Frederica von Stade facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Frederica von Stade
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Frederica von Stade, January 19, 1985
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| Born | June 1, 1945 Somerville, New Jersey, United States
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| Alma mater | Mannes School of Music, New York City |
| Occupation | Opera singer (mezzo-soprano) |
| Spouse(s) |
Peter Elkus
(m. 1973; div. 1990)Michael G. Gorman
(m. 1990) |
| Children | 2 |
Frederica von Stade (born June 1, 1945) is a famous American classical singer. She is best known for her amazing work in opera. She also performed in concerts and made over a hundred albums and videos.
People especially know her for singing in operas by Mozart and Rossini. She also loved music by French and American composers, especially Jake Heggie. Frederica von Stade has received many awards. She is considered one of the best mezzo-soprano singers of her time. A mezzo-soprano is a female singer with a voice range between soprano and contralto.
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Frederica von Stade's Early Life
Frederica von Stade was born in Somerville, New Jersey, on June 1, 1945. Her family and friends called her Flicka, which was her childhood nickname. Her father, Charles Steele von Stade, was a polo champion. He sadly died in World War II when Frederica was very young.
Growing Up and School
Frederica spent her early childhood in New Jersey. She went to school in Washington D.C., where her mother worked for the CIA. Later, she moved to Oldwick, New Jersey, and attended Far Hills Country Day School. There, she performed in her first "trouser role." This is when a female singer plays a male character. She played Nanki-Poo in the play The Mikado.
When she was a teenager, she boarded at a school in Connecticut. Her first experience with opera was in 1961. Her mother took her to see Der Rosenkavalier at the Salzburg Festival.
Starting Her Music Journey
After high school, Frederica spent a year studying in Paris. Then, she worked as a salesgirl at Tiffany's in New York City. She started her performing career in summer theater and singing in nightclubs.
In 1966, she joined the Mannes School of Music in New York. She planned to take a short course, but she ended up enrolling in their full music program. In her second year, she began studying opera with Sebastian Engelberg. He became her most important teacher and guide until he passed away in 1979.
Frederica von Stade's Career in Opera
In 1969, Frederica von Stade did very well in the Metropolitan Opera auditions. This led to her joining the Metropolitan Opera Studio. She signed a three-year contract to play smaller roles.
First Steps at the Met
She made her debut at the Met on January 10, 1970. She played the Third Boy in Die Zauberflöte. She often played roles like "everybody's page or their maid." She called herself an "operatic domestic."
In 1971, she was allowed to perform in other cities like San Francisco and Santa Fe. She played Sesto in La clemenza di Tito and Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro. By 1972, she wanted more challenging roles, so she decided to become a freelance singer. This meant she would work for herself and choose her own roles.
Becoming a Star
In 1973, she debuted as Cherubino in Houston and Rosina in Washington D.C. That same year, she sang in Europe for the first time. She was highly praised for her role as Cherubino in Paris and Glyndebourne. Cherubino became her "signature role," meaning it was the part she was most famous for.
Soon, she was singing in the most famous opera houses around the world. She performed as Cherubino in Salzburg in 1974 and Rosina at Covent Garden in 1975. She also sang Rosina at La Scala in 1976 and Cherubino in Vienna in 1977.
Her first recording was of Joseph Haydn's Harmoniemesse in 1973. This was the start of her many recordings. She also became a familiar face on television. She sang for Presidents Nixon, Carter, Reagan, and George H. W. Bush. She also performed at a gala for the 1992 Winter Olympics and a concert after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Her Voice and Roles
Frederica von Stade had a beautiful, warm, and soft voice. She was known for playing "travesti" roles, where she played male characters like Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel and Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier. She was also admired for playing leading female roles like Angelina in La Cenerentola and Charlotte in Werther.
Later in her career, she started playing "character parts." These are roles that are often older or have unique personalities. Her performances included Despina in Così fan tutte and Mrs. De Rocher in Dead Man Walking.
Her music covered many styles, from old baroque music to modern jazz and pop. She was the first to perform many new operas. She also loved musical theater, which started when she was a little girl listening to her mother's records of songs by George Gershwin and Jerome Kern.
Concerts and Collaborations
Besides opera, she was also a busy concert artist, especially in the 1990s and 2000s. She often sang pieces by Mozart, Mahler, and Ravel. She loved French songs and became fluent in French as a teenager. She even lived in Paris for several years. Her main piano player was Martin Katz.
Semi-Retirement
Frederica von Stade stopped performing full-time in 2010. However, she still makes occasional appearances. She has taken part in benefit concerts, judged singing competitions, and taught master classes to young singers.
Frederica von Stade's Personal Life
Frederica von Stade married Peter Elkus, a bass-baritone singer and music teacher, in 1973. They had two daughters: Jenny (born in 1977) and Lisa (born in 1980). She later married Michael Gorman in 1990.
Frederica von Stade is a practicing Roman Catholic. She does a lot of charity work, especially for education, health, and helping people who are homeless. A big part of her charity work is with the Young Musicians Choral Orchestra. This group helps children from low-income families learn music, get academic support, and develop personally. Their goal is to help these children get into university.
In her free time, Frederica von Stade enjoys cooking, gardening, golf, and sailing. She also has a "West Highland terrorist" dog named Sadie!
Select Discography
Frederica von Stade recorded many albums throughout her career. Here are a few examples:
- Argento: Casa Guidi
- Berlioz: La damnation de Faust
- Bernstein: On the Town
- Canteloube: Chants d'Auvergne Vol. 1
- Debussy: Pelléas et Mélisande
- Humperdinck: Hänsel und Gretel
- Massenet: Cendrillon
- Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro
- Ravel: Shéhérazade
- Rodgers and Hammerstein: The Sound of Music
Select Videography
Frederica von Stade also appeared in many video recordings of operas and concerts. Here are some of them:
- Bernstein: On the Town
- Humperdinck: Hänsel und Gretel, Metropolitan Opera
- Mozart: Idomeneo, Metropolitan Opera
- Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro, Glyndebourne
- Rossini: La Cenerentola, La Scala
- Various: A Carnegie Hall Christmas Concert
- Various: Christmas with Flicka
See also
In Spanish: Frederica von Stade para niños
