Renata Tebaldi sings the title role in La Gioconda. This performance was given in Naples in 1968, and marked her triumphant return to this city which saw so many of her early career triumphs.

We hear excerpts from Acts 2, 3, and 4. This was late in Tebaldi's career, but she does things here that she couldn't really have done earlier in her career. She sings with such fearless and even wreckless abandon, that you will be shocked and thrilled. Did any soprano ever have such a huge chest voice? I have never heard one. And her top is in fine shape here, with the B's and Bb's sounding wonderful. Such immersion in a role is rare, but listen to Tebaldi here.

Please leave your comments.

Best wishes,

Ed

Listen to the chemistry give off sparks beween Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon in this magnificent scene from Massenet's Manon.

"Ah, fuyez" begins the scene, and we hear the rest of the act.

All podcasts can also be accessed at www.premiereopera.com

 

This is great singing for all to enjoy!!

 

Best wishes,

Ed

Robert Merrill lends his gorgeous voice to the great baritone aria, Il balen, from Verdi's Il Trovatore. It doesn't get any better than this!!

Here is a rare live broadcast featuring the great tenor Richard Tucker in an operatic concert at the Hollywood Bowl in 1951. Tucker is is his early prime, and sings with gleaming tone, and incredible "ring" and squillo. His first selection is the demanding Handel aria, "Sound an Alarm". It is quite amazing to hear a tenor with the size voice of Tucker to sing this music, with all it's leaps, runs, coloratura. Surely his cantorial training helped make this possible. All selections are announced.

This is an amazing document of great tenor singing, and I am sure you will enjoy it.

All previous podcasts are available at www.premiereopera.com

Best wishes,

Ed

"Richard Tucker- The Essence of Verismo" is probably my own personal favorite of all the recordings I have released since 1967. It shows the thrill and "risk taking" of Tucker, and this made him truly great, in addition to that gorgeous voice and melting legato, and ringing top tones.

Here is the program, as I am happy to give you the entire CD on today, August 28, the birthday of Richard Tucker. He was the best tenor I ever saw.

1.  Tosca- Recondita armonia- 1958

2.  Tosca- E lucevan le stelle- 1959

3.  Turandot- Nessun dorma- 1974

4.  Manon Lescaut- Donna non vidi mai- 1949

5.  Manon Lescaut- Guardate! Pazzo son- 1966

6.  Fanciulla- Three short excerpts from Act one 1962

7.  Fanciulla- Or son sei mesi- 1962

8.  Fanciulla- Ch'ella mi creda- 1965

9.  Gioconda- Cielo e mar- 1960

10. Andrea Chenier- Improviso- 1963 (Bernstein conducting!)

11. Andrea Chenier- Credi al destino- 1965

12. Andrea Chenier- Si, fui soldato- 1965

13. Andrea Chenier- Come un bel di- 1965

14. Cavalleria- Siciliana- 1964

15. Cavalleria- Brindisi- 1964

16. Cavalleria- Compar Alfio- 1974

17. Cavalleria- Addio alla madre- 1974

18. Pagliacci- Vesti la giubba- 1972

19. Pagliacci- No, Pagliaccio non son- 1972

20. Boheme- Che gelida manina- 1957

21. Boheme- Marcello, finalmente- 1968

22. Chenier- Final duet w. Inge Borkh- 1954

I am particularly thrilled to be able to share this rare Tebaldi material with you. These are all in pristine sound quality, and from the very prime of Tebaldi's career- 1955-1957. They were all from concerts broadcast in the USA. The singing is of a kind that I have not heard since Renata Tebaldi.  Here are the contents:

Gianni Schicchi- O mio babbino caro- Early 1955

La Wally- Ebben, ne andro lontana- December 12, 1955

Adriana- Poveri fiori- December 12, 1955

Traviata- Act 1 scena-- December 12, 1955

Forza- Pace mio Dio- January 23, 1956

Manon Lescaut- In quelle trine morbide- January 23, 1956

Spanish song- Cantares- November 19, 1956

Stabat Mater- (Rossini)- Inflammatus- November 19, 1956

Adriana- Io son l'umile ancella- March 18, 1957

L'amico Fritz- Son pochi fiori- March 18, 1957

This is an exciting find. Magnificent singing in superlative sound. Please leave your comments, and enjoy this most beautiful of podcasts. All podcasts are also available at www.premiereopera.com

Best wishes,

Ed

Renata Tebaldi gives one of her greatest performances ever in this Act 2 of Madama Butterfly from late December of 1960. The sound quality is very listenable, though there is some audio hum, and the prompter is very audible, since he probably taped this rare gem!!

Just listen and bask in the glory of this gorgeous sound and abounding passion and be thrilled! The final few minutes of the Act, the Humming Chorus, is not here, and was probably not recorded, so you cannot hear the prolonged and frenzy ovation that Tebaldi received. Think of the greatest ovation you have ever seen, and multiply it by 10, and you might be close!!

This is truly the performance of a lifetime!!

Ed

Listen to Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon enchant the audience in

St. Petersburg, Russia in this January, 2006 performance. This audio podcast begins just before Mimi's entrance, and continues to the end of the act. You will hear wonderful singing, and the chemistry that exists onstage between these two great young singers.

Please leave your comments. Sound is a bit low in volume and a bit distant, but it does improve as they launch into their arias.

All podcasts can also be found at www.premiereopera.com

Thanks,

Ed

Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon conquered Russia with this joint operatic concert in Moscow in January of this year. Here is part of their wonderful program. We will hear:

1. Romeo- Ah! leve toi- Villazon

2. Lucia- Regnava nel silenzio- Netrebko

3. Lucia- Act 1 scene-complete- Netrebko & Villazon

4. Manon- St. Sulpice Scene

 

Both soprano and tenor are in wonderful form, and I'm sure you will enjoy this podcast. Please leave comments. All podcasts may also be found at www.premiereopera.com

Thanks,

Ed

These beautifully sung excerpts from Bernstein's monumental West Side Story are truly an American treasure. When sung as they are sung here, this music is as moving and beautful as any Italian opera! Here is the program:

1.  Balcony Scene (Tonight, tonight)   Vroman, Drost

2.  Maria- Drost

3.  One Hand, One Heart- Vroman, Drost

4.  "Tonight" Quintet- Drost, Vroman, Kaye, Martin, Nistico

 

These two voices, Vroman and Drost, are among the very finest of today's crop of young singers. I am sure you will enjoy this podcast.

This and all podcasts are also available at www.premiereopera.com

Thanks, and best wishes,

Ed

There is no description for this file!

Giorgio Tozzi had a long and wonderful career as a leading bass-baritone at the Met and opera houses around the world. Here we present Tozzi in 6 Verdi arias, plus 2 encores. The program is:

1.  Banquo's aria- Macbeth

2.  Ella giammai- Don Carlo

3.  Il lacerato spirito- Simone Boccanegra

4.  Infelice!- Ernani

5.  Tu sul labbro- Nabucco

6.  Oh tu Palermo- I Vespri Siciliani

7.  Gremin's aria- Eugene Onegin

8.  Rosemarie- from Rosemarie by R. Friml

The Tozzi voice was brilliant and resonant, and rang like a bell throughout the theaters in which he sang. It was beautiful in quality, and capable of the most gorgeous piano singing I have ever heard from a bass. He specialized in the Italian repertoire, but also sang French and German roles at the Met and elsewhere.

Bravo Giorgio Tozzi!!

Licia Albanese WAS Madama Butterfly to a couple of generations of opera goers. From her Met debut in 1940, until the Old Met closed it's doors forever in 1966, Albanese sang more performances of Butterfly than any other soprano in the history of the Met.

Jan Peerce was a fine American tenor, with a very long and wonderful career. He was called Toscanini's favorite tenor, and sang with the Maestro often from 1939 until 1954, when Toscanini stopped conducting.

These two often  shared the stage at the Met and other opera houses, and we hear them now in the complete love duet from Puccini's Madama Butterfly.

Please check out our website for this and other CDs, and DVDs at www.premiereopera.com

Thanks, and enjoy!

Ed

Richard Tucker sang often in Buenos Aries. He was there almost every summer in the 60's through the early 70's, and the opera public adored him, as can be heard in these historic performances. Richard Tucker once told me that the public in Buenos Aires loves high notes, so he would hold them "just a little longer" when he sang there. The proof of this is in the listening to this magnificent podcast.

We will hear excerpts with Tucker from the following operas:

La Forza del Destino- 1961

Rigoletto- 1968

Manon Lescaut- 1966

Lucia di Lammermoor- 1972

La Gioconda- 1965

Please feel free to leave your comments, and please check out our website at www.premiereopera.com

Thanks, and enjoy!

Ed

 

Gino Bechi may not have had the longest career, but he was a baritone that "roared." His huge sound thrilled audiences, and made Bechi a national hero in his native Italy. He was so popular that he was featured in some movies.

Here he sings the following selections:

1.  Rigoletto- Cortigiani, vil razza danata- 1941

2.  Rigoletto- Si! Vendetta- w. Gina Bernelli- 1943

3.  Il Trovatore- Il balen del suo sorriso- 1941

4.  La Forza del Destino- Invano Alvaro- w. Lauri-Volpi- 1943

5.  Pagliacci- Prologo- 1946

6.  La Wally- T'amo ben io- 1941

This great performance of the last act of Puccini's Manon Lescaut was given in Caracas in June of 1972. It was the only performance that Olivero and Tucker ever sang together! They were both 60-plus, but you would never know it from listing to this sizzling performance.

Enjoy this wonderful act, and please leave your comments!

Also, please visit our website at www.premiereopera.com

Here, you can access all of our podcasts and view our catalog of thousands of opera performances on DVD and CD.

Thanks!

Ed

The great baritone surprises Molly Goldberg on her 1951 TV show.

 

Richard Tucker and Martina Arroyo gave two operatic concerts in three nights in the San Francisco area in June of 1970. A young James Levine conducted both concerts. The programs were long and challenging, and you will hear Tucker & Arroyo rise to every challange. We are presenting extended excerpts from the concerts, since the two concerts were more too long to fit on a single podcast. Of interest is the Boheme excerpts from Act 1, with both arias and the love duet, since, as far as I know, Arroyo never sang Mimi. She sounds wonderful in this music. Tucker is his usual self, which means the finest tenor singing to be heard for a period of over 30 years! Here is the program. Please enjoy and leave your comments. (The sound is clear but just a bit distant)

1.  Boheme- Che gelida manina- Tucker- 6/17/70

2.  Boheme- Mi chiamano Mimi- Arroyo- 6/17/70

3.  Boheme- O soave fanciulla- Arroyo & Tucker- 6/17/70

4.  Cavalleria- Addio alla madre- Tucker- 6/17/70

5.  Chenier- Vicino a te- Arroyo & Tucker- 6/17/70

6.  Tosca- Vissi d'arte- Arroyo- 6/19/70

7.  Manon Lescaut- Guardate! Pazzo son- Tucker- 6/19/70

8.  Ballo-Ecco l'orrido campo - Arroyo- 6/19/70                                  9.  Ballo- Love duet- Arroyo & Tucker- 6/19/70

10. Ballo- Ma se ma forza perderti- Tucker- 6/19/70

Please leave your comments on this podcast, and visit our website at www.premiereopera.com

Thanks

Ed

Watch Renata Tebaldi & Richard Tucker in a magnificent version of the great final duet from Andrea Chenier, telecast in 1957.

Renata Tebaldi & Jussi Bjoerling in a 1956 televised performance of "O soave fanciulla" from La Boheme.

GIGLI LIVE is the title of our latest podcast, and it contains the most remarkable singing, and some of the earliest and rarest live performanes known to exist. To me, the Gigli voice was the soul and the sunshine of Italy. The most gorgeous tenor sound I have ever heard on records. The man could do anything with his voice, as you will hear here. He earliest selections were done when he was 44 years old, and the latest when he was 60! And all are magnificent. I could go on and on about Gigli, but better you listen to him. Here is the program.

1.  ROMEO- Complete balcony scene w. Favero- Scala 1934

2.  FORZA- Solenne in quest ora- w. Caleffi- Scala 1942

3.  MANON- Il sogno- w. Favero- Scala 1937

4.  TOSCA- Rome 1938 E lucevan le stelle- (first line missing)

5.  CHENIER- Act 1 scene w. Improviso-listed as Scala 1937

6.  FORZA- Act 4 duet with unknown baritone- Buenos Aires 1948

7.  TROVATORE- Unknown venue- 1950 (spectacular!)

8.  ADRIANA- La dolcissimo- w. Olivero- Scala 1940

Please check out our website at www.premiereopera.com

Thanks very much,

Ed

This podcast features great tenors in varied selections. Here is the program:

1.  Bergonzi- M. Lescaut- Pazzo son!- 1961- (Bergonzi is wild here)

2.  Bjorling- Tosca- Recondita armonia- 1959- 10 months before he passed away!

3.  Carreras- Elisir- Una furtiva- 1975- Gorgeous young Jose!

4.  Corelli-Forza-O tu che in seno- 1965- absolutely thrilling!

5.   Del Monaco- Tabarro- Hai ben raggione-1974 Wonderful!

6.   Di Stefano- Faust-Salut demeure-1950- The one & only!!

7.  Domingo- Romeo-Ah! Leve toi- 1974- rare & beautiful!

8.  Gedda-Vespri-Giorno di pianto 1974-For high note freaks!!

9.  Pavarotti-Mefistofele-Giunto sul passo estremo- Magnificent!!

10 Tucker-La Juive-Rachel, quan du Seigneur-Dec. 1974- This incredible performance was sung less than two weeks before Tucker's death on Jan. 8, 1975. It is in a class by itelf, in my opinion, and garnered a 20 minute ovation!!

Please check out our website at www.premiereopera.com 

Thanks, and please leave your comments.

Ed

I am proud to present this magnificent joint concert from 1968, with Montserrat Caballe and Franco Corelli. I was there, and it was truly an evening to remember and cherish. I will list the program below.

1.  Com'e bello!- Lucrezia Borgia- Caballe

2.   Ah la paterno mano- Macbeth- Corelli

3.   Tanti affetti- La Donna del Lago- Caballe

4.   O souverain- Le Cid- Corelli

5.   O Paradiso- L'Africana- Corelli

6.   A Vucchella- Tosti song- Corelli

7.   Ah! degli scanni eterel- Aroldo- Caballe

8.   In quelle trine morbide- Manon Lescaut- Caballe

9.   Vicino a te- Final duet- Andrea Chenier- Caballe & Corelli

 

Please enjoy this magnificent singing, and kindly check out our website at www.premiereopera.com    This CD is listed as CD #635-1

Ed

 

The program below speaks for itself:

LAWRENCE TIBBETT

1.   I got plenty of nuttin'

2.   Oh Bess, Oh Where's my Bess

3.   Ol' Man River

4.   Without a Song

JOHN CHARLES THOMAS

1.   I Love Life

2.   Home on the Range

3.   Open Road

4.   My Hero

LEONARD WARREN

1.   Haul-A-Way, Joe

2.   On the Road to Mandalay

3.   A Little Bit of Heaven

4.   The Lord's Prayer

ROBERT MERRILL

1.   It Ain't Necessarily So

2.   Juanita

3.   If I Loved You

4.   Soliloquy

5.   Io Canto

6.   Love Train

===================================================

It was more than a pleasure putting this podcast together. Four of the greatest voices ever, and all American baritones. Italy may have the top spot with tenors, but America has been #1 for great operatic baritones. In this podcast they shed their opera costumes, and sing, and in some cases, croon! No wonder Merrill was called "Bing Crosby with high notes!!!"

Please leave your comments about this podcast.

And- please check out our website at www.premiereopera.com

Thanks,

Ed

Due to many requests, we are presenting Ballo highlights recorded in 1955. This historical LP was never issued on CD for reasons that I cannot fathom. The cast is the same as the prima of a big revival in January of 1955, except Peerce replacing Tucker because of contractual constraints. Tucker had an exclusive Columbia contract, and they weren't "lending" him out quite yet. It was unfortunate, since Riccardo in Ballo was one of Tucker's great roles, and he never got to record it. Peerce is featured on the complete Ballo conducted by Toscanini from the previous year, 1954, also released by RCA.

The most historical aspect of this big revival was the appearance of the great Marion Anderson as Ulrica, thus becoming to opera what Jackie Robinson was to baseball; breaking the color barrier. Miss Anderson was the first African American to appear at the Met, and her big scena is a major part of this highlight LP.

With Milanov, Peerce, Warren, Anderson, Peters, conducted by the great Mitropoulos, this is a podcast to keep!

Please check our website at www.premiereopera.com

Thanks, and enjoy the Ballo.

Best wishes,

Ed

Richard Tucker and Grace Bumbry were a great team, and sang in many operas together. Included on this podcast are scenes from Samson, Trovatore, Carmen, and Gioconda. Bumbry sings the mezzo roles in all except the Gioconda. This Gioconda was performed in Newark in February of 1974, less than a year before Tucker passed away in January of 1975. His voice is firm, fresh, gorgeous, and ringing. The Bb's to conclude the "Cielo e mar" literally blew the roof off the  house, as you will hear, and drove the audience into a great and prolonged ovation.

Tucker was around 60 for these podcasts performances, and in his 60's for the Gioconda. I have put his aria last on this podcast, because I consider to be the real crowning glory of all the music presented here. I am sure Grace Bumbry would agree.

The two of them make sparks together, and it is a pleasure to present two singers that never recorded commercially together in these live performance excerpts for you enjoyment.

Please leave your comments, and check out our website at www.premiereopera.com    This particular CD is #176 in our CD listings.

Thanks, and best wishes and happy listening to all,

Ed

If there is an opera lover who doesn't like La Boheme, I have yet to meet him/her. My introduction to La Boheme was this very LP, recorded in 1951, and long out of print, and never on CD. It is a hilight album, and features the all star cast of Albanese, Di Stefano, Warren, Munsel. The singing is gorgeous and glorious. Licia Albanese and Giuseppe Di Stefano sang often together at the Met and other theaters in the 1940's and 1950's. Among the operas they appeared in together were Gianni Schicchi, Falstaff, La Traviata, La Boheme, Manon, Madama Butterfly. They never recorded together, save this single LP.

Leonard Warren never sang the role of Marcello, as far as I know. What a luxury bit of casting this is! And Warren sings the high Bb along with Albanese, Di Stefano, and Munsel near the end of the Act 3 quartet!

The last act finale is complete, from the "Sono andate," and features George Cehanovsky as Schaunard and Nicola Moscona as Colline.

Please check out our website at www.premiereopera.com

Thanks, and enjoy, and feel free to leave your comments.

Ed

This magnificent performance of the Covent Scene from Forza is from Vienna in 1974, and is among the very best I have ever heard.

Gilda Cruz-Romo was a perfect Leonora. Beautiful voice, lovely piani, and real involvement in the role. I was fortunate enough to see this great soprano in Forza at the Met, as well as such operas as Ballo, Trovatore, Suor Angelica, Traviata, Tosca, Manon Lescaut, Aida, and more. She was always a complete singer, and one of the very finest sopranos in the world during her wonderful career.

Cesare Siepi sings like a god! This uniquely gorgeous voice was perfect as Guardiano, and here, about 35 years into his truly great career, his singing is still of the highest level possible.

The Melitone is Sesto Bruscantini, and the performance is conducted by Riccardo Muti.

I feel sure you will enjoy this wonderful performance. Please leave your comments, and visit our website at www.premiereopera.com

Thanks

Ed

Here is our longest podcast yet. 55 minutes of great music from La Forza del Destino, recorded by an all star cast in 1955. This LP has been out of print for over 40 years, and was my very first exposure to Forza as a young teenager, in the late 50's. Milanov actually came to the NY studio and only recorded two numbers. First was the act 1 aria, followed by the final trio. Her other selections on this LP release were taken from her great album, "Milanov Sings," recorded two years earlier in 1953. This hilite recording captures her in greater shape than her complete recording of Forza, made in 1958. Her singing is of the grand, grand style and the voice is absolutely gorgeous. Peerce did not sing Alvaro live until about 1962, and did very few performances of the opera, but he is a fine Alvaro as recorded in 1955. Leonard Warren was a towering Carlo, and his singing is magnificent. This is the opera in which he tragically died on stage at the Met in March of 1960. He sets a benchmark for this role. Met bass Nicola Moscona joins Milanov and Peerce for a beautiful final trio.

Please leave your comments on this podcast, and visit our website at www.premiereopera.com

Thanks

Ed

Since I goofed yesterday night, and left out the last 6 minutes or so of the Santuzza-Turiddu duet, I have posted it in this special edition podcast. Now you can enjoy the complete scene, curse and all!!

To complete the podcast, I decided to stay with the team of Tucker/Ross and give you some highlights from a great performance of Turandot given at the old opera house in Philadelphia, by the now extinct Philadelphia Grand Opera Co. This was a white-hot performance, and I was lucky enough to have been there. The sound is fair, but the performance is unsurpassed.

As always, please leave your comments, and thanks for listening.

Check out our website at www.premiereopera.com

Ed

On Easter Sunday I am happy to present a rare performance of Cavalleria Rusticana. It was given at the outdoor Robin Hood Dell in Philadelphia in early July of 1973. Richard Tucker is Turridu, always one of his greatest roles, but one which he sang infrequently after 1970, when he first undertook Canio in Pagliacci. He is simply magnificent here. Elinor Ross is his equal as Santuzza. She was under-rated, and gives a real verismo, gutsy Santuzza, sung with a warm, rich, beautiful tone. Matteo Manuguerra is the Alfio, and a better one I have never heard. The conductor is the late Alfredo Silipigni, and he was always a Maestro who seemed at his best in verismo.

We present the opera abridged for this podcast, with most all of the major vocal portions present.

This particular performance is available at www.premiereopera. com under CD number 126-1.

Please enjoy this wonderful performance, and kindly leave your comments. Thank you, and a Happy Easter, and Passover, to all.

Ed

This is truly one of the great live Butterfly performances that exist on recording. Scotto is in her very prime, in this, perhaps her most famous and greatest role. The 26 year old Jose Carreras produces vocal gold the likes of which are rarely heard. They blend beautifully in the great love duet, and both cap the duet with a soaring high C.
This one is a keeper!

It can be found on our website as CD #150.

Website: www.premiereopera.com

Thanks, and enjoy, and leave comments, please

The great Marilyn Horne is featured on this podcast. Miss Horne has earned a worldwide following by virtue of her glorious voice, incredible technique, and technical ability, her warm, good natured manner, and for being one of the very greatest mezzo sopranos of all time. It is an honor to present her in these selections.

First we present two selections from a concert given on Feb. 6, 1975. This concert featured many of the biggest names in opera, and was presented as a tribute to Richard Tucker, who had passed away less than a month earlier. Horne sings the beautiful "Mura felice" from La Donna del Lago, and a sensuous, gorgeous "Mon coeur" from Samson. This is followed by the big mezzo scena from L'assedio di Corinto, from La Scala on April 14, 1969. She simply stopped the show, and stole the show!

We complete our Marilyn Horne podcast with selections from "Americana" songs. One very simple, and the other two quite bravura. But they are all sung as if written for the one and only, truly great, Marilyn Horne. Enjoy this, and please leave your comments. Thanks.

Please check our website at: www.premiereopera.com

Ed

 

Due to unprecedented demand (my mother) I am publishing this podcast for your interest and amusement. (Hopefully not too much of the latter!!) These were all impromtu and totally unrehearsed, as you can probably tell.

The frist two selections are from 1975. Katia and Jose would come by with a few others, and would just want to sing, like two kids. (They were both still in their 20's!) Jose had never seen the music before for either the Trovatore excerpt (final trio, where he sings a full voiced high Db at the end) nor the Forza duet from the final act, but his voice is simply magnificent.

The last two selections are from an opera night at Le Belle Epoque restaurant in 2001. Charlie and I, in the (in)famous "duetti di pirati" of "Suoni la tromba" from Puritani, followed by the Nile Scene duet from Aida, where my absoltuely golden voiced daughter is none other than the great Aprile Millo, who was in the audience and got up and sang because she is so nice and so special. Again, nothing was rehearsed!

I am now waiting for the wisecracks, but all in all, these were fun times for me, and I do hope you enjoy them. They were fun, and have much great singing from the famous names.

My motto for this is, "It's my podcast, and I'll play what I want to!!" Seriously, enter into the fun of the occassions, and you'll find things to enjoy, and also laugh about, in a good natured way.

Ed

In this podcast, Richard Tucker lends his magnificent voice to the famous, "schmaltzy" Viennese songs that have been loved for over a century. You will recognize the melodies, in their updated English translation.

Following this, Tucker sings Neapolitan songs, as only he can. I have never heard these songs sung more beautifully and convincingly by an non-Italian tenor, and most Italian tenors!! The final selection, "Rondine al nido," was a personal favorite of Tucker's. He once told me that if he had to be remembered by only one song,  or aria, this would be the one!!

Please check out our website at www.premiereopera.com for thousands of great performances, and thanks to all of you for your wonderful e-mails and posted comments.

Ed

It is difficult to believe that it has been about 20 years since Aprile Millo made her Met debut as a very young soprano. When I first heard her, in 1985, I realized there here was a soprano that sang in the style of the "old school" of Ponselle, Muzio, and Tebaldi.

Today she is the only remaining exponent of that glorious style. Her gorgeous voice imbues the music with such emotion and passion as to take one's breath away. Millo's very recent triumph in such operas as Adriana, Gioconda, Fanciulla, Zaza have shown a new side and a growth in artistic level. Her recent Ballo at the Met showed us that she is still, today, the reigning Verdian soprano.

I am proud to live in the era where I can see Aprile Millo sing, just as I saw her great predecesors, Zinka Milanov and Renata Tebaldi. Both of these great ladies were admirers of Aprile Millo, as are countless thousands of others today.

Brava, Millo!!!

Ed

Cesare Siepi was simply the greatest bass voice I ever heard live. His rich sound has not been matched since he stopped singing, and probably never will.

In this podcast, taken from a very rare TV recital from 1962, Siepi himself announces his program before each selection. Only the audio portion is known to exist from this telecast.

The entire CD is available from Premiere, though it hasn't been assigned a number yet.

Please go to www.premiereopera.com and view our thousands of CDs and DVDs. 

Thanks,

Ed

1.  Faust- Avant de quitter ces lieux- 1949 recording

2.  Hamlet- O vin dissipe la tristesse- 1946

3.  Herodiade- Vision fugitive- 1946

4.  Hoffmann- Scintille diamant- 1949

5.  Thais- Te souvient- w. Kirsten- 1947

These beautiful, early recordings of the great Robert Merrill show the rich baritone sound that was at his command while still in his 20's!! I cannot imagine anyone singing these selections more beautifully than Merrill does, and, except for Faust, these are all from operas in which he never appeared. Listen and savor the magnificent voice of Robert Merrill.

Visit our website at www.premiereopera.com for our listings of CDs and DVDs. Thanks.

Ed

Our podcast today features Caballe & Tucker in the following program:

1. Manon Lescaut- Act 2 duet- Tu, tu, amore, tu- Buenos Aires 1966

2. Manon Lescaut- Guardate! Pazzo son- Tucker- B. Aires 1966

3. Ballo- Love duet- Philadelphia concert 1971- taped in house

These performances catch the soprano and tenor in the white heat of live performance, and they both deliver the goods as only they could. In Manon Lescaut, Tucker was singing his favorite role of Des Grieux, and really tearing his and our hearts out in his especially passionate and thrilling "Pazzo son." Both he and Caballe are moving and involved in the Act 2 duet from this opera, and the Ballo duet is equally thrilling and passionate, capped with a great top C from both Caballe and Tucker.

Please visit our website at www.premiereopera.com for performances just like this on CD & DVD. Thanks, and enjoy. Please leave your comments.

Ed

The singing of the young Di Stefano on these selections is magical. Faust, Boheme, Favorita, with encore, and Cor 'ngrato will stay with you forever. The Faust contains the famous diminuendo on the high C. It is one of the most talked about moments in live opera ever. Listen and hear the finest lyric tenor singing imaginable! The Great Pippo!!

Here is the great Franco Corelli in duet with the equally great Giulietta Simionato, and the equally great Robert Merrill. The Ugonotti scena is legendary, and defies description. It is some of the greatest live singing ever. Listen, and be thrilled! As a filler, I have included the famous tenor-baritone duet from Gioconda with Robert Merrill, who certainly matches Corelli decibel for decibel. Two great voices making magnificent music together. Both duets were from 1962. It was a very good year!! Please vist our website at www.premiereopera.com and check out our performances on DVD and CD. Thanks. Ed

Some of the greatest tenor singing I have ever hear is that of Richard Tucker as Johnson in Fanciulla del West. The thrust and beauty of the voice is really awesome, and the "Italianita" is palpable. Especially wonderful is Tucker's moving interpertation of the "Or son sei mesi" from Act 2. The easy transitions around the difficult passaggio area are astounding, and the entire line of high B's, "La mia vergogna, ahime!" is one of the most thrilling sounds from any singer any time. The entire line of high Bb's are as trumpet from heaven, drowning out an entire Puccini orhestra thundering full blast. Listen to these excerpts and enjoy thrilling tenor singing at it's finest. Thanks. Ed

No baritone that I heard sang Verdi better than Cornell MacNeil at his best. The voice was dark and bright at the same time. The legato was magnificent, and the soft singing was amazing for a voice of this size. As for his top notes, they had to be heard to be believed, and you will get a good idea here in these live performances. First is Luisa Miller from Palermo, 1963, with the aria and cabaletta capped by a huge high Ab. Next is an Eri tu from Ballo given in Buenos Aires in 1965, where the soft high F's are very special, and finally, MacNeil's greatest "hit" aria- the Act 3 solo from Ernani. This would always drive audiences into a frenzy, wheter in Italy, or at the Met, or anywhere else. This Rome performance from 1961 drives the Italians into delirium. Listen and enjoy. This was a very special and very great singer.

The great baritone Leonard Warren died tragically onstage at the Met during a performance of La Forza del Destino in March of 1960. On this podcast, we hear Warren in his absolute prime singing arias from Pagliacci, Rigoletto, and Forza. The dark hued voice was capped by an incredible top, as can be heard in all these selections. I had the good fortune to see Warren live about 20 times in his last few seasons. I saw him in Pagliacci, Forza, Rigoletto, Traviata, Tosca, Boccanegra, and other works. I'm sure all of you will enjoy this edition of the Premiere Opera Podcast. To check out catalog, please go to www.premiereopera.com

Tenor Jan Peerce had a long and wonderful career. Our first selection is from a somewhat noisy transcription of Peerce on the radio in 1935. The singing of the beautiful Irish song, "Macushla," is magnificent, and worth putting up with the scratchy surfaces on the original. After this we have two pristine copies of songs recorded in 1950. First of these is another Irish song, in a sort of belated St. Patrick's Day celebration. The song is "When you and I were young, Maggie." This is followed by the old chestnut "Bless this house." These songs and many others were heard by many opera singers when I was growing up. Sadly, today we rarely if ever hear them. I hope you enjoy and please leave your comments. Thanks. Ed

The great Renata Tebaldi is heard at her greatest in three arias by Puccini. Recorded live in her very prime, 1954, I don't think any soprano ever has sung these arias as beautifully as Renata Tebaldi does here. This is for you to enjoy, and download on your ipod if you have one.BTW, you do not need an ipod to listen to this podcast. Just click and make sure your computer speakers are turned on. You will never hear singing like this again. Listen and revel in the incredible singing of the truly great Renata Tebaldi. She will never be forgotten. Ed

Franco Corelli drove audiences into frenzies, as one can hear by these excerpts. First we have the great tenor aria from Forza del Destino, and the audience really goes wild at the end of the most exciting singing imaginable by Corelli. Following the Forza aria is almost the entire Act 1, scene 1 from Don Carlo. Corelli holds high notes til the cows come home, but it is so thrilling that he has the audience eating out of his hands. Joined by baritone Mario Sereni, the scene ends with the famous tenor-baritone duet, which Corelli ends with a glorious high C. Again, the audience is in a frenzy, and you wll be, too, after you have listened to this. Franco Corelli was most definitely one of a kind, and his like shall not come our way again. How lucky we were to have had him on our opera stages, and how lucky I was to have heard him live countless times. Enjoy! Ed

The song "Thine Alone" from Victor Herbert's "Eileen" was one of Tucker's favorite recordings. His voice is utterly magnificent in this incredibly taxing piece, and the second verse is trasposed UP a half tone! This is a rare recording, as it was only available as a 78rpm. "Yours is my heart Alone" was part of an album if operetta numbers recorded in stereo in 1967, and here, 17 years after the first selection the voice is identically beautiful. Enjoy this example of the great voice and great artistry of Richard Tucker.

Magnificent Zinka Milanov in two of her greatest roles: Gioconda ("Suicidio!) and Aida ("O patria mia"). The recordings were made in 1953. Enjoy!! Ed

The Epilogue from Boito's Mefistofele with Carlo Bergonzi and Nicolai Ghiaurov, from NYC in 1968. Both singers are at their absolute best!!

Villazon previews his Lenski for us in the beautiful aria from Onegin in live concert, followed by La Danza! Then we have the great Gigli is astonishing scenes from both Manon and Manon Lescaut. Listen and be thrilled!!

Renata Tebaldi and Richard Tucker in a scene from Puccini's "Manon Lescaut."

Arias from "Don Carlo" and "Pagliacci."

Ed Rosen presents the Premiere Opera Podcast.