Licia Albanese 101st birthday tribute

This is posted as a tribute for Licia Albanese's 101st(?) birthday which was on July 22, 2009 (no one is really sure of her date of birth; some sources say July 22, 1913 and others 1909 but last year a video of her 100th party at a restaurant was posted by presumably a family member).

Licia Albanese sings "Un bel di vedremo" from Puccini's "Madama Butterfly." This is from the January 19, 1946 Metropolitan Opera radio broadcast with Pietro Cimara conducting. Other cast members included James Melton (Pinkerton), Lucielle Browning (Suzuki), John Brownlee (Sharpless), Alessio De Paolis (Goro), Osie Hawkins (Bonze), George Cehanovsky (Yamadori), Maxine Stellman (Kate Pinkerton), and John Baker (Commissioner). My copy may be a tad off pitch?

Below is what is written on page 429 about the recording in Paul Gruber's "The Metropolitan Opera Guide to Recorded Opera:"

"This remarkable recording is taken from the Metropolitan Opera broadcast of January 19, 1946; the first 'Madama Butterfly' to be given at the Met since the start of World War II. It is unique as a complete onstage record of Licia Albanese's portrayal, captured at a prime moment in her career. It is also very much a live performance by a lyric soprano projected to a big house but recorded up close; there is little of the repose or engineered intimacy of the recording studio here. The portrayal is both impassioned and infinitely detailed... Her 'Un bel di' is striking; all its moods are reflected in a public performance remarkable for its finish... Albanese's Butterfly.. is at once passionate, powerfully projected, and beautifully controlled; a great performance."

This fantastic signed photo of Albanese as Cio-Cio-San is scanned from my personal collection.

Happy Birthday!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Licia
• Albanese
• Un
• bel
• di
• vedremo
• Puccini
• Madama
• Butterfly
• aria
• Italian
• soprano
• live
• Metropolitan
• Opera
• radio
• braodcast
• 1946
• WWII
• WW2
• Pietro
• Cimara
• Birthday
• tribute
• yt:quality=high

[PatroniFan]

I saw that she was born in 1913 so this year(2011) she will be 98.

[VinylToVideo]

@PatroniFan She is already over 100. The date of birth publicly stated is incorrect. Other sopranos of the era did the same thing including Grace Moore and Dorothy Kirsten.

[CREQUIE]

Cette Grande cantatrrice a traversé le XXiè siècle Elle a chanté avec GIGLI, DI STEFANO, LANZA,TUCKER,....Elle était déja enfant,lors du décès de CARUSO. Elle a entendu PAVAROTTI et d'autres.C'est une mémoire lyrique de notre temps. Guy CREQUIE

This Large cantatrrice crossed XXiè century It sang with GIGLI, DI STEFANO, LANZA, TUCKER,….It was already child, at the time of the death of CARUSO. She heard PAVAROTTI and others. It is a lyric memory of our time. Guy CREQUIE

Guy CREQUIE

[VinylToVideo]

@CREQUIE She sang with every tenor from Gigli to Pavarotti.. not many sopranos have careers that long.

[cantorandopera]

Maybe not the most luscious voice to ever sing this role, but who can match the drama and emotional impact? Her treasured interpretation of Butterfly stands among the greatest of the greats!

[Bettywhite12345]

My comment was cut off:  and for all of us who love her and honor her today and every day

[Bettywhite12345]

Today Licia Albanese is 98. Happy Birthday to a legend. I first heard her in San Francisco in 1943. When I was 17. The opera was La Boheme with Gaetano Merola conducting. I still haven't recovered from the passion and honesty of Albnese's performance. I can still see her in act 3 (my favorite act) hiding behind the tree, crying, coughing, bent over, looking so cold, so miserable. I have never seen another Mimi so touching, so real. What a blessing her voice has been for her and for all of us wh

[MariaCallasLegend]

@VinylToVideo I know also that the great Giulietta Simionato was Born in 1908!!and not in 1910!!Many Divas of the Time used to erase some years!!

[Aetion]

@CREQUIE

Not only heard PAVAROTTI, but also sang with him in San Francisco in September 1973!

[7inga7]

How wonderful her performances are to remember!

[racheleleeba]

Even listening to this for the umpteenth time, she still gives me chills.