We have produced a CD of some of Sakiko’s music. Most of the 38 selections were not professionally recorded. Many of the tapes were made by friends and colleagues with hand-held microphones on personal equipment. Some came from actual performances, though many were from rehearsals.
Several tapes came from theaters, festivals, and concert organizers whom we contacted on the off-chance that they might still have recordings dating back 30-40 years. Special thanks go to the Joint Archives of Holland (Michigan), the Hopkins Center for the Arts at Dartmouth College, Christopher Czaja Sager, and the Opera Forum/Nationale Reisopera (Netherlands).
We started with 20-25 hours of tape, but soon discovered that many recordings were of such poor acoustic quality as to be unusable. After we had narrowed possibilities, the late Rita Loving spent three days listening. Rita was a close friend of Sakiko, as well as a vocal coach at the Bayerische Staatsoper in München. Her critical ear and enthusiasm led to the 70+ minutes that we have now. Our only regret is that we wish we had more opera.
Please contact us if you would like a complimentary copy of the CD.
To listen to the entire CD, click on the “Play All” button below. Or to listen to a specific selection, scroll through the menu and click on your choice.
Handel
Schumann
Debussy (Ariettes Oubliées) – Pianist: Noël Lee
Debussy
Poulenc (Douze Mélodies)
Barber (Hermit Songs) – Pianist: Christopher Czaja Sager
Barber (Despite and Still): – Pianist: Christopher Czaja Sager
Duke
Persichetti
Castelnuovo-Tedesco
Thomson
Webern (Opus 12)
Berlioz (Les Nuits d’Eté): Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka
Bizet (Les Pêcheurs de Perles): Opera Forum, The Netherlands
Donizetti (L’Elisir d’Amore): Opera Forum, The Netherlands
Japanese Children’s Song