Podcasts about dolora zajick

Prompters: Ever wonder what was going on behind that wooden hood at the edge of the stage? That little box is the domain of the prompter, a musician who does much more than help performers remember their lines. Conductor and pianist Robert Mollicone demystifies the art of opera prompting and describes the responsibilities that go with sitting in the best seat in the house (producer: Jody Gage). Opera on the Road: San Francisco Opera has a distinguished history of touring outside of the Bay Area, moving personnel and productions from city to city by plane, train, bus and even dog sled. Mezzo-soprano Dolora Zajick, a tour veteran from her days as a young artist with the San Francisco Opera Center, adds her perspective to this chronicle about taking the show on the road (producers: Jeffery McMillan and Barbara Rominski). Supernumeraries: The dictionary defines the word ‘supernumerary' as a person or thing in excess of the normal or requisite number. In opera, though, supernumeraries are entirely necessary. Former San Francisco Opera Rehearsal and Facilities Manager Trey Costerisan relates how the Company casts supers and where he found stilt-walking jugglers when a production required them. Testimonials on the lure of the stage are offered by San Francisco Opera supers Helen Lew and Karsten Guthridge (producer: Katherine Baltrush). My First Opera: What was your first opera? That is the question that San Francisco Opera Music Librarian Michael Bragg asks his North Stage Door and Company colleagues. Whether it was La Bohème, Das Rheingold or The Rake's Progress, the responses reveal how first encounters with opera inspired awe, curiosity, love and, eventually, careers in the field (producer: Michael Bragg).

Today’s episode is an interview I did with Ira Siff, artistic director of La Gran Scena Opera Company di New York, alter ego of the beloved “traumatic soprano” Vera Galupe-Borszkh, lecturer for the Metropolitan Opera Guild and Weekly Commentator on the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts. My association with Ira and Gran Scena goes back more than thirty years, when he provided me with my first employment as a singer when my alter ego Daniela della Scarpone sang for two years with the renowned travesty opera company. I sat down with Ira in his East Village apartment last this past January for a wide-ranging interview in which we discuss his early days as a standee at the old Met (where some of his opera-going experiences included Maria Callas’s final Tosca performances, Renata Scotto’s 1965 debut as Madama Butterfly, and Leonie Rysanek’s wild traversals of Verdi and Wagner). He discusses his first performing experiences in the early 1970s in association with Al Carmines and others, the genesis of La Gran Scena and their development into a worldwide phenomenon, and his subsequent “legitimate” career as lecturer, stage director, vocal coach and voice teacher and commentator all stemmed from in his words, “getting in a dress and singing soprano,” which he dubs “the strangest part.” This is a free-wheeling and extremely Opera Queeny interview, peppered with Ira’s unique anecdotes and snippets from Gran Scena (and other!) performances. There is no better way to celebrate Gay Pride in isolation than to listen to this episode! Ira Siff is a native New Yorker, who grew up on the standing room line of the old Metropolitan Opera, worshiping the famous singers of the 60’s. A graduate of the Cooper Union, with a degree in Fine Arts, Mr. Siff began to study voice, and made his debut as a tenor in 1970. For the next decade, he performed roles in opera, operetta and musicals in the New York, at The New York Shakespeare Festival, Circle in the Square, Playwrights Horizons, and many other venues. Turning to cabaret, Ira created an act using vocal parody of opera, jazz, and other styles of music, gaining critical acclaim, and a loyal following. In 1981, he founded La Gran Scena Opera Co. di New York, the internationally acclaimed travesty troupe, whose gifted falsetto “divas” have spoofed opera with great affection for over two decades, in New York annually, and on tours to some of the great festivals, theatres and opera houses of the world. For the past thirty years, Mr. Siff has been a voice teacher and interpretive coach, teaching in New York, Italy, Israel, Holland and China, giving Master Classes for the Metropolitan Opera Guild, and was on the faculty of the Renata Scotto Vocal Academy. Ira was a guest teacher of bel canto technique at The Royal Conservatory in Den Haag in 2008, and then at the Dutch National Opera Academy for five seasons, and at the Amsterdam Conservatory in The Netherlands where he returned annually, and was appointed Permanent Guest Teacher. In 2000, he turned to stage directing, gaining critical acclaim for his productions of operas ranging from Tosca, Turandot, and La Fanciulla del West to Lakmé, Werther, and La Grande Duchesse de Gérolstein at venues such as Carnegie Hall, Sarasota Opera, The Caramoor Festival, and the Tanglewood Music Festival, where he directed productions of Così fan tutte, Don Giovanni, and Ariadne auf Naxos. All in all, he has directed operas for companies in New Jersey to New Zealand, with stops along the way in Puerto Rico, Lima, Peru and Utah. Singers whom he has directed include Sumi Jo, Dolora Zajick, Aprile Millo, Eglise Gutierrez, Krassimira Stoyanova, and the late Marcello Giordani. Conductors with whom he has collaborated as a stage director have included Richard Bonynge, Christoph von Dohnányi, and James Levine. He has also given master classes in bel canto and verismo for the Metropolitan Opera Guild every season since 2008 and has presented sold-out lectures for the M...

Things to do while you're home could include virtual tours of museums. Google Arts & Culture teamed up with over 500 museums and galleries around the world to bring virtual tours and online exhibits of famous museums as well as famous historic and cultural heritage sites. If you're an opera fan, The Metropolitan Opera will stream for free virtual shows on their website metopera.org and On-Demand apps beginning tonight, March 16 at 7:30 PM with Bizet's “Carmen” conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin, starring Elīna Garanča and Roberto Alagna. Tuesday, March 17: Puccini's “La Bohème” conducted by Nicola Luisotti, starring Angela Gheorghiu and Ramón Vargas. Wednesday, March 18: Verdi's “Il Trovatore” conducted by Marco Armiliato, starring Anna Netrebko, Dolora Zajick, Yonghoon Lee, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky. Thursday, March 19: Verdi's “La Traviata” conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin, starring Diana Damrau, Juan Diego Flórez, and Quinn Kelsey. Friday, March 20: Donizetti's “La Fille du Régiment” conducted by Marco Armiliato, starring Natalie Dessay and Juan Diego Flórez. Saturday, March 21: Donizetti's “Lucia di Lammermoor” conducted by Marco Armiliato, starring Anna Netrebko, Piotr Beczała, and Mariusz Kwiecien. Sunday, March 22: Tchaikovsky's “Eugene Onegin” conducted by Valery Gergiev, starring Renée Fleming, Ramón Vargas, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sabah-fakhoury/message

A broadcast featuring an unexpected temptress -- Dolora Zajick -- who will celebrate the 30th anniversary of her Met debut next month.

Singers such as Rosa Ponselle, Francesco Tamagno, Ferruccio Furlanetto, and Dolora Zajick have given definitive performances of Verdi’s late works, from the first OTELLO in 1887 through to the present day. What can their recordings tell us about the evolution of Verdian singing, and career-making moments on the opera stage? Find out in our final installment of the Verdi All-Stars lecture series, featuring Met Radio commentator Ira Siff.

Pharaohs. Mummies. Pyramids. Hieroglyphs. The mystique of ancient Egypt never fades. For more than 2,000 years, Europeans have wondered at her mysteries, and not surprisingly, so did Giuseppe Verdi. Aida premiered in Cairo in 1871, as if to revive the grandeur of the Old Kingdom before the people who conjured it.  One of the theater’s greatest spectacles, Aida is the definition of grand opera. Its cast is enormous — orchestra, singers, dancers, acrobats, horses, exotic animals — yet its story gives laser focus to the private anguish of just three people. This week on He Sang/She Sang, Merrin Lazyan speaks with stage director David Paul about the surprising intimacy of Verdi’s Aida. This week's YouTube picks: Triumphal March from Aida (Metropolitan Opera House, 1989):   The final duet, "O terra, addio" (Aprile Millo, Plácido Domingo, and Dolora Zajick, 1989):  This episode features excerpts from the following album: Verdi: Aida (Sony Classical, 1991)— Aprile Millo, soprano; Plácido Domingo, tenor; Dolora Zajick, mezzo-soprano; the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus conducted by James Levine

Tchaikowsky Competition Winners of the past!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jane Marsh, Simon Estes, Elena Obratsova, Evgenyi Nesterenko, Peter Dvorsky, Dolora Zajick,Nina Rautio

  Another compilation of material from my files. I hope you enjoy the selections, and remember what "fun" you can have if you give an opera party and ask the guests to guess, giving prizes for the winners. 1.  Julia Varady             Aria from Puccini's Edgar 2. Shirley Verrett          Favorita Cabaletta (We went nuts at Carnegie Hall.) 3-4.  Leonard Warren   Ernani and Pagliacci arias 5. Ljuba Welitch             Vissi d'arte 6.Dolora Zajick                Principessa aria from Adriana 7. Milanov/Bjoerling      Ballo Love duet 8. Janet Baker                Traume 9. Alessandro Bonci       Luisa Miller aria 10. Maria Callas              Puritani  "Vieni al tempio" 11. Steber/Kullman       Carmen act one duet 12. Enrico Caruso           "Mia piccirella"  (Makes me CRAZY!)  13. Renata Scotto          Butterfly "Che tua madre."  14. Mario del Monaco     Otello  "Dio mi potevi"  15. Marisa Galvany         What else but the famous Aida act 2 E flat.  16.  Nicolai Gedda            Manon  "Ah fuyez."   17-18   Leyla Gencer/Cornell Macneil and then Hilde Gueden/Leonard Warren in the Rigoletto  "Si,vendetta' duet.

“A mezzo in a class by herself.” – The New York Times Great Interpreters: Dolora Zajick Broadcast on Fine Music Radio on 3 January 2014. Widely regarded by her fans and by critics as THE Verdi mezzo soprano of our … Continue reading→

A thrilling Trovatore from Paris 2003 under Maurizio Benini. Featured are Roberto Alagna, Sondra Radvanovsky,Dolora Zajick, Stefano Antonuccci, and Orlin Anastassov (Ferrando.) ( 71 min.)   Just a little postscript:         I used to tell Mme.Zajick that is so RARE in our usually "pretty" approach to opera, and that she is a throwback to a Stignani, a Barbieri,etc. She seemed to understand my feelings in regard to what she does want of her own students, and had me do a "Handelmanian Master Class" in which I played recordings illustrating style,emotion, etc.....I cudda beena star!! (But I cannot read music.)

Born on Dec.15, 1910 (almost made it to 100), the great Giulietta was one of the most amazing singers in opera history. Here are highlights from Cavalleria, Anna Bolena,  Aida, and Il Trovatore. Except for the likes of dear Dolora Zajick, they do not make them like this anymore. (73 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.)

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.),

OH!!! Did you think I meant Beverly SILLS????  Although the great Beverly Sills is represented on this podcast, I did this one for a fine young lyric soprano by the name of Beverly Thompson, one of the talented Dolora Zajick students.    This is the third podcast for one of these young artists, where I ask them about their repertory and their favorite artists and, adding some of my choices, I offer them an opportunity to sample some of the beautiful performances that are out there.    Included here are selections  by:        Beverly Sills, Leontyne Price, Renata Scotto,Kiri Te Kanawa, Elizabeth Grummer, Irmgard Seefried, Virginia Zeani, Diana Soviero, Renee Fleming, Renata Tebaldi, Mirella Freni, Eleanor Steber, and Bidu Sayao.       I sincerely hope Beverly and all of you enjoy them.(65 min.)

 This is the second podcast in which I feature singers and repertory at the request of one of Dolora Zajick's group of truly amazing young artists. If you click the following link, it will take you to the "Seguidilla" from Carmen, as sung by the bright young mezzo, Allegra de Vita (in photo.)                  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6BLYCj3i28    I have therefore presented a pot-pourri of mostly lyric mezzos singing some of the works tht Mme.De Vita is studying, plus some additional material I feel appropriate. The artists are: Janet Baker, Magdalena Kozena, Joyce di Donato, Sonia Ganassi, Susan Graham, Sarah Connolly, Josephine Veasy, Elina Garanca, Viveca Genaux, Vesselina Kasarova, and (the only more dramatic mezzo), Shirley Verrett.       I sincerely hope this podcast will be a useful aid to Mme.De Vita's studies and we wish her our best for future success.    (70 min.)

   I take great pleasure in presenting a podcast, the first of several, in which I specifically choose material to assist the young students in Dolora Zajick's program with their repertory, allowing them to sample some of the great artists of the past and present, and offering examples chosen from their requests.    At the same time, all of you have the opportunity to continue to enjoy the artistry of many of our superb singers, in various vocal categories.     We start with the tenors: Mario del Monaco, Franco Corelli, Carlo Bergonzi, Jon Vickers, James King, Rene Kollo, Jonas Kaufmann, Wolfgang Windgassen, Peter Schreier, Lauritz Melchior, Set Svanholm, Stephen Gould, and Jose Carreras. (66 min.)             Let us wish these young artists our best, and let us praise Mme.Zajick, one of opera's greatest treasures, for her efforts.       

October 17 - November 1, 2008Brown Theater, Wortham Theater CenterPurchase Tickets Online at www.HoustonGrandOpera.orgBetrayal, jealousy and revenge—the perfect partners for an evening of irresistible theater. A powerhouse cast takes charge: Brandon Jovanovich makes his HGO debut as Cavalleria’s caddish Turiddù, with Dolora Zajick in her signature role as the spurned Santuzza. In Pagliacci, Vladimir Galouzine returns to HGO as the titular clown—the wronged husband whose jealousy escalates to insanity—with HGO Studio alums Ana María Martínez and Scott Hendricks as his unfaithful wife and her paramour. Oleg Caetani conducts in his HGO debut.

My tribute to Aprile Millo, one of the finest (and nicest) artists I havehad 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 Compilation of interpreters of the role of Azucena in Verdi's "Il Trovatore."  The podcast features: Bruna Castagna, Ebe Stignani, Irene Minghini-Cattaneo,Elena Nikolaidi, Regina Resnik, Cloe Elmo, Grace Bumbry,Irene Kramarich, Dolora Zajick, Elena Obratsova,Fiorenza Cossotto, Fedora Barbieri, (pictured) Shirley Verrett,Giulietta Simionato, and finally, the great Sylvia Sawyer.     Assisting artists include Leonard Warren, Franco Corelli,    Carlo Bergonzi, Luigi Ottolini, Roberto Alagna,Gino Sarri,    and Matteo Manuguerra.                                  (88 minutes)    

Part One of two in which we honor the wonderful divas ofthe present generation. Included here are selections by: Vivica Genaux, Stephanie Blythe, Elina Garanca, Dolora Zajick,Maddalena Kozena, Susan Graham, Joyce di Donato, Judith Forst,Olga Borodina, Vesselina Kasarova, Ewa Podlés (in photo),Lisa Gasteen, Ruth Ann Swenson, Christina Gallardo-Domas,and Barbara Bonney (62 minutes)

 Selections from the Saint-Saens opera "Samson et Delilah featuring many fine singers,including: Ezio Pinza, Robert Merrill, Rise Stevens, Dolora Zajick,Shirley Verrett, Oralia Dominguez, Rita Gorr, Christa Ludwig,Ebe Stignani, Giulietta Simionato, Fiorenza Cossotto,Jose Luccioni, Ramon Vinay, Jon Vickers, Robert Massard,Rene Maison, and Richard Tucker                                 (70 minutes)