Word: contraltos
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Handel: Messiah (Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Malcolm Sargent conducting; Huddersfield Choral Society, with Isobel Baillie, soprano, Gladys Ripley, contralto, James Johnston, tenor and Norman Walker, basso; Columbia, two albums-38 sides, $22.50). An outstanding performance but not quite as good as the version done by Sir Thomas Beecham more than 15 years ago. Performance: orchestra and chorus, excellent; soloists, fair...
...conducting; Cetra, 6 sides). The new hero of the Met's Italian fans (TIME, Jan. 20) sings arias from six operas (Mignon, Tosca, Rigoletto, The Barber of Seville, Manon, Elisir d'Amore). The Italian tempi are perhaps a little languid for U.S. tastes, but Tagliavini's contralto-like pianissimi are wondrously lyrical. The imported Italian discs (which cost a whopping $3.25 each) are technically as good as most U.S. recordings. Performance: excellent...
Bach: Arias (Marian Anderson, contralto, with the RCA Victor Chamber Orchestra, Robert Shaw conducting; Victor, 6 sides). The mighty-voiced contralto, holding herself down to a small orchestra, is not at her best. Included are arias from three cantatas, the Christmas Oratorio and the Passion According to St. Matthew. Performance: fair...
Metropolitan Opera (Sat. 2-5:25 p.m., ABC). Verdi's Il Trovatore, with Soprano Zinka Milanov, Contralto Margaret Harshaw, Tenor Kurt Baum, Baritone Leonard Warren...
Metropolitan Opera (Sat. 2-5 p.m., ABC). Puccini's Madame Butterfly, with Soprano Licia Albanese, Tenor Charles Kullmann, Contralto Lucielle Browning...