Comedian opera singer???
Hans-Joachim Hofmann
please be forebearing, but I am searching for a comedian (false!) opera
arias singing woman. Unfortunately I have totally forgotten the name of her
but I remember very well that I had laughed very much listening to her.
Can You help me? Does a CD of her exist?
Many thanks in advance
Hans-Joachim
Commspkmn
Many thanks in advance
Hans-Joachim
>>
Sounds as if you might be referring to Anna Russell. Sony Classical has issued
a few CDs of her wonderful recordings.
Ken Meltzer
Linda and Ronald Audet
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Peter Redmond
("Its all true you know.............I'm not making it up!!!!)
Cheers,
Pete
"Hans-Joachim Hofmann" <hans-j....@t-online.de> wrote in message
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Lars-Henrik Österholm
The Magic Flute (Queen of the Night), Lakmé (Bell Song), Die Fledermaus
(Adele's laughing song) and Faust as well as songs etc.
They were released on an LP called The Glory (????) of the Human Voice
around 1970 (RCA Victrola VIC 1496). This was probably a re-release. I don't
know if it is available on CD.
Lars
"Hans-Joachim Hofmann" <hans-j....@t-online.de> skrev i meddelandet
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Leonard Tillman
with her special "slant", sharply accurate, yet hilarious.
An actually "designated" comedienne who sang/sings well is Marilyn
Michaels, popular in the late-'60s to mid-70s.
She'd often treat audiences to some samplings her fine voice, in the
process of doing her "impressions" of established singers.
(Her grandmother had been a star in the "Yiddish Theater".)
LT
One mode of learning:
- To suddenly understand something you've understood all your life, --
but in a new way.
Matthew B. Tepper
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> There is also B. J. Ward. Her album "Stand-Up Opera" is generally
> available.
Not to start a "diva war," but I find Anna Russell laughing-out-loud
hilarious, while Ward makes me snicker a bit every now and then.
> "Commspkmn" <comm...@aol.com> wrote in message
> news:20021223082634...@mb-mq.aol.com...
>> << Hello,
>>
>> please be forebearing, but I am searching for a comedian (false!)
>> opera arias singing woman. Unfortunately I have totally forgotten the
>> name of her but I remember very well that I had laughed very much
>> listening to her.
>>
>> Can You help me? Does a CD of her exist?
>>
>> Many thanks in advance
>>
>> Hans-Joachim
>>
>> Sounds as if you might be referring to Anna Russell. Sony Classical
>> has issued a few CDs of her wonderful recordings.
>> Ken Meltzer
--
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Linda and Ronald Audet
might have been looking for.
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EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)
On the other hand, if you mean UNINTENTIONALLY a "comedian", the late
Florence Foster Jenkins may be the one you are searching for. (Although
opinions about the "unintentional" seem to vary - some claim she KNEW
how bad she was, and was simply hoaxing her "public".)
Matthew B. Tepper
caused the following letters to be typed in
Then there's Cathy Berberian's rendition of Purcell's "Nymphs and
Shepherds," the first selection on her famous Edinburgh Festival recital
(on a long-since-deleted RCA LP, which we must have on CD!). This was,
ahem, pirated as one of the party selections on the Gala "Die Piraten,"
which I was just mentioning yesterday.
Leonard Tillman
> Russell. Sony Classical has issued a few CDs
> of her wonderful recordings.
>Ken Meltzer
-----------------------
(From: evg...@earthlink.net (EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque))
>On the other hand, if you mean
> UNINTENTIONALLY a "comedian", the late
> Florence Foster Jenkins may be the one you
> are searching for. (Although opinions about
> the "unintentional" seem to vary - some claim
> she KNEW how bad she was, and was simply
> hoaxing her "public".)
- Which brings to mind Groucho Marx's claim, that (The Great)
Margaret Dumont, in her screen-partnership with him (The Inimitable
One), believed her lines to be simply straight script, - nothing
comedic.
Is that POSSIBLE?
REG
album of soprano arias called "The Surprising Soprano"?
"Hans-Joachim Hofmann" <hans-j....@t-online.de> wrote in message
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Leonard Tillman
>Can you be thinking of a male singer, Michael
> Aspinall, who recorded an album of soprano
> arias called "The Surprising Soprano"?
I haven't seen that name in over twenty years. Is he still
performing?
LT
>"Hans-Joachim Hofmann"
> <hans-j....@t-online.de> wrote in
> message
> news:au71f9$njh$01$1...@news.t-online.com...
>Hello,
>please be forebearing, but I am searching for
> a comedian (false!) opera arias singing
> woman. Unfortunately I have totally forgotten
> the name of her but I remember very well that
> I had laughed very much listening to her.
>Can You help me? Does a CD of her exist?
>Many thanks in advance
>Hans-Joachim
Joe
forth in New York in the 60s.
"Fully staged" productions were mounted for her in a church on the upper
West Side and she had particular success with Norma and Fedora, the
latter being performed a second time by public demand.
Staging was minimal and casts small - the druid chorus in Norma
consisted of four men in bed sheets and the orchesta - yes a live
orchesta - grew and shrank according to commitments of the players
elsewhere at that partiular time of evening.
Any connection between Mme. Middleton's utterances and vocalism was
minimal, but she had her following and not all of us were there to jeer.
Perhaps it was her utter devotion to her "art" that impressed us, or
maybe we just all envied her for having more balls than the rest of us.
Pirate tapes exist, there may be many if them among Manhattan collectors.
Joe
Operatunenity
>forth in New York in the 60s.
>
Olive Middleton was a wonderful demented eccentric who brought many hilarious
operatic memories, the most memorable being Norma where she sang with a stuffed
owl strapped to her wrist. One has to admire that kind of incredible commitment
in the face of minimal talent. She managed to have her following. We owe her a
great debt for more than that however, because in her skewed way, she had a
tremendous effect on the opera world because she produced her daughter, Alberta
Maisiello,another eccentric with a cigaret baritone voice who was a marvelous
coach at the Met for many years. Many singers have attested to the impact she
had on them as a coach and her truthful witty sharp observations on situations
and talent that most people were afraid to venture a protest against.
Premiereopera
I believe Alberta Masiello was the daughter of La Puma, not Olive Middleton.
Also, let's not forget that Middleton had a very fine career in the 1920's, and
was considered a favorite of Beecham's, especially in Mozart.
I saw her twice. The first opera was supposed to be Ballo, and it was changed
to Trovatore at the last moment. Olive died standing up and leaning against a
wall. I imagine she was too old (at least 80, I would guess) to fall down.
Then I was supposed to see her in Gioconda, and again it was changed to
Trovatore at the last minute.
One other thing- she knew every note in every opera she sang. Not just her
part, but every part. I don't believe she ever made a musical mistake, or
forgot the words, even at her advanced age. She would even audibly prompt other
singers who forgot their words.
She was very campy, but there was something classy within the camp. You knew
that this had been a really good singer at one point, many years earlier. And
you never laughed at her, you always laughed with her.
I once released a recording of her on LP in excerpts from various operas she
had done in the 60's. I recall a Gioconda, Norma, Ballo, Trovatore, etc. Does
anyone have this LP? Our label for LPs was HRE- Historical Recording
Enterprises. For this one very special release it was still HRE- but we wrote
on the box "Hysterical Recording Enterprises." Those indeed were the days!
But some of those people she sang with: no excuse. They were young, and often
had absolutely no voices. They were the truly funny ones.
BTW, does anyone know what year she died, and at what age?
Ed
http://www.premiereopera.com for the best opera on CD, VIDEO, CD-ROM
Rafael Bocanegra
truly interesting posting faggot