Leading Ladies Of The Late Jon Vickers In Opera Performances

Jon Vickers (center) and Leontyne Price (right) are seen talking with producer Richard Mohr
during the recording of Verdi's Aida for RCA in 1961 at the Rome Opera.

With the most recent passing of the heroic tenor Jon Vickers, we look back at the outstanding roster of female partners he had on the opera stage and in the recording studio. During an era when operatic pairings like Callas & Di Stefano, Tebaldi & Del Monaco, and Nilsson & Corelli were commonplace, the Canadian powerhouse voice of Jon Vickers sang with voices as far-ranging as Teresa Stratas to Gré Brouwenstijn. Find more astounding clips featuring Katia Ricciarelli, Renata Scotto, Joan Sutherland, Montserrat Caballé, Maria Callas, Jessye Norman, and many more, after the jump.

Photo Flashback: Leona Mitchell, Renata Scotto, Virginia Zeani, Tito Capobianco

Power Quartet: Tito Capobianco, Leona Mitchell, Virginia Zeani, and Renata Scotto, post-recital in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on February 22, 2014. Details of the evening are after the jump. (Photo: Venetian Arts Society/Facebook)

Renata Scotto Chats About Being One Of Opera's Chosen

Madame Scotto explains to the audience the major differences between opera 50 years ago and today.

Last night, WQXR hosted a live webcast featuring performances and interviews centering around tenor Michael Fabiano: "Tonight at 7 pm, join us for a live webcast of Italian opera excerpts and songs in The Greene Space, headlined by American tenor Michael Fabiano. Fabiano, the recipient of the 2014 Richard Tucker Award and the 2014 Beverly Sills Artist Award, has performed at opera houses around the world, and is noted for his vocal style, physical dash and star power. Operavore blogger Fred Plotkin recently named him one of his '40 under 40' opera singers. The evening also features performances by Richard Tucker Grant winners Jennifer Johnson Cano, mezzo-soprano, and Brandon Cedel, bass-baritone. Legendary soprano Renata Scotto makes a guest appearance in conversation with WQXR’s Naomi Lewin, discussing her collaborations with Richard Tucker and her role as a master teacher imparting the traditions of Italian opera to a new generation of American opera singers." The highlight was when Renata Scotto took the chair to be interviewed about her career and thoughts about opera now. Some of her responses included the difference in how today's singers study and prepare roles; are they singing for themselves or for the audience?; with many singers in the world, only

Hard Worker: Michael Fabiano prides himself
 on having the American work ethic. 

a few are "elected" or "chosen" to become successful; discussing performing for television cameras in La Bohème and that sparked her to lose weight; singers today shouldn't worry about looking good for the HD cameras, that is the job of the costumer, make-up artists, director, and television staff; listening for the first time to an excerpt from Rigoletto with Richard Tucker at the Teatro Cologne in 1967; talking about her American debut in 1960 with Richard Tucker in La Bohème while on her honeymoon; getting cookies on the doorstep of her Park Avenue apartment from Richard Tucker's wife; what responsibility she feels to opera being an Italian; why she thinks Felice Romani is the greatest librettist to ever live; and finally whether she prefers sfogliatelle or cannoli*. Watch the video of the evening, after the jump.
[Source]

*Spoiler: Michael Fabiano claims "you can stuff cannoli down my throat all day."

Remembering Maestro Claudio Abbado And His Opera Stars

Claudio Abbado backstage with Renata Scotto after I Capuleti e i Montecchi at Teatro alla Scala in 1967

Conductor Claudio Abbado passed away on Monday, January 20, 2014, at the age of 80. He left an immaculate legacy of live musical performances and countless recordings on a variety of labels. He conducted a great majority of opera throughout his career and subsequently had many friendships with singers from around the globe. Check out some spectacular photos of the Maestro with singers from the past 50 years, along with some biographical information, after the jump.

What Smells Like A Dozen Famous Sopranos And Is Red All Over?

One King's Lane is currently running an auction of Metropolitan Opera memorabilia. Perhaps the most interesting item among the lot is a costume worn by a curious collection of divas that have sung the role of Elizabeth of Valois with the company over the last three decades, beginning with its original wearer Renata Scotto. A nice bargain of operatic history for only $4,999US and Halloween is just around the corner! 

A full image of the dress after the jump and be sure to check the tags at the end of this post to see the list of singers to wear the garment.

Click on the image to enlarge. You will see a detail of the tags sewn into the costume that designate some of the singers who wore it over the years. You can see sopranos wearing it here and here. Also watch the dress in action here.

Sony Classical Digs Deep For Rarities on Verdi Bicentennial

Sony Classical has taken the opportunity to mine the treasure trove of their back catalog (featuring recordings from inherited labels of RCA Victor Red Seal, Columbia, and CBS Masterworks) to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Giuseppe Verdi's birth. Some rarities are unearthed for the first time on this occasion, while others have had previous incarnations on compact disc in the past. Of particular interest is the album "A Verdi Collaboration" featuring soprano Anna Moffo with conductor Franco Ferrara. Making its appearance for the first time on CD, it is a welcome tribute from the discography* of Ms. Moffo who passed away in 2006. Track listing from this 1962 recording includes:
1. Vespri Siciliani, Act V: "Mercè, dilette amiche"
2. Ernani, Act I: "Ernani involami"
3. Aida:, Act III: "O patria mia"
4. Il trovatore, Act IV: "D'amor sull'ali rosee"
5. Giovanna d'Arco, Prologue: "O ben s'addice questo torbido cielo"
6. Otello, Act IV: "Salce, Salce - Ave Maria"
7. Un ballo in maschera, Act III: "Morrò ma prima in grazia"
8. Simon Boccanegra, Act I: "Come in quest'ora bruna"

*Sony Classical would do well to look at the soprano's other recordings in the vault that could be released in a box-set tribute: "Anna Moffo Sings Berlin," "French Opera Arias," "Dream Duet" with Sergio Franchi, "Songs of Debussy," "Anna Moffo Sings Gershwin," "Bist du's, lachendes Glück" and "True Love" duet albums with Rudolf Schock, "Film music of Ennio Morricone," and the complete recording of Massenet's "Thais." In the meantime, there is a 10-CD collection that will satisfy some needs!

After the jump are several more of the original cover art releases of Verdi works by Sony Classical that will be showing up mid-summer in the international markets.

Marcello Giordani Foundation International Vocal Competition 2012

Legendary soprano Renata Scotto with tenor Marcello Giordani

Check out more pictures of the singers from the competition, as well as opera administrators and voice teachers at the post-program reception by clicking here.

Hot Photo of the Day: Luciano Pavarotti Teases Renata Scotto

"Tenor Luciano Pavarotti indulges in a little horse play as he licks the shoulder of soprano Renato Scotto 10/31/1976 at Carnegie Hall memorial concert tribute to the late Metropolitan Opera star Richard Tucker. Concert was to provide funds for memorial foundation in Tucker's name."

Metropolitan Opera Guild Luncheon to Honor Marilyn Horne

The lady of the hour: Miss Horne

77th Annual Guild Luncheon
Jackie! Celebrating Marilyn Horne

October 31, 2011 12:15 PMWaldorf-Astoria

The honoree of this year’s Annual Guild Luncheon is the legendary Marilyn Horne. Join us as we salute one of the greatest singers of our time, with appearances by her colleagues and friends, video performances and a vocal tribute by Stephanie Blythe. Guests at the luncheon will include June Ander­son, Lucine Amara, Mar­tina Arroyo, Har­o­lyn Black­well, Judith Ble­gen, Richard Bonynge, Nedda Casei, Barbara Cook, Frank Corsaro, John Corigli­ano, Dwayne Croft, Tyne Daly, Ray­mond Gniewek, Florence Henderson, Martin Katz, Jean Kraft, Shir­ley Love, John Mac­urdy, Spiro Malas, Terrence McNally, Marnie Nixon, Betsy Norden, Roberta Peters, Eve Queler, Samuel Ramey, Regina Res­nik, Ren­ata Scotto, Rita Shane, Bryn Ter­fel, Ben­ita Valente, Deborah Voigt, Fre­der­ica von Stade and Robert White.

TICKETS
Regular Tickets: $250 ($125 tax-deductible)
Benefactor Tickets: $475 ($350 tax-deductible)
President’s Circle Tickets: $750 ($625 tax-deductible)
Benefactor Tables for Ten: $4,750 ($3,500 tax-deductible)
President’s Circle Tables for Ten: $7,500 ($6,000 tax-deductible)

Buy tickets for the event by clicking here.

Coffee Break: Twilight Time With Respighi and Scotto

Renata Scotto sings "Crepuscolo" from Ottorino Respighi's Deità Silvane
Nell'orto abbandonato ora l'edace
Muschio contende all'ellere i recessi,
E tra il coro snelletto dei cipressi
S'addorme in grembo dell'antica pace
Pan. Sul vasto marmoreo torace,
Che i convovoli infiorano d'amplessi,
Un tempo forse con canti sommessi
Piegò una ninfa il bel torso procace.
Deità della terra, forza lieta!,
Troppo pensiero è nella tua vecchiezza:
Per sempre inaridita è la tua fonte.
Muore il giorno, e nell'alta ombra inquïeta
Trema e s'attrista un canto d'allegrezza:
Lunghe ombre azzurre scendono dal monte.
(poem by Antonio Rubino)

Listen to mezzo-soprano Elisabetta Lombardi's rendition after the jump.

Happy Birthday: Renata Scotto

Watch a special video message from tenor Stephen Costello. In case you missed the recent interview with birthday girl Renata Scotto, check it out here and if you are in New York City this Sunday be sure to attend the MET Legends event taking place at Hunter College's Kaye Playhouse.

"Come per me sereno" La Sonnambula (Bellini)

Renata Scotto was born on February 24, 1934 in Savona, Italy. She made her operatic debut in her home town on Christmas Eve of 1952 at the age of 18 in front of a sold-out house as Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata. The next day, she made her 'official' opera debut at the Teatro Nuovo in Milan as Violetta. Shortly after, she performed in her first Puccini opera, Madama Butterfly, in Savona and was paid twenty-five thousand lire. Both roles would later become closely associated with her name. In 1953, Scotto auditioned at La Scala for the role of Walter in Catalani's La Wally with Renata Tebaldi and Mario del Monaco. After her audition, one of the judges, the conductor Victor de Sabata, was heard to say, "Forget about the rest." La Wally opened on December 7, 1953 and Scotto was called back for fifteen curtain calls. Tebaldi and Del Monaco each received seven. Scotto's major breakthrough came in 1957: At the Edinburgh Festival, La Scala performed their production of Bellini's La Sonnambula with Maria Callas as Amina. The production was so successful that the company added an additional performance. Callas however declined to perform due to illness, saying that she had already appeared in the other performances against her doctor's orders. Scotto, covering the role of Amina, replaced Callas on September 3, 1957. The performance was a great success, and the 23-year-old Scotto became an international opera star. In 1961 she performed Amina again at Venice's La Fenice with tenor Alfredo Kraus with whom she shared the same teacher, Mercedes

MET Sirius XM Radio Tonight: "La Bohème"

Listen to the Metropolitan Opera perform Puccini's La Bohème live tonight at 8:00 PM EST on Sirius XM radio. Intermission guests: Renata Scotto and Patrick Summers.

Renata Scotto Remains A Private Citizen Of The World

The 1984 autobiography tell-all

"Usually, in the houses of the older men and women who once dominated the stages of the Metropolitan Opera and La Scala and Covent Garden, there is a piano. The piano, in fact, is the focal point of the house. It’s the reminder of past glory, what they gave their lives to. It’s there in the corner when you walk in the door, sheet music at the ready and crowded with fading photos in costume, backstage shots. In Renata Scotto’s house there is no piano. A decade after retiring, following a career that lasted over 50 years and was one of the greatest in twentieth-century opera, Scotto never sings, not even in the shower. She keeps a single photograph in the house of herself in costume (as an imperious Lady Macbeth at the Met), and she hangs it under the staircase. With few exceptions, her friends aren’t fellow

Scotto in Florence (1961)

singers or musicians. This is how she wants it. 'You can ask a thousand people about the kind of person I am,' she said last week over espresso and cookies in her living room in Westchester, leaning back on her couch and laughing as she drew out the 'thousand' in the thick Italian accent that’s stayed with her through decades of living in the United States. 'I would never have a moment where I said, ‘Ohh, I can’t sing anymore, it’s too bad because I can do it better than so-and-so.’ I’m happy the way I am, and so interested in so many things. I’ve never had a piano in my house. I’ve always kept it separate.'" [Source]

Legend Renata Scotto To Appear In New York

[Source]