Tag Archives: Jean Morel

Episode 484. Bubbles on the Nile, Handel Edition

August 1, 2026African American Singers, Bel canto, Black History Month, Black History Month 2026, Claudia Muzio, Forgotten Divas, Full-Figured Baroque, Ileana Cotrubas, Listeners' Favorites, Music for a World in Crisis Series, NYCO Divas, Queer Pride, Renata Scotto, Singers of ColorAaron Hill, Adrian Boult, Alcina, Alma Gluck, Amadigi, Antoine Houdar de la Motte, Antonio Fanzaglia, Antonio Salvi, Ariodante, Arnold Gamson, Atalanta, Beverly Sills, Boris Christoff, Christa Ludwig, Christiane Eda-Pierre, Claudia Muzio, Elisabeth Rethberg, Elisario Valeriana, Florence Quartararo, Frieder Weissmann, Fritz Lehan, Gabriele Ferro, George Frideric Handel, Giacomo Francesco Bussani, Giacomo Rossi, Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Giulio Cesare, Grace Bumbry, Hanne-Lore Kuhse, Hans-Ludwig Hauck, Heinz Rückert, Helmut Hucke, Herbert Albert, Hercules, Horst-Tanu Margraf, Ileana Cotrubas, Jean Morel, Jean-Claude Malgoire, Jephtha, Johannes Somary, Judas Maccabaeus, Julius Rudel, Leontyne Price, Lotte Lehmann, Ludovico Ariosti, Ludovico Arosti, Martina Arroyo, Maurice Abravanel, Montserrat Caballé, Nicola Rescigno, Onelia Fineschi, Ovid, Radamisto, Raymond Leppard, Renata Scotto, Renata Tebaldi, Reri Grist, Riccardo Broschi, Rinaldo, Robert Shaw, Rudolf Seith, Ryan Edwards, Semele, Serse, Silvio Stampiglia, Sosarme, Teresa Żylis-Gara, Thomas Broughton, Thomas Morell, Torquato Tasso, Victoria de los Angeles, Virginia Zeani, Walter B. Rogers, William Congrevecountermelody

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Today’s episode is the second of my so-called “Bubbles on the Nile” series, performances by Beverly Sills (and a host of other divas) in unexpected roles. While the first episode drew on the contents of a 1985 release on the Legendary Recordings label with the same title, today’s episode focuses exclusively on the music of George Frideric Handel with an entirely Gundlach-generated setlist. Sills is featured not as Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare, the role that made her a star, but in two other Handel roles which she only rarely performed: Ginevra in Ariodante, and the title role in Semele. There follow nearly two dozen additional singers singing unexpected Handel roles, beginning with Alma Gluck all the way back in 1916. Other singers include Claudia Muzio, Elisabeth Rethberg, Lotte Lehmann, Florence Quartararo, Teresa Żylis-Gara, Hanne-Lore Kuhse, Christa Ludwig, Ileana Cotrubaș, Christiane Eda-Pierre, Shirley Verrett, Martina Arroyo, Grace Bumbry, Victoria de los Ángeles, and Reri Grist. There is a special section featuring six unexpected performers of the role of Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare: Renata Tebaldi, Leontyne Price, Montserrat Caballé, Renata Scotto, Onelia Fineschi, and Virginia Zeani. Other Handel works represented include Rinaldo, Hercules, Alcina, Atalanta, Amadigi, Judas Maccabaeus, and Radamisto. Hearing these singers take a determinedly “old school” approach to Handel’s music is fascinating, diverting, challenging, sometimes amusing, and always revelatory. And overseeing it all is our beloved Bubbles!

Countermelody is the 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 296. Dan’s Operatic Picks

October 8, 2024Art Song, Bel canto, Broadway, Claudia Muzio, Crossover, Eileen Farrell, Forgotten Divas, Giacomo Puccini, Giuseppe Verdi, Great Baritones, Great Tenors, Happy Birthday, In Memoriam, Lieder, Mezzo Madness, Music for a World in Crisis Series, Needle Drop, Pop Icons, VerismoAdriana Lecouvreur, Aksel Schiotz, Alec Wilder, Alfred Bachelet, Alfredo Catalani, Alfredo Simonetti, Andrea Chénier, Andrée Esposito, Angela Lansbury, Antonino Votto, Carl Nielsen, Cesare Siepi, Chanson perpétuelle (Chausson), Charles Cros, Charles Gounod, Christian Morgenstern, Claudio Muzio, Daniel Beckwith, Daniel Gundlach, Don Carlo, Donald Pippin, Edith Mason, Eileen Farrell, Eleanor Steber, Elly Ameling, Ernest Chausson, Ettore Bastianini, Francesco Cilea, Franco Corelli, Franco Ferraris, Franz Lehár, Friedrich Schiller, Georg Solti, Georges Thill, Germaine Féraldy, Giacomo Puccini, Gioacchino Rossini, Giorgio Giorgetti, Giuseppe Verdi, Helmut Winschermann, Hermann Weigert, Hugo Hasslo, I Puritani, I vespri siciliani, Ian Partridge, Il barbiere di Siviglia, István Kertész, Jacques Offenbach, Jacques Prévert, James Quillian, Jean Morel, Jennifer Partridge, Jerry Herman, Johann Sebastian Bach, Jorma Hynninen, Joseph Kosma, Joseph-Étienne Szyfer, Jules Barbier, Jussi Bjorling, La Belle Helene, La Wally (Catalani), Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Loonis McGlohon, Lotte Lehmann, Lucia Popp, Madama Butterfly, Magda Olivero, Manon Lescaut, Maria Vitale, Mario Rossi, Nathaniel Shilkret, Nils Grevillius, Pierre Barbizet, Ralf Gothoni, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Riccardo Chailly, Riccardo Stracciari, Richard Crooks, Roméo et Juliette, Sándor Kónya, Sigmund Romberg, Susan Dunn, Svend Christian Felumb, The Desert Song (Romberg), Umberto Giordano, Victorien Sardou, Vincenzo Bellini, William Shakespeare, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Yrjö Kilpinencountermelody

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I’m still under the weather, but I can’t let that keep me from posting my usual Tuesday episode! Here is another recycled bonus episode, this one posted two years ago in honor of my birthday, which features some of my favorite singers. At that time I posted a brand new episode entitled “Dan’s Picks,” but many of the best selections ended up on the cutting room floor. That hurt my heart so much that I had no choice but to do a companion episode which features a number of things that were lacking from the main episode: first of all, more tenor goodness (Aksel Schiøtz, Franco Corelli, Sándor Kónya, Jussi Björling, Richard Crooks, Ian Partridge); second of all, more burly baritones (Jorma Hynninen, Ettore Bastianini, Riccardo Stracciari, and the lesser-known megawatt talent Hugo Hasslo). Also heard are a number of sopranos that have not received enough Countermelody airtime (Edith Mason, Maria Vitale, Andrée Esposito, Lucia Popp), as well as a number of favorites that we (I?) simply can’t get enough of: Muzio, Lehmann, Olivero, Farrell, Steber. I even set aside modesty to include a brief clip of me from a demo I recorded some time ago, back when I could still sing! Every selection in this episode is very dear to my heart; I hope you will enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed putting it together.

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.

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