THE VOCAL RECORD COLLECTORS' SOCIETY

PRESENTS


CAN YOU BEAT AN ITALIAN AT HIS OWN GAME? - PART TWO


By
KEITH KURTZER AND DAVID WEINBERG



In early 2009, Keith Kurtzer and David Weinberg gave one of the liveliest programs we have had in a long time, since it was one that involved audience participation to an almost unprecedented degree. It proved so successful that they’ve decided to provide us with a second edition, and you had better be ready to participate again because without you it just doesn’t work! As in 2009, the program will consist of comparisons of about ten or eleven arias or duets, all from Italian opera, with one version to be sung by TIIs (Truly Indigenous Italians) and the other to be sung by N-IIs (Non-Italian Infidels, who will be coming from all over the map to challenge their seemingly more authoritative colleagues). And since just about everything that Keith and David play is from “live” performances, you can be assured of hearing a lot of things you haven’t heard before! The singers will not be identified, nor their nationalities mentioned, prior to both versions of a selection being heard, and then a vote will be taken indicating the audience’s preference in that particular selection. In this way, Keith and David will find the answer to the title of the evening’s program. It happens that in 2009 the Non-Italian Infidels won by a score of six to four. Can these interlopers triumph again, or will “authentic” tradition, style and training win the day and restore honor to the Italian contingent? Well, that’s all up to you, for only your vote(s) can answer that question!

Keith Kurtzer, who is the youngest member of our Board of Directors (which isn’t saying a hell of a lot!), really got going as an opera-lover and record collector about thirty years back, when he discovered THE RECORD OF SINGING on LP, and then made his biggest mistake to date by joining the VRCS around the same time. In addition to collecting, he has also studied singing (first as a tenor, then as a baritone) with Gino Bechi, Gina Cigna, Jerome Hines and James King, and has appeared as Tevye in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF in regional productions, but his life’s work consists of inflicting education and culture upon his students at the high school level in the wilds of New Jersey. He is also extensively involved in CD production; for those of you who do not already know him, he is that harried-looking fellow who is always to be found at the back of our hall before, during and after programs, surrounded by untold hundreds (perhaps thousands) of his four and three-quarter-inch children. (He has some regular ones at home, too, but opera has yet to rub off on them.) And, for whatever this may tell you about him, his favorite singer is John McCormack (who beat Anselmi in last year’s final selection vote; maybe it was fixed?).

David Weinberg has been an opera-lover and record collector for an even longer time than has Keith, but his particular claim to fame is his extraordinarily huge and varied collection of opera and concert tapes. Indeed, he is known as “The King of the Open Reel”, and in this guise, he has been something of a mentor to Keith Kurtzer over the years. (Actually, he is the other harried looking fellow at the back of our meeting hall.) In fact, many of Keith’s CD productions owe their existence to David’s original tapes. David has also studied singing and appeared on the stage, most memorably as Frosch in DIE FLEDERMAUS, and his favorite singer is (get ready for a true VRCS Coincidental Moment) John McCormack (it was definitely fixed!).

Come, listen and vote. (Voting is done by raising one’s hand. Lewd gestures may be justified, but they do not count. Grazie!)


DATE: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2010
TIME: 7:30P.M. SHARP
PLACE: CHRIST CHURCH BASEMENT AUDITORIUM
PARK AVE. & 60TH STREET
N. Y. C.

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