Tag Archives: Daniel Gundlach

Episode 197. Theatre Dreams

May 19, 2023African American Singers, Art Song, Behind the Iron Curtain, Broadway, Comic Relief, French Opera, Giuseppe Verdi, Great Baritones, Great Tenors, Happy Birthday, In Memoriam, Music for a World in Crisis Series, Needle Drop, Opera in Translation, Operetta, Renata Scotto, Richard Wagner, Singers in Old Age, Singers of Color, Twentieth Century Music, Twentieth Century Opera, Verismo, Voiceless Wonders, Wolfgang Amadeus MozartAbbé Prevost, Alain Boublil, Alice Ripley, Arnold Schoenberg, Arrigo Boito, Arthur Endrèze, Benjamin Britten, Birgit Nilsson, Biserka Cvejić, Bohuslav Martinů, Brigitte Fassbaender, Carl Maria von Weber, Cesare Valletti, Charles Gounod, Charles Kullman, Claude Devos, Claude-Michel Schönberg, Cy Coleman, Daniel Gundlach, Der Freischütz, Der Zigeunerbaron, Deva Dassy, Dorothy Fields, Edith Mathis, Eduard Künneke, Eleanor Steber, Elektra, Emily Skinner, Ettore Panizza, Eugen Jochum, Fiddler on the Roof, Frank Porretta, Franz Allers, Frieder Weissmann, Gabriel Faure, Georg Solti, Georges Neveux, Geraint Evans, Giovanni Martinelli, Giuseppe Verdi, Grace Bumbry, Hanna Binyamini, Harold Barlow, Henri Defosse, Henri Meilhac, Hildegard Behrens, Hugo von Hofmannsthal, Ira Gershwin, Iris (Mascagni), Ivo Žídek, Izhak Graziani, Jacques Brel, Jacques Offenbach, James Levine, Janet Baker, Jaroslav Krombholc, Jean Laforge, Jerry Bock, Joe Darion, Johann Strauss II, José Van Dam, Jules Barbier, Jules Gressier, Jules Massenet, Kurt Weill, La Belle Helene, Lady in the Dark, Lawrence Tibbett, Lea Dulitzkaya, Lee Venora, Leopold Ludwig, Léopold Marchand, Les Misérables, Lloyd Arriola, Lohengrin, Louis Beydts, Ludovic Halévy, Luigi Illica, Man of La Mancha, Manon, Mária Tauberová, Marie Pappenheim, Martin Isepp, Mattiwilda Dobbs, Melitta Muszely, Michel Carré, Mitch Leigh, Nello Santi, Nicolai Gedda, Oklahoma!, Oscar Hammerstein II, Otello, Patrick Baton, Philippe Gille, Pierre Monteux, Pietro Mascagni, Renata Scotto, René Leibowitz, Richard Rodgers, Richard Strauss, Richard Tauber, Richard Wagner, Robert Massard, Robert Stolz, Roland Gilbert, Romand Bussine, Roméo et Juliette, Sheldon Harnick, Shmuel Rudenski, Shraga Friedman, Spiros Argiris, Sweet Charity, The King and I, Todd Ellison, Victoria de los Angeles, William Shakespeare, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Zafrira Yaronicountermelody

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I’ve been plotting an episode on the subject of Dreams for a while. Given the profusion of music that references that altered state of consciousness, my challenge was narrowing down the topic. I chose to focus today on theater music (opera, operetta, and musicals) that references actual rather than figurative dreams. Even within these parameters, there was a plethora of material and as usual my repertoire choices are strangely and uniquely my own. So on this episode you’ll hear everything from a 1965 recording of Tevye’s Dream from Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish, from the first Israeli production of the musical; Renata Scotto in late career essaying the haunted dreamscapes of Arnold Schoenberg’s monodrama Erwartung; Mattiwilda Dobbs in a rare 1952 recording of “Ruhe sanft, mein holdes Leben” from Mozart’s Zaide; excerpts from unusual French and German operettas featuring Robert Massard and Charles Kullman, respectively; birthday tributes to Birgit Nilsson and Richard Tauber; and the great Welsh bass Geraint Evans in a live performance of Bottom’s Dream from Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. And much, much more, including a teaser of next week’s subject the Italian lyric tenor Cesare Valletti; and Janet Baker live in recital in 1966, a preview of the first in a series of bonus episodes that will feature rare LPs from my personal collection. As always, thanks for your support; enjoy!

Countermelody is a podcast devoted to the glory and the power of the human voice raised in song. Singer and vocal aficionado Daniel Gundlach explores great singers of the past and present focusing in particular on those who are less well-remembered today than they should be. Daniel’s lifetime in music as a professional countertenor, pianist, vocal coach, voice teacher, and journalist yields an exciting array of anecdotes, impressions, and “inside stories.” At Countermelody’s core is the celebration of great singers of all stripes, their instruments, and the connection they make to the words they sing. By clicking on the following link (https://linktr.ee/CountermelodyPodcast) you can find the dedicated Countermelody website which contains additional content including artist photos and episode setlists. The link will also take you to Countermelody’s Patreon page, where you can pledge your monthly support at whatever level you can afford. Bonus episodes available exclusively to Patreon supporters are currently available and further bonus content including interviews and livestreams is planned for the upcoming season.

Episode 157. Forgotten Broadway I

August 12, 2022African American Singers, Broadway, Comic Relief, Crossover, Great Baritones, In Memoriam, Mezzo Madness, Music for a World in Crisis Series, Needle Drop, Pop Icons, Queer Pride, Singers of Color, Twentieth Century MusicAdolph Green, Alan Bergman, Alfred Drake, Alice Playten, Angela Lansbury, Anton Coppola, Barbara Cook, Barbra Streisand, Beatrice Arthur, Ben Bagley, Betty Comden, Bob Merrill, Broadway, Bruce Coughlin, Buster Davis, Claibe Richardson, Daniel Gundlach, Dear World, Do I Hear a Waltz, Dolores Gray, Don Costa, Don’t Bother Me I Can’t Cope, Donald Pippin, Dorothea Freitag, Drat the Cat, Elisse Boyd, Ervin Drake, Ethel Merman, Flahooley, Fran Landesman, Fred Werner, Frederick Dvonch, Funny Girl, George Forrest, Happy Hunting, Harold Karr, Herbert Greene, High Spirits, Ira Levin, Jay Blackton, Jerry Herman, Jimmy Jones, John Alban Coughlan, John Williams, Jule Styne, June Carroll, Kenward Elmslie, Lehman Engel, Leslie Uggams, Lloyd Arriola, Marilyn Bergman, Matt Dubey, Maurice Levin, Micki Grant, Milton Schafer, Mimi Hines, Moises Vivanco, Murray Grand, musicals, Nancy Wilson, Peter Matz, Richard Marx, Richard Rodgers, Robert Wright, Roslyn Kind, Sally Ann Howes, Sergio Franchi, Sheldon Harnick, Shepard Coleman, Stephen Sondheim, Tammy Grimes, The Nervous Set, Tommy Wolf, Two on the Aisle, Yma Sumaccountermelody

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Today I begin Forgotten Broadway, a new miniseries within my summer series “Musical Life in New York City 1950-1975.” This wildly eclectic (some might say chaotic) program, the first of three, concerns itself with several different aspects of “forgotten” Broadway: forgotten songs, forgotten shows, and forgotten performers; as well as all imaginable combinations of the above. For instance, many might not remember the show Drat! the Cat! but will remember quite well the song “He [originally She] Touched Me.” Everyone remembers Ethel Merman and Angela Lansbury, but I would bet that fewer remember their less successful shows Happy Hunting and Dear World. This episode includes songs by Richard Rodgers, Jule Styne, Bob Merrill, Wright and Forrest, and Comden and Green, as well as lesser known composers and lyricists such as Claibe Richardson, Bill and Patti Jacob, and Ervin Drake, sung by such stalwarts as Leslie Uggams, Barbara Cook, Alfred Drake, and Barbra Streisand, as well as such blazing (but less remembered figures) such as Alice Playten, Dolores Gray, Mimi Hines, and June Carroll. Such recently departed figures as Micki Grant, Kenward Elmslie, Sally Ann Howes, and Donald Pippin also receive airplay. Part II will be published in two weeks, and Part III will soon be available as a bonus episode for my Patreon subscribers.

Episode 44. Gl’amour, Part Deux: The Invaders

July 19, 2020African American Singers, Art Song, Comic Relief, Mirella Freni, Music, Operetta, Pop Icons, Protest SongsAdam Le Postillon de Longjumeau, Adolphe Adam, Albert Lance, Alfred Bachelet, Alfredo Kraus, Allen Rogers, André Cluytens, André d’Arkor, Annie Lennox, Armand Canfora, Arthur Endrèze, Autour de minuit (Round Midnight), Barbara Hendricks, Barbra Streisand, Berlioz Zaïde, Bizet Les Pêcheurs de perles, Bob Dylan, Boieldieu La Dame blanche, Carole King, Charles Chaplin, Charles Gounod, Cherche la rose, Chère nuit, Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle, Comment te dire adieu, Dalida, Daniel Beckwith, Daniel Behle, Daniel Gundlach, Dans le souffle du vent [Blowin’ in the Wind], Dave Stewart, Demain tu peux changer, Duparc Au pays où se fait la guerre, Duparc Chanson triste, Dusty Springfield, Dylan Aufray Dans le souffle du vent, Eartha Kitt, Édouard Lalo, Eleanor Steber, Elie Cohen, Elis Regina, Emile Paladilhe, Eurythmics, Eurythmics Tous les garçons et les filles, Frances Alda, Franco Corelli, François Adrien Boieldieu, Françoise Hardy, Franz Lehár, Frédéric Chopin, Free Again, Gabriel Faure, George Bizet, Georges Pretre, Georges Thill, Giacomo Puccini, Glamour, Gounod Roméo et Juliette, Hector Berlioz, Henri Duparc, Henri Salvador, Hugues Aufray, Hugues Aufray Chante Dylan, Jacques Demy, Jacques Offenbach, Jacques Prévert, Jean Fournet, Jo Basile, John Constable, Joseph Kosma, Joseph Rogatchewsky, Jules Massenet, La Marseillaise, Lalo Le Roi d’Ys, Le Postillon de Longjumeau, Le Roi d’Ys, Lehár Le Pays du Sourire, Leopold Simoneau, Les feuilles mortes, Les parapluies de Cherbourg, Lloyd Arriola, Marlene Dietrich, Marlene Dietrich Cherche la rose, Massenet Werther, Michel Jourdan, Michel Legrand, Miguel Villabella, Mirella Freni, Muriel Smith, Natalie Dessay, Nicolai Gedda, Non... c’est rien, Non... c’est rien [Free Again], Offenbach Tales of Hoffmann, Paladilhe Psyché, Petula Clark, Pierre Delanoë, Puccini in French, Raoul Jobin, Récit de Cassard (Les parapluies de Cherbourg), René Rouzaud, Reynaldo Hahn, Richard Verreau, Serge Gainsbourg, Stuart Burrows, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Thelonious Monk, Tony Poncet, Tous les garçons et les filles, Un jour mon prince viendracountermelody

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Aux armes, citoyens! We have received advance warning that an army of foreigners masking as French speakers are storming the artistic gates, so to speak, and attempting to usurp France’s national artistic identity. Strangely, many of the invaders are operatic tenors, though they are accompanied by a coterie of vivandières singing popular music, all in French, no matter what their native tongues. Last week’s celebration of French glamour is today compromised, sullied, and usurped by all manner of unwelcome albeit glamorous guests, led by the New Zealander Frances Alda and buttressed by the American Eleanor Steber, fresh from celebrating her birthday this past week. Some of these figures masquerade more convincingly as actual French persons, but make no mistake, whether they be deceptive Canadians (Léopold Simoneau, Raoul Jobin, Richard Verreau), interloping Belgians (André d’Arkor), unwelcome Italians (the shocking Franco Corelli, the mysterious Dalida, and the dreaded Mirella Freni), subsersive Spaniards (Miguel Villabella, Alfredo Kraus, Tony Poncet) bullying Brazilians (Elis Regina), sneaky Swedes (Nicolai Gedda), denizens of the dreaded United Kingdom (Stuart Burrows, Dusty Springfield, Petula Clark, Annie Lennox), Germans of nefarious intent (Marlene Dietrich, Daniel Behle), questionable Australians (Albert Lance, traveling incognito), suspicious Russians (Joseph Rogatchewsky), or worst of all, Americans intent on conquest (Barbara Hendricks, Eartha Kitt, Barbra Streisand, Muriel Smith, and even the spotlight-stealing Daniel Gundlach), these characters are all intent on destroying France’s language and music and must be thwarted at all costs, no matter how appealing their songs might appear to be. Finally, following the heroic actions of Georges Thill, France re-asserts her right to her own repertoire. But it seems that the damage has been done, for Natalie Dessay, Françoise Hardy, and even the formerly trustworthy Hugues Aufray, now seem only interested in singing American pop songs, albeit in French. All in all, an episode packed with intrigue, deception, and glorious singing!

Countermelody is a podcast devoted to the glory and the power of the human voice raised in song. Singer and vocal aficionado Daniel Gundlach explores great classical and opera singers of the past and present with the help of guests from the classical music field: singers, conductors, composers, coaches, agents, and voice teachers. Daniel’s lifetime in music as a professional countertenor, pianist, vocal coach, voice teacher, and journalist yields an exciting array of anecdotes, impressions, and “inside stories.” At Countermelody’s core is the interaction between singers of all stripes, their instruments, and the connection they make to the words they sing. Please visit the Countermelody website (www.countermelodypodcast.com) for additional content. And please head to our Patreon page at www.patreon.com/countermelody to pledge your monthly support at whatever level you can afford.

Episode 15. Hail and Farewell

December 30, 2019African American Singers, Art Song, Bel canto, Crossover, Great Baritones, In Memoriam, Lieder, Needle Drop, Pop Icons, Singers of Color, Twentieth Century Music, VerismoAldo Ciccolini, Allee Willis, Amilcare Ponchielli, Andre Previn, Andy Williams, Ann Crumb, Before the Parade Passes By, Beim Schlafengehen, Carol Channing, Cecilia Sisson, Chego de saudade, Chris Lowe, Clydie King, Dalton Baldwin, Daniel Gundlach, Daryl Dragon, David Breitman, Diahann Carroll, Doda Conrad, Dominick Argento, Dusty Springfield, Edgar Leslie, Eduard Mörike, Ekkehard Wlaschiha, Elisabeth Soderstrom, Erlkönig, Ethel Ennis, Francesco Cavalli, Francisco Casanova, Franz Schubert, Fred E. Ahlert, Friedemann Layer, From the Diary of Virginia Woolf, Funny Girl, George Crumb, Gerald English, Heather Harper, Henri Sauguet, Hermit Songs, Hilde Zadek, Honey and Rue, Hugo Wolf, I am not seaworthy, Jackie Moore, Janet Baker, Jean-Christophe Benoît, Jerry Herman, Jessye Norman, Joan Carlyle, João Gilberto, Johann Strauss II, Jörg Demus, Joseph Rouleau, Jules Massenet, Julius Rudel, Kathleen Battle, Komm Hoffnung, Le Cid, Leonore, Ludwig van Beethoven, Marcello Giordani, Margaret Lewis, Marion Delorme, Martin Isepp, Maurice Ravel, Max Jacob, Michel Legrand, Music to Watch Girls By, Neil Tennant, Ode to Billie Joe, Pagliacci, Paul Badura-Skoda, Pet Shot Boys, Peter Schreier, Raymond Leppard, Reconsider Me, Richard Strauss, Rolando Panerai, Sainte, Samuel Barber, Sanford Sylvan, Scott Baker, Show Girl (revue), Sid Ramin, Stéphane Mallarmé, The Captain and Tennille, The Moon Was Yellow, The Music that Makes Me Dance, Theo Adam, Toni Morrison, Toni Tennille, Victoria Clark, Vier letzte Lieder, Visions infernales, What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?, What Have I Done To Deserve This?, Wilma Lipp, Wolfgang Sawallischcountermelody

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We set our sights on the New Year, at the same time giving a backward glance, in mostly reverse chronological order, to those singers and other musicians, whose contributions have immeasurably enhanced our lives. I’ve prepared a whopper of an episode that traverses many genres and styles, but which, as always, remains faithful to the mission of the podcast: to bring you the most interesting and communicative singers. From João Gilberto to Marcello Giordani, from Sanford Sylvan to Rolando Panerai, from Heather Harper to Ann Crumb: they’re all here, with a few surprises sprinkled along the way. Three last-minute entries to the Hail and Farewell sequence are Peter Schreier, Allee Willis, and Jerry Herman, all of whom died in the last week.

Countermelody is a new podcast devoted to the glories of the human voice raised in song. Singer and vocal aficionado Daniel Gundlach explores great classical and opera singers of the past and present with the help of guests from the classical music field: singers, conductors, composers, coaches, agents, and voice teachers. Daniel’s lifetime in music as a professional countertenor, pianist, vocal coach, voice teacher, and journalist yields an exciting array of anecdotes, impressions, and “inside stories.” At Countermelody’s core is the interaction between singers of all stripes, their instruments, and the connection they make to the words they sing. Please also visit the Countermelody website for updates, additional content, and to pledge your support. www.countermelodypodcast.com

Episode 14. Christmas Potpourri II: Hard/Try

December 21, 2019African American Singers, Broadway, Full-Figured Baroque, Holiday Music, In Memoriam, Music for a World in Crisis Series, Pop Icons, Singers of ColorAdeste fideles, Adolphe Adam, After the Holidays, Alice Parker, August von Haxthausen, Augusta Holmès, Brian Sullivan, Cantique de Noël, Cesar Franck, Christmas for the Brokenhearted, Christmas Hymns and Carols Volume 2, Daniel Gundlach, David Shire, Dietrich Bocholtz-Asseburg, Edmund Sears, Eduard Ebel, Eduard Mörike, Eileen Farrell, Farrold Stephens, Firestone Christmas Albums, Fritz Wunderlich, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Henri Contet, Hermann Prey, Hugh Martin, Hugo Wolf, It Came Upon the Midnight Clear, It Must Have Been Love, James Melton, Johannes David Falk, John McCormack, John Meyer, Joni Mitchell, Judy Garland, Le Noel de la Rue, Leise rieselt der Schnee, Leonard De Paur, Little Boy How Old Are You, Lotte Lehmann, Marc Heyral, Maria durch ein Dornwald ging, Mariä Wiegenlied, Marie Frederiksson, Mary Had a Baby, Max Reger, Meet Me in St. Louis, Mel Tormé, Minuit Chrétiens, Noël, Norman Shetler, O Come All Ye Faithful, O du fröhliche, O helga natt, O sanctissima, Panis angelicus, Per Gessle, Peter Schreier, Ralph Blane, René Kollo, Richard Maltby Jr., Richard Storrs Willis, Rita Gardner, River, Robert MacGimsey, Robert Shaw, Robert Shaw Chorale, Robert Wells, Roland Hayes, Roxette, Rudolf Schock, Schlafendes Jesuskind, Schlichte Weisen, Starting Here Starting Now, Still still still, Sweet Little Jesus Boy, tenor, The Christmas Song, The De Paur Chorus, The Leonard De Paur Chorus, Trois anges sont venus du ciel, Vinzenz Maria Süßcountermelody

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Another week of Christmas music! The first part of the episode is a continuation of last week’s All-Tenor Extravaganza. We hear from Farrold Stephens, Luther Saxon, Roland Hayes, James Melton, Brian Sullivan, Richard Crooks, Raoul Jobin, Jussi Björling, Richard Verreau, Fritz Wunderlich (with an assist from Hermann Prey), Rudolf Schock, René Kollo, John McCormack, Peter Schreier, and Mel Tormé (with an assist from Judy herself!) And for those who have ambivalent feelings about this holiday, the second half of the program foregrounds six of my most favoritest Depressing Christmas Pop Songs, sung by Eileen Farrell, Rita Gardner, Joni Mitchell, Edith Piaf, Judy Garland and (in memory of the recently deceased Marie Fredriksson), Roxette. A line from Judy’s song “After the Holidays” (by John Meyer) provides the inspiration to the episode title: “I know it’s hard, but try.”

Episode 13. Christmas with the Tenors

December 15, 2019African American Singers, Art Song, Bel canto, Crossover, Holiday Music, In Memoriam, Lieder, Needle DropAdolphe Adam, Bruno Seidler-Winkler, Cantique de Noël, Cesar Franck, Charles Holland, Christmas Hymns and Carols Volume 2, Christmas music, Christmas Oratorio, Claude Debussy, Dalton Baldwin, Daniel Gundlach, Dave Seville, Ernst Haefliger, Firestone Christmas Albums, Francisco Araiza, Franz Xaver Gruber, Fritz Wunderlich, Gabriel Faure, George Frideric Handel, Georges Thill, Gerard Souzay, Henry Lemarchand, Hermann Prey, Hodie, Irving Berlin, Jacqueline Bonneau, Jean Beauval, Johann Sebastian Bach, Joseph Franz Mohr, Karl Erb, Kommet ihr Hirten, Lauritz Melchior, Lettre au Papa Noël, Matthew Swensen, Messiah, Minuit Chrétiens, Noël, O Holy Night, O Jesulein süß, Panis angelicus, Petit Papa Noel, Philippe Parès, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Reginald Boardman, Richard Lewis, Richard Tauber, Robert Shaw, Robert Shaw Chorale, Roland Hayes, Rostom Sipan Bagdasarian, Russell Oberlin, Sister Mary Had A But One Child, Stille Nacht heilige Nacht, Tenors, The Cherry Tree Carol, The Chipmunk Song, Tino Rossi, Weihnachts-Oratorium, White Christmascountermelody

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This week is the first of two episodes featuring Christmas music. I decided to feature tenors, but with a difference: none of The Three Tenors will put in an appearance. In compensation, this week I feature a panoply of superb tenors (including Fritz Wunderlich, Georges Thill, Richard Lewis, Roland Hayes, Tino Rossi, Franco Corelli, Ernst Haefliger, Richard Tauber, Karl Erb, and Matthew Swensen) in repertoire ranging across the spectrum (Handel, Adam, Gounod, Bach, Berlin, and traditional Weihnachtsmusik, with some surprises along the way). The episode concludes with a brief musical tribute to Dalton Baldwin, Gérard Souzay’s partner and collaborator, who died on 12 December, a week to the day before his 88th birthday.

Episode 12. Gérard Souzay @ 101: A modern-day troubadour

December 8, 2019MusicAntoine Boësset, Arne Dorumsgaard, Cesar Franck, Charles Gounod, Claire Croiza, Claude Debussy, Colloque sentimental, Dalton Baldwin, Daniel Gundlach, Der Sandmann, Désiré-Émile Inghelbrecht, Dinu Lipatti, Fetes galantes, Francis Poulenc, Franz Schubert, Genevieve Touraine, Gerard Philipe, Gerard Souzay, Golaud, Irène Aïtoff, Jacqueline Bonneau, Jacqueline Robin, Jacqueline Robin-Bonneau, Jean-Michel Damase, Lotte Lehmann, Louis de Fourcaud, Maria Callas, Maria Casares, Maria Cecilia Sophia Anna Kalogeropoulos, Mark Ainley, Maurice Ravel, Paul Verlaine, Pelleas et Melisande, Pierre Bernac, Robert Schumann, Vanni-Marcouxcountermelody

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The French baritone Gérard Souzay was born Gérard Tisserand on 8 December 1918 and died in Antibes on 17 August 2004. This episode celebrates his 101st birthday by exploring his recorded legacy, with particular emphasis on his earliest recordings. Repertoire by Jaime Ovalle, César Franck, Robert Schumann, Franz Schubert, Maurice Ravel, Henry Purcell, and Claude Debussy (including an excerpt from his 1955 radio performance of Golaud in Pelléas et Mélisande). We also hear performances by his teachers and mentors Claire Croiza, Vanni-Marcoux, Pierre Bernac, and Lotte Lehmann, as well as his sister, Geneviève Touraine. I make my best effort to argue the case of Souzay’s artistic importance, his continuing significance, and the unique qualities of his artistry.

Episode 11. Janet Williams Interview III: Der ganze Unterschied

December 1, 2019African American Singers, Bel canto, Full-Figured Baroque, Interview, Singers of ColorAgrippina, Ann Panagulias, Ariadne auf Naxos, Berliner Staatsoper, Bohumil Gregor, Camilla Williams, Carl Heinrich Graun, Christa Ludwig, Cleopatra e Cesare, Dallas Opera, Daniel Gundlach, Das schlaue Füchslein, Deborah Polaski, Der Rosenkavalier, Elektra, George Frideric Handel, Geraldine Farrar, Helena Tattermuschová, Janet Williams, Janice Baird, Judith Blegen, Karina Gauvin, Kathleen Battle, Leistung und Performance Vokal Akademie Berlin, Leos Janacek, Lynn Harrell, Mack Harrell, Marschallin, Mary Mills, Příhody lišky Bystroušky, Regine Crespin, Reri Grist, Richard Strauss, Spirituals, The Cunning Little Vixencountermelody

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In the third and final part of our interview, recorded in July 2019, Janet Williams and I discuss how we reunited in 2004 (several years after our Merola connection); about her vocal studies with Régine Crespin, Denise Duplex, and David Jones; about some of the roles she sang during the illustrious career which took her around the world; and about her current activities with her newly-formed Leistung & Performance Vokal Akademie here in Berlin, where singers gain invaluable professional training in all aspects of what she calls “this illustrious but very difficult profession.” As always, the interview is interspersed with musical interludes and commentary, which are all cited on the Show Notes page (http://countermelodypodcast.com/episode-11-janet-williams-iii/).

Episode 10. Régine Crespin: Un doux privilège

November 24, 2019Art Song, Crossover, Giacomo Puccini, Giuseppe Verdi, Mezzo Madness, Needle Drop, Operetta, Richard Strauss, Richard WagnerAnneliese Rothenberger, Bell Telephone Hour, Brigitte Fassbaender, Carlos Kleiber, Claude Debussy, Daniel Gundlach, Denise Duval, Denise Scharley, Der fliegende Holländer, Eliane Lubin, Elisabeth Soderstrom, Fidelio, Franco Corelli, Georges Jouatte, Georges Sébastien, Germaine Lubin, Glyndebourne, Gwyneth Jones, Irene Joachim, Janet Williams, Je tremble en voyant ton visage, John Wustman, José Luccioni, Le promenoir des deux amants, Les dialogues des Carmélites, Les trois valses, Lotte Lehmann, Ludwig van Beethoven, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Mady Mesple, Maria Ewing, Oscar Straus, Paul Finel, Regine Crespin, René Bianco, Richard Wagner, Rita Gorr, Roger Soyer, Shirley Verrett, Suzanne Cesbron-Viseur, Suzanne Sarroca, Xavier Depraz, Yvonne Printempscountermelody

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Régine Crespin, whose Metropolitan Opera debut as the Marschallin in Richard Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier occurred exactly 57 years ago this week, is featured on this week’s episode. I give an overview of her major roles, with a few surprises, both monumental and insouciante, tossed in. Because of her enormous range and versatility, I will have to return to my subject in the near future in order to do full justice to this great artist.

Episode 9. Janet Williams Interview Part II: Serendipity @ Merola

November 18, 2019African American Singers, Interview, Singers of ColorAlfredo Kraus, Ariadne auf Naxos, Berliner Staatsoper, Brigitte Fassbaender, Camilla Williams, Carl Heinrich Graun, Carlos Kleiber, Carmen Jones, Cleopatra e Cesare, Daniel Gundlach, Donald Runnicles, Fred Berndt, George Frideric Handel, Giacomo Puccini, Gianna Rolandi, Gianni Schicchi, Giulio Cesare, Gundula Janowitz, Harolyn Blackwell, Ileana Cotrubas, Janet Williams, Joan Sutherland, John Wustman, Kathleen Battle, Lloyd Arriola, Lucia Popp, Maria Jeritza, Marilyn Horne, Marlene Dietrich, Merola Opera Program, My Ship, Parsifal, Paula Ingram, Regine Crespin, Ruth Ann Swenson, San Francisco Opera, Tosca, Virginia Zeanicountermelody

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In this episode, Janet relives her early career experiences, including time that both she and Daniel spent at the Merola Opera Program of the San Francisco Opera. She describes the continuing influence and tutelage of Camilla Williams; tells about her study in Paris with the great Régine Crespin, the mentorship of Marilyn Horne, and the inspiration of Harolyn Blackwell and Kathleen Battle; and elucidates how she was hired for a two-year Festvertrag at the Berliner Staatsoper and how, 27 years later, she still calls Berlin home. The episode is peppered throughout with musical examples.

Episode 4. Jessye and Her Forebears

October 13, 2019African American Singers, Art Song, BHM2023WK1, In Memoriam, Interview, Needle Drop, Singers of ColorCamilla Williams, Daniel Gundlach, David Savran, Dorothy Maynor, Elisabeth Soderstrom, Franz Schubert, Gerard Souzay, Great Day in the Morning, Jessye Norman, Martina Arroyo, Robert Wilson, Rose Caron, Serge Koussevitzky, Shirley Verrettcountermelody

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Due to a last minute change of plans, I have decided to bring you the first in what I hope will be a series of episodes devoted to excerpts from LP recordings in my collection which have either never been reissued on CD or have had only limited availability. This first episode includes a tribute to the late Jessye Norman, with a nod to some of the great African American singers who paved the way for her in her career. In addition, my special guest the theatre scholar David Savran speaks about the significance of her collaborations with director Robert Wilson. Other singers heard include Gérard Souzay, Elisabeth Söderström, Dorothy Maynor, Camilla Williams, Martina Arroyo, Shirley Verrett, and Leontyne Price, none of which have received widespread release beyond their initial appearance on LP. I conclude the episode with a special greeting from the balcony of my Air B&B in Napoli, where I am celebrating my birthday.

Episode 3. Creating Magic, Interview with Nicholas Tamagna, Part 2

October 6, 2019InterviewAkhnaten, Alpha Classics, Arrigo Boito, Arthur Johnston, As long as he needs me, Atlantic Starr, Au mont Ida, Backlash Blues, Bagdad Cafe, Benjamin Britten, Bidu Sayao, Billie Holiday, Calling You, Carnegie Hall, Cesare Siepi, Charles Gounod, Clori Tirsi e Fileno, Daniel Gundlach, Don Carlo, Edvard Grieg, Elisabeth Rethberg, Elisabeth Soderstrom, Emil Cooper, Faust, Franz Schubert, Frederick Schauwecker, Gabriela Benackova, George Frideric Handel, Georgia Brown, Giuseppe Verdi, Hector Berlioz, Hilde Güden, Hilde Gueden, Ich habe genug, Indianapolis Opera, Jacques Offenbach, Janet Baker, János Ferencsik, Jean Morel, Jean Sibelius, Johann Sebastian Bach, Johnny Burke, Judy Garland, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Jussi Bjorling, La Belle Helene, Le Poeme Harmonique, Leather and Lace, Les Troyens, Lionel Bart, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, Ludwig van Beethoven, Maria Vitale, Mefistofele, Nicholas McGegan, Nicholas Tamagna, Nina Simone, Oliver!, Pennies from Heaven, Peter Lieberson, Phaedra, Philharmonia Baroque, Philip Glass, Porter Carroll Jr., Reviewing the Situation, Richard Strauss, Rigoletto, Robert Merrill, Roger VIgnoles, Roméo et Juliette, Samuel Ramey, San Francisco Opera, Teddy Wilson, Thelma Votipka, Theodora, Un ballo in maschera, Vera Zorina, Verve Records, Vincent Dumestre, Who will buycountermelody

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In the second part of our interview Nicholas discusses his early experiences with music, names three of his favorite singers, and riffs further on the themes of language and communication. Musical excerpts include a performance by Leather and Lace, the rock group that featured Nicholas’s mother and aunts, and Nicholas’s youthful stage performances as Oliver and Fagin in the musical Oliver! Nicholas is also featured in recordings of Henry Purcell and Philip Glass and we also include performances by Maria Vitale, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, Jussi Björling, and Nina Simone.

Episode 2. A Countertenor for the 21st Century: An Interview with Nicholas Tamagna (Part 1)

September 29, 2019InterviewAksel Schiotz, Alfredo Kraus, Alissa Grimaldi, Anton Dermota, Claudio Monteverdi, Cosi fan tutte, countertenor, Daniel Beckwith, Daniel Gundlach, Doris Day, Elmer Fudd, Francisco Araiza, Fritz Wunderlich, George Friederic Handel, Georges Thill, Heddle Nash, Jerry Hadley, Leopold Simoneau, Nicholas Tamagna, Parapluies de Cherbourg, Peter Schreier, Russell Oberlin, Sam Cooke, Stuart Burrows, Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozartcountermelody

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Nicholas sat down with me this past June to discuss many different aspects of countertenordom, including in-depth discussions of several recent productions of Handel and Monteverdi operas in which he has recently been involved and the challenges in performing a range of musical styles and dramatic contexts. We also discuss the circuitous path by which Nicholas discovered his countertenor voice, the joys of playing comic roles, villains, and flawed heroes, as well as his childhood fascination with language, and how that has served him in good stead in his performing career. This episode, which also features numerous recent live clips of Nicholas singing, concludes with the discovery of our mutual love for an iconic French film. Please join us next week for the conclusion of this interview.