Gail Varina Gilmore facts for kids

Gail Varina Gilmore (born September 21, 1950) is an American singer. She sings Gospel songs and opera. In opera, she is known as a mezzo-soprano, which means she has a lower female singing voice. She is especially famous for her role as Kundry in Richard Wagner's opera Parsifal.

Gail Gilmore's Journey in Music

Early Life and Education

Gail Gilmore was born in Washington, D.C. but grew up in New Orleans. She studied music at the Xavier University of New Orleans. In 1972, she earned her first degree in music. Two years later, she got her master's degree in music from Indiana University at Bloomington. At 24 years old, Gail started her singing career in Europe. She began performing on stage in Germany.

Starting Her Opera Career

Gail Gilmore quickly became well-known. People noticed her amazing musical talent and acting skills. She also had a unique, deep voice. Her first performance in Europe was in Germany. She played the role of Eboli in Verdi's Don Carlos.

After that, she joined the Stadttheater Krefeld. There, she often played "trousers roles." This means she played male characters, even though she was a woman. Some of these roles included Cherubino in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro and Hänsel in Humperdinck's Hänsel und Gretel. She also played Brangäne in Wagner's Tristan und Isolde. From 1979 to 1982, Gail was part of the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden. She performed successfully in operas like Wagner's Rienzi and Tannhäuser.

Breakthrough Performances

In 1982, Gail Gilmore joined the Nürnberg Opera. This is where she first performed the role of Kundry in Wagner's Parsifal. She was also invited to perform at the Frankfurt Opera. Her big breakthrough came when she performed Kundry in a new production of Parsifal in Frankfurt in 1982.

In 1985, she became a member of the Frankfurt opera group. She performed as Kundry with famous singer Peter Hofmann. She sang this role at La Fenice in Venice and at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.

Performing Around the World

At the Metropolitan Opera, Gail Gilmore performed with conductor James Levine. She sang roles like Venus in Tannhäuser and Fricka in Die Walküre. She also performed at the Arena di Verona in Italy. There, she sang as Ulrica in Verdi's Un ballo in maschera and Amneris in Aida. She even played the main role in Bizet's Carmen alongside José Carreras.

Gail Gilmore knows over 40 different opera roles. These include Lady Macbeth in Verdi's Macbeth. Her voice teacher, Rudolf Bautz, encouraged her to use her wide vocal range. She can sing more than three-and-a-half octaves. This allowed her to sing higher, more dramatic soprano roles. Some of these roles include Leonore in Beethoven's Fidelio and the main roles in Puccini's Tosca and Turandot. She has also sung in rare operas, like Fosca by Antonio Carlos Gomes.

Concerts and Festivals

Besides opera, Gail Gilmore has performed in many concerts. She has sung famous songs by Richard Strauss and Brahms. She also performed in Mahler's Third Symphony.

From the start of her career, Gail gave concerts with piano music. In these concerts, she sang songs by American composers. She also sang many Gospel and spiritual songs. In 2002, Gail founded the Oldambster Musikfestival in Bellingwolde, the Netherlands. For six years, she invited artists from all over the world to join. The festival featured many types of music, from opera to jazz, Gospel, and blues.

Teaching and Community Work

From 2007 to 2012, Gail Gilmore taught at a music school in Munich, Germany. She taught singing for opera, musicals, jazz, pop, and Gospel music. She also taught as a guest professor at the University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt. She gave talks on how music can help young people. She worked on projects about "Musical Therapy for Youths with Behavioral Disturbances." She also worked on projects about "Music in Prison," giving lectures and music demonstrations in prisons. These projects explored themes like "Freedom and Chains" and "The History of Slavery" through music. From 2013 to 2018, she taught voice at Kreativ Musik Forum in Munich.

On May 11, 2019, Gail Varina Gilmore received an honorary doctorate degree. This special award was given by her old university, Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans.

Recordings

• Gail Gilmore Sings Famous Opera Arias 1992 (Verdi Records)
• Gail Gilmore sings Gershwin 1993 (Sony)
• Gail Gilmore sings Verdi: Composizioni da camera per canto e pianoforte
• Strauss: Lieder 1996 (Carey)
• Fosca by Antonio Carlos Gomes (Gesamtaufnahme) 1997 (Sudameris)
• Gail Gilmore sings Gospels and Spirituals 1997 (Carey)
• Gail Gilmore: Aria 1999 (Signum)