Victoria de los Angeles (1923-2005)

Marcus is right: It's strange that Victoria de los Angeles's passing has gone without much recognition in our little bloggy world. As everyone has probably heard by now, she died this weekend in Barcelona at age 81. Here are some obits from Gramophone, the Times (UK) and the NY Times.

I'll revisit at work today the recording of Boheme she did with Jussi, together with the all-star Tribute to Gerald Moore* she participated in alongside (as Mr. Tommasini says) the "intellectually rigorous" Schwarzkopf and FiDi.

At the moment I'm playing an album of arias that was mostly recorded when she was 30, with a few tracks from her late 20s (aka A Young Person). Her Jewel Song is on right now—she was 26 when she sang this. Fuck. How humbling.

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* Speaking of which, it's worth getting a copy of Gerald Moore's The Unashamed Accompmanist released on Testament. Of course the main program is great, but the true gem is the previously unreleased bonus track of Victoria & Gerald doing Ich Grolle Nicht—with Gerald singing (audio).

Comments

[Marcus]

Do you have any recordings of her Zarzuela singing? Eqally wonderful!

[M. C-]

I don't think I do, but will take another look. Considering how much recorded for EMI, my collection is surprisingly limited! Thanks for the heads-up.