Opera singer who died on stage
Joseph Marc Baylot
I hate to get all morbid, but I was just curious: I remember my voice
teacher telling me about a singer who died while he was on stage. And the
bad thing about it was that he had just finished a song about dying. My
teacher told me that the guy had suffered a brain anyeurism (sp). Who was
this and what opera was he singing in? Also, what aria was he singing
before he collapsed and died?
Again, I don't mean to get all morbid. I apologize to those of you who may
think this is sick, but it really happened.
Peace
-Joe
--
"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
-Robert Frost
William Kasimer
: I hate to get all morbid, but I was just curious: I remember my voice
: teacher telling me about a singer who died while he was on stage. And the
: bad thing about it was that he had just finished a song about dying. My
: teacher told me that the guy had suffered a brain anyeurism (sp). Who was
: this and what opera was he singing in? Also, what aria was he singing
: before he collapsed and died?
It was Leonard Warren, during a performance of "La Forza del Destino" at
the Met in 1960. A few minutes before collapsing, he had sung "Morir!
Tremenda cosa..." ("To die! What an awesome thing..."). I don't believe
that it was a cerebral aneurysm, BTW; various sources suggest a
hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage or a cardiac event.
I believe that Warren is the only singer to die on the Met stage, but
both the bass Oscar Natzke and the baritone Hermann Uhde were fatally
stricken on other operatic stages.
--
William Kasimer (wk...@netcom.com)
Director of Laboratories
Quincy Hospital
Quincy, Massachusetts
Winkler
(Joseph Marc Baylot) wrote:
> I hate to get all morbid, but I was just curious: I remember my voice
> teacher telling me about a singer who died while he was on stage. And the
> bad thing about it was that he had just finished a song about dying.
It was Leonard Warren.
Joan Livingston
I want to die with final notes of R. Strauss' FOUR LAST SONGS in the
background.
--
Joan, Santa Barbara
Lyle Neff
Repina", whose author escapes me right now. I think the plot is about
an actress who ends up dying on stage because real poison is switched
for fake at a performance. Anton Chekhov subsequently wrote a
like-named elaborate (and hilarious) sequel about her funeral,
including Church Slavonic service, conversations of the participants,
etc.
Either one of those plays might work as an opera, but I've read only
the Chekhov (which is in one scene).
Lyle Neff, ln...@ucs.indiana.edu
http://copper.ucs.indiana.edu/~lneff/home.html
Libretto Homepage
Joel P. Klein
It was Leonard Warren, the great American baritone who died on stage at the
old Met in 1960. He was singing the recitative and aria, "Morir, tremenda
cosa," from Verdi's La Forza del Destino.
I remember this vividly. I was a student at the University of Michigan at the
time when a friend of mine came running into the room to tell me that Warren
had died.
He had a voice of tremendous beauty and power, and was noted for the depth of
the characterization that he brought to his roles. I have yet to hear a
baritone who can match all of his vocal virtues.
HenryFogel
question was Leonard Warren -- and even mentioned other singers. But we
should remember Joseph Keilberth, too, a fine conductor who died while
conducting the second act of Tristan and Isolde.
Henry Fogel
BONIBOY
Leonard Warren, the great Verdi baritone from the mid 40's (I think) until
1960, when he died.
The performance was La Forza del Destino. I was there in standing room
because Tebaldi had just arrived that season at the Met after Callas'
several month reign. After Warren fell, as he was exiting, after singing
"Morrir, tremenda cosa" -- (literally - To die, what a tremendous thing)
-- isn't THAT an irony -- I remember Justinio Diaz running to him, his
monk's robes trailing behind him. He reached Warren and knelt beside him
as the orchestra came to an irregular stopand the audience was hushed --
the look on Diaz' face as he faced the conductor and shrugged helplessly,
as if to say, "I don't know what to do or what's really happening."
The curtain dropped and shortly after the announcement was made.
John
Stephen Mounsey
>It was Leonard Warren, the great American baritone who died on stage at the
>old Met in 1960. He was singing the recitative and aria, "Morir, tremenda
>cosa," from Verdi's La Forza del Destino.
I read somewhere that this was on March 4th and would welcome confirmation.
I noted the date because it was the day I was born! Alas, no evidence of
re-incarnation....... (I'm a bass :-)
-Stephen.
--
+ CUED, Trumpington Street Telephone : (44) 1223 332658 +
+ Cambridge CB2 1PZ E-mail : s...@eng.cam.ac.uk +
+ +
+ "And now, with a single step, your journey starts." +
Donald R. Craig
Leonard Warren, 21 April 1911 - 4 March 1960 according to
Norton/Grove Concise Encyclopedia of Music.
Don.
Charles Handelman
the stage of the met on 3/4/60. He had just said the words, "E salvo..o
gioja" and was about to launch into the cabaletta to the Forza aria..The
man was a GOD...But at least if we must say something positive at this
tragic memory we can say he died at his greatest moment. I saw him over
50 times..he never disappointed me.I still consider him one of the
greatest singers who ever lived. as evere Charlie
DSETIN
Does your memory ever play you false. It would have been very
hard for Justino Diaz to run to Warren's assistance on March 4, 1960
since he did not make his debut until October of 1963. Also why would
any singer be wearing a monk's costume in the army camp scene from
Forza in which the aria occurs. He also died after singing the words
"E salvo, e salvo, o gioia". The surgeon, not monk, on stage with him
that night was Roald Reitan. Maybe you're confused because Reitan and
Diaz both were Met Auditions winners.
Trisha Benedict
: Others have already responded to the original question -- the singer in
: question was Leonard Warren -- and even mentioned other singers. But we
: should remember Joseph Keilberth, too, a fine conductor who died while
: conducting the second act of Tristan and Isolde.
And Gaetano Merola, founding conductor of the SF Opera orchestra, who
died at the podium in 1953 while conducting an outdoor concert at Stern
Grove. Similar to Warren's aria about dying, Merola was conducting "Un
bel di" and died as the the word "morire" came (..."to die at the first
meeting".
Trish
Trisha Benedict
: I read somewhere that this was on March 4th and would welcome confirmation.
: I noted the date because it was the day I was born! Alas, no evidence of
: re-incarnation....... (I'm a bass :-)
I have a friend who was born on the day R Strauss died. He essentially
thinks Strauss (esp Rosenkavalier) is trivial. No reincarnation there! ;)
Trish
lbf6208
: I have a friend who was born on the day R Strauss died. He essentially
: thinks Strauss (esp Rosenkavalier) is trivial. No reincarnation there! ;)
: Trish
Don't be so sure. Strauss thought *lots* of music was trivial. He had a
rather unique attitude towards music, seeing it as a business before
everything else. It wouldn't be out of character for a reincarnated
Strauss to be snobbish toward his "own" compositions! :^)
--
Linda B. Fairtile
New York University
lbf...@is.nyu.edu
Alak
: thinks Strauss (esp Rosenkavalier) is trivial. No reincarnation there! ;)
: Trish
Just a nit (as trivial as the rest of this topic :)). Presumably reincarnations
work when the person dies and the other one is conceived. Being born on the
same day seems not to make as much sense in this regard as the baby is almost
a person by the time he/she is born. However, I must claim that I have
no knowledge in these matters. :)
Alak
Karl Mattern
: HenryFogel (henry...@aol.com) wrote:
: : should remember Joseph Keilberth, too, a fine conductor who died while
: : conducting the second act of Tristan and Isolde.
: Please forgive my morbid curiosity. But where was Keilberth conducting that
: night? I'm pretty sure it wasn't bayreuth. But, any help would be
: appreciated Paul
Keilberth died conducting at the Munich Nationaltheater, the home of the
Bavarian State Opera.
Karl, Munich, Germany
Paul Pelkonen
: Others have already responded to the original question -- the singer in
: question was Leonard Warren -- and even mentioned other singers. But we
: conducting the second act of Tristan and Isolde.
: Henry Fogel
clovis lark
>: Henry Fogel
I think in Munich. Also Fausto Cleva died during an openair Lucia in Greece(?)
> Paul
AlexCastel
the aria, "Urna fatale del mio destino" ("Fatal urn of my destiny")? I
could have sworn that was it. The version of the story I heard was that
when he reached the word "fatale", he dropped dead of a heart attack.
Bummer.
Jeffrey Michael Howe
: sh...@ccu1.auckland.ac.nz (Shaw Mr. G) wrote:
: >joa...@rain.org (Joan Livingston) writes:
: >>I want to die with final notes of R. Strauss' FOUR LAST SONGS in the
: >>background.
: >>--
: >>Joan, Santa Barbara
Does location count? If so, it would have to be outdoors -- something very
dramatic mind you (mountains, forest, ocean, etc.) to "Addio Senza
Rancor"...bittersweet, yet a nice finish to a life well-lived.
Jeffrey Howe
University of Wisconsin
Milwaukee
Bill Haygood
: I agree with all that has been said previously, almost. Isn't the title of
I understand that Richard Tucker was also singing in that performance
and when Leonard Warren fell, the audience could hear Tucker shouting
"Lennie! Lennie!"
Bill
Selwyn Davidowitz
If I leave this earth listening to the male duet from Bizet's "Pearlfishers"
I will be a very happy opera loving ex human being!
From Selwyn Davidowitz.
ALL THE WAY FROM THE TABLE MOUNTAIN CITY
IN THE BEAUTIFUL NEW RSA.
______________:~:_
. / \ _
/ \ / CAPE TOWN \ [ \___
/ : \/ \
Joel P. Klein
from New Orleans and a Bocconegra from the Met. Of great interest is his
performance and portrayal of the fat knight. Apparently, Rudolf Bing felt
that Warren was not suited to the part, and because of this would not produce
Falstaff until after Warren's death. Warren's reputation was such that Bing
felt that he couldn't have the opera at the Met without Warren as the lead.
If the recording gives any indication, Bing deprived New York audiences of a
great treat. The magnificence of Warren's voice, and his innate musicianship
sparkle, and he seems to enjoy the part. I feel that Bing penalized Warren
because of the great beauty of the voice. The sound quality of the recording
is quite good.
As an aside, it took New Orleans to produce La Juive for Richard Tucker to
realize his career-long dream. Also, in his biography, Jan Peerce doesn't
have very many nice things to say about Sir Rudolf. I wonder?
Fry, Charles L.
at the Met until after Warren's death, Sir Rudolph did not deprive New
York of hearing the great baritone sing Falstaff. In 1944. well before
Bing arrived at the Met, Warren alternated with Lawrence Tibbett as the
fat night and was on the broadcast from that season which also had
Eleanor Steber as Alice, Margret Harshaw as Quickly and John Brownlee as
Ford, the whole thing was briliantly conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham, and
sung in an English translation, a copy of which I have. I don't know how
often Warren sang Falstaff, but he did at least several performances
during that season. If you are a purist you may say that because it was
in English not Italian that it was not really Verdi's Falstaff, but the
fact remains he did do the role at the Met.
Chuck Fry
The opinions expressed are mine not
Monsanto's or any of its subs.
Matthew B. Tepper
first opera singer to die on stage at the Met. That was Armand Castelmary,
who was singing Tristan in _Martha_ (Flotow). He died of a coronary during
Act II.
On 10 February 1897, Armand Castlemary
--
"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds."
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Matthew B. Tepper du...@deltanet.com, am...@lafn.org, CIS: 71031,2415
Visit my Berlioz page at http://www.deltanet.com/users/ducky/index.htm
William Kasimer
: One minor correction. While it may be that Bing didn't produce Falstaff
I believe that Warren sang it again in the 1948-49 season - in Italian,
with Reiner conducting; the rest of the cast included Albanese (Nanetta),
Resnik (Ms. Ford), di Stefano (Fenton). And the Ford was none other than
Giuseppe Valdengo, who in short time was Toscanini's choice to sing Falstaff.
David Pickering
died o.. by "Fry, Charles L."@SEARLE
> at the Met until after Warren's death, Sir Rudolph did not deprive New
> York of hearing the great baritone sing Falstaff. In 1944. well before
> Bing arrived at the Met, Warren alternated with Lawrence Tibbett as the
> fat night and was on the broadcast from that season which also had
> Eleanor Steber as Alice, Margret Harshaw as Quickly and John Brownlee as
> Ford, the whole thing was briliantly conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham, and
> sung in an English translation, a copy of which I have. I don't know how
> often Warren sang Falstaff, but he did at least several performances
> during that season. If you are a purist you may say that because it was
> in English not Italian that it was not really Verdi's Falstaff, but the
> fact remains he did do the role at the Met.
O' course other purists will insists that since Verdi's opera is in
Italian, it's not really Shakespeare. Maybe we can lock people from the
two different sides in a room and hope they eliminate one another.
The only question I have about the above post is whether or not a
recording exists of any of these performances (oh please, oh please!).
Dave
dp...@andrew.cmu.edu
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Craig Werner
>The version of the story I heard was that
>when he reached the word "fatale", he dropped dead of a heart attack.
Legend, I'm afraid, Alex. Newspaper accounts reporting Warren's death
make it clear he finished the aria before collapsing.
Craig Werner <wer...@world.std.com>