Episode 481. The Young Eleanor Steber
Today, July 17, 2026, is the one-hundred-and-twelfth birthday of Eleanor Steber, in the opinion of many, the finest American soprano that ever lived. Her combination of technical prowess, (which allowed her to blend vocal power with seamless coloratura facility), faultless diction, vocal beauty, musical versatility, and complete and utter sincerity of expression, were combined in one exquisite artistic entity who now is fully acknowledged and appreciated for the great artist that she was. Since I have already done numerous (nearly countless) episodes on this paragon, today I have chosen to take a slightly different approach: I am focusing on performances from the earliest years of her career. I have divided my setlist into several sections: first, a pair of stunningly-vocalized opera arias; then favorites from operettas and musicals; followed by a group of powerful performances of oratorio arias of Brahms, Bach, Mendelssohn, Haydn, and Rossini; concluding with light classical favorites such as would have been heard in her radio and television appearances on The Voice of Firestone. In keeping with the best Countermelody tradition, many of today’s selections are quite rare; all of them will provide my listeners with a satisfaction that can only come from a vocalist of the very highest skilll and achievement.
RECORDINGS HEARD IN THIS EPISODE
Idabelle Firestone, Madeleine Marshall: If I Could Tell You. Eleanor Steber, Russ Case and His Orchestra [1948]
Giuseppe Verdi, Francesco Maria Piave [after Victor Hugo]: Surta è la notte… Ernani, involami… Tutto sprezzo che d’Ernani (Ernani). Eleanor Steber, Orchestra conducted by Wilfrid Pelletier [live 10.III.1940]
Ambroise Thomas, Jules Barbier, Michel Carré [after Johann Wolfgang von Goethe]: Je suis Titania (Mignon). Eleanor Steber, Orchestra conducted by Eugene Goosens [live 08.II.1942]
Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II: People Will Say We’re in Love (Oklahoma!). Eleanor Steber, James Melton, Orchestra conducted by Al Goodman [1945]
Franz Lehár, English lyric by Adrian Ross: The Merry Widow Waltz [Potpourri] (The Merry Widow). Eleanor Steber, Jay Blackton, Victor Orchestra [1945]
Alec Templeton: Roses in Wintertime. Eleanor Steber, Alec Templeton [1949]
Sigmund Romberg, Rida Johnson Young: Will You Remember? (Maytime). Eleanor Steber, Jussi Björling, Harold Barlow, The Firestone Orchestra [The Voice of Firestone 21.I.1946]
Victor Herbert, Henry Blossom: Kiss Me Again (Mlle. Modiste). Eleanor Steber, Percy Faith and His Orchestra [1951]
Oscar Straus, English lyric by Stanislaus Stange [after George Bernard Shaw]: My Hero (The Chocolate Soldier). Eleanor Steber, Harold Barlow, The Firestone Orchestra and Chorus [The Voice of Firestone 1954]
Johannes Brahms, Biblical texts translated by Martin Luther: Ihr habt nun Traurigkeit (Ein deutsches Requiem, Op. 45). Eleanor Steber, Robert Shaw, RCA Victor Orchestra and Chorale [1948]
Johann Sebastian Bach: Gott, du hast es wohl gefüget (Christen, ätzet diesen Tag, BWV 63). Eleanor Steber, Norman Farrow, Robert Bloom, Bernard Greenhouse, Erich Itor Kahn [live Casals Festival Prades 30.VI.1955]
Felix Mendelssohn, Biblical text: Hear Ye, Israel (Elijah). Eleanor Steber, Max Rudolf, Columbia Symphony Orchestra [1952]
Joseph Haydn, text assembled by Johann Peter Salomon: With Verdure Clad (The Creation). Eleanor Steber, Max Rudolf, Columbia Symphony Orchestra [1952]
Gioachino Rossini: Inflammatus et accensus (Stabat Mater). Harold Barlow, The Firestone Orchestra with Chorus [The Voice of Firestone 19.III.1951]
Ludwig Van Beethoven, Pietro Metastasio: Ah, crudel, tu vuoi ch’io mora… Dite voi, se in tanto affanno (Ah, Perfido!, Op. 65). Eleanor Steber, Bruno Walter, New York Philharamonic [live 15.IV.49]
James Lynam Molloy, G. Clifton Bingham: Love’s Old Sweet Song. Eleanor Steber, Russ Case and His Orchestra [1948]
Traditional Irish, arr. Frederick Weatherly: Danny Boy. Eleanor Steber, Russ Case and His Orchestra [1948]
Eric Coates, Royden Barrie [né Rodney Bonnett]: Bird Songs at Eventide. Eleanor Steber, Harold Barlow, The Firestone Orchestra [1950]
