A few great opera singers who are no longer with us, such as Enrico Caruso, Maria Callas, and Luciano Pavarotti, still have ardent followings, and you can easily find evidence of their artistry on YouTube. But there are many others whose contributions to the art form are considerable, yet who are forgotten for one reason or another. Some of their names might be familiar, but their voices are silent. For lovers of the human voice, that is a great loss.
The purpose of ForgottenOperaGreats.com is to bring these artists back to the spotlight where they rightfully belong.
In each issue we will choose a group of singers for you to listen to and explore. While recordings from the past may not reflect today’s high production standards, the artistry of these singers shines through. Join us on this voyage of discovery!
Who We Are
Ralph Heims’ only exposure to opera as a child was watching singers on the Ed Sullivan show, which would prompt his family to go into the kitchen for snacks. But once Ralph was bitten by the opera bug, there was no turning back. An avid opera fan, he has amassed a vast collection of opera recordings over the past six decades. In addition to more recent commercially-produced albums, the collection includes rarities from the earliest days of the recording industry, 78 rpm Golden-Age discs, and releases from now-defunct European record labels.
Laura Young is a classically trained pianist with a musicology degree. Her career began at Nonesuch Records, where she was a production assistant. Subsequently, she worked as a vocal accompanist at the San Francisco Conservatory, directed the public affairs office at Opera America, and produced a publication at The Metropolitan Opera about backstage operations. Her credits also include being a freelance classical music reviewer for publications including The Washington Post. Opera remains her passion.