Rosa Ponselle : a centenary biography / James A. Drake ; James M. Alfonte, photographic editor ; chronology of performances by Thomas G. Kaufman ; bibliography by Andrew Farkas ; discography by Bill Park.
| Author/creator | Drake, James A. |
| Format | Book |
| Publication Info | Portland, OR : Amadeus Press, ©1997. |
| Description | 494 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm. |
| Subjects |
| Series | Opera biography series ; no. 9 Opera biography series ; no. 9. ^A267014 |
| Contents | Wait till you hear her! -- I never really have grown up -- Kid, you won your bet! -- An overnight prima donna -- Flashes of the grand manner -- A perfect voice -- Sleepless nights -- A no-come-back girl -- Some enchanted evening -- A Rosa Ponselle bibliography / Andrew Farkas -- A chronology of Ponselle's appearances / Thomas G. Kaufman -- Discography / Bill Park. |
| Abstract | Rosa Ponselle's place as one of the century's great singers was destined from the moment of her 1918 debut, opposite Enrico Caruso, in the Metropolitan Opera premiere of La forza del destino. For the next two decades, her voice of unparalleled beauty and power continued to mesmerize audiences. Even today, her recordings keep her influence alive in the Italian repertory. Ponselle's path from Meriden, Connecticut, through her apprenticeship on the vaudeville circuit with her sister Carmela to acclaim on the stage of the Met is one of opera's great romantic stories. The author of this centenary biography began researching that story in collaboration with Ponselle herself for their 1982 book, Ponselle: A Singer's Life. The present work not only collects many of the interviews with Ponselle that provided the raw material for the earlier biography, but also includes interviews with friends, colleagues, and associates that supplement, support--and sometimes contradict--her own recollections. In addition, the author has scrutinized the documentary record for contemporary reports of these events, and has woven them into a well-crafted, absorbing chronicle of the diva's struggle from New York to Hollywood and abroad. Supplemented with many rare photographs, an updated discography, an extensive bibliography, and a chronology of her vaudeville, operatic, and concert performances, this book is an invitation to readers to join in the engrossing search for the real Rosa Ponselle. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographic references (pages 399-406), discography (pages 447-485), and index. |
| LCCN | 96028709 |
| ISBN | 1574670190 |
Availability
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Music | Closed Stacks - Ask at Circulation Desk | ML420.P825 D783 1997 | ✔ Available | Place Hold |