Happy Birthday Kirsten Flagstad
The Norwegian dramatic soprano, often called “the voice of the century,” was born 115 years ago today. The hard-working singer became a sensation “overnight” when, after the first act of her Met debut as Sieglinde, she was hailed by intermission commentator Geraldine Farrar as a new star.
To celebrate Mme. Flagstad’s birthday, an act from one of her greatest roles in what may be its finest performance ever: the first act of Tristan und Isolde from Covent Garden in the spring of 1937.
Tristan: Lauritz Melchior
Isolde: Kirsten Flagstad
Brangäne: Karin Branzell
Kurwenal: Paul Schöffler
Ein Seemann: Parry Jones
The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London; June 22, 1937. Conductor: Thomas Beecham.
The one voice that drove me wild (in a positive way) no matter how “piggy” or “tasteless” the singing was….. just the sound of this voice in the theater was enough for me–a unique experience.
That voice was was MdM’s.
Heh when you referenced “piggy” singing, I couldn’t help but think about this…unique singer. Bizarro World Top 5 material, jump to 2:45 for the goodness.
ughh, i want to punch him right in the face. Sorry, I’m usually very pleasant, but he really is insipid.
Mary Tyler Moore sang?
MTM was in a musical version of Breakfast at Tiffany’s that closed out of town before reaching Broadway.
…and Mario Del Monaco was the founder of the principalty that bears his name.
The Boston Globe told its readers that Moore was ‘not merely terrible as Holly but atrocious, as miscast as a television celebrity can be in a Broadway musical’.
http://www.musical-theatre.net/html/cdreviews/breakfast.html
It actually closed on Broadway after four previews. Richard Chamberlain (who did have a bit of a singing career) was her co-star. Sally Kellerman co-starred as Meg Wildwood, but also was Moore’s understudy for Holly.
http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=12867
Her “O Mira Norma” (opposite Betty White’s Adalgisa) was unforgettable.
Hehehehe
Betsy – see what you started?
ME !?! What did I do?
Now don’t you play all innocent, missy!
Never takes responsibility for her actions….
She can be seen singing in the “Thoroughly Modern Millie” movie. The studio denied she was dubbed, but it’s probably significant that her solo song was cut.
Love her, she didn’t just create mountains of sound, she ‘sang’ Wagner. Also, one voice I would list as the greates of the 20th century would be Victoria de los Angeles.
I’m not going to even try with the top five voices thing — I’d end up with a 20-way tie.
A great performance! who could failed to be thrilled by the plangent tenor of Parry Jones?
Totally off topic, but did anyone read the NY Times article on MTT’s conducting of the BSO at Tanglewood over the weekend? It is quite good to read in print that the companies (Met & BSO) employing Levine need to start thinking about his replacement…soon.
Yes….
And i was somewhat saddened. (BUT SOME-ONE HAS TO SAY IT…).. by AT’s uncaracteristic brutal bluntness, vis-a-vis Jimmy’s current unfortunate predicament(s)…
I can only hope that Maestro Levine is able to leave the performing realm, in a blazing form of GLORY…before it really is TOO LATE……
(ditch the BSO, FIRST…Maestro….!!!)
Yep, I read it NYCOQ, and you did not have to dig too much between the lines to get the message — Levine is out this Autumn for the Met and maybe BSO too.
Something going on there; we must not forget that Levine has other serious medical issues aside from the “bad back,” such as neurological disease causing tremor and periods of blanking out, which have been discussed in public many times.
Punk, I think he should ditch one of his jobs and keep whichever is the easiest
on him, and I suspect that would be BSO – to be the easier, I mean. But I bet
Levine prefers opera, his first love.
I do not see a good compromise. Yes, it is sad.
Six months ago, I was sharply criticized (well, at least as sharply as it is possible to criticize anyone who refuses to take responsibility for her actions) for saying that we have heard the last performance by Maestro Levine. I stand on what I said.
I think that Levine has to make some decisions this fall. Let’s see if he can come back from his surgery but something’s gotta give. As much as he loves opera, he’s been doing the job for an awfully long time. If he were going to pick just one job, I think the BSO would be more rewarding. Barring a complete and astonishing recovery, I think that Levine needs to step down from the Met and take on the position of Music Director Emeritus or something like that. Do one or two productions a year, focusing on projects that are especially dear to him.
I read once (and never again since) that for a considerable period of her career, Flagstad was deaf from an ear infection. Is there any truth to the matter?
What?
It struck me that we don’t have many youtube clips in this thread. So, let’s enjoy some Flagstad together.
As Elsa:
As Isolde:
As Beethoven’s Leonore:
As Dido:
My dad worked with Bernard Miles at the old Mermaid Theatre in the 60s. Famously, Miles managed to persuade Flagstad to come and sing Dido at a theatre which wasn’t yet built.
Apparently Flagstad came to visit the site one day when a couple of carpenters were finishing off some of the stage. Miles used to tell the story of how he’d said to them ‘Bert, Charlie, this is the greatest singer in the world. Flagstad, this is Bert and Charlie.’
And the final of the four last songs which Flagstad premiered.
httv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIt8VTA-9Sc
Let’s try that again:
Well, at this point I have to shamelessly admit that it is no coincidence that Madame Flagstad is one of the greatest singers of all time- we (she and I) share a birthday…so perhaps there’s something in that for all of us!
Felicitations of the day, Ruxton. Or wait, what side of the International Date Line are you on? Felicitations of the yesterday, Ruxton. Tomorrow.
Thank you dear Betsy Ann- because I’m below the equatorial belt the 12th was actually yesterday here- but as the date is identical I shall never shy away from claiming the glory
“Mother” springs to mind.