Gwendolyn Bradley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gwendolyn Bradley
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| Background information | |
| Born | July 1, 1949 New York, New York |
| Origin | Bishopville, South Carolina |
| Genres | Opera, Concerts |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, Voice teacher |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Associated acts | Deutsche Oper Berlin, Metropolitan Opera |
Gwendolyn Bradley (born July 1, 1949) is a famous American soprano singer. A soprano is a type of female singing voice, usually the highest. She has sung in many operas and concerts all over the world. She is also known by her married name, Gwendolyn Bradley-Willemann.
Contents
Growing Up and Learning to Sing
Gwendolyn Bradley grew up in Bishopville, South Carolina. Her parents were teachers in public schools. They were also involved in the civil rights movement, which worked for equal rights for all people.
Gwendolyn's high school music teacher noticed her amazing singing talent. She then started taking voice lessons at Coker College in Hartsville. She continued her training at other famous music schools. These included the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.
Her Singing Career
Gwendolyn Bradley first sang in an opera in 1976. She played the role of Nannetta in Verdi's Falstaff. This was at the Lake George Opera.
Singing at the Metropolitan Opera
After a very successful concert in New York in 1979, she joined the Metropolitan Opera. This is one of the most famous opera houses in the world. She started there in 1981.
For the next nine years, she sang many different roles. Some of her famous roles included the Nightingale in Ravel's L'Enfant et les sortilèges. She also sang Blondchen in Die Entführung aus dem Serail and Olympia in Les contes d'Hoffmann. A very special role for her was Gilda in Rigoletto.
Gwendolyn Bradley sang in 108 performances at the Metropolitan Opera. Her first show was on March 20, 1977, and her last was on January 27, 1990. She also performed in other American opera houses. These included the Memphis Opera and the Los Angeles Opera.
Singing in Europe
In 1983, Gwendolyn Bradley made her first appearance in Europe. She sang the main role in Handel's Rodelinda with the Netherlands Opera.
She performed on many European opera stages. She sang roles like Zerbinetta in Paris and Susanna in Madrid. She was also Blondchen in Munich and Oscar in Vienna. One of her performances as Fiakermilli in Arabella at the Glyndebourne Opera Festival was even released on DVD.
In 1988, she became a member of the Deutsche Oper Berlin in Germany. She had first sung there in 1987 as Gilda in Rigoletto. Her clear, bell-like voice helped her succeed in many roles. She played gentle characters like Susanna and Pamina. She also played lively roles like Blondchen and Zerbinetta.
Concerts and Recordings
Gwendolyn Bradley is also a talented concert singer. She has worked with many famous conductors. These include Zubin Mehta, Riccardo Muti, and Lorin Maazel. She has sung many important pieces from different time periods. These range from the Baroque era to the 20th century. She has also given solo concerts in cities like Paris, Tokyo, and New York.
She has made several recordings. She sang Fiakermilli in Arabella with Dame Kiri te Kanawa. She also recorded Virgil Thomson's Four Saints in Three Acts.
Teaching and Judging
After returning to the United States, Gwendolyn Bradley began sharing her knowledge. She started teaching young singers. She has been a vocal instructor at The Masters School and Nyack College.
In 2010, she was a judge at the Washington International Competition for Singers. This is a competition she had won herself in 1977.
In 2014, Bradley performed at a music festival in Busko-Zdrój, Poland. She had performed there many times before. During her visit, she received a special honor. On July 5, 2014, she was given a 'sun'. This is a bronze plaque placed in the 'Star's Promenade' in the Spa Park. It's like the Hollywood Walk of Fame for artists.
Media Contributions
Gwendolyn Bradley's performances have been shared through different types of media.
TV
- Live from the Metropolitan Opera, Season 12, Episode 1: Les contes d'Hoffmann (March 2, 1988)
Videotape
- Glyndebourne Festival: Arabella (BBC, 1984)
CD
- Harfy Papuszy (Jan Kanty Pawluskiewicz Antologia) (1995)
- Klassik Edition 8: Radio-Philharmonie Hannover des NDR, Bernstein-Gershwin-Gala (1997)
- R. Strauss: Arabella (Universal Music Classics & Jazz) (2012)
Images for kids
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Sanatorium Marconi in Busko-Zdrój
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