Johan Botha, RIP

It is with enormous sorrow that I post these few images of Johan Botha, always exciting to hear and watch on stage, a towering talent. First - Radames (Aida)  Oct. 2009

Don Carlo, Nov. 2006

Walther in Meistersinger 2007 and 2014, Act I

Act III, ii

Otello in 2008 and 2012, first Act I

Act III

Tannhauser, Act I,ii  October 2015

Tannhauser Act II

Tannhauser  Act III

Calaf in Turandot 2005, Act II

Siegmund, Walkure, Act I  2009

End of Act I with Waltraut Meier as Sieglinde  2009

                                           Reception, Tully Hall, Sept. 2009.  Loved the tie.
                                                         Dear Johan,  RIP.  Loved you.

Maralin Niska RIP

It is with enormous sadness that I'm posting these few MARALIN NISKA performance images. Sadly Maralin passed away the night of July 8th.  She was a powerhouse on stage, dedicated to her craft, generous in sharing her knowledge and a treasured friend. It's impossible to scan everything. There isn't enough time. These are but a few memorable moments.  First the iconic Elena Makropolus, Act I, NYC Opera.  1970

FANCIULLA DEL WEST, Minnie with Ermano Mauro as Johnson, end Act II, 1977

Marguerita in FAUST, final scene, 1969

BOHEME at the Met 1973 with Corelli in the background as Rodolfo

BUTTERFLY, Act II with Christopher Lee as her child

MANON LESCAUT, Act II  1974 with Michele Molese as DesGrieux

MEDEA  1974

SALOME and head, Mar. 21, 1975

TOSCA at the Met, Sept. 1974 with Peter Glossop as Scarpia

TURN OF THE SCREW, April 1971, the Governess with Robert Puleo as Miles

                                                        VOIX HUMAINE   April 1977
Always wonderful, inspiring.  Dear Maralin, RIP.

Robert O'Hearn, RIP

Robert O'Hearn, set designer died May 26th.  His productions were part of my opera education years. What you saw was what the composer intended.  It's very hard doing a massive edit and I've never enjoyed photographing furniture. I've looked at the set images, sometimes not best in first season. I've been trying to put this together for two weeks. These were all shot with film in the B/W years.  First Robert O'Hearn, Nathanial Merrill, Maestro Karl Boehm and Leonie Rysanek, FRAU OHNE SCHATTEN first performance 1966.

FRAU OHNE SCHATTEN final scene with James King, Leonie Rysanek, Walter Berry, Christa Ludwig, 1966

HANSEL UND GRETEL, Act I shot in 1978 with Carol Malone and Rosalind Elias, then Act II for the set.

ROSENKAVALIER,  1969. This production is fresh in our minds, because it has been presented for years. I opted to use one of my favorite moments. Walter Berry and Rosalind Elias, end of Act II. If I had tried to use set images I would have had to plow through hundreds  of possibilities.

PIQUE DAME  1972 before it was called QUEEN OF SPADES,  Nicolai Gedda and Regina Resnik and William Walker added for the final scene.

L'ELISIR D'AMORE, a 1973 image with Fernando Corena

AIDA  1972 with Sandor Konya and Grace Bumbry

NOZZE DI FIGARO  from 1975 with Evelyn Lear, Judith Blegen, Justino Diaz, Richard Best and Wolfgang Brendel, Act II

MEISTERSINGER   1976 FINAL SCENE

PARSIFAL  1972 with Sandor Konya, Irene Dalis and Cesare Siepi

PARSIFAL later on with Vickers and Rysanek. Again this was a hard edit.

SAMSON 1977  with Obratszova and Walker

FANCIULLA, NYC Opera, 1977,  with Maralin Niska as Minnie, then Act II with Charles Long as Jack Rance. Ermano Mauro is up in lift

PORGY AND BESS  1985  Catfish Row and Kitty Hawk Island

Robert O'Hearn, thank you for so much fun and artistic integrity. RIP

Meredith Greenough RIP

Sadly, Muffy Greenough, Beverly Sills' daughter passed away  after a long struggle with MS with many serious side effects. This post is for the New York City Opera family who remember Muffy as the little girl who was part of Beverly's activities.   First two images shot in rehearsal room, 1969 during rehearsals for COQ D'OR.

Before performance of COQ D'OR  with Danillo and Nato Capobianco. One dresses nicely to go to the opera, 1969.

Add Gigi Capobianco to the mix as Muffy wears the Queen's head piece.

        Before ROBERTO DEVEREUX  1970, checking costume, Muffy and Joel Carr.
        Muffy passed away July 3rd.  Beverly passed away July 2nd.    From all of us, RIP.

Two more old images from Anthea

Also from Anthea's slide box.... Beverly with Ted Marcinkowsky make-up)

Norman Treigle with ????, maybe a member of the orchestra???? drinking, smoking, playing cards, 1967

From slides from Anthea de Forest

Anthea deForest handed me a small box of slides at lunch today. "Can you do something with these, maybe get them on Facebook?"   These are not masterpieces, but they are grand memories, so in honor of coming Memorial Day here come a few memories from Anthea.  First David Hicks and Beverly, Nov. 1968, flight to L.A.

Beverly with Nico Castel and Leo Postrel, Nov. 1968

Same Nov. 1968 flight, Edgar Joseph, Charles Wilson and Lila Herbert

That flight, Gigi Capobianco and Dominic Cossa

Muriel Greenspon flying the plane

Dan Rule

Obviously some Olympia fun, Beverly and Charles Elsen

Charles Wilson