Tag Archives: soprano
Zinka Milanov – A Reminscence
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 5th September 2018The article below was written by Raymond Beegle who served as an accompanist for Zinka Milanov (1906-89) during the years after she retired from performing and devoted herself to teaching. He was also her friend. His moving appreciation of the great soprano was originally published in the Spring 1990 issue of Opera Quarterly to mark her (then) recent death….
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Alida Ferrarini
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 19th August 2017Alida Ferrarini (1946-2013) was a soprano who specialized in the lighter roles of the operatic repertory. Gilda, Adina, and Michaela were perfect fits for her voice. She also sang baroque and 18th century roles. She sang in San Francisco, but otherwise limited her performances to Europe. She may be best known for her singing of…
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Antonina Nezhdanova
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 11th July 2017Antonina Nezhdanova (1873-1950) was a Ukrainian soprano who made her career in the last years of Imperial Russia and then continued after the 1917 revolution as a singer and teacher in the Soviet Union. She was the greatest Russian soprano of her era. She had a high lyric voice which negotiated all the obstacles of…
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The 10 Best Sopranos of the 20th Century
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 13th March 2017This was a tough piece to write. With all the great sopranos of different vocal types active in the 20th century, picking just 10 is a daunting task. But I’m giving it a try regardless. I have excluded the high sopranos like Tetrazzini and Galli-Curci, but I still have a surplus of riches that my…
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Claudia Muzio
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 26th January 2017Claudia Muzio (1889-1936) was one of opera’s greatest stars during the first part of the 20th century. Born in Pavia, she was the daughter of an operatic stage manager. He moved the family to London when Claudia was 2 years old to practice his craft at Covent Garden. Accordingly, she became fluent in English as…
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Ebben? Ne andrò lontana
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 23rd September 2016Alfredo Catalani (1854-93) is best known for his opera La Wally. And the opera would barely survive were it not for the soprano aria which is the subject of this piece. It occurs near the end of the 1st act. Wally has been ordered by her father to marry a baritone or leave home. Naturally, she…
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Recording of the Week – Birgit Nilsson 10 CD Set
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 5th September 2016Birgit Nilsson (1918-2005) was one of the vocal marvels of the 20th century. No recording, and she made many, can come close to the impact she made in performance. A voice of limitless power and reserve, she could be heard over the loudest orchestral din. Yet she could modulate her tone to whatever the score…
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Rosa Ponselle
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 14th June 2015Rosa Ponselle (1897-1981) was born Rosa Ponzillo in Meriden Connecticut to immigrant parents from southern Italy. Her vocal gifts were apparent at an early age and she started to sing professionally at 18. Her repertoire was mainly popular ballads. Shortly thereafter she began to sing on the vaudeville circuit with her older sister Carmela, who…
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Rosa Raisa
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 1st January 2015Rosa Raisa (1893-1963) was born in Białystok, Poland as Raitza Burchstein. Because of the pogroms endemic in Russian controlled Poland during her childhood, her family fled to Italy when she was 14. Her vocal talent was soon recognized and she made her professional debut when she was 20. She sang at most of the world’s…
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Zinka Milanov’s Birthday
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 17th May 2013Today is the 107th anniversary of the greatest Verdi soprano I ever heard – Zinka Milanov (1906-1989). Milanov was the Queen of the Met where she sang 449 performances between 1937 and 1966. In the core Verdi roles I have never heard her equal. She was a unique artist. The only words that can do…
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