PERLE BIANCHE Underrated singers of the 1980s and 1990s Vol. 1

[@heitor1932]

Fernando Teixeira é do Brasil-sil-sil.

[@daphnebeloved]

Tao talentoso, uma vozeirao, robusta, corpulenta , no fiato...ainda melhor que Paulo Fortes

[@mogomarkas3187]

Yes, they are all wonderful and definitely under apreciated, but the one who stands out for me the most from this group is Fernando Teixeira. His voice is beautiful and dramatic not just because of it's innate quality, but because of his artistic expression...! Thank you introducing me to this individual 🙏and my compliments to you for the seamless cut that you made going into his aria, Nemico della Patria.

E ainda temos Paulo Fortes, outro grande barítono, e João Gibin, Benito Maresca, Bidu Sayão, Assis Pacheco, Maria Sá Earp, Eduardo Álvares e Constantina Araujo. Ou seja, bons cantores líricos nunca foram um problema para o Brasil. Temos ainda o maravilhoso Martin Muehle, que é o melhor tenor em atividade no mundo, na minha opinião. Como é boa a nossa terra, meu amigo. Precisamos divulgar mais a ópera no nosso país! 💛💚

[@TimothyJonSarris]

@ Avrò l'opportunità di sentire Signor Muehle nei prossimi giorni nel festival musicale - "Opera Classica. Europa". Sono molto gassato🎶😁

[@radames5855]

Grande artista che sapeva esprimere il canto con una vocalità Eccellente!!! Grazie

[@greatmomentsofopera7170]

A wonderful collection. I think more accurate than underrated is, “too soon forgotten”. Most of these singers sang at the major houses for a long time, they were “names” in their time.

[@AfroPoli]

Great moments of opera Too soon forgotten is indeed more accurate. Thanks! :)

[@stevenlevasee6742]

This is the first time I've ever heard Teixeira sing and I'm completely overwhelmed. I remember why I love opera when I hear him sing.

[@jefolson6989]

Me too! Sounds enormous.

[@eduardoxavier3005]

Teixeira and I talked hours under a weak rain in front of Music National School in Rio de Janeiro. He was very sympathetic.

[@CarlosDaniel-yu9zd]

Fernando Teixeira, glória da Lírica Brasileira, com certeza o melhor barítono Brasileiro de todos os tempos e entre os maiores Verdianos do Mundo na segunda metade do século XX..

[@brumgab]

Descobri hoje apenas! Que orgulho do Brasil!

[@barahona68]

Fernando Teixeira was a very good singer with a large vocal range, a great actor and a very nice person. I spoke with him several times after performances of Rigoletto, Gioconda and Roberto Devereux. I asked him if it wasn´t uncomfortable to sing Rigoletto while bending forward and dragging his leg and he said that he had being doing that for the last 20 years. He also told me that, like the brasilian finance ministry once said "Whenever there is a problem, we push it with the belly !!!"

[@MrStpendouslvforjo]

Sylvia Ranalli was EXCELLENT! And Cheryl Barker too. Really - this was an EXCELLENT compilation of truly underrated singers. Gilda Cruz-Romo gave me chills.

[@theon9575]

Yes, but I don't think Cheryl Barker was underrated. She had a solid, star reputation in her day for her Puccini, and was a well-known name in Australia in her day.

[@giampierone010]

ottimo video con interpreti di buona qualità...per quanto mi riguarda il baritono Teixeira è un autentico FUORICLASSE!!! grazie

[@Tenortalker]

I love to hear Carol Neblett. She was such a generous artist - she gave and gave and gave to her public. Thankfully there are films and recordings that preserve that gorgeous voice and artistic ability. I have fond memories of her as a human being as well as a fine artist from a production of Fanciulla I was in. A wonderful lady who shared great warmth and kindness with her colleagues.

[@lucianopavarotti2843]

wow such thrilling voices

[@joaoaurelio1534]

frnando teixeira is just spectacular

[@borisvandruff7532]

Really makes you wonder why these singers didn’t get more stage time in the biggest houses...could be politics, could be unprofessional behavior, could be personal choice, etc. Every house has its favorites, for better or worse. Thank you for this video, friend.

[@borisvandruff7532]

ian1856 I’m not surprised by that. How many more cases like James Levine do we have that haven’t been discovered?? Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

[@jasonhurd4379]

Boris Van Druff There are many reasons why excellent singers don't get the exposure they deserve in some of the major houses. 1) Politics. In Italy, many of the houses are unofficially run by local bigwigs, whose mistresses tend to win vocal competitions and get the plum roles. For decades, French houses had an unwritten rule against hiring non-French artists. Even Covent Garden has, in the distant past, been known to favor British artists to the detriment of others. 2) Insurance. The American lyric soprano Gail Robinson had a promising beginning in the 1970s. However, after a few years, her career seemed to lose momentum and finally she vanished. According to a mutual friend, Robinson developed arthritis at a young age, and houses were reluctant to lay out the cost of insuring her. One wonders how many cases like hers we never hear about. 3) Lack of opportunity. After the war, many American singers could not find work in the limited market in the USA. They moved to Europe, especially Germany, where every city, town and village has its own opera house. Some, like Berlin, even have two or more. These singers were able to have major careers in Germany without ever really registering in the USA. Some examples: Cheryl Lichter, Kieth Engen, Catherine Gayer, Barry McDaniel, Lucy Peacock, Angela Maria Blasi, Patricia Schuman, John LaPierre, Kenneth Cox, Anne Ragle, Carol Malone, William Workman, Arlene Saunders, Karan Armstrong and countless others.

[@wilsonwatt9283]

It is true that no one can fully know why certain singers do not go further. Neblett had a nervous breakdown and started drinking after her divorce from her conductor husband. Ardis Krainik, then General Director of the Lyric, was instrumental in helping her comeback from that and hired her for roles late in her interrupted career when no else would. I was lucky enough to hear her some of those roles to my benefit as an opera lover. Gasdia, by all accounts, became difficult to work with [who know why] and we lost access to her beautiful voice and great acting abilities too early. Cruz-Romo was like Gencer; she stepped in when the prima soprano either could not sing or sand the 4 out of ten performances she contracted for. Both of them were seen as "understudies" for the greats [Callas/Gencer and Price;/Crux-Romo].

[@manicmamc291]

Because in modern opera, houses are more concerned with “restyling” classic operas and casting people who LOOK better than they SOUND. Prime examples are of course Netrebko, Kaufmann, Calleja, Florez, and many others.

[@donaldbowers5205]

Texeiera should have been a super star. One of the most gorgeous baritones of his generation.

[@gabrielalexander9753]

Just discovered your channel... What a breath of fresh air! Indeed, all of your selection of singers is totally underrated. I don't say this as an opera expert, but as one whose ear and heart responds to good music and singers. You definitely saved the best for last... Maurizio wins the golden wreath, with a highly honorable mentions to Carol Neblett and Cecilia Gasdia. My gold standard for tenors is Carlo Bergonzi and for sopranos is Angela Gheorghiu. Yes, I know that she was rather horrible in Dresden in 2022, but that is rather the exception. I am a little partial to my compatriot.

[@athosbuenoteixeira7098]

Fernando Teixeira, um fenômeno!

[@fabiocasadeiturroni]

Teixeira 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@marctulio1]

Tive a felicidade de assistir Fernando Teixeira em " Rigoletto" . Foi , de longe , a maior voz de barítono do Brasil e , sem dúvida , uma das maiores do mundo .Além de cantor virtuose era um ator esplêndido .

[@jocelynen2572]

Throughout the video, I've had goosebumps. Bravi tutti!!!!!

[@luanaimperatore7594]

So Proud to be allieva of Soprano Silvia Ranalli from 10 years. Inspiration of true technique, art, strength, power, beauty.

[@JamesVanderpost]

I just love Maria Chiara best Aida for me, so much feeling and emotions. There are quite a number of singers today who should not even be on the stages of Opera houses. One of the tenors Maurizio Frasoni on here is better then Jonas Kaufmann, never thought I could admit it. Carol Neblett blew me away, wow MG what a Tosca. Thank you so much for sharing and all of them on here should be better known and you have made me feel good because I thought there was something wrong wit my ears but that now is NO.

[@bodiloto]

La Millo e Teixeira semplicemente Meravigliosi.

[@stefanogrimaldi4895]

Teixeira fenomenale!

[@rw6708]

Neblett was a guest on the Tonight Show many times in the '70s and '80s, and she staged a late comeback in the 90s, I believe. Her Vissi d'arte is stunning. One of the few sopranos able to handle Minnie with aplomb in her day.

[@alessandrocorsi7518]

Grandissimi tutti,ma Teixeira e' di un altro pianeta.Bravissimo anche il buon Frusoni.

[@mstreepnegron]

Yo estudié quince años canto con la gran Maestra Chilena Blanca Hauser, que canto en Santiago con Melchior la Elsa de Lohengrin y con Zanelli el Otello y ella siempre decía “ ni están todos los que son, ni son todos los que están “. Escuche a mi Maestra cantar a los 82 años y su voz era la de una jovencita. Muchas gracias por este video de artistas que no fueron tan famosos coló otros, aunque esos otros no se lo merecían. Así es esta vida, llena de injusticias en todos los campos.

[@stefanogrimaldi4895]

straordinarie e di grande valore per la conoscenza di cantanti ottimi e meno conosciuti.. queste compilations mi piacciono moltissimo..grazie!

[@TimothyJonSarris]

Sarò eternamente grato per questa introduzione all'arte del baritono Fernando Teixeira. Per me il miglior baritono, forse anche il miglior cantante che abbia mai sentito registrato negli ultimi tempi. Il suo cuore e la sua anima si manifestano nel suo canto in una bellissima espressione. Posso solo immaginare come fosse il suo suono dal vivo e di persona, ma a giudicare dalla reazione esplosiva del pubblico deve essere stato un riverbero che non si dimentica mai... almeno questa è la sensazione che ho ora. 🙏

[@sandorkonya8005]

Bravo Afro Poli......exactly my taste Thank you for posting

[@mstreepnegron]

Que fantásticos algunos más que otros. Estupendos Texeira y la gran Neblett.

[@stefankosz7265]

Thank you very much for widening my knowledge of less known but really fantastic artists. Teixeira's voice is very impressive. (As is yours!! what i found on Yt)

[@delosreyesgavikanes]

Gilda Cruz Romo, great soprano, and thinking we sang Tosca, Manon Lescaut and Un Ballo in Maschera together, great lady, colega and friend.

[@edwardarckless3112]

Thank you for bringing back us all all of the wondefull artistes Edward Arckless

[@edwardarckless3112]

Thank you again Edward Arckless

[@andremad75]

Silvia Ranalli ha voce potente, sicurissima e di bellissimo timbro. Cecilia Gasdia è, da sempre, tra le mie preferite. Ottima la Cruz Romo, e così pure la Neblett. Cheryl Barker è straordinaria. Il suo album di Puccini è un must. E Maria Chiara, ovviamente, è un mostro sacro. Grazie per queste Perle rare💞

[@marylambcarter]

great CRUZ-ROMO and NEBLETT

[@absdyna]

Thanks! This is a hidden gem! I had only heard Maria Chiara before, and had always considered her a great singer, but I hadn't even heard of the others! I fancy I saw Martinucci as Gasdia's Calaf (if I'm not mistaken). Gasdia and Frusoni were my favorites here! Gasdia with a sublime voice and after some research it turns out Frusoni had quite the career! Strange that I hadn't heard of either before. Thanks again!

[@rw6708]

Cecilia Gasdia sang Liù with Martinucci and Ghena Dimitrova in the famous 1983 Arena di Verona video shown here.

[@cachdeques]

scandola is really good! very well sung!

[@davidnewton9496]

Thank you for posting these artists. I haven't heard some of these singers and I, like others, wonder why. (I would have added Salvatore Fisichella to this list, but he is getting more exposure now, thanks to KZbin). Thanks, again.

[@JRSoubasse]

Dear God, Frusoni is a beast! Some delicious squillo!

[@ishia55]

En los 80 escuché a Carol Nebblet en el Teatro Colón de Buenos Aires. Era MARAVILLOSA.

[@classicaldame4372]

Unbelievable that most of these performers didn't receive the acclaim that was deserved. I do know that Carol Neblett started drinking heavily after her divorce from her second husband. I saw/heard her on Johnny Carson (most opera singers did their stint on his show), and I heard her on recordings and live performances (Lyric Opera of Chicag). It's shameful that these wonderful singers weren't better known. Well. I'll be letting my fingers do the walking to find complete performances of these artists. Thanks Afro Poli for your uploads. 💙💙❤❤

[@Michael-mh4vr]

A now deceased voice teacher I had decades ago told me neblett had "slept" her way to the top. She was with Wagner choral early on and slept with director. This teacher never really disparaged neblett talent but said she had some help...

[@Tenortalker]

@@Michael-mh4vr To be honest if a voice teacher had made that kind of thoroughly nasty comment about a fellow professional to me I think I might have left their class. I was fortunate to work with Carol in the late 1980s. It was known that she had been through a tough time, but she came and delivered a great series of performances right up to the high Cs. She was a kind and very generous colleague. She helped many young singers towards a career and her pupils thought very highly of her. Let that be her testimonial. I am picking up on this because she is no longer here to defend herself. I wonder what her daughters and son would think?

[@Sutherland2]

Reading these interesting comments here there's another reason to add. There's only so much room at the top. Once Callas, Sutherland, Tebaldi, Price, Nilsson get the recording contracts there is little room and no reason to promote or hire other fine singers to record. How many Traviatas is a record company going to try to sell? With no recordings these careers wither on the vine. Leyla Gencer is a good example. Many of these fine singers exist only in pirate recordings and that's OK, too. It's wonderful to see some of them here. Thank you AfroPoli for these fascinating and deeply beautiful videos!

[@AfroPoli]

That's very true. And I'd add that some voices simply record better than others and that some artists are primarily stage artists rather than microphone artists. Magda Olivero for example.

[@cormusicum]

Well, Gencer was then THE ONE for Donizetti, but nobody was ready to studio- record her great performances like Bolena, Lucrezia Borgia, Belisario, Caterina Cornaro, Robert Devereux etc.

[@cormusicum]

Kabaiwanska!

[@novagerio]

Grande Teixero, grande Frusoni. Le Perle Bianche sono sempre gli artisti meno conosciuti ❤

[@DiomedesDioscuro]

¡Interesante y altamente disfrutable! Muchas gracias por compartir. Algunos eran para mí completos desconocidos, como ese barítono fabuloso Teixeira.

[@carlosoliva5706]

Fernando Texeira .- Impresionante en todo. Un verdadero baritono, cantante, musico y actor. Me dio carne de gallina escucharlo!!!

[@terrietackett8964]

Thanks for sharing these fabulous, and for me unknown voice's!!

[@radames5855]

Texeira fenomenale interpretazione!!!

[@calaf_725]

Thank you, Frusoni and Neblett are amazing. My favorite non famous opera singer is hands down Ruben Dominguez. PS Frusoni looks like Steven Seagal here lol

[@luxgoods]

Fernando Teixeira is really incredible imo!

[@sandorkonya8005]

How can the mayor Record companies disregard Fernando The super Baritono in Andrea Chenier....what a shame👎👎👎👎👎👎

[@Michael-mh4vr]

Years ago I was a baritone. Fernando and Giuseppe were great. Looks and acting ability are prioritized now. There are many good voices....but its tough to stick it out to make ones name. The head of a major University voice department who was a former teacher told me there are/were singers as good as pavarotti .....but they didn't stick with the career due to difficulty financially supporting themselves.

[@carmelaapollonio8041]

I Meravigliosi anni 80 - 90 un momento d'Oro per le voci della lirica. Voci grandi e stupende collocate in spettacoli bellissimi. Una grande popolazione di cantanti degni eredi dei loro predecessori. Aimè, un mondo volutamente cancellato . Vive oramai nei ricordi e su KZbin .. ( fortunatamente )

[@Salvejohnny93]

Ranalli's Butterfly entrance is the most legato I've ever heard in opera. Incredible phrasing.

[@tylerresto]

Thank you so much for posting this!!

[@romearomeo]

In questi anni c'erano davvero ancora voci bellissime. Ne avessimo almeno anche oggi qualche d'una così...

[@ransomcoates546]

The first soprano’s Butterfly I love. It’s in the Tebaldi mold - no vocal mincing around.

[@germancaballero3011]

Totalmente de acuerdo. Hermosas voces, grandes actuaciones.

[@ioannisalex]

Wow! Thanks a lot for this great treasure!

[@kyleaustin7045]

Giuseppe Scandola was one of the few Amonasro who actually enunciated the words well. Very impressive. Every single words were crystal clear.

[@brunopicaude3092]

Cecilia Gasdia had a beautiful career and let a very interesting discography leg under the direction of great conductors (Abbado, Scimone...). I saw her in the role of Semiramide in Marseille; her colleagues were Martine Dupuy, Rockwell Blake and Michele Pertusi. Difficult to find such a quatuor nowadays !

[@massimilianomori8261]

Molto bello.

[@ahogbin2644]

Wonderful to hear some of these less famous voices. I heard Gasdia once at Pesaro in Rossini's Otello (late 80s I think) and I can attest to her excellence. So many factors contribute to a starry operatic career. Some of it is pure luck but, I must say, I think today looks play a far too important factor in casting and there are some truly dreadful singers before the public! Lack of good singing teachers has also contributed.

[@wilsonwatt9283]

I was fortunate to see some of these singers in their prime at the Lyric Opera in Chicago. In particular, I saw Gasdia as Juliet in Bellini's "Capuletti ed I Montechhi" opposite Kasarova as Romeo. It was a night of the most magnificent bel canto singing one can imagine. Gasdia was perfect as Juliet [vocally, technically, physically] and Kasarova was at her initial peak in bel canto.

[@joselatorre1696]

TREMENDO il baritono Fernando Teixeira del quale non avevo mai sentito parlare.

[@ishia55]

Gilda Cruz Romo, que no daría por escuchar una Lady Macbeth cantada así. Que mal lo cantan en estos tiempos.

[@suzannasolmuon8528]

woow really good job.thanx a lot...✌they re soo good..

[@AemiliaJacobus]

Cheryl Barker is just fabulous. I love the tone of her singing.

[@paoladatodi8626]

sempre su questo canale c'è l'intero duetto con Kalt, notiamo che è la "Ur-Butterfly", l'edizione che andò in scena a Milano con accoglienze negative, sicchè Puccini apportò le dovute modifiche. In questa scena in particolare, parte finale del duetto, il ritmo è differente da quello dell'edizione definitiva.

[@andrzejzborowski4920]

Being a famous singer doesn't make you great right away. You can also be a great singer who wasn't famous. You can also be a great singer who wasn't famous. Możesz też być wspaniałą piosenkarką, która nie była sławna. You can also be a great singer, who was not famous. It's no shame to sing great only in local opera houses. Small houses need great singers also.

[@miaovoo7161]

Those voices are amazing. Sometime, i heard some beautifull voices who have technique in Theater. Unfortunatly, they are not well-know.

[@hansdrp817]

You are right!

[@cormusicum]

I would not say Cecilia Gasdia was underrated (at least in Italy). She just had a rather short career, but high level - and she stopped singing on stage ( not in concert) not because of problems with her voice but just to spend more time at home. Now she' s director in the Arena (Verona)!

[@paoladatodi8626]

sì, infatti. E proprio all'Arena di Verona nel 1983, lei aveva 23-24 anni, andò in scena questa Turandot: riconosciamo la Dimitrova e Martinucci

[@malipasta1]

She was underrated in the aglo sphere mainly because she did nt ever sing a CG (her voice to small apparently according to the casting dirsctor there!) apparently she always preffered to sing too far away from home and family - who can blame her. Also i heard her married name is Bartoli…….

[@cormusicum]

@@malipasta1 Actually Gasdia has a daughter whose name is Anastasia Bartoli: she's also starting an impressive career as a soprano!

[@eduardoxavier3005]

Teixeira was a great brazilian bariton. A very sympatetic and carismatic person.

[@Bobrogers99]

I encountered Cheryl Barker in an unconventional Australian production of Boheme with an unconventional tenor, David Hobson. Excerpts of it are here on KZbin. I also have a video of Fanciulla del West with Carol Neblett and Placido Domingo in which she does quite well.

[@radames5855]

Il baritono Texeira è Sensazionale!!!!

[@francoroselli7154]

Che bella voce Maurizio Frusoni amico di mio papa'...

[@ariasemusicaslegendadas7657]

Fernando é o maior orgulho do canto no brasil🇧🇷

[@wotanBrunhilde]

Carol Neblett sang AIDA in México in 1990. Really she was glorious.

[@ThomasDawkins88]

Some of these singers had considerable acclaim in America. Gilda Cruz-Romo gave 182 performances in 13 different roles at the MET from 1970-84; Carol Neblett gave 84 performances of 8 different roles at the MET from 1979-93. Cecila Gasdia gave only 4 performances of Juliette and Maria Chiara gave 4 Violettas at the MET. Sometimes the voice is big enough for smaller houses but gets eaten up at La Scala, Covent Garden, the MET. It's not always about where one sang.

[@Sutherland2]

Gasdia was a very big star in Italy, which is nothing to sneeze at. But I understand she was also difficult, which makes some opera producers hesitant to cast her. She, too, had nearly no commercial recordings, which is how careers have been built since the 1920s until today.

[@paoladatodi8626]

@@Sutherland2 inoltre una predilezione per opere non del più popolare repertorio, ciò che ha il merito della riscoperta ma fatalmente diviene elitario, da specialisti, ella fu spesso al Festival Rossini di Pesaro, e appunto molte opere rossiniane, pur capolavori, sono più da Festival che da stagione consueta. La Gasdia si è poi dedicata all'attività manageriale, proprio all'Arena di Verona

[@filipszyga7394]

What a fantastic vibrato in that Tosca...

[@giuseppesteigman]

This makes me angry and sad to not see practically any modern singer with the mastery and conviction of these amazing artists.

[@mstreepnegron]

A veces todo es cuestión de un buen representante artístico

[@franzitaduz]

"Nessun Dorma" twice in one night....... That said sooooo much.

[@richardgrieves7974]

Cecilia Gasdia's Liu is absolutely phenomenal. Easily the best Liu I have heard.

[@sandorkonya8005]

Listen to Gildas Violetta and hear what a great Artist she was...viva mia Gilda

[@stevenburton7922]

Everybody singing here is outstanding. I think the reason that many of them don't get superstar status is that they didn't have a signature sound ( not an insult at all. The people singing here are absolutely fantastic ). My point is that having that signature sound ( instantly recognizable ) like Pavarotti, Bjorling, Domingo or Corelli is a type of branding that makes the singer more. marketable .

[@adeeo]

Where do you see such singer today? 🤔

[@davidkymdell452]

Kaufmann lol....that dude has the most recognizable voice around...and not in a good way. I think I just cracked the code haha

[@arthurfilemon6038]

Wooooow Gilda Cruz's Macbeth... Same energy as the legendary Verrett!

[@maestrodossantos]

Fernando Teixeira, o melhor barítono brasileiro Sem dúvida nenhuma Na minha humilde opinião existiram dois barítonos de referência no Brasil : Fernando Teixeira e RIO NOVELLO, Rio é italiano, mas vive há muitos anos no Brasil e atualmente está com 95 anos .

[@AfroPoli]

Grazie per la segnalazione... è un grande, non lo conoscevo. Grazie infinite! :)

[@maestrodossantos]

@@AfroPoli Rio Novello, si è sposato con un soprano brasiliano chiamato Neyde Thomas( in memorian ) , lei, per molti anni ha cantato nel Deutsch opera di Berlino, suoi principali ruoli erano: la Regina della notte, Rosina, Konstanze. Dopo lunga carriera loro si sono trasferiti in Brasile, sono stati responsabile per lá formazioni di innumeri cantanti, Rio, ha cantato a Alla Scala, e per molti anni ha cantato nell opera nazionale di Israele, essendo un grande interprete di Nabucco, nell’epoca che domingo era anche lì.

[@HorstBerbel]

I had the privilege as a very young singer to be in the chorus in the opera in Baltimore and experience Neblett and Cruz-Romo live standing next to them on the stage. Neither of them was ever "underrated"! I have some fun recordings now here after 45 years on the stage. Check out "Edward Randall".

[@mauriciocotapos313]

Mauricio Frusoni extraordinario!!!!!👏👏👏👏👏

[@reflexiona7583]

Gilda Cruz Romo, fellow Mexican. Brava

[@ichbins8532]

Also totally underrated was Miriam Gauci ❤

[@familypondman]

Not only in music, but everywhere the people who makes the dississions are not the ones who knows what is good or not and the reason in Holland we call that friendspoliticiens (vriendjespolitiek)!

[@jasonstearns2666]

Great singing is just the beginning. Then comes the politics, sex, money and jealousy. All of these singers should have become household names. But they were somehow lacking in the "business end" of the business. Maybe they didn't want to "put out". Maybe they didn't have the mafia behind them. Maybe there was a more powerful colleague who blackballed them. Maybe they didn't have money buying their careers. Maybe they had health issues, or perhaps their personal lives were too complicated to keep a clear head for a career. Who knows? The singing was great. But what happens backstage determines who has the BIG career.

[@johnpolhamus9041]

Carol Neblett was the business.

[@AfroPoli]

She was stunning. Wonderful.

[@kraus3591]

Todos , ahora , serían los mejores cantantes del mundo .

[@francocapone9094]

quanti bravi cantanti ci sono stati in quegli anni, invece di valorizzarli come meritavano i media si sono concentrati piu su QUI QUO E QUA (carreras domingo pavarotti) che scandalo, e ancora oggi rompono le palle....con tutto il rispetto.

[@BillyBoy442]

Maria Chiara is marvelous!

[@radames5855]

Molto bravi a che Maria Chiara e l'Amonasro di Scandola

[@charlotteclarke7256]

I adore Carol Neblett. She was not celebrated enough in my opinion! A great artist that knew how to take risks and a great strong soprano voice.

[@nevim007]

According to wikipedia, Mr Frusoni graduated in nuclear physics at the University of Florence... Some people really get talent in abundance.

[@xxsaruman82xx87]

The greatest testament is her wonderful Minnie under Zubin Mehta with Doninog and Sherrill Milnes. Her singing is first class. I still prefer Tebaldi as Minnie, but what a voice she has!

[@Agorante]

Thanks Afro. All good. Some quite famous, others obscure. You have a spot of Martinucci in the Gasdia excerpt. He would be another good candidate for underrated. Now the complaint. I don't know where you get these excerpts but could we hope for higher resolution? 480p is pretty blurry.