Episode 330. Martina Arroyo in Duet

Episode 330. Martina Arroyo in Duet

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What better way to start off this Black History Month 2025 celebration than with a birthday tribute to beloved African American diva Martina Arroyo, who turned 88 yesterday, February 2?! Though she is universally regarded as one of the premier Verdi spinto sopranos of the second half of the Twentieth Century, Arroyo was equally adept at a wide range of other composers as well. In this episode, which focuses on Martina in duet, many of those composers are represented as well, from Handel to Meyerbeer to Mascagni, with a little Wagner thrown in for good measure. And what an amazing line-up of duet partners, including two of our most beloved African American mezzos/sopranos, Shirley Verrett, and Grace Bumbry. Also heard are Franco Corelli, Carlo Bergonzi, Anna Moffo, Franco Bonisolli, Bernd Weikl, Gianfranco Cecchele, Sherrill Milnes, Ludmila Dvořáková, and Giorgio Lamberti. Raise a glass to this supreme soprano, and prepare your ears for a deeply satisfying experience!

RECORDINGS HEARD IN THIS EPISODE

Both divas as Tosca

Giuseppe Verdi: Agnus Dei (Messa da Requiem). Martina Arroyo, Shirley Verrett, Lorin Maazel, Cleveland Orchestra [live New York 27.XI.72]

George Frideric Handel, Thomas Morell: O lovely peace (Judas Maccabaeus). Martina Arroyo, Grace Bumbry, Maurice Abravanel, Utah Symphony Orchestra [1958]

Giuseppe Verdi, Antonio Ghislanzoni [after Auguste Mariette, Temistocle Solera]: Ah, vieni… Fu la sorte dell’armi… Pietà ti prenda (Aida). Martina Arroyo, Grace Bumbry, Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Francesco Molinari-Pradelli [live 24.II.73]

Fromental Halévy, Eugène Scribe: Ah! Que ma voix plaintive (La Juive). Martina Arroyo, Anna Moffo, Antonio de Almeida, New Philharmonia Orchestra [1974]

Giacomo Meyerbeer, Eugène Scribe: En vain… Combien tu m’es chère (L’Africaine). Martina Arroyo, Giorgio Lamberti, Gerd Albrecht, Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks [live Monaco 1977]

Richard Wagner: Ortrud, wo bist du? (Lohengrin). Martina Arroyo, Ludmila Dvořáková, Orchestra conducted by Berislav Klobučar [live 10.II.68]

Pietro Mascagni, Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti, Guido Menasci [after Giovanni Verga]: Ah! lo vedi… No, no, Turiddu… Ah! Il Signore vi manda… Turiddu mi tolse… Ad essi non perdono (Cavalleria rusticana). Martina Arroyo, Franco Bonisolli, Bernd Weikl, Lamberto Gardelli, Münchener Rundfunkorchester [1981]

As Elisabetta at the Met, 1965

Giuseppe Verdi, Joseph Méry, Camille du Locle [after Friedrich Schiller, Italian translation by Antonio Ghislanzoni]: Io vengo a domandar (Don Carlo). Martina Arroyo, Gianfranco Cecchele, Thomas Schippers, Orchestra del Teatro Communale di Roma [live 01.VI.74]

Gianfranco Cecchele

Giuseppe Verdi, Salvadore Cammarano [after Antonio García Gutiérrez]: Mira d’acerbe lagrime (Il trovatore). Martina Arroyo, Matteo Manuguerra, Antoni Ros-Marbá, Orchestra of the Teatro de la Zarzuela [live Madrid 1978]

Giuseppe Verdi, Francesco Maria Piave, Andrea Maffei [after William Shakespeare]: Regna il suono su tutti… Fatal mia donna… Il pugnal là riportate… Vieni altrove! (Macbeth). Martina Arroyo, Sherrill Milnes, Orchestra conducted by Francesco Molinari-Pradelli [live 03.II.1973]

Giuseppe Verdi, Antonio Ghislanzoni [after Auguste Mariette, Temistocle Solera]: Fuggiam gli ardori inospiti… Là, tra foreste vergini (Aida). Martina Arroyo, Franco Corelli, Orchestra conducted by Fausto Cleva [live 31.V.1971]

Giuseppe Verdi, Antonio Ghislanzoni (after Auguste Mariette, Temistocle Solera): Vedi, di morte l’angelo… O terra, addio (Aida). Martina Arroyo, Carlo Bergonzi, Biserka Cvejic, Bruno Bartoletti, Orchestra of the Teatro Colón [live Buenos Aires 08.VI.68]

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