Podcasts about trovatore

SynopsisOn today's date in 1813, William Henry Fry was born in Philadelphia. As a journalist, he was one of the most vociferous champions of American concert music, and put his money where his mouth was by becoming a composer himself, creating a number of programmatic works, including a Niagara symphony and another titled Santa Claus. Above all else, Fry was passionate about opera, and wrote several of his own.Fry was a colorful – if understandably biased – music critic. Here's an excerpt from his 1862 review of a New York performance of Verdi's Il Trovatore – an opera only 9 years old at that time:“Trovatore … has a wonderful plot, beyond human comprehension; though finally we learn in the last scene that [the tenor] is made into soup by the order of his brother [the baritone], who then expresses his emotion and surprise on learning of the transaction as the curtain falls. As to the music – there are some charming, popular, ingenious, artistic … points; [but] there are others egregiously vulgar and rowdy. The Anvil Chorus, for example, is about the equal to a scene of mending a sewer set to music; or repairing a pair of cast-off leather breeches.”Music Played in Today's ProgramWilliam Henry Fry (1813 – 1864) Macbeth Overture Royal Scottish National Orchestra; Tony Rowe, conductor. Naxos 8.559057

Unanimi consensi positivi di critica e pubblico sono stati registrati per la nuova produzione di Opera Australia del Trovatore di Giuseppe Verdi, ideata da un team tutto italiano guidato dal regista Davide Livermore. 

Opera Australia presenta la produzione moderna del Trovatore di Giuseppe Verdi firmata dal regista Davide Livermore con l'orchestra diretta dal maestro Andrea Battistoni.

100 ANNI ETTORE BASTIANINIEttore Bastianini “Conte di Luna”

Il mio trovatore ideale

Join Elizabeth as she dives into Mae West's film career and how she saved Paramount and then take a trip over to Italy as Skye gives the briefest of Italian history lessons while proving that music can inspire, unite, and help win battles!

a cura di Paolo PellegriniIntroduzione a cura dell'Associazione Internazionale Ettore Bastianini con il:Prof. Valerio Lopane critico musicaleProf.ssa Luisella Franchini biografa di Ettore BastianiniEmanuela Bianchi Porro Personaggi e iterpretiManrico – Franco CorelliLeonora – Antonietta StellaAzucena – Fiorenza CossottoConte di Luna – Ettore BastianiniFerrando – Ivo VincoInes – Mirella FiorentiniRuiz – Piero de PalmaUn vecchio zingaro – Virgilio CarbonariUn messo – Franco RicciardiTeatro alla ScalaGianandrea Gavazzeni, conductor07 December 1962

On this episode, I talk to my friend Kyle about Verdi's Il Trovatore. "Il Trovatore" translates to the troubadour, a person who sang lyric poetry in Medieval times. Fortunately, the plot of this opera is a lot more juicy than that might indicate. We've got love triangles! We've got dark family secrets! We've got decades long revenge plots! We've got witch burning! This is easily one of the juiciest opera plots there is and will leave you thinking about the plot twists for days. 

Il Trovatore

Autor: Richter, Elisabeth Sendung: Kultur heute Hören bis: 19.01.2038 04:14

On today’s date in 1813, William Henry Fry was born in Philadelphia. As a journalist, he was one of the most vociferous champions of American concert music, and put his money where his mouth was by becoming a composer himself, creating a number of programmatic works, including a “Niagara” symphony and another titled “Santa Claus.” Above all else, Fry was passionate about opera, and wrote several of his own. Fry was a colorful—if understandably biased—music critic. Here’s an excerpt from his 1862 review of a New York performance of Verdi’s “Il Trovatore”—an opera only 9 years old at that time: “Trovatore … has a wonderful plot, beyond human comprehension; though finally we learn in the last scene that [the tenor] is made into soup by the order of his brother [the baritone], who then expresses his emotion and surprise on learning of the transaction as the curtain falls. As to the music—there are some charming, popular, ingenious, artistic … points; [but] there are others egregiously vulgar and rowdy. The Anvil Chorus, for example, is about the equal to a scene of mending a sewer set to music; or repairing a pair of cast-off leather breeches.”

On today’s date in 1813, William Henry Fry was born in Philadelphia. As a journalist, he was one of the most vociferous champions of American concert music, and put his money where his mouth was by becoming a composer himself, creating a number of programmatic works, including a “Niagara” symphony and another titled “Santa Claus.” Above all else, Fry was passionate about opera, and wrote several of his own. Fry was a colorful—if understandably biased—music critic. Here’s an excerpt from his 1862 review of a New York performance of Verdi’s “Il Trovatore”—an opera only 9 years old at that time: “Trovatore … has a wonderful plot, beyond human comprehension; though finally we learn in the last scene that [the tenor] is made into soup by the order of his brother [the baritone], who then expresses his emotion and surprise on learning of the transaction as the curtain falls. As to the music—there are some charming, popular, ingenious, artistic … points; [but] there are others egregiously vulgar and rowdy. The Anvil Chorus, for example, is about the equal to a scene of mending a sewer set to music; or repairing a pair of cast-off leather breeches.”

Trovatore alla Scala (Luca Chierici), Laboratorio AIMA con Giovanni Falzone e Tommaso Napoli, un ricordo di Nello Santi e Mirella Freni, Luigi Palombi “Sinfonie di Beethoven e trascrizioni”

Trovatore alla Scala (Luca Chierici), Laboratorio AIMA con Giovanni Falzone e Tommaso Napoli, un ricordo di Nello Santi e Mirella Freni, Luigi Palombi “Sinfonie di Beethoven e trascrizioni”

Trovatore alla Scala (Luca Chierici), Laboratorio AIMA con Giovanni Falzone e Tommaso Napoli, un ricordo di Nello Santi e Mirella Freni, Luigi Palombi “Sinfonie di Beethoven e trascrizioni”

Questa sera ascoltiamo uno dei più celebri brani di G. Verdi, il Trovatore, su libretto di Camarano, accompagnati da Mirto e Aron

Verdi’s Rigoletto, Il trovatore, and La traviata transformed the art form of opera and have been ultra-popular for over 150 years. Seattle Opera’s Maestro Carlo Montanaro, Assistant Conductor Philip A. Kelsey, General Director Aidan Lang, and Music Librarian Emily Cabaniss discuss with Jonathan Dean Verdi the great composer, great Italian, and great human. Plus, Montanaro shares his perspective from the podium on the magic that makes for a great night of opera.

il Trovatore is a powerful and tuneful opera in four acts by the great master, Giuseppe Verdi. Il Trovatore, "The Troubadour," premiered in Rome in January 1853. Set in 1409, during a period of civil war in Spain, Il Trovatore is a story that illustrates the mortal danger inherent in an unrelenting pursuit of vengeance. Alas, in this story, love does not triumph. It's strong human drama, heightened by Verdi's incomparable compositions.

What a night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   First time we heard them live. Corelli holds the all'armi forever and the ovation for her after the "D'amor" went on and on and on.

http://storia-controstoria.org/personaggi-e-miti/vita-morte-e-segreti-di-san-francesco-dassisi-trovatore-e-frate/ Curiosità sulla vita e il pensiero di San Francesco d'Assisi, forse il santo più amato d'Italia. Francesco: trovatore per passione, frate per vocazione.

Cortinilla de introducción a la serie.

  When Antonietta Stella made her Met debut in 1956 Aida (also Bergonzi's debut),I felt guilty because I loved her more in this role than Zinka!!! It was a luscious voice and onstage she was so beautiful. Here are scenes from Aida,Tosca,Butterfly, Vespri,Ernani, Trovatore.....and I hope you enjoy them. Note: I may have repeated Tosca aria.

Léon Escalaïs (August 8, 1859, Cuxac-d'Aude – November 8, 1940, Cuxac-d'Aude) was a prominent Gallic tenor, particularly associated with French and Italian heroic roles. His lean, nimble and powerful voice was noted for the ease and brilliance of its upper register. Life and career Born Léonce-Antoine Escalaïs, he commenced his vocal studies as a young man at the Music Conservatory of Toulouse, where he won prizes for singing and opera performance. He continued his studies at the Paris Conservatory with two well-known teachers of the day, Crosti and Obin, prior to making his professional debut at the Théâtre du Château (Paris) in 1882, in Sardanapale by Jean-Baptiste Duvernoy. Escalaïs was offered a contract by the Paris Opéra. His first appearance with the Paris Opéra at the Palais Garnier occurred in 1883, as Arnold in Guillaume Tell. (Arnold would become one of his signature roles.) Two years later, he sang for the first time at the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels, and he made his debut at La Scala, Milan, in 1888. He left the Paris Opéra in 1892 after a dispute with management and accepted engagements in Dijon, Lyon, Marseille and Italy. Among the taxing roles which he undertook were Eléazar in La Juive, Robert in Robert le diable, Raoul in Les Huguenots, Vasco in L'Africaine and the title parts in Le Cid and Sigurd. Between 1892 and 1908, Escalaïs sang more often in Italy (this is wrong, he sang once in Milan and it was a fiasco) than he did in his native land. He added to his repertoire such Verdi roles as Manrico in Il trovatore, Radamès in Aida and the title part in Otello' (Escalais never sang Otello)'. Consequently, he was sometimes described as "the French Tamagno" (after Francesco Tamagno, the Italian heroic tenor). Escalaïs rejoined the Paris Opéra in 1908. The following year, he sang as a guest artist at the New Orleans Opera House. These would be his only performances in the United States. He retired from the stage in 1912 while still in good voice and was appointed to the Legion of Honour by the French Government in 1927. In retirement, he gave private singing lessons. One of his students was José Luccioni, an outstanding dramatic tenor of the 1930s and '40s. Escalaïs died in Cuxac-d'Aude during the Second World War, aged 82. What a VOICE!!!!!!   Wm.Tell, Robert le Diable, Huguenots,Prophete,Africaine,Juive,Jerusalem,Trovatore,Aida, Otello

1.NAPUKO.....The greatest basso ever. (I sang with him....hard not to laugh) 2.Tagliavini   Amor ti vieta (Fedora) 3. Richard Tucker   Celeste Aida 4. Ernani Ensemble..Milanov,Warren,Del Monaco (I saw all of them) 5. Olive Middleton recites (?) Adriana Phedre Scene 6.Gabriel Bacquier   Damnation of Faust aria 7.Dino Borgioli   Una furtiva lagrima 8. Piotr Beczala    Macbeth aria  (My fav.tenor) 9.  Caruso  Duca D'alba aria   (LORD!!!!) 10.   Fedora Barbieri   Trovatore  "Condotta) 11.Rita Hunter  Trovatore (In English) 12.Fanciulla finale (I cry every time) Dorothy Kirstem Clifford Harvuot (Sonora's lines get to me every time.. 13. Marisa Galvany (as mezzo)  Aida act 4 scene

Don  Giovanni,Favorita,Barber, Tell, Rigoletto, Trovatore

Aida,Ugonotti,Rigoletto, Trovatore

Aida,Faust,Trovatore,Juive,Carmen,  Folk Song      ADORED MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Figaro,Lucia,Favorita,Nabucco,traviata,Trovatore

 I  found some flaws in my earlier podcast so here it is again.BOY!They said she was LOUD! Aida W.Uzunov    Trovatore w. Nikolov

Semiramide, Macbeth (FAST!!)Don Carlo,Carmen,Trovatore,Ballo,Euryanthe,Elektra (w.Varnay)

Benvenuto Franci   Trovatore,Ballo,Forza,Aida, Otello,Africaine, Gioconda Font size needs to be corrected

Another of the great sopranos: Norma, Gioconda, Lescaut Ninna Nanna (Leoncavallo),Ballo, Vespri,Africaine, Trovatore,Forza, Aidam "Tu solo"

 Saffo(Pacini),Norma,Trovatore,Ballo,Otello,Mefistofele,Gioconda, Cavalleria,Tosca and four songs by Grieg,Simonetti, Tosti,Denza and Bach/ Gounod Ave Maria.  Tomorrow I call Magda Olivero (104 years old) and tell her to sing this repertory..Well, maybe only a little..BET SHE COULD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

1. Ivan Koslovsky               Lohengrin aria (in Russian) 2. Selma Kurz                      Seraglio   "Ach ich liebte" 3.Lotte Lehmann                 Walkure Sieglinde aria 4. Jose Luccioni                    Werther Ara 5. Roberta Peters/Cornell MacNeil      Rigoletto act three duet 6. Lois Marshall                       Seraglio aria  (same as Kurz) 7. Dorothy Maynor                 Zauberflote aria 8. Lauritz Melchior                Tannhauser Rome Narrative 9. Aprile Millo                         Trovatore act four aria 10. Claudia Muzio                 "Ninna Nanna" 11.Gustave Neidlinger           Das Rheingold Curse 12. Anna Netrebko                 Rusalka aria 13. Olive Middleton                Trovatore Miserere (not for purists) 14.Magda Olivero                    Fedora Finale 15.Rosetta Pampanini           Iris aria 16. Alfredo Piccaver               Meistersinger act three aria 17. Vassilka Petrova              Trovatore (I think!) 18.Bruno Prevedi                   Butterfly Addio 19.Lina Bruna Rasa/Afro Poli   Cav Duet 20. Regina Resnik     (as soprano)   Voi lo sapete 21.Katya Ricciarelli           Zaira aria (After Petrova is Podles Cenerentola aria/..aorry!) (After no.17,i think I made an omission.)

 I hope I am not inundating you too much with all these compilations, but I do think they are fun. 1. Fedora Barbieri                       Trovatore   "Stride la vampa." 2. Daniele Barioni                         La Rondine aria (with nice interpolation at end.) 3. Lina Bruna Rasa                       Cavalleria Rusticana   "Voi lo sapete" ( Insane chest!) 4. Grace Bumbry                           Don Carlo     "Oh don fatale." 5. Maria Callas                               La Gioconda     "Suicidio" 6. Enrico Caruso                            "Vesti la giubba" 7. Regine Crespin/Carlo Bergonzi        Ballo in Maschera Duet 8. Gilda Cruz-Romo                         Attila Cabaletta 9. Giuseppe de Luca                        Tanhauser Evening Star   (in Italiano.) 10.Bernardo de Muro                      Isabeau (Mascagni) aria 11.Ghena Dimitrova                         "Vissi d'arte" 12.Placido Domingo                         Tanhauser Rome Narrative 13.Nicolai Gedda/Fernando Corena       Elisir Duet 14.Mario Filippeschi                          "Messun Dorma"   (LOUD!) 15.Elina Garanca                                Cosi Fan Tutte"   Dorabella aria 16.Leyla Gencer                                  Adriana Lecouvreur Act 3 Phedre Narration 17.Marcello Giordani                           Huguenots aria 18.Thomas Hampson/Sam Ramey     Duet from Verdi's "Un Giorno di Regno" 19.Susan Graham                                   Komponist aria from Ariadne 20.Hei-Kyung Hong                                "Che bel sogno di Doretta" (Rondine) 21.Marilyn Horne                                     Cabaletta from Meyerbeer's "Le Prophete" 22.Kiri Te Kanawa                                     "Summertime"

I sincerely hope you are enjoying thee compilations. If you have any comments,suggestions,etc. PLEASE let me know at Placido21@aol.com. 1. Marisa Galvany and Enrico di Giuseppe in Attila Duet. (What a D!!) 2. Mattia Battistini                        Tannhauser  " Evening Star" 3. Enrico Caruso                             "Musica Proibita"  (After all these years, I say NO ONE was greater!) 4. Franco Corelli                             Otello  "Esultate!" (He never sang the role, sadly.) 5. David Daniels                               Rinaldo   "Venti turbini." (Wedding coming soon!) 6. Giuseppe Di Stefano                   "Un furtiva lagrima" 7. Eileen Farrell                                "Pace" from Forza del Destino ERROR: It is CLAUDIA Novikova. 8. Gottlob Frick                                 Seraglio aria  (GREATEST "black" voice.) 9. Marcello Giordani                         "L'anima stanca" from Adriana   (Last season he said to me, "I know Piotr is your favorite tenor..That is OK.I love him too!") 10.Apollo Granforte                             "Il Balen" from Trovatore  (worthy of his NAME!) 11. Alexander Kipnis                            "O Isis und Osiris" (Zauberflote) 12.Margarete Klose                              "Delilah aria" (In Deutsch) (One of my favorite artists.) 13.Renato Bruson/Katia Ricciarelli      Luisa Miller Duet 14. John Mc Cormack                             "Il mio tesoro" (the all-time greatest!) 15.Aprile Millo                                          "Poveri fiori"  (Adriana) 16.Claudia Muzio                                      "O del mio amato ben."  (Makes me CRAZY!) 17.Maria Nemeth                                      "In questa reggia" (Turandot) 18.Gallina Novikova                                 The most HILARIOUS"Drunk aria" from  La Perichole. 19.Tancredi Pasero                                   "Vi ravisso" (Sonnambula) 20.Aureliano Pertile                                  "Di quella pira." 21. Herman Prey                                        Tote Stadt aria  (Unbelievably gorgeous!) 22.Maria Reining/Hans Hotter                 Arabella Duet

In my experience, Fedora Barbieri had one of the very greatest voices, like an "organ" as it poured from her. We met in her later years, and she was  a fun lady. Here are scenes from: Carmen,Falstaff (with Gobbi), Ballo, Samson et Delilah, Adriana Lecouvreur, Andrea Chenier, Gioconda, Trovatore (live 1951 with Warren and my beloved Kurt Baum),and songs "Nel cor piu non mi sento" and " Chi vuol la zingarella graziosa."

I sincerely hope you are enjoying these pot-pourris. Here is no.12. Remember, anyone who has comments or suggestions, e-mail me at Placido21@aol.com. I am unable to use the comments section here, because it results in outside advertisements. 1. Rysanek/London           Aida Nile duet  (in Deutsch) 2.Licia Albanese                  La Wally     "Ebben,ne andro lontana." 3.Ivar Andresen                  Gotterdamerung        Hagen's Watch 4.Agnes Baltsa                    Cenerentola Final aria 5. Piot Beczala                     I Lombardi aria    (My favorite tenor of today, as you know.) 6. Joel Berglund                   Tannhauser    "Evening star." 7.Grace Bumbry                    Andrea Chenier      "La Mamma morta." 8.Emma Calve                        Herodiade     "Il est doux." 9.Enrico Caruso                     "L'alba separa dalla luce l'ombra"  (Drives me crazy!) 10.Antonietta Stella               Mme.Butterfly   "Che tua madre." 11.Franco Corelli  (Apr.8 birthday)   Favorita    "Una vergine" 12.Montserrat Caballe            Trovatore    "D'amor sull'ali rosee" 13.Mario DelMonaco                 Trovatore    "Di quella pira" 14.Fernando de Lucia                Iris     "Apri la tua finestra" 15. Nicolai Gedda                        Pearl Fishers aria  (Mio Dio!!!) 16. Marcello Giordani                  Adriana    "La dolcissima effigie."

Sadly, the marvelous tenor Salvatore Licitra passed away at age 43 of a brain hemorrhage while on his motor scooter. We loved his exciting voice and in his memory, I wish to present some arias: Cavalleria, L'Arlesiana, Andrea Chenier,Fedora, Turandot, Fanciulla, Butterfly, Macbeth, and Trovatore.                                             May the dear man rest in peace.

I know you just ADORE my compilations, so I present no.9,with a few choice comments. If you played any at parties, did anyone ever guess ALL of them? 1. Gigli, Rethberg, Pinza           Attila trio   (Need we say more?) 2. Carlo Bergonzi                        E lucevan le stelle  (a veritable vocal lesson) 3. Jussi Bjoerling                         Romeo 1947 ensemble. (Did the C sound like that live?) 4.  Alessandro Bonci                   Puritani aria 5.  Clara Butt                                 Lucrezia Borgia Brindisi  (they would laugh today.I adore this!) 6. Karen Branzell                          Erda Warning (Das Rheingold) 7. Olga Borodina                           La Favorite aria 8.  Montserrat Caballe                  Adriana Phedre Monologue  (Totally wild!) 9.   Piero Cappuccilli                      Luisa Miller aria  ( A very great man) 10. Irene Minghini-Cattaneo       Azucena aria   (sadly killed when Allied bomb destroyed her villa in WW II) 11. Julia Varady                              Mme.Butterfly  "Che tua madre." 12. Charles Dalmores                     Carmen Flower Song 13. Zinka Milanov  (who?)             "D'amor sull'ali rosee" (Trovatore) 14. Mario Del Monaco                     "No,pazzo son"(Manon Lescaut)   (Example of subtlety) 15. Merrill/Bjoerling                        Don Carlo duet  (pure gold) 16. Birgitte Fassbaender                "Suicidio"  ( even though she is a mezzo.) 17. Kathleen Ferrier                         "An die Musik"  (Schubert) 18.  Lauren Flanigan                         Lady Macbeth aria  (One of the singers who "takes chances" with repertory. One of my favorite ladies.) 19. Beniamino Gigli                            "Vedi,io piango'  (Fedora) 20.  Apollo Granforte                          Credo from Otello  (His name fits his voice.)

Gianna Pederzini (February 10, 1900 - March 12, 1988) was an Italian mezzo-soprano. Pederzini was born in Trento. She studied in Naples with Fernando de Lucia, and made her stage debut in Messina, as Preziosilla, in 1923. She sang widely in Italy, notably as Mignon and Carmen, and made her debut at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, as Adalgisa, in 1928, and at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, in 1930. Abroad, she appeared at the Royal Opera House in London in 1931, the Opéra de Paris in 1935, the Teatro Colón in 1938, and the Berlin State Opera in 1941. She defended a wide repertoire, she took part in the 1930s in revivals of rare operas by Rossini and Donizetti, while singing the standard mezzo roles; Azucena, Ulrica, Amneris, Laura, but also a few dramatic soprano roles such as Santuzza and Fedora, etc. In the 1950s, she began concentrating on "character roles" such as the Countess in The Queen of Spades, Mistress Quickly in Falstaff, Madame Flora in The Medium, and took part in the creation of Dialogues of the Carmelites at La Scala, in 1957. She died, aged 88, in Rome. Arias by this superb mezzo from: Trovatore, Carmen, Mignon, Forza, Favorita,F igaro, Italiana, Werther  (65 min.)

Here is one of many compilations of great artists at Covent Garden in the period 1904-1910.     They're all good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Was I born too late? 1.Emmy Destinn    Lohengrin:            Elsa's Traum 2. Melba/Caruso   O soave fanciulla (her high C is to DIE FOR!) 3. Charles Dalmores  Carmen             Flower Song 4. Emma Calve            Herodiade        Il est doux. 5. Giuseppe Anselmi   Tosca   Recondita Armonia  (note slight change in ending) 6.Celestina Boninsegna     Ballo           Ma dall'arrido 7. Selma Kurz    Les Huguenots            O Beau pays  (famous for her trill) 8. Giovanni Zenatello      Andrea Chenier     Si, fui soldato 9. Riccardo Stracciari       Trovatore        Il Balen 10.Mattia Battistini           Faust                Valentin's aria 11. Clarence Whitehill      Meistersinger   Wahn! Wahn! 12. Maria Gay (Mrs.Zenatello)   Carmen    Card aria  (slight chest voice.) 13. John McCormack          Don Giovanni     Il mio tesoro  (considered the STANDARD!) 14. Alessandro Bonci          Pearl Fishers     Je crois entendre 15. Edoardo Garbin              Fedora                Vedi,io piango (w.Giannina Russ.) 16. Louise Kirkby-Lunn       Samson et Delilah     Printemps qui commence 17. Emile Vanni-Marcoux   Pelleas et Melisande   Una grande innocence 18. Mario Sammarco            Otello                   Era la notte 19. Peter Cornelius                Walkure              Wintursturme   (in Danish)                                         (71 min.)

The amazing Franco Corelli is heard in his early (1955-1958) recordings of arias from: Fanciulla,Turandot,Adriana, Favorita, Werther (with his wife Loretta di Lelio), Trovatore, Otello, I Lombardi, and Un Ballo in Maschera   (35 min.)

 This is the second compilation from early files. You might use them for an opera party, in which you give out cheap gifts to the winner(s). ENJOY!  (app.70 min.) 1. Grace Bumbry          Turandot:  "In questa reggia" 2. Fiorenza Cossotto   Trovatore:  "Condotta"  (Sounded "miked' in the theatre. An amazing singer.) 3. Nadezda Kniplova    Walkure:    "Hojotoho" 4. Cornell MacNeil/Renata Scotto   Rigoletto: "Si vendetta"  (WOW!!) 5. Lina Bruna Rasa      Andrea Chenier : " La mamma morta." (An example of over-done chest voice. She supposedly dived into the orchestra pit!!!) 6. Aprile Millo                Ernani:  "Ernani involami." 7.  Maxim Mironov      L'Italiana in Algeri:  Fabulous rendition of Lindoro's Aria. 8.  Elena Nikolaidi        Semiramide:       "Bel raggio" 9. Birgit Nilsson/Richard Tucker    Ballo in Maschera:  Love duet 10. Eugenia Burzio      Saffo aria  (less-known wonderful soprano.) 11. Piotr Beczala          Land of Smiles:  "Dein ist mein ganzes herz."  (His new album of operetta  arias just received a big prize, and deservedly so.) 12. Giuseppe Di Stefano   Faust:  The legendary "Salut demeure" with the phenomenal high C dimuendo.

 Two selections from Anna Netrebko's new Verdi album. They are from Vespri Siciliani and il Trovatore. See what you think!!  (7 min.)

  More material from the career of 172 year old diva Olive Middleton, the cult figure of the 1960's and star of the (in) famous La Puma Opera Company. After a decent "Pace" from around 1955, Olive sings highlights from Trovatore, Gioconda,Fedora, Norma, Walkure (as Sieglinde) and I just could not resist playing you a "typical" La Puma adventure, the act two opening of Walkure. As I always warn, if you are a purist, do not listen...(I bet you can't resist!!)  (36 min.)

A rather "unsubtle" but exciting Naples 1951 Trovatore, conducted by Tullio Serafin, with Maria Callas in her prime, Paolo Silveri, Cloe Elmo, and an aging Giacomo Lauri-Volpi (I think the Pira is booed). This is the kind of show we never experience today;it has its flaws, but it is really mostly quite exciting.  (72 min.)

Ballet Music from Verdi Operas; Vespri, Macbeth, Trovatore, Don Carlo, Otello. Edward Downes conducts the BBC Symphony Orchestra  (70 min.)  

In 1955, Cappuccilli auditioned for La Scala in Milan, where the auditioners, deeply impressed, encourage him to enter the Viotti competition. After his first place award, he made his official operatic debut in 1957 at the Teatro Nuovo in Milan, singing Tonio in Pagliacci. In 1960, he made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera, singing Giorgio Germont in La traviata, which was to be Cappuccilli spent most of his career singing in Europe, with only infrequent travels to North and South America. He made his debut at the Teatro alla Scala in 1964, as Enrico, at the Royal Opera House in London as Germont in 1967, and his Opéra de Paris debut took place in 1978, as Amonasro. He also appeared at the Vienna State Opera and the Salzburg Festival. He worked with the greatest European conductors of his time (Karajan, Gavazzeni, Abbado, Kleiber) and became one of the finest interpreters of the Italian repertoire. Cappuccilli was highly respected as a "Verdi baritone", where his beautiful voice, fine vocal technique, musical elegance, and dignified stage presence, were shown to their best advantage. He left an impressive discography, he recorded Lucia di Lammermoor twice, first with Maria Callas in 1959, and with Beverly Sills in 1970. Other notable recordings include; Rigoletto, opposite Ileana Cotrubas and Placido Domingo, under Carlo Maria Giulini, Macbeth, opposite Shirley Verrett, and Simon Boccanegra, opposite Mirella Freni and Nicolai Ghiaurov, both under Claudio Abbado. He also recorded Don Carlos, Il Trovatore and Aida under Herbert von Karajan Cappuccilli sang until his mid-sixties; an automobile accident in 1992 ended his stage career. He died in his native Trieste, at the age of 78.[2]  Pagliacci,Zaza,Macbeth,Attila,Due Foscari,Forza,Trovatore,Do Carlo,Pearl Fishers, Chenier, Nabucco,Ernani,Roberto Devereux. (68 min.)

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.)

  My most beloved favorite singer, Zinka Milanov, sings songs by Strauss,Schumann, Giordani,Bozidar Kunc (her brother and accompanist), Brahms, Hageman ,Bersa, and Pavcic.These are from 1955; following these are six Croatian songs, recorded in 1943.   As a bonus, we hear the incredible rendition of the Trovatore aria, "D'amor sull'ali rosee," which got me hooked on Zinka at around age 14. I know you will enjoy these selections. (70 min.)

Tribute to the late great Giulietta Simionato with scenes from Aida,Adriana,Carmen,Cavalleria,Italiana,Nozze di Figaro,Trovatore,Don Carlo,Cenerentola                                                                (57 min.)

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Dear friends,            Until the audio portion of my podcasts is fixed and when I am again able to narrate podcasts, I am presenting operas that really need no detailed explanation by me, since they speak for themselves in their power and excitement to thrill you all.              This 1962 La Scala Trovatore under Gianandrea Gavazzeni features a great cast:   Antonietta Stella, Franco Corelli, Fiorenza Cossotto, Ettore Bastianini,    Ivo Vinco.               Again I say to you.."They don't make 'em that way anymore!!!!"              Happy Holidays                                            The silent Charlie

   I have selected commercial recordings of Verdi material as sung by my all-time favorite diva, Zinka Milanov. Since Nimbus has just put out two Milanov albums (one pictured), I thought I would celebrate the recordings made on RCA by Mme.Milanov. Featured are highlights from Aida, Trovatore, Forza, Ballo, and Otello. I have chosen scenes from the Nimbus album and from other commercial recordings...but again I tell you, you HAD TO BE THERE!               (69 min.)  

   A podcast tribute to a lady who possessed one of the most phenomenal voices in opera history,Dame Eva Turner. I was first introduced to her by someone playing her ?"In questa reggia," and ever since I have marvelled at the beauty and power of a voice that thrilled thousands for almost 30 years.  The material I have included is as follows:   Arias from Tosca. Aida, Gioconda, Mme.Butterfly, Cavalleria Rusticana, Il  Trovatore.  "Homing" by Del Riego   "God save the King" with chorus from the live 1937 Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth     "In questa reggia" and the Riddle Scene from a live 1937 Covent Garden performance of Turandot, with Giovanni Martinelli, conducted by John Barbirolli>         I sincerely hope you enjoy this miraculous voice. 

 I know that Signore Riccardo Muti (senza acuti**) would be scandalized at the kind of singing this Trovatore features. However, this is the kind of exciting singing that makes one's hair (if he has any) stand on end.   This 1957 Naples Trovatore, conducted by Franco Capuana and featuring Antonietta Stella, Mario Filippeschi (who encores the "Di quella pira"), Fedora Barbieri, and Aldo Protti is an example of "white-hot" Verdi singing, and I wish there were more such performances today.         (70 min.) (**  without high notes) 

   One of the most hilarious singers ever to record (some nerve!!). Sylvia Sawyer recorded mezzo roles in Ballo, Aida, and Trovatore on Capitol records in the 1950's. The rest of the cast of the Aida and Trovatore was respectable, and included Stella Roman, Gino Sarri, and Antonio Mancaserra.   However, Mme.Sawyer sounds like a little kid (even with chest tones), and her Italian diction has caused many opera lovers to become hysterical over the years. I hope you will not mind a little more levity in this sea of great music.             (71 min.)

A tribute podcast to the very first singers I heard in my youth. The great tenor,Aureliano Pertile, was featured on the 1929-1930 Aida and Trovatore sets (on 78 r.p.m. discs).   In addition, one of the most exciting mezzos, Irene Minghini-Cattaneo, sang the Amneris and the Azucena. Sadly she died in a bombing of her villa in 1942.    These recordings have special meaning to me, since they were the very first recordings of opera that I ever heard.                                     ( 67 min.)

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.)               

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)                          

Selections from Aida, Trovatore, Ernani, Nabucco, andLa Battaglia di Legnano featuring the wonderful sopranoCaterina Mancini, whose Cetra recordings introduced me tothe brand of exciting singing usually absent these days. Sheis joined in duets by Paolo Silveri, Rolando Panerai,Giuseppe Taddei, and Carlo Tagliabue                                    (44 minutes)

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)

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)

The excellent Ponto company has released their 4 CD set of manyinteresting excerpts. (Number 50 in their catalogue.).These are livescenes featuring many fine artists as follows: Trovatore:  Renata Scotto,Louis QuilicoThe Medium:  Regine CrespinSemele: Beverly SillsJenufa: Gre Brouwenstijn and Frans VroonsSalome: Lili Djanel and Tito GobbiOtello: Joan Sutherland and Angelo MarenziManon Lescaut:  Leontyne PriceEugen Onegin:    Margaret PriceForza:       Julia VaradyDon Giovanni: Frank Sinatra and Kathryn Grayson (Don't ask!  (74 minutes)  

A compilation of material as sung by Leyla Gencer, one ofthe most interesting and versatile artists who never recordedcommercially, but since collectors know she is the veritable"Queen of the Pirates," there is a wealth of material available: Trovatore, Due Foscari, Assassino nell Catedrale, Saffo, Gerusalemme, Roberto Devereux, Rigoletto, Belisario,Battaglia di Legnano, Simon Boccanegra, Rigoletto,Werther, Macbeth, Idomeneo, Dialogues of the Carmelites,Abduction from the Seraglio, Lucrezia Borgia                                    (88 minutes)

    Many selections in honor of  Richard Tucker, for me, the    greatest tenor I ever heard in live performance. Andrea Chenier, Fanciulla Del West, Forza del DestinoCavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci, Ballo in Maschera,Floridante, La Juive, Turandot, Tosca, Luisa Miller,Manon Lescaut, Trovatore, and songs.                               (75 minutes)                          

   A podcast dedicated to the great trios written by the Master,   Giuseppe Verdi. I include trios from:   Aida, Trovatore, I Lombardi and Jerusaleme, Attila, Nabucco,   Don Carlo, Luisa Miller, Simon Boccanegra, Ernani, and   La Forza del Destino.                             (Not a bad "trio" in the photo.)                                       60 minutes

A birthday tribute to the marvelous Marisa Galvany, one ofthe most exciting divas in opera history. Selections from: Norma, Aida, Nabucco, Medea, Traviata, Attila, Ballo,Trovatore, Anna Bolena, Turandot We thank Mme.Galvany for so many years of very great singing!!!!