Episode 258. (Frank) Lopardopalooza
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Today I present to you the American lyric tenor Frank Lopardo, who from 1984 through 2014 appeared in all the major opera houses of the world, celebrated particularly for his Mozart and Rossini roles. Too often today these superb singers even from the recent past are forgotten by today’s audiences, and my listeners know that it is always a mission of mine to celebrate great artists who, for whatever reason, are not in the forefront of the public’s awareness. In Frank’s case, I suggest it has absolutely nothing to do with his stellar voice and astounding technique. Some singers are content to do their job and live their lives and serve the music and the art form to the best of their considerable abilities without engaging in antics or self-destructive behavior. A quick glance at Frank’s accomplishments and the musicians with whom he collaborated makes it immediately clear that his career unfolded naturally and organically at the highest levels. Today’s episode explores the infinite variety of Lopardo’s artistry and his impeccable musicianship and technique, which aided him in his pursuit of always discovering new aspects of the central roles in his career. Conductors with whom he collaborated (and as heard on the episode) include Georg Solti, Claudio Abbado, Ion Marin, Riccardo Muti, Robert Spano, and the late Seiji Ozawa. While Lopardo was never tempted to move outside the natural confines of his lyric voice, he did in the final years of his career, move into some of Verdi’s larger lyric tenor parts, in operas like Un ballo in maschera and Simon Boccanegra, both of which are sampled here. We also hear Frank in duet with some of his favorite colleagues, including memorable Chilean sopranos Verónica Villarroel and Cristina Gallardo-Domâs. I finally gave in and titled this episode Lopardopalooza, ‘cause that’s exactly what it is!
View Frank’s art work at his website: https://franklopardoart.com/
RECORDINGS HEARD IN THIS EPISODE
All tracks feature Frank Lopardo, tenor
Gaetano Donizetti, Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges, Jean-François Bayard: Ah, mes amis… Pour mon âme, quel destin! (La fille du régiment). Michel Trempont, Bruno Campanella, San Francisco Opera Orchestra and Chorus [live 21.IX.1993]
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Lorenzo da Ponte: Il mio tesoro (Don Giovanni). Riccardo Muti, Wiener Philharmoniker [1991]
Carl Orff: Olim lacus colueram (Carmina Burana). Seiji Ozawa, Berliner Philharmoniker, Shin-Yu-Kai Chorus [live Berlin 31.XII.1989]
Gioacchino Rossini, Cesare Sterbini [after Pierre Beaumarchais]: Oh sorte! già veggo quel caro sembiante (Il barbiere di Siviglia). Claudio Abbado, Chamber Orchestra of Europe [1992]
Gioacchino Rossini, Felice Romani: Tu seconda il mio disegno (Il Turco in Italia). Alberto Zedda, Orquesta Sinfonica de Madrid [live Teatro de la Zarzuela 1990]
Traditional Irish, arr. Frederick Weatherly: Danny Boy. Robert White [aged 82!], Philip Fisher [live New York 17.III.2019]
Giuseppe Verdi: Ingemisco (Messa da Requiem). Robert Spano, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra [live 2001]
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Lorenzo da Ponte: Un’ aura amorosa (Così fan tutte). Georg Solti, Chamber Orchestra of Europe [live London May 1994]
Giuseppe Verdi, Francesco Maria Piave [after Alexandre Dumas]: Parigi, o cara (La traviata). Verónica Villarroel, Orchestra conducted by John Fiore [live New York 25.II.1995]
Giacomo Puccini, Giuseppe Giacosa, Luigi Illica [after Henri Murger]: Che gelida manina (La bohème). Donald Runnicles, San Francisco Opera Orchestra [live June 2004]
Giacomo Puccini, Giuseppe Giacosa, Luigi Illica [after Henri Murger]: O soave fanciulla (La bohème). Cristina Gallardo-Domâs, Orchestra conducted by Marco Armiliato [live New York 30.I.1999]
Gaetano Donizetti, Salvadore Cammarano [after Walter Scott]: Tu che le gioie in seno… Fra poco a me ricovero (Lucia di Lammermoor). Bruno Campanella, Orchestre de l’Opéra National de Paris [live Paris November 2000]
Giuseppe Verdi, Antonio Somma [after Eugène Scribe]: Un ballo in maschera. Ascher Fisch, Sondra Radvanovsky, Sam Handley, Craig Irvin, Lyric Opera of Chicago Orchestra and Chorus [live 15.XI.2010]. Three excerpts:
- La rivedrà nell’estasi
- Esito ancor?… Ma se m’è forza perderti
- No, no, lasciatelo… Ella è pura
Giuseppe Verdi, Francesco Maria Piave, Arrigo Boito [after Antonio García Gutiérrez]: Cielo pietoso rendila (Simon Boccanegra). Andrew Davis, Lyric Opera Orchestra [live Chicago 15.X.2012]
Gioacchino Rossini, Gaetano Rossi: Ah! Dov’è il cimento… E se ancor libero (Semiramide). Ion Marin, London Symphony Orchestra [1994]
