Tribute to Edita .

Today is World Opera Day Celebration. I could not write a word all those days.

On Oct the 19th I discovered the sad news through Charles Castronovo's instagram and I cried...as it reminded me those ends of recitals and concerts I attended when I travelled for Edita.(I could have hugged this sweet tenor I also acclaimed several times in Paris, Toulouse, Baden Baden). Edita Gruberova passed on the 18th. Her life was spent on stage all over the world. Why was she so unfortunate to leave us so soon after she officially retired from opera stages ? My belief is she was a real workaholic from chidhood when she tackled music and singing. She was immensely talented, funny, utterly moving generous and sincere; She could never leave the stage if last enthusiastic fans were still cheering ! She gave endless encores with so much fun, energy, even after long Mozart recitals like she did in Paris (Pleyel Jan 2014) when she sang the acrobatic "Marten aller Arten" twice (opening and ending..) I have never witnessed thunder of applause like I did in Munich, Paris, Nice, ever since...She was special, energetic, dedicated to music and her voice and passionate. She did not have my favourite Mezzo -soprano" cello" voce but as she was in her own style a terrific belcantist and sang the three Donizetti's regina, I loved her a lot and admired her live as often as I managed to get tickets at the Staastoper and Paris. In Nice I attended the two concert versions of "Norma" without any ticket problem and enjoyed the atmosphere of "fête" from her fans until the last minute ! Today, world Opera Day, I have the feeling she has not left us: she will always be with us on line,( she has lots of admirers and uploaders on youtube). Here are my contributions on this blog with my photos and short videos ( not good quality but showing her generous and sincere self on stage). The best photo comes from an old good friend of mine Arnaud Kientz. Song for a Dream and a laugh! Edita ! "On vous aime" ! Coline opera in Nice Summer gap

I wish I had attended melodies and lied recitals ... what is recorded is so fine, so heart warming...like this upload which is heartbreaking now and so thoughtful too (Thanks to Charles Castronovo for his photo from instagram-screenshot, Arnaud,MonogramistaML for the Gypsie melody Dvorak ). Of course in my treasure-box there is the Gruberova/Kasarova CD which is a wonder...

My life for ever on line :Rachmaninov Ne poi krasavitsa - Edita Gruberova, toujours un coup de coeur, Dmitri Hvorostovsky for ever ...

 

Difficult not to feel tears arousing along this rendition...  Yearning, either it is for Georgia,  is a deep feeling invading every one without warning... it can be persistant and clear or completely diffused in a landscape, the scent of a flower, some old photos suddenly coming out of an overflowing drawer full of broken bits and pieces of life... only music, tunes, songs, melodies and the voice can express this feeling  almost completely. And let's also listen to this one, overwhelming and deeply heartbreaking rendition , Dmitri Hvorostovsky was so young,  (1990 concert, a year after  the Cardiff competition) it seems so long ago and yet in this Autumn 21 (where  nostalgia is in the air),  so near.