Posted on 01/11/2006 7:49:14 AM PST by Borges
[Cartoon opens, scenes of Elmer directing a storm.]- The Flying Dutchman overture
(Elmer) Be very quiet I'm hunting rabbits- general opera recitative-style music
- Ride of the Valkyries from The Valkyries:
(E) Rabbit tracks!!!
(E) Kill the rabbit, kill the rabbit, kill the rabbit
(E) Yo ho to oh! Yo ho to oh! Yo ho...
- Siegfried's Horn Call from the Ring Cycle:
(Bugs) O mighty warrior of great fighting stock
(B) Might I enquire to ask, eh, what's up doc??
(E) I'm going to kill the rabbit!! - Ride of the Valkyries
(B) Oh mighty warrior t'will be quite a task
(B) How will you do it, might I enquire to ask?? - Siegfried's Horn Call
- General recit. music:
(E) I will do it with my spear and magic helmet!
(B) Your spear and magic helmet?
(E) Spear & magic helmet!
(B) Magic helmet?
(E) Magic helmet!
(B) Magic helmet
(E) Yes, magic helmet and I'll give you a sample
[Elmer gives a sample of his power] - Flying Dutchman overture
(B) Bye
(E) (that was the rabbit)
[Chase scene] - General chase music
- Overture to Tannhauser:
[Bugs appears, dressed as Brunhilde, riding on a white horse. Elmer is stupefied.] (B) Yes I know it I can't help it
(E) Oh Brunhilde, be my love
- Tannhauser Overture:
(E) Return my love, a longing burns deep inside me
(B) Return my love, I want you always beside me
(E) A love like ours must be
(B) Made for you and for me
(B&E) Return, won't you return my love, for my love is yours
- Ride of the Valkyries:
(E) I'll kill the rabbit
(E) Arise storms
(E) North winds blow, south winds blow
(E) Typhoons, hurricanes, earthquakes. . . SMOG!
(E) Flash lightning! Strike the rabbit!
- Tannhauser overture:
(E) What have I done?? I've killed the rabbit....
(E) Poor little bunny, poor little rabbit... - Tannhauser overture
(B) (well what did you expect in an opera, a happy ending???)
Birgit Nilsson
http://www.lottelehmann.org/lehmann/llf/about/profiles/llf_advisoryProfile52.html
Swedish soprano Birgit Nilsson was born in 1918 in the town of Vastra Karup in the province of Skane (Scania) in southern Sweden. She married Bertil Niklasson, a veterinary student she met on a train, on September 10, 1948.
Miss Nilsson made her operatic debut in 1946 as Agathe in Der Freischütz with only 3 days notice. Her debut came shortly after she had joined the Swedish Opera School. After her brief stint as Agathe, Miss Nilsson made her breakthrough performance as Lady Macbeth in 1947 at the Royal Opera in Stockholm.
News: The Richard Tucker Foundation Gala is being given at
Covent Garden on 10th June 2001. The participants include one of the Lotte Lehmann Foundation's Advisors, Grace Bumbry. Birgit Nilsson is Guest of Honour.
Miss Nilsson attained international stardom after a performance as Isolde in Wagner's Tristan und Isolde at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1959. She says, though, that the single biggest event in her life was when she was asked to perform at the opening of the 370th season at La Scala as Turandot in 1958. She became the first non-Italian other than Maria Callas ever granted the privilege of opening a season at La Scala.
In 1966, Miss Nilsson was asked to appear in a rather unusual performance at the Metropolitan Opera. During a showing of Tannhäuser, she was asked to sing the parts of both Venus and Elisabeth. They did not appear on stage at the same time, of course!
Birgit Nilsson is probably best known for her portrayals of Turandot, Brünnhilde in Richard Wagner's Der Ring Des Nibelungen (a role with which she made her La Scala debut in 1958), Isolde in Tristan und Isolde, and Elektra. Miss Nilsson is also known for her interesting relationship with Rudolf Bing. When Bing was asked if Birgit was difficult, he replied, "Not at all, you put enough money in and a glorious voice comes out." When preparing her taxes Miss Nilsson was asked if she had any dependents. "Yes," she said, "Rudolf Bing." Miss Nilsson retired from opera in 1984.
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She could shiver the timbres of a large hall with the best of them.
RIP Birgit Nilsson
fyi - 2 pages of pics. varied roles,concerts,personal
http://sopranos.freeservers.com/birgitni.htm
My father, the ultimate Caruso fan, would kill me, but I think Bjoerling's voice WAS better.
Great loss, fortunately there are many recordings out there and her teaching and sponsorship of the arts will produce more sopranos in the years to come.
In her prime she once broke a church window at a concert with her powerful voice.
My favorite is still "Long-Haired Hare."
("Leopold!" "Leopold!" "Leopold!")
Did an image search on Google.
Thanks for a reminder of the classics I grew up with.... I really loved those cartoons and it wasn't until I was an adult that I recognized the music and its significance.
The Barber of Seville was my all time favorite.
Every so often my husband will break into his Giovanni Jones imitation as well ;-).
I read your profile just for fun. Have you been able to hear any opera performed in Europe while you've been there? The Staatsoper in Vienna Austria is a marvelous hall - not to be missed if you go through the area on your travels.
Talk about a "quick study"! Holy cow!
Not only that, she broke a boar tusk once!
She died on Christmas Day, but as she wanted a quiet funeral the media were not informed until after it was over. Not even the Swedish king knew, and she had been offical singer to the Swedish court for many years. Of course, she gave her last performance as far back as 1984.
Back when that was made, naturally the adults would have recognized the takeoff on Leopold Stokowski. Now you have to wonder how many adults would. :[
Bugs- "My gal don't do much talking
Dances even when she's walking..."
Giovanni -"One and two and three and four she dances all day long!"
Never fails to crack me up.
My husband and I use that one a lot in theaters and concert halls, especially when we go see PDQ Bach perform.
My favorite PDQ Bach piece is the Echo Sonata for Two Unfriendly Groups of Instruments.
Was that from Wagner's Tannhauser?
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