To Inspiration
Sharing inspirations is one of the greatest joys of my life, whether giving or receiving. Here are a few that have stuck with me, and that I turn to when I need to remember what it's all about.
I'm always eager to find new sources of inspiration, so please send me yours! It'll be like friend dating!
Contemporary
Performed by Chuck Cooper.
Classic Musical Theater
This performance of 'But Not For Me' by Judy Garland is in the film 'Girl Crazy' with Mickey Rooney, 1943. 'Girl Crazy' was the last of the Mickey/Judy "backyard musicals". Previous Mickey/Judy musicals of this genre included 'Babes in Arms'(1939), 'Strike Up the Band' (1940) and 'Babes on Broadway'(1941).
Here is Audra MCdonald singing the song that basically guaranteed her a third tony back in 98. Ragtime...
Barbara Cook in Melbourne
Two of the most elegant charmers here remembered! Leonard Bernstein and Eileen Farrell perform Mr. B's beauty from "On The Town!" Unforgettable! Superb lyrics are by Betty Comden and Adolph Green!
Here is the one and only John Raitt at the General Foods 25th Anniversary Show: A Salute to Rodgers and Hammerstein singing "Soliloquy", the song he made legendary for the Richard Rodger and Oscar Hammerstein II classic and my personal favorite "Carousel".
Mandy Patinkin as George Seurat.
This clip is from a 50s musical starring Hutton and a legendary screen actor. Betty Hutton's most notable film role was the part of Annie Oakley in the 1950 musical of "Annie Get Your Gun." One of her best known songs Blow a Fuse, later renamed It's Oh So Quiet, was covered by Icelandic artist Bjork.
Danny Kaye at his finest.
Famous french singer, Edith Piaf. Live recital at Holland, 1962. La Foule. Considered the best singer the France gave to the world, Edith Piaf was born Edith Giovanna Gassion on December 19, 1915 in Paris, France. She died on either October 10 or October 11, 1963 (one year after this recital) in Cannes, France.
Opera
1965 Paris Manon Conductor Georges Pretre
Lorraine Hunt Lieberson sings again... Recitative (Ah! Whither should we fly, or fly from whom?) and air (As with rosy steps the morn). Production by Peter Sellars for Glyndebourne.
Act IV scene 4 (end) of Debussy's "Pelleas et Melisande" Pelleas - Thomas Allen Melisande - Ann Howells conductor - Colin Davis Royal Opera House, Covent Garden 17 July 1978 Intensely beautiful...
Giuseppe Giacomini and Sherrill Milnes sing the Otello/Iago duet "Sì, pel ciel" from Otello by Verdi.
from Verdi's Requiem in 1967.
Recital
Chanson Triste
This is the fifth of Mahler's five Ruckert-Lieder, recorded at Avery Fisher Hall with Zubin Mehta and the New York Philharmonic. Performed at the opening of the 1989-90 season.
Richard Strauss: Vier Letzte Lieder (Four Last Songs) for soprano and orchestra 1. Frühling (Spring) 2. September 3. Beim Schlafengehen (Going to sleep) 4. Im Abendrot (At sunset) Grand Hall of Moscow State Conservatory (БЗК) 29 February 2012 Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra Vladimir Fedoseyev, conductor Link to songs 1&2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fjya411XLs&feature=g-upl 3.
Strauss Morgen - Arleen Auger
Kathleen Ferrier Great Singers - Kathleen Ferrier, Vol.
Gabriel Fauré's "Jardin nocturne" from his cycle "Mirages", op. 113. Francis Poulenc at the piano in this recording from 1936.
Mattia Battistini, (27 February 1856 7 November 1928)was born in Rome. He studied voice with Persechini was was also the voice teacher of Titta Ruffo and Giuseppe di Luca. Once again and amazing coordination of the falsetto and chest registers.
Movement
dido's lament and death from dido en aeneas - dance version by mark morris dance company
Laura Careless: Dancer & Choreographer
Marcel Marceau was the legendary mime & was known to the World as a "master of silence" here is a clip of him performing The Mask Maker (1959)
Sergei Polunin "Take me to Church" by Hozier Directed by David LaChapelle Choreography by Jade Hale-Christofi