Tomorrow marks the 75th birthday of the distinguished, versatile opera singer Marilyn Horne. Ms. Horne, who began her professional career at the age of seven, sang in churches and for the United Service Organizations in the 1940's. She attended the University of Southern California from 1951-1953 on a vocal scholarship and studied with William Vennard and Lotte Lehmann.
By 1954 she was anxious to start her career and left the university; her singing voice was dubbed for Dorothy Dandridge's voice in the movie Carmen Jones, and her professional operatic debut took place with the Los Angeles Guild Opera in Bedrich Smetana's The Bartered Bride. Her repertoire grew with soprano and mezzo roles at the Municipal Opera of Gelsenkirchen Germany from 1956-1959. Her remarkable range, interpretive insights, technical skills and an ability to change her tone led her to the most challenging parts for coloratura, mezzo and soprano. A fruitful association was established with Joan Sutherland in Vincenzo Bellini's Beatrice di Tenda, Norma, and Gioacchino Rossini's Semiramide. She became a proponent and advocate for the revival of bel canto opera, favoring the works of Rossini. Incredibly, she continued to learn new roles in her later years; composer John Corigliano wrote the role of Semira for her in the premiere of his opera, The Ghost of Versailles in 1991.
Ms. Horne's birthday and the 15th Anniversary of her foundation will be celebrated at Carnegie Hall on Sunday, January 18, 2009 at 2 p.m. by many singers including Joyce DiDonato, Susan Graham, Thomas Hampson, Karita Mattila, James Morris, etc. If you can't get to the concert, check out her recordings at the library.
Please enjoy her as Rossina from Rossini's The Barber of Seville:
