RICHARD CASSILLY - PROGRAM SIGNED CIRCA 1972 CO-SIGNED BY: BERIT LINDHOLM, ARLENE SAUNDERS, JEF VERMEERSCH - HFSID 161335

RICHARD CASSILLY, ARLENE SAUNDERS BERIT LINDHOLM and JEF VERMEERSCH
The opera singers pen their names on this program from a performance at the Hamburg State Opera
Program signed: "Richard Cassily", "Arlene Saunders", "Berit Lindholm", and "Jef Vermeersch", in various inks. One page (front an verso). 7½x8½. Tuesday, June 13, 1972, 3rd episode. Handout from a performance of Die Walküre at the Hamburgische Staatsoper (the Hamburg State Opera). RICHARD CASSILLY (1927-1998) was an operatic tenor who had a prolific international opera career. His talents were best suited for Wagnerian roles. From 1955-1966, he sang with the New York City Opera until achieving international fame after becoming part of the Hamburg State Opera. Many of his performances have been recorded for posterity. ARLENE SAUNDERS (1935-2020) was an American spinto soprano opera singer. In 1958, she made her operatic debut with the National Opera Company as Rosalinde von Eisenstein, in Die Fledermaus. Saunders went on to perform with both the New York City Opera and the Hamburg State Opera and made films of Le nozze di Figaro (as the Contessa, 1967), Der Freischütz (1968), and Die Meistersinger (with Giorgio Tozzi and Richard Cassilly, 1970) with the latter. In 1967, recorded Il re pastore (with Lucia Popp and Reri Grist) for RCA. Also in 1967, Saunders was named a Kammersängerin, and in 1985 she gave her farewell performance at the Teatro Colón as the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier. BERIT LINDHOLM (1934-2023) made her operatic debut as the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro, performed at the Royal Opera House in London. Lindholm has performed at venues around the globe including the Teatro Liceo in Barcelona,​​ the Metropolitan Opera in New York, and Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich. After training with a vocal coach following a hiatus taken to rest overworked vocal chords, Lindholm displayed greater mastery of vibrato and overall better vocal projection and power. JEF VERMEERSCH (b.1928) studied at a number of vocal training academies including the Conservatory of Bruges. In 1960, he made his debut Royal Opera of Antwerp Wotan in the opera Rheingold by Wagner. Some of his notable roles include Hans Sachs in the Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, the title hero in The Flying Dutchman, and Golo in Pelléas et Mélisande. In addition to his career in opera, Vermeersch had a successful career as a concert singer. Bottom and right edge worn. Lightly toned. Otherwise, fine condition.