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This is a 3 record set with recordings on 6 sides, all on the original 78speed. This very rare hard to find album (MM640)
Willie The Whale " The Whale who wanted to sign at the Met"
is up for auction with a very low reserve.
Plot synopsis;
The Metropolitan Opera is looking for the sea monster reported in newspaper headlines, because this monster sings beautifully! The "monster" is
actually Willie, a whale who can sing in several voices simultaneously. A friend of his, a gull called Whitey, tells him about the searching ship, and Willie goes to audition, as it's been his ambition to perform on stage. Unfortunately, Professor Tetti Tatti from the Opera believes that one or more singers have been swallowed by the whale, and need to be rescued...
The Whale Who Wanted to Sing at the Met,’ is as imaginative a conceit as Disney ever essayed. Audiences are set on their ears as Willie (yclept Nelson Eddy) who sings all three voices, tenor, baritone and bass, and through scientific alchemy is made to sing a trio with himself truly wows the musical world.
Recordings
Eddy recorded a 78 RPM album, “The Whale Who Wanted to Sing at the Met,” containing the music listed below.
Music from the 'Willie' Sequence
Nelson’s segment is almost entirely music, a true “singspiel,” combined with the following songs, all sung by Eddy:
“Shortnin’ Bread” - American Negro folk song
“Largo al Factotum” from The Barber of Seville - music by Gioacchino Rossini, libretto
Cesare Sterbini.
“Chi Me Frena?” [“The Sextet”] from the opera, Lucia di Lammermoor - music by Gaetano
Donizetti, libretto by Salvatore Cammarano
MONTAGE with fragments from the following operas:
Pseudo I Pagliacci passage by Nelson Eddy (Eddy as tenor).
Tristan und Isolde by Richard Wagner (Eddy as tenor and soprano)
Mefistofele by Arrigo Boito (Eddy as bass)
“Mag der Himmel Euch Verbegen” from Martha (Eddy as tenor and two baritones) - music
by Friedrich von Flotow, libretto by Friedrich W. Riese
Nelson Eddy
from the film Sweethearts (1938)
Born Nelson Ackerman Eddy
June 29, 1901(1901-06-29)
Providence, Rhode Island
Died March 6, 1967 (aged 65)
Sans Souci Hotel, Palm Beach, Florida
Cause of death Cerebral hemorrage
Burial place Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Occupation Baritone, film star
Spouse(s) Ann Denitz Franklin During his 40-year career, he earned three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (one each for film, recording, and radio), left his footprints in the wet cement at Grauman's Chinese Theater, earned three Gold records, and was invited to sing at the third inauguration of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He also introduced millions of young Americans to classical music and inspired many of them to pursue a musical career.
My mother left this unique collectors album to me years ago, she bought it new in 1946, since we did not have a T.V. until 1950, I had to listen to this album more than I wanted to. Time and things do change, A few days ago I played it for the last time and enjoyed it. I just sold the old record player which I used to play these 78's, the records still sound a little scratchy but still very audible. The records are in very good condition with the exception of two chips on the outside edge of one of the records and one chip on the edge of another, the third one is fine, you can see these chips in the photos. I talked to a record restorer and was told they are an easy fix to restore back to original condition. The chips do not interfere with the sound track. The outside cover of the album has a few age marks on it from years of storage and many moves but still in good condition, the inside jackets are excellent as you can see in the photos. Please feel free to ask any questions before you bid. Thank you for looking at my item, good luck...
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