A Grimm Day

Happy Birthday Jacob Ludwig Carl Grimm, born January 4, 1785. 

Where would opera be without the fairy tales collected by him and his brother Wilhelm? Grimm was also an important scholar of linguistics, and he and his brother spent their lives studying and writing about legends, folklore, and language. Both were active in political protests against the monarchy’s breech of constitutional principles, for which they were fired from the University of Göttingen around 1841. They were offered numerous other positions and ended up at the University of Berlin, though eventually resigned to devote themselves to their own scholarly and literary work.

Jacob died in 1863, Wilhelm in 1859.

Here are two great singers, Edita Gruberova and Brigitte Fassbaender, in Humperdinck's opera:

Video Link: Hänsel and Gretel Duet


Cinterella, in German is Aschenputtel, in italian…

Cenerentola!

Here's one of my all-time favorite singers, mezzo soprano Teresa Berganza, singing the finale from Rossini's opera:

Video Link: Non più mesta