parterre box

28 comments

• rapt says:

  Since no one else has mentioned it, I’ll note that Crawford apparently took singing lessons from Ponselle, with operatic ambitions. I’m embarrassed to admit to having used brain cells to archive this information.

  on September 4, 2009 at 1:37 PM
• Graciella Scusi says:

  @14 Thanks, Will….I admit my head has been spinning with so many strong and opposing posts in the past about Puccini’s alternate endings. I would actually like to see the video or DVD and how they managed the ending visually.

  on September 4, 2009 at 1:44 PM
• messa di voce says:

  # 4: Joan DID “do” Wagner.

  #7: Joan certainly did Verdi.

  And, we’re told, every male on the MGM lot, including Rin Tin Tin.

  on September 4, 2009 at 1:54 PM
• justanothertenor says:

  For the record:
  Puccini wrote two endings to Rondine. Although there are three editions of the score.

  The one used in recordings is the first edition, generally (Maazel is exactly edition 1). The only main difference between the first edition (1917) and the second (1920) is the insertion of Ruggiero’s aria in act I (“Parigi e la citta dei desideri) which Alagna inserted for the Pappano recording.

  The third edition has a different ending. HOWEVER, the third edition was never finished. The alternate ending was completed, and is available in Europe as an Appendix to the Sanzogno edition (as is the inserted Ruggiero aria.) It must be noted, nevertheless, that this alternate ending was never scored for orchestra. Given that much of it is the same as the original ending, one can use that orchestration in certain passages. For the rest, an orchestration must have been done by a third party prior to the LA production, I don’t know who took care of it.

  on September 4, 2009 at 3:37 PM
• Harry says:

  At least it is better than the ending Mascagni used for the figure Iris in that same titled opera. Threw herself ….down a sewer! One assumes one, (‘without water, as well). How unromantic!

  on September 4, 2009 at 4:25 PM
• kashania says:

  A sewer?!? Heavens!

  on September 4, 2009 at 4:41 PM
• Graciella Scusi says:

  A sewer? Which brings us back full circle to Joan aka Lucille LeSueur.

  on September 4, 2009 at 5:56 PM
• ilpenedelmiocor says:

  Sorry to be so off topic, but may I just say that I adore Regine Crespin? Thanks for the lead, LC.

  on September 5, 2009 at 4:21 AM