Margaret Juntwait
Encyclopedia
Margaret Juntwait is an American radio
broadcaster who is the voice of the Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts
. She debuted in this position on December 11, 2004, replacing Peter Allen upon his retirement after twenty-nine years.
and Upper Saddle River, New Jersey
, Juntwait attended Northern Highlands Regional High School
, where she first developed an interest in choral music. Later, she studied to be an opera singer — she was a lyric soprano
— and received a degree in voice from the Manhattan School of Music
in 1980. After marrying, she resigned from pursuing an operatic career for the sake of raising her three children. In 1991, she began her career as a classical music radio announcer at WNYC
-FM radio in New York City
.
Juntwait began at the Metropolitan Opera
in 2000 as the back-up announcer for veteran radio host Peter Allen, who retired from the Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts
in May 2004. With the 2004-2005 broadcast season, she took to the air on her own, introducing a performance of Verdi's
I Vespri Sicilani
. She became only the fourth person ever to announce the broadcasts in their seventy-three year history, following Milton Cross
, Allen, and Lloyd Moss (who substituted just twice).
On September 20, 2006, the Met announced that Juntwait would become a full-time Met employee, having been appointed as announcer of all programs on Sirius Satellite Radio's
new Metropolitan Opera Radio channel. On Sirius, Juntwait hosts three or four live broadcasts a week during the opera season and records introductions for the hundreds of archive performances aired on the channel.
Juntwait is also an actress and has performed in radio theater plays, produced by NPR veteran Joe Bevilacqua
, including The Whithering of Willoughby and the Professor. In episode 16, Juntwait essays three roles in a parody of the cult British 60s show: The Prisoner. In episode 17, Juntwait portrays Willoughby's mother, a mermaid and god. The plays are airing on THE COMEDY-O-RAMA HOUR, heard five times per week on XM's Satellite Radio's Sonic Theater Channel 163.
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
broadcaster who is the voice of the Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts
Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts
The Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts are a regular series of weekly broadcasts on network radio of full-length opera performances. They are transmitted live from the stage of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City...
. She debuted in this position on December 11, 2004, replacing Peter Allen upon his retirement after twenty-nine years.
Life and career
Raised in RidgewoodRidgewood, New Jersey
Ridgewood is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the village population was 24,958. Ridgewood is an affluent suburban bedroom community of New York City, located approximately northwest of Midtown Manhattan.The Village of Ridgewood was...
and Upper Saddle River, New Jersey
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey
Upper Saddle River is an affluent borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,208. It is not to be confused with the neighboring borough of Saddle River.-History:...
, Juntwait attended Northern Highlands Regional High School
Northern Highlands Regional High School
Northern Highlands Regional High School is a regional public high school and school district in Allendale, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. The school serves students in grades 9–12 from Allendale, Ho-Ho-Kus, Saddle River, and Upper Saddle River...
, where she first developed an interest in choral music. Later, she studied to be an opera singer — she was a lyric soprano
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...
— and received a degree in voice from the Manhattan School of Music
Manhattan School of Music
The Manhattan School of Music is a major music conservatory located on the Upper West Side of New York City. The school offers degrees on the bachelors, masters, and doctoral levels in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition...
in 1980. After marrying, she resigned from pursuing an operatic career for the sake of raising her three children. In 1991, she began her career as a classical music radio announcer at WNYC
WNYC
WNYC is a set of call letters shared by a pair of co-owned, non-profit, public radio stations located in New York City.WNYC broadcasts on the AM band at 820 kHz, and WNYC-FM is at 93.9 MHz. Both stations are members of National Public Radio and carry distinct, but similar news/talk programs...
-FM radio in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Juntwait began at the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
in 2000 as the back-up announcer for veteran radio host Peter Allen, who retired from the Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts
Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts
The Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts are a regular series of weekly broadcasts on network radio of full-length opera performances. They are transmitted live from the stage of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City...
in May 2004. With the 2004-2005 broadcast season, she took to the air on her own, introducing a performance of Verdi's
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century...
I Vespri Sicilani
Les vêpres siciliennes
Les vêpres siciliennes is an opéra in five acts by the Italian romantic composer Giuseppe Verdi set to a French libretto by Charles Duveyrier and Eugène Scribe from their work Le duc d'Albe, which was written in 1838 and offered to Halevy and Donizetti before Verdi...
. She became only the fourth person ever to announce the broadcasts in their seventy-three year history, following Milton Cross
Milton Cross
Milton John Cross was an American radio announcer famous for his work on the NBC and ABC radio networks.He was best known as the voice of the Metropolitan Opera, hosting its Saturday afternoon radio broadcasts for 43 years, from the time of their inception in 1931 until his death in...
, Allen, and Lloyd Moss (who substituted just twice).
On September 20, 2006, the Met announced that Juntwait would become a full-time Met employee, having been appointed as announcer of all programs on Sirius Satellite Radio's
Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
new Metropolitan Opera Radio channel. On Sirius, Juntwait hosts three or four live broadcasts a week during the opera season and records introductions for the hundreds of archive performances aired on the channel.
Juntwait is also an actress and has performed in radio theater plays, produced by NPR veteran Joe Bevilacqua
Joe Bevilacqua
Joe Bevilacqua is an award-winning voice actor, radio producer, dramatist, humorist, and documentary film producer.- Early life :Bevilacqua grew up in Newark, New Jersey, the son of a policeman and a housewife.- Career :...
, including The Whithering of Willoughby and the Professor. In episode 16, Juntwait essays three roles in a parody of the cult British 60s show: The Prisoner. In episode 17, Juntwait portrays Willoughby's mother, a mermaid and god. The plays are airing on THE COMEDY-O-RAMA HOUR, heard five times per week on XM's Satellite Radio's Sonic Theater Channel 163.