Shirley Dearest
A belated happy birthday to Shirley Verrett, who so far as La Cieca knows never appeared in such operatic rarities as Gianni Chitarra, La femmina sulla spiaggia or even Che fine ha fatto Baby Jane?
Had it not been for the allergies, though…
Thanks for remembering La Verrett’s birthday, Cieca. She was the bomb!
La Mamma Carissima would make one hell of an opera. Imagine, “Christianna, portimi l’ascia!”
She did, however, excel in the aria d’agilità Nessun ganci del legare!
I’ve been listening to the OONY La favorita with Verret and Kraus. She’s sensational.
Are we supposed to see Shirley and Joan, or Shirley and Fay, or Shirley with Fay as Joan? I assume someone will post a comment about wire hangers and/or Bonnie Parker.
The Woman on the Beach? I don’t get that one….
Having seen La Verrett on stage as Selika, Dalila and Norma (!), my favorite Verrett is still Lady Macbeth in the Belgian film of the Verdi she made with Leo Nucci. Very atmospheric and true to period. Vocally she’s amazing and because she performs to a prerecorded soundtrack is freed of the facial contortions so noticeable in her live performances, especially in the higher soprano roles. It’s easier to see here what a powerful actress she can be.
GjmSFOpera:
The 1955 Crawford vehicle Female on the Beach.
“What makes the film so special is the calculated abandon with which it was put together. No one seemed to care that the storyline involves a male hustler being pimped by an older couple with the unlikely names of Osbert and Queenie (Cecil Kellaway and Natalie Schafer). Few films of this era have such built-in gay camp awareness—and starring Joan Crawford, no less!”
Gianni Chitarra & Che fine ha fatto Baby Jane?…. 2 of the greatest XX century operas
If La Mamma Carissima (Mommy Dearest) were really an opera, I think S. Verrett would do great in the Joan Crawford/Faye Dunaway role. I can just hear her succession of high G-flats as she sings “No wire hangers!!” with rising A-naturals on ‘EVER!’”.
Seriously, instead of that dreadful First Emperor, the Met should have requested someone make Mommy Dearest into an opera. Now, THAT I would pay exorbitant ticket prices to see.
I wonder who else would be great in the Joan Crawford role? Guleghina?
Saw her Salika and Orfeo – I still remember the moment before she turned to face Euridice (Pilar Lorengar) – it was heartbreaking and set the mood for Che faro. To this day I can still hear those cries of Euridice. She was an incredible artist and I understand an equally incredible teacher.