Word: spontini
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...Italian opera," snorts one Milanese buff, "is going to the dogs because so many dogs are singing it today." Symptomatic of the problem was La Scala's season-ending production last week of a 147-year-old opera called Olympie, by Gasparo Spontini. It flopped, mainly because it lacked a singer of superstar rank. In the past, the company could dredge up any old potboiler, cast Callas or Tebaldi in the lead, and have a resounding success. But now Callas and Tebaldi are little more than memories in Italy. Along with the younger corps of fine singers, they have...
Trained as a naval engineer, Corelli did not start studying singing until he was 24, learned most of what he knows by listening to recordings of famous singers. His professional career was begun "by pure good luck" when he got the chance to sing opposite Maria Callas in Spontini's La Vestale on a La Scala opening night...
...season was off to a running start this month when Florence opened its 17th Maggio Musicale. Like most of the bigger festivals, it combined showy elegance with serious endeavor. Gaudiest attractions were operas with attractive melodies shaded by silly plots: Spontini's rarely performed Agnes von Hohenstaufen, Weber's Euryanthe and Puccini's Girl of the Golden West. Euryanthe was presented in its uncut version and the audience learned to appreciate the program note from a Weber contemporary: "This man writes for eternity and so his operas never end." Other festival events were concerts under Wilhelm Furtw...
...Manhattan. Rosa Ponselle, in the white draperies of a vestal virgin, was fervently wooed by Edward Johnson, U. S. tenor, disguised as a Roman soldier in the Metropolitan's revival of La Vestale, a totally unoriginal opera written 100 years ago by Gasparo Spontini. Critics agree that this composer understood one thing- how to write for the voice. For the rest he depended on Gluck and what he could remember of Mozart. Elaborately staged, furbished with the faultless voice of Miss Ponselle, it will, they think, be popular...
...During the first week two 'novelties' will be given in a double bill LHeure Espagnole by Maurice Ravel, with Lucrezia Bori; followed by Der Barbier von Bagdad by Peter Cornelius. . . . During the second week the first Metropolitan performance will be given of Gasparo Spontini's opera, La Vestale...