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Blanchart was renowned for his versatility, excelling in Verdi, Donizetti, and French repertoire such as Thomas’s Hamlet, while also successfully tackling Wagnerian roles such as Wotan and Hans Sachs. He held the title role of Hamlet at the Teatro Real in Madrid more times than any other singer (327 performances) and performed at major houses including La Scala and the Royal Opera House, later expanding his range to include verismo and basso-buffo roles such as Dulcamara. His vocal legacy is preserved through acoustic recordings on Hugens y Acosta cylinders, Fonotipia, Favorite, Pathé, Zonophone, and Columbia between 1899/1900 and 1911. Many of his records are very fine, particularly those on Fonotipia. We hope that this article will address the relative neglect of this important baritone. In contrast to the article on Blanchart we have the pleasure in presenting another relatively little-known singer. Sabine Kalter (1889–1957) was a Galician-born Polish-British mezzo-soprano and singing teacher renowned for her dramatic roles in German opera, particularly in Wagner and Verdi works. She debuted at the Vienna Volksoper in 1911 and served as a leading artist at the Hamburg State Opera from 1915 to 1934, where she was celebrated for her portrayals of Brangäne, Ortrud and Fricka. Forced to flee Nazi Germany in 1935 due to her Jewish heritage, she settled in London and made her Covent Garden debut that same year as Ortrud. After retiring from the opera stage in 1939, she remained active in London through concerts, recitals, and teaching, passing away in 1957. Kalter recorded exclusively for Odeon, both acoustically and electrically. Her records are hard to find but make rewarding listening. This issue also contains an article dedicated to the Belgian bass Pierre d'Assy (1868-1910), who was a renowned artist celebrated for his warm, rich and powerful voice. He studied in Paris and established a prominent career primarily in France and Belgium, serving as the principal bass at the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels and later at the Opéra in Paris. His early demise deprived him of the wider fame that was surely his due. He recorded exclusively for the Gramophone Company during 1908 to 1909. With an updated discography of Edmond Clément, an article devoted to the renowned Viennese collector/dealer Roland Teuchtler and our regular record reviews, this is a very full and varied issue indeed. Please see our "Subscriptions" page for special offers for new subscribers.
Our main article in Volume 71 no 2 is devoted to the celebrated Catalan baritone Ramón Blanchart (1860–1934). He achieved international fame during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in Barcelona, he trained under Joan Goula i Soley and made his debut at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in 1885, quickly becoming a leading figure in opera across Europe and the Americas.