Tatiana Troyanos

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Tatiana Troyanos ( September 12, 1938 in New York City - August 21, 1993 ) was an American opera singer ( mezzo-soprano ). She was considered a specialist in trouser roles and sang 22 leading roles in more than 270 performances at the Metropolitan Opera , her parent company, from 1976 .

Life

Studies and first appearances

Troyanos comes from a family with German and Greek roots, grew up in Forest Hill in Queens and also attended high school there. Her parents, who divorced at an early age, both had “beautiful voices”. Her father came from Kefalonia and was a tenor, her mother came from Stuttgart and was a coloratura soprano . Troyanos grew up in the Brooklyn Home for Children , where she took piano lessons . With a scholarship she came to the Brooklyn Music School , sang in school choirs and in the All City Chorus . In one of the choirs a teacher discovered her voice and referred her to the Juilliard Preparatory School , where she was originally trained in the alto vocal subject , which she did not find appropriate. She finally earned her living as a secretary at Random House , and she spent her evenings at the standing room at the Met. At the Juilliard School she finally found her teacher, Hans Heinz , whom she saw as essential for her career.

International career

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Career from Hamburg in 1967 to Met debut in 1976
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Between 1967 and 1971 Troyanos was seen and heard five times as a composer at the Vienna State Opera , four times as Adalgisa in 1980 and twice as Octavian in 1987 . At the Salzburg Festival , the artist sang in 1969 under Karl Böhm the Octavian from 1976 to in 1979 under James Levine to Sesto and 1982 concert which Jocasta in Stravinsky's Oedipus Rex .

At the Met

The mead

Tatiana Troyanos made her first appearance at the Met in 1967 - as part of a guest performance by the Hamburg State Opera . a. as Baba the Turk in Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress , it also received excellent reviews - “Troyanos Excells”, but her real Met debut only came in the spring of 1976 after she had conquered all the major opera stages in Europe and North America and roused them with ovations afterwards the relationship between the singer and the first opera house in her hometown is all the more intense - unique and long-lasting until her death. Her first two roles at the Met were also those in which she had achieved almost a unique position on an international level - the Octavian and the composer. Speight Jenkins, later director of the Seattle Opera , at that time an opera critic for the New York Post , overturned herself in a hymn of praise for the “warming lyrical mezzo-soprano, perfectly controlled”, named the artist the “star of the show” and the “most aristocratic Octavian at the Met in years ". Octavian was to become her most sung role at the Met, with a total of thirty performances.

From 1981 to 1983, Troyanos was prominently cast in all three opening premieres. “Typically enough,” said James Levine , the conductor of all three productions, “in three different musical styles and in three different languages.” In 1981 she sang Adalgisa in Bellini 's Norma (with Renata Scotto in the title role), and in 1982 Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier (with Kiri Te Kanawa as Marschallin) and finally Didon, Queen of Carthage, in 1983 in Berlioz ' Les Troyens (with Jessye Norman and Plácido Domingo ).

35 live recordings of Met radio broadcasts and eight TV recordings document this close collaboration - including important roles that she never sang in the studio, such as Giulietta, Brangäne and Waltraute, or Countess Geschwitz. These recordings can still be heard today on the Metropolitan Opera Radio , the Met's satellite radio on Sirius XM , or they can be accessed as Met Opera on Demand. There are also recordings of the San Francisco Opera , including L'incoronazione di Poppea and Giulio Cesare in Egitto , or the Lyric Opera of Chicago , including Roméo et Juliette and her Rheingold -Fricka, as well as Norma with Joan Sutherland at the Canadian Opera Company , but these do not come close to the intensity of the mead productions with Troyanos.

Sickness and death

Although her breast cancer was diagnosed in the mid-1980s and she suffered from increasing stage fright, the singer performed until a few weeks before her death. On May 1, 1993, she had her last appearance at the Met, as Waltraute in Götterdämmerung on the side of Gwyneth Jones . In April and May she sang the alto solo in Mahler's Third in New York and Boston . She then played Clairon in Richard Strauss' Capriccio at the San Francisco Opera from June 12 to July 1, 1993 . On the day she died, she sang for other patients at Lenox Hill Hospital .

Tatiana Troyanos died in her hometown on August 21, 1993 at the age of 54. She was buried in Pinelawn Memorial Park on Long Island . The Metropolitan Opera gave a memorial concert in her honor .

repertoire

Opera

Other roles:

as well as two world premieres:

Concerts

In the concert hall, too, Troyanos sang mostly operas - in concert performances , such as Handel's Deidamia , Mozart's Mitridate , Donizetti's Roberto Devereux and Bartók's Duke Bluebeard's Castle . She sang Bartók's opera in the original language with Pierre Boulez , Georg Solti and Rafael Kubelík . In 1984 she took on the leading role in Monna Vanna , an opera fragment by Sergei Rachmaninoff, premiered with the Philadelphia Orchestra .

Troyanos also sang concert arias and alto solos in orchestral works and oratorios by Mozart , Beethoven , Brahms , Verdi , Ravel , Prokofiev , Schönberg and Berg , in Berlioz's Les nuits d'été , Mahler's Rückert-Lieder or Das Lied von der Erde . She has also made numerous radio recordings as a concert singer with major American orchestras, particularly with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra , with which she performed at the Ravinia Festival from 1980 to 1990 .

The singer also performed several recitals , made her Carnegie Hall debut in 1978 and later found an intensive collaboration with the soprano Benita Valente .

Discography

Troyanos' versatility is preserved for posterity. She was Sir Georg Soltis Carmen and Karl Böhms Cherubino , sang Anita in Bernstein's West Side Story and a variety of other leading roles. The St. James Opera Encyclopedia regrets that Troyanos did not release a single solo album during his lifetime, but stresses at the same time that they have submitted "not a single bad recording". Rather, her recordings and studio productions are all "unique and memorable".

  • Bartók: Bluebeard's Castle - Judith (Boulez, 1976, Columbia / Sony)
  • Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 (Böhm, 1970, DG)
  • Bellini: I Capuleti ei Montecchi - Romeo (Caldwell / Scott, live 1975, VAI)
  • Bellini: Norma - Adalgisa (Cillario, live 1975, gala)
  • Bellini: Norma - Adalgisa (Levine, 1979, Columbia / Sony)
  • Bernstein: West Side Story - Anita (Bernstein, 1985, DG)
  • Bizet: Carmen (Solti, 1975, Decca / London)
  • Cavalieri: Rappresentatione di Anima, et di Corpo - Anima (Mackerras, 1970, DG Archive)
  • Donizetti: Lucrezia Borgia - Orsini (Rescigno, live 1973, melodrama)
  • Trade: Giulio Cesare in Egitto - Cleopatra (Richter, 1969, DG)
  • Mahler: Symphony No. 2, "Resurrection" (Boulez, live 1973, Documents)
  • Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana - Santuzza (Schermerhorn, live 1976, gala)
  • Massenet: Werther - Charlotte (Plasson, 1979, EMI / Angel)
  • Mozart: Così fan tutte - Dorabella (Leinsdorf, 1967, RCA / BMG)
  • Mozart: Così fan tutte - Dorabella (Maag, live 1968, Mondo Musica)
  • Mozart: The gardener out of love (La Finta Giardiniera) - Ramiro (Schmidt-Isserstedt, 1972, Philips)
  • Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro - Cherubino (Böhm, 1968, DG)
  • Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro - Marcellina (Levine, 1990, DG)
  • Mozart: Missa Brevis in C, "Sparrow Mass" (Kubelik, 1973, DG)
  • Penderecki: The Devils of Loudun - Jeanne (Janowski, 1969, DG)
  • Purcell: Dido and Aeneas - Dido (Mackerras, 1967, DG Archives)
  • Purcell: Dido and Aeneas - Dido (Leppard, 1977, Erato / Apex)
  • A. Scarlatti: Endimione e Cintia - Cintia (Lange, 1969, DG Archive)
  • Schoenberg: Gurrelieder - Wood Dove (Ozawa, 1979, Philips)
  • Strauss: Ariadne auf Naxos - Composer (Böhm, live 1967, melodrama)
  • Strauss: Ariadne auf Naxos - Composer (Böhm, 1969, DG)
  • Strauss: Ariadne auf Naxos - Composer (Solti, 1977, Decca / London)
  • Strauss: Capriccio - Clairon (Böhm, 1971, DG)
  • Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier - Octavian (Böhm, live 1969, DG)
  • Stravinsky: Oedipus Rex - Jocasta (Abbado, live 1969, Opera d'Oro / Memories)
  • Stravinsky: Oedipus Rex - Jocasta (Bernstein, 1972, Columbia / Sony)
  • Wagner: Götterdämmerung - Second Norn (Levine, 1989, DG)
  • Auger, Janowitz and Troyanos in Concert - Handel, Mozart, Strauss (Eichhorn, live 1968, Originals / Bella Voce)
  • Troyanos and Valente - Handel and Mozart, Arias & Duets (Rudel, 1991, MusicMasters / Musical Heritage)
  • A Salute to American Music, Richard Tucker Music Foundation Gala XVI - Copland, "At the River" (Conlon, 1991, RCA / BMG)
  • Tatiana Troyanos in Recital - Schumann, "Frauenliebe und -leben"; Rachmaninoff, Ravel, Rossini, Bizet, Mahler (Levine, piano, live 1985, VAI, released 1999)

There are ten complete opera recordings:

  • Jeanne - The Devils of Loudun , Penderecki (Janowski, 1969)
  • Santuzza - Cavalleria Rusticana , Mascagni (Levine, 1978)
  • Eboli - Don Carlo , Verdi (Levine, 1980)
  • Sesto - La Clemenza di Tito , Mozart (Levine, 1980)
  • Adalgisa - Norma , Bellini (Bonynge, 1981)
  • Octavian - Der Rosenkavalier , R. Strauss (Levine, 1982)
  • Venus - Tannhäuser , Wagner (Levine, 1982)
  • Didon - Les Troyens , Berlioz (Levine, 1983)
  • Composer - Ariadne auf Naxos , R. Strauss (Levine, 1988)
  • Clairon - Capriccio , R. Strauss (Runnicles, 1993)

Also on DVD:

  • In Concert At The Met with Plácido Domingo (Levine, 1982)
  • The Making Of West Side Story (Bernstein, 1985)
  • George London: A Tribute : Mozart, "Deh, per questo istante" (Hollreiser, 1984)
  • The Unanswered Question: Poetry of Earth (6) : Stravinsky, Oedipus Rex - Jocasta (Bernstein, 1972)

Obituaries

  • "The Troyanos had a paradoxical voice - 'larger than life' and yet very human, brilliant and yet warm, lyrical and yet dramatic, a voice that you recognize after a few notes and never forget", Cori Ellison said in his obituary for Opera News .
  • "Tatiana Troyanos was extraordinarily intense, beautiful - and elegant in roles as diverse as Eboli, Santuzza, Geschwitz, Venus, Kundry, Jocasta, Carmen, and Giulietta, in addition to her great portrayals in trouser roles," says conductor James Levine , who more than had worked with the artist for twenty years.
  • "One of the leading singers of her generation," said the Boston Globe farewell to Tatiana Troyanos.

literature

  • Katrine Ames: Mezzo Power. In: Newsweek. March 22, 1976.
  • John Ardoin : The Private Side of a Prima Donna. In: The Dallas Morning News. November 12, 1988.
  • James Chute: Opera Star Troyanos Happy to Find a Home at the Met. In: The Milwaukee Journal. January 15, 1984. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
  • Kathline Colvin: Tatiana Troyanos — A Voice Which Dreams Are Made On. In: Music Journal. March – April 1979.
  • Carl Djerassi : What's Tatiana Troyanos Doing in Spartacus's Tent? In: The Futurist and Other Stories. Macdonald, 1989.
  • Jack Hiemenz: The Tale of the Impatient Diva. In: The New York Times. March 7, 1976.
  • Bernard Holland : Tatiana Troyanos Sings the Praises of Handel. In: The New York Times. January 27, 1985.
  • Robert Jacobson: Tatiana Troyanos: Mastering the Mezzo's Forte. In: After Dark. November 1975.
  • Robert Jacobson: Getting It Together. In: Opera News. Vol. 47, No. 3, September 1982.
  • Ann T. Keene: Troyanos, Tatiana ( memento of December 9, 2000 in the Internet Archive ). American National Biography Online. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
  • Allan Kozinn : Tatiana Troyanos Is Dead at 54; Mezzo Star of Diverse Repertory. In: The New York Times. August 23, 1993. Retrieved June 18, 2009.
  • Helena Matheopoulos: Diva: Great Sopranos and Mezzos Discuss Their Art. Northeastern University Press, Boston 1991.
  • Martin Mayer : Tatiana! In: Opera News. Vol. 40, No. 18, March 20, 1976.
  • Martin Mayer: Tatiana Troyanos. In: Opera. Vol. 36, No. 3, March 1985.
  • Martin Mayer, Alan Blyth : Tatiana Troyanos, 1938–1993. In: Opera. Vol. 44, No. 10, October 1993.
  • Charles Moritz (ed.): Troyanos, Tatiana. In: Current Biography Yearbook 1979. Wilson, New York 1979.
  • Patrick O'Connor: Obituary . August 25, 1993. Retrieved August 10, 2012.
  • Michael Oliver: Tatiana Troyanos. In: Gramophone. October 1974.
  • Dorle J. Soria: Musician of the Month: Tatiana Troyanos. In: High Fidelity & Musical America. Vol. 27, No. 6, June 1977, pp. MA-6.
  • Christian Steiner (photographs), Robert M. Jacobson (text): Opera People. Vendome Press, New York 1982.
  • Stephanie von Buchau: Tatiana Troyanos. In: Stereo Review. Vol. 38, No. 3, March 1977.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Robert Jacobson: Getting It Together. In: Opera News. vol. 47, no.3, September 1982.
  2. ^ Gregory Speck: Troyanos Talks: A World-Class Prima Donna Discusses Opera Today. In: The World and I. June 1987.
  3. ^ Obituary for Hans Heinz
  4. ↑ Fred Kirby: 'Painter,' 'Progress' OK, 'Visitation' Is Wanting. In: Billboard. July 15, 1967, p. 42, accessed May 9, 2013.
  5. ^ The Golden Sound of Opera. In: New York Post. March 1976, Metropolitan Opera archives, accessed April 26, 2014.
  6. ↑ James Levine: Remembering Tatiana. In: Music in Memory of Tatiana Troyanos. Program for the commemorative concert of the Metropolitan Opera House, April 7, 1994.
  7. ↑ Met Opera Family ( Memento of the original from April 26, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Recordings with Tatiana Troyanos, accessed April 26, 2014. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.metoperafamily.org
  8. ↑ Brian Kellow: High Anxiety. In: Opera. Vol. 53, no. May 5, 2002.
  9. ^ Richard Dyer: The Three Mezzos. ( Memento of the original from June 10, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. In: Boston Globe . April 29, 1993. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.highbeam.com
  10. ↑ James R. Oestreich: Classical Music in Review. In: The New York Times. May 5, 1993.
  11. ^ Daniel Kessler: Tatiana Troyanos: Reflections on an Operatic Career. ( Memento of the original from September 23, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. P. 4. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / reocities.com
  12. ↑ Eric Myers: Fever Pitch. In: Opera News. Vol. 65, N. 5, November 2002.
  13. ↑ David Anthony Fox: In: John Guinn, Les Stone (Ed.): The St. James Opera Encyclopedia. Visible Ink Press, Detroit 1997, ISBN 0-7876-1035-6 , pp. 842-843.
  14. ^ Cori Ellison: Tatiana Troyanos: 1938-1993. In: Opera News. vol. 58, no.5, November 1993.
  15. ↑ "An Interview with James Levine." Notes for Der Rosenkavalier. In: James Levine: Celebrating 40 Years at the Met. (DVD set). Decca, 2010.
  16. ↑ Richard Dyer: Tatiana Troyanos obituary. "Busy Time for Williams". In: The Boston Globe. August 27, 1993.
personal data
SURNAME Troyanos, Tatiana
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American opera singer (mezzo-soprano)
DATE OF BIRTH September 12, 1938
PLACE OF BIRTH New York City
DATE OF DEATH August 21, 1993
Place of death New York City