Peacock, indeed!
POSTED at
12:45 AM
12 January 2008
be a benefactor
previously on parterre
Colleagues
-
AndrewAndJoshua
Barihunks
Cafeteria Rusticana
Civic Center
Counter/Point3.0
DesignerBlog
Diva of the High C's
Donald Collup
Handelmania
Il Corriere della Grisi
ionarts
Iron Tongue of Midnight
Judycast
Likely Impossibilites
Marginalia
Met Futures
My Favorite Intermissions
Night after Night
NYC Opera Fanatic
Operacast
Opera Chic
operavision
PlaybillArts
Premiere Opera
Sieglinde's Diaries
Sounds and Fury
The Last Debate
The Rest is Noise
Trrill
Una butaca en el paraíso
Vilane fille
Wellsungs
Willy or Won't he?
- Subscribe / RSS
30 Comments:
I almost feel silly to say it, but my first guess is Tetrazzini, based on the recording...but the writing style makes me think Melba; those two ladies of that time period being the most well-known to our modern selves.
There are some truly lovely things stylistically and interpretatively in the recording...a certain element of style that truly has been lost in today's world. I wish we younger singers could learn how to recapture that, but perhaps it is lost over so many generations.
Don't think its Tetrazzini ITDCS - I keep thinking its Melba too.
but on second thoughts its not- Melba was long before this one I think.
Bias cut ... Isn't that more suitable for the slimmer figure?
Mary Garden?
This is the great Muzio if I am not mistaken. The most special and heartfelt voice of them all. Brava Claudia!
Nelson Eddy.
I too thought Muzio the minute I heard it.
Well, I've checked many recordings of that period and don't think I found the right one. Melba it isn't as she never, in any of her many recorded versions of the pice, stresses "sola" on the last sillable "solA'" like in this version. Alos, I agree the she didn't cut a particularly slim figure! Nor am I convinced it is Muzio ( a likely candidate though she is), nor Farrar, Bori, Favero, Garden, Moore, Gluck. Maybe it's Kurz, but I have no recording of her... I'm sure some of the incredibly knowledgeable contributors will tell us soon...
I vote Alma Gluck.
It sounds like something that either Farrar or Garden would have said. It could also be Melba.
Frances Alda.
Come on, guys! You need to study your classics better... LOL This has *got* to be Frances Alda and an excerpt from her AMAZING book, "Men, Women and Tenors"... She certainly was not a boring singer! And you haven't lived until you have heard her sing "Amor, celeste ebbrezza" from Catalani's "Loreley".
Yep. Alda was a wonderful singer, one of my favorite sopranos of the acoustic era (along with Tetrazzini and Bori). Her whole memoir has just that teasing tone, and she's not at all coy about who she was sleeping with.
Took two notes, Muzio for sure. One of her earliest recordings.
I'm seconding (thirding... fourthing) the Frances Alda. There's a Miserere on iTunes that sounds just like her.
Definitely Frances Alda.
Whoever it is, it certainly isn't Muzio- she didn't publish a book as far as I know, and if she had, I doubt it would read like that.
I'm in the Alda camp.
And- listening to it again- I don't think it's the work of a native Italian speaker. Certainly not one who used the words with as much bite as Muzio did.
Lisa Hirsh, I agree, I think you've got it! Frances Alda! It certainly is not sung by a native Italian singer, the voice isn't great and the fraseggio sloppy... so "Kiri's auntie" it is!?
Renaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay. I knew she was lying about her age.
http://cultureonthecheap.wordpress.com
I'm such a fool. Alma///Alda.
I thought I was saying Frances Alda, but I typed Alma Gluck. Yes, Frances Alda.
It is Alda, from her memoire.
It is indeed the very frank voice (literary as well as musical) of Madame Frances Alda. The "Vionnet" story is from her book Men, Women and Tenors, an online version of which may be found here.
And here is the official site of the House of Vionnet.
Of course, La Hersch is right. You can tell instantly from the Aussie accent, the rhythmic mistakes, and the 'whiteness' of the highest notes, which though full, are a little flat (she did not like to vibrate so she sounds 'under'). The handling of the final 'rancor' is also Alda, with that beautifully judged carrying of the tone without a 'swoop'. She had the most wonderful voice, and her earlier records are mostly gorgeous, even if she never got her Italian dead on.
I like some of her stories about Toscanini 'dropping by' for tea or baseball (!) and their dissing other singers. She was certainly man eater (!) enough to get him to come (over) but one wonders about the rest...
I thought perhaps Melba but I know one of her recordings of Donde lieta and she would have scoffed at the technical "imperfections" of this singer. I wouldn't have thought of Muzio but after seeing comments from those with a more encyclopedic knowledge oof gofen age singers, I do remember reading that while she was very self-conscious about her height, she was a superb and knowledgeable clothes horse. If you don't know Muzio's recording of O del mio amato ben, it's to die for.
I knew who it was before I listened to the recording - I read a good chunk of Men, Women, and Tenors some years ago. I thought the voice much too bright and high-placed for Muzio and the style too warm for Melba. (Sorry! Her Puccini strikes me as chilly. One of those Great Operas at the Met sets has Melba's "Mi chiamo Mimi" right next to Bori's, and the difference in musicality and warmth is staggering.)
Mrs John.. sweet lady I dare to correct you- la Alda was every inch a Kiwi (from NZ born in Christchurch) and then moved to Melbourne in her teens I believe. As an NZer living in OZ I can tell you that there is a huge difference in the accents in this part of the world although to American ears perhaps they do sound similar (ouch). Kiwis clip their vowels horrendously- Aussies drawl out their words with an exaggerated "oi" sound on the "E"- it is also horrendous.
Aussies like to laugh at Kiwis because they think they are simple minded and parochial. Kiwi's like to laugh at Aussies because they think Aussies are brash, rude and lacking class.
Both Nationalities are correct. :) but we are still proud of our friendship.
Bjork.
Don't forget that Alda got (married) Gatti, till he took up with an Italian ballerina.
Just saw "Die Mommie Die" this past weekend in which the faaaabulous Charles Busch orchestrated the same kind of effect with one of his costumes. The audience went wild, of course. You've got me thinking what a marvelous Tosca he'd make.
Post a Comment
<< Home