Tag Archives: Di Stefano
Di Stefano Sings Schubert's Ständchen
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 6th June 2010Schubert and Giuseppe Di Stefano is not a common association. But here he is singing Schubert’s Ständchen (Serenade Di Stefano) in Spanish. It’s from the soundtrack of a Mexican movie made in 1953. Below are the Spanish lyrics he sings followed by the original German. After these is an English rendition. So what we have…
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Filatura – A Reader’s Response
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 27th June 2008The following is a reaction to my post on filatura. Its author, a very experienced operaphile, wishes to be anonymous. NK Interesting essay on an arcane subject to be sure. The examples help immensely. I’m reminded by your essay and the examples given that filatura along with all the other vocal techniques remain secondary to…
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Why Giuseppe Di Stefano Was Unique
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 2nd April 2008Giuseppe Di Stefano (1921-2008) occupies a special place on the list of the greatest tenors of the last century. I will try to show why with a few examples of his singing recorded when he was at his best. You will often hear singers and critics admit to admiring the “young” Di Stefano. When you do…
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Pippo’s Met Debut
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 5th March 2008“His musical merits have mostly to do with style, for the voice, though neither small nor ugly, is not an organ of great beauty.” Virgil Thomson in the New York Herald Tribune reviewing GDS’s Met debut on February 25, 1948 How would you like to have this brilliant insight following you through all eternity?
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Pavarotti and Presley
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 31st January 2008For some time after the death of Luciano Pavarotti, I’ve been thinking about fame and reputation and how it often doesn’t conform to reality. The reaction to the great tenor’s death reminded me of the reactions to the deaths of Elvis Presley and Maria Callas both of which happened close together 30 years before Pavarotti’s…
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Birgit Nilsson’s 3 Favorite Tenors
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 8th January 2008Birgit Nilsson’s autobiography was published in Swedish in 1995. It appeared in a German translation in 1997. Recently Northwestern University Press has published it in English. But it is the German translation that has appeared in English. Thus one wonders what has been gained in translation. Operatic memoirs usually consist of I sang this here…
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