tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16509282.post114227890136035266..comments2024-03-02T23:05:52.245-05:00Comments on Arts and Culture: Christopher Purdy: ANNA MOFFOChristopher Purdyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16422628514762232516noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16509282.post-3995161123059131472008-04-25T16:17:00.000-04:002008-04-25T16:17:00.000-04:00Talk of co-incidence!! I also saw the Providence ...Talk of co-incidence!! I also saw the Providence Traviata in August of 1977. I caused some consternation when my parish choir arrived in front of the then Lowe's State theater. Wewe supposed to hear Roberta Peters with Robert Merrill and when I saw Anna's photo on a large easel type poster....I'mn afraid I exploded with such joy. At last I would hear her in this role.<BR/>Fact is back in 1965 I got the complete Opera for my Mother who had seen it in Boston with the Met. It was with Steber, TUCKER and Warren. Well, since she had always raved about Tucker in this Opera, I figured it was quite a coup. Lo and behold....it all backfired. I always listened to opera in the house though I was more into classical orchestra music and piano works. When I got the set home, i was alone and decided to "try out" the records a bit ....just to be sure they were flawless. Having already known the Prelude to acts 1 and 3, I stayed in the living room almostto the end of the first prelude and left the room for the kitchen for a glass of water. When that electric crescendo opening of the act 1, I nearly choked on the sip I had taken because I had put up the volume somewhat so as to not miss anything. WHen Moffo started with the " Flora, amici, la notte que resta " I went fanny over teakettle at breakneck speed to see just WHO this voice belonged to. Upon seeing the photo in the libretto, I literally got reeling in hte head as I could not associate such a young beautiful woman with THAT magnificent voice. <BR/>Once my Mom got over the surprise on Christmas, I was the one who began listening to the opera in "homeopathic doses until I had the entire Opera memorized in my head and very soul. That was how my addiction began, and thanks to this great talent, I now have a modest collection of some 175 different opera recordings in many languuages......but we all have our favorites. I wish I could find her recording in collaboration with Stokowski and the "pop" album she did with Skitch Henderson entitled ONE NIGHT OF LOVE. She was one of a kind and I went into shock because of her death. I had very recently bought my first computer and one late night in March of 2006, I got a whim figuring that now with a computer, I might be able to write her of my immense gratitude for all she's offered the world. Upon seeing all the listings through Google, I began noticing that most were writing about her in the past tense. A strange pall began to settle over me and when I finally read the sad news. I shut the computer, and, I'm afraid, I woke up mu wife to tell her the news. Neither of us fell asleep for te rest of what was left of that night. I'm sure many others like me will feel the loss for quite some time. We often enjoyed hearing her on the Met broadcasts when invited to speak. God bless her and keep her, always.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16509282.post-1160582951480439992006-10-11T12:09:00.000-04:002006-10-11T12:09:00.000-04:00What lovely and heartfelt comments on the career a...What lovely and heartfelt comments on the career and passing of Anna Moffo. Before I saw Moffo as Madame Butterfly in the early 70s, I had no interest in opera. It was her performance in Philadelphia that turned this high school lad into a life-long opera lover. The last time I saw her perform was in a recital in Towson, MD in the early 1980s. After the performance I went backstage to her dressing room and she signed my program. I was too much in awe of Moffo to tell her that her career had prompted me to study opera in college and grad school, eventually becoming an opera director and voice teacher. I have every commercial recording she made and they have provided me with many years of listening pleasure.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com