parterre box

94 comments

• Henry Holland says:

  A fabulous opera composer, easily in the top tier with Monteverdi, Mozart, Wagner and Verdi. Sure, I could easily live my life contentedly without ever going to hear one of his operas again, but that’s because as a young opera queen in the late 80′s/90′s, I went to everything and this being the opera wasteland that is America, a lot of those “everything”‘s were Puccini. My favorite: Domingo and Dame Gwyneth in a wonderful La Fanciulla del West in Los Angeles. Dame Gwyneth had no problems with those orgasmic high notes at the end of Act 2.

  on December 22, 2009 at 1:54 PM
  • danpatter says:

    I saw that Fanciulla and it was truly magnificent. Minnie came riding in on a railroad handcar (instead of a horse) at the end. The audience cheered. I do believe Gwyneth Jones’ high C in “Laggiu nel Soledad” was the loudest high note I ever heard live – and I hasten to add that I saw Nilsson a number of times, so I have some frame of reference. Also, there was an audible gasp in the audience when the “Phantom of the Opera” music appeared. Justino Diaz was good in this as well. Ah, memories!

    on December 22, 2009 at 10:15 PM
    • Camille says:

      I concur, about the loudness, that is.

      In the review of the aftermath, Martin Bernheimer wrote something like this…”Dame Jones emitted notes that peeled the paint off the Dorothy Chandler pavilion”.

      Terribly afraid to say that I bailed after the second act; not to my taste so I am now sorry I missed the handcar entrance. I prefer a horse.

      A year or two later, her Faerberin in FRoSCH was just right, and she fabulously swathed herself in veils in the second act as she exited, taunting her poor hubby as if she had not managed to look in her datebook, and had mistaken the opera for Salome. That woman had a
      way with veils.

      Also, fabulous was the way she threw the errant fishies back into the frying pan when they descended from the heavens and fell flat on the floor.

      No fish was going to f***k with Dame Gwyn! She got a round of applause.

      on December 23, 2009 at 12:30 PM
• tatiana says:

  Amen to that! Every year I can, I visit Lucca and Torre del Lago in Italy and pray a little “thank you” to Maestro Puccini. The Toscanini recording of “Boheme” gave me my operatic epiphany and all of Puccini’s operas have moved and thrilled me countless times in the 30 years since. Happy Birthday! Auguri per un compleanno felice!

  on December 22, 2009 at 2:07 PM
• CruzSF says:

  Thank you for that video.

  on December 22, 2009 at 2:10 PM
• Alto says:

  Seeing that video makes me repent. In the ‘seventies my buds and I used to complain about Scotto and her omnipresence at the Met. We speculated about what she must have on Levine. (We were later to learn.)

  But what we’d give to have her now!

  on December 22, 2009 at 2:32 PM
  • CruzSF says:

    What did she have?
    Thanks for answering the question I was about to ask: is this Scotto?

    on December 22, 2009 at 2:57 PM
    • Alto says:

      She is said to have bailed him out when arrested on certain charges.

      on December 22, 2009 at 3:46 PM
      • CruzSF says:

        Good for her. I guess it pays to be nice, especially if timed stratgically.

        on December 22, 2009 at 3:50 PM
      • squirrel says:

        this is bullshit, everybody knows that these rumors are an urban legend. go put gerbils in Richard Gere’s arse.

        on December 22, 2009 at 3:57 PM
      • mrsjohnclaggart says:

        Thank you Squirrel. I know of two different thorough investigations of Levine, funded by two then rich magazines in the 90′s, both conducted by vastly experienced ex vice cops, one had done a lot with the FBI and they both knew everybody. They found NOTHING, not even ‘off the record’ from investigators or district attorneys who would have known if something had happened, if not willing to admit it openly.

        You cannot ‘seal’ it if someone has been arrested for anything, let alone investigated for child molestation. An arrest stays on someone’s record, though the charge at the arraignment may have been plead down to something vague, such as loitering with intent or even vagrancy. That only means the arrested person gets out on bail for the time being, but at the discretion of the DA an investigation commences and new charges can be leveled.

        There was NO record of Levine EVER being arrested for anything, and no indication that he had been detained or otherwise identified as a ‘person of interest’ in a potentially criminal matter. NONE, NADA. You CANNOT, I repeat, cleanse someone’s record of those things, not with all the money and bribes in the world.

        When Benjamen Britten was ‘detained as a person of interest’ in 1954 concerning his name appearing on the list of an arrested madam of a boy brother, and again on suspicion of homosexual conduct (then totally against the law in England even if private) the records were not hidden or expunged, despite his deep connections with the Royal Family, and highly connected members of society. Nothing came of the interrogation(s) of Britten (though he had a nervous breakdown). But the record of official suspicion and (mild) police action is there.

        In Levine’s case there is NOTHING anywhere. Nor would someone with his money and connections have needed anyone to bail him out. The stories about whoever — Scotto, Bumbry, Troyanos, Stratas, Ewing are just some of the names I’ve heard — are bullshit. Not only do/did those of them I know/knew deny it and even laugh at the idea, but none needed Levine to make a living. He had sufficient assets to provide his own bail and no doubt would have had a lawyer on call to come immediately and expedite his hearing and release (and that lawyer would have had the clout to plead down to an innocuous charge).

        There is NO smoke, thus no fire. What CAN be sealed are records and findings in a investigation if the accuser or if he is a child his legal guardian withdraws any accusation, an investigation turns up no proof, or if a settlement is reached out of court. Victims of criminal behavior have accepted large payouts from perpetrators and signed confidentiality agreements, which are legally binding. That could be between perp and vic without the authorities’ involvement and thus would be hidden. But it would be impossible to hide that a pending civil matter had been settled, though details and records and any evidence accumulated in the matter could be sealed. There is NOTHING on Levine.

        So the outrageous stories about Levine are vicious slander period, and the whole allegation smacks of homophobia, ignorance and stupidity.

        I am not saying that Levine has behaved impeccably in all professional circumstances; there was some well founded gossip about him luring possibly naive young male musicians with vague promises of something or other (it was said with what truth I don’t know that a messy involvement of this kind got him in trouble in England long ago). But they were ALL of consenting age, if such things happened at all, and agreed to anything that happened. In a fancy restaurant I once ran into a Met board member who hated Levine. Levine was there with his brother, and they both had blond dates. “Look at him,” she hissed, ‘with those Children.” But the dates were ‘twinks’, probably in their early twenties, that they were hardly ‘children’ was perfectly obvious. Before his physical set backs Levine had been seen is bars in NYC, where drinking age is 21 and for young looking males proof has to be offered at the door.

        The accusations and the repeating of the rumors are homophobic and vicious. They are lies. Though Levine lived with a woman, and never came out, he did not really hide the nature of his sexual interests (younger MEN). Some of the rumors are ‘punishment’ for not coming out. Whether he should have, could have and had his career and so on are different discussions.

        on December 23, 2009 at 1:50 AM
• Nemorinopr says:

  Querida LaCieca: Thanks for that homage to the Maestro through the voice of La Scotto. She understood the Puccini line like no one. She is still MY Butterfly, My Liu…and My Gilda! We are so lucky to have experienced her in the theater…
  And, Maestro: ¡FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS!

  on December 22, 2009 at 3:02 PM
  • Will says:

    I understand your enthusiasm, but I believe a case could be made for ladies with names like Albanese and Tebaldi, among some very illustrious predecessors, knowing the Puccini line very well indeed, and in truth every bit as well as Scotto.

    on December 22, 2009 at 4:28 PM
    • Nemorinopr says:

      You are right, Will….And Dorothy Kirsten, and Gilda Cruz-Romo, and Diana Soviero…and, and….

      on December 22, 2009 at 5:34 PM
      • CruzSF says:

        I heard a clip of Kirsten as Tosca where the famous aria was “Vissay d’arta.” I hope that was a one-off.

        on December 22, 2009 at 5:56 PM
      • Nemorinopr says:

        CruzSF: Try listening to Verrett when she sings the italian letter E. She could never master it.

        on December 22, 2009 at 6:39 PM
      • CruzSF says:

        As fallible as they are, they still sing rings around me. Thus, I love them.

        on December 22, 2009 at 6:44 PM
      • Lindoro Almaviva says:

        Crus: You know thwt Dorothy Kisrten recorded a “complete” Tosca right? There are also several airchecks from SFO and maybe the Met. I have the studio on MORC (Metropolitan op[era record Collector) and it is badly cut, but not a bad performance.

        on December 23, 2009 at 12:31 AM
      • CruzSF says:

        Lindoro, I didn’t know that about Kirsten. I’d heard her Vissay d’arta at the Opera News Website. They have a page of clips with different singers’ rendition of the aria, going all the way back to Maria Jeritza.

        I’ve never heard of MORC. I’ll look it up.

        on December 23, 2009 at 2:05 AM
      • richard says:

        MORC stands for Metropolitan Opera Record Club,
        a venture from the 50s when Book-of-the-Month
        type plans were very popular.

        I don’t know if you needed to “subscribe” or if you could purchase the LP sets individually.

        The opera were abridged and cast mostly with Met singers that didn’t have exclusive record contracts.

        Here’s more information from Mike Richter who made a CD ROM compilation of the entire set.

        http://www.mrichter.com/opera/files/morc.htm

        on December 23, 2009 at 9:17 AM
      • rapt says:

        I love that MORC recording–conducted by Mitropolous! (which makes the cuts all the more infuriating). Kirsten’s technical security and dramatic grasp of the role make the best case for an opera I often find hard to take.

        on December 23, 2009 at 10:54 AM
      • Lindoro Almaviva says:

        Cruz: Click on my name, send me a message through my blog and I might be able to help you listen to some of that recording.

        on December 23, 2009 at 1:22 PM
  • Jay says:

    Re: the maestro, it’s most definitely not vicious slander. However, I hope the topic is dropped forewith and the privacy of all is respected.

    on December 23, 2009 at 9:01 AM
    • mrsjohnclaggart says:

      But then you slander him anyway with an unsubstantiated claim. What does ‘most definitely’ mean in your post? Do mean that Levine was arrested and needed a soprano to bail him out (NO proof and improbable in any case)? Do you mean he got involved with a class of people (those under the ‘age of consent’ in a given state – keeping in mind the ‘age of consent’ is a legal construct. It is 16 in NJ, just across the river is is 17 in NY. It is 15 nearly everywhere in Europe, younger in a few places.) And that landed him in trouble? How is it not ‘vicious’ to repeat what as far as I know is slander on an anonymous board without evidence (and you are repeating it, while pretending to ‘guard’ his privacy).

      It’s true that when he died, John Dexter had a 14 year old “lover”. He’d done time in England on the charges one would expect. But he was not bothered in USA. Since he and Levine were colleagues at the Met it’s possible people repeated stories of the incorrigible Dexter, but substituted Levine’s name because he was better known. It should never have been brought up and I believe the actual claims as they are usually stated are false but it doesn’t respect the man’s privacy to repeat the claims with anonymous assurance.

      on December 23, 2009 at 10:12 AM
    • Cassandra says:

      If you have no proof of what you’re discussing, then accusations concerning Levine are quite clearly slanderous and if written here, libelous.

      In the years I’ve worked in this business, I’ve never seen actual proof of any of these claims, and Levine is simply not powerful enough, nor was he powerful enough at the time, to overcome such charges. We’ve seen much larger celebrities fall for much, much less. Look at what’s happening right now to Tiger Woods and Eliot Spitzer for example.

      Levine would not have been able to avoid such charges as have been rumored to be leveled at him. The New York DA DOES NOT PLAY when it comes to these sorts of charges, no matter how politically connected Levine might be or have been. I scoff at the idea of Renata Scotto, a singer who is no richer than Levine (certainly less so at this point,) and someone who is neither a citizen of this country nor someone who wields political power or authority in this city, bailing him out of jail for such charges and then blackmailing him with knowledge of what he did for some roles well past her prime. It’s deeply insulting to Scotto to even allege this, and she’d probably (deservedly) slap you in the face for even saying something like that to her. The whole thing is just ridiculous, and is an absurd urban legend.

      Do you honestly think Levine had so much power he was not able to only buy off the NY DA’s office, but the investigators, the judges, the law clerks, and the entire NY newspaper industry which of course would have caught wind of this and immediately printed anything, especially concerning a wealthy gay man sitting in a seat of artistic power at one of the most revered institutions of the social elite? The NY press loves nothing more than a good scandal and they would have eaten him and the Met board alive. Lay off the dry martinis for a minute and think about it. Come on. Whatever its failings, the Met is not the Catholic church.

      It’s really time to let it go. Making accusations of this sort is a very dangerous thing, and it’s not funny or cute. If you have no proof, you are playing a very ugly game, and no, “I heard it from someone who heard it from a guy who is dating the daughter of one of the makeup artists backstage” is not proof.

      on December 23, 2009 at 11:40 AM
  • operaguy says:

    Scotto’s Tosca was also wonderful, at least in the theatre. Unfortunately, I don’t think she ever sang it in New York – just on the MET tour in 1984 when I spent one Saturday in D.C. seeing Horne-Ramey-Valente-Raffanti in Rinaldo in the afternoon and Scotto-Milnes-Mauro-Tajo (under Levine) in the evening.

    on December 23, 2009 at 5:29 PM
• squirrel says:

  VIVA PUCCINI!!

  on December 22, 2009 at 3:33 PM
• Countervail says:

  I love to listen to Eva Marton’s Puccini from the 1980s. Beautemous. Not the most subtle interpretations but I think that’s why I love them so. And Scotto in the flower duet from Butterfly. But here is my new favorite video of a Puccini interpretation and the decorations are appropriate for the season.
  

  on December 22, 2009 at 4:06 PM
• CruzSF says:

  Has anyone here purchased the Puccini set released by Decca called “The Great Opera Collection”? If you have, do you recommend it? (If the set was reviewed at Parterre, could someone point me to the month and year it was reviewed? thanks.)

  on December 22, 2009 at 4:15 PM
  • Lindoro Almaviva says:

    I have the EMI version. it has:

    Caballe-Domingo Manon Lescaut. Fantastic recording.

    Freni-Gedda Boheme. Better than the overblown Karajan

    Callas-Bengonzi Tosca. Not as well sung, but thrilling

    Bjorling-de los Angeles Butterfly. I did not expect to like this recoirding this much.

    B. Nillson-Joao Gibin Fanciulla. Not heard it yet

    Angela & Roberto Gheorghiu in Rondine. Better than expected.

    Ghuleghina-Schicoff Tabarro. Not heard it yet

    Gallardo Domas as Angelica. Pretty Decent.

    Gobbi-de los Angeles Schicchi. ’nuff said.

    Nilsoon-Corelli-Scotto Turandot. My favorite version.

    on December 22, 2009 at 4:41 PM
    • CruzSF says:

      Thanks, Lindoro. The Decca set is pretty heavy on Tebaldi. I don’t know about that Nilsson “Fanciulla,” but at the very least, it’ll be different.

      on December 22, 2009 at 5:20 PM
      • danpatter says:

        The Nilsson FANCIULLA was a last minute replacement. Originally to have been a Callas/Gobbi recording (I think with Corelli) but sadly, that was not to be. However, this version has its compensations. Nilsson learned the part for this recording (and then promptly forgot it – Bing begged her to take it on when Leontyne Price abandoned the role in mid-season but she insisted she had never really learned it). Gibin and Mongelli are decent and Nilsson a strong contender – her pitch never falters and the singing if often glorious. Not the first choice for a FANCIULLA recording, perhaps, but none of them are perfect. Still, I’d rate the Tebaldi recording at the top of the list. Yes, I know the drawbacks, but it still works the best.

        on December 22, 2009 at 10:24 PM
      • CruzSF says:

        Did Callas ever sing Minnie? Somehow, I have difficulty imagining her in the role.

        on December 22, 2009 at 10:47 PM
      • quoththemaven says:

        Cruz–Callas never sang Minnie. It would have been like several other roles she sang on record, but not in the theater–Puccini’s Manon, Mimi, Forza. Actually, I think it’s just as well she didn’t make that recording–her top had become pretty unreliable by 1959, and it’s a role that calls for lots of high, loud singing.

        I have a real soft spot in my heart for the Nilsson recording. She is vocally stupendous, and Matacic creates a lot of excitement in his conducting.

        on December 23, 2009 at 12:31 PM
    • Henry Holland says:

      Nilsson-Corelli-Scotto Turandot. My favorite version

      It’s too bad the conducting is so poor. WTF was Leinsdorf doing conducting that cast, RCA had no good Italian conductors on call?

      on December 23, 2009 at 1:47 PM
      • operaguy says:

        Leinsdorf conducted the Nilsson-Bjoerling-Tebaldi – I believe Molinari-Prandelli did the Nilsson-Corelli-Scotto. The RCA was recorded in July of 1959 and was probably scheduled for Mitropoulos, who became sick in January of 1959 (when he cancelled for the premiere of Macbeth, which became Leinsdorf’s as well). I always wonder what that Macbeth could have been as originally cast: Warren-Callas-Mitropoulos, as well as production of Turandot that Stokowski eventually took over.

        on December 23, 2009 at 5:12 PM
  • Harry says:

    Cruz SF: Being an avid collector of complete recordings where ‘more is not enough’,(Puccini and…. everything else) I would buy both the Decca and the EMI sets, if your budget can stretch. To think the prices people had to pay to buy any one of them individually, when they were first released…!

    Remember also that Sony in their ….’Sony Opera House Series’…… is starting to also release a flood of top complete operas individually at budget prices. Check their website under that above named listing, for present releases and see all the ones ….listed as forthcoming. All at super budget price bracket; enough to make collectors drool!
    All the Columbia/Sony material PLUS the RCA operas which they acquired control over.. What a bonanza!

    on December 23, 2009 at 10:05 AM
    • Will says:

      Actually, Mongelli is my very favorite Rance. It’s not necessarily a great voice but it’s loaded with character. He’s a wonderful vocal actor; his “Buona Notte!” is laced with both venom and a kind of disgust that hints he could just possibly realize his adored Minnie had cheated.

      Why didn’t we get more Matachic operas on disc? He was a highly skilled and theatrically alive conductor–along with the singers he has, you can practically see this Fanciulla being played out in front of you as it comes from the speakers.

      on December 23, 2009 at 12:48 PM
• Lindoro Almaviva says:

  Oh God, where to start? For me the ultimate Puccini singing comes in Scotto’s EMI Butterfly and in a very close 2nd her Liu. I might as well mention is because posting it would be impossible. Also the O soave fanciulla on the Solti-Caballe-Domingo Boheme is sublime.

  Another moment that gets me every time is the final scene of Angelica, specially in the Popp recording:

  http://www.adrive.com/home/downloadfile/273071286

  Runner ups would be:

  Kabaivanska singing Vissi d’arte
  

  Lorengar singing In quelle trine morbide
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKd9DNWRyVg

  on December 22, 2009 at 4:25 PM
  • Lindoro Almaviva says:

    Here’s another try at the links that didn’t work:

    Popp in the last scene of Angelica:
    http://canbelto.wordpress.com/files/2009/12/03-senza-mamma-puccini-suor-angelica.mp3

    Lorengar in manon lescaut
    

    on December 22, 2009 at 4:43 PM
    • Nemorinopr says:

      Mio caro Lindoro: Thanks for this video. Lorengar came from that spanish school of singing grounded in mastering dinamics. No matter what critics say, I loved that voice! There’s a 1973 Met Broadcast of Lorengar and Tucker in Boheme that I wish Sirius would make available instead of all the in between crap they give us every week. The III act quartet is sublime. If not mistaken, the conductor was R. Lewis.

      on December 22, 2009 at 5:48 PM
      • mrmyster says:

        Do you mean H. Lewis?
        I loved Lorengar; a very superior
        artist. To hear her voice paired
        with today’s Calleja would be
        a Golden Age treat!

        on December 22, 2009 at 6:34 PM
      • Nemorinopr says:

        Yes…HENRY Lewis. Horne’s ex

        on December 22, 2009 at 6:41 PM
• Olivero is my Drug of Choice says:

  on December 22, 2009 at 4:43 PM
  • Olivero is my Drug of Choice says:

    I saw Scotto do all three heroines of Il Trittico with the “Met on Tour” back in 1976 at Boston’s Hynes Auditorium. Thus began a long career of Diva Worship

    on December 22, 2009 at 4:45 PM
    • Olivero is my Drug of Choice says:

      I remember her ambling about on a curved top boat in Il Tabarro in 6 inch come fuck me pumps…..should it have been any other way?

      on December 22, 2009 at 4:51 PM
      • MontyNostry says:

        How did she get all that sound out of that tiny ribcage? Her Giorgetta is a dangerous woman. And that top C isn’t pretty, but it’s really THERE. (Mr Moldoveanu should have taken off his wedding ring, though.)

        on December 22, 2009 at 6:09 PM
      • richard says:

        Ha,ha. I remember her hopping around the barge in Tabarro in those platform heels.

        But Scotto always wore those kinds of shoes, even when she was in her Butterball phase…they gave her some height and she was very short.

        on December 22, 2009 at 6:10 PM
  • kashania says:

    Scotto really is magnificent in this clip!

    on December 23, 2009 at 11:36 PM