Andrew Moravcsik USA  /  November 17, 2003

Informative, stylish, comprehensive site - the best I have seen, worldwide - and the seriousness with which you address lesser-known singers, as well as the use of photos, is unique. If you have a chance, do give us more recordings. Thanks much.

Brigitte Kermoal France  /  November 09, 2003

It's wonderful to find such a marvellous site. You didn’t forget French singers (marvellous Jane Laval, amazing César Vezzani, ...) and I really enjoy the pages about Russian singers (I love Félia Litvinne, but where is Marianna Tcherkasskaya?). I have learnt a lot of things.
Thank you!

Szeles Gyöngyvér Hungary  /  November 05, 2003

It was nice to see this page. Germaine Cernay is my favorite, I was glad to see her in the great role of Margared from Le Roi d'Ys.

Peggy Andersson Sweden  /  October 10, 2003

I was thrilled to see that Kathleen Ferrier is still well remembered and being recorded. I have memories from my time at a boarding school in Skipton from 1950 - 1954. Kathleen Ferrier was very popular and when she gave concerts in Skipton, we boarders were sometimes allowed to go. I often listened to her records and hope to order one later. I have the book of her life and treasure it. I now live in Sweden and not so many people here know about her but I heard her on the music radio the other day and that reminded me of her. Thanks for your site, I will come back to it again.

John Holland United Kingdom  /  October 9, 2003

Thank you for producing such a comprehensive site. My most listened to singers are McCormack, Bjoerling and Ferrier. It was reassuring to see them listed here. I am sure I will learn of even more superb singers from this catalogue of excellence. Keep up the good work.

Jon DeCles USA  / September 25, 2003

Greetings! I just had a Mary Garden cocktail and decided to see what I could discover about her on the net. -- A great deal! But your site had so much more to offer than I expected! I shall no doubt return many times. The detail about a Brunhilde in an opera not by Wagner was fascinating! My wife has written a trilogy about Siegfried (Odin's Children) and she will be quite excited that she was not the only person to have the temerity to deal with the materials. Thank you so much for putting up such a wonderful site!

Thomas Frey USA  / September 23, 2003

A most interesting and delightful site for anyone who loves singing and singers, past and present. Thank you.

Uwe Holz Germany  / September 22, 2003

Meine Hochachtung vor dieser immensen Arbeit die Sie geleistet haben. Welch eine Freude lang gesuchte Informationen zu finden und welch noch größeres Vergnügen, sich im Stöbern der bereitgestellten Informationen zu verlieren. Ihre Seite war eine große Entdeckung für mich. Herzlichen Dank.

María Teresa Avilés Chile  / September 11, 2003

I live in Santiago, Chile, and I am making a research about the opera in the most important theater in my country, so I used your page for complete some parts of my investigation. Your page is really good and interesting for me because I can hear the voices of two great Chilean singers for the first time: Renato Zanelli and Ramón Vinay.    So thank you for a great job.

Annette Stover USA  / September 9, 2003

I just wanted to Thank You for the wonderful, well organized and most useful website. You indeed have spent much time and research.

Frank Bolton United Kingdom  / August 8, 2003

Thanks from the bottom of my heart from a 79 year old disabled Englishman. I found your site this morning and I have spent the day remembering much, learning more and calling back treasured memories in a nostalgic trip across the years. Keep up the good work.

Robert Coon USA  / August 3, 2003

Thanks,thanks, thanks. Wonderful. Collect early records and have become very possesive of those early Columbia electrics. Especially love Anna Case, Maria Barrientos, Frazer Gange, Riccardo Stracciari, etc. Keep up the good work.

A.W. Schutter Austria  / July 29, 2003

Your website is very interesting, and for once I found some music clips that I could listen to! My only disappointment is that one of my favorite sopranos, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, isn't there. I am 19 years old and absolutely love opera. The more opera web sites the better, in my opinion.

Marion Lignana Rosenberg USA  / July 29, 2003

Congratulations and thank you for your magnificent site, so beautifully designed, and filled with thoughtful commentary, magnificent photos, and exquisite audio.

Finally, I meet another Georg Ots fan! I adore his Onegin in the final scene with Vishnevskaya. I just heard the Kirov Opera perform "The Demon" here in New York, and can only imagine how wonderful he must have been in the title role.

Patrick C. Byrne USA  / July 28, 2003

I have just discovered, to my delight, your wonderful website. The available Met recordings are a particular find for me. I would like to see more "live" material from Virginia Zeani made available from some labels. This was a truly gorgeous voice.

Dr. Wim Clayton USA  / July 28, 2003

I was introduced to your wonderful site by a member of the Opera List. How fortunate I am to find you. In time, I will browse and perhaps purchase something which sounds interesting, though they all do. [...]

Kathleen Halm USA  / July 27, 2003

As a student of Ms. Zeani's, I was thrilled when my husband located this site. I can't thank you enough for the work you do to keep these wonderful artists alive.

Gerry White USA  / July 23, 2003

I have ordered your one remaining CD of recordings by Fernando de Lucia. I might have searched the world over for it if I hadn't found your website through Andreas Praefcke's website on Fritz Wunderlich http://www.andreas-praefcke.de/wunderlich.

Did you know that Georges Thill studied with de Lucia? I looked for a mention of that relationship in your "Teachers" section, but I didn't see it listed. I have long admired Thill and I look forward to hearing de Lucia to see if I can detect any seeds of Thill's singing.

I really love your website, especially the excerpts of recordings. What a treat to hear Ramon Vinay sing Wagner in German.

Thank you for your superb work and for the availability of these historical recorded gems.

Simon Widdop United Kingdom  / July 23, 2003

Found your website whilst researching Walter Widdop and must say I like your website very much.

I run a Widdop Family Website that you may be interested in visiting which also liks to further information on Walter Widdop, the address is http://www.widdop.me.uk.

Ferenc Kiss Germany  / July 15, 2003

Die Literatur ist für den KOPF
Die schönen Künste sind für die AUGEN
Musik ist für die SEELE
 

Es ist wunderbar, dass es eine Andrea gibt, die sich um unsere Seele sorgt. Wer tut es noch heute?

BRAVA-------APPLAUS-------VORHANG

Lee Woodward USA  / July 05, 2003

You are to be commended for the great love and effort you have put into your most remarkable site. It has allowed me to hear and see singers I have only heard about even though I have an extensive collection myself. I will spread the word and be back often. Thank you!

Simon Oliver United Kingdom  / June 29, 2003

Your site has become very important to me! Thank you.

Pim Witholt The Netherlands  / May 22, 2003

Very nice site. Carry on; the more music the better.

Esther Lee Norton Malcolm USA  / April 25, 2003

Thank you for your lovely site. You have gleaned much information about my ancestor Lillian Norton (Nordica) for this I am grateful.

Paola Robello Italy  / April 05, 2003

Complimenti per il bellissimo sito!!! Spero di vedere al più presto tante altre foto di cantanti famosi di cui per ora compare solo il nome. Mancano, in elenco, alcuni nomi come il grande baritono Zoltán Kélemen e il mezzosoprano Josephine Veasey. Auguri di buona continuazione!!!

Mauro Grondona Italy  / March 22, 2003

Thank you very much. I was looking for some photos of the de Retzke’s brothers. Your site is fascinating and useful for everyone interested in the art of singing and historical recordings!

Phillip Cramer Canada  / March 10, 2003

Thank you for your marvellous website which is a treasure trove of information about great opera singers of the past, many of whom (I am embarassed to admit) were unknown to me prior to my becoming acquainted with your site. I found the voice of Friedrich Schorr particularly memorable and intend to add his records to my collection of famous baritones, bass-baritones and basses of the past. Although I am particularly fond of Verdi baritones and am always on the lookout for new voices (or old) to sample and savour, I appreciate the art of baritones who specialize in other repertoire.

I found it rather ironic that a singer that you described "as the most important Wagner baritone of all time" was Jewish and the son of a cantor. However, irony and contradiction manifest themselves in the opera world just as prominently as they do in the world at large and I should not find Mr. Schorr's status surprising. And, political views and Anti-Semitism aside, I am always ready to acknowledge that Richard Wagner was an artist of towering stature who continues to influence creative and interpretive artists and will likely continue to do so as long as humans crawl over this globe.

Keep up the good work. I intend to visit your website often.

Lucas Margarit Argentina / February 26, 2003

This is a wonderful site!!! Congratulations. And it´s very serious as well. I spent hours reading and listening (it means learning). Thanks a lot for this treasure of music.

Robert Woodley Australia / February 24, 2003

Congratulations! A wonderful site. I checked Florence Austral and found my favourites (with the exception of "By the banks of Allen water" which is a simple song, perfectly sung). In regard to another favourite singer, Eileen Farrell , there was a companion collection to the Verdi with Richard Tucker recording where they sing Puccini. Farrell's "In questa reggia" is sublime. I have never heard better and would love to have it released with the Verdi on CD by Sony.

Evelio Sierra USA / February 20, 2003

My passion for operatic singing came to me through a coloratura soprano, Kathryn Grayson in one of her movies. I was immediately "taken" (as you say) by the most superb instrument, the voice. Later I came across with the outstanding soprano Miliza Korjus. Even now, listening  to Korjus recordings today, and taking into consideration that a singer "feels" what exactly other singer is doing, I have improved my singing just by listening to her marvellous recordings. [...] Thank you for this wonderful website.

John Thade USA / February 10, 2003

Not only is your website a blessing for lovers of vocal music - it's also a useful tool in the display of the glorious vocal arts of yore. Thank you.

Ubiratan Iorio Brazil / February 7, 2003

Your page is fantastic! All "bel canto" lovers must know and visit it.  

Alexander Sima Germany / January 24, 2003

Schon lange bewundere ich Ihre wundervollen Seiten und Ihr enormes Wissen im Bereich der Geschichte der Gesangskunst. Ich sammle selbst historische Aufnahmen, und freue mich zu sehen, daß auch andere daran gefallen finden. Bitte machen Sie weiter so! Erlauben Sie mir auch eine kleine Korrektur: Auf der Seite von Fritz Wunderlich (irreplaceable indeed!): Er hat 1959 in Salzburg nicht den Sir Morosus (das war Hotter), sondern den Henry Morosus gesungen. Verzeihen Sie mir diese Beckmesserei!

Vielen Dank für den Hinweis!

Geoffrey Mallinson USA / January 24, 2003

I have always had an interest in music since childhood and I first became interested in tenors in particular when at the age of 13, I first heard Jussi Bjorling singing 'Questa o quella'. I was hooked! I am new to computers at the age of 67, and your website is like Aladdin's Cave! I don't know where to begin. Congratulations and thank you.

Alberto Pérez Tuero Spain / January 4, 2003

En primer lugar, ruego disculpas. Mi inglés es lo bastante malo como para no cometer la osadía de expresarme a su través. Deseo expresarle mi más sincera felicitación por su bellísima página. Hay algo que deseo resaltar: el RIGOR con que está realizada. Reitero la felicitación y mi devoción por su trabajo.

Roberto Hoffman Argentina  / January 1, 2003

Thank you for such a wonderful page. I entered ‘Lucrezia Bori’ and found a musical treasure!

Edward St James-Tello USA  / January 1, 2003

Votre site est un vrai plaisir. Félicitations! Tant de travail, de telle qualité, est hautement apprécié. Merci.

Je suis aussi ému, par l'intermède de cet album, d' apprendre de l' existence d'une petite-fille du grand ténor Scaramberg, magnifique artiste d'une élégance musicale exemplaire. J' aime surtout ses duos avec la délicieuse Georgette Bréjean-Silver.

Je me demande, puisque vous connaissez les enregistrements du ténor espagnol Miguel Fleta, si vous connaissez également ceux de son compatriote et partenaire au disque, l' excellent baryton EMILIO SAGI-BARBA (1876-1949), à la voix de velours et au style vraiment seigneurial. Meilleurs Voeux, Madame, et bonne continuation!

Thank you for your kind compliments. Sagi-Barba was probably the most famous baritone for Spanish Zarzuelas, and in this repertoire he enjoyed a very successful career, mainly in Central and South America. He rarely appeared in classical operas. What a pity, his expressive, dark-timbred and virile voice was just made for Verdi! Some of his countless recordings can be found on the Spanish label ARIA (visit my online shop).