Oberon's Grove

ANDREA CHENIER ~ Final Duet

So thrilled to have found this souvenir of one of my favorite sopranos, Gilda Cruz-Romo, singing Maddalena in the final duet from Giordano's ANDREA CHENIER. Tenor Ermanno Mauro is the poet Chenier in this performance from Tulsa 1981. I simply love the vast wave of applause that sweeps over the house after "Viva la morte insiem!"

I met and befriended Gilda at the time of her New York City Opera debut in 1969. I saw her many times at both NYC Opera and The Met. We stayed in touch after she retired and settled in San Antonio, Texas. I shall never forget her great kindness to me.

I Never Dreamed

Joan Baez ~ I Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer

Jean Kraft Has Passed Away

Above: Jean Kraft as Emilia in OTELLO

Jean Kraft, a unique singing-actress of the highest calibre, has passed away at the age of 94. She made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 1970 as Flora Bervoix in TRAVIATA and went on to give nearly 800 performances with the Company at Lincoln Center and on tour.

Slender of form, and with a face that could register the slightest nuances of emotion with uncanny clarity, Ms. Kraft excelled in every role she took on. I saw her countless times during her Met career, and she never failed to lure my eye...and ear. 

She was a fascinatingly stoic/vulnerable Mamma Lucia in CAVALLERIA (above with Placido Domingo), an uptight Emilia under her husband's evil thumb in OTELLO, a regal Hecuba in the Met premiere of TROYENS, an aristocrat striving to keep her composure as the Comtesse in CHENIER, the struggling, poverty-stricken Gertrude in HANSEL & GRETEL, the gracious Madame Larina in EUGENE ONEGIN, the arthritic Mother Jeanne managing her walk to the guillotine in DIALOGUES DES CARMELITES.

Jean Kraft was the Borough's busybody/drug addict Mrs. Sedley in PETER GRIMES (above), Berta in BARRBIERE, Marthe in FAUST, Duchess Federica in LUISA MILLER, Marcellina in NOZZE DI FIGARO, the Duchesse in FILLE DU REGIMENT, Dryade in ARIADNE AUF NAXOS, a stalwart Rossweisse in WALKURE, Annina in ROSENKAVALIER, Suzuki in BUTTERFLY, and - a couple of times - Ulrica in BALLO IN MASCHERA. She gave her last Met performance as Madama Larina on April 5th, 1989.

Here is a brief audio excerpt of Ms. Kraft as Mamma Lucia with Reneta Scotto as Santuzza, from the commercial recording:

Renata Scotto & Jean Kraft - Cavalleria Rusticana ~ scene

And it's so wonderful to have this thrilling souvenir of Jean Kraft performing the trio from HOFFMANN with Catherine Malfitano and James Morris at the 1984 Gala of Stars, conducted by James Levine. Watch and listen here.

Here is an incredible audio-only document of Ms. Kraft's 1969 Town Hall debut recital, accompanied by David Garvey. Listen here.

And here is a fascinating interview that she gave Bruce Duffie: LINK

Rest peacefully, dear Ms. Kraft. You are unforgettable.

~ Oberon

Ponte Singers ~ Pilgrims' Chorus

The Ponte Singers and Orchestra perform the Pilgrims' Chorus from Wagner's TANNHAUSER at a 2013 concert given in Hong Kong. Stephen Lam Lik Hin is the conductor.

Watch and listen here.

Anna Tomowa-Sintow ~ Vissi d'arte

Anna Tomowa-Sintow sings the Vissi d'arte from Act II of Puccini's TOSCA, from Lisbon 1995.

Watch and listen here.