Maria di Gerlando (November 23, 1925 – May 24, 2010) was an American
operatic
soprano
A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...
and
voice teacher who was a leading performer at the
New York City Opera from 1953 to 1969. She was best known for creating the role of Carmela in the 1954 world premiere of
Gian Carlo Menotti
Gian Carlo Menotti (, ; July 7, 1911 – February 1, 2007) was an Italian composer, librettist, director, and playwright who is primarily known for his output of 25 operas. Although he often referred to himself as an American composer, he kept h ...
's ''
The Saint of Bleecker Street''.
Life and career
Born in
Luzerne County, Pennsylvania,
Gerlando made her professional opera debut in 1950 at the
Boston Opera House with the touring
San Carlo Opera Company as Mimì in
Giacomo Puccini's ''
La bohème''. In 1953 she made her debut at the New York City Opera (NYCO) as Violetta in
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for his operas. He was born near Busseto to a provincial family of moderate means, receiving a musical education with the h ...
's ''
La traviata
''La traviata'' (; ''The Fallen Woman'') is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on ''La Dame aux camélias'' (1852), a play by Alexandre Dumas ''fils'' adapted from his own 18 ...
''. She continued to perform leading roles at the NYCO through 1969, singing such roles as Anna Gomez in ''The Consul'', Cio-Cio-San in ''Madama Butterfly'', Greta Fiorentino in ''Street Scene (opera), Street Scene'', Mimì, and the title role in ''Suor Angelica'' among others.
In 1954 she made her Broadway theatre, Broadway debut as Carmela in Menotti's ''
The Saint of Bleecker Street''.
Outside of New York, di Gerlando appeared with several regional American opera companies during her career. In 1960 she sang the role of Desdemona in Verdi's ''Otello'' at the Washington National Opera (WNO) with James McCracken in the title role and Paul Callaway conducting the National Symphony Orchestra (United States), National Symphony Orchestra. She returned to the WNO the following season to perform the role of Liza in ''The Queen of Spades (opera), The Queen of Spades'' with David Lloyd (tenor), David Lloyd as Herman and Elaine Bonazzi as the Countess. In 1961 she sang the role of Micaela in Georges Bizet's ''Carmen'' at the New Orleans Opera, a role she repeated in New York City in 1964 opposite Shirley Verrett in the title role and Julius Rudel conducting. In 1962 she sang Desdemona to Mario del Monaco's Otello at the Connecticut Opera.
Di Gerlando's international appearances were relatively few. In 1960 she sang Liù in ''Turandot'' opposite Plácido Domingo's Calàf in Monterrey, Mexico.
With the Vancouver Opera she sang Mimì opposite Frank Porretta as Rodolfo in 1966.
Di Gerlando retired from the stage in the early 1970s. She then actively worked as a voice teacher and as a judge at singing competitions for many years. She died in 2010 in Paterson, New Jersey at the age of 84.
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Di Gerlando, Maria
1925 births
2010 deaths
American operatic sopranos
People from Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
Singers from Pennsylvania
Classical musicians from Pennsylvania
21st-century American women