Nancy Shade
Encyclopedia
Nancy Shade is a celebrated spinto soprano
, best known as a singing-actress. She made her formal debut as Leonora in Il trovatore, in Louisville, in 1967. In 1971, she made her first of many appearances at the New York City Opera
, as Musetta in La bohème. She also sang there in Mefistofele (directed by Tito Capobianco
), Madama Butterfly (opposite José Carreras
), Pagliacci, Susannah, and Die tote Stadt (in Frank Corsaro
's production).
In 1973, Shade sang the title role of Manon Lescaut (opposite Harry Theyard
) at the Spoleto Festival, under the direction of Luchino Visconti
. The following year, she sang in a Concert Version of Mefistofele at London's Royal Festival Hall, opposite Norman Treigle
in the name part. In 1976 she created the role of Barbara in the world premiere of Gian Carlo Menotti
's The Hero
with the Opera Company of Philadelphia
. That same year she made her Covent Garden
debut as Giorgetta in Il tabarro, and in 1979, performed the eponymous role of Lulu at the Santa Fe Opera
, which was the American premiere of the completed, three-act version of the masterpiece. Also in Santa Fe, she appeared in La traviata (1976), Salome (1976), Erwartung (1980) and We Come to the River (1984).
For the New Orleans Opera
Association, she sang in Manon Lescaut (1974), a double-bill of Il tabarro and Pagliacci (1976), as well as La bohème (as Mimì, 1978). At the San Francisco Opera
, in 1976, the soprano appeared in the world premiere of Andrew Imbrie
's Angel of Repose (with Chester Ludgin
and Susanne Marsee
), and returned the following year for Marguerite in Faust. She also was seen at the San Diego Opera
, in Mefistofele (conducted by Werner Torkanowsky
, 1973), La traviata (1977) and Falstaff (1978). The soprano was also heard in the United States premiere of Lowell Liebermann
's The Picture of Dorian Gray, at the Florentine Opera
, in 1999, which was broadcast over NPR
.
One of Shade's greatest successes was as Marie in Zimmermann's fiercely difficult Die Soldaten, which was recorded (with Bernhard Kontarsky conducting, 1988–89) and filmed (in Harry Kupfer
's production, 1989). In a different vein, she was in the first complete recording of the musical comedy The Most Happy Fella (as Marie), alongside Louis Quilico
, which was published in 2000. In the same year, the soprano was also acclaimed for her performance as the Woman in Erwartung, at the Prague State Opera.
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...
, best known as a singing-actress. She made her formal debut as Leonora in Il trovatore, in Louisville, in 1967. In 1971, she made her first of many appearances at the New York City Opera
New York City Opera
The New York City Opera is an American opera company located in New York City.The company, called "the people's opera" by New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, was founded in 1943 with the aim of making opera financially accessible to a wide audience, producing an innovative choice of repertory, and...
, as Musetta in La bohème. She also sang there in Mefistofele (directed by Tito Capobianco
Tito Capobianco
Tito Capobianco is a noted stage director of opera.He made his official debut with Aïda, at the Teatro Argentino, La Plata, in 1953, then worked at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires...
), Madama Butterfly (opposite José Carreras
José Carreras
Josep Maria Carreras i Coll , better known as José Carreras , is a Spanish Catalan tenor particularly known for his performances in the operas of Verdi and Puccini...
), Pagliacci, Susannah, and Die tote Stadt (in Frank Corsaro
Frank Corsaro
Frank Corsaro is one of America's foremost stage directors of opera and theatre. His Broadway productions include The Night of the Iguana ....
's production).
In 1973, Shade sang the title role of Manon Lescaut (opposite Harry Theyard
Harry Theyard
Harry Theyard , tenor, is a native of New Orleans and is a 1957 graduate of Loyola University of the South, where he studied under Dorothy Hulse, who was also the teacher of Audrey Schuh and Charles Anthony...
) at the Spoleto Festival, under the direction of Luchino Visconti
Luchino Visconti
Luchino Visconti di Modrone, Count of Lonate Pozzolo was an Italian theatre, opera and cinema director, as well as a screenwriter. He is best known for his films The Leopard and Death in Venice .-Life:...
. The following year, she sang in a Concert Version of Mefistofele at London's Royal Festival Hall, opposite Norman Treigle
Norman Treigle
Norman Treigle was an American operatic bass-baritone, who was acclaimed for his great abilities as a singing-actor, and specialized in roles that evoked villainy and terror....
in the name part. In 1976 she created the role of Barbara in the world premiere of Gian Carlo Menotti
Gian Carlo Menotti
Gian Carlo Menotti was an Italian-American composer and librettist. Although he often referred to himself as an American composer, he kept his Italian citizenship. He wrote the classic Christmas opera, Amahl and the Night Visitors, among about two dozen other operas intended to appeal to popular...
's The Hero
The Hero (opera)
The Hero is a two act opera by Italian-American composer Gian Carlo Menotti. Comissioned by the Opera Company of Philadelphia, the work premiered at the Philadelphia Academy of Music on June 1, 1976. At this point of his career, Menotti's style of composition, which rejected the avant-garde, was...
with the Opera Company of Philadelphia
Opera Company of Philadelphia
The Opera Company of Philadelphia is an American opera company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and is the city's only company producing grand opera. The organization produces four fully staged opera productions annually, encompassing works from the seventeenth through the 21st century...
. That same year she made her Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
debut as Giorgetta in Il tabarro, and in 1979, performed the eponymous role of Lulu at the Santa Fe Opera
Santa Fe Opera
The Santa Fe Opera is an American opera company, located north of Santa Fe in the U.S. state of New Mexico, headquartered on a former guest ranch of .-General history:...
, which was the American premiere of the completed, three-act version of the masterpiece. Also in Santa Fe, she appeared in La traviata (1976), Salome (1976), Erwartung (1980) and We Come to the River (1984).
For the New Orleans Opera
New Orleans Opera
Opera has long been part of the musical culture of New Orleans, Louisiana. Operas have regularly been performed in the city since the 1790s, and for the majority of the city's history since the early 19th century, New Orleans has had a resident company regularly performing opera in addition to...
Association, she sang in Manon Lescaut (1974), a double-bill of Il tabarro and Pagliacci (1976), as well as La bohème (as Mimì, 1978). At the San Francisco Opera
San Francisco Opera
San Francisco Opera is an American opera company, based in San Francisco, California.It was founded in 1923 by Gaetano Merola and is the second largest opera company in North America...
, in 1976, the soprano appeared in the world premiere of Andrew Imbrie
Andrew Imbrie
Andrew Welsh Imbrie was an American composer of contemporary classical music.-Career:Imbrie was born in New York on April 6, 1921, and began his musical training as a pianist when he was 4. In 1937, he went to Paris to study briefly with Nadia Boulanger...
's Angel of Repose (with Chester Ludgin
Chester Ludgin
-Biography:Chester Ludgin was a native of Brooklyn, New York. He made his professional debut in 1956 with The Experimental Opera Theatre of America , as Baron Scarpia in Giacomo Puccini's Tosca, conducted by Renato Cellini and directed by Armando Agnini...
and Susanne Marsee
Susanne Marsee
Susanne Marsee is an American mezzo-soprano of note. She was one of the New York City Opera's leading mezzo-sopranos from 1970, when she debuted opposite Beverly Sills, Plácido Domingo and Louis Quilico, in Donizetti's Roberto Devereux, with Julius Rudel conducting Tito Capobianco's...
), and returned the following year for Marguerite in Faust. She also was seen at the San Diego Opera
San Diego Opera
The San Diego Opera Association is a professional opera company located in the city of San Diego, California and is a member of OPERA America. It was founded in 1950 to present productions by San Francisco Opera in the San Diego area...
, in Mefistofele (conducted by Werner Torkanowsky
Werner Torkanowsky
Werner Torkanowsky was a successful German conductor in both the concert hall and opera house....
, 1973), La traviata (1977) and Falstaff (1978). The soprano was also heard in the United States premiere of Lowell Liebermann
Lowell Liebermann
Lowell Liebermann is an American composer, pianist and conductor.At the age of sixteen, Liebermann performed at Carnegie Hall, playing his Piano Sonata, op. 1...
's The Picture of Dorian Gray, at the Florentine Opera
Florentine Opera
The Florentine Opera Company is Wisconsin's oldest fully professional performing arts organization and the sixth-oldest opera company in the United States. The company presents on three staged productions per season largely from the standard operatic repertoire...
, in 1999, which was broadcast over NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
.
Harry Kupfer
Harry Kupfer is a German opera director. He studied theatre in Leipzig and directed his first opera, Antonín Dvořák's Rusalka, in 1958....
's production, 1989). In a different vein, she was in the first complete recording of the musical comedy The Most Happy Fella (as Marie), alongside Louis Quilico
Louis Quilico
Louis Quilico, CC was a Canadian opera singer. One of the leading dramatic baritones of his day, he was an ideal interpreter of the great Italian and French composers, especially Giuseppe Verdi. He was often referred to as "Mr Rigoletto" in reference to the Verdi opera...
, which was published in 2000. In the same year, the soprano was also acclaimed for her performance as the Woman in Erwartung, at the Prague State Opera.
External links
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnBCc8RVuTI Nancy Shade in an excerpt from Die Soldaten, with William CochranWilliam CochranWilliam Cochran may refer to:* William Thad Cochran , U.S. Senator from Mississippi* William Gemmell Cochran , British-American statistician* William Cochran , British physicist...
and Grace Hoffman] (1989).