NIXON IN CINCINNATI

NIXON IN CHINA
John Adams/Alice Goodman
Cincinnati Opera
July 14, 2007

The large audience in Cincinnati's Music Hall applauded loud and long at the final curtain of Nixon in China at the second of two performances given of this twenty year old opera.
Escorting a bus load of retired professionals, all of whom were better informed of the events leading up to Nixon's 1972 visit to Peking (I was a high school kid and had other things on my mind) this writer was cncerned that mid 1980s minimalism would be hard to take for people more used to La boheme or La traviata. It was a stupid and patronizing assumption. A bus ride pre show talk, my listeners fortified with chardonnay (Big Steve drove the bus and said later, "Jesus, I wold have liked to have seen the show after all the talk about it") was well received, and there was plenty of excited post performance de briefing on the ride home.

There was enormous buzz for this work in the weeks leading up to its world prmeire in Houston, in 1987. The first night audience applauded I believe more out of a sense of being "where it's happening" than fo affection for the work. In 1987, Sellars-Adams-Goodman
WERE "where it's happening" in American opera. Twenty years later it was time to cheer Adams's beautiful music and his witty and moving settings of Goodman's text.

The words seemed an engima to my friends on the bus. I said "That's why the oepra is worth doing and seeing more often." There were direct quotations from the events: Nixon deplanes in Peking and banters gently with Chou en Lai; Mao sings in riddles.
Pat Nixon's role is greatly drawn. This opera tells you more about her than we learned in her many years of public life. Madam Mao has a fiendish dramatic aria in the second act, and returns to seduce her husband in the third. The Nixons are seen as vulnerable and gentle, if shrewd; he a bit goofy, she weary and all knowing with enough fire to protest the action in
The Red Detachment of Women.

All of the performances were splendid. Robert Orth is an extrordinary singing actor with a dark, masculine voice and superb diction. He was totally at ease with his body and moved, sometimes balletically and sometimes clumsily as the situations warranted. Maureen O'Flynn was ravishing in the gentle lyricism of Pat Nixon's aria "This is prophetic!" Mark T. Panuccio will be an important heldentenor in ten years if all goes well. Maos' high and and loud tessitura-Tannhauser, anyone?- was no problem for him. He convincingly played an elderly and frail man without a trace of caricature. It was reproted that young Mr. Panusscio recently dropped over a 100 pounds through diet and excersize, and for this role needed to ear a fat suit!
Thomas Hammons from the orignal cast gave Henry Kssinger the perfect balance of humor and menace. Madame Mao's aria, "I am the wife of Mao Tse Tung!" is a built in show stopper, like "Sempre Libera" or the Queen of the Night. Goergia Jarman certainly stopped the show!

All of the principals excelled in the intropsective third act, the most moving part of the score. Mao and his wife fox trot, and the Nixons do a slow dance. The curtain belongs to Chou-en-lai, sung by baritone Chen-Ye Yuan. What a beautiful voice!

The physical production stumbled only in the use of telelvison sets showing footage of the actual events. They were meaningless to anyone not sitting in the first three rows of Music Hall
(I moved around) Flickers of light distracted the eye from the singing actors. Next time build sets. Speical praise to Henri Vezani's chorus, to the energetic and sexy dancers, and to conductor Kristjan Jarvi and the superb Cincinnati Symphony. It's a daunting challenge to balance Adams's energetc music so that Goodman's text can be clearly heard. Sitting in the first row the ochestra was loud, loud,loud. I moved farther back and the balance was fine. The ensemble wanted little in clarity and precision.

The folks on the bus loved it. Music Hall's large auidence was a good mix of the young and not so young.

BEVERLY SILLS

It's hard to describe today, thirty years after her heyday, the intensity of Beverly Sills's fame. She was on every magazine cover: Time, Newsweek, you name it. She had her own TV talk show. She was on every TV variety show, from Carson-which she hosted more than once-to Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin, Dinah Shore. She cooked on TV shows, sang the blues with Ella Fitzgerald, tap danced with Joel Grey and talked about her two disabled chidren while touring chilren's hospital wards and working-a lot-for the March of Dimes. No opera singer had had such profile in this country since Caruso, and he died in 1921. Beverly Sills was marketed as the nice Jewish girl from Brooklyn who made good. But it as a long, hard road. Cirtics this week after her death are respectful but point out one truth: by the time the world knew her, she had been singing professionally for nearly thirty years and her voice was past its best. She didn't have the splendid range of vocal colors that Callas had; she lacked the huge voice and astonishing virtuosity that Suthelrand had but she had it all over those ladies in connecting with the audience. And let me tell you something. This tall, hippy forty plus lady was the most convincing Violetta in La traviata I ever saw. Nothing about her sugested illness or fragility but she made you believe, with her voice and with her body that she was a good time girl meaning to grasp one last romp before she died. As Massenet's Manon you believed she was a sexy fifteen year old girl from the French countryside who was probably caught in the haystacks with a stable boy once too often, who transforms herself into a glittering-and young, and slim, which by then Sills wasn't- courtesan. Everything she did on stage was completely believable. The voice at its best glittered like a shower of diamonds. Nobody sang higher or faster or more scrupulously. At the Boston Opera she would come in twenty minues before curtain, throw her coat at someone hanging around-often me-, say "Thanks, honey", hum a bit, climb into a costume and go out and give the most harrowing, beautifully sung performances of deep, magnificent, tragic operas. In the intermsions she'd send a kid out-sometimes me-to the local MacDonald's for a vanilla shake which she would joyfully toss down before going mad or being beheaded in Act 2. This was a pro.
She had a hard life withal, that a lot of people don't realize. I hope younger peple who didn't know her will check out youtube or go to the library for her recordings and DVDs. And learn to do what she did...give joy by singing with joy.

WORLD WAR II: MY FATHER'S LETTERS

Curtis W. ("Bill") Purdy c. 1938

These are selections from letters written by my father while serving in the U.S. Army
during World War II.

Here's a quick bio:

Curtis W. Purdy ("Bill")
born February 4, 1919, Ithaca, NY

married Mary Duddy, April 16, 1955-Boston
one child, Christopher Curtis Purdy, born Boston December 2, 1956

Curtis died June 21, 1981 in Boston
Mary Duddy Purdy died April 10, 1986, Boston




Most of these letters were addressed to his mother, Florence L. (Curtis) Purdy
in Ithaca, NY.

Florence died in 1947.

Bill's father, Bert W. Purdy, died in 1953

Bill was the youngest child and had six sisters:


Elizabeth, Catherine, Ruth, Mary, Esther, Deborah

THE LETTERS:

August 8, 1944
England

Dearest Mother:

Have arrived in England safely and full of good old fighting spirit.
Mom, please do not worry a bit about me. I am sure the Good Lord above
will be with me and that he'll bring the end of this war soon.

I think the English are grand-the children are adorable and so brave.
As you know, the regulations of the mail are very strict and therefore I can
only say that I am happy and well.
Please send me some cigars and candy.
My every prayer is of you and your kindness you have shown to me.
Your ever loving son, Billy

______________________________________________________

August 11, 1944

Dear Mom:

Here I am again. Have been seeing some more of beautiful England.
There are so many quaint settings that I could write a book about them.

I'm listening to a broadcast of the Hit Parade and it seems as though I am way back in the living room hearing it. Frank Sinatra just finished singing 'San Fernando Valley'
He's now singing 'I'll be seeing you'.
Yes, I will be seeing you so I don't want you to worry a bit about me.

Mom, in order to send me things you will have to take this letter to the postmaster.
I want you to send me some cigars, cigarettes, candy, soap and razor blades.
If you send money, send it in a mail order.

There are some boys from the States in England from home and I hope to see them in time.
I hope and pray that this letter finds you well and happy.
Please Mom, don't worry about me, I'm all right.
Must say good night and God bless you and say hello to everyone for me.
All my love
Bill

_________________________________________________________________

August 27, 1944

Dear Mom:

I'm in rather a depressed mood today, wondering a lot of things
I'm lonesome for you and (???) like to see the rest of the folks.

I haven't had but one letter from you, so please write all you can and even though
I won't be writing so much myself, don't worry about it. I'm OK.

Was in a quaint town last night--had a swell time seeing the people, houses and landscape.
Went in the Red Cross and bought some coffee and doughnuts. Not much like the ones back home.

I understand its warm back in the States, but I guess summer here is really gone. How's Dad
and all the kids? Do you see Dad at all?

Mom, I need a billfold and identification bracelet so see if you can can send them.
Good night, Mom
Love
Billy

_________________________________________________________

August 31, 1944

Somewhere in England

Dear Mom

I guess I'm just an unlucky guy-I haven't heard from anyone in ages.
I've written to you all, several times at that.

I suppose you've all seen the news in the papers.

I continue to see the beauties of England. I occasionally see a nearby village and have a few of the famous bitters.

Mom, how's everything with you? See, I think of you so often and hope and pray that you are all right. As for me, I'll keep smiling.

Here I sit trying to write. I'm such a poor correspond. But my heart is full of thoughts and love for you! Say hello to all. Please send me some cigars, candy and razor blades.
Love, Billy

____________________________________________________________


September 4, 1944

Dear Mom:

I received your letter last night and I guess the boys thought I had lost my top, for it was the happiest day I've had since I've been here.

I'm so glad to know you are getting around so nicely.

Suppose you are getting the news of what's happening--it certainly looks good
I only hope I can meet some of my old buddies somewhere---Frink (?) came over with me but I haven't seen him since landing in England.

It's raining cats and dogs over here and reminds me of April back home.
Have you heard from Esther-I'm so anxious to hear from her.

Hope this letter finds you okay and happy.
Give my love to everyone and tell Dad to write.
Love
Billy

________________________________________________________________

October 9, 1944
Somewhere in France

Dear Mom

Its Sunday morning, a peaceful morning, one that has the---feeling of any normal one-behind this day tho, have been many hours of battling that has given me some exciting moments that I shall never forget.

Today I shall pray to God and thank him for the guidance he has given me. And I shall ask him for the courage and strength to go on forward to do my job well. I am grateful that I have been able to perform some worthy deeds-whatever the future holds for me, I hope that I can meet it like a man. This I will try to do for I know of the courageous boys who are with me and more than ever I am aware of my duty to them, which is to bring the wounded bodies back to our aid stations--then too, I have such people back home who are hoping and praying--I must not fail.

I wrote you a few days ago thanking you for the lovely Xmas present you sent me. Thanks a million again. I hope you got my present to you.

Mom, you must not worry about me, for I will be back home someday.
Please take good care of yourself.

Love
Billy

_____________________________________________________________

Bill in uniform, 1942

NOTE: Bill received a severe head wound in battle at the end of 1944.
He spent the next several months in hospitals in England and Luxembourg.
He had steel plates in his head for the rest of his life.
He was eventually awarded both the Purple Heart and Bronze Star.______________________________________________________________

December 6, 1944

GERMANY

Dear Mom

Just wanted to let you know where I am. I am in Germany.
Mom, I can't tell you of the hectic time its been--words I'm sure could never tell the feeling that was in me--I was scared many times for it was my first real test of combat.

Mother I was sitting in a fox hole with a buddy when someone brought me your Christmas package. Needless to say it boosted my morale way up--there was peanuts, flashlight, candy, cigs, sewing kit and the bracelet-it was so sweet of you to send them and I love you so.

Mother, I'm with the grandest bunch of boys in the world. They are so brave and such great fighters, as the whole world will soon know.

You must not worry about me too much, for you know that I am here to help some of the
wounded men.

I'm not so sure of myself at times, but I've prayed so many times for the courage to do my job well. I pray that this war can end without much bloodshed.

Mother, I want to write on and on, but I must say good night for now.
You know my love for you is the strongest force I have.

I love you dearly.
Thank you again for the swell Christmas present.
Love
Billy

______________________________________________________________

January 29, 1945
Somewhere in Luxembourg

Dear Mom-

Sorry not to have written sooner. I wrote Deb last week. I've been in the hospital for a while but expect to be back to my organization shortly.

Before I went to the hospital I had made a fifty dollar money order out to you, but I won't be able to send it until I get back to my organization and get it from the mail clerk. I won't be paid this month, however I have some money loaned out to the fellows which should make me a nice sum when I call it in. I want you to use the money for yourself and get Dad whatever he needs
Haven't saved much, but I did put aside a hundred dollars last month. Maybe someday I'll be able to use it. It seems funny to be talking in terms of money, when so many boys have given their lives over here--I don't think a million dollars could erase the terrible experiences
that I've lived through. I only hope I can forget them.

The news of the Russian offensive is a wonderful thing. I hope that by the time this letter has reached you the fighting will be over. I'm anxious to get back to my outfit. They're the best bunch of boys in the world. Hope this letter finds you well and happy.

All my love
Billy

_________________________________________________________________

March 6, 1945
Somewhere in England
4116 U.S. Army Hospital

Dear Mom--

Here I am back in England--seems like I'm a million miles from the war.
I'm in a general hospital and getting along fine.

The countryside and the villages look almost like home as I rode by them.
Quite the changed from the ruined homes, cities and countryside back in France.
I wake up in the morning and I hear a kind of chirp, couldn't believe it at first--all I ever heard back in France were shells waking me up in the morning.

You can write to me with the above address instead of to my outfit. Please write quickly as I'm anxious to hear from you. Haven't heard from you in ages.

I'm not in much of a mood to write so please contact Dad and tell him that I'm thinking of him and do the same to Deb and her family. That's all for now.

All my love
Billy

_______________________________________________________________

March 19, 1945
4116 U.S. Army Hospital

Dear Mother-

Time just seems to fly and still I'm in the process of getting well. I wish I knew when I'd be out of here and my next move--guess I'll just have to hang around to find out.

I'm feeling fine these days, although I'm a little upset about what happened to the boys in my old gang-they were grand to me-They always wanted the "Doc" to have the best of everything.
It sort of haunts me to know that they are out there fighting and I'm back here in this warm, safe place--funny world, isn't it?

I haven't heard from you so please write soon. Pass the word around so I'll hear from the others, I hope and pray that all is well back home.
Love
Bill

WWW.WOSU.ORG/interviews

Please see this website.
I'll be adding new pieces each week.
Coming later today,a talk with
Robert Meeropol, the son of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg
and founder of the Rosenberg Fund for Children

www.rfc.org


Most recent: Norman Lebrecht

Later in April and May

Mike Farrell
Ruth Ann Swenson

So visit early and often!

www.wosu.org/interviews


Greetings to all

CP

LICIA ALBANESE INTERVIEW

Soprano Licia Albanese sang Mimi in Toscanini's 1946 broadcast of La boheme and was his Violetta in La traviata. Mme Albanese gave over 400 performances at the Metropolitan between 1940 and 1966, and gave at least as many performances world wide. She recorded
La Boheme in Rome with Beniamino Gigli in 1939, and fifty years later was Heidi Schiller
in the New York Philharmonic's presentation of Sondheim's Follies. We spoke about Toscanini, and much more from her home in New York on March 26, 2007. Mme Albanese is a feisty and fully alert-to say the least- 94 year old. Today, she teaches and supports young artists through the Licia Albanese Puccini Foundation.
See also www.lapfny.org





NOTE: Pithy and clear she is but Mme Albanese is in her nineties and English is not her first langauge. This is a close but not perfect tracsription, with some omissions.
The entire audio interview will be posted at www.wosu.org/interveiws

CP: Welcome, Madame Albanese!

LA: Thank you

CP: When did you first meet Toscanini?

LA: I used to go to his concerts at NBC. I met him there. I went in the dressing room
to say hello to him. He was very happy to meet me. You know he never came to the Metropolitan because he had sometihng, I don't know. But I went to him and asked if I could go and see him. Then one day I was so surpised, Walter his son called and he said, Madame Alabanese my father wants to speak with you. You could imagine, I could faint! You can imagine! I said Maestro Toscanini to call me?! Certainly! With open arms!

CP: When you first met him you had already sung all over the world.
You had sung at Covnet Garden, Turandot
LA: Yes
CP: And you had recorded La boheme with Gigli
LA: Yes
CP: I think Toscanini heard you sining on the radio with the Met.
LA: You're right! You're right! he heard a Boheme...and then he chose me to do Boheme and then Traviata
CP: This was the 50th anniversay production of La boheme
LA: Yes
CPP: Jan Peerce was your tenor
LA: Yes...he was a very great companion and colleague , really kind. We sang a lot. And with Tucker. I thought Tucker's quality of voice was more beautiful than Peerce, but Peecre was fine, but the quality and beauty was Tucker for me. But with colleagues on stage, what we say
we move hands, we move the face, we move the eyes. Now you don't see on the stage anything, nothing.

CP: How did Toscanini compare with other conductors like Mitropoulos you sang with?
LA: Well, Mitropoulos was good. Listen, I sang a lot in Italy with Maestro Serafin.
I was very lucky to sing with the great condcutors. You remeber DeSabata, too.
I did Butterfly wih him. Very kind always. Never, never a condcutor was upset with anybody. Always with knindess. Even if young artist made a mistake, they always approached the artist withkindness

CP: Con amore...
LA: Si..Bravo! con amore!

CP: Ricordi piacere di Serafin, because people don't remember Serafin today
LA: Si, che peccato. He was great. He was all the time. He wanted young people to be known. He took us first to Rome, he took all the new singers to Rome with him.

CP: Did Toscanini have a temper?
LA: Let me think
CP: Because there are stories he would yell at the orchestra, and stamp his feet
LA: He would say IMBECILE! NBC! And I know you can do it he would say. I know you can do it. I have faith in you! But he had to have temper to have good things.
But he used to thank everybody at the end of the performance.
He was very kind. And he would thank us.
You know, Maestro Toscanini would come to the dressing rooms before we start to sing to wish good luck to us. I said, Maestro we should come to you, but he said no, no that's my duty to see all of my artists, that they are okay, and in good shape.
Just breathe before you come on stage. We Catholic would cross ourselves.
Then I would come running on stage like I still do!

CP: What did you think of Toscanini's tempi in Traviata and Boheme?
LA: Well, he told me, Licia this was when I knew the composer he wanted the sempre libera fast. It's nice! It's true! If you can do it, why you not do it?
(sings) Sempre libera follegiare...!
even the words they tell you have to do in a hurry.
My God, do you come to the Met to see the performances?
CP: Yes!
LA: What do you think?
CP: Sometimes a little boring
LA: Non c'e un cuore che parla....
CP: senza personalita!
LA: Si! senza passione
When I do the masterclasses now I say don't think! Make a mistake! Put your soul into the words. Don't do f-sharp, this...that. No! Don't think how high you go. Think on the words and then you can go in paradise...They tighten the throat. This is singing withToscanini and Serafin and all the great conductors. Even the conductor used to teach us vocally what to do.
Now they don't do anything. But the condcutors used to tell us to do more, to do more.
In Boheme with Toscanini, we had a Musetta, very good, nice voice , pretty girl but he would say "CER-ca CER-ca" and then one day after two or three days he said wha is this 'Cerca '(quacking) I want emotion. CER--ca!

CP: So emotion was very important to Toscanini?
LA: Very much. They teach emotion. Forget the notes. You make the voice more beautiful.
In masterclasses today I have to tell you, I make the most ugly voices beautiful voices with the words! With words you have beauty...You say CER-ca because she suffer too to see Mimi dying on the street

CP: Do you remeber a performance of yours that was your favorite?
LA: If was my favorite I would make it too long to sing it...All of it!
I sang in St. Louis too, Fedora...oh, listen I tell you. I did Fedora in St. Louis.
I have all the tapes, I'm telling you. I tell my son to put those tapes out. People can study

CP: You sang Adriana Lecouvreur
LA: I took over that from Tebaldi. Bing called me. And I was ready with everything.
I went to the Met. I dress up. They put pins in because Tebaldi was taller and I was a little short, but I made myself tall!

CP: I have your recording of the Adriana, and I have La rondine
LA: Si. With that beautiful , beautiful tenor. Who? Barioni. Beautiful.
And the scene we make together! Nodoby could tell me what to do on stage.
The tell me somebody else has to do. I said you don't know!
You don't do opera. Everyone comes in the opera to take over.
The people gets boring. You have to change.
I used to change every performance what I have to do.
Director now, and you can say this, they don't know the score. They don't know the books!
When the opera story written, that's why they make a mistake. They don't even know the score.

CP I know you didn't like Butterfly at the MeEt a few years ago
LA: Yes! Now I see the Met Madama Buterfly with puppets.
Can you believe that puppet when they put on the stage. ..
CP: Do you still go to the Metropolitan?
LA: No. No more. Non posso. Because one time I went and I booed.
I booed del Monaco. The son. He said well, I know you booed me. But I said Listen, but learn the opera! Like your father used to sing, he was so great. And he said Don't mention my father! I dont want to be known as son of my father!
But delMoncao how beautful he was on the stage. Every artist in my time has own costume.
Not the Metropolitan costumes. And the public was interested to come and say we want to see which costume you are going to put.....all the operas I sang, I change costumes...

CP: Did you have a favorite tenor? That's a bad question for a prima donna.
LA: To tell you the truth, no. They were all great!
First one was Gigli, in fact Gigli mention my name to Mr. Johnson. He was in search all the time young artists and Gigli mentioned my name. Licia is one of the great young sopranos to come to the Metropolitan.

CP: And he was right!
LA: Yes!
CP: The public alway knows
I thank you so much for your time
LA: Thank you very much. You are so kind. Big kiss! Ciao! ciao!

FR. M. OWEN LEE ON EDWARD DOWNES

Father M. Owen Lee-how to describe him?
Professor of Classics at St. Michael's College, University of Toronto.
Baseball enthusiast. Film buff. Author.
Teacher. Metropolitan Opera broadcast shining light for many years.
Don't miss his books.
With Father Lee's permission I'm posting his remarks made on October 15, 1996
at a testimonial dinner for Edward Downes held at the Metropolitan Opera House.

This is from Father Lee:

Some of you here will know the sense of panic that takes over just before you go on the air with the Opera Quiz. After fourteen years of intermission appearances, I still ask myself, when that moment of silence descends on List Hall and we are poised to start, "Why am I doing this?"

Then I'd hear the voice long known to opera lovers across the length and breadth of the United States, Canada, and now Europe. Instantly recognizable. Part university dean, part kindly father. Wise as Sarastro though not so low in timbre. Warm as Hans Sachs but without the Weltschmerz. Sparkling as champagne in Fledermaus. No need to be unnerved. Edward Downes, the son of Olin Downes (who mastered the quiz when I first tuned in fifty five years ago) is seated professionally at a side table, with a stack of questions beside his microphone. The face that matches the familiar voice is positively beaming good will. He will see that everyone has a good time and no one comes to grief. And once you've answered the first question, the crisis is past.

I think I can say, without too much embarrassment, that I love this man. This wise and humble man who--one time when I was fogged in in Toronto and had sat up all night sleepless on a bus to get to New York and when, after two tough intermissions was on the brink of collapse--he took me up Broadway to his home in the Dakota, cooked me a meal, poured out the manzanilla (he likes Carmen), and started me on a stimulating exchange about our mutual enthusiasm, Wagner, and only then, when I was properly relaxed, sent me back to my hotel for a good night's sleep.

I want to tell you a story about the Dakota, where Mr. Downes lives at the very top, just above Yoko Ono, who can look from her window down on the strawberry fields she planted in memory of her husband, John Lennon, in Central Park.

When the Lennons wanted to move into the Dakota, the management told them that they first had to have a recommendation from someone already in residence. So the world famous Beatle phoned Mr. Downes and said, "We're musicians, too. Do you think you could recommend us?"

Mr. Downes explained, "Well, I'm not really acquainted with your work. But why don't you come over next Tuesday? We can meet, have tea, and perhaps then I can recommend you."

The Lennons said they would, and Mr. Downes promptly phoned his niece, of the newer generation, and said, "Dear, there are two young musicians coming to see me, and I'd feel much more comfortable with them if you were here and poured tea."

"Of course, Uncle Edward" came the reply. "Who are they?"
" I think he said his name was Lennon."

All the niece could say was, with some disappointment at her uncle's innocence, "Oh, Uncle Edward!"

The nicest thing about this story is that Mr. Downes told it about himself.

Thanks, Edward for teaching me to see deeply into operas I thought I knew. Thanks for your kindness, your wisdom, your wit, your encouragement, your professionalism, your love of music and of all good things. God bless you, and speed your new career on the broadcasts, for we sill have much to learn from you.

Fr. Owen Lee
October 15, 1996

STUDS TERKEL

I was fortunate to do a series of interviews with Chicago based broadcasting legend Studs Terkel (b.1912) in November, 2005. He had just published a terrific book, And They All Sang, a collection of interviews with figures in music going back fifty years. Terkel's interests over a long career ranged from politics and civil rights to jazz and opera. The Chicago Historical Society maintains a web site, www.studsterkel.com

Here are some selections from our talks

ROSA RAISA AND CARUSO

CP: I wanted to ask you about someone I know only from recordings and the history books. Rosa Raisa

ST: Oh! How do you know Raisa! You're the first person your age to know Raisa!
She was fantastic! She sang with Caruso. She came out of Eastern Europe, Bialystok, a little town that was decimated by the Nazis. She studied mostly in Italy. She had a voice that was so rich. Her Norma was fantastic, I would say better than Callas. The one memory that sticks in the mind is that when Puccini, who wrote Tosca and Madame Butterfly, when he was writing Turandot, he had her mind. Puccini died before he finished Turandot. So here's the opening night, and Puccini had died, and the opera hadn't been finished. Toscanini's at the podium and Raisa is singing this role created for her, and as soon as they came to the part where Puccini died, Toscanini put the baton down and turned and faced the audience and said, "At this point the maestro died", and he walked out.
There was another singer named Edith Mason who was very funny, and she and Raisa both described singing with Caruso. Caruso was of generous heart and spirit. He's the one who created the phonograph. There would have been no Victrolas without him.
His records were bought by immigrants who had very little money. They paid two bucks just him sing, two bucks! That fifty bucks today. But they both said he was so nervous, and he's give them a little shot of whiskey, which they wouldn't take but he would.
He said, I'm nervous because the audience wants 108 percent and I can only give 100 percent.
But he would go up and just as you'd think he's finished, he could go no higher out would come two or three more notes. He indicated what the human being could do.

Caruso's recordings are ninety and 100 years old and are readily available.
Has anyone ever heard a bad one? He died at forty eight in 1921.
Rosa Raisa's (1893-1963) biography by Charles Mintzer was published in 2001.
Her recordings are not plentiful and its said give only a hint of the magnificence of her voice.


CHICAGO

CP: What makes Chicago a great city?

ST: I came here in 1920 as a little boy, an asthmatic little boy, 8 years old. And the minute I smelled those stockyards, I got over my asthma!
Chicago I found a very exciting place. Remember Carl Sandburg the great poet called it hog butcher of the world/center of wheat/son of railroads. That's all gone now. The stockyards have gone to the feed lots in New Mexico and Arizona. The railroads are gone. Nonetheless the skyscrapers by Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright want to touch the heavens! Chicago is the city of horny handed people. Hands is an old fashioned word for working. And so they came from Eastern Europe. Chicago's Polish population is bigger than many cities, except for Warsaw. And they came from the Mediterranean, and from south of the Rio Grande, and now Asia, but Chicago' s hands mostly were builders, city workers. It had such quality. There are still the flat bungalows that somebody saved money for by working in the steel mills that are no longer here. What's happened to most cities has happened to Chicago too, losing so many landmarks. On an airplane now you fly over a city and you see golden arches and pizza places. You don't know what city you're in. Years ago I was traveling and I say to the switchboard operator in the motel, "Oh you gotta wake me up ans six o'clock in the morning, because I gotta be in Cleveland at nine. And she says to me, Sir, you ARE in Cleveland!" Chicago suffers from that but it still has that quality. Neighborhood is the key word. Chicago represents that. People came from the deep South. The sharecroppers used to hear that IC train...where's that goin'? It's goin' to Chicago!
There was a blues song, Jimmy Rushing who used to sing with Count Basie would sing: "Goin' to Chicago baby, sorry I can't take you" Well, even today the nature of the city, its impulse...still there!

RADIO GANGSTER

CP: In one of your books, you write "I knew I had the makings of a good spectator.
What do you mean by that?"

ST: I never dreamed I'd do stuff like talking to you on the radio and stuff. My dream as a depression child was of a civil service job, 9 to 5. I went to law school in Chicago, and I was dreaming of Clarence Darrow, and I wake up to Anthony Scalia! So that was enough for me! I became a disc jockey. First I was a gangster in radio dramas, and soap operas....Chicago was home of soap operas more than new York and Hollywood. Now they all were the same. Woman in White was about a nurse. The Guiding Light was about a minister. Mid Stream was about a doctor. But all the same scripts. I was always the same guy. They wanted a gangster,and I had a gangster voice. There were always three gangsters. The bright one, the middle one, the dumb one. I was always the dumb one.

CP: Did you get killed?
ST: Oh I always got killed! Well, sometimes you'd go to prison for life and that would be the end of it. I did another show called Mister First Nighter, out of the studios in the Wrigley building here in Chicago. The studio seats about 400 people, a live audience would watch us read scripts. Crazy! Then the told me, you gotta wear a tuxedo. I never owned tuxedo ! So I rented a tuxedo that night, very self conscious, and I walked down to the Wrigley building where I was going to play this gangster, and the guy hollers out, Mister First Nighter, Curtain Goin' Up! But he says you look just like a bookie goin to his sister's wedding! And I said that's exactly what I am, a bookie going to his sister's wedding! And I get killed before the first commercial.

CP: Did you always get killed before the first commercial?

ST: No. This happened a few times. Sometimes it was before the second commercial. I get killed or sent up for life. I made a living, sort of. And they guys in charge liked my style,a nd I became a disc jockey before that term was ever used.

MORE TO FOLLOW...see www.studsterkel.com

MET GOES TO THE MOVIES: EUGENE ONEGIN and a MEMOIR...ROB BREEN AND BOSTON

The Metropolitan Opera presents an HD presentation of Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin
on Saturday, February 24th at 1.30 p.m. Go to www.metopera.org and click on the
Met Goes to the Movies Icon to find the theater nearest you.

Here in Columbus, Ohio, its the Regal Square Cinemas at 1800 Georgesville Road.
Dimitri Hvortsovsky sings the title role, with Renee Fleming as Tatiana, Ramon Vargas as Lenski-a role I've always wanted to do-and Valery Gergiev conducts.
There's not a ticket to be had for any of the performances in New York.
You wanna see this? Hie thee to a cinema near you.

I'm looking forward to this above all other such presentations, and the two I've seen have been wonderful. Onegin is a great favorite of mine. As I type these lines, I'm listening to a performance given in Boston's Symphony Hall in October, 1976. My roommate and good buddy Rob and I attended this via rush seats. Seiji Ozawa conducted the Boston Symphony. Rob is a clarinetist and his teacher, longtime BSO favorite Pasqule Cardillo (RIP) told him that Onegin was "Terrific. Long but terrific." I'm sure I found it long thirty years ago. I'm sure I found it terrific. I had never heard it before that night. To hear the Boston Symphony in Tchaikovsky's music, or anyone else's come to that, was/is a privilege. And the cast! Two people I had heard of thank you very much: The great tenor Nicolai Gedda, one of the finest artists I have ever heard sang Lenski. Onegin was sung by Benjamin Luxon, who was a BSO favorite in the 70s and he was fine. Tatiana? For shielding the writer Solzhentisyn, one of the greatest Russian artists, Mstislav Rosptropovich was thrown out of the country, stripped of all his honors and relegated to 'non person' status. Solzhenitsyn was stripped of citizenship, harassed an exiled, Nobel Prize and all. This was big news in 1976, as was the intervention of Senator Kennedy on his behalf. It was rumored Rostropovich would conduct this Onegin performance in Boston. He didn't, but Tatiana was sung by the Russian diva Galina Vishnevskaya...Mrs. Rostropovich. She was tremendous. A very beautiful woman, then in her fifties, the greatest soprano in Russia, for whom Britten wrote his War Requiem, for whom Shostakovitch wrote several great orchestral song cycles, her career came to a full halt because thirty years ago there wasn't much room in the west for a fiftyish Russian soprano who sang Tosca and Madama Butterfly in Russian (our loss) and thirty years ago Russian opera in the vernacular was rare in this country. But not in Boston in October, 1976.
Thrilling too was the Tanglewood Festival chorus! What a night!
I remember Rob and I shared a 'high'. He might not remember, but I do.

The story is based on the poem by Alexandr Pushkin (1799-1837).
As Alistair Cooke once described him, Pushkin "is to Russian literature what all of Shakespeare, Dickens, Thackeray, Melville and Thoreau are to the English speaking world". Onegin is the bored nephew of a wealthy landowner, who, through his friend Lenski is introduced into the Larin family. Lenski is engaged to the older daughter, Olga
("I haven't seen you for an entire day!"). Tatiana, the younger daughter, falls hard and at once for the aloof Eugene Onegin. She writes him a letter, pours it all out and is rebuffed by him for her pains. "You may regard me as a brother, but you should never share your heart, and certainly not with me , a stranger."
He takes her young feelings and tramples on them. Later, at Olga's name day celebrations, Lenski and Onegin quarrel, and Lenski provokes a duel, in which he is killed-Gedda was incomparable in this scene. Years pass. At a ball in St. Petersburg Onegin is welcomed by his elderly cousin, Prince Gremin. When introduced to Gremin's wife, the much younger Princess Gremina, Onegin realizes that this is Tatiana, and now he falls for her. But she dismisses him.
"I am a married woman. When once it was possible for us, you gave me only coldness." And Onegin is sent away.

Boris Goldovsky once told a story of a production of Onegin he staged in Boston,
fifty or so years ago. (This opera has good luck in Boston and I had the good luck to hear it there) Imagine Boris, conductor, producer and radio raconteur with a thick Russian accent
that years of living in Brookline, Massachusetts didn't erase.

"In the lest seen (last scene) Feelis Koortin
(Phyllis Curtin) as Tatiana came onstage on the arm of her husband, Prince Gremin.
She carried a fen (fan) and vore peenk flowers in her het (hat).
Now. Every Russian schoolchild knows that Tatiana at the ball enters waring red flowers in her het (hat)
When Feelis vore a peenk, het there vuz a gesp (gasp).
Mother, in ze frunt row, was greatly shocked at this!"

The opera is filled with spectacular choral scenes and waltzes and polonaises that always bring gasps of recognition from the audience (Rob gasped thirty years ago. "But I've played this!")
Tatiana's Letter Scene, the dances of Acts II and III, Lenski's aria at the duel and the great final confrontation of Onegin and Tatiana make this, not a Verdi opera, which it could have been, but a Russian sensation.

RECOMMENDED BOOKS

Any library will have Pushkin's verse novel Eugene Onegin
Don't miss Galya-the memoirs of Galina Vishneskaya.
This is nothing like a diva memoir, but a harrowing book about trying to be an artist in
the Soviet Union.

RECOMMENDED RECORDINGS
check out www.arkivmusic.com

Eugene Belov, Galina Vishveskaya, Sergei Lemeshev
Bolshoi Theare/Boris Khaikin

Mirella Freni, Thomas Allen, Neil Shicoff
Staatskapelle Dresden/James Levine

READ THIS: PETER SELLARS

Anyone interested in promoting the arts in this country should be sure to read Peter Sellars's key note address at the American Symphony Orchestra League Conference last June

www.symphony.org/petersellars.pdf

Provocative to say the least.

CP

MET GOES TO THE MOVIES: THE FIRST EMPEROR

Here in Columbus, OH:

Metropolitan Opera live in HD audio-visual
Saturday, January 13, 2006
1:30 p.m.
Georgesville Square Stadium 16
1800 Georgesville Sq.
Columbus OH

THE FIRST EMPEROR by Tan Dun

with Placido Domingo, Elizabeth Futral, Paul Groves, Suzanne Mentzer, Michelle DeYoung
condcuted by Tan Dun


Lots of people have been calling and e mailing since last Saturday's presentation of Bellini's
I Puritani. Now we share a brand new opera, in only its fifth perormance, Tan Dun's
The First Emperor. Born in China in 1957, Tan Dun is best known for his exhilirating score to the film hit Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Tan Dun himself conducts all performances of The First Emperor, and the entire run was sold out inNew York even before the first night!

Placido Domingo sings Emperor Qin, with a radiant new star, Elizabeth Futral as Princess Yueyang and the young American tenor Paul Groves as Gao Jianli. Fan Yue and Emi Wada make their Met debuts designing the sets and costumes for this production, and our stage directors are stars of thhe Chinese cinema: Zhang Yimou (Raise the Red Lantern) and Wang Chaoge.

Mr. Domingo is no tranger to new works. One of his first successes in New York was in the title role of Ginastera's Don Rodrigo at the New York City Opera forty years ago. Domingo's artistic integrity and his continuing box office clout made him an easy choice for the title role of
The First Emperor, which he adds to his repertoire of over 150 operas. The Metropolitan Opera has presented many world premieres in its 123 year history: Puccini's
La fanciulla del West (1910) and Il trittico (1918), Deems Taylor's Peter Ibbetson (1931)
Samuel Barber's Vanessa (1958) and Antony and Cleopatra (1966) to
Philip Glass's The Voyage (1992) and John Corigliano's The Ghosts of Versailles (1995).
New singers, conductors, directors and designers are awlays exciting but it is with new operas that this art form we all love so much continues to grow.

Check out www.metopera.org

Go to the Met web site for a fascinating blog, a diary kept during the rehearsal processs for
The First Emperor. Reviews came flowing in following the first night in Decmeber, and spicy they were. You can find them on line by searching The First Emperor along with the name of your favorite critic(!)

My favorites:

Martin Bernheimer, Financial Times, London
Alex Ross, The New Yorker
Peter G. Davis, New York
Manuela Hoelterhoeff, Bloomberg News Service

Make up your own mind by joining us on January 13th for The Met Goes to the Movies and
Tan Dun's The First Emperor.



THE

METROPOLITAN OPERA IN HD...SEEN AND HEARD IN COLUMBUS, OHIO!

The Metropolitan Opera's controversial revival of Bellini's I PURITANI
will be shown in HD video/audio live from the Metropolitan Opera House in Lincoln Center. Locally, you can see the Met live at REGAL GEORGESVILLE SQUARE STADIUM,
1800 Georgesville Road, about 10 miles from OSU. The date is Saturday, January 6. Showtime is 1.30. I'll be there for some pre peforamnce commentary at 1.15. Come say hello.

You'll find ticket info and more informaiton about these presentations at www.metopera.org
And check this blog every week.

Reports that the December 30th presentation of Mozart's MAGIC FLUTE (abridged) in Julie Taymor's staging played to packed movie theatres throughout the US are encouraging.
I PURITANI, one of the finest of all Italian language operas, might be a tougher sell. Come anyway. Here's why. Nobody who loves fine singing should give up a chance to hear this work "live". Bellini's long, grateful melodic lines, dependent upon the art of legato, are used to convey despair, joy, anticipation, worry....they take us way up and way down emotionally and are skillfully enough written so that a strong technique with a good top and a flexible voice should do very well.

I PURITANI (The Puritans)
music by Vincenzo Bellini (1801-1835)
libretto by Carlo Pepoli
first performance 1835

The story? Fasten your seats belts. Anna Russell couldn't have made this up:

We are in Plymouth, England immediately following the execution of King Charles I in 1649.
Mind you, everyone is dressed as British nobility or Puritans (Puritani) and everyone is singing I h0pe gloriously, in Italian.

Elvira is at last given permission to marry her beloved Lord Arturo, even tho her family is allied with Oliver Cromwell (the Puritani) and Arturo's with the nobility (Cavalieri). The marriage feast is interrupted by a mysterious veiled woman. This lady is Queen Henrietta Maria, the widow of Charles I--Lord Arturo gallantly spirits the queen away, leaving Elvira to believe he has abandoned her. She then goes mad. Literally. Mad scenes are an important part of the literature of Italian opera between 1820-1850ish. The most famous of such scenes, where the heroine's mind wanders while her voice has phenomenal demands made upon it, is that of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor (1835), Donizetti's Anna Bolena (1831) and Rossini's Semiramide (1819) . Back to Puritani: Elvira recovers her reason, Arturo returns-in fact the sound of his voice snaps her back into reality. But sadly, Arturo is himself condemned to death for his successful rescue of the Queen. But this is opera! Ninety seconds before the final curtain word comes from London-they had fast horses in those days-that Arturo has been pardoned and he and Elvira, now recovered are free to marry. Tremendous finale roulades from Elvira, a few ecstatic notes above the staff from soprano and tenor and all ends well.

Mad scenes were a way with coping with female sexuality in the early Victorian era. Bellini's markings for a lot of his Puritani music 'con gran dolore' 'con tutta la forza d'emozione' 'giacoso vivamente'are deliberate. The point for heroine and hero is to display their longing for one another, in good times and bad-- in music. More precisely in song. Two hundred years ago you couldn't be seen wanting it or doing it but you could certainly sing about it. And in Puritani, the singing is often about nothing less than passion, misplaced, misdirected, or finally joyfully-reunited.

This Saturday you will see the sets and costumes designed for Dame Joan Sutherland and Luciano Pavarotti back in 1976. (My recent interview with Dame Joan is on this blog.)
This writer, a mere lad in '76 saw three performance of the run from standing room. Pavarotti was phenomenal as Arturo. Wig, lifts in his boots and all, he sailed forth with a high D at the end of the opera that had 'em roaring in the aisles. He waddled around and Dame Joan patted his tummy at the curtain calls. Dame Joan? A miracle. The most magnificent singer I ever heard live. The voice was larger, higher, stronger, and the coloratura more astonishing than anyone else, before or since. Did they act? No. Did they look the parts? Sutherland was fifty and Pavarotti was-well, Pavarotti. Did you care? Give me a break. Was the singing miraculous and was Bellini well served? Yes. I later splurged on the most expensive ticket in the house...$25!
The Met had been sold out for weeks but the lady at the box offic etold me, "Here's a $25 ticket. One of our subscribers died."

We'll be hearing Anna Netrebko as Elvira, hailed a "the Audrey Hepburn of opera". She's gorgeous with a lovely voice. Opera-l and the rest of the web has been abuzz a la scandale over the illness of tenor Eric Cutler and his replacement, Gregory Kunde who is apparently finding Arturo tough going. Pavarotti for all his splendor told the New York Times thirty years ago that he was terrified of singing Arutro, going so far as to share "I have the dirarrhea". I would be remiss if I didn't mention fine opportunities for lusty macho singing from the character of Riccardo (Sir Richard) Elvira's jilted Puritan suitor, and that of Giorgio, Lord Walton her benevolent Uncle. They were Sherill Milnes and James Morris in my day. You kids have no idea...

RECORDINGS:

Go whole hog. Sutherland and Pavarotti recorded this opera together..LONDON/DECCA

Maria Callas and Giuseppe di Stefano gave thrilling performances of I Puritani together in
Mexico City and Chicago. Callas is a very different phenomenon than Sutherland. She lacks Dame Joan's absolute dazzle. But nobody interprets Bellin's markings better than Callas.
She owned the role and her perforamnces in the fifties made possible Dame Joan's in the sixties, seventies and yes, eighties. Di Stefano sings voce aperto, with an opern throated excitement
that had him voicless by age 40 (Callas died at 53). He was a joy to hear in his brief prime.
Their recording is over fifty years old, and heavily cut. Still-it's Callas for God's sake! And the great Tullio Serafin condcuts. On EMI.


Thee's a two disc cheapie on Opera d'Oro of Callas and Di Stefano together in Mexico City in 1952-sound quality is terrible as are the orchestra, chorus and supporting players.
But those two are in glorious voice.

If you like I PURITANI, by all means listen to La sonnambula, Il pirata and above all, NORMA!

Next Met HD is Tan Dun's new opera THE FIRST EMPEROR with
Placido Domingo, Janaury 13th.

HOW TO GET BOOED AT LA SCALA

All the opera boards are clamoring about the incident last week at La Scala, Milan, when the tenor Roberto Algana was booed at the beginning of a performance of Aida, just after his difficult aria 'Celeste Aida'. Alagna, a decent French born tenor is a few sizes short of being a Radames, but I heard the previous performance on line and he sounded fine. This night however, as the booing began he flipped off the audience and walked off the stage. His understudy, in Reebok's and jeans walked out singing and the performance continued without a pause. Opera loves a good scandal and this one has some impressive mileage, thanks to the endless posts on opera-l and the event itself all over YouTube.

The consensus is Alagna behaved like a brat, and ultimately did himself no good. He's been fired from all the performances of Aida, and law suits and press conferences are flying back and forth all over Milan. Just before the third performance, from which he'd been fired remember, Alagna instead sang OUTSIDE La Scala to the amusement of the crowd who no doubt thought him just another panhandler, albeit better dressed.

Did anyone tell Robertino that everyone gets booed at La Scala?
The great tenor Carlo Bergonzi was booed thirty years ago, also in Aida. He too flipped off the audience but continued to sing.
By Act 3 the audience was screaming at him "Perdona Carlo! Bravo!"

And then there's Maria Callas.
Yeah I know we all talk about her too much.
Herbert Breslin is his loads of fun book about working with Pavarotti (The King and I)
says that EMI markets her recordings so aggressively and people buy 'em up so much that everyone's convinced she's still alive, and she'd been dead for thirty years.

Anyway, Callas was Queen of La Scala for years.
Not bad for a Greek girl from 178th Street and Amsterdam Avenue.
One night she was singing Medea. One of her signature roles.
She was in poor voice. The audience began to hiss. 4,000 people hissing.
Then the boos started. Callas came to the line in the opera that she was supposed
to address to Jason: "Crudel! Ha datto tutto a te!" Cruel one, I gave you everything.
What did she do? She ignored Jason, strode to the footlights, lifted her fist to the audience and sang that line in their faces. And the cheering went on all night.

That kids, is how you sing at La Scala.

MESSIAH: Which to buy?

It's the time of year when many listeners call in saying, Y'know we just realized that we don't own a recording of Handel's Messiah-so which should we buy?
Yikes! How do you like your pizza? The choices are many and varied.
You can spend $5 and you can spend $50.
Here are some that I've enjoyed over the years.
amazon.com or arkivmusik.com should have these

In no particular order

The Robert Shaw Chorale and Orchestra, with Judith Raskin, Florence Kopleff, Richard Lewis and Thomas Paul. This was new to cd in 2005. It features the bracing, clear choral singing in the smaller forces we think Handel would have used (who really knows? everybody's dead)
and exemplary soloists, especially Richard Lewis and the sublime Judith Raskin. A 2 cd set at mid price.
RCA RED SEAL 82876-62317-2

Boston Baroque, conducted by Martin Pearlman, with Karen Clift, Catherine Robbin, Bruce Fowler and Victor Ledbetter. Pearlman's forces are similar to Shaw's in number, but he uses more appogiature and ornaments, again what Handel would have expected for a nice, varied sound texture, well recorded. A 2 cd set from TELARC, CD-80322

The Trinity Church Choir and Orchestra, Owen Burdick, conductor
Messiah had its first performance in the New World in 1770 at New York's Trinity Church,
near Wall Street. This recording was made there 225 years later. The vocal soloists are chosen among the members of Trinity's exemplary choir. This 2 cd set from Naxos (8.554511-2) is a fine performance, hard to pass up at a budget price.

Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra U.C. Berkeley Chamber Chorus, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, Janet Williams, Patricia Spence, Drew Minter, Jeffrey Thomas, William Parker. This three cd package is set up in such a way that the listener may program one of several different versions of Messiah. It can all get a bit fussy and is not for the casual listener-its also expensive. BUT McGegan and his forces are magnificent musicians who for all thier pedantry don't forget that Handel himself called Messiah "an entertainment".

HERE ARE TWO MORE. NEITHER SHOULD BE YOUR ONLY RECORDING OF MESSIAH

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham, with Jennifer Vyvyan, Monica Sinclair, Jon Vickers and Giorgio Tozzi. This over the top orchestration by Eugene Goossens features large choral forces, no decorations whatsoever, and instruments Handel had never heard of. Saxophones, xylophones, they're all here. As far from the current Historically Informed Performances as you can get, this is the recording with which many of us grew up. Fantastic and musicologically wrong. There's a one cd of highlights available: RCA RED SEAL 9026-68159-2

English Chamber Orchestra, Ambrosian Singers conducted by Richard Bonynge with Joan Sutherland, Huguette Tourangeau, Werner Krenn and Tom Krause. This set attracted a lot of criticism when it came out in 1970. It is sumptuosly decorated, the choral work is clipping and fine, the orchestration is fussy, its fantastic to hear Joan Sutherland sing "Rejoice greatly o daughter of Zion!" and contralto Tourangeau is so awful she's fascinating. But I do love this performance. 2 cds on LONDON 433 740-2

INTERVIEW WITH DAME JOAN SUTHERLAND

I was lucky enough to snag an interview yesterday with Dame Joan Sutherland,
on the phone from Sydney. Dame Joan celebrates her 80th birthday on November 7th.
Certainly she was an astonishing artist, one I heard many times dating back to 1970, and one I shall never forget.

The kindly press office at Opera Australia told me to call Dame Joan on November 1st at 4 p.m. my time. They must have told Dame Joan something else. Here's our conversation:

CP: Hello, this is Christopher Purdy from Ohio for Dame Joan Suth--
JS: You're a day late!
CP: Late? Uh...I'm sorry, I was told November 1st my time
JS: And today's the 2nd isn't it...and here you are
CP: Yes. I'm sorry. Can we speak now?
JS: Well, its a day late but go ahead.

At this point my trusty engineer was having trouble securing the connection for recording this interview. So now I'm a "day late" AND keeping Dame Joan Sutherland waiting on the phone. We do not do much small talk.

CP: Thank you for waiting, Dame Joan. We can begin now.
JS: Good!

CP: It is one of the great honors of my life to speak with Dame Joan Sutherland who is on the phone from her home in Sydney-welcome, Dame Joan

JS: Thank you very much!

CP: I know you were influenced early in your singing life by your mother. I wonder if you could describe your mother's voice.

JS: Well mother was a mezzo soprano and her teacher wanted her to go abroad and study in Paris and so on, but she said she was too nervous and didn't want a career and she didn't want all that. She wanted to go to the cricket matches and be with her friends and so on.

CP: Did you listen to her from her earliest childdhood?
JS: Oh yes, I used to sit at her feet and listen to her practise from the time I was quite small.

CP: Did she think you would have a great career?
JS: I don't think she imagined the success I eventually had, but she knew the material was there and she knew that it would mean a lot of hard work.

CP: Did your voice always have that trill and that agility?
JS: The trill was always there, yes. I never sort of pursued the agility so much.
I followed my mother who was a lyric mezzo. So I sort of put a lid on my voice because I wanted to sound like her.

CP: And I know that Kirsten Flagstad was a singer you greatly admired
JS: Oh I adored the voice of Flagstad. That was really an incredible person. And with a wonderful appearance when she sang -she was totally involved.

CP: Recently here at the station we played a recording of Lucia made in London in 1959-that was the production that brought you international fame. What do you remember about those performances?

JS: I have the feeling there's something wrong with the second part of the mad scene there. There's something wrong with transferring the tape-it's pitched too high
But the production was wonderful. Zeffirelli was the producer and Serafin conducted.
I just saw Lucia in Brisbane with my husband conducting up there. And the Australian
opera set was nearly a copy of that Zeffirelli set. Every single set I've worked in in Lucia over years, people remembered that Zeffirelli set and it's been re produced
so many times since 1959. And again in Brisbane it was very much that physical production except now it has someone else's name on it...

CP: I know that 1959 production in London was very important for you but it was important for Lucia ,too. The opera hadn't been done for a long time

JS: No, back then it hadn't been done in years

CP: Another opera I have great memoreis of your performances at the Met was Norma.
That's a pinnacle for so many artists and it was unforgettable then

JS: Well, it's an unforgettable opera. It's a great piece. It's probably one of my favorites, if not my favorite. That and Esclarmonde

CP: What makes Norma a favorite?
JS: I think she's a very recognizably human person, where some of the characters are rather cardboard

CP: How is it you sounded fresh at the end of Norma? That's a long sing
JS: Oh it has a few breaks in it. You learn how to sing it with confidence and you learn the pitfalls, and you get to be confident about singing the role.

CP: And Massenet's Esclarmonde-that was an opera nobody knew. I don't think it had been done since Sybil Sanderson-this great French Wagner pageant. It was a big hit

JS: It was terrific. And I was amazed when Decca decided to delete the recording. I thought that was ridiculous. I was amazed because it was the only recording of the piece. So I was hot on the telephone saying what on earth do you think your'e doing? Not because I'm singing but because it's the only recording of it.

CP: I think they listened to you because I saw it the other day

JS: Oh yes, now it has been repoduced many times over
CP: How did you ever find Esclarmonde?
JS: I didn't. My husband did. He read a lot about Massenet along with the Italian bel canto composers. And he read that Massenet thought it was his best work. He found tattered copies of the vocal score in Paris, and later was fortunate enough to buy the complete orchestral score when it came up for auction.

CP: One of my regrets is that I did not get to see you in Alcina
JS: That was a great piece. I loved all the Handel I did. Rodelinda, Julius Caesar.

CP: And what about singing today? What are you hearing? You told me you were at a big competition last night in Sydney.
JS: Very good voices! There were a lot of male voices. In fact there was only one woman last night. And I think Richard and I agreed on the winner. The young woman was quite good but the young man who won, from Western Australia, I think he'll do very well

CP: Are there specific young artists today you admire who you are following with interest?

JS: Well there are very good voices here certainly, but I don't follow it too much. I've had a few difficulties recently with arthritis, and just recently with knee replacement surgery. So I don't get about like I once did. So I tend to rely on recordings and television. I go when I can. I'm not that drawn to it I'm afraid. I don't like the producitons. I don't like all this updating and stagings that don't go along with the music

CP: Well, let's change the subject to something happier! How will you be spending your birthday?

JS: At home. A nice birthday lunch at home in Switzerland. Lots of things were on offer. One of our friends wanted to do a big party at his restuarant but we'll just be back from Australia. We're leaving on Friday-and Friday in case you don't know is tomorrow (laughs). But here we are. We finally made it!

CP: Touche! And I've waited all my life! (both laugh)

Do you realize how important your recorded legacy is?

JS: Well I mean I hear people saying they seem to play it everywhere. They take recordings with them and play them in the car. I'm very gratified that people enjoyed what I did. I wouldn't have lasted as long as I did if people hadn't enjoyed it.
It was great--Richard and I did a lot work on preparing the pieces. And I like to go along with him now and see what he's doing

CP: Where is Mr. Bonynge now?
JS: Right now he's upstairs, fast asleep!

CP: I want to wish you a happy birthday. Thank you very much-for everything.
JS: Well thank you, thank you for all your good wishes.

MARILYN HORNE AT OBERLIN 2006

Late October has come to mean Marilyn Horne's annual visit to Oberlin College.
If the beauty of the campus in mid fall tends to lull us into a happy stupor, the
energy of this lady-cetainly the greatest artist I ever heard live
(and I heard her a lot, praise God)is a terrific tonic.

Now in her seventies, Miss Horne looked great following a year battling health problems. She was radiant in attendance at the Florez recital that afternoon, and lavish in her praise of this great young singer. I remember a line from her memoir: "I've always been thrilled by great singing, period!" (Me too).

Miss Horne had been in Oberlin for several days of masterclasses and private coachings. I heard the last public masterclass, with an impressive crowd for a cold Sunday night. There were five students. All attractive, all musical and all blessed.

To a young soprano singing "Prendi, per me" from Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore:

Wonderful. Just great. I really don't have much to say.
Now listen. When you do that descent on 'prendi' the very first word.
Give me more D in prenDI. A little bite here is good.
Listen, you're an attractive girl. I want you to use that bod you've got!
Use your hands and your face.....OK. The coloratura needs more energy. You gotta pick it up a bit because the pitch will sag otherwise. Now look, you have a lovely voice. But I want you to sing louder. I don't mean to push or force in any way, but you are being a little too careful. Sing out.

(When she sang out it was a pealing, silvery voice. Exquisite)

To a young tenor singing Si ritrovarla from La Cenerentola

This young man met Juan Diego this afternoon. Juan Diego asked him what's your reportoire and I piped right up and said, "Yours!"
This was very good. But I want you to keep it Right Here..forward, in the mask-always. Especially with this, so much legato and then all that coloratura-you know I'm all about support. Your body has to work all the time, the entire body to provide the enrgy you need for this music.

(If this kid can bring some ring and support into his top notes, he'll go far. He's a baby still and his singing was mighty impressive)

To a young soprano singing Porgi amor from Le nozze di Figaro

Well! You have a very big voice, don't you? Wonderful. There aren't that many out there. But you are singing this too carefully. It's perfectly fine to sing this with a big voice. But use it....Oh, my I'm getting a wiggle in your voice. I think it's because you are holding back. Don't. Sing it. Also be very careful of your placement. C'mon...right here... right between the eyes. See? You sang out and no more wiggle. I want you to be very aware of that. You can fix it. Breathe low and support. You need to fill yourself with that good compressed air-and then keep feeding the breath slow and steady. Look, this is a difficult aria-its the first thing she sings and it must be rock steady. It's really all about technique. But with a big voice like yours
you really have to use it all-or else that wiggle. You can fix that. Your voice is wonderful!

A young man came out to sing Richard Strauss's Befreit. A long, higly emotional and dramatic lied. The voice was good and the musicianship very good. I'll bet Dieskau himself found this song a challenge. This young man was twenty-two. To him, Miss Horne said "Great. Wonderful. Just great. I really have nothing to say except congratulations!"

And last but not least, a young woman with another Strauss lied "Allerseelen". Her somewhat nasal production was attended to. Right here! A little higher, between the eyes. Miss Horne was big on using the entire body. No standing rock still for her.
You must engage everything. And very quickly, our Allerseelen artist came out with a march larger, warmer and rosy tone.
She also sang Allerseelen again, this time with real commtimewnt. In ten minutes there was a dramatic difference.

By this time it appeared Miss Horne was tired. It had been a long day. And certainly a wonderful day for music. The kung pao chicken at the local Chinese bistro wasn't bad either. And let me by all means acknowledge the gifted painists, Howard Lubin and Daniel Michalak, great musicans both, not fazed by anything, and totally in support of the young artists.

Now stop reading this and go play one of MArilyn Horne's recordings.

MARILYN HORNE AT OBERLIN 2006

Late October has come to mean Marilyn Horne's annual visit to Oberlin College.
If the beauty of the campus in mid fall tends to lull us into a happy stupor, the
energy of this lady-cetainly the greatest artist I ever heard live
(and I heard her a lot, praise God)is a terrific tonic.

Now in her seventies, Miss Horne looked great following a year battling health problems. She was radiant in attendance at the Florez recital that afternoon, and lavish in her praise of this great young singer. I remember a line from her memoir: "I've always been thrilled by great singing, period!" (Me too).

Miss Horne had been in Oberlin for several days of masterclasses and private coachings. I heard the last public masterclass, with an impressive crowd for a cold Sunday night. There were five students. All attractive, all musical and all blessed.

To a young soprano singing "Prendi, per me" from Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore:

Wonderful. Just great. I really don't have much to say.
Now listen. When you do that descent on 'prendi' the very first word.
Give me more D in prenDI. A little bite here is good.
Listen, you're an attractive girl. I want you to use that bod you've got!
Use your hands and your face.....OK. The coloratura needs more energy. You gotta pick it up a bit because the pitch will sag otherwise. Now look, you have a lovely voice. But I want you to sing louder. I don't mean to push or force in any way, but you are being a little too careful. Sing out.

(When she sang out it was a pealing, silvery voice. Exquisite)

To a young tenor singing Si ritrovarla from La Cenerentola

This young man met Juan Diego this afternoon. Juan Diego asked him what's your reportoire and I piped right up and said, "Yours!"
This was very good. But I want you to keep it Right Here..forward, in the mask-always. Especially with this, so much legato and then all that coloratura-you know I'm all about support. Your body has to work all the time, the entire body to provide the enrgy you need for this music.

(If this kid can bring some ring and support into his top notes, he'll go far. He's a baby still and his singing was mighty impressive)

To a young soprano singing Porgi amor from Le nozze di Figaro

Well! You have a very big voice, don't you? Wonderful. There aren't that many out there. But you are singing this too carefully. It's perfectly fine to sing this with a big voice. But use it....Oh, my I'm getting a wiggle in your voice. I think it's because you are holding back. Don't. Sing it. Also be very careful of your placement. C'mon...right here... right between the eyes. See? You sang out and no more wiggle. I want you to be very aware of that. You can fix it. Breathe low and support. You need to fill yourself with that good compressed air-and then keep feeding the breath slow and steady. Look, this is a difficult aria-its the first thing she sings and it must be rock steady. It's really all about technique. But with a big voice like yours
you really have to use it all-or else that wiggle. You can fix that. Your voice is wonderful!

A young man came out to sing Richard Strauss's Befreit. A long, higly emotional and dramatic lied. The voice was good and the musicianship very good. I'll bet Dieskau himself found this song a challenge. This young man was twenty-two. To him, Miss Horne said "Great. Wonderful. Just great. I really have nothing to say except congratulations!"

And last but not least, a young woman with another Strauss lied "Allerseelen". Her somewhat nasal production was attended to. Right here! A little higher, between the eyes. Miss Horne was big on using the entire body. No standing rock still for her.
You must engage everything. And very quickly, our Allerseelen artist came out with a march larger, warmer and rosy tone.
She also sang Allerseelen again, this time with real commtimewnt. In ten minutes there was a dramatic difference.

By this time it appeared Miss Horne was tired. It had been a long day. And certainly a wonderful day for music. The kung pao chicken at the local Chinese bistro wasn't bad either. And let me by all means acknowledge the gifted painists, Howard Lubin and Daniel Michalak, great musicans both, not fazed by anything, and totally in support of the young artists.

Now stop reading this and go play one of MArilyn Horne's recordings.

JUAN DIEGO FLOREZ AT OBERLIN

Sunday, October 30, 2006

Juan Diego Florez sang a recital at Oberlin College's Finney chapel today to a cherring, stamping, shouting crowd the like of which I haven't heard since the autumnal days of Callas and Tebaldi. The difference was, as Marilyn Horne commented later "You are hearing a magnificent artist in his absolute prime with all engines running and everything working."

Florez had an ingratiating "aw shucks" stage demeanor, endless legato, perfectly placed coloratura-no machine gun apsirating here-and ringing high Cs
(and Ds, thank you very much). Tonio's aria from Fille du regiment was the first of three encores!

The program opened with three Mozart arias: from Die Zauberfloete, Il re pastore and Il mio tesoro (Don Giovanni).
The tone was evenly porduced and the languages sung with undertanding and love. Il mio tesoro ran on with the elegance and effortlessness heard on the classic John McCormack recording made ninety years ago. There were Rossini arias from Il turco in Italia and Elisabetta d'Inghliterra. In this last Florez any semblance of youth and humor and became a warrior.There were luscious Peruvian songs, and an exquisite "Ouvre tes bleu yeux" by Massenet, which was all about line. Refreshingly, Florez ended the printed program with a contemplative aria from Donizetti's Linda di Chamonix.

Florez's stage presence sometimes threatened to induce sea sickness-he's a bopper and weaver-but to see this wonderful looking young man sing his heart out so thrillingly, well-like the song says, "I'll tell my grandchildren."

Encores: Ah, mes amis; La donna e mobile and one more Latin song.
The audience would have kept him all night.
This was first rate bel canto. Pianist Vincent Scalera matched Florez note for note for energy and elegance.

Not even the death of my van in the Oberlin parking lot at 11 pm-which had to be towed to Columbus ($377.88!) at 3 a.m. spoiled the sound of that wonderful singing and playing still ringing through my sleepy ears.