Cyril and Libbye Hellier
Encyclopedia
Cyril and Libbye Hellier (born on January 21, 1952) are identical twins and American operatic soprano
s. Natives of Houma, Louisiana
, they are the great-grandchildren of the Confederate
Colonel
John Henry Hellier.
The sopranos are graduates of Nicholls State University
's Department of Music, where they appeared in a 1980 production of Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors, with Cyril singing the part of Amahl. Earlier that year, however, they formally debuted in a production of Puccini's Suor Angelica (with Libbye essaying the name role), at Loyola University of the South.
After an hiatus of seven years, the Helliers returned to the stage for the title roles of Humperdinck's Hänsel und Gretel, for The New Opera Theatre
, New Orleans. In the 1988-89 season, they alternated as Bastienne in the child Mozart's Bastien und Bastienne
for the same ensemble. In the final season of The New Opera Theatre, they appeared in a Benefit Concert also featuring Natalia Rom
.
In April 1991, the Helliers were soloists in Part III
of Handel's Messiah (in the Foundling Hospital Anthem version), at St Francis de Sales Cathedral, Houma. In October 1992, the sopranos made their New York debuts, as Kindred (Cyril) and Cousin (Libbye) in the New York premiere of Louise LaBruyère's Everyman, after the Mystery Play
, for Opera Quotannis
, at the Church of St Paul the Apostle at Lincoln Center. The production then traveled to New Orleans.
In recent years, the twins have been heard in the celebrated "Katrina Memorial Concerts," at the Church of Our Lady of Good Counsel
, in the Garden District
of New Orleans. Also featured at those Concerts was the soprano Phyllis Treigle
. Their most recent appearance was at "A Christmas Concert," at St Stephen Church, in New Orleans, in 2009, at which they performed a duet by Peter Cornelius
.
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
s. Natives of Houma, Louisiana
Houma, Louisiana
Houma is a city in and the parish seat of Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, and the largest principal city of the Houma–Bayou Cane–Thibodaux Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's powers of government have been absorbed by the parish, which is now run by the Terrebonne Parish...
, they are the great-grandchildren of the Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
John Henry Hellier.
The sopranos are graduates of Nicholls State University
Nicholls State University
Nicholls State University, founded in 1948, is a public university located in Thibodaux, Louisiana, USA. Nicholls is part of the University of Louisiana System of universities. Originally called Francis T. Nicholls Junior College, the institution split from the Louisiana State University System in...
's Department of Music, where they appeared in a 1980 production of Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors, with Cyril singing the part of Amahl. Earlier that year, however, they formally debuted in a production of Puccini's Suor Angelica (with Libbye essaying the name role), at Loyola University of the South.
After an hiatus of seven years, the Helliers returned to the stage for the title roles of Humperdinck's Hänsel und Gretel, for The New Opera Theatre
The New Opera Theatre
The New Opera Theatre was a New Orleans-based opera company founded in 1986, with conductor Louise LaBruyère as Music Director and stage director Brian Morgan serving as Artistic Director...
, New Orleans. In the 1988-89 season, they alternated as Bastienne in the child Mozart's Bastien und Bastienne
Bastien und Bastienne
Bastien und Bastienne , K. 50 is a one-act singspiel, a comic opera, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart....
for the same ensemble. In the final season of The New Opera Theatre, they appeared in a Benefit Concert also featuring Natalia Rom
Natalia Rom
Natalia Rom, soprano, was born in Kazan, in the Soviet Union , and graduated from the Leningrad Conservatory. In late 1976, she emigrated to New Orleans, where she attended Loyola University's College of Music, where she studied voice with Patricia Havranek...
.
In April 1991, the Helliers were soloists in Part III
Messiah Part III
Messiah , the English-language oratorio composed by George Frideric Handel in 1741, is structured in three parts. This listing covers Part III in a table and comments on individual movements, reflecting the relation of the musical setting to the text...
of Handel's Messiah (in the Foundling Hospital Anthem version), at St Francis de Sales Cathedral, Houma. In October 1992, the sopranos made their New York debuts, as Kindred (Cyril) and Cousin (Libbye) in the New York premiere of Louise LaBruyère's Everyman, after the Mystery Play
Mystery play
Mystery plays and miracle plays are among the earliest formally developed plays in medieval Europe. Medieval mystery plays focused on the representation of Bible stories in churches as tableaux with accompanying antiphonal song...
, for Opera Quotannis
Opera Quotannis
Opera Quotannis was a New York-based opera company which was founded in 1990, with conductor Bart Folse as Music Director and stage director Brian Morgan serving as Artistic Director...
, at the Church of St Paul the Apostle at Lincoln Center. The production then traveled to New Orleans.
In recent years, the twins have been heard in the celebrated "Katrina Memorial Concerts," at the Church of Our Lady of Good Counsel
Our Lady of Good Counsel
Our Lady of Good Counsel is a title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary, after an allegedly miraculous painting now found in the thirteenth century Augustinian church at Genazzano, near Rome, Italy. Measuring 40 by 45 centimeters the image is a fresco executed on a thin layer of porcelain no thicker...
, in the Garden District
Garden District, New Orleans
The Garden District is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Central City/Garden District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: St. Charles Avenue to the north, 1st Street to the east, Magazine Street to the south and Toledano Street to the...
of New Orleans. Also featured at those Concerts was the soprano Phyllis Treigle
Phyllis Treigle
Phyllis Treigle is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, and is a noted American soprano, and the daughter of the great bass-baritone Norman Treigle...
. Their most recent appearance was at "A Christmas Concert," at St Stephen Church, in New Orleans, in 2009, at which they performed a duet by Peter Cornelius
Peter Cornelius
Carl August Peter Cornelius was a German composer, writer about music, poet and translator. He was born and died in Mainz where his grave in the Hauptfriedhof survives....
.