Tag Archives: Eduardo di Capua

Episode 402. Ina Souez Revisited

October 13, 2025Art Song, Bel canto, Broadway, Forgotten Divas, Full-Figured Baroque, Great Baritones, Great Tenors, In Memoriam, Lieder, Music for a World in Crisis Series, Needle Drop, Operetta, Singers of Color, Twentieth Century Music, Verismo, Wolfgang Amadeus MozartAdriana Lecouvreur, Amy Cheney Beach, Antonio Guarnieri, Arturo Colauti, Benedetto Marcello, Carl Schuricht, Carmen, Cosi fan tutte, Don Giovanni, Eduardo di Capua, Ernest Legouvé, Eugène Scribe, Felice Romani, Francesco Cilea, Fritz Busch, Georges Bizet, Gioachino Rossini, Giuseppe Carpani, Giuseppe Verdi, Harold Fraser-Simpson, Harry Graham, Heddle Nash, Heinrich Heine, Henri Meilhac, Ina Souez, Johannes Brahms, John Barbirolli, John Brownlee, Koloman von Pátaky, Lore Fischer, Loyd Simpson, Ludovic Halévy, Ludwig van Beethoven, Luigi Arditi, Luigi Denza, Luise Helletsgruber, Maurice Maeterlinck, Messa da Requiem (Verdi), Norma, Ottorino Respighi, Prosper Mérimée, Robert Browning, The Maid of the Mountains, Thomas Haynes Bayly, Tobia Nicotra, Vincenzo Bellini, Vittoria Aganoor Pompilj, Webster Booth, Willi Domgraf-Fassbaender, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozartcountermelody

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:39:43 — 99.8MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Spotify | TuneIn | RSS | More

The extraordinary Ina Souez (1903 – 1992), was one of the few Native American singers to achieve worldwide fame on the operatic stage. Though her career was truncated by the collapse of her European career because of the impending World War, Souez’s place in the history of recorded sound is assured by virtue of her participation in the series of Mozart operas as produced by HMV in the mid-1930s as souvenirs of the first seasons of the Glyndebourne Festival. Indeed, one could argue that her Fiordiligi remains the standard by which all other interpreters are judged. Souez, the 33rd anniversary of whose death is observed in December, was one of the few Native American singers to achieve worldwide fame on the operatic stage. This episode focuses on an ultra-rare 1957 self-titled album of songs and arias that marked a comeback of sorts for Souez, who upon escaping Europe as a star found herself a virtual non-entity when she returned to her native country. I also play excerpts from the classic mid-1930’s recordings of Don Giovanni and Così fan tutte from Glyndebourne which have forever cemented the reputation of Souez in the hearts and minds of lovers of great singing. In addition, we hear 1935 recordings of Micaela’s aria as well as the “Casta diva” from Norma and a pair of light classical 78s in which Souez’s voice rings out with youthful vigor and enthusiasm. Other singers heard on these recordings include soprano Luise Helletsgruber; tenors Heddle Nash, Webster Booth, and Koloman von Pátaky; contralto Lore Fischer; and baritones John Brownlee and Willi Domgraf-Fassbaender. Conductors include John Barbirolli, Carl Schuricht, and, of course, the great Fritz Busch.

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 author 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 or yearly support at whatever level you can afford.

Episode 48. Cesare Siepi (Crossover Classics IV)

August 16, 2020Art Song, Crossover, Giuseppe Verdi, In Memoriam, Lieder, Needle DropAlfredo Mazzucchi, Cesare Siepi, Cole Porter, Easy to Love, Eduardo di Capua, Ezio Pinza, Funiculi funicula, Giuseppe Verdi, I Get a Kick out of You, In the Still of the Night, Johannes Brahms, La sonnambula, Luigi Denza, Nabucco, Oscar Hammerstein II, Paolo Tosti, Renato Brogi, Richard Rodgers, Roland Shaw Orchestra, Sigmund Romberg, Some Enchanted Evening, South Pacific, Vincenzo Bellini, Visione venezianacountermelody

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:12:00 — 81.9MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Spotify | TuneIn | RSS | More

Last month marked the tenth anniversary of the death of the great Italian basso Cesare Siepi, one of the most important basses of the twentieth century, after such figures as Nazzareno de Angelis, Tancredi Pasero, and, particularly, Ezio Pinza, the latter, like Siepi, particularly associated with the title role of Mozart’s Don Giovanni. His dashing good looks, solid technique, sonorous voice and appealing artistry, placed him in the forefront of the opera world, particularly in the 1950s through the 1970s. In this episode, rather than his celebrated Mozart and Verdi portrayals, however, we will focus primarily on his 1958 Decca/London album, Easy to Love: The Songs of Cole Porter. Siepi also made two appearances on Broadway, including 1962’s Bravo, Giovanni, from which we hear two excerpts. Other musical selections in this episode include two operatic arias, several favorites from the Neapolitan song repertoire, and live and television performances from Brahms to Sigmund Romberg. Revisiting this artist, and particularly his spot-on Cole Porter performances, is a nostalgic journey for me, and I hope to convey to you his enormous appeal.

Episode 35. Charm: A Second Helping

May 17, 2020African American Singers, Art Song, Comic Relief, In Memoriam, Needle Drop, OperettaAksel Schiotz, Alan Jay Lerner, Anton Paulik, Brigadoon, Burton Lane, Carl Nielsen, Carl Zeller, Charles Trenet, Conchita Supervia, Danny Kaye, Der Vogelhändler, Don Quichotte à Dulcinée, Dorothy Warenskjold, Dusolina Giannini, Eduardo di Capua, Edwin Schneider, Elisabeth Schumann, Ella Fitzgerald, Ella Logan, Emmerich Kálmán, Enrique Granados, Erich Kunz, Franz Lehár, Frederick Loewe, Fritzi Massary, Gabriel Bacquier, Gilbert & Sullivan, Harold Adamson, Hermann Prey, Hilde Güden, HItting a New High, Im Prater blüh’n wieder die Bäume, Jean Laforge, Jimmy McHugh, Johann Strauss II, John McCormack, Joséphine Baker, Judith Blegen, Julie Andrews, Julius Patzak, Lily Pons, Lois Marshall, Lucia Popp, Lucrezia Bori, Magda Kalmár, Marc Berthomieu, Maria Kurenko, Marta Eggerth, Maurice Ravel, Maxine Sullivan, Müde bin ich geh’ zur Ruh, O Sole Mio, Richard Tauber, Robert Stolz, The Last Rose of Summer, Tito Schipa, Weißt Du wieviel Sternlein stehen, Yip Harburg, Yvonne Printempscountermelody

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:45:01 — 105.2MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Spotify | TuneIn | RSS | More

Last week we had such an overflowing of vocal, artistic, and personal charm that I was compelled to produce a second episode on the subject with a fresh batch of charmers. We begin the episode with a tribute to Gabriel Bacquier, the iconic French (bass-)baritone who died this past week just four days short of his 96th birthday. I feature him in three rare selections that represent him in repertoire which is a far cry from his operatic roles. I then resume the survey of charm as demonstrated by artists as varied as Conchita Supervia, Joséphine Baker, Hilde Güden, Ella Fitzgerald, Yvonne Printemps, John McCormack, Lois Marshall, Charles Trenet, Lucrezia Bori, Lily Pons, Hermann Prey, Dusolina Giannini, Tito Schipa, Richard Tauber, Julie Andrews, Julius Patzak, Maria Kurenko, Judith Blegen, Danny Kaye, Marta Eggerth, Elisabeth Schumann, Fritzi Massary, Maxine Sullivan, Magda Kalmár, Ella Logan, Dorothy Warenskjold, Aksel Schiøtz, Erich Kunz, and Lucia Popp. Repertoire ranges from operetta (including Franz Lehár in three different languages), folk song arrangements, musicals, art song, pop music, and children’s songs. Amazingly, opera is nowhere to be seen in this episode, but that will certainly change in the next week, when we take up consideration of Charm’s cousin, Glamour.

Countermelody is a 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 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 17. O Sole Mio – Peter Schreier

January 12, 2020Crossover, In Memoriam, Needle Drop, OperettaAm Brunnen vor dem Tore, Arno Billing, Balkanliebe, Billy Rose, Brahms Lullaby, Bruno Hardt-Warden, Carl Bohm, Chianti-Lied, Das alte Lied, Das lila Lied, Der Lindenbaum, Eduardo di Capua, Edward Eliscu, Erik Kahr, Ernesto de Curtis, Ernst Marischka, Es muß ein Wunderbares sein, Franz Liszt, Franz Schubert, Fred Raymond, Fritz Löhner-Beda, Gerhard Winkler, Giovanni Capurro, Great Day, Günther Schwenn, Henry Love, Heute Nacht oder nie, Hilda Löwi, Hilde Loewe-Flatter, Hoch die Gläser hoch das Leben, Johannes Brahms, Kurt Schwabach, Leise erlkingen Glocken von Campanile, Line Renaud, Loulou Gasté, Marcellus Schiffer, Maske in Blau, Maurício Alberto Kaisermann, Mein Mädel hat einen Rosenmund, Michael Kunze, Mischa Spoliansky, Morris Albert, Non ti scordar di me, O Sole Mio, Oskar von Redwitz, Peter Schreier, Peter Schreier singt Volkslieder, Ralph Maria Siegel, Richard Tauber, Romy Schneider, Rudolf Kattnigg, Ruggero Leoncavallo, Schau einer schönen Frau nie zu tief in die Augen, Still wie die Nacht, Vincent Youmans, Wilhelm Müller, Winterreise, Without a Songcountermelody

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:10:31 — 121.4MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Spotify | TuneIn | RSS | More

The highly-regarded German tenor Peter Schreier, who died in Dresden on Christmas Day after a lingering illness at the age of 84, was particularly celebrated worldwide for his deeply musical performances of Bach, Mozart, and German Lieder. What many might not realize is what a significant popular icon Schreier was, particularly in the former East Germany. This episode celebrates his contribution to die leichte Muse with his 1979 release on Amiga, the pop division of the East German record label Eterna. The episode is supplemented by three selections from Schreier’s enormously appealing 1975 Eterna release, Peter Schreier singt Volkslieder.

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