Countermelody

Countermelody


Latest Episodes

Episode 159. Forgotten Broadway II
August 26, 2022

The follow-up episode to my previous Forgotten Broadway episode is an epic one, chock full of fascinating composers, lyricists, performers and shows. We begin with a tribute to birthday boy Leonard Be

Episode 158. Russell Oberlin
August 19, 2022

Hearing the voice of countertenor Russell Oberlin (1928 2016) as a soloist with the Robert Shaw Chorale was one of the formative experiences of my early life. I doubt that I would ever have become a

Episode 157. Forgotten Broadway I
August 12, 2022

Today I begin Forgotten Broadway, a new miniseries within my summer series Musical Life in New York City 1950-1975. This wildly eclectic (some might say chaotic) program, the first of three, concern

Episode 156. Barely Sang at the Met II
August 05, 2022

This week is the conclusion of my presentation on world-class singers who made a minimal number of appearances at the Metropolitan Opera. My arbitrary parameters for this episode were singers who appe

Episode 155. Barely Sang at the Met I
July 28, 2022

Todays brain teaser: What do world-class singers Irmgard Seefried, Virginia Zeani, Piero Cappuccilli, birthday girl Gundula Janowitz, Galina Vishnevskaya, Giangiacomo Guelfi, Felicia Weathers, Elisab

Episode 154. Adele Addison @ 97
July 22, 2022

This Sunday, 24 July 2022, the great African American lyric soprano Adele Addison observes her 97th birthday. This Countermelody tribute presents this great artist in live and studio recordings during

Episode 153. Eleanor Steber I
July 15, 2022

July 17 is the 108th birthday of Eleanor Steber, surely one of the all-time greatest singers that the United States has ever produced (as well as one of the most versatile and technically-accomplished

Episode 152. Patricia Neway
July 08, 2022

Today begins a new summer series on Countermelody, celebrating mid-century music-making in New York City between the years 1950 and 1975. We begin with a celebration of Patricia Neway (1919-2012), one

Episode 151. Cole Porter [Pride 2022]
June 28, 2022

Because Im still on the road, Im posting an old bonus episode in place of a new one this week, and Im posting it early. This was originally published about two years ago, in tandem with an episode

Episode 150. Francis Poulenc and Pierre Bernac [Pride 2022]
June 24, 2022

Something about this weeks episode has really gotten to me. I guess Im just madly in love with the melodies of Francis Poulenc, and as a result, increasingly in love with the artistry of Pierre Bern