Joaquin Romaguera RIP

Joaquin Romaguera was a spirited  character singer with New York City Opera. He was in my lens from 1968- 1975. I've dug in my files for representative roles.  First Goro in MADAM BUTTERFLY, April 25, 1975 with Gaetano Scano as Pinkerton.
  

Don Curzio in MARRIAGE OF FIGARO, April 19, 1969  with David Clatworthy as the Count, Act III.

Monostatos in MAGIC FLUTE Mar. 16, 1969, head shot done in dressing room during intermission.

MOST IMPORTANT MAN By Menotti, March 7, 1971, from left too right, John Lankston, Joaquin (Standing), Tom Jamerson, Don Yule, William Ledbetter, Jack Bittner and standing, Harry Theyard and Eugene Holmes

From NINE RIVERS FROM JORDAN by Hugo Weisgal, Oct. 9, 1968, a Dead Man. I don't remember the music or the story.

Images posted for  all the colleagues who were there.  It as fun.

My condolences to all the family members, colleagues, and friends.

Grace Bumbry RIP

 

From thousands of pictures I've tried to select a representative group showing Grace Bumbry's artistry. From 1972 AIDA, Amneris, with Martina Arroyo  as Aida.

Also AIDA with Sandor Konya as Radames  1972.

CARMEN 1967 , title role.

Also CARMEN with Sandor Konya as Don Jose.

CAVALLERIA, Santuzza  1974

DON CARLO, Eboli 1971

FORZA DEL DESTINO, Leonore,   1983 with Jose Carreras as Alvaro

also FORZA Giaoitti as Padre Guardiano

GIOCONDA, title role 1979

PORGY AND BESS, 1985 as Bess

And with Simon Estes as Porgy

SALOME 1973, title role, Robert Nagy in back as Herod

TANNAUSER 1977 as Venus with James McCracken in title role

Also Tannhauser

1981 MEDEA at New York City Opera.  With Diane Curry as Neris

Medea again.

NABUCCO,     New York City Opera 1981.  Abegaille.

Two performance images shot from wings.

Posed in Dressing room during intermission.

It's a wonderful feeling to be excited during a photo coverage. Happiness was Grace Bumbry on stage. Fun time. Exhilaration. It was possible to head to work inspired. Just think of that! These images are for all the friends, family, admirers, lovers of great opera.

Dear Grace, thank you with all of my heart.  Big hugs from Earth.      RIP

Giorgio Tozzi as Arkel

Pelleas et Melisande 1972. Lily Chookasian as Genevieve, Giorgio Tozzi as Arkel and Barry McDaniel as Pellas, first act.
 

Judith Blegen as Melisande with Arkel

The death scene, Blegen and tozzi with the Physician, Clifford Harvout.

There are other images, but I sense that interest is waning.  There are some different images posted on Facebook.

Georgio Tozzi, more Figaro in the early days

Back to the old days, old days, Dec. 1964. Tozzi as Figaro and Teresa Stratas as Cherubino.
 

From Act 2, add Lisa Della Casa as the Countess and Judith Raskin as Susanna

Still the second act, add Gabriel Bacquier as the Count.

Curtain call, Stratas, Raskin (hidden) and Tozzi.  I'm pretty sure that was George Schick backstage.

From Jan.2,  1965  Herman Prey as the Count and Raskin and Tozzi. The face slap.  

Camera technique still woeful.  I had a lot to learn, but these are still precious memories.

Giorgio Tozzi, - Rocco, Oroveso, Rodolfo, and Fiesco

FIDELIO, Oct. 1971, Rocco,  with Judith Blegen as Marzellina
 

with Ingrid Bjoner as Leonore, Fidelio

final scene after Florestan is rescued, James McCracken, William Dooley as Pizarro and John Macurdy as Fernando

Norma, Feb. 1973 as Oroveso and with Caballe as Norma

SONNAMBULA, Oct. 1972 as Rodolfo and Renata Scotto as Amina.

SIMON BOCCANEGRA, Nov. 1973  as Fiesco and with Ingar Wixell as Boccanegra

Comic, tragic, paternal- always on the mark.

Giogio Tozzi, The Barber of Seville

BARBER OF SEVILLE,  Jan. 1971.  This  gets its own post,because the captions are detailed. Funny business.  Act I: Giorgio Tozzi as Don Basilio with Fernando Corena as Dr.Bartolo.  These two pros knew how to play the scene

 

Towards the end of Act 2:  Enrico DiGiuseppe as Almaviva, Sherrill Milnes as Figaro, Nico Castel as the Sergeant,  Giorgio as Basilio and Corena again as Bartolo. Grand ensemble.

Same ensemble shuffled a bit...  Tozzi, Corena, DiGiuseppe, Marilyn Horne as Rosina and Jean Kraft as Berta.

Act III- they're going to get rid of Basilio telling him he has a fever,     Horne, DiGiuseppe, Tozzi and Milnes.

I'm not trying to tell the opera story. You can get the fun from the pictures. The ensemble knew what they were doing, playing off each other and singing gloriously. Elegant witty Rossini.

A Giorgio Tozzi teaser

This year marks the 100th Anniversary of Giorgio Tozzi's birth. He was very much a part of my opera learning experience.  I've scanned images from ten dates, but still have to  do the complete IDs. I'm suprised what's in the files. These won't be solo shots, because his presence on stage was very much the interaction with other cast members.  These were the film years, the old camera years. The above image is MARRIAGE OF FIGARO, Dec. 15, 1964. Giorgio Tozzi was Figaro, Judith Raskin,Susanna.  All of the images to come are special memories.