Tag Archives: Georg Büchner

Episode 413. Get to Know Geraint Evans

November 20, 2025Art Song, Bel canto, Full-Figured Baroque, Giuseppe Verdi, Great Baritones, Happy Birthday, In Memoriam, Lieder, Music for a World in Crisis Series, Needle Drop, Orchestral Songs, Twentieth Century Music, Twentieth Century Opera, Verismo, Wolfgang Amadeus MozartA Midsummer Night’s Dream (Britten), Achim von Arnim, Alban Berg, Alexander Pushkin, Angelo Anelli, Anthony Conran, Antonio Salvi, Arrigo Boito, Benjamin Britten, Berenice (Handel), Boris Godunov, Bryan Balkwill, Clemens Brentano, David Atherton, Des Knaben Wunderhorn, Die Zauberflöte, Don Giovanni, Don Pasquale, Elegy for a Prince, Emanuel Schikaneder, Eric Blackall, Falstaff, Fidelio, Gaetano Donizetti, Georg Büchner, Geraint Evans, Giambattista Varesco, Giovanni Ruffini, Giuseppe Verdi, Gruffudd ab yr Ynad Coch, Gustav Mahler, John Pritchard, Joseph von Sonnleithner, Kenneth MacDonald, L’oca del cairo, Le nozze di Figaro, Lorenzo da Ponte, Ludwig van Beethoven, Modest Mussorgsky, Pagliacci, Peter Pears, Ruggero Leoncavallo, Semele (Handel), Vida Harford, William Congreve, William Mathias, William Shakespeare, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Wozzeck, Wyn Morriscountermelody

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This past September 19th, we observed the anniversary of the death in 1992 of the great Welsh bass-baritone Geraint Evans at the age of 70. A vivid actor and a skilled singer, he both began and ended his career at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, but was a treasured guest at opera houses all over the globe. In 1966, London/Decca records released a recording designed to give full display to his musical, stylistic, and dramatic versatility. In its US issue it was entitled, appropriately enough, Three Centuries of Baritone Art, and in it many of his greatest roles are highlighted, as well as a number of parts, unusual or uncharacteristic for him, which he never performed onstage. Needless to say, his Mozart roles are in the forefront, as is his exceptional characterization of Verdi’s Falstaff, to which he brought a light buffo touch while still retaining a full vocal palette bolstered by a vivid characterization. On this episode, I supplement this album with a delightful recording of Evans singing from Mahler’s Knaben Wunderhorn, a wrenching one of his legendary Wozzeck, and a monumental one of Elegy for a Prince, a work for voice and orchestra by William Mathias, written for and dedicated to Evans, who sang the premiere in 1972 and subsequently recorded it in 1977.

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 404. Dan’s Belated Birthday Boys (Baritone Edition)

October 21, 2025African American Singers, Art Song, Behind the Iron Curtain, Bel canto, Black History Month, Black History Month 2025, Broadway, Canadian Singers, Crossover, Full-Figured Baroque, Giuseppe Verdi, Great Baritones, Lieder, Listeners' Favorites, Music for a World in Crisis Series, Needle Drop, Operetta, Orchestral Songs, Pop Icons, Queer Pride, Rescue Mission, Schubert, Singers in Old Age, Singers of Color, Spirituals, Twentieth Century Music, Twentieth Century Opera, Verismo, Voiceless WondersAdam Kruszewski, Afanasy Afanasyevich Fet, Alain Motard, Alfons Diepenbrock, Allan Evans, Andrea Chénier, Andrea Maffei, Anton Paulik, Antonio Somma, Aubrey Pankey, Carl Zeller, Charles Panzéra, Charles Tomlinson Griffes, Claude Debussy, Constantin Regamey, Dale Duesing, Daniel Blumenthal, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, David Allyn, Del Newman, Der Bajazzo, Der Vogelhändler, Donald Voorhees, Edmond de Biéville, Erich Kunz, Erik Werba, Eugène Scribe, Ezio Pinza, Francesco Maria Piave, François Villon, Frank Martin, Franz Schubert, Fritz Kitzinger, Georg Büchner, Georg Buschor, Georg Friedrich Daumer, Gerd Albrecht, Gerhard Mendelson, Gianni Maffeo, Giuseppe Torelli, Giuseppe Verdi, Heinz Rehfuss, Histoires naturelles, Jaroslav Vogel, Jean Sibelius, Johan Ludvig Runeberg, Johann Gabriel Seidl, Johannes Brahms, John Shirley-Quirk, Johnny Richards, Josef Metternich, Josst van den Vondel, Jules Renaud, Kostas Paskalis, Leonidas Zoras, Lorenz Hart, Ludwig Held, Luigi Illica, Macbeth, Manfred Gurlitt, Martial Singher, Maurice Ravel, Moritz West, Naum Walter, Omar Khayyam, Pagliacci, Paul Ulanowsky, Pavel Lisitsian, Pentti Koskimies, Piero Coppola, Pierre Mollet, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Randy Newman, Reynaldo Hahn, Riccardo Stracciari, Richard Rodgers, Robert Holl, Roland Hermann, Rudolf Jansen, Ruggero Leoncavallo, Rupert Brooke, Scott Walker, Sergei Rachmaninov, Siegfried Stöckigt, Stéphane Mallarmé, Theodor Uppman, Théophile de Viau, Tom Krause, Trois Ballades de François Villon, Umberto Giordano, Un ballo in maschera, Victor Varin, Walter Better, Wilhelm Schüchter, William Shakespeare, Wojciech Michniewski, Wolfgang Rödelberger, Wozzeckcountermelody

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A brand-new episode today inaugurating a series of episodes belatedly celebrating my birthday that will see us through to the end of the month. I have so many singers, composers, and topics in which I am interested and hope to devote full episodes to in the near future. This is the first of two episodes focusing on baritones (and a few bass-baritones) who have not yet received full Countermelody treatment. Among the singers included: Josef Metternich, Tom Krause, Walter Berry, Theodor Uppman (pictured), Erich Kunz, Charles Panzéra, Roland Hermann, Aubrey Pankey, Kostas Paskalis, Pavel Lisitsian, Gianni Maffeo, John Shirley-Quirk, and exemplary pop singers Scott Walker and David Allyn singing a wide range of music from art songs of Sibelius, Rachmaninov, Griffes, Diepenbrock, and Vaughan Williams, to mélodies by Ravel, Debussy, and Hahn, to Lieder by Schubert and Brahms, to operetta arias to opera scenes and arias by Leoncavallo, Verdi, and Manfred Gurlitt; to pop songs by Randy Newman and Rodgers and Hart. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg: also teased are forthcoming episodes on arie antiche and the Polish-Swiss composer Constantin Regamey. Come to think of it, today’s is an excellent introduction to the Countermelody podcast in all its range and scope.

Episode 233 – Dusty Pörn Introduces Eleanor Steber (Listeners’ Favorites IV)

January 10, 2024Art Song, Bel canto, Broadway, Crossover, French Opera, Full-Figured Baroque, Giacomo Puccini, Giuseppe Verdi, Great Tenors, Interview, Listeners' Favorites, Music for a World in Crisis Series, Needle Drop, NYCO Divas, Opera in Translation, Operetta, Orchestral Songs, Richard Strauss, Richard Wagner, Twentieth Century Music, Twentieth Century Opera, Verismo, Wolfgang Amadeus MozartAlban Berg, Alexandre Dumas, Arabella, Astrid Varnay, Cosi fan tutte, David Belasco, Der Rosenkavalier, Die Frau ohne Schatten, Dimitri Mitropoulos, Dusty Pörn, Edwin Biltcliffe, Eleanor Steber, Enzo Viaro, Eric Coates, Ernani, Fausto Cleva, Frederick Weatherly, Fritz Busch, Fritz Stiedry, Georg Büchner, George London, Giuseppe Antonicelli, Giuseppe di Stefano, Howard Barlow, Hugo von Hofmannsthal, I Puritani, Il Trovatore, James A. Bland, James Agee, Jean Madeira, Joseph Keilberth, Jussi Bjorling, Karl Böhm, La Fanciulla del West, La Traviata, Lohengrin, Madama Butterfly, Mario del Monaco, Max Rudolf, Naughty Marietta, Nicholas Harsanyi, Percy Faith, Richard Strauss, Richard Wagner, Risë Stevens, Royden Barrie, Rudolf Kempe, Samuel Barber, Victor Herbert, Victor Hugo, Vincenzo Bellini, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Wozzeckcountermelody

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Today’s subject is Eleanor Steber, certainly one of the greatest and most versatile of American sopranos. She is introduced by one of the most recent (and most colorful) of all of my listeners, the San Francisco-based drag artiste (and vocalist extraordinaire) Dusty Pörn. In this very special episode, which I first posted in the summer of 2022 in honor of Steber’s 108th birthday, musical selections from across the duration of Steber’s long career, are supplemented by the generous and loving commentary of my friend, singer and conductor Michelle Oesterle, who was Eleanor’s stepdaughter. As such Michelle spent time (especially in the summer months) with her father and Eleanor at Melodie Hill, Eleanor’s estate on Long Island. She provides us with an unparalleled intimate portrait of Eleanor as woman and as singer and describes the profound influence that Eleanor had in her life, as well as the characteristics that combined to make her the profoundly appealing and moving interpreter that she was. She also addresses the white elephant in the room, that is, Eleanor’s alcoholism, and makes a plea for tolerance and understanding vis-à-vis this serious disease. Many thanks to both Dusty and Michelle for their loving and perceptive tributes to this greatest of singers and artists.

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.

Episode 153. Eleanor Steber I

July 15, 2022Bel canto, Broadway, Crossover, Giacomo Puccini, Giuseppe Verdi, Great Baritones, Happy Birthday, Interview, Music for a World in Crisis Series, Needle Drop, Opera in Translation, Operetta, Richard Strauss, Richard Wagner, Twentieth Century MusicAlban Berg, Alexandre Dumas, Arabella, Astrid Varnay, Cosi fan tutte, David Belasco, Der Rosenkavalier, Die Frau ohne Schatten, Dimitri Mitropoulos, Edwin Biltcliffe, Eleanor Steber, Enzo Viaro, Eric Coates, Ernani, Fausto Cleva, Frederick Weatherly, Fritz Busch, Fritz Stiedry, Georg Büchner, George London, Giuseppe Antonicelli, Giuseppe di Stefano, Howard Barlow, Hugo von Hofmannsthal, I Puritani, Il Trovatore, James A. Bland, James Agee, Jean Madeira, Joseph Keilberth, Jussi Bjorling, Karl Böhm, La Fanciulla del West, La Traviata, Lohengrin, Madama Butterfly, Mario del Monaco, Max Rudolf, Naughty Marietta, Nicholas Harsanyi, Percy Faith, Richard Strauss, Richard Wagner, Risë Stevens, Royden Barrie, Rudolf Kempe, Samuel Barber, Victor Herbert, Victor Hugo, Vincenzo Bellini, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Wozzeckcountermelody

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July 17 is the 108th birthday of Eleanor Steber, surely one of the all-time greatest singers that the United States has ever produced (as well as one of the most versatile and technically-accomplished!) In long overdue Countermelody tribute to this exceptional artist, I present the first of two very special episodes honoring Eleanor. After the “usual” career overview featuring mostly live highlights from her operatic appearances all over the world, I turn the stage (or in this case the mic), over to my dear friend Michelle Oesterle, founder and conductor of the Manhattan Girls Chorus, who was also Eleanor Steber’s stepdaughter. As such she spent time (especially in the summer months) with her father and Eleanor at Melody Hill, Eleanor’s estate on Long Island. She provides us with an unparalleled intimate portrait of Eleanor as woman and as singer and describes the profound influence that Eleanor had in her life, as well as the characteristics that combined to make her the profoundly appealing and moving interpreter that she was. She also addresses the white elephant in the room, that is, Eleanor’s alcoholism, and makes a plea for tolerance and understanding vis-à-vis this serious disease. The Steber tribute will continue with a further episode sometime in the next month. For now, let us raise our glasses (of sparkling mineral water), in tribute to this phenomenal artist, the like of which we will never see again. Musical selections range from Victor Herbert to Alban Berg and everything in between. Thank you, Michelle, and evviva Eleanor!

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.