The Legends of American Music Series: Opera Singers

The Legends of American Music Series: Opera Singers is a concert series featuring some of the most legendary names in opera.

The Development of Opera in America

Opera in America has a long and rich history, dating back to the 18th century. The first professional opera company in America was established in 1785, and over the next two centuries, opera would gain popularity and become an important part of American culture.

Opera began to lose its hold on the American public in the early 20th century, but experienced a resurgence of interest in the mid-century. Today, there are dozens of professional opera companies across the country, and opera continues to be enjoyed by tens of thousands of Americans every year.

The First American Opera Singers

Opera began in Italy in the late 16th century and quickly spread throughout Europe. It wasn’t until the mid-18th century that opera made its way to America. The first professional opera company in the United States was the Philadelphia-based Chestnut Street Opera Company, which gave its first performance in 1750.

The first American opera singer of note was William Henry Fry, who made his debut in 1825 in the role of Orpheus in the premiere of his own composition, Leonora. Fry went on to compose several more operas, but none were as successful as Leonora.

Fry was followed by a number of other talented American opera singers, including Emma Abbott, Rosalie Sterling and Suzanne Adams. These early pioneers helped to establish opera as a popular form of entertainment in the United States.

The Most Famous American Opera Singers

Throughout the history of American opera, there have been many extraordinary opera singers who have achieved great fame and fortune. Here are some of the most famous American opera singers of all time.

Juanita Hall (1900-1984)
Juanita Hall was an African American soprano who is best known for her role as Bloody Mary in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific. She was the first black singer to perform at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.

Leonard Warren (1911-1960)
Leonard Warren was an American baritone who was one of the Met’s leading singers for more than two decades. He appeared in more than 600 performances at the Met, mostly in Verdi operas. He died tragically on stage during a performance of La Forza del Destino.

Maria Callas (1923-1977)
Maria Callas was a legendary Greek-American soprano who had a major career in Italy and France. She was one of the most renowned opera singers of her generation and is still considered one of the greatest sopranos of all time.

Shirley Verrett (1931-2010)
Shirley Verrett was an African American mezzo-soprano who had a successful international career that spanned four decades. She sang leading roles at many of the world’s major operatic houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, and the Royal Opera House in London.

The Future of Opera in America

With a new generation of American opera singers making their mark on the international stage, the future of opera in America looks bright. Here are five young American opera singers who are poised to take the operatic world by storm:

1. Michael Fabiano
A native of New Jersey, Michael Fabiano made his professional debut at age 21 as the Duke in Verdi’s “Rigoletto” with Opera New Jersey. He has since gone on to perform leading roles at some of the world’s most prestigious opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, and the Vienna Staatsoper. In 2015, he won first prize at the Richard Tucker Opera Competition, one of the most prestigious competitions for young opera singers.

2. Nadine Sierra
Nadine Sierra made her professional debut at age 20 as Pamina in Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” with Opera Naples. She has since gone on to perform leading roles at major international opera houses such as La Scala, the Vienna Staatsoper, and the Metropolitan Opera. In 2017, she won first prize at both the Qatar International Competition and the Maria Callas Grand Prix.

3. Jamie Barton
A native of Rome, Georgia, Jamie Barton made her professional debut at age 23 as Alice Ford in Verdi’s “Falstaff” with Chicago Opera Theater. She has since gone on to perform leading roles at many of the world’s top opera houses, including Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, and Deutsche Oper Berlin. In 2013, she won first prize at both The Kiri Te Kanawa Awards and The Cardiff Singer of the World competition.

4. David Portillo
David Portillo made his professional debut at age 26 as Tamino in Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” with Glimmerglass Festival. He has since gone on to perform leading roles at some of America’s top regional opera houses, including Seattle Opera and San Francisco Opera. In 2016, he won first prize at The Operalia Competition.

5. Chelsea Basler
A native of Norfolk, Virginia, Chelsea Basler made her professional debut at age 28 as Dorabella in Mozart’s “Cosi fan tutte” with Glimmerglass Festival. She has since gone on to perform leading roles with many top regional opera companies in America, including Virginia Opera and Kentucky Opera.