Ping EvelynVG (Divamanque) Diva's Passing

Speaking of "Cio-Cio-San".....Anna Moffo, American
Diva, gone @ age 73..debut 1955 in that role, great
fame from 50's to 70's, when her voice failed for
operatic roles (so the story goes: from "overwork" or
"overbooking"). Did you ever meet or know her?

dnr wrote:

Speaking of "Cio-Cio-San".....Anna Moffo, American
Diva, gone @ age 73..debut 1955 in that role, great
fame from 50's to 70's, when her voice failed for
operatic roles (so the story goes: from "overwork" or
"overbooking"). Did you ever meet or know her?

I think I must have given you the wrong impression. I never
made it to the rarefied heights of actually singing opera
professionally! My "operatic career" was in amateur
companies (pay optional - and minimal). My professional
singing was mostly as paid soloist for a few fairly large
churches. I also did a number of vocal recitals, mostly
unpaid, although a few provided a small fee. That's why I
call myself "Diva manqué". (Manqué describes one who has
attempted something but failed at it, usually through no
fault of their own.)

Although I have heard some famous singers "live" (and paid
them homage backstage, aferward) I never had the opportunity
to work with any of them. I never met Moffo, although I
admired her. My favorite of that generation was Renata
Tebaldi - I don't think any of today's sopranos quite
measure up to her and Moffo and Callas or to Traubel and
Flagstad, but some of the mezzos and contraltos coming out
of Eastern Europe are terrific!

I think I must have given you the wrong impression. I never made it to
the rarefied heights of actually singing opera professionally! My
"operatic career" was in amateur companies (pay optional - and minimal).
My professional singing was mostly as paid soloist for a few fairly large
churches. I also did a number of vocal recitals, mostly unpaid, although
a few provided a small fee. That's why I call myself "Diva manqué".
(Manqué describes one who has attempted something but failed at it,
usually through no fault of their own.)

Although I have heard some famous singers "live" (and paid them homage
backstage, aferward) I never had the opportunity to work with any of them.
I never met Moffo, although I admired her. My favorite of that generation
was Renata Tebaldi - I don't think any of today's sopranos quite measure
up to her and Moffo and Callas or to Traubel and Flagstad, but some of the
mezzos and contraltos coming out of Eastern Europe are terrific!

Sorry...you *did* have a career w/your voice, which is more
than a lot of us (me included) can say. I do *not* consider
such a career "failure". Manque' must be French? Sure
not Spanish. What I wondered was just if you ever
encountered Moffo anywhere (they all had to start
somewhere) though her wealthy first husband financed
her debut as "Butterfly" which started her success. For
all I know before she met *him* she could have been
singing in churches, amateur companies, as you say, or
even recitals; after all she was born in Penn., USA.
Right? Just because I once played trumpet doesn't mean
I was running around with Louie Armstrong, LOL, but
one of the guys who played string bass/baritone in
orchestra/band with me has had a long career as a
member of a Vegas casino orchestra as well as the
Las Vegas Symphony group. You never know.

On Tue, 14 Mar 2006 18:21:32 -0700, "dnr" yodeled:

Speaking of "Cio-Cio-San".....Anna Moffo, American
Diva, gone @ age 73..debut 1955 in that role, great
fame from 50's to 70's, when her voice failed for
operatic roles (so the story goes: from "overwork" or
"overbooking"). Did you ever meet or know her?



She was the first opera singer I ever heard-- my father's recordings.
And she was extremely beautiful.


Theresa
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