# Ponselle vs Muzio: Love or Rivalry?



## Tuoksu (Sep 3, 2015)

I think we've never talked about Ponselle's impersonation of Claudia Muzio. I don't know much about these two's relationship. Claudia was older and died when Ponselle was at her prime, so I'm assuming it could be a form of tribute and that Rosa somehow looked up to La Divina (before Callas, they called her that because she reminded them of Eleonora Duse.) But you can't help but feel that there is somehow a mocking tone underneath it, and Rosa doesn't strike me as the most humble of sopranos.

What do you think?


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

I think you had to have been there to really know! (I've known about this recording for some time.)

It's been said that for a parody to be effective you have to have some affection for the material you are parodying. I'm not sure how true that is, but the actual imitation here (is there not a longer version?) doesn't seem to be mocking to me.

N.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

*************** THE BORROWED GIFT ******************
An original, non-fiction story by Gene Prevost
(c) 2001 - J. Eugene Prevost
All world rights reserved.
Compared with the informality of current religious ceremonies, a surprise event on Christmas Eve in 1949 makes it seem like ages ago. The Catholic Church in Pikesville, Maryland was imposing with its stained glass windows and marble statues. The night was dark and snowy in its holiday vigil.
I was no longer an altar boy, just a young son accompanying his parents to Midnight Mass. Something caught my eye as I trudged through the slippery parking lot to the church door. A long black limousine was curbside with a chauffeur assisting two older women from the vehicle. Clothed in street length mink coats, they slowly entered the church behind me. Years ago, a car that big and coats that luxurious were a rarity. This sight was a”HOLY MACKEREL - WHO IN THE WORLD IS THAT” experience for all of us who witnessed it.
The High Mass was sung in Latin as the congregation read their English missals. The priests wore their finest ornate vestments. Smoky incense and blazing candles highlighted the choir as an occasional Christmas hymn was sung. Then a soprano;s voice, never heard before in this church, began to sing the Ave Maria. It had such vocal beauty, huge and rich, and totally different from any soprano who had sung before. Who could it be? Her voice had such volume and clarity with a magnificent tone. As the hymn proceeded, I glanced back at the elevated choir loft. In the center, with hands folded as she sang, was the former Metropolitan Opera diva - Rosa Ponselle. In the 1920's her voice had been entwined with that of the great Italian tenor Enrico Caruso. Her career lasted until 1937, the year I was born. Early retirement for opera singers probably was customary then.
The Mass proceeded past the Consecration. Reaching the Agnus Dei, a vocal duet began. The sound of Panis Angelicus surrounded us in perfect harmony, sung by two trained voices matched by birth. Rosa's soprano was joined with the contralto of her sister, Carmella. The vocal combination was electrifying.
Having been raised in a musical family, Saturday radio broadcasts from the Metropolitan Opera in New York were regularly heard in our home. However, that Christmas Eve night, a box radio wasn't enclosing the sounds we heard. These voices were live and in person, reverberating off every nook of the sanctuary. When the Mass ended, we scurried home with chills, not from the winter's night, but from the surprise musical gift these sisters shared with us. 
The true identity of the mysterious singers spread quickly the following week throughout the area. Choir members told of the surprise arrival - the two women appearing in the choir loft and handing the music to the organist. She agreed to play when asked. Rosa Ponselle lived in retirement at her Worthington Valley, Maryland residence. It was called 'Villa Pace.' Rosa gave voice lessons to the truly gifted. The fledgling Baltimore Opera Company benefited from her assistance. 
During the weeks that followed, soprano voices at Sunday Mass were critiqued by those in attendance. They wondered, "Had Rosa made another surprise visit?" Sadly, she had not. But the word was out. Christmas 1950 would come soon enough. Rosa Ponselle might attend another Midnight Mass.
That next Christmas Eve, Rosa arrived at the church alone. The commotion caused by the congregation during the service distracted both the Mass and the choir. Many had come only to hear her voice. They turned and stared, causing quite an upset. Later, the conservative Pastor was forced to take matters into his hands. After the holidays, he phoned Rosa, asking that she not sing at his church anymore. He blamed the disruption. Also, there were choir members who felt slighted having to omit their well rehearsed hymns. His reasoning seems like rough treatment now. Back then, there was no way a divorced, non-church member was going to monopolize Midnight Mass - not even the famous Rosa Ponselle. She had the God given gift of an angel's voice and must have wanted to share it with us. It was her way of giving a Christmas Gift to the congregation. Circumstances did not allow her to do so.
Old RCA recordings of her voice don't do it justice. The limited technical ability then couldn't capture its heavenly beauty. But its true sound at our church exists in my memory. I was lucky to have attended Christmas Midnight Mass at that little country church in the late 1940's. Scripture says that - ears have not heard nor eyes seen the beauty and joy of Heaven. That may be true, but we came close on those two Christmas Eve nights.
Some years later, Rosa took her vocal gift back to the Divine Giver. Now she freely entertains Him surrounded by a Heavenly Choir. Surely they welcome her as a member. 
Requiescat in 'Villa Pace' en coeli, Madama Rosa. Rest peacefully in your Heavenly Home.


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## Tuoksu (Sep 3, 2015)

nina foresti said:


> *************** THE BORROWED GIFT ******************
> An original, non-fiction story by Gene Prevost
> (c) 2001 - J. Eugene Prevost
> All world rights reserved.
> ...


WOW what a story! Thanks for sharing, albeit somehow unrelated to the thread.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

Tuoksu said:


> I don't know much about these two's relationship. Claudia was older and died when Ponselle was at her prime, ]


Not quite. Muzio died in 1936; Ponselle retired in 1937, and the latter's prime was really a decade earlier.


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## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

It reminds me, albeit on a very different level, of Ariana Grande's impersonations of Celine Dion, Britney Spears, and Whitney Houston. Done with a sense of fun, but also in loving tribute.

At any rate, plenty of sopranos would be happy to sound like Ponselle's "parody" of Muzio.


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## silentio (Nov 10, 2014)

I can't see how two divas who shared a significant portion of their repertoires could be without some sort of rivalry between them, regardless of their personalities. Not to mention that Muzio was somehow overshadowed at the MET by Ponselle (and even more so by Rethberg and Jeritza). Muzio, however, was _the _prima donna at Chicago Lyric Opera.

I am not aware if Muzio ever voiced any opinions about Ponselle (so far there was no decent biography of her), but Ponselle praised Muzio on several occasions:

_"But in these two roles [Magdalena in Andrea Chenier and Aida] I just don't think Muzio could be topped"_

_"… on stage, she was not Claudia Muzio singing La Traviata. She was Violetta Valéry falling in love and dying before our eyes… She was the best actress-singer of all times."_

Frida Leider, who overlapped with Muzio for some seasons at Chicago, was also deeply impressed. She recalled:

_"La Traviata was one of her most famous roles, and in it, she made full use of her magnificent appearance. At first, she was the very beautiful great lady, then she changed slowly as the tragedy developed. I never heard the last act so poignantly performed as it was by Claudia Muzio. She was Dumas' Dame aux Camelias to the life."_

The "impersonation" Ponselle doing was to recall that Muzio couldn't trill, often covered the sound extensively, and she had that unique teary voice that is hard to imitate. Sound to me, she was having fun, not mocking at all.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

silentio said:


> I can't see how two divas who shared a significant portion of their repertoires could be without some sort of rivalry between them, regardless of their personalities.


I think that most rivalries between singers are manufactured by fans and third-rate critics.


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

Actually, there is a nice biography of Ms. Muzio, if a rather short one, written by the Argentinian music critic Eduardo Arnosi. The title is "Claudia Muzio: La única". Of course, it's in Spanish, and was intended to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Muzio's death. The parents of Mr. Arnosi were great fans of the singer, that was adored in Buenos Aires.










Claudia Muzio and Rosa Ponselle are, with Maria Callas, my three favorite singers.

In the excellent biography of Ms. Ponselle written some years back by James A. Drake, we are informed that both singers were mutual admirers and were quite friendly with one another. To Ponselle, Muzio was a wonderful Giorgetta and the greatest of all Maddalenas, for instance. She was critical of Muzio's way of producing her tones, however, that was indeed rather peculiar (though the results were fantastic).


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## Tuoksu (Sep 3, 2015)

wkasimer said:


> Not quite. Muzio died in 1936; Ponselle retired in 1937, and the latter's prime was really a decade earlier.


I rather meant vocal prime, but you're right.


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## Tuoksu (Sep 3, 2015)

amfortas said:


> It reminds me, albeit on a very different level, of Ariana Grande's impersonations of Celine Dion, Britney Spears, and Whitney Houston. Done with a sense of fun, but also in loving tribute.
> 
> At any rate, plenty of sopranos would be happy to sound like Ponselle's "parody" of Muzio.


Marilyn Horne does a rather bad impression of Ponselle for a living :lol:


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## Tuoksu (Sep 3, 2015)

wkasimer said:


> I think that most rivalries between singers are manufactured by fans and third-rate critics.


I think the divas back in the day were pretty petty and not as subtle as they are today. I'm still baffled by the Milanov/Nilsson Rolls royce incident. 
If you read or listen to the interviews of these singers (especially the tenors) you'll notice a huge sense of ego. These singers had oversized larger than life sense of self and it makes sense to be easily threatened by any competition.


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## silentio (Nov 10, 2014)

Tuoksu said:


> I think the divas back in the day were pretty petty and not as subtle as they are today. I'm still baffled by the Milanov/Nilsson Rolls royce incident.
> If you read or listen to the interviews of these singers (especially the tenors) you'll notice a huge sense of ego. These singers had oversized larger than life sense of self and it makes sense to be easily threatened by any competition.


Exactly. Milanov/Nilsson incident is still nothing compared to Melba's and Tetrazzini's feud .


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

amfortas said:


> It reminds me, albeit on a very different level, of Ariana Grande's impersonations of Celine Dion, Britney Spears, and Whitney Houston. Done with a sense of fun, but also in loving tribute.
> 
> At any rate, plenty of sopranos would be happy to sound like Ponselle's "parody" of Muzio.


You hear of impersonators doing their takes on pop singers. This is the only instance I have heard of someone impersonating another opera singer.


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## Tuoksu (Sep 3, 2015)

silentio said:


> Exactly. Milanov/Nilsson incident is still nothing compared to Melba's and Tetrazzini's feud .


Do tell, please. (This thread was meant for gossip indulgence anyway, so don't judge me:angel: )


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