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Teresa Stratas

August 20, 2023

Teresa Stratas OC FRCMT(hon) (born May 26, 1938) is an operatic soprano and actress from Canada of Greek descent. She is especially well known for her award-winning recording of Alban Berg's Lulu.[1] She has now formally retired.

Stratas in 1984

Early life and career

Stratas was born Anastasia Stratakis to a struggling immigrant Cretan family in Oshawa, near Toronto, Ontario. At age 13, she performed Greek pop songs on the radio. She graduated from The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. At age 20, Stratas made her professional opera debut as Mimì in La bohème at the Toronto Opera Festival. One year later in 1959, she co-won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, appearing later that year with the Metropolitan Opera as Poussette in Manon. She created the title role in Peggy Glanville-Hicks' Nausicaa at the Herod Atticus Theatre in Athens in 1961, made her Covent Garden debut as Mimì that same year and in 1962, she made her La Scala debut as Isabella in Manuel de Falla's L'Atlántida. She continued her career with the Metropolitan Opera, moved into leading roles and performed with leading opera houses around the world, including the Bolshoi, Vienna State, Berlin, Bavarian State (Munich), Paris, San Francisco and at the Salzburg Festival.

Her repertoire also included Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Despina in Così fan tutte, Cherubino and Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro, Liù in Turandot, Cio-Cio-San in Madama Butterfly, Micaëla in Carmen, Marguerite in Faust, the title role in La Périchole, Gretel in Hansel and Gretel, Lisa in The Queen of Spades, The Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos, Antonia in Les contes d'Hoffmann, Mélisande in Pelléas et Mélisande, Marenka in The Bartered Bride, Desdemona in Otello, Mme Lidoine in Dialogues des Carmélites, the title roles of Salome and Lulu, Jenny Smith in Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny (directed by John Dexter) and Marie Antoinette in John Corigliano's The Ghosts of Versailles. She is regarded as one of the foremost singing actresses of the twentieth century.

In March 1962, she appeared as a contestant on the CBS Game Show "To Tell The Truth." Stratas and two other contestants had to convince the panelists that each of them was the real Teresa Stratas. Dorothy Kilgallen and Johnny Carson appeared on the episode as panelists along with Tom Poston and Dina Merrill. None of the panelists believed Stratas was really herself; giving all three contestants the top $1,000 prize to split among themselves and each received a carton of Salem cigarettes, the brand sponsoring the program.[2]

Career highlights

Among her career highlights was the creation of the role of Sardulla in the US premiere of Menotti's The Last Savage (Met, 1964). In 1974, she made a film (directed by Götz Friedrich) of Strauss' Salome with the Vienna Philharmonic under Karl Böhm. Pierre Boulez chose her to sing the title role in the first performance of Friedrich Cerha's completed version of Alban Berg's Lulu (Paris, 1979). In 1981 she performed the role of Mimi in La bohème at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.[3] On 26 September 1989, she sang all three soprano roles in Puccini's Trittico, Giorgetta in Il tabarro, Angelica in Suor Angelica and Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi (Met). She created the role of Marie Antoinette in the premiere of John Corigliano's The Ghosts of Versailles (Met, 1991). At the opening night of the Met's 1994 season, she sang Nedda in Pagliacci opposite Luciano Pavarotti and Giorgetta in Il tabarro opposite Plácido Domingo.[4]

Over the course of her thirty-six year career at the Metropolitan Opera, she appeared in 385 performances of 41 different roles. Her most frequently performed roles at the house include Liu in Turandot (27 performances between 1961 and 1995), Nedda in Pagliacci (27 performances between 1963 and 1994) and Mimì in La bohème (26 performances between 1962 and 1982). Her final performance with the company was on December 9, 1995, as Jenny in The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny. She was engaged to sing Marenka in a revival of The Bartered Bride during the 1996–97 season, but withdrew from the production prior to opening night, and subsequently never appeared at the Metropolitan again.

While rehearsing for Mahagonny in 1979, Stratas met the originator of her role, Lotte Lenya, who was also Kurt Weill's widow. Lenya gave her the scores of previously unpublished Weill songs which she had hoarded until that time, some of which Stratas later recorded on two albums, The Unknown Kurt Weill and Stratas Sings Weill.

She also starred in several film adaptations of operas, including Salome (1974), Amahl and the Night Visitors (1978), The Bartered Bride (1975), Pagliacci (1982) and La traviata (1983).

In 1988, she recorded the role of Julie La Verne in EMI's 3-CD set of the complete score of Kern and Hammerstein's classic musical Show Boat, conducted by John McGlinn. Also starring with her were Frederica Von Stade as Magnolia, Jerry Hadley as Gaylord Ravenal, and Bruce Hubbard as Joe. This was the first-ever complete recording of the score, using Robert Russell Bennett's original 1927 orchestrations, Will Vodery's vocal arrangements, and all of Oscar Hammerstein II's uncensored lyrics. Critics acclaimed it as the finest recording of Show Boat ever made.

In the 1980s Stratas travelled to Calcutta and worked with Mother Teresa in an orphanage and at the Kalighat Home for the Dying. In the 1990s she again took time from her career to move into a Romanian hospital to clean cots and wash and care for the sick and dying orphans.

On September 25, 2008, Teresa Stratas returned to New York for an interview with the Metropolitan Opera Guild, her first public appearance in over a decade. She lives in Florida.

Awards and recognition

 
Stratas' star on Canada's Walk of Fame

Discography

Filmography

See also

References

  1. ^ Schonberg, Harold C. (February 26, 1979). "First Full 'Lulu' Of Berg Draws World Notables to Paris Opera". New York Times. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  2. ^ "To Tell the Truth - Dorothy Kilgallen on Panel (Mar 19, 1962) [W/ COMMERCIALS]" – via www.youtube.com.
  3. ^ Rockwell, John (December 15, 1981). "Opera: 'Boheme' Staged by Zeffirelli". New York Times. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  4. ^ Rothstein, Edward (September 27, 1994). "Opera Review; Opening-Night Rituals, But With Passion". New York Times. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  • . Archived from the original on 2006-02-20. Retrieved 2006-05-27.
  • . Archived from the original on 2006-05-05. Retrieved 2006-05-27.

External links

  • Teresa Stratas at IMDb
  • Teresa Stratas at the Internet Broadway Database  
  • Teresa Stratas, Governor General's Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award (2000)
  • Teresa Stratas in an excerpt from Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny on YouTube (1978).

August 20, 2023
teresa, stratas, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, january, 2011, learn, when, remove, this, template, message, . This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations January 2011 Learn how and when to remove this template message Teresa Stratas OC FRCMT hon born May 26 1938 is an operatic soprano and actress from Canada of Greek descent She is especially well known for her award winning recording of Alban Berg s Lulu 1 She has now formally retired Stratas in 1984 Contents 1 Early life and career 2 Career highlights 3 Awards and recognition 4 Discography 5 Filmography 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksEarly life and career EditStratas was born Anastasia Stratakis to a struggling immigrant Cretan family in Oshawa near Toronto Ontario At age 13 she performed Greek pop songs on the radio She graduated from The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto At age 20 Stratas made her professional opera debut as Mimi in La boheme at the Toronto Opera Festival One year later in 1959 she co won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions appearing later that year with the Metropolitan Opera as Poussette in Manon She created the title role in Peggy Glanville Hicks Nausicaa at the Herod Atticus Theatre in Athens in 1961 made her Covent Garden debut as Mimi that same year and in 1962 she made her La Scala debut as Isabella in Manuel de Falla s L Atlantida She continued her career with the Metropolitan Opera moved into leading roles and performed with leading opera houses around the world including the Bolshoi Vienna State Berlin Bavarian State Munich Paris San Francisco and at the Salzburg Festival Her repertoire also included Zerlina in Don Giovanni Despina in Cosi fan tutte Cherubino and Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro Liu in Turandot Cio Cio San in Madama Butterfly Micaela in Carmen Marguerite in Faust the title role in La Perichole Gretel in Hansel and Gretel Lisa in The Queen of Spades The Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos Antonia in Les contes d Hoffmann Melisande in Pelleas et Melisande Marenka in The Bartered Bride Desdemona in Otello Mme Lidoine in Dialogues des Carmelites the title roles of Salome and Lulu Jenny Smith in Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny directed by John Dexter and Marie Antoinette in John Corigliano s The Ghosts of Versailles She is regarded as one of the foremost singing actresses of the twentieth century In March 1962 she appeared as a contestant on the CBS Game Show To Tell The Truth Stratas and two other contestants had to convince the panelists that each of them was the real Teresa Stratas Dorothy Kilgallen and Johnny Carson appeared on the episode as panelists along with Tom Poston and Dina Merrill None of the panelists believed Stratas was really herself giving all three contestants the top 1 000 prize to split among themselves and each received a carton of Salem cigarettes the brand sponsoring the program 2 Career highlights EditAmong her career highlights was the creation of the role of Sardulla in the US premiere of Menotti s The Last Savage Met 1964 In 1974 she made a film directed by Gotz Friedrich of Strauss Salome with the Vienna Philharmonic under Karl Bohm Pierre Boulez chose her to sing the title role in the first performance of Friedrich Cerha s completed version of Alban Berg s Lulu Paris 1979 In 1981 she performed the role of Mimi in La boheme at the Metropolitan Opera in New York 3 On 26 September 1989 she sang all three soprano roles in Puccini s Trittico Giorgetta in Il tabarro Angelica in Suor Angelica and Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi Met She created the role of Marie Antoinette in the premiere of John Corigliano s The Ghosts of Versailles Met 1991 At the opening night of the Met s 1994 season she sang Nedda in Pagliacci opposite Luciano Pavarotti and Giorgetta in Il tabarro opposite Placido Domingo 4 Over the course of her thirty six year career at the Metropolitan Opera she appeared in 385 performances of 41 different roles Her most frequently performed roles at the house include Liu in Turandot 27 performances between 1961 and 1995 Nedda in Pagliacci 27 performances between 1963 and 1994 and Mimi in La boheme 26 performances between 1962 and 1982 Her final performance with the company was on December 9 1995 as Jenny in The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny She was engaged to sing Marenka in a revival of The Bartered Bride during the 1996 97 season but withdrew from the production prior to opening night and subsequently never appeared at the Metropolitan again While rehearsing for Mahagonny in 1979 Stratas met the originator of her role Lotte Lenya who was also Kurt Weill s widow Lenya gave her the scores of previously unpublished Weill songs which she had hoarded until that time some of which Stratas later recorded on two albums The Unknown Kurt Weill and Stratas Sings Weill She also starred in several film adaptations of operas including Salome 1974 Amahl and the Night Visitors 1978 The Bartered Bride 1975 Pagliacci 1982 and La traviata 1983 In 1988 she recorded the role of Julie La Verne in EMI s 3 CD set of the complete score of Kern and Hammerstein s classic musical Show Boat conducted by John McGlinn Also starring with her were Frederica Von Stade as Magnolia Jerry Hadley as Gaylord Ravenal and Bruce Hubbard as Joe This was the first ever complete recording of the score using Robert Russell Bennett s original 1927 orchestrations Will Vodery s vocal arrangements and all of Oscar Hammerstein II s uncensored lyrics Critics acclaimed it as the finest recording of Show Boat ever made In the 1980s Stratas travelled to Calcutta and worked with Mother Teresa in an orphanage and at the Kalighat Home for the Dying In the 1990s she again took time from her career to move into a Romanian hospital to clean cots and wash and care for the sick and dying orphans On September 25 2008 Teresa Stratas returned to New York for an interview with the Metropolitan Opera Guild her first public appearance in over a decade She lives in Florida Awards and recognition Edit Stratas star on Canada s Walk of FameGrammy Awards amp Grammy nominations Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording and Grammy Award for Best Classical Album for Alban Berg s Lulu 1981 Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording for Verdi s La traviata 1984 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress Musical for Rags 1987 Nominee for Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for Rags 1987 Officer of the Order of Canada 1972 Artist of the Year Canadian Music Council 1980 Honorary LL D McMaster University 1986 Honorary LL D University of Toronto 1994 Honorary LL D Eastman School of Music 1998 Honorary D LITT York University 2000 Governor General s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement 2000 Star in Canada s Walk of Fame 2001 MasterWorks recipient for Alban Berg s Lulu 2005 Discography EditAlban Berg Lulu Stratas Yvonne Minton Hanna Schwarz Franz Mazura Kenneth Riegel Robert Tear Orchestre de l Opera de Paris cond Pierre Boulez Deutsche Grammophon 1981 Teresa Stratas The Unknown Kurt Weill Nonesuch 79019 Stratas Sings Weill Nonesuch 79131 September Songs The Music of Kurt Weill Sony Classical 1997 Verdi La traviata Stratas Fritz Wunderlich Hermann Prey Cond Giuseppe Patane Orfeo 1965 Live performance Peggy Glanville Hicks Nausicaa Scenes from the Opera Stratas Athens Symphony Orchestra amp Chorus Jerome Kern Show Boat Stratas Frederica von Stade Jerry Hadley amp Lillian Gish Ambrosian Chorus amp London Sinfonietta cond John McGlinn EMI 1988 Lehar Die lustig Witwe Stratas Zoltan Kelemen Elizabeth Harwood Rene Kollo Werner Hollweg Berliner Philharmoniker cond Herbert von Karajan Deutsche Grammophon 1973 Lehar Der Zarewitsch Stratas Wieslaw Ochman Paul Esser Lukas Ammann Harald Juhnke amp Birke Bruck Symphonie Orchester Kurt Graunke cond Willy Mattes DVD Deutsche Grammophon Unitel Classica 00440 073 4314 1973Filmography EditGiuditta 1970 Stratas Schock operetta F Lehar movie made in Germany Paganini 1973 Stratas Theba operetta F Lehar directed by Wolfgang Ebert movie made in Germany Der Zarewitsch 1973 Stratas Ochman operetta F Lehar movie made in Germany directed by Arthur Maria Rabenalt Salome 1974 title role conducted by Karl Bohm directed by Gotz Friedrich The Bartered Bride 1978 with Nicolai Gedda and Jon Vickers directed by John Dexter Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny 1979 with Astrid Varnay and Richard Cassilly directed by Dexter La boheme 1981 as Mimi with Jose Carreras and Renata Scotto directed by Franco Zeffirelli Pagliacci 1982 as Nedda with Domingo directed by Zeffirelli La traviata 1983 as Violetta with Domingo and Cornell MacNeil directed by Zeffirelli Stratasphere Portrait of Teresa Stratas 1989 documentary Cosi fan tutte Stratas Edita Gruberova Luis Lima Ferruccio Furlanetto Delores Ziegler Vienna Philharmonic cond Nikolaus Harnoncourt Directed by Jean Pierre Ponnelle Deutsche Grammophon The Blasphemers Banquet 1989 The Ghosts of Versailles 1991 Stratas Fleming Horne Hagegard G Quilico Berberian Met Opera cond James Levine Directed by Colin Graham Under the Piano 1996 Teresa Stratas Amanda Plummer Megan Follows Directed by Stefan Scaini The Canadians 1961 Western starring Robert Ryan as a Mountie and directed by Burt Kennedy Filmed in Canada See also EditMozart Cosi fan tutte Alain Lombard recording References Edit Schonberg Harold C February 26 1979 First Full Lulu Of Berg Draws World Notables to Paris Opera New York Times Retrieved 13 May 2017 To Tell the Truth Dorothy Kilgallen on Panel Mar 19 1962 W COMMERCIALS via www youtube com Rockwell John December 15 1981 Opera Boheme Staged by Zeffirelli New York Times Retrieved 13 May 2017 Rothstein Edward September 27 1994 Opera Review Opening Night Rituals But With Passion New York Times Retrieved 13 May 2017 Teresa Stratas Biography at the American Immigration Law Foundation Archived from the original on 2006 02 20 Retrieved 2006 05 27 Teresa Stratas Biography at Sony Classical Archived from the original on 2006 05 05 Retrieved 2006 05 27 External links EditTeresa Stratas at IMDb Teresa Stratas at the Internet Broadway Database Teresa Stratas Governor General s Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award 2000 AvTrust video clip of Stratas speaking about her performance of Alban Berg s Lulu Teresa Stratas in an excerpt from Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny on YouTube 1978 Canada s Walk of Fame Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Teresa Stratas amp oldid 1163078465, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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