The passing of a legend - Vale Alberto Remedios - a personal tribute

On Sunday we awoke to the news that another legendary singer had passed away, English heldentenor Alberto Remedios.  A popular presence at English National Opera and on stages around the world including the Met during the 60's, 70's and 80's, Remedios made a name for himself as one of the great modern exponents of Wagner's Siegfried.

This was the role that ultimately made him famous, particularly having performed it for the now legendary ENO Ring Cycle from the early 70's conducted by Reginald Goodall.

This production saw him partnered with the likes of Rita Hunter and Norman Bailey and fortunately was recorded complete, the first complete Ring sung in English.  The slideshow above contains images from that production as well as from the Seattle Opera production of the late 70's.

I've had the great fortune of owning the LP of highlights from Gotterdammerung featuring Remedios, and Rita Hunter conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras and sung in German for more years than I can remember.  In fact, this was my first introduction into the vocal side of this incredible music and it's a disc I return to often, I even wrote a review of it here.

As a musical tribute to a great singer, here are two of my favourite choices, one from the above recording with Mackerras conducting, the other from the Goodall Ring Cycle, sung in English.

Choice one is definitely the joyous love duet from the Prologue of Gotterdammerung with Rita Hunter, the first recording I ever heard of Alberto Remedios.  Choice two being the final moments leading up to Siegfried's Tod from Act Three, scene 2 of Gotterdammerung, some of the saddest, most noble music ever written.  A fitting final tribute to a great man.

              

#AlbertoRemedios #Opera #Tribute #Wagner #Wagnerian #Heldentenor #RIP

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