In 1994 my Ars Musica in NJ was preparing the US premiere of Mascagni's Pinotta and as an Albanese protegee was singing, Licia agreed to come to a fund-raising dinner at the house of Ralph and Linda Glasgal. Ralph was president of the American Audiophile Assoc. and had a specially designed room set up with only one chair for listening to his super 'stereo'. He asked Mdme. Albanese to be seated and then put on the 1938 recording of La Bohême with her and Gigli. She immediately burst into tears as the memories came flooding back and we turned it off. She, like Toscanini, was a most human artist. She was known as the soprano of five hankies- that's how much you would cry when she sang. Maestro Italo Marchini.
This is great, thank you for posting! I have met Licia Albanese at the Monterey Plaza hotel in Monterey, CA where I used to sing. She signed a program and album set of M. Butterfly conducted by Mr. Toscanini from 1945. She saw the set I had, cried happily and signed every piece I had and told me about that Opera and him. It was a great experience and I have a photo with her too. A class act indeed.
Such memories of my father's adoration for the Maestro Arturo Toscanini are elicited in this glowing interview. What an utter treat for the ear and heart.
Une légende incontournable de la scène lyrique. L'expression et la sensibilité à fleur de peau, principalement dans les opéras de registre vériste. Une intelligence musicale exacerbée et des nuances toujours justes. En dépit de quelques erreurs de carrière, un parcours irréprochable aux côtés des plus grands. Un personnage indissociable de la vie musicale européenne puis surtout américaine, elle aura lutté inlassablement pour la préservation du "canto espressivo" (tout comme la regrettée Magda Olivero) et prodiguera pendant de longues années ses conseils et surtout, son savoir, à de nombreux jeunes artistes. Sa présidence à la tête de la L.A. Puccini Foundation à NYC la maintiendra au sommet des personnalités lyriques les plus attachantes du XXème siècle. J'ai eu la chance et l'honneur de bien connaître L.A., et elle laisse un vide irremplaçable dans mon cœur, dans nos cœurs. Son legs artistique est unique. Merci. RIP. Portrait of Licia Albanese at: @t
she just died 8 days ago....licia was short for felicia...she was 105....my opera lover instincts didn t kick in until the late 70s...and she had retired by then...rise stevens was credited for carmen..maria callas for tosca and i think licia albanese was the forever madama butterfly.
In 1994 my Ars Musica in NJ was preparing the US premiere of Mascagni's Pinotta and as an Albanese protegee was singing, Licia agreed to come to a fund-raising dinner at the house of Ralph and Linda Glasgal. Ralph was president of the American Audiophile Assoc. and had a specially designed room set up with only one chair for listening to his super 'stereo'. He asked Mdme. Albanese to be seated and then put on the 1938 recording of La Bohême with her and Gigli. She immediately burst into tears as the memories came flooding back and we turned it off. She, like Toscanini, was a most human artist. She was known as the soprano of five hankies- that's how much you would cry when she sang. Maestro Italo Marchini.
This is great, thank you for posting! I have met Licia Albanese at the Monterey Plaza hotel in Monterey, CA where I used to sing. She signed a program and album set of M. Butterfly conducted by Mr. Toscanini from 1945. She saw the set I had, cried happily and signed every piece I had and told me about that Opera and him. It was a great experience and I have a photo with her too. A class act indeed.
Such memories of my father's adoration for the Maestro Arturo Toscanini are elicited in this glowing interview. What an utter treat for the ear and heart.
Une légende incontournable de la scène lyrique. L'expression et la sensibilité à fleur de peau, principalement dans les opéras de registre vériste. Une intelligence musicale exacerbée et des nuances toujours justes. En dépit de quelques erreurs de carrière, un parcours irréprochable aux côtés des plus grands. Un personnage indissociable de la vie musicale européenne puis surtout américaine, elle aura lutté inlassablement pour la préservation du "canto espressivo" (tout comme la regrettée Magda Olivero) et prodiguera pendant de longues années ses conseils et surtout, son savoir, à de nombreux jeunes artistes. Sa présidence à la tête de la L.A. Puccini Foundation à NYC la maintiendra au sommet des personnalités lyriques les plus attachantes du XXème siècle. J'ai eu la chance et l'honneur de bien connaître L.A., et elle laisse un vide irremplaçable dans mon cœur, dans nos cœurs. Son legs artistique est unique. Merci. RIP. Portrait of Licia Albanese at: @t
Very interesting !
Thanks
Very interesting, thank you for sharing
she just died 8 days ago....licia was short for felicia...she was 105....my opera lover instincts didn t kick in until the late 70s...and she had retired by then...rise stevens was credited for carmen..maria callas for tosca and i think licia albanese was the forever madama butterfly.
Portrait of Licia Albanese at: www.musimem.com/Albanese_Licia.htm
I love this