The great Gigli w.Elizabeth Barbato in Forza. He was 61. I saw his 1955 farewell. Had he lived to 80, he would still have had it!!!!!

Diana Soviero's Met debut with Alfredo Kraus in Romeo et Juliette.The "Poison aria" is superb.(Also on YouTube). I know her since 1977.Still feel she is as great as any soprano in my experience.

Carteri and Taddei in act 3 are so moving!! Ferruccio Tagliavini is Rodolfo.

Close to Ruffo!! I thought Warren had a big voice.MacNeilwas awesome!!!!!!!

My buddy,Marisa Galvany (one of many fake names) as Medea.

Bing gave her one! Idiot! Wonderful lady!!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZwSAHyGoo8

Hard to find right words for the glorious Victoria's voice!!!!! Here is "Dove sono?"

Joseph Calleja wants people to call him "Joe." That is the kind of guy he is. When he met me, he said I was more famous than he is. TRUE?????????????????

If you are not feeling well, do NOT listen to Sirach von Bodengraven! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!! I am finding old audio stuff for you. Are you thrilled??????

Great fun guy, Brian Hymel, in French arias. He is such a wonderful person, and has a beautiful family. BUY IT! I get no commission on the full CD.

Callas, Corelli, Nicolai from Trieste.Note Corelli attack before Callas D!!!!!!!!! Nothing like this today!!!

Here are early recordings of my dear friend Diana Soviero.Friends since 1977. I hope you like them.

She did it ALL!!!! Not a long career, but 1949-1955 in my view was awesome!

Saffo aria sung by one of my favorite singers, Eugenia Burzio. OLD STYLE!!!!!!

I was waiting once at the Met stage door after a Macbeth. Out comes this big guy who looked at me and asked, "Are you Charlie Handelman?" I said "Yes." He gave me a big hug and said,"You are more famous than me!" What a fun guy!!!!!!!!!! Joe and I have discussed a kind of "old-fashioned vibrato," which to me is "affectionate."…

VERY few opera singers can sing popular music. Farrell did it pretty well and many male singers do it well, but the DIVAS have trouble. I guess the breaks in the voice make it more difficult...but Dorothy Kirsten mastered the crossover, compared to the ludicrous Fleming or L.Price.

Corelli had more vibrato young (DelMonaco called him a "goat) but these commercial discs still tel us of the man's greatness. I saw him 40 times.Yes,he could be a pain...but generally speaking,he raised the roof!!!!!!!!!! I have friends who knew him well,and they tell me how sweet he was and so concerned about his artistry.…

When she showed up, Caballe was one of the greatest singers of the century! Her birthplace was Barcelona, as we at this tragic time send our deepest feelings for their people.

HUGEST voice from a baritone. Great man...In Ernani, the audience sometimes started to yell at the G before the A flat, so stupendous the sound!

An Oddity!!!!!! Beverly as Aida!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great cast!! (well,almost!) Milanov,Baebieri,Siepi,Warren. They had to Baum, but that's life!!!!! DelMonaco did other shows, but this is what did occur at times.

Norman Treigle left us too soon, but his accomplishments were legendary. I saw him in almost everything he did at City Opera...Unforgettable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! First time we heard them live. Corelli holds the all'armi forever and the ovation for her after the "D'amor" went on and on and on.

Not always an easy voice to take..but a MONUMENTAL MAN!!!! My friend became close with this great icon..In person the voice must have ben a sensation....a bit "white" in color...but nevertheless a great man. He told my friend, "Del Monaco sings like a truck driver but McCracken is the TRUCK!!!!

For next season,Susi Sommers replaces Peretyatko. Audience must wear earplugs. Even Larry Brownlee does not have a high T over L.

When dumb Met audiences laugh at some titles during act one Tosca (You know "Make her eyes black") I get mad.In Chicago once, Eva Marton was furious at the "Give her black eyes" title. Well, I am a big crab. I feel like Jon Vickers in a Dallas Tristan (Dristan??) where he told the audience to "shut up." Hey, I am putting lots of stuff here..and eve…

Sad how intolerance kept Afro-Americans out of the Met until Marian Anderson in Ballo 1955.I was there! I spoke to Camilla Williams, a friend of Virginia Zeani,shortly before she passed away. She was my first Butterfly at City Opera. A great voice and a lovely lady!

I saw 5 of them in 1954!!!!!! Trouble with top notes but she did lose the C in the 50's....However for me the greatest singer in my life..saw her 88 times...well 88 and a half,as she fainted during a Verdi Requiem. She sounded so bad that night the "faint" might have been faked! The tenor was Gino Penno..loudest top I ever heard, but did not last l…

Great Caterina Mancini and Rolando Panerai in duet from La Battaglia di Legnano.She thrilled me since age 17 on Cetra recordings..I have a letter from her.

My dear buddy Diana Soviero in Romeo et Juliette. The GREATEST

Mrs.Fischer-Dieskau (Who??) sure can sing Nabucco!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Semiramide aria as sung by the superb Elena Nikolaidi. I will be doing some shorter audio clips, plus videos until I can do longer podcasts. Enjoy!!!

She retired rather early. One of the most touching singers in my experience.

I miss him at the Met!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great guy! Some people do not like the squillo,as he tells me..Tough!!!!! I Lombardi aria

My old buddy...Sam Ramey. I asked him if Sam Jr. sang Mefistofele...Probably RAP!!!!!!

Joseph Calleja met me for the first time once. Said,"Are you Charlie??You are more famous than I am"......big hug...I always remind him of this.

Until I get things worked out again,here are some old clips:The first is my dear Piotr Beczala Prince Igor Aria. Nicest guy in captivity!!!!!! (He actually reads my posts on Facebook)

Jennifer Zarchy's HERO>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

My darling Virginia Met 1967 debut..My favorite part of the opera. Not easy for her at 91.....She is my "family." Bad knees...never wore knee pads (died 365 times plus rehearsals) since she felt knee pads placed her "out of character."

While I am working on the glitches, will post some earlier files.Here is the fabulous Hans Hotter in a section of Siegfried Act 3

After last season....she could wipe them out if she was 90...... 1982 Frankfurt. MIRACLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ran into him before Boheme Sat. No one as sweet and lovable....plus that great voice..His idols are Gedda and Wunderlich..FIGURES!!!!!

I saw him in his farewell tour..a GOD!!!!!

Sounded MIKED live...amazing resonance!!!

Hans Hotter.....Forgot who Erda is..Oh well..She is no help anyway!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Repeats of some old stuff for new people and oldies who forgot!!!!!! Tebaldi,Tucker..(Scarpia is dead) Placido21@aol.com Can I do this? She would not DARE scream at me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She was my second mommy!!!!

On Jan.21, 1956, my 20th birthday, this Carmen w.Rise Stevens,Giuseppe Di Stefano,Robert Merrill,Lucine Amara cond.by Max Rudolf was to precede a surprise birthday party for me on the next day. However (listen to end of act 3),you hear Rise say "put my arm down,"(1:46:24) which dear Pippo broke, and the Rise Stevens music club meeting,scheduled for…

Live Radio broadcasts sponsored by Martini & Rossi. Di Stefano Iris "Apri la tua finestra" Carosio Sonnambula "Ah non credea" Callas Seraglio aria (In Ital.) Gigli Werther aria (In Ital.) Simionato Tancredi "Di tanti palpiti" G.Raimondi Luisa Miller "Quando le sere al placido" Callas La Vestale "Tu che invoco" Olivero La Wally "Ebben,ne andro" DelM…

Born in Jessup, Pennsylvania, Cossa studied with Anthony Marlowe in Detroit, Michigan, Robert Weede in Concord, California, and Armen Boyajian in New York City. He made his debut at the New York City Opera as Morales in 1961, and a week later sang Sharpless with the company. He won the American Opera Auditions in 1964 and was sent to Italy for debu…

His North American debut was as Alvise in Ponchielli's La Gioconda at the second season opening of Hammerstein's Manhattan Opera House. It was the night of "Golden Age" stars, also featuring American debuts of Giovanni Zenatello as Enzo and Jeanne Gerville-Réache as La Cieca, while Lillian Nordica sang the tile role, Mario Ancona was Barnaba and El…