the Art of Singing II/II
Golden Voices of the Century
Thank you for your understanding.
Cast
Christopher Lee — Narrator
Victoria de los Ángeles — Soprano
Schuyler Chapin — General Manager
Kirk Browning — Movie director
Joan Sutherland — Soprano
Charles Laughton — Actor
Jussi Björling — Tenor
Renata Tebaldi — Soprano
Leontyne Price — Soprano
Jon Vickers — Tenor
José Ferrer — Actor
Boris Christoff — Bass
Magda Olivero — Soprano
Alvinio Misciano — Tenor
Thomas Hampson — Baritone
Fritz Wunderlich — Tenor
Franco Corelli — Tenor
Giuseppe Di Stefano — Tenor
Program notes
The Art of Singing, a treasure trove of priceless archival footage narrated by actor Christopher Lee, takes you on a whirlwind tour to meet the greatest singers of the last century—through their golden voices in opera’s most beloved masterpieces, and through their lively personalities off stage. Marvel at the arias you love by Handel, Rossini, Donizetti, and Wagner in the voices of legendary opera stars, who also open up in front of the camera, sharing reflections on their art and memories of their storied careers.
This second of two volumes opens on an aria from Spanish composer De Falla's La vida breve in the heavenly tones of Victoria de los Ángeles, and the hits never stop coming—from the crystalline coloratura of Joan Sutherland, who navigates the highest runs with spellbinding ease in Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots, to the smooth legato of Fritz Wunderlich in his impeccable rendition of Tamino's aria, "Dies Bildnis," from The Magic Flute, as well as La Divina herself, Maria Callas, dazzling on stage in the title role of Puccini's Tosca.
