Thanks, Alan, for the detailed recording history of Weede. Yes, very sad that much more wasn't done.
And, yes, Bing did favor several American singers, even a few who predated him there. But, generally, these were very big stars and/or indispensable(e.g. Warren, Rise Stevens, Eleanor Steber). He especially seems to have disdained singers who rose to fame at City Opera, especially after it moved to Lincoln Center and across the plaza from the Met, and, of course, most especially its biggest star, Beverly Sills. And, yes too, Europe was very important to Bing. If the singer--Sills, Weede--had not gained fame there, Bing looked down at the American bred product.
Very interesting about Warren possibly being a/the cause of Weede not doing more at the Met. Weede, more than Merrill, would have been right for many of the big roles Warren did that Merrill either didn't sing or didn't do until much later in his career. |
