Glints of the diamonds
Another kind of Fille du Regiment- filmed backstage at the Met.
This is fast becoming a performer of great interest to me. I love the chances she takes and the total commitment she makes to everything. LOVE the sound on this small documentary of bits of her Brunhilde. Wow.
Then “Tahnhauser”…..
The just her wonderful, loquacious self in discussion about many things and many roles.
Magnificent color and smooth emission of this great contralto.
Sophie Braslau (1892- NY: 22 Dec 1935) made her operatic debut at the Metropolitan Opera as the off-stage voice in Parsifal (27 Nov 1913). A contralto, she continued to appear at the Met in a number of small roles. She also had a considerable concert career.
Germaine Sablon, sister of famous crooner Jean Sablon, had a thriving singing career in France in the 1930’s, recording many popular songs… After France’s defeat in WWII, she joined the resistance and in 1941 fled to Switzerland and then to England, where she participated in French BBC broadcasts. She became famous for singing the “Chant des partisans” (Song of the partisans) on the radio. She would record it in 1946. After the war she returned to France and resumed her career until she retired.
Pola Negri’s big comeback movie “Mazurka”, directed in 1935 by Willi Forst, caused quite a sensation and her song “Ich spür in mir” inspired many versions. The Swedish version by Zarah Leander and French version by Damia can be found on YouTube (see Jurek46pink, he has excellent videos). Pola Negri herself recorded an English version, “Stay close to me” as well. However, when “Mazurka” was remade as “Confession” in Hollywood in 1937, it was Warner Brothers star Kay Francis who got the part. Director Joe May remade the movie almost shot per shot…Picture of Germaine Sablon and pictures of Pola Negri.
This is Germaine Sablon’s version, recorded in 1936.
