As I re-rip my iTunes at a higher bit rate, nostalgia rears its rose-colored head.
1998: I meet the divine one herself backstage after an Arabella in Houston.
“To Roy, with warmest regards Renée Fleming”
Back at ya Renée, x 10. What a decade it’s been, for both of us.
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Today, we are greeted by a mystery Elisabeth. Before you enter the mess Halle, however, here’s a gentle reminder: these aren’t “365 Voices I Love” or even “365 Voices I’m Particularly Fond Of”; they aren’t necessarily heavenly voices, beautiful voices, or voices of reason. They’re just voices, nodes and all.
Oh, sorry about all the orchestral prelude. Once the clip loads though, you can move the scroll-bar over to min. 1.54 and bypass it entirely –or not. After all, the orchestral prelude might be best thing you’ll hear today.
Listen “Dich teure Halle”, Tannhauser. The Mystery Elisabeth, soprano. circa 2008.
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I missed yesterday’s posting, which doesn’t bode well for the remaining 150-or-so voices. Still, I’ve got an excuse. I got caught in the rain yesterday. I don’t mean Sunday’s thunderstorms either. You see, while it was raining outside, I was ‘Right As The Rain’ inside. I was spellbound the entire day by Leontyne so rare that it was simply unheard of —by me, anyway. Thanks to L’Ultimo Leontyne Fanatico for posting these audio-only clips to YouTube. I also commend the work he put into presentation. I know how time-consuming and tedious such extra effort can be, and since feedback is minimal, it may seem that all that trouble is neither noticed nor appreciated. Well, it is noticed and it is appreciated. Little things really do mean a lot — unless you’re a size queen, of course. But I digress.
One post, two days, two voices, one soprano — and well worth the delay, indeed!
“Love Walked In”, by George Gershwin. Andre Previn, piano. Leontyne Price, soprano.
“It’s Good To Have You Near Again”, composed by Andre Previn, played by Andre Previn, lyrics by … Dory Previn, or rather, the then-Mrs Previn …the 2nd one (outta five, so far –Andre needs just three more to earn his Bluebeard boyscout patch); sung flawlessly of course by Leontyne Price, the not-never-Mrs. Previn (oh, but Leontyne, there’s still time)
Aaaaah Leontyne, it is good to have you near again - as near as my nearest iTunes
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“One way the company has found to serve the public at large is an annual series of free concert-opera performances in New York City parks. The first took place on June 24, 1967, at Crocheron Park, Queens, with an audience of over 35,000 seated in the grass under the stars to hear Anna Moffo as Mimi and Sandor Konya as Rodolfo in La Boheme” [Celebration: The Metropolitan Opera]
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Hi All. Anyone remember as far back as the beginning of the year, when I started posting “365 Days Of Opera” …and petered out about Day 15. Well, let’s revisit the concept — with a few minor changes.
- now, I’m calling it “365 Voices”, with 1 for each day. Voices WILL be repeated during the cycle.
- to cover my a**, I’m not going to reveal the identity of the voice. Oh goody goody, a game!
- if voice is correctly identified via the comments, however, I will gladly let everyone know. So, if you guessed, and there’s no comment from me within a reasonable amount of time, then you were wrong.
- oh, and I’m picking up in the middle, obviously. We’re beginning at voice # 221, since today is the 221st day of the year. Don’t go searching for voices 1-220 that you missed, cuz they ain’t there.
I can’t promise how long I’ll stay interested this time, but I promise to try. Will you do the same? As if I really care (smirk). Let’s get goin’…
Listen Mozart Concert Aria KV577, “Giunse alfin il momento… Al desio” (circa 1992)
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I’m the monk (or at least I’ve lived like one since moving to Philly) and you remember the elusive Snoopycat, don’t you? Well, I found her! I found Snoopycat! I was snooping around Rhapsody and, lo and behold, she was under my very nose as this time. As Marian Anderson would say, “And that’s why I call her Snoopycat”.
Now that I’ve heard the tale of Marian Anderson’s cat “Snoopy”, I’ve finally heard it all. The album defies description, but for my readers, I’ll attempt the impossible. Well, the album is literally the adventures of Marian Anderson’s Cat “Snoopy” interspersed with little ditties, narrated and sung by Anderson. But it’s so much more. [more . . . ]
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Now that I’ve rediscovered my scanner, expect periodic guest appearances by life coach Joan Crawford.
Chapter IV, The Pleasure Of Company, p.68
Noel Coward once said, “Joan not only gives a party, she goes to it!”
I think that’s one secret of a good party: all the arrangements seems as effortless as if they floated down from a nearby cloud and the hostess had nothing to do but enjoy herself.
Wise words to remember, boys. After all, Southern Decadence is right around the corner. It’s never too early to be thinking about the Black Party either.
Yes, Joan, we see the prominently-placed can of Diet Pepsi-Cola. Is that a bottle of Pepsi on ice as well? Wow Joan, you were a true Renaissance woman. You practically invented product placement, and yet you’ve never gotten the credit you so richly deserve. Hedy Lamarr may have invented radar, but you created something which impacts us every waking moment of our lives.
But Joan, surely you don’t think we actually believe that’s Diet Pepsi-Cola in your glass? The smile gives you away. That ain’t no Diet Pepsi-Cola smile.
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Why aren’t Southern Baptists this much fun?
In the wee hours of Sunday morning, I’ve been exploring Meyerbeer’s epic opera “Les Huguenots” –in French. Other than “O beau pays” (thanks Joan) and Urbain’s precious little arias, this opera is uncharted territory. I admit to being a little intimidated by the opera’s reputation (”difficult”, “long”, “Meyerbeerian”). Also, I didn’t want to get messed up in all that Huguenots-drama, you know: French or Italian, cut or un-cut or butchered. Besides, I’d already seen Patrice Chereau’s “La Reine Margot” (one of my favorite films, I must admit).
Well, I’m glad I spent Sunday morning service with the Huguenots. [more . . . ]
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Teresa Stratas just made me cry. That bitch made me cry. [more . . . ]
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I have a question, or rather something that needs a definitive answer. It’s been nagging at me for years, so much so that it often keeps me up at night, tossing & turning, back & forth, from this conclusion to that conclusion, with still no satisfactory conclusion after all these years. So, I’m throwing this one out to all of you, the enlightened musical ears out there in the dark, in hopes of finding an answer, and some peace of mind.
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Thanks to a generous Yahoo groupie, I now have some Gail Gilmore to share. Don’t wet your knickers. [more . . . ]
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Say my name, say my name
If no one is around you, say “baby I love you”
If you ain’t runnin’ game
Say my name, say my name
You actin’ kinda shady
Ain’t callin me baby
Why the sudden change?
Say my name, say my name
listen It’s a surprise, so just shut-up and listen.
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Bizarro: The opposite of the real world. Good is evil, round is square, hello is goodbye, Elena Obraztsova is Kiri Te Kanawa. [more . . . ]
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