I have been looking at the statistics on this podcast site, and I wanted to express my gratitude for all of your interest. In five years, we are approaching one million downloads, and when I look at the various countries all over the globe where people have expressed interest, it is mind-boggling.

     Please do not hesitate to send me comments and/or suggestions to my E-mail address at:       Placido21@aol.com

                                                                                Charlie

  Here is a cut version of the second act of Tristan und Isolde from San Francisco, 1937 under Fritz Reiner. It features the historical pairing of Kirsten Flagstad and Lauritz Melchior, with Kathleen Meisle, Emmanuel List, and Julius Huehn completing the cast. What more can one say about these phenomenal Wagnerian singers?  (61 min.)

  An excerpted Cavalleria Rusticana with the great mezzo, Dolora Zajick as Santuzza and the fine tenor Fabio Armiliato as Turiddu.  The Alfio is Bruno Pola, the Lola is Wendy White, and the Mamma Lucia is Jane Shaulis. The conductor is Simone Young.   (70 min.)

 Two magnificent German tenors,Marcel Wittrisch and Franz Voelker, in songs,opera, and operetta. There is a certain similarity in their voices, at least on recordings, but they still retain their individuality, and are truly superb artists.  (59 min.)

I present highlights from a 1974 Traviata under Mario Bernardi in honor of dear Marisa Galvany's birthday. It features Pablo Elvira and Raymond Gibbs.  (69 min.)

  May we wish Mme.Galvany the happiest of birthdays. She has been a dear friend and I recall with affection all of her magnificent performances.

  An exciting live performance of Cherubini's Medea,featuring Marisa Galvany, Sam Ramey, Erik Townsend, and Frances Bible. The performance from 1982 is conducted by Giuseppe Morelli.  (70 min.)

Link to Video Medea Exc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4accQDsiyQ

Founded in 1969 by the internationally celebrated voice specialist Wilbur James Gould, M.D., The Voice Foundation is the world’s oldest and leading organization dedicated to voice medicine, science and education. Since 1972, The Voice Foundation has sponsored an annual, internationalSymposium: Care of the Professional Voice. These meetings are attended by hundreds of medical and scientific experts, speech-language pathologists, performing artists and teachers from all over the world. As part of the conference at this year’s Voices of Summer Gala Concert and Banquet,Ms. Diana Soviero was named a 2011 Voice Education Research Award Winner. This award is presented annually by the Voice Foundation to honor individuals selected for unusual interest in and contribution to the field of voice communication. Past award recipients include: Dame Julie Andrews, Jack Klugman, Teddy Pendergrass, Anthony Quinn, Dan Rather, James Earl Jones, Pattie Lupone, Anna Moffo Sarnoff, and Dr. Nancy Snyderman, among many others.

No one deserves it more than my darling Diana.

  I wish to pay special tribute to dear Rise Stevens on her 98th birthday (June 11,2011). She was the first artist I ever met and we spent lovely times each year at the Rise Stevens Music Club at her apartment in New York. She inspired so many in her long life and I will never forget her.

   The selections are all announced  (71 minutes)

I got to know Barbieri, born June 4, 1920, after I made her some tapes and she came to New York for a master class. I thought she had one of the all-time greatest voices...an organ-like sound, and she OWNED Azucena.

           She used to sing her repertory for me over the phone (an octave down) and was a fun, if nutty, lady. She passed away a short time after I saw her when she was honored at a Licia Albanese Gala. She leaves so many wonderful memories for me, onstage and off.

                   T

 There had been a problem with my original Falstaff podcast and I hope this comes out all right, for it is a superb performance from 1949 with Fritz Reiner conducting.

The cast includes Leonard Warren, Giuseppe Valdengo,Giuseppe di Stefano,Regina Resnik, Cloe Elmo, Licia Albanese, and Martha Lipton.    (57 min.)

From my video site...and look at the rest of the videoos.

http://www.youtube.com/mrfriendofopera#p/u/2/6fm0txTURvE

One by one, the greats of our past leave us. We called the late Giorgio Tozzi "Signor Legato" after we heard his Gremin in Onegin, and he was a remarkable artist for so many years. May he rest in peace and may we always remember what he contributed to the vocal art.