It is probably a good time to describe the categories of soprano that are used in opera. We’ll get to the categories of the male voice at another time. I...
Read MoreFrida Leider was one of the greatest sopranos who ever lived. She sang a heavy repertoire, although later when she was older, she learned to bring her voice down enough...
Read MoreMild und Leise Grob-Prandl This woman had one of the largest voices in recorded history, hence the High Dramatic Soprano moniker. She was Viennese, and it was reported that when...
Read MoreThose who know me well know that my interest in opera was launched by good, Italian pressings of Callas (this was before CDs existed, so I am dating myself). I...
Read MoreThis duet has been sung by many different people. I have selected this recording because I have never heard it sung better. Usually, the tenor and the baritone sound as...
Read MoreFirst Recording: Vaughn Williams – Serenade for Music I am just placing a link to the music and a link to the Wikipedia page describing the first recording of this…
Why, for my first orchestral selection, am I choosing Bruckner's Symphony No. 5 in B-flat? Possibly because it is tremendous music, possibly because people don't listen to Bruckner very often,...
Read MorePlease note that the German poems are below the link. Sena Jurinac was one of the greatest sopranos of the 20th century. She was born in what is now Bosnia,...
Read MoreGeorges Thill was perhaps France's greatest dramatic tenor, or heldentenor, of the 20th century. He had an exquisite placement of air and tone such that he had a sound that...
Read MoreOne of my favorite sopranos of all time is Lisa Della Casa, who died in 2012 at 93. She was a full lyric soprano, and just about everything that she...
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