Well, it has now been three years since Ralph Belterri’s last program for us (far too long), so here he is, back again, with a title that could mean many things, some of them not fit for a family newsletter!

Actually, Ralph was recently reminiscing about times not so far off, when veteran collectors used to host marathon record-listening sessions. To younger collectors who were lucky enough to be invited, such sessions would invariably introduce them to all kinds of wonderful singers to whom they had not previously been exposed, or to lesser-known records by singers with whom they were already familiar. Unhappily to contemplate, those of us who were thus exposed in our “youth” are now some of the senior collectors in the VRCS, and Ralph, being one of the foremost, now plans to share with us many of the records he was introduced to at those sessions, which usually took place on Friday nights only because we could sleep late the next day. (So you see, the title was innocence personified!)

Ralph has been a member of the VRCS since the 1960s, an opera-lover since early youth, and a memorable guesser of voices in those games record collectors are wont to play, and all of those years of listening, plus his exposure to so many Friday night delights, have contributed greatly to what he brings to the party, so that we cordially invite you to start the summer off with an evening of delightful reminiscences, courtesy of Ralph Belterri. Don’t miss it!

IN MEMORIAM

Most members will by now be unhappily aware of the recent passing of one of our most distinguished members, George Jellinek. The accomplishments of his life are too numerous and well-known to go into here in any detail, but they would include his authorship of the first serious biographical study of Maria Callas in 1960; an impressive work of considerable scholarship, HISTORY THROUGH THE OPERA GLASS, in 1994; and his own fascinating autobiography, MY ROAD TO RADIO AND THE VOCAL SCENE, in 2007. Any opera-loving record collector under the age of 75 was probably heavily influenced and educated by his liner and program notes for myriad LP issues starting in the 1950s and/or by his record reviews in Stereo Review and many other top periodicals, and no true opera lover with a radio and within the broadcast radii of his syndicated program, THE VOCAL SCENE, would admit to having missed more than a few of the nearly two thousand programs he did over the course of thirty-six consecutive years of broadcasting, about half of those programs done while he was also Music Director of this country’s preeminent classical music station, WQXR. But even more relative to our members, George was a veteran record collector of note and of one of the founders of the VRCS all the way back in 1956, and he remained a loyal and dedicated member even after he gained so large a measure of fame in the world of opera that his time was consequently limited. (He used to comment that although he had long ago been made an Honorary Member of the VRCS, he still insisted on paying his dues every year! And several of his VOCAL SCENE programs were devoted to the VRCS, using members as guests, and invariably bringing in some new members who learned about us through his efforts.) Over the past fifty years, he gave so many superb programs for us that it would be impossible to even start writing about them. Although ill health kept him from attending our meetings or giving programs in recent years, he remained very interested in everything we were doing, and was always most complimentary of our annual CD issues. Whether hearing him on the VOCAL SCENE, or as an Opera Quiz panelist on, or contributor to, various Metropolitan Opera broadcasts, or as host of the George London Foundation concerts, etc., it never quite ceased to amaze that he was exactly the same erudite, gentlemanly, and quietly humorous fellow in one-on-one encounters at the VRCS or elsewhere as he was over the radio. We extend our sincerest sympathy to Hedy, his wife of 67 years, to all of his other loved ones, and also to the many thousands who made up his unique and extended opera-loving family for so many decades.

IN MEMORIAM

Many members may know the name of Thomas G. Kaufman for his preeminent research into the histories of many of the world’s great opera houses and, consequently, singer performance histories. His work in these fields has graced the pages of many singer biographies and discographies over the years. Because he left New York City so many years back, only rather “vintage” members will recall that he was one of the founders of the VRCS back in 1956 and a member of our group for about two decades. Tom has now left us, and collectors everywhere, forever in his debt, will be the poorer for it.

THE ANGELS SING, WHILE DEVILS MOURN; THE VRCS 2009 ANNUAL ISSUE IS UPON US

Well, maybe it’s the other way around, but whatever the reaction from third parties, it is true that the VRCS 2009 Annual Issue, a double-CD set celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of our first-ever LP issue, has arrived. As is often the case, we’ve heard some very nice comments already from some members who picked it up at the March meeting, and from a few of the many to whom it was mailed over the ensuing weekend. As always, our thanks to all who made this issue possible – to those who contributed records, photos, time, and effort to its production and distribution, to those who did the back-breaking job of researching and writing the amazingly comprehensive notes on some 45 singers (Nick Limansky and Russ Hornbeck, aided and abetted by myriad fact-checking minions), to our ever-generous and ever-anonymous donor who underwrote the cost of the second CD (actually the first CD in the set, the one dedicated to reissues from some of our old LPs), and most especially to Seth B. Winner, who performed his usual sound restoration miracles and coordinated and guided the project through to completion. (There is general agreement that Seth’s work on this is his best ever, but he is not to be told as it will only turn his head.) For those unable to make it to the March meeting due to the abysmal weather that night, Ed Wolfe will have copies at the upcoming meetings through at least July, so that you can pick them up at any of those meetings. Members wanting additional copies (at $30 per set) or non-members desiring copies (at $40 per set) can order them from Joe Pearce, 116 Norman Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. or from Ed Wolfe, 10 Plaza Street, Apt. 12F, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11238 (checks payable to “Ed Wolfe” or “cash”, whomever you may write to). Since membership dues are $40 and entitle members as of December of each year to the set gratis, non-members may wish to use that $40 to join the VRCS instead of purchasing the set outright and, by authorizing us to backdate their membership to December, 2009, obtain the set as part of those dues, consequently remaining a member of the club and taking advantage of its other benefits, like the monthly programs, the LP auctions and the monthly announcement (well, two out of three ain’t bad).

IT’S CALENDAR-MARKING TIME AGAIN

Please add September to the list of months in which our program will take place on the second Friday of the month. So, it’s now the second Friday in March, April, May, July and September.

ASSISTANCE REQUESTED FROM THE LAND OF OPERA

A long-distance member is endeavoring to complete his Nan Merriman collection and needs RCA Victor 10-1550 (“My Message” and “Estrellita”), or a dubbing of same, to do so. Please contact George Weaver at gsbw@bellsouth.net.

ASSISTANCE IS REQUESTED

Our 2009 Annual CD Issue (on which more anon) contained a selection, “Hanno gettato in mare un angioletto” by Renato Virgilio, as sung by Umberto Macnez. Composer Virgilio, also a pianist and conductor, was a native of Barletta, and we have been approached by another Barletta resident, Paolo Candido, who is searching for information on, recordings and/or photographs of, or scores by, Signor Virgilio. If you can assist, please write Signor Candido at Via Leontine De Nittis 27, 70051 Barletta, Italy or via e-mail at pa.candido@tiscali.it