Pauline Tinsley RIP

On May 10, 2021 Pauline Tinsley passed away at the age of 93.  She was mostly known for her performances in Britain,- the English National Opera, the Welsh National Opera and Covent Garden as Turandot, the Dyer's Wife in "Frau", Elektra, and major Verdi roles.  She joined the New York City Opera as Elisabetta  in "Maria Stuarda" in March 1972 opposite Beverly Sills in the title role. There was fire and ice in those performances. In the March performances John Stewart was Roberto Dudley. The opera returned in August 1972. Enrico DiGiuseppe was Roberto.  All the performances were very exciting.  To Madam Tinsley I'm sorry we never spoke, bit you certainly spoke to the camera.  RIP.
 

Eileen Schauler RIP

The great soprano EILEEN SCHAULER has passed away at the age of 92. We were good chatting pals through the years. She was in my lens from 1966- 1978 at the New York City Opera, a fabulous assortment of roles.  These are split seconds in time, mostly live performances.  First ASHMEDIA, March 1976.  Colorful show. I forget the story, but it sure was zany.
 

                                                                CARMEN, Oct. 1971.

                                                       CAVALLERIA, Santuzza, Oct. 1973

              BEATRIX CENCI, April 1974, as Beatrix with Gwendolyn Killebrew as Lucrezia

                      FANCIULLA, as Minnie, April 1978. Charles Long as Jack Rance

                                                Giulietta in HOFFMANN  April 1, 1973

                      KATERINA ISMAELOVA APRIL 1970 with John Stamford as Sergei

                                LIZZIE BORDEN  April 1976  with her mother, Ellen Faull

                             NINE RIVERS FROM JORDAN  Oct. 1968   as Pieta.

                                                DON RODRIGO,  April 1971 as Florinda

                                          The Marschallin in ROSENKAVALIER  Oct. 6, 1967

                                                               SALOME  March 1975

STREET SCENE 1979 as Anna Maurrant. She did this over several seasons. This time with Diane Curry as Emma Jones.

                      TABARRO, Giorgetta, April 8, 1969 with Chet Ludgin behind her, Michele

 

                                                   TOSCA 1968 with Barry Morrell as Mario

            TURN OF THE SCREW, Oct. 1975 as the Governess with Peter Fekula as Miles.

                            SERVANT OF TWO MASTERS. March 19, 1967  as Beatrix

New York City Opera Reunion, 2012  with Carol Skarimbas.

To all the friends and family members my heartfelt condolences.  It was fun.

                   Dear Eileen, RIP.

Biserka Cvejic, RIP

I have read online that Biserka Cvejic has passed away at the age of 97.  She was very much a part of my operatic learning experience. I heard her as Amneris and Azucena, all thrilling performances. The five images posted require a knowledge of AIDA. These are live performance shots, January 13, 1964, very early images from my archives, old Leica camera. All Act II.  The cast included Leontyne Price as Aida, Cvejic as Amneris, Sandor Konya as Radames, Justino Diaz as the King, Vladimir Ruzdak as Amonasro, John Macurdy as Ramfis and Robert Nagy as the Messenger. I recognize many faces of chorus members but don't know their names. There was nothing complex about the staging. The singing was superb. I can still hear it in my memory. That which is good is treasured forever. To Madam Cvejic, THANK YOU!
 

Ming Cho Lee RIP

Sadly MING CHO LEE, master stage designer has passed away in New York, Oct. 23, 2020. Over the years my lens documented his fabulous set designs at the New York City Opera, Juilliard, the Mini Met and the Metropolitan Opera. I didn't scan everything, because it's a massive archive. I've selected representative powerful memories. First DON RODRIGO, NYC Opera 1967. (2)

                                           GIULIO CESARE, New York City Opera  1967 (2)

                                                  COQ D'OR, New York City Opera 1967

                                                 BOMARZO, New York City Opera  1968  (2)

                                       HELP HELP, THE  GLOBOLINKS, City Center 1969

                                               THE RAKE'S PROGRESS, Juilliard  1970 (2)

                                                FAUST, New York City Opera  1968

             TALES OF HOFFMANN,  New York City Opera   1972  (2) special use of mylar

                                                        BOHEME, Juilliard   1972

                                                    DIDO AND AENEAS, Mini Met  1973

                                           FOUR SAINTS IN THREE ACTS, Mini Met 1973

                                                             PHEDRE,  Mini Met 1973

                                               SUSANNAH, New York City Opera  1971

    ROBERTO DEVEREUX, ANNA BOLENA, MARIA STUARDA, New York City Opera. the 70s

                                                IDOMENEO, New York City Opera   1975

                                                 LOHENGRIN, Metropolitan Opera 1976  (2)

                                                  PURITANI, Metropolitan Opera  1976 (2)

                                  KHOVANSHCHINA, Metropolitan Opera, shot digitally in 2012

                                                BORIS, Metropolitan Opera 1982 (2)

It was always a pleasure documenting Ming's production, fun chatting with the family, total satisfaction seeing productions that did honor to the composer's intentions.  I'm sorry the earlier productions could not have been shot with the digital tools we have today.

Dear Ming, THANK YOU.  Condolences to the Lee family, all the friends, all the students who were inspired by Ming's integrity.