When I posted on Burzio

and others, I FORGOT

something I probably

posted..MY TAPE of the

sensational Met debut

of Magda Olivero, at 65.

One of the TREASURES

of my life!!!!!

Truly GREAT soprano

with Rene Kollo.She

was sensational in

her prime!!!!

   I am of the intolerant

opinion that today,there

are NO sopranos in the class

of Burzio,Zeani,Spani,Scuderi,

Soviero,Favero,Muzio,etc.

They want it "generic!!!"

Mark Reizen 6/21/1895.

 Met had awful Tanovitski

but this great man was a

GIANT, even at 90!!!!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/207148584603823

I knew Regina 55 yrs...and her

son Michael is so happy to

see mom spread all over.

Come join us.Next new

forum will be called

"Singers who never have

should have quit their

day job!!!!!"

https://www.facebook.com/groups/207148584603823

https://www.facebook.com/groups/495890038504453

I know more about her than anyone,

plus the crazy rumors..and you

get great photos and of course

Charlie at 19 looking in the limo.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/495890038504453

Little by little, I will

catch up on many

birthdays of artists.

Two of them I just called

send love to all those

who never forget them.

How could anyone forget

I am the unpaid nostalgia

agent for Zeani and Soviero,

plus join my new Milanov and

Resnik forums!!!!!!

   Avec amour!! Charlie

Diva Day I just wanted you all to know that Zeani and Soviero both send love to you.They know,as their unpaid agent, that I never let you rest when I rant and rave over them. Diana teaches like mad, and I told her and Virginia that they need to come back to the Met!! Diana was upset especially, since she knew Rolandi, and you know I was talking to a friend about City opera divas..Diana,Rolandi,Welting,Putnam,and others who were so wonderful and others we know who put opera today to SHAME!!! Diana,still with a voice, has been my second Tebaldi, vocally and personally. Lucky me to have heard these great artists who were the joys of my opera life.

  I know Jeanette (6/18/07)

was loved...but if you know

films.......

Current stats:

2.093,066 "hits"

 247.717 different

people have seen/heard

these podcasts. I am thrilled

to do this for you.,

 Error; from end of a message...

Soviero and Galvany never paid

me a dime for being their

unpaid agent."

Join my Milanov forum.I gave you an article I just did.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/495890038504453

never paid me a dime for being

their "unpaid agent."

 BLESS YOU ALL!@!@!!

Zinka Milanov in Opera Quarterly In the Spring Issue of Opera Quarterly in 1990, there are several articles on Zinka Milanov. I intend to quote some sections little by little, but I will start by listing the 34 opera roles she did, from 1927 (Trovatore) to 1956 (Ernani). Oh, to hear her in some of the ones we never heard would be a joy, especially to see her acting in Fanciulla! In order they are as follows: Trovatore,Faust,Butterfly,Tosca,Aida,L'Amore de tre Re,Lohengrin,Ballo,Turandot,Manon Lescaut,Walkure (Sieglinde),Tannhauser, ,Fidelio,Mefistofele,Boccanegra Juive, Tabarro, Ban Leget,Fanciulla,Rosenkavalier,Pique Dame,Libuse,Porin,Wm.Tell,Oganj,Chenier,Gioconda, Louise,Norma (first new role at Met 1939),Don Giovanni (Anna),Otello,Forza,Ernani. Mio Dio!!! I would go insane to hear so many, although I did prefer the vocal quality after 1950. I did see her in 12 of these roles, and half of the Verdi Requiem, plus some Ballo and Chenier rehearsals, totalling 90 and a half shows. Think of that voice in act three Walkure as Brunnhilde hands her the broken sword, or Elsa's Dream, or Depuis le Jour, or Minnie's Card Scene. (I vant to cheeeeat!),or jumping into a vat of Manischewitz VINE at the end of La Juive, or "Abscheulischer," or did she take the entrance D flat in Butterfly, and did she kick the Kimono??... . I will present eventually some quotes,but what a shame Bruce Burroughs never wrote the book. Also, could anyone actually PROVE a couple of the stories, except for the one I know,when she smelled the chickens and the butcher threw her out,or not signing my "unposed" but gorgeous Chenier duet with Tucker at the old Met closing. Especially, why she really cancelled the Leonora to allow Resnik to make an unscheduled debut...and she said, (as Resnik did her better than her) "I vas neyver seek." I heard two separate versions...but who knows??? I was trying to think of doing another forum, but I do not know anyone the way i knew her. The paradox is that she was in no way "lovable" like so many other singers, but look, how many artists of fame were like Joan Crawford??? n

They once said that McCormack

said to Caruso, "How is the

world's greatest tenor?" They

said Caruso replied, "I did not

know you became a baritone!"

That may be true..but listen to

the last high piano note here

and it is GLORIOUS!!!

On this Fathers' Day I

pay loving tribute to two

wonderful artists whom

I knew and who left us too

soon. Marcello always talked

about how some people did

not love his "squillo" as did

I, and the two "Russian kisses"

I always got on my cheeks from

Dmitri were so affectionate.

I always write on chat to Wilma,

Mrs.Giordani, a courageous lady,

and I wish all you DADDIES my best.

  The Pandemic forces me to do

more posts for you...and more

coming.( over 2 million now.)

My ma danced in the Follies

in the 1930's, and her dear

friend was Jimmie Durante.

Rudolf Bing fired the great

Helen Traubel(6/16/1898)

because she sang with Durante.

My ma eventually came to love

opera, met Tebaldi and other

artists.

A beautiful performance

of Verdi's opera,with

Svetlana Vassileva, Renato

Bruson(still can sing now),

and Facebook friend, fine tenor

Evan Bowers.

Catching up on recent

birthdays.It was so very

sad that Jerry killed himself

over terrible depression. With

my dear Soviero and Leo Nucci,

still active today.

My darling 95 yr.old friend,

Virginia Zeani, sings to her

"daddy." Note the one word

"caro," which represents the

kind of emotion that is so

special.We speak often on

the phone.

Another from the "old school"

of divas who were so emotional and

exciting.

Dragana Del Monako,related

to the Del Monaco family, had

ingested perhaps valium.I do

not think she was drunk. The

poor tenor!!!!

I am of the opinion, at times

seeming intolerant, that in

this era of mostly "pretty"

singing, that Burzio represents

the kind of emotional output

that belongs to Zeani,Muzio,

Favero,Albanese,Scuderi,Scotto,

Soviero,Spani,Callas and others.

this era

Galvany always said that her

"controversial" voice would

have been more appreciated

had Callas been around longer.

Audiences did go wild over

dear Marisa...and I was so

thrilled in Bolena rehearsals

to look down her throat on  her

D and E flat....

One of the treasures of my

life is to be friendly, since

our 1965 Iolantha, and later

Anna Bolena, with Marisa

Galvany (one of many names)

She still has a D!!!!!  Love her!!!

I had a friend who would

"laugh" at the incredible

Titta Ruffo.Caruso did

not sing much with him...I

wonder why????

This called "Flash Mob"

Do you have it in your

country??? I think I

will go,after the Pandemic,

with Diana Soviero and do

Faust Church Scene. We both

still can sing!!!!  We can do

it in Walmart, where almost

everyone is INSANE!!!!

Dear friends,

 In this troubled time,we

must try to enjoy even a

limited number of things.

Posting to you and to

other sites helps me and

I hope all of your are bearing

up as is dear Virginia Zeani,

in a Florida facility at 95.

Love to you all!!!!!   Carlo

Yesterday on Facebook, I got

a new friend by the name of

Cecilia Gobbi, daughter of'

the great man. She liked this

clever video. I wish we had

more like this!!!!!

Superb Swedish baritone.

NEVER neglect the great singers.

Someone said that I live in the

past..Foolish..there is no end

to the wonderful artists that

were treasures!!!

I forgot the real Bartoli,

The other one makes

his/her debut at Covent

Garden next year. These days

countertenors abound!!!

Did I get something wrong?

I know Cecilia likes this.

Such a sweet lady.I really

found her so darling and

 great talent. Placido Domingo

and Pavol Breslik join her.

LOVE Aragall, here with

Marton,Wixell.He was a

nervous guy, but the voice

was so gorgeous!!!!!

Virginia told me how she

loved him.I was brought up

on his Cetra operas. Not

a gorgeous voice, but

incredibly exciting.

Sweet guy. Told me "I can

see in your eyes how much

you love opera." He did leave

her and now married a

"normal" diva,Alexandra

Kurzak/

Carmela Ponselle, 6/7/1892.

I wonder if she got along

with that nutty,but great, Rosa.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/495890038504453

I just made a Zinka Milanov site..

She was my all-time favorite

singer of those I saw (88 times.)

Come and join us!!!!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/495890038504453

My first Lucia on

Cetra...Wonderful!!!

Is this a repeat? Well,anyway

you hear what made me

collapse on the standee

rail!!!!!!

  SHE VAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry,folks.I will never

stop telling you there

are no GIANTS today.

Mario tries some pianos,

really good.

From Croatia at 57.

From age 18, I fell

in love!!!!

Grane..Mein Ross!!!!

No one could tell from

recordings what a miracle

she was!!!Sensational!!!!!

I  saw this first at City Opera

with the great Lauren Flanigan.

Happy Mothers' Day!!!

Regina was my friend for

55 years....My third "mommie"

after my ma and Tebaldi.

   I wish you great people

a Happpppy Mothers' Day.

I hope your ma remembers

if you are really her kid.

If you go to Youtube you

will find Michael's arias.

I always listed to the Corelli

Poliuto, and never thought

I would have the thrills of

another great tenor..Now

we are blessed to have dear

Michael Fabiano,fast becoming

one of the world's great singers,

and you know I have heard them

all!!  Happy Birthday!!!

Nice to communicate on

Facebook with nice divas

and let others appreciate

them.My new friend!

Perhaps you do not cherish

terrible funny singing but this

crazy lady has 125 videos,all

lipstinked. ADDIO DEL PASSATO

and  E TARDI!!!!!

We did not realize in the

early days how wonderful

Peters was..accurate and a

fine artist..and the voice was

so brilliant. I met her twice

and she was so sweet!!!!!

On her birthday,the huge

voiced Dimitrova. My dentist

had her as a patient. Imagine

looking down her throat!!! I

did that when Galvany and Ramey

and I rehearsed Bolena. Marisa

had a mike down there!!!

Only later did we realize

what a great man he was.

At 77 I saw a recital.The man

was sensational!!!

So I am prejudiced, but

Zeani here is so great that

I just go PAZZO..Agree?

Enzo Sordello, Apr.20/27 sang

Lucia with Callas. She could not

hold the D in the duet.Well,he

held his note...and they say

she had him FIRED!!!!

Maria...tu sei orribille!!!!

Ricciarelli,Baltsa,

Raimondi,Carreras

have a BALL!!!!!

On Facebook, the wonderful

Warren Moulton, has a site

with over 10,000 members

entitled "Dead Tenors." More

people should investigate the

"so-called" less-familiar singers.

It is incredible how many you

find.

  Only Cossotto and Sondra

Radvanovsky sound live

as they were sitting next

me. AMAZING resonance.

Del Monaco too!!!!

Like the great Martha Moedl

one can be a sensation without

a gorgeous voice.We lost him

last year.LOVE HIM!

Very famous Astrid Varnay

in Jenufa w. Cochran,Cox

Hillebrecht.  She was to be

a standee at the Met.They

called her the night before.

She NEVER sang an opera.

She replaced Lehmann on

the Walkure Matinee,instead

of standing..Why could that

not have happened to me???

We will miss this beloved

lady!!!! The joy she brought

will never be forgotten!

Christa Ludwig, a MEZZO,

was an absolute marvel.

Boehm made a small cut.

It was 1966 and I think it

was the greatest all-around

show in my LIFE!!!!!

The very great Christa

Ludwig has departed.

One of the all-time

greatest singers.

The GREAT Leonard Warren

4/21/11 until I saw him

die before me on 3/4/60.

I see it now...so tragic!!

Greatest baritone of my

life..I saw his tragic

death!!!!!!

La Morte de un Fenomeno
Alfred Hubay's detailed account of the death of the great Leonard Warren is posted, but since I was there, I thought I would give you my views as an audience member.
It was Tebaldi's return on Mar.4, 1960 and for whatever reason, I had a ticket to upstairs standing room, where you had to run like mad to get one of the few spots in the Family Circle where you could see.
Warren sounded as great as always in the "Urna fatale" and just as it ended i turned slightly toward my friend as if to say, "Here comes the sensational high A flat." Roald Reiten entered on stage left and announced, "Lieta novello, e salvo!" The music started before the cabaletta..Warren sang "E salvo..o gioja..." and fell!!!
He was dead immediately, but someone came out and said he was ill and there would be an intermission. No one left...Suddenly, to a GROAN, Bing came out and said, "This is the saddest night in the history of the Met.
My friends and I could not leave..we had a sandwich and just sat there stunned.When I got home, my mother already knew...it had been on radio.
Mar.5,before the Dutchman overture, Thomas Schippers conducted the last act Traviata prelude in Warren's memory. We went to a great Chenier that evening....but nothing could adequately erase the memory of that terrible tragedy.
The man was as close to perfection as any singer I ever heard;as a person, I hear some personal negative tales...but that means nothing because he was a KING in his field.....I see it before me right now....God Rest His Soul!!!!!

La Morte de un Fenomeno Alfred Hubay's detailed account of the death of the great Leonard Warren is posted, but since I was there, I thought I would give you my views as an audience member. It was Tebaldi's return on Mar.4, 1960 and for whatever reason, I had a ticket to upstairs standing room, where you had to run like mad to get one of the few spots in the Family Circle where you could see. Warren sounded as great as always in the "Urna fatale" and just as it ended i turned slightly toward my friend as if to say, "Here comes the sensational high A flat." Roald Reiten entered on stage left and announced, "Lieta novello, e salvo!" The music started before the cabaletta..Warren sang "E salvo..o gioja..." and fell!!! He was dead immediately, but someone came out and said he was ill and there would be an intermission. No one left...Suddenly, to a GROAN, Bing came out and said, "This is the saddest night in the history of the Met. My friends and I could not leave..we had a sandwich and just sat there stunned.When I got home, my mother already knew...it had been on radio. Mar.5,before the Dutchman overture, Thomas Schippers conducted the last act Traviata prelude in Warren's memory. We went to a great Chenier that evening....but nothing could adequately erase the memory of that terrible tragedy. The man was as close to perfection as any singer I ever heard;as a person, I hear some personal negative tales...but that means nothing because he was a KING in his field.....I see it before me right now....God Rest His Soul!!!!!

Enzo Sordello was born on 4/20/27

but ( at 56:15) some nasty

diva had him fired for holding

a note,after she could not.

Povero baritono!!!!!!

Here is another "less-known"

singer. I have to post more,

especially since the virus has

kept me home.

  I note now over 2 million

"hits" since I started this

site, and I am so grateful

to you all!!!!!

Pavarotti's impressions

of Corelli!!! Sad that we

do not have their kind

of singing now. I love

Fabiano,Camarena, and

Beczala, but these guys

were legendary!

So sorry the virus closed

the Met, but we have our

beloved memories of a

great era...and the duet

is in the high key.

In Turandot, you could

not believe what they

did!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Saw him 40 times.

I have a dear friend

who said he was a

sweetheart...yes,he

was temperamental!

So what!!!!!

Vittoria!!! Oh DIO!

They made him sing

"Cor'ingrato" after

the show!!!!

We went crazy! It was

a phenomenal show!

On Apr.8, 1921 a great

singer,whom we miss so

much,was born.Here he is

with the great Renata!!

When I was teaching in

high school,I sent this 16

year old kid to my teacher.

Now,the "kid" from Zinka's

land has had a career!!!!!!

I have put dear Mme.Lynn here

previously. I know you will

still adore her.When I played

her Traviata letter, Soviero

almost fell off my couch!

She coaches now with Ponselle.

  Some day these singers

will make me rich,since I

choose to be their "unpaid

agent."Galvany and Soviero

owe me a fortune!!!!!!

Great moment with the

two Anjas.Harteros as the

Sieglinde and Anja Kempe

as Brunnhilde.

I become very angry when

some people say that I

live "in the past." We MUST

respect the greats of all

generations,and discover

many superb artists.

On Facebook,I get requests

from singers and others.

I write them after seeing

their page and often discover

new talent.

Earlier Zinka,but I did see

5 in 1954.There were some

bad top notes,but my all-time

favorite singer still was a

great thrill.

Sam loved Treigle.He

inherited many of his

roles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was 1970.This new guy Sam

Ramey opened his mouth at

our first Bolena rehearsal. Did

we know his career would be

one of the greatest. We had

fun in Barbiere,and also we were in Hoffman. Sam is so dear!!!!!

Whoever could do this

at 99???? Incredible.

4/3/75 Met Debut.

I was overwhelmed!!!

   At 96!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Magda sang around

the house past 100.

Magda,il miracolo
One could say Magda Olivero had an "old voice" in a sense.....Well,let us think of the great divas like Moedl as an example...who could read the dictionary and be as beloved.
I saw Fedora and Tosca in Newark, and her Met debut on Apr.3,1975. You had to RUN to the bathroom to change reels(No cassettes then).
I saw people from the olden days...and one lady said to a friend, "This looks like a gay bar!!!!!!!!" (Like the Milanov club, "not a man in sight.")
Her voice projected magnificently and the "Vissi d'arte"(my tape on youtube) put any diva to shame....that ending is so difficult....but on the 'Rimuuuuuuneri" cosi...it was heaven.
I am so glad I spoke to her a few times on birthdays and my dear friend David Spiro visited her several times....an angel!!!!!
God Bless the memory of dear Magda,who was a veritable "miracolo"

Magda,il miracolo One could say Magda Olivero had an "old voice" in a sense.....Well,let us think of the great divas like Moedl as an example...who could read the dictionary and be as beloved. I saw Fedora and Tosca in Newark, and her Met debut on Apr.3,1975. You had to RUN to the bathroom to change reels(No cassettes then). I saw people from the olden days...and one lady said to a friend, "This looks like a gay bar!!!!!!!!" (Like the Milanov club, "not a man in sight.") Her voice projected magnificently and the "Vissi d'arte"(my tape on youtube) put any diva to shame....that ending is so difficult....but on the 'Rimuuuuuuneri" cosi...it was heaven. I am so glad I spoke to her a few times on birthdays and my dear friend David Spiro visited her several times....an angel!!!!! God Bless the memory of dear Magda,who was a veritable "miracolo"

I went nuts.....He did three..I saw

one in 1955.He was a sensation

Incredible voice.None

other as gorgeous..Early

Di Stefano no.2

Same day as Gigli.God

was in a great mood!!!!!

3/20/1890

    3/20/1890...same as Gigli

Sensational man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Diana makes you cry

all over.GREAT singing.

Fabulous lady!!!!

  My darling Diana as

Juliette...and her Romeo

was another Mar.19 birthday,

Alberto Cupido.....

Comments

Tale of the Soviero Pardon me as I gush forth, but some experiences stay with you forever, such as hearing Milanov and Tebaldi live, or Magda Olivero's Met debut. I wish to relate my very first exposure to our Mar.19 birthday lady and I trust you will not run for valium...or Immodium. My dear late buddy,Bill Bondar, liked opera (not nutty like yours truly),but told me he had seen a Paglicci at City opera in 1977 with someone named Diana Soviero. Bill and I always laughed when I said to myself, "Well,I saw the greatest....how good could she be?" I liked Mauro, so on Mar.13, 1977,I attended La Boheme. As we know, Mimi begins "scusi" and then enters and SUDDENLY the very jaded Charlie,who had seen Tebaldi,De Los Angeles, and Albanese, not to mention recordings of Muzio and my sister Zeani, heard "Oh,sventata,sventata" and I almost fell to my death of the third ring at Koch theatre (whatever it was called...oh yes,the Koch Ring.) RENATA NUMERO DUE!!!! This luscious voice, with warmth and feeling for the vocal line,brilliant top register, and what I had NOT heard for ages, just gave me the kind of sudden thrill that I experienced at Zinka's "Enzo adorato" or Baum's high C. No list then...I ran backstage and said, Who are you??Not since Tebaldi have I heard anything like this." She said, "Tebaldi once kissed me!!." Well, that figured!!!! I told her I would send her my illegal tape (probably with lots of my yelling) and on MARCH 19,she called me and told me it was her birthday .....and I said, "and my mother's!!!) Last time we met was with dear Bill and took her to Fiorello's,across from where we had met..We adored the tale of the courtroom,which was a cross between the Ring and a Joan Crawford fim...and a bit of Elektra. Bless my two divas, who made my life so happy. Has to repeat some of this...something fouled up 1 comment Comments Alina Zamfir

Rossini asked me (on my time

machine)...Who wrote that?

Be careful not to turn up

the volume or she will

destroy your speakers!

Sensational!!!!!

Not since Zinka Milanov

have I had any dealing

with Croatia. I called

Marin,now 15, and am

sending him clips to

help him to learn more

about singing.It was a thrill

to speak to him and his

lovely mother.

When I wrote dear Sondra

Radvanovsky-Lear about

her flying over the Nile,

she laughed.

My 95 year old Virginia

Zeani.We speak often

by phone.A great lady.

One of the true delights.

Just adorable!!!!

We lost this wonderful

conductor too soon. He

will always be remembered

Sam told me that as a young

singer he saw this "skinny"

guy backstage. He opened

his mouth and as we know

Sam inherited many of the

roles of the great Treigle.

Sam has been a buddy since

our Bolena and Barber.