You might have heard of the famed George London Foundation, which is renowned for providing support for young singers. That Foundation was established in 1971 by the great bass-baritone George London, who was born on May 30, 1920. London grew up in Los Angeles, California, and had his big break in 1945 when he was called upon by Antal Doráti {…}
It all started with national pride. When Bedrich Smetana met with Viennese conductor Johann von Herbeck, he heard a comment that immediately inspired him. The composer reportedly stated that the Czechs were incapable of creating their own music, which prompted the composer to set out on a mission to create a voice for his nation. It would take the composer {…}
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau was one of the most versatile musicians in the history of classical music. Born on May 28, 1925, he performed opera, lieder, and oratorio in a wide range of languages and in any article regarding his stature always describes him as one of the greatest of all time or most influential. In fact, per Classic CD’s 1999 poll, {…}
Elena Souliotis was one of the greatest opera singers to come out of Greece. Born on May 28, 1943, she grew up in Argentina and went on to study with legendary teacher Mercedes Llopart. She made her debut in 1964 in Naples as Santuzza in “Cavalleria Rusticana” and then headed to the US to appear in “Mefistofele” in Chicago. In {…}
Teresa Stratas, born on May 26, 1938, was a consummate singing actress. Born in Canada to Greek parents, Stratas was destined for a career defined by brilliant combination of vocal and dramatic skills. Watch any performance of hers on video and you will immediately find yourself immersed in a world she creates all on her own. At age 20 she {…}
Few sopranos have altered the American opera landscape the way that Beverly Sills did during her life. Born on May 25, 1929, she was one of the great sopranos of her time, her career as a performer starting from her youth. At age three she won “Miss Beautiful Baby” contest and at four she performed on the Saturday Morning radio {…}
Franco Bonisolli is one of the finest Italian tenors of his generation. Born on May 25, 1938, the tenor managed a solid career throughout the 1970s and 1980s, his onstage and offstage personality often drawing great attention. His career kicked off in 1962 in lyric tenor roles like Nemorino in “L’Elisir d’amore,” Alfredo in “La Traviata,” Rodolfo in “La Bohème,” {…}
“Bluebeard’s Castle” holds a special place among the oeuvre of Béla Bartók, as it is his only opera. The work, which premiered on May 24, 1918, was actually composed in 1911 and modified a year later. A new ending was added in 1917. The premiere took place at the Royal Hungarian Opera House in Budapest and is unique in that {…}
James King, born on May 22, 1925, would go onto a prolific career as a heldentenor. But it took him a long way to get there. In fact, he didn’t make his debut as a tenor until 1961 when he was in his mid-30s. The reason for this is that his initial studies had led him down the path of {…}
Richard Wagner might just be the greatest composer in opera history. That, of course, depends on how you view the likes of Mozart and Verdi. But Wagner is easily in the top three in any discussion, his works revolutionizing the entire artform. Born on May 22, 1813, Wagner lived a tumultuous life created by his own very unstable personality. But {…}
Italian bass Ezio Pinza, born on May 18, 1892, never learned to read music. But that didn’t stop him from enjoying a massively successful career. The bass grew up in Ravenna and would study in Bologna. He made his Operatic debut in 1914 at Cremona. After four years of Military service during World War I, he made his La Scala {…}