Saramae Endich has gorgeous lyric tone and vocal poise

THE SONGBIRD: Saramae Endich (1923 - 1969) was born in Ohio. She obtained a degree in vocal performance from Ohio University, then studied with Winifred Cecil and and Boris Goldovsky in New York. In 1957, she placed second in the Metropolitan Opera Auditions of the Air. Her operatic debut came in 1958 as Fiordiligi in Santa Fe, where she was invited back frequently over several seasons (Alice Ford, Rosalinda, Konstanze, Donna Anna, Countess Almaviva, and Hindemith's "Cardillac"). At the New York City Opera she was Countess Almaviva (1962-63)," Glyndebourne cast her as Poppea (1964), and Washington DC heard her Marguerite (1965). Endich was active in concerts, often with major orchestras. Her most historic appearances came as the soprano soloist for the funeral services for both President John F. Kennedy (Mozart's "Requiem" in Boston in 1964) and Robert F. Kennedy (Verdi's "Requiem") in 1968.

THE MUSIC: "Mlle. Modiste" was one of Victor Herbert's most successful operettas. It opened on Broadway in 1905 and ran for 202 performances, only to be remounted again the following season and taken on tour. Herbert wrote the score for Fritzi Scheff, a Viennese lyric-coloratura soprano who he lured away from singing at The Met with a contract for four operettas at a salary of $1,000 a week (equivalent to about $32,000 in 2024). Scheff plays Fifi, a milliner shop girl who aspires to be an opera singer. "Mlle. Modiste" introduced the world to "Kiss me again," one of the most popular songs of the era; however, in the stage work that tune is just one section of a three-part vocal showpiece that Fifi sings about wanting to become an actress. It's very similar in structure as Adele's audition aria in "Die Fledermaus," where she imagines different roles she may be asked to play, and then sings in the style of that role. "Kiss me again" has been sung and recorded quite often as a stand alone song, but it's rare to hear it in full context. In this recording, a female chorus has been added to the arrangement.