A strange recording . . .
Some years ago I bought a recording of Offenbach's "Les Contes d'Hoffman" (Tales of Hoffman), which turned out to be very strange indeed. It was recorded in Argentina, by an orchestra I'd never heard of. In fact, the only name I recognized was Peter Maag, the once famous conductor who suddenly disappeared, and was found years later in a Buddhist monastery near Hong Kong.
The orchestra sounds like something off old 78s. There's a whole lot of stage noise, but the voices are recorded very well. For a critical part, the wind-up singing doll, they hired an aging soprano just a few months from retirement.
Could she still sing the part? She brought down the house. That was Mady Mesplé, who's specialty was a very strong voice in registers other sopranos couldn't even get to. She died last year at 89.
That's the way to end your career all right. "Gather round girls, and listen to what you will never be able to do."
The orchestra sounds like something off old 78s. There's a whole lot of stage noise, but the voices are recorded very well. For a critical part, the wind-up singing doll, they hired an aging soprano just a few months from retirement.
Could she still sing the part? She brought down the house. That was Mady Mesplé, who's specialty was a very strong voice in registers other sopranos couldn't even get to. She died last year at 89.
That's the way to end your career all right. "Gather round girls, and listen to what you will never be able to do."