Francesca Roberto

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Francesca Roberto is an American operatic soprano. A winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, she sang leading roles throughout the United States during the 1960s and early 1970s.

Life and career[edit]

Raised in Greenwich, Connecticut, Roberto studied voice at The Hartt School and in Italy.[1] In 1954 she made her Broadway debut as a member of the chorus in the world premiere of Gian Carlo Menotti's The Saint of Bleecker Street.[2] In 1961 she won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.[1]

In 1962 Roberto sang with George Shirley on The Bell Telephone Hour and appeared as Violetta in La traviata with conductor Boris Goldovsky and the New England Opera Theater.[3] In 1963 she portrayed the title role in Samuel Barber's Vanessa at the Washington National Opera with Beverly Wolff as Erika.[4] In 1964 she sang the title role in Puccini's Tosca with the Brooklyn Opera.[5]

In 1965/1966 Roberto toured the United States with the Metropolitan Opera National Company performing the roles of Cio-Cio-San in Giacomo Puccini's Madama Butterfly and Frasquita in Carmen.[6] That same year she portrayed the title role in Giuseppe Verdi's Aida at the Toledo Opera.[7] She made her debut, and only performance, at the Metropolitan Opera in 1966 as Cio-Cio-San with George Shirley as Pinkerton and George Schick conducting.[8] That same year she made her debut at the Seattle Opera as Nedda in Pagliacci with Roald Reitan as Silvio and James McCracken as Canio.[9] She was also the soloist with the Rhode Island Philharmonic in 1966.[10]

In 1967 Roberto made her debut at the San Francisco Opera as Santuzza in Cavalleria rusticana.[11] That same year she made her debut at the New York City Opera as Mimi in La bohème with Plácido Domingo as Rodolfo.[12] She also portrayed Cio-Cio-San to Domingo's Pinkerton with the NYCO in 1967.[13] She returned to the NYCO in the 1968-1969 season to portray Cio-Cio-San (with Domingo) and Santuzza, and once again in 1972 as Santuzza.[14]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Allen Hughes (April 7, 1961). "George Shirley, Tenor, Wins 'Met' Auditions and a Contract". The New York Times. p. 25.
  2. ^ Dan Dietz (2014). The Complete Book of 1950s Broadway Musicals. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 189. ISBN 9781442235052.
  3. ^ "La traviata" (PDF). Ann Arbor District Library. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 2, 2016. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
  4. ^ "8th Opera Season Opens in Capital; Samuel Barber's Vanessa Presented at Howard U." The New York Times. November 9, 1963.
  5. ^ "Brooklyn Bonanza" (PDF). Opera News. December 26, 1964. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 7, 2015.
  6. ^ "Young Opera Stars to Open Here (April 18, 1966)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 2, 2016.
  7. ^ "Aida to Open Season of Opera at Peristyle". The Toledo Blade. October 21, 1964.
  8. ^ "Madama Butterfly performance details". Metropolitan Opera Archives. January 5, 1966. CID:204990. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  9. ^ "1966 Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci". Seattle Opera Archives.
  10. ^ "Classical Notes". Billboard. October 1, 1966.
  11. ^ "Francesca Roberto". San Francisco Opera Archives. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
  12. ^ "Francesca Roberto Sings Mimi in Debut". The New York Times. October 14, 1967. p. 12.
  13. ^ "New York City Opera Stages 'Butterfly'". The New Yorker. March 4, 1967.
  14. ^ Robert Sherman (April 24, 1972). "Cav and Pag Enlist Two New Heroines". The New York Times.
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