Episode 312. John Reardon Revisited (World AIDS Day 2024)
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Yesterday was World AIDS Day and many of the people I admire and follow on various social media platforms made beautiful and heartfelt posts in commemoration of this day and all the many souls that have been lost over the decades to this hideous disease. I want to weigh in today with my own tribute: to the exceptional American baritone John Reardon, who died of this disease in 1988 at the age of 58. This is an expanded version of a bonus episode I published more than four years ago which constituted a deep exploration of his recorded legacy, in both live or studio recordings, of musical, opera (especially contemporary works), and art song. You’ll hear guest contributions from the two Judys, (Raskin and Blegen; sorry, no Garland today), as well as Jo Sullivan, Beverly Wolff, Anja Silja, Evelyn Lear, and James McCracken, conducted by Leonard Bernstein, Thomas Beecham, Sarah Caldwell, Erich Leinsdorf, Frederic Waldman, Lehman Engel, Jorge Mester, as well as that great stage director Bliss Hebert doing a guest turn tickling the ivories in two song cycles. If you listen extra closely, you may even hear a line or two from Beverly Sills, Robert Merrill, Cesare Siepi, and Jussi Björling! The episode also includes a birthday tribute to Maria Callas and, as a memorial to all who succumbed to AIDS, “When Angels Cry,” a song by Janis Ian.
RECORDINGS HEARD IN THIS EPISODE
Giacomo Puccini, Giuseppe Giacosa, Luigi Illica [after Henri Murger]: Sì, mi chiamano Mimì (La bohème). Maria Callas, Robert Sutherland) [live Tokyo 27.X.74]
Janis Ian: When Angels Cry [1995]
Giacomo Puccini, Giuseppe Giacosa, Luigi Illica [after Henri Murger]: Or vi dirò (La bohème). John Reardon, Jussi Björling, Robert Merrill, Giorgio Tozzi, Thomas Beecham, RCA Victor Orchestra [1956]
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Lorenzo da Ponte, English version by W.H. Auden, Chester Kallman: Ho capito, signor, sì (Don Giovanni). John Reardon, Judith Raskin, Cesare Siepi, James Pease, Peter Herman Adler, NBC Opera Orchestra [first telecast 10 April 1960]
George Frideric Handel, James Harris (after John Milton): Mirth, admit me to thy crew (L’Allegro ed il Penseroso). John Reardon, Frederic Waldman, Musica Æterna Orchestra [1960]
Joseph Haydn, Gottfried van Swieten: Der tauende Morgen (Die Schöpfung). John Reardon, Judith Raskin, Leonard Bernstein, New York Philharmonic [1967]
Richard Strauss, Hugo von Hoffmannsthal: Lieben, Hassen, Hoffen, Zagen (Ariadne auf Naxos). John Reardon, Beverly Sills, Carole Bogard, Erich Leinsdorf, Boston Symphony Orchestra [live telecast 1969]
Vittorio Rieti: Quattro liriche italiane. John Reardon, Bliss Hebert [1967]. I. E per un bel cantar (anon); II. La non vuol esser più mia (Angiolo Poliziano); III. E lo mio cor s’inchina (anon); IV. Canti ognun (Angiolo Poliziano). John Reardon, Bliss Hebert [1967]
Gian Carlo Menotti: A nice mess you’ve gotten me into (The Old Maid and the Thief). John Reardon, Judith Blegen, Jorge Mester, Orchestra del Teatro Verdi di Trieste [1966]
Gian Carlo Menotti: I have lost the key (Labyrinth). John Reardon, Beverly Wolff, Herbert Grossman, NBC Opera Orchestra [1963]
Lukas Foss, Gian Carlo Menotti: Introductions and Good-Byes. John Reardon, Leonard Bernstein, New York Philharmonic, Choral Arts Society [live Carnegie Hall 7 May 1960]
Jule Styne, Betty Comden, Adolph Green: I Know about Love (Do Re Mi). John Reardon, Orchestra conducted by Lehman Engel [1960]
Kurt Weill, Alan Jay Lerner: I Remember It Well (cut from Love Life). John Reardon, Jo Sullivan, Orchestra conducted by Denis Deal [1981]
Paul Reif, T.S. Eliot: Five Finger Exercises. I. Lines to Ralph Hodgson, Esqr.; II. Lines to a Persian Cat; III. Lines to a Yorkshire Terrier; IV. Lines to a Duck in the Park; V. Lines to Mr. Eliot. John Reardon, Bliss Hebert [1967]
Alban Berg [after Frank Wedekind]: Das mein Lebensabend (Lulu). John Reardon, Anja Silja, Christoph von Dohnányi [live San Francisco November 1971]
Marvin David Levy, Henry Butler [after Eugene O’Neill]: Forgive me, Lavinia (Mourning Becomes Electra). John Reardon, Evelyn Lear, Zubin Mehta [live New York April 1967]
Giuseppe Verdi, Arrigo Boito [after William Shakespeare]: Era la notte… Sì, pel ciel (Otello). John Reardon, James McCracken, Sarah Caldwell, Opera Company of Boston [live Boston 31 May 1981]
Noel Regney, English text after Heinrich Hoffmann: Pauline and the Matches (Slovenly Peter). John Reardon, Karl Paul Reichert, Stuttgart Kammermusiker [1973]
John Kander, Fred Ebb: Wine and Peaches (cut from The Rink). John Reardon, unknown performing forces [1985]
Harvey Schmidt, Tom Jones: The Room Is Full of You (Colette Collage). John Reardon, arranged and conducted by Arthur Siegel [1985]
Richard Hundley: Postcard from Spain. John Reardon, Bliss Hebert [1967]
