March 6 - Mary Wilson; Gina Cigna (The Musical Birthday Series, 8th Annual Cycle)

Previous March 6th entries can be found here: Oscar Straus (2019), Norman Treigle (2020), H. C. Robbins Landon (2021), Sarah Caldwell; Julius Rudel; Oscar Straus (2022), Stephen Schwartz (2023), Yannick Nézet-Séguin (2024), and Bob Wills (2025)

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Mary Wilson (6 March 1944 –8 February 2021) was an American singer. She gained worldwide recognition as a founding member of the Supremes. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once a Supreme…

Mary Wilson spent her career

   Rekindling early dreams,

And ever after she'd appear

   As one of The Supremes.

 

 

 

♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪ 

Gina Cigna (6 February 1900 – 26 June 2001) was a French-Italian dramatic soprano. 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two Limericks on the Same Rhyme Sounds for Cigna

 

Gina Cigna, who has died aged 101, was a prima donna of the old school, grand in manner. -- The Guardian obit

 

1.

In an era when opera was grand,

And acting could never be bland,

The public was wowed

By a voice that was loud,

And Cigna could swamp any band.

2.

From critics who heard her first hand

We know her theatrical brand.

And we know, when she bowed,

She had stirred up the crowd,

And anything subtle, be damned!

 

 

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January 22 - Stefano Pavesi (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for January 22nd are here: Rosa Ponselle (2020), Leon Jessel (2021), George Balanchine; Vincenzo Righini (2022), Vincenzo Righini; Charles Tournemire (2023), Stefano Pavesi (2024), and Charles Tournemire (2025)

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Stefano Pavesi (22 January 1779 – 28 July 1850) was a prolific Italian opera composer. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Grass Withers and the Flower Fades.

Pavesi wrote sixty-six operas. – adapted and translated from Italian Wikipedia

Consider the life of Pavesi!

In opera's halcyon days he

Had fame for a while

In the bel canto style,

But it wilted away like a daisy.

 

 

 

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January 14 - Jean de Reszke (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for January 14th are here: Franchinus Gaffurius (2020), Ludwig von Köchel (2021), Jack Jones (2022), François Joseph Dizi (2023), Russ Columbo (2024), and Ludwig von Köchel (2025)

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Jean de Reszke (14 January 1850 – 3 April 1925) was a Polish dramatic tenor and opera star.  

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lighting Up

Jacob Millhoff, a Russian cigarette manufacturer and fan who settled in London, developed a tobacco that supposedly would not damage his voice. Out of gratitude, Reszke allowed for them to be marketed under his name. – Wikipedia

I know that it seems like a joke,

But de Reszke enjoyed a good smoke;

And though it seems whacko,

He endorsed that tobacco

To other Victorian folk.

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January 3 - Petro Metastasio (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for January 3rd are here: Victor Borge; Henriette Sontag (2020), Victor Borge (2021), Stephen Stills (2022), Victor Borge (2023), Victor Borge (2024), and Victor Borge (2025)

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Pietro Metastasio (3 January 1698 – 12 April 1782) was an Italian poet and librettist, considered the most important writer of opera seria libretti.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seria Business

Metastasio said of his verse

As the singers began to rehearse,

"The public is smitten

With da capos I've written,

Which is good for my penniless purse!"

 

 

 

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May 12 - Jules Massanet (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for May 12th may be found here: Jules Massenet; Gabriel Fauré (2019), Burt Bacharach (2020), Johann Baptist Wanhal (2021), Jules Massenet (2022), Jules Massanet (2023)

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Jules Massenet (12 May 1842 – 13 August 1912) was a French composer best known for his thirty plus operas, especially Manon and Werther.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joyeux Noël

After he dies, Charlotte faints. Outside children are heard singing the Christmas carol.  -- Wikipedia, s.v. "Werther"

It's a very sad end to the play,

In Werther by Jules Massanet,

When Werther is dead,

Having suffered and bled

In a very un-Christmassy way.

 

 

If you enjoy these posts, please help me, and consider sharing.  [Also, please visit my other blog: Alternate Takes: Great Art Repurposed.]