Podcast appearances and mentions of astrid varnay

Der Livemitschnitt der Festspielproduktion „Der Ring des Nibelungen“ unter Hans Knappertsbusch in Traumbesetzung aus dem Jahr 1956 liegt erstmals akustisch generalüberholt auf CD vor: Andrew Rose vom Label Pristine macht hörbar, was bisher nur undeutlich und verschwommen wahrzunehmen war: eine der großen Wagner-Aufführungen der Geschichte. Mit Astrid Varnay, Wolfgang Windgassen, Hans Hotter…

Recordamos a la figura hoy bastante olvidada de este barítono alemán de corta vida (1914-1965). Una voz imponente, oscura y tonante; un wagneriano reconocido. Y en música de Wagner lo escuchamos. Empezamos con el gran monólogo del Holandés, la conturbada salida del personaje. Lo despiezamos con cuidado. Después, de la misma ópera, parte de su romántico dúo con Senta, aquí en la voz de Astrid Varnay. Con esta soprano nos canta un fragmento de la alterada conversación de Telramund con su esposa Ortrud situada al comienzo del segundo acto de Lohengrin. En seguida el parlamento de Klingsor al principio del segundo acto de Parsifal. Para cerrar, una pincelada straussiana: una sección de otro dúo: el del segundo acto de Arabella entre la dama protagonista y su pretendiente Mandryka. Con ellos excelentes directores: Knappertsbusch, Keilberth y Kempe. Escuchar audio

Iniciamos una nueva serie en la que se estudiará la fructífera colaboración entre los dos insignes artistas, compositor y libretista. Iremos marcando ese contacto y acompañándolo de música alusiva. En esta primera entrega escuchamos una selección de los valses de El caballero de la rosa dirigidos por el propio Strauss, el final del segundo acto de esa ópera en la imponente voz de Emanuel List, un Ochs extraordinario, el monólogo del Compositor del Prólogo de Ariadna en Naxos por Irmgard Seefried con dirección de Karajan. Luego el maravilloso dúo de Arabella y Zdenka de Arabella con Lisa della Casa e Hilde Gueden bajo la batuta de Solti, el monólogo de Elektra por Astrid Varnay, también con Karajan y, como postre, el Trío de El caballero dirigido por Carlos Kleiber en Munich en 1973 con las voces de Claire Watson, Brigitte Fassbaender y Lucia Popp. Escuchar audio

In this series of podcasts, Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean gives listeners a taste of nine different types of traditional opera. Music Drama was the personal solution to the problems of presenting opera in nineteenth-century Europe developed by composer/librettist Richard Wagner, opera’s ultimate mad genius. These long, loud, big works challenge artists, audiences, and the art form itself. Their complex music and unique spins on old stories continue to attract, repel, and provoke all who encounter them. Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde (1865) serves as an example of the genre, as does the Richard Strauss opera Elektra (1909). Musical examples on this podcast drawn from Seattle Opera productions of Lohengrin 1994, conducted by Hermann Michael; Parsifal 2003, conducted by Asher Fisch and starring Stephen Milling; Die Walküre, conducted by Robert Spano, 2005 (starring Jane Eaglen) and 2009; Siegfried, 2013, conducted by Asher Fisch; and Tristan und Isolde (1998, conducted by Armin Jordan and starring Jane Eaglen and Ben Heppner; 2010, conducted by Asher Fisch; opening and English horn solo from the 1966 Bayreuth Festival recording conducted by Karl Böhm; conclusion of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Karajan (Deutsche Gramophon 1977); Elektra, Astrid Varnay and Leonie Rysanek with the orchestra of West German Radio conducted by Richard Kraus (Melodram 1953). Stay tuned for another podcast introducing another kind of opera next week!

durée : 01:58:41 - Mes reines wagnériennes - par : Philippe Cassard - Birgit Nilsson, Léonie Rysanek, Astrid Varnay, Régine Crespin, Kirsten Flagstad. Une petite discographie idéale - réalisé par : Pierre Willer

Soprano Renata Scotto gave a famously chilling interpretation of Lady Macbeth in Verdi’s take on Shakespeare’s play. But Scotto was just as loved for tugging at our heartstrings in the title role of LUISA MILLER. On this episode of the Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, Met Radio commentator Ira Siff explores the artistry of legends such as Renata Scotto, Astrid Varnay, and others, in the second installment if his “Villains and Victims” series.

In ihrer Heimatstadt Vilnius studiert sie Gesang, später wechselt sie ans Münchener Opernstudio - als Studentin von Josef Loibl und Astrid Varnay. Riccardo Muti und Wolfgang Wagner entdecken ihre außerordentliche Begabung – inzwischen hat Urmana wieder vom Sopran- ins ursprüngliche Mezzofach zurück gewechselt.

In the final installment of Ira Siff's "Opera Duos", we begin by stepping back in time, and listening to a recording over 100 years old! This episode spans operatic repertoire from Rossini to Wagner, highlighting operatic legends such as Enrico Caruso and Johanna Gadski, Ramon Vinay and Martha Mödl, Astrid Varnay and Hans Hotter, Renata Tebaldi and Franco Corelli, Birgit Nilsson and Franco Corelli, George London and Leonie Rysanek, Zinka Milanov and Jussi Björling, and Maria Callas and Tito Gobbi.

Under Eugen Jochum, I bring you a Tristan und Isolde from Bayreuth, 1953 featuring Astrid Varnay, Ramon Vinay, Gustav Neidlinger, Ira Milaniuk, and my favorite basso of that era, Ludwig Weber. (I know you missed my mellifluous voice before the podcast, but it was too noisy in my hall. Sorry!)

  A superb Tristan und Isolde from 1955 under Rudolf Kempe with a great cast that features Astrid Varnay, Set Svanholm, Josef Metternich,Blanche Thebom, and Jerome Hines   (69 min.)

Here's a really exciting Cav. with Rysanek,Domingo,Benito di Bella, Ruth Falcon, and the great Astrid Varnay as Mamma Lucia. It is from Munich 1978 under Nello Santi, and i know you will enjoy it.   (69 minutes)

 In memory of the marvelous George London, on his May 30th birthday, we shall hear duets  from Eugen Onegin (with Valerie Bak), Aida (with Astrid Varnay, Arabella (with Eleanor Steber, arias from Prince Igor,Flying Dutchman, and a scene from act one of Parsifal. Also included,from a live recital, are the Mussorgsky "Songs and Dances of Death." We pay tribute to this glorious artist.   (71 min.)

  A fine live performance of Tannhauser under Rudolf Kempe from 1955. The cast includes Ramon Vinay,Astrid Varnay,George London, Blanche Thebom, and Jerome Hines. (69 min.)

The great Astrid Varnay was born on April 25, 1918. Let us celebrate the memory of this legendary soprano with highlights from her illustrious career. All selections are from the 1950's and they include scenes from Parsifal, Tannhauser (Venus and Elizabeth),Tristan und Isolde, Flying Dutchman (with Hans Hotter),Elektra (w.Hoengen and Schoeffler, and concluding with the Gotterdmaerung Immolation Scene.  (68 min.) She made her sensational debut at the Metropolitan Opera on 6 December 1941 in a broadcast performance singing Sieglinde in Wagner's Die Walküre, substituting for the indisposed Lotte Lehmann with almost no rehearsal. This was her first appearance in a leading role, and it was a triumph. Six days later she replaced the ailing Helen Traubel as Brünnhilde in the same opera. Varnay and Weigert became closer and were married in 1944. It was also at this time that she had lessons with former Metropolitan Opera tenor, Paul Althouse. In 1948 she made her debut at Covent Garden and in 1951 in Florence as Lady Macbeth. In that year she also made her debut at Bayreuth after Flagstad, who had declined the invitation to Bayreuth, recommended that Wieland Wagner engage Varnay. She sang at Bayreuth for the next seventeen years, and appeared regularly at the Metropolitan until 1956. She left when it was clear that the Met director Rudolf Bing did not appreciate her, and went on to become a mainstay of the world's other great opera houses, especially in Germany, in Wagner and Strauss but also several Verdi and other roles. She had already made Munich her home, where audiences considered her a goddess. In 1969 she gave up her repertoire of heavy dramatic soprano roles and began a new career singing mezzo roles. After being the world's leading Elektra for over twenty years, she now established herself as a great interpreter of Klytemnestra. The role of Herodias in Salome became her most often-performed role: 236 performances. She returned to the Metropolitan in 1974 and last appeared there in Weill's Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny in 1979. In the mid-1980s, character roles now became Varnay's metier. Her last appearance on stage was in Munich in 1995, fifty-five years after her Metropolitan debut. In 1998 she published her autobiography Fifty-Five Years in Five Acts: My Life in Opera, written with Donald Arthur (German title is Hab'mir's gelobt). In 2004, a documentary about her life and first New York career entitled Never Before, produced by Donald Collup, received acclaim in the USA. Her recordings of Strauss heroines such as Elektra and Salome along with the Wagnerian roles are among the treasures of the medium, while transcriptions of broadcast performances of her great roles document her art in sound, and a few video recordings of her late career preserve evidence of her acting ability. Astrid Varnay died in Munich on 4 September 2006, aged 88. Selected recordings

 A fascinating event, as the great soprano Astrid Varnay makes her Met debut as Sieglinde,replacing Lotte Lehmann, on the Dec.6 Walkure broadcast...her Met debut, (with no rehearsals) AND the first time she EVER sang on ANY stage. This must go down in opera history as one of the great events.    In the cast are Lauritz Melchior,Helen Traubel,Friedrich Schorr, and Alexander Kipnis, under Erich Leinsdorf. (68 min.)   I must also make mention of  Donald Collup,former singer and pianist, who interviewed Mme.Varnay in her later years, and produced a magnificent  documentary of her  fabulous career. Mr.Collup's fascinating home page can be found at: http://www.collup.com. I must also mention that his remarkable collection can be found at his store at: http://www.collup.com/dczcdz.html.

A brilliant Elektra with Astrid Varnay, Leonie Rysanek, Hans Hotter, and Res Fischer from 1953 under Richard Kraus.   (71 min.)     She made her sensational debut at the Metropolitan Opera on 6 December 1941 in a broadcast performance singing Sieglinde in Wagner's Die Walküre, substituting for the indisposed Lotte Lehmann with almost no rehearsal. This was her first appearance in a leading role, and it was a triumph. Six days later she replaced the ailing Helen Traubel as Brünnhilde in the same opera. Varnay and Weigert became closer and were married in 1944. It was also at this time that she had lessons with former Metropolitan Opera tenor, Paul Althouse. In 1948 she made her debut at Covent Garden and in 1951 in Florence as Lady Macbeth. In that year she also made her debut at Bayreuth after Flagstad, who had declined the invitation to Bayreuth, recommended that Wieland Wagner engage Varnay. She sang at Bayreuth for the next seventeen years, and appeared regularly at the Metropolitan until 1956. She left when it was clear that the Met director Rudolf Bing did not appreciate her, and went on to become a mainstay of the world's other great opera houses, especially in Germany, in Wagner and Strauss but also several Verdi and other roles. She had already made Munich her home, where audiences considered her a goddess. In 1969 she gave up her repertoire of heavy dramatic soprano roles and began a new career singing mezzo roles. After being the world's leading Elektra for over twenty years, she now established herself as a great interpreter of Klytemnestra. The role of Herodias in Salome became her most often-performed role: 236 performances. She returned to the Metropolitan in 1974 and last appeared there in Weill's Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny in 1979. In the mid-1980s, character roles now became Varnay's metier. Her last appearance on stage was in Munich in 1995, fifty-five years after her Metropolitan debut. In 1998 she published her autobiography Fifty-Five Years in Five Acts: My Life in Opera, written with Donald Arthur (German title is Hab'mir's gelobt). In 2004, a documentary about her life and first New York career entitled Never before, produced by Donald Collup, who interviewed her, received acclaim in the USA. Her recordings of Strauss heroines such as Elektra and Salome along with the Wagnerian roles are among the treasures of the medium, while transcriptions of broadcast performances of her great roles document her art in sound, and a few video recordings of her late career preserve evidence of her acting ability. Astrid Varnay died in Munich on 4 September 2006, aged 88.

A compilation of arias as sung by 14 famous sopranos of the past.Included are: Frida Leider, Elizabeth Rethberg, Lotte Lehmann, Tina Lemnitz,Maria  Cebotari, Maria Reining, Pia Tassinari, Eileen Farrell, Eleanor Steber, Hilde Gueden, Lisa della Casa, Astrid Varnay, Gre Brouwenstijn, and Sena Jurinac.    (60 min.)

 Highlights from Wagner's Siegfried from a live 1955 performance in Bayreuth from 1955 under Joseph Keilberth.The cast includes Wolfgang Windgassen, Astrid Varnay, Hans Hotter, Josef Greindl, and Paul Kuen.  (68 min.)

 Highlights from Wagner's "Parsifal" from 1954 with a magnificent cast that includes Set Svanholm, Astrid Varnay, George London, and Hans Hotter, conducted by Fritz Stiedry. It takes some time for some of us to appreciate this great work, but with a little patience I think you will come to love it as I do. (except for those annoying Flower Maidens.)  (71 min.)

A stunning (stereophonic) performance by Kirsten Flagstad(age 56) with Astrid Varnay,Ferdinand Frantz,Blanche Thebom, and Gunther Treptow, conducted by Fritz Stiedry  (70 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

Highights from the 10 Wagner operas featured in a new Decca 33 cd set (only 65.00 on Amazon). These are live performances from Bayreuth, and feature some of the greatest Wagnerian artists.The highlights are as follows: Die Meistersinger       Hannelore Bode, Karl RidderbuschFliegende Hollander    Anja Silja, Franz Crass, Josef GreindlTristan und Isolde       Birgit Nilsson,Wolfgang WindgassenParsifal                       Peter Hoffman, Waltraud MeierLohengrin                   Anja Silja, Astrid Varnay, Ramon VinayTannhauser                 Wolfgang Windgassen, Grace BumbryDas Rheingold              Theo Adam, Erwin WohlfartDie Walkure                 Leonie RysanekSiegfried                       Birgit Nilson, Wolfgang WindgassenDie Gotterdamerung      Birgit Nilsson, Thomas Stewart, Josef Greindl                                 (71 min.) Best way to get this is to use this link!!!!!!http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00159679S?ie=UTF8&coliid=&ref%5F=olp%5Ftab%5Fnew&me=&qid=1248454681&qid=1248454681&sr=1-1&sr=1-1&seller=&colid=&condition=new

Ten versions of the great "Liebestod" from Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde."                    The order is as follows: Astrid Varnay,Helen Traubel, Lotte Lehmann, Nanny Larsen-Todsen,Rita Hunter, Johanna Meier, Margaret Harshaw, Martha Moedl,Birgit Nilsson, and Kirsten Flagstad.                                             (73 min.)  

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)

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) .

A compilation of arias and scenes as sung by famous mezzosin roles that might be considered "mean." The "meanness"does vary somewhat from totally horrid (Klytaemnestra) tomore "severity" (Augusta Tabor). Here they are: Regina Resnik, Hanna Schwarz, Margarete Klose, Ebe Stignani,Elena Obratsova, Rise Stevens, Fiorenza Cossotto, Frances Bible,Astrid Varnay.              NOW, BE NICE!! (61 mintues) PLEASE NOTE: If you see a sick comment from a sick person named Adolf, do not worry.I delete these comments immediately. I must be doing something right!

A comparison of ten fine sopranos singing the Sieglinde"Hallucination Scene' from Act two of Wagner's "Die Walkure." Featured are:              Regine Crespin, Kirsten Flagstad, Julia Varady,             Leonie Rysanek, Astrid Varnay, Birgit Nilsson,             Lotte Lehmann, Regina Resnik, Martha Moedl,             Natalie Secunde.                                  (75 minutes)  

On September of this year, soprano Astrid Varnay died in Munich, Germany. She was one of the great Wagnerian sopranos of our times, and one of the artists chosen by Wieland Wagner to re-open the Bayreuth Festival in 1951. Astrid Varnay was one of the most successful sopranos of the 1950's and 60's. In the mid 1970's she came back to the stage in character roles. In this podcast you will hear her in the role of Brünnhilde in the 1955 stereo recording of Siegfried from the Bayreuth Festspielhaus.

Saluting sopranos Ingrid Bjoner and Astrid Varnay, in scenes from Die Frau ohne Schatten, 1976.

The celebrated dramatic soprano Astrid Varnay died earlier this week in Munich. She was 88 years old. A few highlights from her 55 year career can be heard in this podcast. Included are scenes from Die Walkure, Tannhauser, Elektra, Der Fliegende Hollander, Der Rosenkavalier, Parsifal, Siegfried, and...

Act 3 of Die Walkuere (Wagner) at the first postwar Bayreuth Festival (1951). Astrid Varnay, Leonie Rysanek, Sigurd Bjoerling / Herbert von Karajan.