Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Remembers Richard Tucker

The Supreme Court Justice in 1953.

"A tribute to the late, great American tenor Richard Tucker was well under way at the Juilliard School on Wednesday when the panelists, led by soprano Renée Fleming, stopped for a moment. Making a late entrance to the stage was Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, whose flight had been delayed due to a rainstorm. 'I really have no expertise to be on this stage,' said the justice, once she had settled, 'but because of my age, I attended many performances.' When Ms. Fleming asked of her first memory of Tucker onstage, Ms. Ginsburg recalled the exact date and performance. It was Verdi's La forza del destino, at the old Metropolitan Opera House, located on Broadway between 39th and 40th streets, on March 4, 1960, which was also memorable because it was the night that another Met star, the baritone Leonard Warren, died. After that, Ms. Ginsburg saw many more Tucker performances. 'It's hard to think of a Verdi role I didn't see Richard Tucker in,' she said." [Source] Click here to also read the The New York Times coverage of the event.

Second Annual Richard Tucker Day Good News For Reuben Lovers

"Throughout the day, Junior's restaurant - a Brooklyn institution for more than 60 years - will offer an off-menu special sandwich, "The Richard Tucker Reuben," in a nod to the American tenor's given name, Rubin. The sandwich, a variation on the traditional Reuben, includes both pastrami and corned beef, which were two of Richard Tucker's favorite deli meats. Junior's is located at 386 Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn." [Source]

Check out highlights of the festivities and opera stars performing for Richard Tucker Day, after the jump.

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.

Sony Classics Releases Live MET Operas, 5.0

If you missed round one ,  two, three or four of the Metropolitan Opera archive performances being released on Sony Classical, time to catch up with the new releases! The latest round might as well be a dedication to Thomas Schippers who is conducting three of the latest editions. At budget prices, these should not be passed up.

Johnny Mathis Inspired To Cantorial Music By Opera Greats

"Mathis, who lived with his parents and six siblings at Post and Baker streets in the Western Addition, grew up singing spirituals in the choir at the African Methodist Episcopal church. A musical prodigy who was also a record-setting high jumper at Washington High and San Francisco State University, he hung out at the jazz clubs that flourished in the Fillmore district. His longtime vocal teacher, Connie Cox, turned him on to the great opera singers Robert Merrill and Richard Tucker, both former cantors." [Source]