Virginia MacWatters
Encyclopedia
Virginia MacWatters was an acclaimed American coloratura
soprano
.
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, MacWatters studied at the Curtis Institute of Music
, and sang 611 Broadway
performances of Adele in Rosalinda (an adaptation of Die Fledermaus), conducted by Erich Korngold, from 1942 to 1944. She made her formal operatic debut at the San Francisco Opera
, as Musetta in La bohème, in 1944.
The soprano also appeared on Broadway in La serva padrona (as Serpina, 1944) and Mr Strauss Goes to Boston (as Brook Whitney, 1945). MacWatters sang at the New York City Opera
from 1946 to 1951, in The Pirates of Penzance (as Mabel, conducted by Julius Rudel
), Rigoletto (as Gilda, with Giuseppe Valdengo
and Luigi Infantino
), Il barbiere di Siviglia (as Rosina, opposite Enzo Mascherini
), The Old Maid and the Thief (as Laetitia, with Marie Powers
), Le nozze di Figaro (as Susanna), Les contes d'Hoffmann (as Olympia), and Ariadne auf Naxos (as Zerbinetta).
MacWatters appeared at the first season of opera in English at Covent Garden
following World War II, in the name part of Manon and as Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier, in 1947. At the New Orleans Opera
Association, the coloratura was seen in Il barbiere di Siviglia (1949), Die Fledermaus (1955) and Le nozze di Figaro (opposite Norman Treigle
in the title role, 1956).
For the Metropolitan Opera
, she played Adele in the national tour of Garson Kanin
's production of Die Fledermaus, from 1951 to 1952. MacWatters's house debut was also as Adele, with Regina Resnik
, and, later, Eleanor Steber
, as Rosalinde von Eisenstein. From 1953 to 1955, she was also heard there in La bohème, opposite Victoria de los Ángeles
as Mimì. She returned to the Met in 1957, for Fiakermilli in Arabella, with Lisa della Casa
conducted by Erich Leinsdorf
.
MacWatters became Artist in Residence at Indiana University
in 1957, and remained on the voice faculty until her 1982 retirement. Indeed, she died in Bloomington, Indiana, at the age of ninety-three.
Coloratura
Coloratura has several meanings. The word is originally from Italian, literally meaning "coloring", and derives from the Latin word colorare . When used in English, the term specifically refers to elaborate melody, particularly in vocal music and especially in operatic singing of the 18th and...
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...
.
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, MacWatters studied at the Curtis Institute of Music
Curtis Institute of Music
The Curtis Institute of Music is a conservatory in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that offers courses of study leading to a performance Diploma, Bachelor of Music, Master of Music in Opera, and Professional Studies Certificate in Opera. According to statistics compiled by U.S...
, and sang 611 Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
performances of Adele in Rosalinda (an adaptation of Die Fledermaus), conducted by Erich Korngold, from 1942 to 1944. She made her formal operatic debut 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...
, as Musetta in La bohème, in 1944.
The soprano also appeared on Broadway in La serva padrona (as Serpina, 1944) and Mr Strauss Goes to Boston (as Brook Whitney, 1945). MacWatters sang 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...
from 1946 to 1951, in The Pirates of Penzance (as Mabel, conducted by 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...
), Rigoletto (as Gilda, with Giuseppe Valdengo
Giuseppe Valdengo
Giuseppe Valdengo was an Italian operatic baritone. Opera News said that, "Although his timbre lacked the innate beauty of some of his baritone contemporaries, Valdengo's performances were invariably satisfying — bold and assured in attack but scrupulously musical."-Biography:Valdengo first...
and Luigi Infantino
Luigi Infantino
Luigi Infantino was an Italian operatic tenor, particularly associated with the lyric Italian and French repertories.Luigi Infantino studied at the Parma Conservatory with Italo Brancucci...
), Il barbiere di Siviglia (as Rosina, opposite Enzo Mascherini
Enzo Mascherini
Enzo Mascherini was an Italian operatic baritone, one of the leading baritones of his generation....
), The Old Maid and the Thief (as Laetitia, with Marie Powers
Marie Powers
Marie Powers was an American contralto who was best known for her performance as Madame Flora in Gian Carlo Menotti’s The Medium, a role that she played on stage, screen and television....
), Le nozze di Figaro (as Susanna), Les contes d'Hoffmann (as Olympia), and Ariadne auf Naxos (as Zerbinetta).
MacWatters appeared at the first season of opera in English at 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...
following World War II, in the name part of Manon and as Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier, in 1947. At 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, the coloratura was seen in Il barbiere di Siviglia (1949), Die Fledermaus (1955) and Le nozze di Figaro (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 title role, 1956).
For 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...
, she played Adele in the national tour of Garson Kanin
Garson Kanin
Garson Kanin was a prolific American writer and director of plays and films.-Film and stage career:...
's production of Die Fledermaus, from 1951 to 1952. MacWatters's house debut was also as Adele, 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...
, and, later, Eleanor Steber
Eleanor Steber
Eleanor Steber was an American operatic soprano. Steber is noted as one of the first major opera stars to have achieved the highest success with training and a career based in the United States.-Biography:...
, as Rosalinde von Eisenstein. From 1953 to 1955, she was also heard there in La bohème, opposite Victoria de los Ángeles
Victoria de los Ángeles
Victoria de los Ángeles was a Spanish Catalan operatic soprano and recitalist whose career began in the early 1940s and reached its height in the years from the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s. Her obituary in The Times noted that she must be counted “among the finest singers of the second half...
as Mimì. She returned to the Met in 1957, for Fiakermilli in Arabella, with Lisa della Casa
Lisa Della Casa
Lisa Della Casa is a Swiss soprano most admired for her interpretations of major heroines in major operas by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Richard Strauss, of German lieder, and for her great beauty. She was dubbed “the most beautiful woman on the operatic stage”...
conducted by Erich Leinsdorf
Erich Leinsdorf
Erich Leinsdorf was a naturalized American Austrian conductor. He performed and recorded with leading orchestras and opera companies throughout the United States and Europe, earning a reputation for exacting standards as well as an acerbic personality...
.
MacWatters became Artist in Residence at Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
in 1957, and remained on the voice faculty until her 1982 retirement. Indeed, she died in Bloomington, Indiana, at the age of ninety-three.