THE VOCAL RECORD COLLECTORS' SOCIETY

PRESENTS


YMA SUMAC AND FRIENDS

By
NICK LIMANSKY


It has been almost three years since Nick Limansky's last VRCS program, so we welcome him back with open arms. Nick's programs over the years have been remarkably diversified, this one devoted to verismo (Limansky-style), that one devoted to coloratura sopranos, a double-one based upon the famous opening line of A TALE OF TWO CITIES, etc. One of them was even about Yma Sumac. For those of you who think time is going too quickly, be advised that you are correct and that Nick's Sumac program was exactly nine years ago this month! As you may recall from our June 2008 notice, Nick has now published a book, YMA SUMAC - THE ART BEHIND THE LEGEND, and he is back with us in September to further cover Ms. Sumac, along with many of her ÒfriendsÓ. Just who these friends are Nick has chosen not to disclose in advance, but Ms. Sumac, whose career spanned some six decades, was a fascinating vocalist on her own, one whose range spanned some four octaves from low contralto to high coloratura, and she holds a unique place in recording history in that there has never been a soprano even remotely like her. She had no predecessors and has had no successors. Nick may or may not have copies of his book with him at the September meeting, but we will again make details available in our October notice on how to go about obtaining a copy.

Nick Limansky has been singing professionally in New York City since 1979, specializing in concert and church work, and has appeared with such choral groups as Musica Sacra, The Bach Aria Group, The New York Philharmonic, Opera Orchestra of New York, Musica Aeterna, The National Chorale, and the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre. In addition to now being a biographer, he also writes on singing, his reviews appearing in THE RECORD COLLECTOR, OPERA NEWS and OPERA QUARTERLY, and he has written a series of critical analyses of arias from the soprano literature for the first-named publication. An avid collector, Nick specializes in live recordings and has a library of over 6,500 complete operatic performances, 2,000 recitals, and more than 300 collections that concentrate on single artists. He is also a VRCS board member (nobody's perfect) and our lead writer (along with Russ Hornbeck) of the notes for our annual CD issues, on which more below.




DATE: FRIDAY, September 5, 2008
TIME: 7:30P.M. SHARP
PLACE: CHRIST CHURCH BASEMENT AUDITORIUM
PARK AVE. & 60TH STREET
N. Y. C.


Return to the VRCS homepage