BRAD KRONEN’S HALLOWEEN DANCE PARTY ……IN HELL! Finally a Halloween Dance Party that has a good beat you can DIE to!! Come Join Brad “Dude, let me tell you what day you’re gonna die” Kronen for a very special internet talk radio show where the brain that could feed a family of Zombies until Christmas […]
Read more "Brad Kronen’s Halloween Dance Party…..IN HELL!"During the Second World War at the Nazi concentration camp of Theresienstadt better known as Terezin, Verdi’s Requiem was performed an astounding 16 times. A Romanian conductor and composer named Rafael Schachter both organized and conducted the singers and instrumentalists from start to finish. Having only his one copy of the score which he carried with him everywhere, Schachter secretly arranged rehearsals with his fellow inmates until they were at a performance level to present Verdi’s masterpiece to the public. When asked why he dared to perform a Catholic Requiem among predominantly Jewish prisoners, Schachter replied:
“We must respond to the worst of mankind with the best of mankind.”
Through his life and art, it can be said that Giuseppe Verdi has assisted in bringing mankind significantly closer to a Divine Source.
Read more "Remembering Joe Green: The Life & Art of Giuseppe Verdi, Part VIII"Even the Maestro, himself, was star struck when it came to artistic greatness. In fact, Giuseppe Verdi was so thoroughly well versed in this one man’s artistry, it’s not a stretch to say the Father of Italian Opera could very well have been one of his biggest fans.
This hyper-fandom is evidenced by the Maestro not only having read each and every one of this man’s numerous works, he did so repeatedly. This famed personality was so revered by the composer, a special term of endearment was reserved for him whenever Verdi used the word “Pappa”. Giuseppe Verdi held this man’s genius in such high regard, the Maestro took four of his complete works and set them each to music.
I can only be referring to that 17th century British actor whom many consider to be the greatest writer of the English language and whose plays are as timely today as when they were when originally written some 500 years ago – the Bard of Avon, William Shakespeare.
Read more "Remembering Joe Green: The Life & Art of Giuseppe Verdi, Part VII"The Italian tenor with the Hollywood good looks, Franco Corelli not only sang his high C as written, he also held it full voice for about a million years, and as if that wasn’t enough, cranks out a 2nd C to sing the last syllable of the word “Alarmi”.
Sound the alarms, indeed.
Read more "Remembering Joe Green: The Life & Art of Giuseppe Verdi, Part VI"The diabolically dramatic entrance aria sung by the witch Ulrica in Verdi’s “Un Ballo in Maschera” holds a momentous place in the History of Classical Music, since that was the vocal piece sung by the first African American to grace the stage of the Metropolitan Opera. The vocally astounding contralto, Marian Anderson made operatic history when she sang the role of Ulrica during her one and only operatic performance in front of a live audience on January 7th, 1955.
Read more "Remembering Joe Green: The Life & Art of Giuseppe Verdi, Part V"Remembering Joe Green: The Life & Art of Giuseppe Verdi, Part IV The ABC’s of opera became not so basic when casts of 100’s and live elephants were added to an opera house’s ever rising production costs to put on Verdi’s “Aida”. The Triumphal March from Verdi’s opera “Aida” For our next musical extravaganza honoring Giuseppe Verdi, […]
Read more "Remembering Joe Green: The Life & Art of Giuseppe Verdi, Part IV"Remembering Joe Green: The Life & Art of Giuseppe Verdi, Part III Poster of the premiere performance of Verdi’s “Nabucco” on March 9th, 1842 “Va Pensiero” from Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Nabucco The next installment honoring Giuseppe Verdi is one of his most beloved pieces for full 4 part chorus, “Va, Pensiero”, in English, “Fly, Thought on […]
Read more "Remembering Joe Green: The Life & Art of Giuseppe Verdi, Part III"The most well loved tenor aria of all time is from Verdi’s masterpiece “Rigoletto”. It’s the anthem song of the chauvinistic pig who (keeping things polite) is a tad too preoccupied with loving (followed by immediately leaving) the ladies and is sung by the character considered to be the Lord King Chauvinist of both Pig and Player alike, the Duke of Mantua.
Before the opera even made it to the stage, Verdi knew he had a major hit on his hands, if only for Act III’s opening aria, “La Donna e Mobile”. When Rigoletto made its debut in Venice, rehearsals were held in the tightest of secrecy for fear of the Duke’s aria being pirated. No matter. It’s been said the next day after the opera’s Venetian premiere, every gondolier could be heard throughout the city crooning the Duke’s ditty from the canals.
Read more "Remembering Joe Green: The Life & Art of Giuseppe Verdi, Part II"Joe Green.
That’s how I first became familiar with the great composer, Giuseppe Verdi. I was in 2nd grade and my father was taking me on my first stroll through that vast, expansive world that is Classical Music. Knowing at the age of 8 I wasn’t quite ready to fully absorb or pronounce anything remotely resembling Italian, my father would animatedly say to me, “Giuseppe Verdi is another way of saying Joe Green.” He then proceeded to play me that popular Verdi hit used to sell anything from life insurance to car wax, The Anvil Chorus from “Il Trovatore” from Dad’s “Voice of Firestone” record collection. After becoming familiar with the tune, whenever the chorus of renegade gypsies broke into song in synch with their metallic hammers, my father would turn to me and say “Who wrote it?”
Joe Green. He wrote that and a whole lot more.
Read more "Remembering Joe Green: The Life & Art of Giuseppe Verdi – Part I"The Republicans have used the blame game tactic for far too long to avoid issues that require the most dire attention. If now isn’t the time to discuss gun control laws does that mean we wait for the next mass shooting where the number of dead bodies sets a new record extending past Las Vegas’ tragedy?
Read more "Negating the Republican Blame Game: A Liberal Editorial"
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