The second volume of "Casta Diva," featuring:

Beverly Sills, Gina Cigna, Montserrat Caballe, Joan Sutherland,Zinka Milanov, and Maria Callas.

                                    (74 min.)

A collection of ensembles from 14 Verdi operas. Some of the world's most famous artists are included.The operas,in this order are:

Nabucco, Giovanna D'Arco, Attila, Ernani, Ballo in Maschera,Macbeth, Simon Boccanegra, La Traviata, Il Trovatore,Don Carlo, Luisa Miller, Vespri Siciliani, Aida, and Falstaff.                                 

                                     (74 min.)

A tribute to one of the greatest all-time tenors, Alfredo Kraus (1927-1999).The live selections are from the following operas:

Lucia,Traviata,Barbiere,Werther, Manon, Rigoletto, La Favorita, Romeo et Juliette, Don Giovanni, and Faust.                                 (73 min.)

   I have waited far too long to present a podcast that features one of the great artists of all time, Carlo Bergonzi. There is so much material, but at least this is a good start. Included are arias and songs from his earlier days, up to his singing at age 67, and when I saw a New York recital at around age 77, there was still plenty of voice!        The selections are from:

    Werther, Luisa Miller, Le Roi D'Ys, Forza Del Destino (original version), Elisir D'amore, L'Arlesiana, Martha, Mefistofele, the Verdi Requiem, and several songs.           Bergonzi always ended his recitals with "Non ti scordar di me," and that is appropriate because he will NEVER be forgotten!

                                (73 min.)

A compilation of scenes from Giuseppe Verdi's "I Lombardi"(1843)and the revised Paris version (1847) which was called "Jerusalem," and in Italian productions it is known as "Gerusalemme." Featured are: Aprile Millo, Maria Vitale, Katya Ricciarelli, Leyla Gencer, Renata Scotto, Frances Alda, Maria Callas, Paul Plishka, Samuel Ramey, Marcel Journet, Luciano Pavarotti, Piotr Beczala, Ferruccio Tagliavini, Jose Carreras, Marcello Giordani, and Enrico Caruso.               (70 min.) 

Ten versions of the great "Liebestod" from Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde."                    The order is as follows:

Astrid Varnay,Helen Traubel, Lotte Lehmann, Nanny Larsen-Todsen,Rita Hunter, Johanna Meier, Margaret Harshaw, Martha Moedl,Birgit Nilsson, and Kirsten Flagstad.                                             (73 min.)

   In the 1960's, New York opera lovers who attended the La Puma Opera Company "adopted" the diva Olive Middleton whose prime years (including singing at Covent Garden) were in the 1920's. Olive was around 80, and of course the notes were rather "approximate," but she had great feeling for the music, and the spoken material really sounds like a legitimate singer, even at her advanced age.     Unless you are a total "purist" you might have some fun with this podcast. We met her once at the Met and treated her like a real diva;she ate it up. She passed away in 1974 at age 93,so do the math!      At present she is coaching with Zinka Milanov, Adelina Patti, and Ethel Merman.                          Enjoy(maybe) !!!   Charlie

A comparison of famous divas performing the Phedre Recitative and the "Poveri Fiori" from Cilea's "Adriana Lecouvreur." Who is your favorite?

Magda Olivero,Renata Tebaldi, Aprile Millo, Diana Soviero, Montserrat Caballe,Mafalda Favero,Renata Scotto,Leyla Gencer(Phedre only), andNelly Miricioiu (Phedre only.).

                                 70 min.)

A compilation of various Mimi/Marcello scenes from act three of La Boheme. In the following order, the singers are:

Renata Scotto/Frank GuarreraLuisa Maragliano/Giangiacomo GuelfiMirella Freni/Calvin MarshVictoria de los Angeles/Robert MerrillVictoria de los Angeles/Renato CapecchiTrude Eipperle/Karl Kronenberg(In German)Raina Kabaiwanska/Matteo ManuguerraBidu Sayao/Giuseppe ValdengoRenata Tebaldi/Frank GuarreraDiana Soviero/Allan MonkRosetta Pampanini/Gino VanelliLicia Albanese/Afro PoliRosanna Carteri/Giuseppe Taddei                             (70 min.)

  The opera world has been enriched by the presence of so many artists of Spanish/Hispanic origin. I hope you enjoy this compilation of material featuring many of the wonderful performers from various Spanish-speaking lands:

Victoria de los Angeles, Montserrat Caballe, Conchita Supervia, Maria Barrientos, Hina Spani, Maria Galvany, Mercedes Capsir, Pilar Lorengar, Oralia Dominguez, Ramon Vinay, Miguel Fleta, Placido Domingo, Jose Palet, Hipolito Lazaro, Emile Vendrell, Antonio Cortis, Francisco Vinas, and Jose Mardones.

                               (73 minutos)