Unnatural Acts of Opera Archives - 2006

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I cavalieri di Ekebu (Zandonai) Acts 3 and 4 Giosta Berling - Mirto Picchi; La Commandante - Fedora Barbieri; Anna - Rina Malatrasi; Sintram - Antonio Zaccaria; Cristiano - Giampiero Malaspina; Samzelius - Bruno Cioni; Liecrona - Mario Carlin; Ostessa - Maria Amadini; Una Fanciulla - Nicoletta Panni; Un Cavaliere - Arrigo Cattelani. Coro e Orchestra Sinfonica della RAI di Milano; Alfredo Simonetto. Milan, January 16, 1957.

I cavalieri di Ekebu (Zandonai) Acts 1 and 2 Giosta Berling - Mirto Picchi; La Commandante - Fedora Barbieri; Anna - Rina Malatrasi; Sintram - Antonio Zaccaria; Cristiano - Giampiero Malaspina; Samzelius - Bruno Cioni; Liecrona - Mario Carlin; Ostessa - Maria Amadini; Una Fanciulla - Nicoletta Panni; Un Cavaliere - Arrigo Cattelani. Coro e Orchestra Sinfonica della RAI di Milano; Alfredo Simonetto. Milan, January 16, 1957.

Der Rosenkavalier (R. Strauss) Act 3 Jarmila Novotna (Octavian), Maria Reining (Feldmarschallin), Jaro Prohaska (Ochs), Hilde Gueden (Sophie), Georg Hann (Faninal), Stefanie Holeschovsky (Marianne), Peter Klein (Valzacchi), Dagmar Hermann (Annina), Helge Rosvaenge (Saenger), Georg Monthy (Polizeikommissar), William Wernigk (Haushofmeister), Alfred Muzzarelli (Notar), William Wernigk (Wirt). Salzburg, 29 August 1949. Wiener Philharmoniker; Georg Szell.

Der Rosenkavalier (R. Strauss) Act 2 Jarmila Novotna (Octavian), Maria Reining (Feldmarschallin), Jaro Prohaska (Ochs), Hilde Gueden (Sophie), Georg Hann (Faninal), Stefanie Holeschovsky (Marianne), Peter Klein (Valzacchi), Dagmar Hermann (Annina), Helge Rosvaenge (Saenger), Georg Monthy (Polizeikommissar), William Wernigk (Haushofmeister), Alfred Muzzarelli (Notar), William Wernigk (Wirt). Salzburg, 29 August 1949. Wiener Philharmoniker; Georg Szell.

Der Rosenkavalier (R. Strauss) Act 1 Jarmila Novotna (Octavian), Maria Reining (Feldmarschallin), Jaro Prohaska (Ochs), Hilde Gueden (Sophie), Georg Hann (Faninal), Stefanie Holeschovsky (Marianne), Peter Klein (Valzacchi), Dagmar Hermann (Annina), Helge Rosvaenge (Saenger), Georg Monthy (Polizeikommissar), William Wernigk (Haushofmeister), Alfred Muzzarelli (Notar), William Wernigk (Wirt). Salzburg, 29 August 1949. Wiener Philharmoniker; Georg Szell.

Maria Callas in concert La Vestale (Spontini): Tu che invoco; Macbeth (Verdi): Nel di della vittoria ... Vieni, t'affretta; Il barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini): Una voce poco fa; Mefistofele (Boito): L'altra notte; La boheme (Puccini): Quando m'en vo'; Hamlet (Thomas): A vos jeux. Maria Callas, soprano; Nicola Rescigno, conductor. Los Angeles, November 29, 1958.

Esclarmonde (Massenet) Act 4 In celebration of the 80th birthday of Dame Joan Sutherland, a performance from the San Francisco Opera, November 8, 1974. Clifford Grant (The Emperor Phorcas), Joan Sutherland (Esclarmonde), Huguette Tourangeau (Parseis), William Harness (Eneas), Giacomo Aragall (The Chevalier Roland), Philip Booth (Cleomer, King of France), Robert Kerns (The Bishop of Blois), Gary Burgess (Saracen envoy / Byzantine herald). Richard Bonynge, conductor.

Esclarmonde (Massenet) Act 3 In celebration of the 80th birthday of Dame Joan Sutherland, a performance from the San Francisco Opera, November 8, 1974. Clifford Grant (The Emperor Phorcas), Joan Sutherland (Esclarmonde), Huguette Tourangeau (Parseis), William Harness (Eneas), Giacomo Aragall (The Chevalier Roland), Philip Booth (Cleomer, King of France), Robert Kerns (The Bishop of Blois), Gary Burgess (Saracen envoy / Byzantine herald). Richard Bonynge, conductor.

Esclarmonde (Massenet) Act 2 In celebration of the 80th birthday of Dame Joan Sutherland, a performance from the San Francisco Opera, November 8, 1974. Clifford Grant (The Emperor Phorcas), Joan Sutherland (Esclarmonde), Huguette Tourangeau (Parseis), William Harness (Eneas), Giacomo Aragall (The Chevalier Roland), Philip Booth (Cleomer, King of France), Robert Kerns (The Bishop of Blois), Gary Burgess (Saracen envoy / Byzantine herald). Richard Bonynge, conductor.

Esclarmonde (Massenet) Act 1 In celebration of the 80th birthday of Dame Joan Sutherland, a performance from the San Francisco Opera, November 8, 1974. Clifford Grant (The Emperor Phorcas), Joan Sutherland (Esclarmonde), Huguette Tourangeau (Parseis), William Harness (Eneas), Giacomo Aragall (The Chevalier Roland), Philip Booth (Cleomer, King of France), Robert Kerns (The Bishop of Blois), Gary Burgess (Saracen envoy / Byzantine herald). Richard Bonynge, conductor.

Maria de Rudenz (Donizetti) Part 2 The second and third acts of the opera, with Katia Ricciarelli (Maria di Rudenz), Sylvia Baleani (Matilde di Wolf), Leo Nucci (Corrado Waldorf), Alberto Cupido (Enrico), Giorgio Surjan (Rambaldo). Coro e Orchestra del Teatro La Fenice di Venezia; Eliahu Inbal. December 21, 1980.

Maria de Rudenz (Donizetti) Part 1 Katia Ricciarelli (Maria di Rudenz), Sylvia Baleani (Matilde di Wolf), Leo Nucci (Corrado Waldorf), Alberto Cupido (Enrico), Giorgio Surjan (Rambaldo). Coro e Orchestra del Teatro La Fenice di Venezia; Eliahu Inbal. December 21, 1980.

Regine Crespin in Recital Wolf: Blumengruss; Der Schaefer; Die Sproede; Anakreons Grab; Epiphanias; Mignon I, II and III; Philine; Kennst du das Land Debussy: Le Promenoir des deux amants: Aupres de cette grotte sombre; Crois mon conseil, chere Climene; Je tremble en voyant ton visage Milhaud: Poemes Juifs (exc.): Chant d'amour; Chant de forgeron; Chant de nourrice Rosenthal: Chansons du Monsieur Bleu: Quat' et trois sept; L'elephant du Jardin des Plantes; Fido, Fido; Le petit chat est mort; La souris d'Angleterre Encores: Berlioz: Le spectre de la rose Poulenc: Fetes galantes Wolf: Ich hab' in Penna Regine Crespin, soprano; John Wustman, piano. Hunter College, New York City, November 11, 1967.

Dalibor (Smetana) Act 3 Leonie Rysanek (Milada); Eberhard Waechter (Vladislav); Lotte Rysanek (Jitka); Ludovico Spiess (Dalibor); Oskar Czerwenka (Budivo); Adolf Dallapozza (Vitek); Tugomir Franc (Richter). Wiener Staatsoper; 18 October 1969; Josef Krips.

Dalibor (Smetana) Act 2 Leonie Rysanek (Milada); Eberhard Waechter (Vladislav); Lotte Rysanek (Jitka); Ludovico Spiess (Dalibor); Oskar Czerwenka (Budivo); Adolf Dallapozza (Vitek); Tugomir Franc (Richter). Wiener Staatsoper; 18 October 1969; Josef Krips.

Dalibor (Smetana) Act 1 Leonie Rysanek (Milada); Eberhard Waechter (Vladislav); Lotte Rysanek (Jitka); Ludovico Spiess (Dalibor); Oskar Czerwenka (Budivo); Adolf Dallapozza (Vitek); Tugomir Franc (Richter). Wiener Staatsoper; 18 October 1969; Josef Krips.

Thomas Stewart 1928 - 2006 A tribute to the American bass-baritone, who died September 24, 2006.

Madama Butterfly (Puccini) Act 3 Butterfly: Renata Scotto; Suzuki: Franco Mattiucci; Kate Pinkerton: Luciana Palombi; B.F. Pinkerton: Renato Cioni; Sharpless: Alberto Rinaldi; Goro: Franco Ricciardi; Yamadori: Silvio Maionica; Bonzo: Vito Susca. Orchestra Sinfonica e Coro di Torino della RAI; Arturo Basile: Conductor. Recorded in 1967.

Madama Butterfly (Puccini) Act 2 Butterfly: Renata Scotto; Suzuki: Franco Mattiucci; Kate Pinkerton: Luciana Palombi; B.F. Pinkerton: Renato Cioni; Sharpless: Alberto Rinaldi; Goro: Franco Ricciardi; Yamadori: Silvio Maionica; Bonzo: Vito Susca. Orchestra Sinfonica e Coro di Torino della RAI; Arturo Basile: Conductor. Recorded in 1967.

Madama Butterfly (Puccini) Act 1 Butterfly: Renata Scotto; Suzuki: Franco Mattiucci; Kate Pinkerton: Luciana Palombi; B.F. Pinkerton: Renato Cioni; Sharpless: Alberto Rinaldi; Goro: Franco Ricciardi; Yamadori: Silvio Maionica; Bonzo: Vito Susca. Orchestra Sinfonica e Coro di Torino della RAI; Arturo Basile: Conductor. Recorded in 1967.

Talk Like a Pirate Day! Avast ye, cher public! La Cieca salutes Talk Like a Pirate Day with music from "The Pirates of Penzance" and "Maria Stuarda" (?)

Don Giovanni (Mozart) Act 2 Don Giovanni: Tito Gobbi; Il Commendatore: Josef Greindl; Donna Anna: Ljuba Welitsch; Don Ottavio: Anton Dermota; Donna Elvira: Elisabeth Schwarzkopf; Leporello: Erich Kunz; Masetto: Alfred Poell; Zerlina: Irmgard Seefried. Vienna Philharmonic; Wilhelm Furtwaengler. Salzburg Festival, July 27, 1950.

Don Giovanni (Mozart) Act 1 Don Giovanni: Tito Gobbi; Il Commendatore: Josef Greindl; Donna Anna: Ljuba Welitsch; Don Ottavio: Anton Dermota; Donna Elvira: Elisabeth Schwarzkopf; Leporello: Erich Kunz; Masetto: Alfred Poell; Zerlina: Irmgard Seefried. Vienna Philharmonic; Wilhelm Furtwaengler. Salzburg Festival, July 27, 1950.

Ingrid Bjoner and Astrid Varnay Saluting sopranos Ingrid Bjoner and Astrid Varnay, in scenes from Die Frau ohne Schatten, 1976.

Tribute to Astrid Varnay The celebrated dramatic soprano Astrid Varnay died earlier this week in Munich. She was 88 years old. A few highlights from her 55 year career can be heard in this podcast. Included are scenes from Die Walkure, Tannhauser, Elektra, Der Fliegende Hollander, Der Rosenkavalier, Parsifal, Siegfried, and Tristan und Isolde.

Aida (Verdi) Act 4 Gilda Cruz-Romo (Aida), Carlo Bergonzi (Radames), Mignon Dunn (Amneris), Gian Piero Mastromei (Amonasro), and Kiri te Kanawa (Sacerdotessa). Covent Garden 12 April 1973; Sir Charles Mackerras.

Aida (Verdi) Act 3 Gilda Cruz-Romo (Aida), Carlo Bergonzi (Radames), Mignon Dunn (Amneris), Gian Piero Mastromei (Amonasro), and Kiri te Kanawa (Sacerdotessa). Covent Garden 12 April 1973; Sir Charles Mackerras.

Aida (Verdi) Act 2 Gilda Cruz-Romo (Aida), Carlo Bergonzi (Radames), Mignon Dunn (Amneris), Gian Piero Mastromei (Amonasro), and Kiri te Kanawa (Sacerdotessa). Covent Garden 12 April 1973; Sir Charles Mackerras.

Aida (Verdi) Act 1 Gilda Cruz-Romo (Aida), Carlo Bergonzi (Radames), Mignon Dunn (Amneris), Gian Piero Mastromei (Amonasro), and Kiri te Kanawa (Sacerdotessa). Covent Garden 12 April 1973; Sir Charles Mackerras.

Il Bravo (Mercadante) Act 3 Dino Di Domenico (II Bravo), Adelisa Tabiadon (Teodora), Janet Perry (Violetta), Sergio Bertocchi (Pisano), Stefano Antonucci (Foscari), Leonardo de Lisi (Capellio), Ambrogio Riva (Marco), Giuseppe De Matteis (Luigi), Maria Cristina Zanni (Michelina). Orchestra Internazionale d'Italia, Slovak Philharmonic Choir of Bratislava; Bruno Aprea.

Il Bravo (Mercadante) Act 2 Dino Di Domenico (II Bravo), Adelisa Tabiadon (Teodora), Janet Perry (Violetta), Sergio Bertocchi (Pisano), Stefano Antonucci (Foscari), Leonardo de Lisi (Capellio), Ambrogio Riva (Marco), Giuseppe De Matteis (Luigi), Maria Cristina Zanni (Michelina). Orchestra Internazionale d'Italia, Slovak Philharmonic Choir of Bratislava; Bruno Aprea.

Il Bravo (Mercadante) Act 1 Dino Di Domenico (II Bravo), Adelisa Tabiadon (Teodora), Janet Perry (Violetta), Sergio Bertocchi (Pisano), Stefano Antonucci (Foscari), Leonardo de Lisi (Capellio), Ambrogio Riva (Marco), Giuseppe De Matteis (Luigi), Maria Cristina Zanni (Michelina). Orchestra Internazionale d'Italia, Slovak Philharmonic Choir of Bratislava; Bruno Arpea.

Isabeau (Mascagni) Parts 2 and 3 Isabeau: Marcella Pobbe; Ermynthrude: Renata Davini; Ermyngarde: Amelia Bazzani; Giglietta: Licia Galvano; Folco: Pier Miranda Ferraro; Re Raimondo: Rinaldo Rola; Cornelius: Orazio Gualtiero; Il Cavaliere: Piero Francia; L'araldo: Piero Benzi. Orchestra sinfonica di Sanremo; Tullio Serafin. January 13, 1962.

Elisabeth Schwarzkopf Tribute Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, 1915 - 2006.

Isabeau (Mascagni) Part 1 Isabeau: Marcella Pobbe; Ermynthrude: Renata Davini; Ermyngarde: Amelia Bazzani; Giglietta: Licia Galvano; Folco: Pier Miranda Ferraro; Re Raimondo: Rinaldo Rola; Cornelius: Orazio Gualtiero; Il Cavaliere: Piero Francia; L'araldo: Piero Benzi. Orchestra sinfonica di Sanremo; Tullio Serafin. January 13, 1962.

Maria Stuarda (Donizetti) Act 3 Maria Stuarda: Barbara Frittoli, Elisabetta: Anna Caterina Antonacci, Anna Kennedy: Rachel Hynes, Giorgio Talbot: Jonathan Lemalu, Roberto, Conte di Leicester: Paul Charles Clarke, Lord Guglielmo Cecil: Christopher Purves. Scottish Chamber Orchestra; Sir Charles Mackerras. Edinburgh, August 14, 2002.

Maria Stuarda (Donizetti) Act 2 Maria Stuarda: Barbara Frittoli, Elisabetta: Anna Caterina Antonacci, Anna Kennedy: Rachel Hynes, Giorgio Talbot: Jonathan Lemalu, Roberto, Conte di Leicester: Paul Charles Clarke, Lord Guglielmo Cecil: Christopher Purves. Scottish Chamber Orchestra; Sir Charles Mackerras. Edinburgh, August 14, 2002.

Maria Stuarda (Donizetti) Act 1 Maria Stuarda: Barbara Frittoli, Elisabetta: Anna Caterina Antonacci, Anna Kennedy: Rachel Hynes, Giorgio Talbot: Jonathan Lemalu, Roberto, Conte di Leicester: Paul Charles Clarke, Lord Guglielmo Cecil: Christopher Purves. Scottish Chamber Orchestra; Sir Charles Mackerras. Edinburgh, August 14, 2002.

La forza del destino (Verdi) Act 4 Renata Tebaldi (Leonora), Fedora Barbieri (Preziosilla), Mario del Monaco (Alvaro), Aldo Protti (Carlo), Renato Capecchi (Melitone), Cesare Siepi (Guardiano), Teatro Communale di Firenze, Dimitri Mitropoulos. June 3, 1953.

La forza del destino (Verdi) Act 3 Renata Tebaldi (Leonora), Fedora Barbieri (Preziosilla), Mario del Monaco (Alvaro), Aldo Protti (Carlo), Renato Capecchi (Melitone), Cesare Siepi (Guardiano), Teatro Communale di Firenze, Dimitri Mitropoulos. June 3, 1953.

La forza del destino (Verdi) Act 2 Renata Tebaldi (Leonora), Fedora Barbieri (Preziosilla), Mario del Monaco (Alvaro), Aldo Protti (Carlo), Renato Capecchi (Melitone), Cesare Siepi (Guardiano), Teatro Communale di Firenze, Dimitri Mitropoulos. June 3, 1953.

La forza del destino (Verdi) Act 1 The hand of fate gives little JJ his big chance, when he gets to introduce this podcast. Renata Tebaldi (Leonora), Fedora Barbieri (Preziosilla), Mario del Monaco (Alvaro), Aldo Protti (Carlo), Renato Capecchi (Melitone), Cesare Siepi (Guardiano), Teatro Communale di Firenze, Dimitri Mitropoulos. June 3, 1953.

Gotterdammerung (Wagner) Act 3 Alles was ist, endet. Brunnhilde - Kirsten Flagstad; Siegfried - Max Lorenz; Gunther - Josef Herrmann; Hagen - Ludwig Weber; Gutrune - Hilde Konetzni; Woglinde - Magda Gabory; Wellgunde - Margherita Kenney; Flosshilde - Sieglinde Wagner. Teatro alla Scala, Milano, April 4, 1950. Conductor: Wilhelm Furtwangler. Gotterdammerung at Wagneroperas.com.

Gotterdammerung (Wagner) Act 2 La Cieca, or rather the content of this podcast, redefines the word "special." Brunnhilde: Astrid Varnay; Siegfried: Bernd Aldenhoff; Hagen: Ludwig Weber; Alberich: Heinrich Pflanzl; Gunther: Hermann Uhde; Gutrune: Martha Modl. Festspielhaus Bayreuth, August 4, 1951. Conductor: Hans Knappertsbusch. Gotterdammerung at Wagneroperas.com.

Gotterdammerung (Wagner) Act 1 The beginning of the end, with Birgit Nilsson singing the high C's. Brunnhilde: Birgit Nilsson; Siegfried: Wolfgang Windgassen; Hagen: Josef Greindl; Gunther: Thomas Stewart; Gutrune: Ludmilla Dvorakova; Waltraute: Martha Modl; 1. Norne: Marga Hoffgen 2. Norne: Annelies Burmeister; 3. Norne: Anja Silja. Festspielhaus Bayreuth, 1967. Conductor: Karl Bohm. Gotterdammerung at Wagneroperas.com.

Siegfried (Wagner) Act 3 What creates the "Grand Opera Buzz?" Well, for La Cieca, it involves the third act of Siegfried, with Dame Gwyneth Jones as Brunnhilde. From Bayreuth, 1980, Pierre Boulez conducts. Siegfried: Manfred Jung; Wanderer: Donald McIntyre; Erda: Ortrun Wenkel. Siegfried at Wagneroperas.com.

Siegfried (Wagner) Act 2 La Cieca goes into the woods with Wilhelm Furtwangler and the RAI Orchestra in this performance from November 1953. Siegfried: Ludwig Suthaus; Mime: Julius Patzak; Wanderer: Ferdinand Frantz; Alberich: Alois Pernerstorfer; Fafner: Josef Greindl; Waldvogel: Rita Streich. Siegfried at Wagneroperas.com.

Siegfried (Wagner) Act 1 We forge ahead with a performance from Covent Garden, September 1957. Siegfried: Wolfgang Windgassen; Mime: Peter Klein; Wanderer: Hans Hotter. Conductor: Rudolf Kempe. Siegfried at Wagneroperas.com.

Die Walkure (Wagner) Act 3 Golden-voiced Stimmdiva Helen Traubel dons the Valkyrie helment. New York, November 1945. Wotan - Herbert Janssen; Sieglinde - Irene Jessner; Helmwige - Doris Doree; Gerhilde - Maxine Stellman; Ortlinde - Irene Jessner; Rossweisse - Doris Doe; Grimgerde - Martha Lipton; Waltraute - Jeanne Palmer; Siegrune - Herta Glaz; Schwertleite Anna Kaskas. Artur Rodzinski, conductor. Die Walkure at Wagneroperas.com.

Die Walkure (Wagner) Act 2 Enter Brunnhilde, in the person of Martha Modl. Wotan: Hans Hotter; Fricka: Georgine von Milinkovic; Sieglinde: Gre Brouwenstijn; Siegmund: Wolfgang Windgassen; Hunding: Josef Greindl. Gran Teatre del Liceu Barcelona, April 4, 1955. Conductor: Josef Keilberth. Die Walkure at Wagneroperas.com.

Die Walkure (Wagner) Act 1 Come in, collapse on the hearth, have a sip of mead, and listen to Part 2 of Wagner's Ring cycle in a performance from Bayreuth, 1967. Conductor: Karl Bohm. Siegmund: James King; Sieglinde: Leonie Rysanek; Hunding: Gerd Nienstedt.. Die Walkure at Wagneroperas.com.

Das Rheingold (Wagner) "From the womb of Night and Death was spawned a race that dwells in Nibelheim." Part 1 of Wagner's Ring cycle in a performance from Bayreuth, August 11, 1951. Wotan: Sigurd Bjorling; Donner: Werner Faulhaber; Froh: Robert Bernauer; Loge: Walter Fritz; Alberich: Heinrich Pflanzl; Mime: Paul Kuen; Fasolt: Ludwig Weber; Fafner: Friedrich Dalberg; Fricka: Ira Malaniuk; Freia: Paula Brivkalne; Erda: Ruth Siewert; Woglinde: Elisabeth Schwarzkopf; Wellgunde: Lore Wissmann; Flosshilde: Hertha Topper. Conductor: Herbert von Karajan. Das Rheingold at Wagneroperas.com.

Carmen (Bizet) Act 4 Leopold Stokowski conducts this English-language performance, July 11, 1946. Carmen: Winifred Heidt; Don Jose: Ramon Vinay; Micaela: Marina Koshetz; Escamillo: James Pease. Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra.

Carmen (Bizet) Act 3 Leopold Stokowski conducts this English-language performance, July 11, 1946. Carmen: Winifred Heidt; Don Jose: Ramon Vinay; Micaela: Marina Koshetz; Escamillo: James Pease. Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra.

Carmen (Bizet) Act 2 Leopold Stokowski conducts this English-language performance, July 11, 1946. Carmen: Winifred Heidt; Don Jose: Ramon Vinay; Micaela: Marina Koshetz; Escamillo: James Pease. Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra.

Carmen (Bizet) Act 1 Leopold Stokowski conducts this English-language performance, July 11, 1946. Carmen: Winifred Heidt; Don Jose: Ramon Vinay; Micaela: Marina Koshetz; Escamillo: James Pease. Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra.

Mose (Rossini) Act 4 Rossini's Biblical epic is conducted by Wolfgang Sawallisch. Moses - Nicolai Ghiaurov; Sinais - Shirley Verrett; Pharaoh - Mario Petri; Eliezer - Giampaolo Corradi; Amenophis - Ottavio Garaventa; Auphis - Fernando Jacopucci; Osiris - Franco Ventriglia; Miriam - Gloria Lane; Anais - Teresa Zylis-Gara; Mysterious Voice - Giovanni Gusmeroli. RAI Orchestra & Chorus, Rome, April 11, 1968.

Mose (Rossini) Acts 2 and 3 Rossini's Biblical epic is conducted by Wolfgang Sawallisch. Moses - Nicolai Ghiaurov; Sinais - Shirley Verrett; Pharaoh - Mario Petri; Eliezer - Giampaolo Corradi; Amenophis - Ottavio Garaventa; Auphis - Fernando Jacopucci; Osiris - Franco Ventriglia; Miriam - Gloria Lane; Anais - Teresa Zylis-Gara; Mysterious Voice - Giovanni Gusmeroli. RAI Orchestra & Chorus, Rome, April 11, 1968.

Mose (Rossini) Act 1 Rossini's Biblical epic is conducted by Wolfgang Sawallisch. Moses - Nicolai Ghiaurov; Sinais - Shirley Verrett; Pharaoh - Mario Petri; Eliezer - Giampaolo Corradi; Amenophis - Ottavio Garaventa; Auphis - Fernando Jacopucci; Osiris - Franco Ventriglia; Miriam - Gloria Lane; Anais - Teresa Zylis-Gara; Mysterious Voice - Giovanni Gusmeroli. RAI Orchestra & Chorus, Rome, April 11, 1968.

Turandot (Puccini) Act 3 Relive the 1970s with a solid gold performance of Puccini's final opera. Turandot: Montserrat Caballe; Calaf: Luciano Pavarotti; Liu: Leona Mitchell; Timur: Giorgio Tozzi; Ping: Dale Duesing; Pang: Remy Corazza; Pong: Joseph Frank; Altoum: Raymond Manton; Mandarin: Aldo Bramante. Chorus and Orchestra of the San Francisco Opera; Riccardo Chailly. November 4, 1977. Plus -- the return of The Enigmas of La Cieca!

Turandot (Puccini) Act 2 Relive the 1970s with a solid gold performance of Puccini's final opera. Turandot: Montserrat Caballe; Calaf: Luciano Pavarotti; Liu: Leona Mitchell; Timur: Giorgio Tozzi; Ping: Dale Duesing; Pang: Remy Corazza; Pong: Joseph Frank; Altoum: Raymond Manton; Mandarin: Aldo Bramante. Chorus and Orchestra of the San Francisco Opera; Riccardo Chailly. November 4, 1977. Plus -- the return of The Enigmas of La Cieca!

Turandot (Puccini) Act 1 Relive the 1970s with a solid gold performance of Puccini's final opera. Montserrat Caballe (Turandot), Luciano Pavarotti (Calaf), Leona Mitchell (Liu), Giorgio Tozzi (Timur). The conductor is Riccardo Chailly.

Norma (Bellini) Act 4 An encore podcast of one of the very first "Unnatural Acts." Montserrat Caballe wows Moscow as Bellini's druidess.

Ariadne auf Naxos (R. Strauss) The Prologue An encore podcast of one of the very first "Unnatural Acts." From the 1954 Salzburg Festival, the prologue to Ariadne auf Naxos featuring Irmgard Seefried, Hilde Gueden and Paul Schoeffler under the baton of Dr. Karl Boehm.

Anna Bolena (Donizetti) Act 2 Montserrat Caballe as Anna Bolena faces down the notorious La Scala loggionisti in this performance from February 21, 1982. Giovanna Seymour: Elena Obraztsova; Percy: Antonio Savastano; Enrico VIII: Paul Plishka; Smeton: Elena Zilio; Rochefort: Carlo Del Bosco. Conductor: Giuseppe Patane.

Anna Bolena (Donizetti) Act 1 Montserrat Caballe as Anna Bolena faces down the notorious La Scala loggionisti in this performance from February 21, 1982. Giovanna Seymour: Elena Obraztsova; Percy: Antonio Savastano; Enrico VIII: Paul Plishka; Smeton: Elena Zilio; Rochefort: Carlo Del Bosco. Conductor: Giuseppe Patane.

Parsifal (Wagner) Act 2 For Good Friday, a decidedly non-traditional Parsifal Act Two. Renata Scotto sings her her only Kundry in this April 14, 1995 performance from the Meclkenburg State Theater. Parsifal: Edward Cook; Klingsor: Rudolf Kostas. Conductor: Ivan Torzs.

Francesca da Rimini (Zandonai) Acts 3 and 4 Love and death, Renaissance style. Francesca: Leyla Gencer: Samaritana: Annamaria Gasparini; Paolo: Renato Cioni: Giovanni: Anselmo Colzani, Malatestino: Mario Ferrara. Franco Capuana; Trieste March 16, 1961. "One day, to pass the time, we read how passion / Conquered Lancelot; we were alone, / Innocent, and without suspicion. / The reading made our eyes prone / To meet, our faces to grow pale and then rally; / And in such a moment was our destruction sewn. / For when we read how that magnetically / Attractive smile was kissed by such a lover, / This one here, linked to me eternally, / Kissed my mouth while trembling all over: / A Galehot was that book and its writer, for following / This we put it down, and forever closed the cover."

Francesca da Rimini (Zandonai) Acts 1 and 2 Love and death, Renaissance style. Francesca: Leyla Gencer: Samaritana: Annamaria Gasparini; Paolo: Renato Cioni: Giovanni: Anselmo Colzani, Malatestino: Mario Ferrara. Franco Capuana; Trieste March 16, 1961. "Francesca, your anguished state / Makes me weep with pity and sadness, / But one thing I would have you relate: / In that time when sighs were full of sweetness, / By what means did love permit these low / And doubtful longings into your awareness?" / Said she: "There is no greater sorrow / Than to recall, when sad, a time that was happier, / As your teacher must surely know. / But if you are so eager / To grasp the root of our affection / I will have to weep and speak together."

Die Walkuere (Wagner) Act 1 Winter storms have waned in the moon of May! James King (Siegmund), Eileen Farrell (Sieglinde) and Michael Langdon (Hunding) star in a concert performance recorded April 23, 1968 under the baton of Leonard Bernstein. La sonnambula (Bellini) Act 1 Mariella Devia is the sleepwalking Amina in this 1988 performance of Bellini's opera. Marcello Viotti conducts the Orchestra Sinfonica di Piacenza and the Coro Citta di Como. Luca Canonici (Elvino), Alessandro Verducci (Rodolfo), Elisabetta Battaglia (Lisa), Laura Musella (Teresa). La sonnambula (Bellini) Act 2 Mariella Devia is the sleepwalking Amina in this 1988 performance of Bellini's opera. Marcello Viotti conducts the Orchestra Sinfonica di Piacenza and the Coro Citta di Como. Luca Canonici (Elvino), Alessandro Verducci (Rodolfo), Elisabetta Battaglia (Lisa), Laura Musella (Teresa). Tannhaeuser (Wagner) Part 3 Wagner's epic of sacred and profane love stars Wolfgang Windgassen, Victoria de los Angeles, Grace Bumbry, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Josef Greindl. Wolfgang Sawallisch conducts this live performance from the Bayreuth Festival, 1961. Tannhaeuser (Wagner) Part 2 Wagner's epic of sacred and profane love stars Wolfgang Windgassen, Victoria de los Angeles, Grace Bumbry, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Josef Greindl. Wolfgang Sawallisch conducts this live performance from the Bayreuth Festival, 1961. Tannhaeuser (Wagner) Part 1 Wagner's epic of sacred and profane love stars Wolfgang Windgassen, Victoria de los Angeles, Grace Bumbry, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Josef Greindl. Wolfgang Sawallisch conducts this live performance from the Bayreuth Festival, 1961. Farewell to Madame Vera, Part 2 Legendary Madame Vera Galupe-Borszkh spins her favorite discs and shares a diva anecdote. Farewell to Madame Vera, Part 1 Legendary Madame Vera Galupe-Borszkh will say "addio senza rancor" to New York in her 20th Annual Farewell Recital, March 20th through the 25th at the Thalia Theater at Symphony Space. La Cieca chats with Ira Siff, founder of La Gran Scena Opera and alter ego of Madame Vera. Anna Moffo A tribute to the American soprano Anna Moffo (1932-2006). "Deh vieni non tardar" "Ah non credea mirarti" "Deciso e dunque" "If I Loved You" "The Italian Street Song" "Kiss Me Again" "Adieu, notre petite table" "Fruelingstimmen-Walzer" "Madamigella Valery?" "Signore, ascolta" Jambalaya! Jambalaya is a hodgepodge of leftovers, and the leftovers on this podcast include delicious bits of Eugene Onegin, Fedora, Die Zauberfloete, Giuditta and lots more. Fedora (Giordano) Act 3 So here we are at the final act of Giordano's Fedora, and all those nasty little secrets everyone's been telling throughout the opera are about to be exposed! Marcella Pobbe stars as the mysterious Princess Fedora Romazoff in this performance of from the Teatro La Fenice, February 9, 1968. With Daniela Mazzucato (Olga Sukarev), Aldo Bottion (Loris Ipanov), Attilio d'Orazi (Giovanni de Siriex). Francesco Molinari-Pradelli, conductor. Fedora (Giordano) Act 2 Which Russian princess and her anarchist boytoy are shacking up in Paris? Marcella Pobbe stars as the mysterious Princess Fedora Romazoff in this performance of Giordano's opera from the Teatro La Fenice, February 9, 1968. Daniela Mazzucato (Olga Sukarev), Aldo Bottion (Loris Ipanov), Attilio d'Orazi (Giovanni de Siriex). Francesco Molinari-Pradelli, conductor. Fedora (Giordano) Act 1 Marcella Pobbe stars as the mysterious Princess Fedora Romazoff. Bergonzi-Cappuccilli Recital Carlo Bergonzi and Piero Cappuccilli in a recital of arias and duets. La traviata (Verdi) Act 4 A round-robin performance of Verdi's tearjerker, featuring a different Violetta for each act. La traviata (Verdi) Act 3 A round-robin performance of Verdi's tearjerker, featuring a different Violetta for each act. La traviata (Verdi) Act 2 A round-robin performance of Verdi's tearjerker, featuring a different Violetta for each act. La traviata (Verdi) A round-robin performance of Verdi's tearjerker, featuring a different Violetta for each act. Elektra (R. Strauss) Duel of the Titans: Dame Gwyneth Jones and Leonie Rysanek square off in this 1990 performance. La Fille du Regiment (Donizetti) Act 2 Beverly Sills shocks and awes Carnegie Hall as Donizetti's "Fille du Regiment." La Fille du Regiment (Donizetti) Act 1 Beverly Sills shocks and awes Carnegie Hall as Donizetti's "Fille du Regiment." Eugene Onegin (Tchaikovsky) Act 3 John Shirley-Quirk and Margaret Price in this 1967 performance. Eugene Onegin (Tchaikovsky) Act 2 John Shirley-Quirk and Margaret Price in this 1967 performance. Eugene Onegin (Tchaikovsky) Act 1 John Shirley-Quirk and Margaret Price in this 1967 performance. Faust (Gounod) Part 3 The final two acts of a 1953 performance starring Richard Tucker and Victoria de los Angeles. Faust (Gounod) Part 2 The Garden Scene of a 1953 performance starring Richard Tucker and Victoria de los Angeles. Faust (Gounod) Part 1 This 1953 performance stars Richard Tucker and Victoria de los Angeles. Remembering Birgit Nilsson A few selections from the great dramatic soprano. Remembering Birgit Nilsson, Part 2 More selections from the great dramatic soprano. Lucrezia Borgia (Donizetti) Act 2 Intrigue, suspense, and a whole lot of trilling, as heard in Milan, 2003. Lucrezia Borgia (Donizetti) Act 1 Intrigue, suspense, and a whole lot of trilling, as heard in Milan, 2003. Lucrezia Borgia (Donizetti) Prologue Intrigue, suspense, and a whole lot of trilling, as heard in Milan, 2003. The Price is right! La Cieca discovers that Margaret Price is indeed her cup of tea. Music by R. Strauss, Mahler, Weber.