem, Raoul Jobin/Patrice Munsel,
  Ramon Vargas/Anna Maria Martinez, Rolando Villazon/Anna Netrebko

                                   (79 minutes)

Eleven versions of the beautiful "Marietta Lied" from Korngold's
"Die Tote Stadt."  Included are:

Beverly Sills, Maria Jeritza, Stephanie Sundine, Emily Magee,
Marilyn Zschau, Ilona Steingruber, Ellen Faull.Stella Roman,
Angela Denoke, Carol Neblett, and Eileen Farrell.

                                 (63 minutes)

A tribute to the great mezzo Rita Gorr. Selections from:

Orfeo(in photo), Aida, Troyens, Walkure, Tristan und Isolde,
Samson et Delilah, Mahler's Kindertotenlieder.

                                  (77 minutes)

This is the second podcast devoted to great duets.You will hear 12 duets as sung by some of the most famous artists.There are
both live and commercial recordings in this podcast. Included are:

Beverly Sills/Placido Domingo, Frieda Hempel/Herman Jadlowker,
Jussi Bjoerling/Robert Merrill/, Benita Valente/Tatiana Troyanos,
Giovanni Martinelli/Lawrence Tibbett, Thomas Stewart/Evelyn Lear,
Joyce Di Donato/Patricia Ciofi, Thomas Hampson/Jerry Hadley,
Leontyne Price/Mario Sereni, Renata Scotto/Jose Carreras,
Camilla Williams/Lawrence Winters, Ivan Koslovsky/Pavel Lisitsian

                                       (74 minutes)

A selection of arias as sung by the very artists who created
their roles. Featured are:

Mary Garden (pictured), Rosina Storchio, Cesira Ferrani,
Gemma Bellincioni, Richard Temple,
Enrico Caruso, Giuseppe Anselmi, Medea Mei-Figner,
Giuseppe de Luca, Angelica Pandolfini, Eduardo Garbin,
Victor Maurel, Francesco Tamagno, Fernando de Lucia,
Celestina Boninsegna, and Mario Sammarco

        ( 60 minutes)

   A tribute to the memory of the late Luciano Pavarotti
   who passed away on Sept.5, 2007. Live selections are from:

Traviata,Lombardi,Fedora,Lucia,Rigoletto, Elisir d'Amore,
Fille du Reggiment, Manon, La Favorita, Luisa Miller, and
The Verdi Requiem.Also included is the Tosti "Ideale."

Rest in Peace, Luciano,  one who brought so much to so many!

                                      (71 minutes)

  My birthday tribute to a wonderful tenor, Daniele Barioni,
   born on September 6, 1930. The podcasts includes arias from:

Fedora, L'Arlesiana, Turandot, La Rondine, Macbeth,
Mme.Butterfly, Boheme (Leoncavallo).

                               (31 minutes)