My story about soprano Maralin Niska continues to be the most-Googled of all my opera-related blog entries. Since I have many pictures of Maralin, I've decided to create a gallery.
Maralin in TRAVIATA with Luigi Alva.
As Violetta.
TRAVIATA portrait.
Countess Almaviva.
THE MAKROPOULOS AFFAIR with Harry Theyard.
Emilia Marty, Maralin's most famous role.
Emilia Marty at NYCO.
As Medea.
LA VOIX HUMAINE.
With Dutch baritone Jan Derksen in WOZZECK.
A favorite Maralin portrait.
In Carlisle Floyd's SUSANNAH with the Metropolitan Opera National Company.
Make-up...with mezzo Sylvia Friedrich.
With tenor Robert Bennett in BUTTERFLY (Met National Company).
As Butterfly with Julian Patrick as Sharpless (Met National Company).
With mezzo Ellen Berse in BUTTERFLY Act II (Met National Company).
With Rise Stevens, director of the Met National Company.
Backstage at NYC Opera.
Backstage at the Met after VESPRI.
After a performance as Emilia Marty at NYCO.
The radiant Maralin Niska.
With mezzo Betty Allen.
Bowing with Sherrill Milnes after Tanglewood OTELLO.
SUSANNAH at NYCO with Norman Treigle.
TOSCA at the Met with Ingvar Wixell as Scarpia.
As Tosca at NYCO: "Muori dannato!"
After a performance.
One of my favorite Niska photos, from the mid-70s when she was dividing her time between the Met and NYC Opera.
My Maralin Niska button!
Wow, an amazing collection of photos!
Posted by: DYB | September 15, 2008 at 12:23 AM
I have lots more, which I will add as I find time to scan them....
Posted by: Philip | September 15, 2008 at 07:09 AM
Philip:
The next time you contact Maralin, ask her if she remembers her starring role in the fantastic operetta, "The Three Twins", at San Pedro High School. I was one of the "twins". She sang beautifully then, and even at Dana Junior High in San Pedro. Unforgettable!
Bart
Posted by: Barton Tendick | February 03, 2009 at 02:30 AM
I was a super at the New York City Opera when Ms. Niska was performing Tosca, Susannah, and The Makropolous Affair. I was new to the opera world then, but I was mesmerized by her performances. She remains one of the best Toscas I ever saw (I was in the firing squad), and those cinematic images of her in Makropolous Affair are impossible to forget! Those were the days!
Posted by: Joseph Deep | December 17, 2010 at 09:04 PM
An audio of Maralin's "Vissi d'arte" has materialized:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydWD1T7QMiU
Joseph, thank you for the memory of sharing the stage with this great singer.
Posted by: Philip | December 18, 2010 at 11:17 AM