Opera
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The Live You Give: Sherrill Milnes *1935
Sherrill Milnes was born on January 10, 1935, and grew up on a dairy farm in Downers Grove, Illinois. Despite a childhood devoted to daily chores, he took voice lessons and studied piano, violin, viola, double bass, clarinet, and tuba. But when it came time for college, he pursued pre-medical studies. After a year and…
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The Life You Give: Edita Gruberova *1946
Edita Gruberova, born December 23, 1946, in Bratislava, was a Slovak soprano and one of the most acclaimed coloraturas of recent decades. She is noted for her great tonal clarity, agility, and ability to sing high notes with great power, making her an ideal Queen of the Night in her early years. In recent years,…
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The Life You Give: Elisabeth Schwarzkopf *1915
Dame Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, born Dec. 9, 1915, in Jarotschin, near Posen, Germany, [now Poznań, Poland] was a soprano who performed in the major opera houses of the Western world and is remembered especially for her mastery of German songs known as lieder. Schwarzkopf studied at the Berlin High School for Music from 1934, winning various…
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La Damnation de Faust (Berlioz) premiered today in 1846
“La Damnation de Faust” Opus 24Dramatic Legend for four soloists, children’s chorus, seven-part choir, and orchestra Composer: Hector Berlioz Librettists: Hector Berlioz, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, & Almire GandonnièrePremiere: December 6 1846 On this recording: Kenneth Riegel —- Tenor [Faust]José van Dam —- Bass [Méphistophélès]Frederica von Stade —- Mezzo-soprano [Marguerite] Malcolm King —- Bass [Brander]…
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“Samson and Delilah” by Camille Saint-Saëns (premiered 12.2.1877)
Opera, Blood, and Tears presents Samson and Delilah (by Camille Saint-Saëns)December w at 11:55pm ESTon Clubhouse Composer: Camille Saint-Saëns Librettist: Ferdinand Lemaire ACT I Gaza, 1150 B.C. In a square in Gaza, a group of Hebrews beg Jehovah for relief from their bondage to the Philistines; Samson, their leader, rebukes them for their lack of…
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The Life You Give: Maria Callas *1923
Maria Callas, original name Maria Cecilia Sophia Anna Kalogeropoulos, born December 2, 1923, New York, New York, was an American-born Greek operatic soprano who revived classical coloratura roles in the mid-20th century with her lyrical and dramatic versatility. Callas was the daughter of Greek immigrants and early developed an interest in singing. Accompanied by her…
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The Life You Give: Gaetano Donizetti *1797
Gaetano Donizetti, born on Nov. 29, 1797, in Bergamo, Cisalpine Republic, was an Italian opera composer whose numerous operas in both Italian and French represent a transitional stage in operatic development between Rossini and Verdi. Among his major works are Lucia di Lammermoor (1835), La fille du régiment (1840), and La favorite (1840). In his…
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The Life You Give: Virgil Thomson *1896
Virgil Thomson, (born November 25, 1896, Kansas City, Missouri, USA ), American composer, conductor, and music critic whose forward-looking ideas stimulated new lines of thought among contemporary musicians. Thomson studied at Harvard University and later in Paris with Nadia Boulanger, a noted teacher of musical composition. There he was influenced by early 20th-century French composers,…
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Alfredo Kraus, in Massenet’s opera “Werther” in 1976
Join us today at 1:55pm EST, as we listen to Alfredo Kraus, in Werther, by Jules Massenet, at the Opera, Blood, and Tears Club, on Clubhouse. One of the most stylistic, professional and refined tenors of the century, Spanish tenor Alfredo Kraus passed away recently in Madrid after a long and outstanding career in the…
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Happy Birthday, Manuel de Falla! 1876
Manuel María de los Dolores Falla y Matheu was born November 23, 1876, in Cádiz, Spain, and is the most distinguished Spanish composer of the early 20th century. In his music he achieved a fusion of poetry, asceticism, and ardour that represents the spirit of Spain at its purest. Falla took piano lessons from his…
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The Devils of Loudon — Opera by Krzysztof Penderecki, based in Aldous Huxley’s nonfiction book.
One of Huxley’s most important later works is The Devils of Loudun (1952), a detailed psychological study of a historical incident in which a group of 17th-century French nuns were allegedly the victims of demonic possession. (Encyclopedia Britannica) Penderecki writes the music and libretto based on this book. It is a historical narrative of supposed demonic possession, religious fanaticism, sexual…
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Giuseppe Verdi’s “La Forza del Destino” premiered today in 1862
Listen in at the Opera, Blood and Tears Club, on Clubhouse, at 7:30 pm EST Il Marchese di Calatrava – Kurt MollDonna Leonora – Leontyne PriceDon Carlo di Vargas – Sherrill MilnesDon Alvaro – Plácido DomingoPreziosilla – Fiorenza CossottoPadre Guardiano – Bonaldo GiaiottiFra Melitone – Gabriel BacquierCurra – Gillian KnightTrabuco – Michel SénéchalUn Alcalde –…
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“Peter Grimes” by Benjamin Britten
Join us in listening to this opera, in celebration of Benjamin Britten’s birthday today, at 1pm EST, at the Opera, Blood and Tears Club, on Clubhouse. Music: Benjamin BrittenLibretto: Montague Slater Musicians:Benjamin Britten – conductorPeter Pears – peter grimesClaire Watson – ellen orfordJames Pease – capitän balstrodeJean Watson – auntieDavid Kelly – hobsonOwen Brannigan -…
Sila Blume 