Ethiopian blends Ethiopian blends

Anticipating the first new local Aïda in thirty-six years, Chris’s Cache revisits Verdi’s popular opera in four unusually interesting in-house recordings from the Met 1961-1976.

Easter vigilantes Easter vigilantes

Chris’s Cache celebrates an “Easter in October” gala with five special pirate recordings of Cavalleria Rusticana from the Met featuring four prima donnas whose Santuzze never got a Saturday broadcast and one whose did: Giulietta Simionato, Fiorenza Cossotto, Régine Crespin, Rita Hunter and Mignon Dunn.

Thoughts on <em>Andrea Chénier</em>: the greats Thoughts on <em>Andrea Chénier</em>: the greats

Quite simply, the singers are not around today who are steeped in the tradition of verismo, or for that matter the later part of the 19th century.

Thoughts on <em>La Gioconda</em>: Tebaldi Thoughts on <em>La Gioconda</em>: Tebaldi

Renata Tebaldi had one major advantage over Milanov and Callas (and most other sopranos): she was Italian.

Pearls of great Price Pearls of great Price

Anticipating Leontyne Price’s 96th birthday on February 10, Chris’s Cache presents the American diva in an epic collection of live performances.

Sierra grande Sierra grande

I realized I hadn’t yet posted anything featuring one of the “Queens of the Bootlegs,” so I now correcting that with Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West starring the great Magda Olivero as Minnie.

minnie, legal at last

The heroic forces of VAI ride to the rescue once more with a cleaned up release of one of the most coveted (and pirated) live opera telecasts: the NHK Lirica Italiana production of La fanciulla del West, starring the luminescent Antonietta Stella. Â