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Home , Emmy Destinn, Rosa Ponselle, The Legend (opera)

111139 bk Ponselle2 1/15/07 11:59 AM Page 5

TOSTI: MEYERBEER: L’Africana [L’Africaine]: DI CHIARA: Tracks 6 & 7: with Frances Lapitino, harp 8.111139 1 Good-bye 3:53 ! In grembo a me [Sur mes genoux] 3:40 ¡ La Spagnola 2:42 Tracks 12-22: with orchestra conducted by 11th April 1924; C 29876-1 14th January 1925; C 31710-2 5th June 1925; BVE 32873-2 (HMV VA 69) Josef Pasternack GREAT SINGERS • PONSELLE ADD (unpublished on 78 rpm) (unpublished on 78 rpm) All other tracks with orchestra conducted by SILBERTA: Rosario Bourdon TOSTI: HEWETT: ™ Beloved 2:51 Tracks 1-3, 6-7, 12-22: sung in English 2 Good-bye 3:56 @ The Little Old Garden 2:28 5th June 1925; BVE 32852-5 (HMV VA 67) Tracks 4, 8-11: sung in Italian 11th April 1924; C 29876-2 (Victor 6453 A) 1st June 1925; BVE 32850-2 (HMV VA 67) Track 5: sung in Neapolitan dialect Rosa MONRO-HIGGINS: BLAND: 3 My lovely Celia 2:46 # Carry Me Back to Old Virginny 4:10 11th April 1924; B 29877-2 (Victor 1057 B) with male vocal quartet PONSELLE 2nd June 1925; CVE 32856-3 (Victor 6509 A) DE CURTIS: 4 Carmè 3:09 FOSTER: Also available: 11th April 1924; B 29878-2 (Victor 1013 B) $ My Old Kentucky Home 4:08 American Recordings with male vocal quartet DI CAPUA: 2nd June 1925; CVE 32857-1 (Victor 6509 B) 5 Maria, Mari! 3:36 1923-1929, Volume 2 11th April 1924; B 29411-4 (Victor 1013 A) BISHOP: % Home, Sweet Home 3:58 TOSTI: 3rd June 1925; CVE 32866-2 (HMV VB 74) 6 Serenade 4:05 12th April 1924; C 29879-1 (Victor 6453 B) BLAND: ^ A Perfect Day 3:07 TOSTI: 3rd June 1925; BVE 32867-1 (Victor 1098 B) SUICIDIO! 7 Serenade 4:08 12th April 1924; C 29879-3 FOSTER: (unpublished on 78rpm) & Old Folks at Home 4:01 IN GREMBO A ME 4th June 1925; CVE 32865-3 (IRCC 126) PONCHIELLI: : GOOD-BYE 8 Suicidio! 4:16 FOSTER: 14th January 1925; C 31709-1 (Victor 6496 A) * Old Folks at Home 4:03 MARIA, MARI! 4th June 1925; CVE 32865-4 (HMV DB 872) PONCHIELLI: La Gioconda: HOME, SWEET HOME 9 Suicidio! 4:14 DUPONT: 14th January 1925; C 31709-2 ( La Rosita 3:04 8.111138 (unpublished on 78 rpm) 4th June 1925; BVE 32851-5 (HMV VA 69) THE LITTLE OLD GARDEN

MEYERBEER: L’Africana [L’Africaine]: NEVIN: MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME 0 In grembo a me [Sur mes genoux] 3:34 ) The Rosary 2:35 14th January 1925; C 31710-1 (Victor 6496 B) 5th June 1925; BVE 32864-7 (Victor 1098 A) New restorations by Ward Marston 8.111139 5 6 8.111139 111139 bk Ponselle2 1/15/07 11:59 AM Page 2

Rosa Ponselle (1897-1981) Pine Orchard, Connecticut, where she prepared her Ponchielli and Rossini, and songs by Paisiello, 1925, followed in rapid succession by Sélika and using this ‘new’ process. Only one of the items recorded American Recordings 1923-1929, Vol. 2 rôles under the guidance of the conductor and composer Schumann, Fourdain, Strauss, Ganz Alvarez and Gioconda. Two arias from the latter rôles, In grembo a at this first session - The Little Old Garden (also known Romano Romani. others’. Less than two weeks later, on 5th December me from L’Africana and Suicidio from La Gioconda, as Sanctuary) by John Hewett - achieved publication While visiting Lily Pons at her Dallas home in Following her engagement there, the customers of the Ponselle’s historic début in Forza alongside Caruso 1923, Ponselle was in Camden, New Jersey, to make were recorded for Victor on 14th January, and are and that occurred more than twenty years after the early May 1962, I asked if she were planning to attend rival Star Theater in Meriden began to dwindle because took place on 15th . A review in The her first records for the Victor Company. (The surely among Ponselle’s loveliest and best record was made. At the session the following day, the Met performance of later that they preferred to hear Rosa singing at the Crystal New York Times the following day is headlined: Rosa always ‘blamed’ her manager William Thorner for performances on disc. In April she again joined the Met however, she successfully recorded the two songs week. The diva’s large brown eyes grew wide, and she Theater. As a result, Richard Halliwell, the owner of the Poncelli [sic] Captivates - Young Soprano Debutante having her initially sign with Columbia rather than the on tour, singing favourite rôles in both Atlanta and which made up her first electric double-sided answered an immediate, emphatic ‘No!’ ‘Why should I Star Theater, approached her and offered to double her Displays a Sweet Voice of Natural Beauty - Caruso more prestigious Victor label, but it is probable that . ‘Coupling’ - Carry Me Back to Old Virginny and My go to Forza?’, she inquired. ‘I heard as salary if she would sing in his three theatres. In one of Sings Gloriously.’In the heart of the review the Romani, who was a conductor for Columbia, was also On 11th March 1925 the Victor Company officially Old Kentucky Home. Leonora!’ these, the San Carlino in New Haven, Rosa sang distinguished critic James Gibbons Huneker wrote: involved in the decision. Ponselle’s last recordings for dedicated its newly equipped studio for electrical Lily Pons’s admiration for Ponselle’s voice and popular songs of the day for Yale students as well as ‘Added to her personal attractiveness, she possesses a Columbia on 11th and 14th January 1924 - a month recordings. Less than three months later, on 1st June, artistry has been echoed many times by other singers Italian songs, accompanied by an orchestra which voice of natural beauty that may prove a gold mine; it is after her first Victors - were to fulfil her contractual Ponselle was in the studio to make her first recordings © Bill Park and musicians, and this great popularity continues performed Rosa’s own instrumental arrangements. vocal gold, anyhow, with its luscious lower and middle obligations to Columbia for a specific number of titles.) today through the amazing phonographic legacy she James Ceriani heard her at the San Carlino and soon tones, dark, rich and ductile.’ A second journey to Victor for more recordings was left. Ponselle’s records reveal a voice of richness and hired her to perform in his Café Mellone. He compared In her next rôle as Santuzza with the Met in made on 11th December 1923, and less than a week power, a dark, exciting colour so unmistakable, her voice to that of Emmy Destinn, and took Rosa to Philadelphia, the Bulletin reported: ‘The new soprano later she made her first seasonal appearance at the Met combined with a formidable technique. Yet her first Met performance - with Caruso has a “presence” and an aptitude for operatic as Maddalena in an Andrea Chenier which included Ida Cook, the author of We Followed Our Stars, who and Farrar. On the same trip to New York she had an interpretation that at once is apparent. Best of all, Gigli, Ruffo and Tibbett (Ponselle had, in fact, heard her in person, wrote: ‘Occasionally on record one audition with Gene Hughes to become part of a ‘sister however, she disclosed a voice of splendid capabilities, auditioned Tibbett at the request of Frank La Forge catches a breath of the magic that was Ponselle - act’ with Carmela in vaudeville. Rosa sang ‘Kiss Me of fine range, volume and beauty, a pure dramatic when she visited Hollywood for the first time in May particularly the Vestale record, the final Trio from Again’ from Mlle Modiste and got the job. soprano, of a full, rich and even quality.’ Of her Rezia in earlier that year). Forza, the finale of and the rare Africana record. I Rosa’s début in vaudeville (with Carmela as ‘the on 28th December 1918 The New York Times She added Leonora in to her Met remember distinctly that when we could hear her in Ponzillo Sisters’) took place at the Star Theater in the mentions ‘her dramatic temperament, musical repertoire on 19th April 1924, and concluded the season person, my sister and I put away our Ponselle records Bronx in September 1916. Two years later they were intelligence, with her beautiful natural voice and its in the same rôle in Cleveland on 3rd May before sailing because they were such a pale shadow of the real thing.’ featured at the Keith Riverside, and on 29th October remarkable range from a rich, velvety to a for the first time to Europe three weeks later. Her But those remarkable discs continue to win new 1917 they gave their first performance at the prestigious vibrating, silvery soprano ... Her scale is seamless, so priorities for the trip were ‘clothes, study and generations of fans who take on faith ‘the dramatic gift Palace. Billed as ‘Two fascinating Italian girls with equal are her tones from top to bottom.’ amusement’. In Viareggio she met Puccini and sang of almost equal intensity [to her extraordinary vocal Grand Opera voices’, they gave a total of twelve With each new season Ponselle’s artistic growth Vissi d’arte for him. power] and stage presence’ described by Cook. performances. Appearances at other theatres followed, continued. In 1919 she appeared as Carmelita in In the Met’s 1924-25 season Ponselle first appeared Rosa Ponselle was born Rosa Ponzillo on 22nd and their last known vaudeville performance took place and Rachel in opposite Caruso. in a 29th November matinée as Maddalena. On 7th January 1897 in Meriden, Connecticut, the third child at the Colonial on 13th April 1918 (interestingly, by Huneker stated that ‘there are only two beautiful voices December she participated in the company’s Puccini of first-generation Italian immigrants, Bernardo and this time their billing had changed from ‘the Ponzillo in the Company and Rosa Memorial Concert singing Un bel dì. Twelve days later Maddalena Conti Ponzillo. Rosa’s sister Carmela was Sisters’ to ‘Rosa and Carmela Ponzillo’). Ponselle’s is the other one’ (the other, of course, being she appeared in the title rôle of La Gioconda. The New born in June 1887, and her brother Antonio in June As a result of Rosa’s meeting with Caruso and the Caruso’s). Aida and Elisabetta () followed York Times wrote: ‘Miss Ponselle, as her admirers 1890. (In a 1977 interview, however, ‘Tony’ insisted now famous three auditions for the Met, she signed a in 1920; Maddalena (Andrea Chenier) and Elvira expected, found the melodrama’s title rôle suited to her that the age difference between the two sisters was six, contract on 4th June 1918 to sing the rôles of Aida, () in 1921; Margared (Le roi d’Ys) in 1922; and rich voice and temperament that is this young American not ten, years.) Each of the children studied the piano Leonora (in both Trovatore and Forza), Santuzza, Mathilde, (Guillaume Tell) and Sélika (L’Africana) in star’s heritage. She was greatly applauded, bringing with a local teacher, Anna Ryan, but Rosa never studied Rezia and the soprano part in Verdi’s Requiem at the 1922. down the house when soprano and before the voice formally. Met. On the advice of Gatti-Casazza, to avoid her In late November 1923 Ponselle appeared in curtains played a game of tag to see which would leave Rosa’s first job was as a substitute pianist and association with vaudeville, she adopted the name of Havana, Cuba, for two recitals. Musical America to the other the honor of taking a solo recall.’ singer in the Crystal Theater in Meriden in 1912. Rosa Ponselle. The young soprano spent the summer in described her programmes as ‘including arias by The new year was begun with Aida on 2nd January 8.111139 23 8.111139 4 8.111139 111139 bk Ponselle2 1/15/07 11:59 AM Page 2

Rosa Ponselle (1897-1981) Pine Orchard, Connecticut, where she prepared her Ponchielli and Rossini, and songs by Paisiello, 1925, followed in rapid succession by Sélika and using this ‘new’ process. Only one of the items recorded American Recordings 1923-1929, Vol. 2 rôles under the guidance of the conductor and composer Schumann, Fourdain, Strauss, Ganz Alvarez and Gioconda. Two arias from the latter rôles, In grembo a at this first session - The Little Old Garden (also known Romano Romani. others’. Less than two weeks later, on 5th December me from L’Africana and Suicidio from La Gioconda, as Sanctuary) by John Hewett - achieved publication While visiting Lily Pons at her Dallas home in Following her engagement there, the customers of the Ponselle’s historic début in Forza alongside Caruso 1923, Ponselle was in Camden, New Jersey, to make were recorded for Victor on 14th January, and are and that occurred more than twenty years after the early May 1962, I asked if she were planning to attend rival Star Theater in Meriden began to dwindle because took place on 15th November 1918. A review in The her first records for the Victor Company. (The soprano surely among Ponselle’s loveliest and best record was made. At the session the following day, the Met performance of La forza del destino later that they preferred to hear Rosa singing at the Crystal New York Times the following day is headlined: Rosa always ‘blamed’ her manager William Thorner for performances on disc. In April she again joined the Met however, she successfully recorded the two songs week. The diva’s large brown eyes grew wide, and she Theater. As a result, Richard Halliwell, the owner of the Poncelli [sic] Captivates - Young Soprano Debutante having her initially sign with Columbia rather than the on tour, singing favourite rôles in both Atlanta and which made up her first electric double-sided answered an immediate, emphatic ‘No!’ ‘Why should I Star Theater, approached her and offered to double her Displays a Sweet Voice of Natural Beauty - Caruso more prestigious Victor label, but it is probable that Cleveland. ‘Coupling’ - Carry Me Back to Old Virginny and My go to Forza?’, she inquired. ‘I heard Rosa Ponselle as salary if she would sing in his three theatres. In one of Sings Gloriously.’In the heart of the review the Romani, who was a conductor for Columbia, was also On 11th March 1925 the Victor Company officially Old Kentucky Home. Leonora!’ these, the San Carlino in New Haven, Rosa sang distinguished critic James Gibbons Huneker wrote: involved in the decision. Ponselle’s last recordings for dedicated its newly equipped studio for electrical Lily Pons’s admiration for Ponselle’s voice and popular songs of the day for Yale students as well as ‘Added to her personal attractiveness, she possesses a Columbia on 11th and 14th January 1924 - a month recordings. Less than three months later, on 1st June, artistry has been echoed many times by other singers Italian songs, accompanied by an orchestra which voice of natural beauty that may prove a gold mine; it is after her first Victors - were to fulfil her contractual Ponselle was in the studio to make her first recordings © Bill Park and musicians, and this great popularity continues performed Rosa’s own instrumental arrangements. vocal gold, anyhow, with its luscious lower and middle obligations to Columbia for a specific number of titles.) today through the amazing phonographic legacy she James Ceriani heard her at the San Carlino and soon tones, dark, rich and ductile.’ A second journey to Victor for more recordings was left. Ponselle’s records reveal a voice of richness and hired her to perform in his Café Mellone. He compared In her next rôle as Santuzza with the Met in made on 11th December 1923, and less than a week power, a dark, exciting colour so unmistakable, her voice to that of Emmy Destinn, and took Rosa to Philadelphia, the Bulletin reported: ‘The new soprano later she made her first seasonal appearance at the Met combined with a formidable coloratura technique. Yet her first Met opera performance - Tosca with Caruso has a “presence” and an aptitude for operatic as Maddalena in an Andrea Chenier which included Ida Cook, the author of We Followed Our Stars, who and Farrar. On the same trip to New York she had an interpretation that at once is apparent. Best of all, Gigli, Ruffo and Tibbett (Ponselle had, in fact, heard her in person, wrote: ‘Occasionally on record one audition with Gene Hughes to become part of a ‘sister however, she disclosed a voice of splendid capabilities, auditioned Tibbett at the request of Frank La Forge catches a breath of the magic that was Ponselle - act’ with Carmela in vaudeville. Rosa sang ‘Kiss Me of fine range, volume and beauty, a pure dramatic when she visited Hollywood for the first time in May particularly the Vestale record, the final Trio from Again’ from Mlle Modiste and got the job. soprano, of a full, rich and even quality.’ Of her Rezia in earlier that year). Forza, the finale of Aida and the rare Africana record. I Rosa’s début in vaudeville (with Carmela as ‘the Oberon on 28th December 1918 The New York Times She added Leonora in Il trovatore to her Met remember distinctly that when we could hear her in Ponzillo Sisters’) took place at the Star Theater in the mentions ‘her dramatic temperament, musical repertoire on 19th April 1924, and concluded the season person, my sister and I put away our Ponselle records Bronx in September 1916. Two years later they were intelligence, with her beautiful natural voice and its in the same rôle in Cleveland on 3rd May before sailing because they were such a pale shadow of the real thing.’ featured at the Keith Riverside, and on 29th October remarkable range from a rich, velvety contralto to a for the first time to Europe three weeks later. Her But those remarkable discs continue to win new 1917 they gave their first performance at the prestigious vibrating, silvery soprano ... Her scale is seamless, so priorities for the trip were ‘clothes, study and generations of fans who take on faith ‘the dramatic gift Palace. Billed as ‘Two fascinating Italian girls with equal are her tones from top to bottom.’ amusement’. In Viareggio she met Puccini and sang of almost equal intensity [to her extraordinary vocal Grand Opera voices’, they gave a total of twelve With each new season Ponselle’s artistic growth Vissi d’arte for him. power] and stage presence’ described by Cook. performances. Appearances at other theatres followed, continued. In 1919 she appeared as Carmelita in In the Met’s 1924-25 season Ponselle first appeared Rosa Ponselle was born Rosa Ponzillo on 22nd and their last known vaudeville performance took place The Legend and Rachel in La juive opposite Caruso. in a 29th November matinée as Maddalena. On 7th January 1897 in Meriden, Connecticut, the third child at the Colonial on 13th April 1918 (interestingly, by Huneker stated that ‘there are only two beautiful voices December she participated in the company’s Puccini of first-generation Italian immigrants, Bernardo and this time their billing had changed from ‘the Ponzillo in the Metropolitan Opera Company and Rosa Memorial Concert singing Un bel dì. Twelve days later Maddalena Conti Ponzillo. Rosa’s sister Carmela was Sisters’ to ‘Rosa and Carmela Ponzillo’). Ponselle’s is the other one’ (the other, of course, being she appeared in the title rôle of La Gioconda. The New born in June 1887, and her brother Antonio in June As a result of Rosa’s meeting with Caruso and the Caruso’s). Aida and Elisabetta (Don Carlos) followed York Times wrote: ‘Miss Ponselle, as her admirers 1890. (In a 1977 interview, however, ‘Tony’ insisted now famous three auditions for the Met, she signed a in 1920; Maddalena (Andrea Chenier) and Elvira expected, found the melodrama’s title rôle suited to her that the age difference between the two sisters was six, contract on 4th June 1918 to sing the rôles of Aida, (Ernani) in 1921; Margared (Le roi d’Ys) in 1922; and rich voice and temperament that is this young American not ten, years.) Each of the children studied the piano Leonora (in both Trovatore and Forza), Santuzza, Mathilde, (Guillaume Tell) and Sélika (L’Africana) in star’s heritage. She was greatly applauded, bringing with a local teacher, Anna Ryan, but Rosa never studied Rezia and the soprano part in Verdi’s Requiem at the 1922. down the house when soprano and tenor before the voice formally. Met. On the advice of Gatti-Casazza, to avoid her In late November 1923 Ponselle appeared in curtains played a game of tag to see which would leave Rosa’s first job was as a substitute pianist and association with vaudeville, she adopted the name of Havana, Cuba, for two recitals. Musical America to the other the honor of taking a solo recall.’ singer in the Crystal Theater in Meriden in 1912. Rosa Ponselle. The young soprano spent the summer in described her programmes as ‘including arias by The new year was begun with Aida on 2nd January 8.111139 23 8.111139 4 8.111139 111139 bk Ponselle2 1/15/07 11:59 AM Page 2

Rosa Ponselle (1897-1981) Pine Orchard, Connecticut, where she prepared her Ponchielli and Rossini, and songs by Paisiello, 1925, followed in rapid succession by Sélika and using this ‘new’ process. Only one of the items recorded American Recordings 1923-1929, Vol. 2 rôles under the guidance of the conductor and composer Schumann, Fourdain, Strauss, Ganz Alvarez and Gioconda. Two arias from the latter rôles, In grembo a at this first session - The Little Old Garden (also known Romano Romani. others’. Less than two weeks later, on 5th December me from L’Africana and Suicidio from La Gioconda, as Sanctuary) by John Hewett - achieved publication While visiting Lily Pons at her Dallas home in Following her engagement there, the customers of the Ponselle’s historic début in Forza alongside Caruso 1923, Ponselle was in Camden, New Jersey, to make were recorded for Victor on 14th January, and are and that occurred more than twenty years after the early May 1962, I asked if she were planning to attend rival Star Theater in Meriden began to dwindle because took place on 15th November 1918. A review in The her first records for the Victor Company. (The soprano surely among Ponselle’s loveliest and best record was made. At the session the following day, the Met performance of La forza del destino later that they preferred to hear Rosa singing at the Crystal New York Times the following day is headlined: Rosa always ‘blamed’ her manager William Thorner for performances on disc. In April she again joined the Met however, she successfully recorded the two songs week. The diva’s large brown eyes grew wide, and she Theater. As a result, Richard Halliwell, the owner of the Poncelli [sic] Captivates - Young Soprano Debutante having her initially sign with Columbia rather than the on tour, singing favourite rôles in both Atlanta and which made up her first electric double-sided answered an immediate, emphatic ‘No!’ ‘Why should I Star Theater, approached her and offered to double her Displays a Sweet Voice of Natural Beauty - Caruso more prestigious Victor label, but it is probable that Cleveland. ‘Coupling’ - Carry Me Back to Old Virginny and My go to Forza?’, she inquired. ‘I heard Rosa Ponselle as salary if she would sing in his three theatres. In one of Sings Gloriously.’In the heart of the review the Romani, who was a conductor for Columbia, was also On 11th March 1925 the Victor Company officially Old Kentucky Home. Leonora!’ these, the San Carlino in New Haven, Rosa sang distinguished critic James Gibbons Huneker wrote: involved in the decision. Ponselle’s last recordings for dedicated its newly equipped studio for electrical Lily Pons’s admiration for Ponselle’s voice and popular songs of the day for Yale students as well as ‘Added to her personal attractiveness, she possesses a Columbia on 11th and 14th January 1924 - a month recordings. Less than three months later, on 1st June, artistry has been echoed many times by other singers Italian songs, accompanied by an orchestra which voice of natural beauty that may prove a gold mine; it is after her first Victors - were to fulfil her contractual Ponselle was in the studio to make her first recordings © Bill Park and musicians, and this great popularity continues performed Rosa’s own instrumental arrangements. vocal gold, anyhow, with its luscious lower and middle obligations to Columbia for a specific number of titles.) today through the amazing phonographic legacy she James Ceriani heard her at the San Carlino and soon tones, dark, rich and ductile.’ A second journey to Victor for more recordings was left. Ponselle’s records reveal a voice of richness and hired her to perform in his Café Mellone. He compared In her next rôle as Santuzza with the Met in made on 11th December 1923, and less than a week power, a dark, exciting colour so unmistakable, her voice to that of Emmy Destinn, and took Rosa to Philadelphia, the Bulletin reported: ‘The new soprano later she made her first seasonal appearance at the Met combined with a formidable coloratura technique. Yet her first Met opera performance - Tosca with Caruso has a “presence” and an aptitude for operatic as Maddalena in an Andrea Chenier which included Ida Cook, the author of We Followed Our Stars, who and Farrar. On the same trip to New York she had an interpretation that at once is apparent. Best of all, Gigli, Ruffo and Tibbett (Ponselle had, in fact, heard her in person, wrote: ‘Occasionally on record one audition with Gene Hughes to become part of a ‘sister however, she disclosed a voice of splendid capabilities, auditioned Tibbett at the request of Frank La Forge catches a breath of the magic that was Ponselle - act’ with Carmela in vaudeville. Rosa sang ‘Kiss Me of fine range, volume and beauty, a pure dramatic when she visited Hollywood for the first time in May particularly the Vestale record, the final Trio from Again’ from Mlle Modiste and got the job. soprano, of a full, rich and even quality.’ Of her Rezia in earlier that year). Forza, the finale of Aida and the rare Africana record. I Rosa’s début in vaudeville (with Carmela as ‘the Oberon on 28th December 1918 The New York Times She added Leonora in Il trovatore to her Met remember distinctly that when we could hear her in Ponzillo Sisters’) took place at the Star Theater in the mentions ‘her dramatic temperament, musical repertoire on 19th April 1924, and concluded the season person, my sister and I put away our Ponselle records Bronx in September 1916. Two years later they were intelligence, with her beautiful natural voice and its in the same rôle in Cleveland on 3rd May before sailing because they were such a pale shadow of the real thing.’ featured at the Keith Riverside, and on 29th October remarkable range from a rich, velvety contralto to a for the first time to Europe three weeks later. Her But those remarkable discs continue to win new 1917 they gave their first performance at the prestigious vibrating, silvery soprano ... Her scale is seamless, so priorities for the trip were ‘clothes, study and generations of fans who take on faith ‘the dramatic gift Palace. Billed as ‘Two fascinating Italian girls with equal are her tones from top to bottom.’ amusement’. In Viareggio she met Puccini and sang of almost equal intensity [to her extraordinary vocal Grand Opera voices’, they gave a total of twelve With each new season Ponselle’s artistic growth Vissi d’arte for him. power] and stage presence’ described by Cook. performances. Appearances at other theatres followed, continued. In 1919 she appeared as Carmelita in In the Met’s 1924-25 season Ponselle first appeared Rosa Ponselle was born Rosa Ponzillo on 22nd and their last known vaudeville performance took place The Legend and Rachel in La juive opposite Caruso. in a 29th November matinée as Maddalena. On 7th January 1897 in Meriden, Connecticut, the third child at the Colonial on 13th April 1918 (interestingly, by Huneker stated that ‘there are only two beautiful voices December she participated in the company’s Puccini of first-generation Italian immigrants, Bernardo and this time their billing had changed from ‘the Ponzillo in the Metropolitan Opera Company and Rosa Memorial Concert singing Un bel dì. Twelve days later Maddalena Conti Ponzillo. Rosa’s sister Carmela was Sisters’ to ‘Rosa and Carmela Ponzillo’). Ponselle’s is the other one’ (the other, of course, being she appeared in the title rôle of La Gioconda. The New born in June 1887, and her brother Antonio in June As a result of Rosa’s meeting with Caruso and the Caruso’s). Aida and Elisabetta (Don Carlos) followed York Times wrote: ‘Miss Ponselle, as her admirers 1890. (In a 1977 interview, however, ‘Tony’ insisted now famous three auditions for the Met, she signed a in 1920; Maddalena (Andrea Chenier) and Elvira expected, found the melodrama’s title rôle suited to her that the age difference between the two sisters was six, contract on 4th June 1918 to sing the rôles of Aida, (Ernani) in 1921; Margared (Le roi d’Ys) in 1922; and rich voice and temperament that is this young American not ten, years.) Each of the children studied the piano Leonora (in both Trovatore and Forza), Santuzza, Mathilde, (Guillaume Tell) and Sélika (L’Africana) in star’s heritage. She was greatly applauded, bringing with a local teacher, Anna Ryan, but Rosa never studied Rezia and the soprano part in Verdi’s Requiem at the 1922. down the house when soprano and tenor before the voice formally. Met. On the advice of Gatti-Casazza, to avoid her In late November 1923 Ponselle appeared in curtains played a game of tag to see which would leave Rosa’s first job was as a substitute pianist and association with vaudeville, she adopted the name of Havana, Cuba, for two recitals. Musical America to the other the honor of taking a solo recall.’ singer in the Crystal Theater in Meriden in 1912. Rosa Ponselle. The young soprano spent the summer in described her programmes as ‘including arias by The new year was begun with Aida on 2nd January 8.111139 23 8.111139 4 8.111139 111139 bk Ponselle2 1/15/07 11:59 AM Page 5

TOSTI: MEYERBEER: L’Africana [L’Africaine]: DI CHIARA: Tracks 6 & 7: with Frances Lapitino, harp 8.111139 1 Good-bye 3:53 ! In grembo a me [Sur mes genoux] 3:40 ¡ La Spagnola 2:42 Tracks 12-22: with orchestra conducted by 11th April 1924; C 29876-1 14th January 1925; C 31710-2 5th June 1925; BVE 32873-2 (HMV VA 69) Josef Pasternack GREAT SINGERS • PONSELLE ADD (unpublished on 78 rpm) (unpublished on 78 rpm) All other tracks with orchestra conducted by SILBERTA: Rosario Bourdon TOSTI: HEWETT: ™ Beloved 2:51 Tracks 1-3, 6-7, 12-22: sung in English 2 Good-bye 3:56 @ The Little Old Garden 2:28 5th June 1925; BVE 32852-5 (HMV VA 67) Tracks 4, 8-11: sung in Italian 11th April 1924; C 29876-2 (Victor 6453 A) 1st June 1925; BVE 32850-2 (HMV VA 67) Track 5: sung in Neapolitan dialect Rosa MONRO-HIGGINS: BLAND: 3 My lovely Celia 2:46 # Carry Me Back to Old Virginny 4:10 11th April 1924; B 29877-2 (Victor 1057 B) with male vocal quartet PONSELLE 2nd June 1925; CVE 32856-3 (Victor 6509 A) DE CURTIS: 4 Carmè 3:09 FOSTER: Also available: 11th April 1924; B 29878-2 (Victor 1013 B) $ My Old Kentucky Home 4:08 American Recordings with male vocal quartet DI CAPUA: 2nd June 1925; CVE 32857-1 (Victor 6509 B) 5 Maria, Mari! 3:36 1923-1929, Volume 2 11th April 1924; B 29411-4 (Victor 1013 A) BISHOP: % Home, Sweet Home 3:58 TOSTI: 3rd June 1925; CVE 32866-2 (HMV VB 74) 6 Serenade 4:05 12th April 1924; C 29879-1 (Victor 6453 B) BLAND: ^ A Perfect Day 3:07 TOSTI: 3rd June 1925; BVE 32867-1 (Victor 1098 B) SUICIDIO! 7 Serenade 4:08 12th April 1924; C 29879-3 FOSTER: (unpublished on 78rpm) & Old Folks at Home 4:01 IN GREMBO A ME 4th June 1925; CVE 32865-3 (IRCC 126) PONCHIELLI: La Gioconda: GOOD-BYE 8 Suicidio! 4:16 FOSTER: 14th January 1925; C 31709-1 (Victor 6496 A) * Old Folks at Home 4:03 MARIA, MARI! 4th June 1925; CVE 32865-4 (HMV DB 872) PONCHIELLI: La Gioconda: HOME, SWEET HOME 9 Suicidio! 4:14 DUPONT: 14th January 1925; C 31709-2 ( La Rosita 3:04 8.111138 (unpublished on 78 rpm) 4th June 1925; BVE 32851-5 (HMV VA 69) THE LITTLE OLD GARDEN

MEYERBEER: L’Africana [L’Africaine]: NEVIN: MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME 0 In grembo a me [Sur mes genoux] 3:34 ) The Rosary 2:35 14th January 1925; C 31710-1 (Victor 6496 B) 5th June 1925; BVE 32864-7 (Victor 1098 A) New restorations by Ward Marston 8.111139 5 6 8.111139 111139 bk Ponselle2 1/15/07 11:59 AM Page 5

TOSTI: MEYERBEER: L’Africana [L’Africaine]: DI CHIARA: Tracks 6 & 7: with Frances Lapitino, harp 8.111139 1 Good-bye 3:53 ! In grembo a me [Sur mes genoux] 3:40 ¡ La Spagnola 2:42 Tracks 12-22: with orchestra conducted by 11th April 1924; C 29876-1 14th January 1925; C 31710-2 5th June 1925; BVE 32873-2 (HMV VA 69) Josef Pasternack GREAT SINGERS • PONSELLE ADD (unpublished on 78 rpm) (unpublished on 78 rpm) All other tracks with orchestra conducted by SILBERTA: Rosario Bourdon TOSTI: HEWETT: ™ Beloved 2:51 Tracks 1-3, 6-7, 12-22: sung in English 2 Good-bye 3:56 @ The Little Old Garden 2:28 5th June 1925; BVE 32852-5 (HMV VA 67) Tracks 4, 8-11: sung in Italian 11th April 1924; C 29876-2 (Victor 6453 A) 1st June 1925; BVE 32850-2 (HMV VA 67) Track 5: sung in Neapolitan dialect Rosa MONRO-HIGGINS: BLAND: 3 My lovely Celia 2:46 # Carry Me Back to Old Virginny 4:10 11th April 1924; B 29877-2 (Victor 1057 B) with male vocal quartet PONSELLE 2nd June 1925; CVE 32856-3 (Victor 6509 A) DE CURTIS: 4 Carmè 3:09 FOSTER: Also available: 11th April 1924; B 29878-2 (Victor 1013 B) $ My Old Kentucky Home 4:08 American Recordings with male vocal quartet DI CAPUA: 2nd June 1925; CVE 32857-1 (Victor 6509 B) 5 Maria, Mari! 3:36 1923-1929, Volume 2 11th April 1924; B 29411-4 (Victor 1013 A) BISHOP: % Home, Sweet Home 3:58 TOSTI: 3rd June 1925; CVE 32866-2 (HMV VB 74) 6 Serenade 4:05 12th April 1924; C 29879-1 (Victor 6453 B) BLAND: ^ A Perfect Day 3:07 TOSTI: 3rd June 1925; BVE 32867-1 (Victor 1098 B) SUICIDIO! 7 Serenade 4:08 12th April 1924; C 29879-3 FOSTER: (unpublished on 78rpm) & Old Folks at Home 4:01 IN GREMBO A ME 4th June 1925; CVE 32865-3 (IRCC 126) PONCHIELLI: La Gioconda: GOOD-BYE 8 Suicidio! 4:16 FOSTER: 14th January 1925; C 31709-1 (Victor 6496 A) * Old Folks at Home 4:03 MARIA, MARI! 4th June 1925; CVE 32865-4 (HMV DB 872) PONCHIELLI: La Gioconda: HOME, SWEET HOME 9 Suicidio! 4:14 DUPONT: 14th January 1925; C 31709-2 ( La Rosita 3:04 8.111138 (unpublished on 78 rpm) 4th June 1925; BVE 32851-5 (HMV VA 69) THE LITTLE OLD GARDEN

MEYERBEER: L’Africana [L’Africaine]: NEVIN: MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME 0 In grembo a me [Sur mes genoux] 3:34 ) The Rosary 2:35 14th January 1925; C 31710-1 (Victor 6496 B) 5th June 1925; BVE 32864-7 (Victor 1098 A) New restorations by Ward Marston 8.111139 5 6 8.111139 K Y M C

NAXOS Historical PONSELLE: American Recordings, Vol. 2 8.111139 , , In My Old The Little Time 78:23 L’Africaine Playing Playing La Gioconda La forza del and , made on the 1st from from Carry Me Back to from from , opposite Caruso in 1918. Suicidio! and of heras well as three first electrical recordings, Old Garden Old Virginny Kentucky Home and 2nd June, 1925. Described by as Callas by Maria Described singer‘the greatest us all’, the of Rosa Ponselle American-born is acknowledged as (1897-1981) dramatic one of the outstanding of the twentieth any previous Without century. the operatic stage, experience of hershe made Metropolitan Verdi’s début in destino Following her enormous success, she became the Metropolitan’s in leading soprano, appearing her twenty-one rôles throughout This second disc of career. American 1923-1929 Ponselle’s two of her features recordings loveliest performances grembo a me Suicidio! Suicidio! * Rosa Ponselle (1897-1981) Ponselle Rosa American Recordings 1923-1929, Vol. 2 Vol. 1923-1929, Recordings American My lovely Celia La Spagnola Carmè Beloved Maria, Mari! The Little Old Garden La Rosita My Old Kentucky Home Old Folks at Home Old Folks at Home Home, Sweet Home Carry Me Back to Old Virginny Carry Me Back to Old A Perfect Day The Rosary Good-bye * Good-bye Good-bye Serenade * Serenade ADD 8.111139 NEVIN: DI CHIARA: SILBERTA: HEWETT: BLAND: FOSTER: BISHOP: BLAND: FOSTER: FOSTER: DUPONT: DI CAPUA: DI CAPUA: TOSTI: TOSTI: La Gioconda: PONCHIELLI: PONCHIELLI: La Gioconda: [L’Africaine]: MEYERBEER: L’Africana a me [SurIn grembo mes genoux] [L’Africaine]: MEYERBEER: L’Africana a me [SurIn grembo * mes genoux] TOSTI: TOSTI: TOSTI: MONRO-HIGGINS: DE CURTIS: * on 78rpm unpublished alternative takes previously www.naxos.com Producer and Audio Restoration Engineer: Ward Marston Audio Restoration Engineer: Ward Producer and Lack, Bill Park Special thanks to Elayne Duke, Lawrence Holdridge, Peter and David Terry A the booklet complete track list can be found in 1925 (Private Collection) York Cover image: Rosa Ponselle, New ) ¡ ™ @ # $ % ^ & * ( 5 6 7 8 9 0 ! 1 2 3 4

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PONSELLE: American Recordings, Vol. 2 2 Vol. Recordings, American PONSELLE: 8.111139 NAXOS Historical NAXOS