Interviews on Rav Hirsch

Hirsch: The Ideas

26 minute video on Rav Hirsch

Opera singers who died young

A few months back we had a post of classical music composers who died young. Here are some opera singers who died young. Life is short. Get in your mitzvos now.


Richard Tucker, age 62

Wolfgang Windgassen, age 60

Richard Tauber, age 56


Francesco Tamagno, age 55

Vincenzo La Scola, age 53

Jussi Björling, age 49
Jussi Björling - Ack Värmeland du sköna


Enrico Caruso, age 48
Enrico Caruso - La Donna e Mobile (Remastered)
Enrico Caruso - E lucevan le stelle 1904. Digitally remastered.



Francesco Rasi, age 47

Salvatore Licitra, age 43

Mario Lanza, age 38
Mario Lanza - Dicitencello Vuie
Mario Lanza Che Gelida Manina 1949   What a voice this man had. It's a bracha. And he was from South Phillie, not some glamorous European country. Sadly, he got involved in Hollywood, which tore his health apart.

Friedrich "Fritz" Karl Otto Wunderlich, age 35

Charity Sunshine Tillemann-Dick (July 22, 1983 – April 23, 2019) was an American soprano singer
age 33

As I mentioned in a prior post about opera, the librettos are generally decadent and foolish. Those were written by men. But Hashem created the voice and a great voice is a wonder and a bracha. Actually, the ability to speak at all is a wonder. And all the more so gifted singing. It's too bad they wasted their voices on opera. Should have sung songs of praise to Hashem. The fame and fortune are short lived, especially for these people. But praise of Hashem lives forever.

Purim with Rabbi Avigdor Miller

Downstairs at 1862 Ocean Parkway.

Watch and listen

An opera singer you may never haver heard of and a culture long gone goodbye

Jussi Björling sings Nessun Dorma (Digitally Remastered)

This is a remarkable voice. Pavarotti was in awe of him and refused to even be compared to him. He said, "When I'm about to train a new opera, I first listen to how Jussi Björling did it. His voice was unique and it's his path that I want to follow. I would more than anything else wish that people compared me with Jussi Björling. It's like so I'm striving to sing."

Now, the librettos in opera in my opinion can be quite inane and decadent. But if you don't know Italian or German and just hear the music, it can be elegant and moving and show the power of the human voice that the Creator created. I doubt it was ever wise to go to an opera in any era, but today it would be unwise to go to any classical music or art event or display as decadence has overtaken the entire world, including that part of it.

Björling died rather young at 49.

Here's more of him with video.

Notice the orchestra in ties and jackets. Notice the Swedish audience. Men in jackets and ties, women dressed to the top of the neck, short tied up hair. They sit respectfully here in 1953. They applaud politely. They are more modest than most Orthodox Jews today. How the world has sunk. I mourn for what was. Once upon a time, people really were like this.

One more. Jussi Bjorling - Che Gelida Manina. I have no idea what even the title means and I'll keep it that way. But oh the music, the voice.

Most Iconic Classical Music Masterpieces Everyone Knows in One Single Video

Sorry to drive people to the Internet but this collection of classical music really speaks well of classicial music and what it has produced.

Most Iconic Classical Music Masterpieces Everyone Knows in One Single Video