Bel Canto meets Belleayre, history Galli-Curci Road name (Catskills)

[Mark Schaefer]

This Catskill history thread is spin off the Short Catskill hike suggestion thread. To avoid going off topic in that thread and to keep this information more visible I am opening this new thread.

Galli Curci Road is a left/south turn off . . .

Wow - this caught my eye. Amelita Galli-Curci, the San Diego Nightingale, may have been the greatest coloratura soprano of the 20th Century. Recordings she made in the 1920s still thrill, if you go for that sort of thing. An opera lover lived thereabouts, it would seem?

This caught my eye in return as I did not know the origin of the road's name. A few fast google searches filled in some details.

It was not a mere opera lover, but the opera diva herself who lived along the road. Because of the proximity to New York City the Catskills were once the summer retreat of the rich and famous. Many resorts operated in the area, including the "Grand Hotel" (1881 through 1966) on the other side of the current route NY-28 from Belleayre Mountain.

Amelita Galli-Curci began to spend summers in the nearby village of Fleishmann in 1913. In 1928 she and her second husband (her American accompanist) purchased and expanded a 188 acre Scottish Manor styled estate named "Sul Monte" (on the mount) in Highmount. The estate was along the Delaware/Ulster County line and along the current Galli-Curci Road at about 2500' elevation (reference 1926 interview of the singer published in the Dearborn Independent Magazine, written by Clarence W. Barron, then owner of the Wall Street Journal.

The diva sold the estate in 1937 after repeatedly being annoyed by summer tourists and opera groupies who would crash into her estate to listen to the singer rehearsing. Another humorous report indicated that her singing once distracted some highway workers during their highway construction work.

The singer had been quite popular with the local citizenry as she employed many locals to build and operate her estate. She was known for her local philanthropic works. The Galli-Curci Theatre in nearby Margaretville, built in 1922, was named in her honor (as Tom Rankin posted in the Catskill Hike thread). A post in the reader comments section of the referenced theatre blog by a modern day theater groupie mentions that he had crashed into the Sul Monte estate and "managed to explore a bit" before being "politely but firmly asked to leave". Some things never change.

Based on my recollections of driving Galli-Curci Road and the above info, I believe the estate's main house is at or near the center cross of this topo map. The estate property also appears to be included within the property of the controversial, proposed Belleayre Resort. And if I am correct, it also appears that the estate manor house may be preserved in the resort, per this map of the proposed resort. Perhaps the "Sul Monte" estate and its environs will once again become the resort retreat of the rich and famous. It is also claimed that the resort will employ many local citizens. But there is also considerable local opposition to the resort's scale and environmental impact.

If anyone wants more information on the Belleayre Resort it can be found at:
The proposed resort's website: http://www.belleayreresort.com/
The local opposition website: http://www.savethemountain.net/

 

[Amicus]

Good to know! This may be worth a pilgrimage, for an opera-lover in the area.

Her celestial soprano recorded very well, for her day. Bel canto was certainly her forte - her agility flying up and down the scales will thrill anyone with an ear for that, and her trill was impeccable. She recorded the famous Quartet from Rigoletto and Sextet from Lucia di Lamermoor with the great Caruso (and other worthies), but also made some memorable recordings of popular music, e.g., Home Sweet Home. You can find a number of good CD collections on Amazon and elsewhere.

 

[mudhook51]

I believe the manor is still privately owned and not a part of the proposed resort. Its a great place to watch the sunset from.
I ate alot of pop corn watching movies at the Galli- Curci, new flixs such as Gone with the Wind, Exodus, and The Sound of Music. The last movie I saw there was a mid night showing of Rocky Horror Picture Show.

 

[Mark Schaefer]

I believe the manor is still privately owned and not a part of the proposed resort. Its a great place to watch the sunset from.

That would be good if it is not part of the proposed resort (to ensure that it remains). I know I have driven by the estate's manor house, and could get a glimpse of that view through the trees from the road. I will try to pinpoint the location a bit better the next time I am over that way.

I ate alot of pop corn watching movies at the Galli- Curci, new flixs such as Gone with the Wind, Exodus, and The Sound of Music. The last movie I saw there was a mid night showing of Rocky Horror Picture Show.

I love classic old theaters. They do not build them like that anymore, nor do they make movies like that anymore either. I must be getting old.

 

[Mark Schaefer]

Her celestial soprano recorded very well, for her day. Bel canto was certainly her forte - her agility flying up and down the scales will thrill anyone with an ear for that, and her trill was impeccable. She recorded the famous Quartet from Rigoletto and Sextet from Lucia di Lamermoor with the great Caruso (and other worthies), but also made some memorable recordings of popular music, e.g., Home Sweet Home. You can find a number of good CD collections on Amazon and elsewhere.

I have started to listen to samples of Madame Galli-Curci's vintage Victor recordings (at the Amazon store website). I will need to buy some of the CDs.

I found this historical subject very interesting. And I love the interesting way that history repeats itself even though the cast of characters may now be very different.

 

[Tom Rankin]

I have started to listen to samples of Madame Galli-Curci's vintage Victor recordings (at the Amazon store website). I will need to buy some of the CDs.

I found this historical subject very interesting. And I love the interesting way that history repeats itself even though the cast of characters may now be very different.

Laurie says:

"
My dad was the caretaker at the mansion after his fire tower days were over. So, I used to go to the Mansion when I was a kid. The views were breathtaking, and the Music room was magnificent!

The Mansion is definitely not part of the Belleayre project.

I saw my first movie at the theater.
"