Susanne Marsee
Encyclopedia
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 production.
Miss Marsee then appeared with companies in Baltimore, Baton Rouge, Boston, Cincinnati, Fort Worth, Houston, Memphis, Milwaukee, New Orleans (Urbain in Les Huguenots
), Omaha, Philadelphia (in Anna Bolena, with Renata Scotto
), Pittsburgh, St Paul, San Diego, San Francisco, Washington DC, Caracas, Cervantes Festival (Mexico), Mexico City, Montreal, Taiwanese Opera Festival, etc.
In 1972, Marsee made her only commercial recording, for Westminster, as Nicklausse in Les contes d'Hoffmann
, opposite Sills and Norman Treigle
. In 1977, she made her European debut at the Spoleto Festival
in Così fan tutte, and then appeared at the Aix-en-Provence Festival
in Roberto Devereux, with Montserrat Caballé
and José Carreras
.
The remarkable singing-actress was seen in a number of PBS television
broadcasts: Rachel La Cubana (conducted by the composer, Hans Werner Henze
, 1974), Roberto Devereux (with Sills, 1975), Il turco in Italia (with Sills and Donald Gramm
, 1978), La Cenerentola (with Rockwell Blake
and Alan Titus
, 1980), Rigoletto (1988), A Little Night Music (with Regina Resnik
, 1990) and Le nozze di Figaro (as Marcellina, 1991).
Her final appearances at the City Opera were as Mistress Bentsen in Lakmé
(opposite Elizabeth Futral
), in 1994. The following year (twenty-five years after her debut), she sang her farewell performance, in the cameo rôle of Alisa in the Capobianco production of Lucia di Lammermoor
, for the Pittsburgh Opera
.
Mezzo-soprano
A mezzo-soprano is a type of classical female singing voice whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above...
of note. She was one of 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...
's leading mezzo-sopranos from 1970, when she debuted opposite Beverly Sills
Beverly Sills
Beverly Sills was an American operatic soprano whose peak career was between the 1950s and 1970s. In her prime she was the only real rival to Joan Sutherland as the leading bel canto stylist...
, Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo KBE , born José Plácido Domingo Embil, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range...
and 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...
, in Donizetti's Roberto Devereux, with Julius Rudel
Julius Rudel
Julius Rudel is an American opera and orchestra conductor who emigrated to the United States from Austria at the age of 17 and studied conducting at the Mannes College of Music in New York City. He then forged a 35-year career with the New York City Opera, from 1944 to 1979, and was the Music...
conducting 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...
's production.
Miss Marsee then appeared with companies in Baltimore, Baton Rouge, Boston, Cincinnati, Fort Worth, Houston, Memphis, Milwaukee, New Orleans (Urbain in Les Huguenots
Les Huguenots
Les Huguenots is a French opera by Giacomo Meyerbeer, one of the most popular and spectacular examples of the style of grand opera. The opera is in five acts and premiered in Paris in 1836. The libretto was written by Eugène Scribe and Émile Deschamps....
), Omaha, Philadelphia (in Anna Bolena, with Renata Scotto
Renata Scotto
Renata Scotto is an Italian soprano and opera director.Recognized for her sense of style, musicality and as a remarkable singer-actress, Scotto is considered one of the preeminent singers of her generation, specializing in the bel canto repertoire with excursions into the verismo and Verdi...
), Pittsburgh, St Paul, San Diego, San Francisco, Washington DC, Caracas, Cervantes Festival (Mexico), Mexico City, Montreal, Taiwanese Opera Festival, etc.
In 1972, Marsee made her only commercial recording, for Westminster, as Nicklausse in Les contes d'Hoffmann
Les contes d'Hoffmann
Les contes d'Hoffmann is an opéra by Jacques Offenbach. The French libretto was written by Jules Barbier, based on short stories by E. T. A...
, opposite Sills and 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 1977, she made her European debut at the Spoleto Festival
Festival dei Due Mondi
The Festival dei Due Mondi ' is an annual summer music and opera festival held each June to early July in Spoleto, Italy, since its founding by composer Gian Carlo Menotti in 1958...
in Così fan tutte, and then appeared at the Aix-en-Provence Festival
Aix-en-Provence Festival
The festival international d'art lyrique is an annual international music festival which takes place each summer in Aix-en-Provence, principally in the month of July. Devoted mainly to opera, it also includes concerts of orchestral, chamber, vocal and solo instrumental music.-Establishment:The...
in Roberto Devereux, with Montserrat Caballé
Montserrat Caballé
Montserrat Caballé is a Spanish operatic soprano. Although she sang a wide variety of roles, she is best known as an exponent of the bel canto repertoire, notably the works of Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti and Verdi....
and 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...
.
The remarkable singing-actress was seen in a number of PBS television
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
broadcasts: Rachel La Cubana (conducted by the composer, Hans Werner Henze
Hans Werner Henze
Hans Werner Henze is a German composer of prodigious output best known for "his consistent cultivation of music for the theatre throughout his life"...
, 1974), Roberto Devereux (with Sills, 1975), Il turco in Italia (with Sills and Donald Gramm
Donald Gramm
Donald Gramm was an American bass-baritone whose career was divided between opera and concert performances. His appearances were primarily limited to the United States, which at the time was unusual for an American singer...
, 1978), La Cenerentola (with Rockwell Blake
Rockwell Blake
Rockwell Blake is an American operatic tenor, particularly known for his roles in Rossini operas. He was the first winner of the Richard Tucker Award.-Biography:...
and Alan Titus
Alan Titus
Alan Titus is an internationally-celebrated baritone. He studied under Aksel Schiøtz at the Colorado School of Music, and Hans Heinz at The Juilliard School. His official debut was as Marcello in La bohème, in Washington, DC, in 1969. He came to prominence, however, in Leonard Bernstein's...
, 1980), Rigoletto (1988), A Little Night Music (with Regina Resnik
Regina Resnik
Regina Resnik is an American operatic singer.Regina Resnik, the American mezzo-soprano, started a dramatic career ten months after earning her B.A. in Music at Hunter College. The role was Lady Macbeth under Fritz Busch in December, 1942 with the New Opera Company. A few months later, she sang...
, 1990) and Le nozze di Figaro (as Marcellina, 1991).
Her final appearances at the City Opera were as Mistress Bentsen in Lakmé
Lakmé
Lakmé is an opera in three acts by Léo Delibes to a French libretto by Edmond Gondinet and Philippe Gille. Delibes wrote the score during 1881–82 with its first performance on 14 April 1883 at the Opéra Comique in Paris. Set in British India in the mid 19th century, Lakmé is based on the 1880 novel...
(opposite Elizabeth Futral
Elizabeth Futral
Elizabeth Futral is an American coloratura soprano who has won acclaim throughout the United States as well as in Europe, South America, and Japan....
), in 1994. The following year (twenty-five years after her debut), she sang her farewell performance, in the cameo rôle of Alisa in the Capobianco production of Lucia di Lammermoor
Lucia di Lammermoor
Lucia di Lammermoor is a dramma tragico in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. Salvadore Cammarano wrote the Italian language libretto loosely based upon Sir Walter Scott's historical novel The Bride of Lammermoor....
, for the Pittsburgh Opera
Pittsburgh Opera
Pittsburgh Opera is an American opera company based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is one of two opera companies in the city, the other being Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh Opera gives performances in several venues, primarily at the Benedum Center, with other performances at the...
.
Recordings
- Offenbach: Les contes d'Hoffmann (Sills, Burrows, Treigle; Rudel, 1972) Deutsche GrammophonDeutsche GrammophonDeutsche Grammophon is a German classical record label which was the foundation of the future corporation to be known as PolyGram. It is now part of Universal Music Group since its acquisition and absorption of PolyGram in 1999, and it is also UMG's oldest active label...
(audio) - Donizetti: Roberto Devereux (Sills, J.Alexander, Fredricks; Rudel, Capobianco, 1975) [live] VAI (video)
External links
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoJrvpDbjTY&feature=youtu.be YouTube: Susanne Marsee in La Cenerentola (1980).
- http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=info&ref=mf&gid=243910689546#/group.php?v=info&ref=ts&gid=87892726919 The Susanne Marsee Appreciation Society.