Exactly two years ago I introduced my listeners to the magisterial African American dramatic baritone Eugene Holmes (1932 – 2007). Holmes first found world-wide recognition with he appeared in the first modern revival of Frederick Delius’s problematic opera Koanga. Following that earth-shattering success, however, Holmes did not become a world star, but rather for nearly thirty years found his artistic home at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, where he was the reigning Verdi baritone with the company. His career there was bookended by two rare recordings of spirituals, one from just before his success in Koanga, the other appearing after Holmes had spent nearly twenty years in Düsseldorf. This episode presents a live excerpt from a 1972 London performance of the Delius (a voodoo curse, in fact, as delivered by the title character!), as well as the complete contents of both albums of spirituals. In addition, and perhaps most exciting, the episode is rounded off with two excerpts from a live 1981 Deutsche Oper am Rhein recording of Verdi’s dark masterpiece Simon Boccanegra with Holmes in the title role, joined by the exquisite Bulgarian soprano Stefka Evstatieva. In all of these recordings, the power of Holmes’s voice and the sensitivity of his expression combine to make these some of the finest recordings of either the spirituals repertoire, or of Verdi, that I have ever heard and are an important addition to the legacy of this woefully under-recorded artist.

Countermelody is a podcast devoted to the glory and the power of the human voice raised in song. Singer and vocal aficionado Daniel Gundlach explores great singers of the past and present focusing in particular on those who are less well-remembered today than they should be. Daniel’s lifetime in music as a professional countertenor, pianist, vocal coach, voice teacher, and journalist yields an exciting array of anecdotes, impressions, and “inside stories.” At Countermelody’s core is the celebration of great singers of all stripes, their instruments, and the connection they make to the words they sing. By clicking on the following link (https://linktr.ee/CountermelodyPodcast) you can find the dedicated Countermelody website which contains additional content including artist photos and episode setlists. The link will also take you to Countermelody’s Patreon page, where you can pledge your monthly or yearly support at whatever level you can afford.