Monte Amundsen (January 15, 1930 – December 24, 2011) was an American

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...

and

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

singer who appeared on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

Marc Blitzstein Marcus Samuel Blitzstein (March 2, 1905January 22, 1964), was an American composer, lyricist, and librettist. He won national attention in 1937 when his pro-union musical ''The Cradle Will Rock'', directed by Orson Welles, was shut down by the Wo ...

Juno Juno commonly refers to: *Juno (mythology), the Roman goddess of marriage and queen of the gods *Juno (film), ''Juno'' (film), 2007 Juno may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Fictional characters *Juno, in the film ''Jenny, Juno'' *Ju ...

'' in 1959, which starred Shirley Booth.

Biography

Composer

was reportedly so delighted with Amundsen that he expanded her role in ''

Juno (musical) ''Juno'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Marc Blitzstein and book by Joseph Stein, based closely on the 1924 play '' Juno and the Paycock'' by Seán O'Casey. The story centers on the disintegration of an Irish family in Dublin in the earl ...

'' to include three major songs: '' I Wish It So'', ''For Love'', and ''My True Heart'', as well as a duet with Shirley Booth, ''The Bird Upon The Tree''. The show was not a success, but Amundsen's well-received performance is preserved on the original cast recording. In 1964 she appeared in another ill-fated musical, ''

Cafe Crown ''Cafe Crown'' is a three-act play by Hy Kraft that premiered on Broadway on January 23, 1942, at the Cort Theatre. The cast included Sam Jaffe and Morris Carnovsky. Its action presented "a motley group of amiable squatters found in a Second Avenue ...

'', which ran for 30 performances in previews before closing after just three performances after its official opening. Amundsen also made many appearances at

The Muny The St. Louis Municipal Opera Theatre (commonly known as The Muny) is an amphitheater located in St. Louis, Missouri. The theatre seats 11,000 people with about 1,500 free seats in the last nine rows that are available on a first come, first s ...

in St. Louis, including Rosabella in ''

The Most Happy Fella ''The Most Happy Fella'' is a 1956 musical with a book, music, and lyrics by Frank Loesser. The story, about a romance between an older man and younger woman, is based on the 1924 play '' They Knew What They Wanted'' by Sidney Howard. The show i ...

'' (1969); Marie Esterhazy in '' Blossom Time'' (1966); Gretel in ''

Hansel & Gretel "Hansel and Gretel" (; german: Hänsel und Gretel ) is a German fairy tale collected by the German Brothers Grimm and published in 1812 in ''Grimm's Fairy Tales'' (KHM 15). It is also known as Little Step Brother and Little Step Sister. Hanse ...

'' (1966); Barbara in '' Milk and Honey'' (1964); Anna Belle in ''Robin Hood'' (1961); Resi in '' The Great Waltz'' (1961) and Gretchen in ''

The Red Mill ''The Red Mill'' is an operetta written by Victor Herbert, with a libretto by Henry Blossom. The farcical story concerns two American vaudevillians who wreak havoc at an inn in Holland, interfering with two marriages; but all ends well. The musica ...

'' (1960). In 1958 she made her debut at the

New York City Opera The New York City Opera (NYCO) is an American opera company located in Manhattan in New York City. The company has been active from 1943 through 2013 (when it filed for bankruptcy), and again since 2016 when it was revived. The opera company, du ...

as Adele in ''

Die Fledermaus ' (, ''The Flittermouse'' or ''The Bat'', sometimes called ''The Revenge of the Bat'') is an operetta composed by Johann Strauss II to a German libretto by Karl Haffner and Richard Genée, which premiered in 1874. Background The original ...

''. She also sang several roles with the

Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera (Pittsburgh CLO) is a nonprofit professional theater company based in the Cultural District of Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Despite its name, the organization presents musical theatre classics rather than ...

during the 1950s and 1960s.

Personal life

She was briefly married to dancer

Tommy Rall Thomas Edward Rall (December 27, 1929 – October 6, 2020) was an American actor, ballet dancer, tap dancer, and acrobatic dancer who was a prominent featured player in 1950s musical comedies. He later became a successful operatic tenor in the 1 ...

and later married opera star

Giorgio Tozzi Giorgio Tozzi (January 8, 1923 – May 30, 2011) was an American operatic bass. He was a mainstay for many years with the Metropolitan Opera, and sang principal bass roles in nearly every major opera house worldwide. Career Tozzi was born Georg ...

in 1967, with whom she had two children, Jennifer and Eric. She was widowed seven months before her own death.Daniel Cariaga
"Tozzi: At Home in a House of Music"
''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...

'', May 28, 1985.

References

Sources

* Thomas S. Hischak
''The Oxford companion to the American musical: theatre, film, and television''
Oxford University Press US, 2008; * Arleen Jackson
"Monte Amundsen Favors Theater-in-the-round"
''Schenectady Gazette'', July 31, 1959 *''

Time Magazine ''Time'' (stylized in all caps) is an American news magazine based in New York City. For nearly a century, it was published weekly, but starting in March 2020 it transitioned to every other week. It was first published in New York City on Mar ...

''
The Theater: New Musical on Broadway
March 23, 1959

External links

* * *
Obituary for Monte (Amundsen) Tozzi, Day Funeral Home, Bloomington, Indiana
{{DEFAULTSORT:Amundsen, Monte 1930 births 2011 deaths American musical theatre actresses American operatic sopranos Singers from Minnesota Place of birth missing Classical musicians from Minnesota 21st-century American women