a mesmerizing orfeo

i watched the met's orfeo, yesterday -- first time i watch the whole thing -- i was mesmerized -- stephanie blythe was just incredible

i don't know what i just pulled here,..from youtube -- probably,....

they're back

toscanini...leading rehearsal of traviata

for the last three days, i've been listening in the car to this cd i recently picked up at a library sale

it's shot up...to one of my all-time favorites

here's the first track -- 'coro di zingarelle'

it's such a delight...hearing the maestro...sing...hum...feel...cajole his way...through the piece, as he leads the orchestra -- the nbc symphony orchestra, in 1946 -- makes the masterpiece, so much more thrilling -- makes it soar...even more -- enhances my appreciation...many fold

here's 'di sprezzo degno' -- may not be...from the same cd -- doesn't match, exactly, the tracks on my cd

interview with the cleveland rigoletto & maestro

an interview with our marco stella, the lead of this weekend's 'rigoletto' (he belongs to us now) -- preceded by an interview with the conductor, andrea raffanini

yesterday, we rehearsed in playhouse square's ohio theater, where the opera circle production will take place, saturday evening -- it was a lot of fun -- like seeing the opera, two, three times, in one night -- such...incredibly beautiful music -- and...what gorgeous singing -- the choral pieces, along with...all the rest

in honor of marco stella, here's ettore bastianini, one of marco's favorite baritones -- if not his favorite -- along with renata scotto, in the concluding scene of act two -- the full scene -- with...so much....

i love this scene -- the music, the singing, the...feeling -- feelings -- especially the feelings -- the depth of emotion -- gilda's high notes -- soaring -- flying -- in the sky, above everything -- 'piangi -- piangi -- piangi, funciulla -- fanciulla, piangi' -- love it -- actually,...love...doesn't...say it -- doesn't...say enough -- how deeply...it touches me -- rigoletto's 'non's -- 'mia figlia...mia gilda'

as soon as the pictures arrive in my e-mail (from my phone), i'll put them here