Episode 403. Roberta Alexander In Memoriam
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Today’s is an episode I never dreamed I would have to produce. But alas, the great Roberta Alexander unexpectedly departed this earth this past Tuesday evening, on the three-week anniversary of my beloved mother’s death. Listeners to Countermelody know how much I revered Roberta’s artistry, and how much I valued our special friendship. In fact, just last week as David and I escaped for a few days to the Netherlands for my birthday, I had been in touch with Roberta, hoping that we could see each other, but she was still recovering from a serious illness of last summer that, in the end, proved too much for her heart, no matter how big and generous it was. I’m reminded that on the same day I published my first all-Roberta episode, in honor of her birthday in 2023, her dear friend and colleague Kenneth Montgomery died, also unexpectedly. Today’s episode is the fifth (but certainly not the last) time that I will honor Roberta, not only the kindest yet most straight-shooting, but also the least pretentious world-class singer I have ever known. For today’s tribute I have chosen music that, begging your indulgence, is for the most part, valedictory. Yet I also sought to foreground both her extraordinary versatility as well as her profound powers of communication, in music ranging from Handel to Bernstein, Mozart to Berg, Wilder to Janácek, all of it gloriously performed. Many of the recordings, as is my wont, are extremely rare, yet all of them cherishable. There will be a bonus episode this weekend featuring many of the selections that ended up on the cutting room floor today. Roberta may no longer be with us, but on my podcast, she will always be prominently celebrated as the great singer, teacher, mentor, and friend that she was to so many. Requiescat in pace, dear one.
RECORDINGS HEARD IN THIS EPISODE
Giuseppe Verdi, Francesco Maria Piave [after Ángel de Saavedra]: La vergine degli angeli (La forza del destino). Roberta Alexander, Gary Miller, New York City Gay Men’s Chorus [live Amsterdam 27.VIII.91]
Antonín Dvořák, Adolf Heyduk: Als die alte Mutter (Zigeunermelodien, Op. 55/4). Roberta Alexander, Tan Crone [live Netherlands 23.IX.1995]
Charles Ives, John Milton: Evening. Roberta Alexander, Tan Crone [1984]
Traditional Spiritual, arr. Hall Johnson: Give Me Jesus. Roberta Alexander, Brian Masuda [1999]
Traditional Spiritual, arr. Undine Smith Moore; Is There Anybody Her That Loves My Jesus? Roberta Alexander, Reinild Mees [live AVRO 01.III.2012]
Alec Wilder, Loonis McGlohon: Blackberry Winter. Roberta Alexander, David Triestram [1996]
Benjamin Britten, Arthur Rimbaud: Villes (Les Illuminations, Op. 18/2). Roberta Alexander, Gaetano Delogu, Omroeporkest [unknown date]
Alban Berg, Peter Altenberg: Über die Grenzen des All (Fünf Orchesterlieder nach Ansichtskartentexten von Peter Altenberg, Op. 4/3). Roberta Alexander, Michael Tilson Thomas, Boston Symphony Orchestra [live broadcast 03.II.1987]
George Frideric Handel, Nicola Francesco Haym: Ma poi morta… Piangerò la sorte mia (Giulio Cesare). Roberta Alexander, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Concentus Musicus Wien [live Theater an der Wien 05.85]
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, disputed librettist: Geme la tortorella (La finta giardinera). Roberta Alexander, Semyon Bychkov, Nouvel Orchestre Philharmonique [live Aix-en-Provence 30.VII.1984]
George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, DuBose Heyward: Bess, You Is My Woman Now (Porgy and Bess). Roberta Alexander, Bruce Hubbard, Riccardo Chailly, Concertgebouw Orchestra [live telecast, Holland Festival 1990]
Leoš Janácek [after Gabriela Preissová]: Zdrávas královno (Jenůfa). Roberta Alexander, Andrew Davis, London Philharmonic Orchestra [1989]
Edith Hemenway, Langston Hughes: Island. Four Duets on Poems of Langston Hughes, No. 1). Roberta Alexander, Claron McFadden, Vaughan Schlepp [2018]
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Moses-Ibn-Ezra: Only in God I Trust (The Divan of Moses-Ibn-Ezra, Op 207/12). Roberta Alexander, Dick Hoogeveen [1993]
Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden, Adolph Green: Some Other Time (s). Roberta Alexander, David Triestram [1996]
Randall Thompson, Elinor Wylie: Velvet Shoes. Roberta Alexander, Brian Masuda [1999]
Traditional Spiritual, arr. Clifford Shaw: I Must Walk That Lonesome Valley. Roberta Alexander, Brian Masuda [1999]
Charles Ives, John Greenleaf Whittier: Serenity. Roberta Alexander, Kees Bakels, Radio Symfonieorkest [live ca. 1984]
Samuel Barber, James Agee: Sure on this Shining Night, Op. 13/3. Roberta Alexander, Edo de Waart, Radio Filharmonisch Orkest [1992]
Hendrik Andriessen, Thomas à Kempis: Magna res est amor. Roberta Alexander, David Porcelijn, Radio Kamer Orkest [1998]
Richard Strauss, John Henry MacKay: Morgen!, Op. 27/4. Roberta Alexander, Tan Crone [1985]