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.

Montserrat Caballé Health Remains Major Factor In Court Case

Soprano Montserrat Caballé, seen here in a wheelchair while visiting Garni Temple and Geghard Monastery 

back in 2013 with her daughter by her side, remains plagued by court issues in Spain while she remains ill.

"A Barcelona court is to send a medical examiner to the home of opera star Montserrat Caballé in order to verify whether her health problems really are preventing her from attending a hearing to ratify the deal she signed with the public prosecutor and the Tax Agency over fraud worth €500,000. The 83-year-old soprano’s lawyer has claimed that her mobility problems have stopped her coming into court to sign off on the agreement, in which she will admit to having defrauded €500,000 in tax in 2010. In exchange, she will receive a lighter, six-month sentence that will allow her to avoid jail time. The judge in the case has now agreed to a request from the public prosecutor to send a doctor to verify her claim. Several weeks ago, Caballé’s lawyer filed a request for his client to appear in court via videoconference to ratify the deal. While common practice for witnesses and medical examiners when making court statements, it is unheard of in the case of the accused. The judge will rule on the matter once the medical report is available. The case open against Caballé is the result of a complaint filed against her last year by the public prosecutor, which accused the singer of failing to present a tax declaration for 2010 after falsely claiming that she was living in Andorra, when, in reality, her main residence was Barcelona. After arduous negotiations, the soprano admitted to the charges and paid back the €500,000 defrauded, which allowed for the punishment to be reduced to a six-month sentence for tax crimes. The soprano has twice been summoned to formally sign off on the deal in recent months. On the first occasion, she presented a medical certificate to excuse her. But on the second, on May 12, she failed to offer any explanation for her failure to show up. However, her lawyer did appear to announce that there was a 'lack of confidence' between himself and his client, and he stated that he would no longer be defending her. Almost a month later, Caballé appointed a new attorney, who has since presented medical reports to back up the fact that the singer’s delicate health meant she has been unable to attend a hearing." [Source]

Doritos Capitalizes On The Popularity Of Duet By Delibes

Doritos, promoting their "Go For Bold" campaign, created a commercial for the Super Bowl that uses a duet from the opera Lakmé by Delibes. The piece, "Viens, Mallika, les lianes en fleurs....Dôme épais, le jasmin," comes from Act I of the opera and is commonly known as the "Flower Duet." Read more about the opera by clicking here. See several interpretations featuring sopranos Anna Netrebko, Sumi Jo, Joan Sutherland, Renée Fleming, Diana Damrau, Montserrat Caballé, and more, after the jump.

Take A Tour Of Spain Based On Birthplaces Of Great Sopranos

Deciding where to travel in a foreign country can become a daunting task with all the landscapes, museums, architecture, restaurants, and concert halls. It seems natural to put an operatic twist on the itinerary when looking for adventure. Why not let the birthplaces of famous sopranos (and some mezzo-sopranos) dictate the destination? Let's start in the country of Spain. With all the flamenco dancing, bullfights, and beaches, this culture is muy caliente! "Spain has an extraordinary artistic heritage. The dominant figures of the Golden Age were the Toledo-based artists El Greco and Diego Velázquez. Francisco de Goya emerged in the 18th century as Spain's most prolific painter and he produced some wonderfully unflattering portraits of royalty. The art world in the early 20th century was influenced by a remarkable group of Spanish artists: Pablo Picasso, Juan Gris, Joan Miró and Salvador Dalí, ambassadors of the artistic culture in Spain. Spain's architecture ranges from prehistoric monuments in Minorca in the Balearic Islands, to the Roman ruins of Merida and Tarragona, the decorative Lonja in Seville, Mudéjar buildings, Gothic cathedrals, castles, fantastic modernist monuments and Gaudí's intricate fabulist sculptures in Barcelona. They are all representative of the culture of Spain. Another example of culture in Spain is the invention of the Spanish guitar, which was invented in Andalusia in the 1790's when a sixth string was added to the Moorish lute. It gained its modern shape in the 1870's. Spanish musicians have taken the humble guitar to dizzying heights of virtuosity and none more so than Andrés Segovia (1893-1997), who established classical guitar as a genre. Flamenco, music rooted in the cante jondo (deep song) of the gitanos (gypsies) of Andalusia, is experiencing a revival. Paco de Lucia is the best known flamenco guitarist internationally. His friend Camarón de la Isla was, until his death in 1992, the leading light of contemporary cante jondo. In the 1980s flamenco-rock fusion (a.k.a. 'gypsy rock') was developed by the likes of Pata Negra and Ketama, and in the 1990s Radio Tarifa emerged with a mesmerizing mix of flamenco and medieval sounds. Bakalao, the Spanish contribution to the world of techno, emerged from Valencia." [Source] So why not add opera to the highest cultural contributions in Spain? Time to see the country as the famous opera singers would have experienced it while growing up. The tour begins after the jump.

Get A Glimpse Into Montserrat Caballé's Early Career Life

Watch Montserrat Caballé in a 1971 conversation with Bernard Levin as they discuss the first moment she knew she would be an opera singer; early rejections auditioning in Italy; debuting at Glyndebourne by learning the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier over the course of 20 days; stepping in for Marilyn Horne to make her New York debut singing in Lucrezia Borgia; why she sang the bel canto repertoire; and the demands of scheduling performances four years in advance. Bonus studio performances of arias from Tannhäuser, Le Nozze di Figaro, Lucrezia Borgia, Norma, and Il Trovatore, are sprinkled throughout the interview. Watch the entire 72-minute clip after the jump.

Celebrate Montserrat Caballé's Birthday At Her Hotel Suite

Soprano María de Montserrat Bibiana Concepción Caballé i Folch was born in Barcelona, Spain, on this day 81 years ago. As you listen to recordings and watch videos to commemorate the occasion, you might want to step it up and spring for a night at Hôtel Le Negresco in the suite named for the diva. Located in Nice on the French Riviera, the Montserrat Caballé Suite N° 121-122 houses, among other treasures, a Louis XV secretaire, two Sèvres porcelain lamps and a Louis XVI bed adorned with two gold-plated bronzes. Accommodating up to three guests, the 861 square luxury room boasts views of the Mediterranean Sea. Make your reservations by clicking here. See more pictures and read about the amenities after the jump.

Is "Las Hijas De Danao" A Remake Of The Classic Film "Diva"?

The thriller film Las Hijas de Danao is set in Paris during the 2005 urban riots. The opera is rehearsing to perform Salieri's Les Danaïdes, when a well-known soprano receives an anonymous threat. Coinciding with serious disturbances in the French capital, detectives do their best to infiltrate the opera company to solve the mystery. The director, Fran Kapilla, says the idea came out of the juxtaposition of the two worlds of protestors and the sophisticated opera society. If the plot sounds vaguely familiar, check out the description for Jean-Jacques Beineix's 1981 film Diva by clicking here. For more information about the film, visit the official website: http://www.lashijasdedanao.com/. See more cast photos, and find out the connection Montserrat Caballé has to this film, after the jump! [Source]

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.

Azerbaiyán Declares Montserrat Caballé Persona Non Grata

"Las autoridades de Azerbaiyán han incluido a la soprano española Montserrat Caballé en una lista negra de personas 'non grata' por haber visitado la disputada región de Nagorno Karabaj, dijo a Efe un portavoz del Ministerio de Exteriores azerí. El portavoz Elmán Abduláyev señaló que la cantante es una de las 335 personalidades extranjeras que aparecen en la lista, que hoy publicó el Ministerio, y que incluye a políticos y artistas que han estado en el enclave separatista armenio cuya soberanía enfrenta desde 1988 a Azerbaiyán con la vecina Armenia. En la lista figuran, además de Caballé, otros artistas como el cantante italiano Al Bano. Entre los políticos y diplomáticos aparecen el antiguo representante especial de la UE para el Cáucaso Sur, Peter Semneby, o la exvicepresidenta de la Cámara de los Lores británica Caroline Cox. Montserrat Caballé, embajadora de buena voluntad de la Unesco, visitó el pasado junio los territorios de Nagorno Karabaj, que Bakú considera 'ilegalmente ocupados' por las tropas armenias. Caballé, que cumplió recientemente 80 años, fue recibida oficialmente en la capital regional, Stepanakert, por Bako Saakián, dirigente armenio del enclave." [Source]

Celebrate the 80th Birthday of Montserrat Caballé in Spanish Style

Available April 30, 2013. Reserve your copy now by clicking here to order! A beautiful portrait of the soprano after the jump.

Zarzuela Performance Extravaganza: "Me llaman la Primorosa"

From the zarzuela El Barbero De Sevilla (libretto by Guillero Perrin & Miguel Palacios and music by Gerónimo Giménez & Miguel Nieto) comes this delight. Now decide who does your favorite rendition from these inspired performances:

Alexis Weissenberg (July 26, 1929 – January 8, 2012)

Musical video tributes (including Nicolai Gedda and Montserrat Caballé) to the late pianist after the jump.

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.

Annenberg Center Presents "Il Teatro Alla Moda" in Beverly Hills

Roberto Capucci diva gowns: (top row) Raina Kabaivanska, Helga Dernesch*, Anna Caterina Antonacci;
(bottom row) Stefania Bonfadelli, Katia Ricciarelli, Anna Caterina Antonacci
[*costume originally for Salome/Teatro alla Scala/1987 as Herodias]

"The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts presents the U.S. premiere of Il Teatro Alla Moda (Theater in Fashion), the first exhibition to explore Italy’s famous haute couture designers and their impact on the stages of opera, dance and theater. More than 80 costumes, sketches and drawings from Giorgio Armani, Roberto Capucci, Enrico Coveri, Fendi, Alberta Ferretti, Romeo Gigli, Antonio Marras, Missoni, Emanuel Ungaro, Valentino and Gianni Versace will be on display here to celebrate the current transformation of the Italian Renaissance Beverly Hills Post Office into a distinctive performing arts venue and to honor the designers’ contributions to the performing arts. The exhibition will have a limited 4-week run from Oct. 14–Nov. 13. While the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts is under construction, the exhibit will be on display at 253 N. Beverly Dr. on the ground floor of the new MGM Place, which will be converted into a temporary gallery." [Source]

For more information about the operatic connections to the costumes in this exhibit, click here. More information for the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts can be found here. Check out two more colorful costumes after the jump.

A Tribute to Freddie Mercury and His Love of Montserrat Caballé

Freddie Mercury (September 5, 1946 – November 24, 1991) would have celebrated his 65th birthday this week. In honor, Google created a special doodle for the occasion (watch it here) to celebrate his status as a rock legend. But his love for music went beyond any single genre and during the last decade of his life he developed a deep emotional bond with Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballé. His love affair with her voice began when he attended a performance of Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera at London's Royal Opera House - Covent Garden in 1983. So taken by her talent, he flew to Barcelona in 1987 to give the diva a cassette with two to four songs hoping that she might like them and possibly perform them. The collaboration took place when the rocker sat down at a piano and played various melodies for the opera star asking which one she preferred. Watch a rare interview with the pair at Covent Garden here. By April of that year Freddie began work on a new album to record with Caballé. "At the end of May the island of Ibiza staged a huge festival at the outrageous Ku Club. Freddie agreed to be a guest of honour and closed the event with Montserrat Caballé singing the song he had written for her and her home city, "Barcelona." On October 8th, 1988 Freddie and Montserrat appeared at the huge

open air La Nit festival in Barcelona. They performed three tracks from their forthcoming album - 'How Can I Go On,' 'The Golden Boy' and 'Barcelona,' accompanied by Mike Moran on piano. The long-awaited album, Barcelona, finally came out on October 10th. "The title track later became the anthem of the 1992 Summer Olympics which was hosted by Caballé's native city, and appeared again in the pop music charts throughout Europe. Caballé also performed the song live, accompanied by a recording of the by then deceased Mercury, before the 1999 UEFA Champions League football final in Barcelona's Camp Nou stadium." That October 8, 1988 concert with Montserrat was the last time Freddie Mercury performed on stage. At the end of his life in 1991 he was terribly sick with AIDS and he didn't want the public to know. He did, however, tell those people closet to him and you can watch an emotional video of Ms. Caballé discussing it by clicking here. He finally opened up and announced to the world that he was suffering from AIDS and died the next day. [Source, Source]

Read a complete biography of Freddie Mercury by clicking here. Watch a special "mix" video of several performances the duo did of "Barcelona" after the jump.

Montserrat Caballé Reissues Still Missing Major Recording

If you need your Montserrat Caballé thirst quenched, turn to EMI and Sony for recent reissues from the soprano's back catalog. With the numerous compilations that have been released, there is still a vital recording missing: 15 Strauss songs with Alexis Weissenberg on piano. A number of years ago, EMI Classics issued the 1979 recording of Canto a Sevilla by Joaquin Turina and Canciones negras by Xavier Montsalvatge on CD. The other half of the original 2LP set, however, has never seen the light of day on CD or MP3. Why? Not to mention the lack of originality with cover art on the above re-issues. Are there really only two photos of this great artist in the files of these record companies to use?

Contact High: Montserrat Caballé

Don Carlo - Duet
Montserrat Caballé, Franco Corelli
Francesco Molinari-Pradelli, NYC, 1972
Clip length (0:27)


con·tact high [kon-takt hahy]: when you feel the slight, brief sensation of being high just because you were close to somebody that was definitely high.

Gran Teatre del Liceu Announces 2011-2012 Season

The Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona announced their 2011-12 season. All the details can be found here. Highlights of the season include opening night of Faust (Krassimira Stoyanova, Piotr Beczala, Erwin Schrott), Erwartung (Angela Denoke), Linda di Chamounix (Diana Damrau, Juan Diego Flórez), Aida (Sondra Radvanovsky) and Adriana Lecouvreur which will

Early portrait of Caballé

have three casts: sopranos Barbara Frittoli, Daniela Dessì, Micaela Carosi, tenors Roberto Alagna, Fabio Armiliato, Carlo Ventre and mezzo-sopranos Dolora Zajick, Marianne Cornetti and Elisabetta Fiorillo. The biggest event of the season, however, just might be the concert on January 3, 2012, that celebrates the 50th anniversary of Montserrat Caballé's debut with the opera company in the title role of Strauss's Arabella. Recitals will include Juan Diego Flórez (December 3, 2011), René Pape (February 5, 2012) and Nina Stemme (July 4, 2012). [Source, Source]

Queen Celebrates 40th Anniversary With Re-issue

"March 2011 sees the re-release of Queen’s first five albums – one of the most exciting and influential back catalogues of all time. Recorded in the maelstrom of the early 1970’s London music scene Queen created a groundbreaking and unique soundtrack that remains globally influential today. Theatrical, imaginative, diverse, melodic and unpredictable they had a sound and a look all of their own. Sitting alongside their contemporaries like Led Zep and David Bowie, Queen set the standard for British rock in the 1970’s and became one of the most thrilling, glamorous and downright rock n roll bands of all time, directly influencing a contemporary roll call of artists from Foo Fighters & Axl Rose to Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. Queen, Queen II, Sheer Heart Attack, A Night At The Opera and A Day At The Races have been specially re-mastered and each will be released as a standard CD as well as a deluxe 2 disc set which will feature new bonus content. Each

LaCroix Sweetie, LaCroix! Fashion Designers in Opera

Fleming wears LaCroix (Photo: Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera)

Since declaring chapter 11, Christian Lacroix has kept himself busy in the opera world designing costumes around the globe. In 2008 he, along with John Galliano and Karl Lagerfeld, designed soprano Renée Fleming's gowns for opening night scenes of La Traviata, Manon and Capriccio at the Metropolitan Opera. As an encore, he returned to the MET in January 2009 to design the costumes for Massenet's Thaïs featuring Fleming and Thomas Hampson with Jesús López-Cobos conducting. [Source, Source]

Pendatchanska in Berlin

This March, Lacroix is creating the costumes for Bellini's I Capuleti e i Montecchi at the Bayerische Staatsoper. Conductor Yves Abel leads a cast that will include Vesselina Kasarova, Eri Nakamura and Dimitri Pittas. [Source] In February 2010 he designed the costumes for Händel's Agrippina at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin. The occasion marked his debut at the German opera house. He flew back and forth between Paris and Berlin to personally oversee the fittings. Alexandra Pendatchanska sang the title role and René Jacobs led the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin. [Source]

After the jump is a 30-year retrospective of designers (Capucci, LaCroix, Armani, Versace) creating costumes for opera and evening gowns for divas (Kabaivanska, Antonacci, Fleming, Dernesch, Ricciarelli).