Roberta Alexander facts for kids
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Roberta Alexander (March 3, 1949 – October 14, 2025) was an American soprano, a singer with a high voice, who became famous in the world of opera. She started her career in 1975 and for thirty years, she performed leading roles in opera houses all over the world. Roberta was especially known for playing strong female characters in Mozart's operas. She was a top soprano at the famous Metropolitan Opera from 1983 to 1991. Some of her most successful roles included Mimì in Puccini's La bohème and the main character in Janáček's Jenůfa.
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Early Life and Musical Training
Roberta Alexander was born in Lynchburg, Virginia. Her parents were both musicians. They studied music at Virginia State College. Her mother was also a soprano, and her father led choirs. Roberta grew up in Yellow Springs, Ohio, after her family moved there when she was two years old. Her father directed choirs at Wilberforce University. Roberta continued her musical education at Central State University, the University of Michigan, and the Royal Conservatory of The Hague in the Netherlands.
A Star on the Opera Stage
At age 23, Roberta Alexander moved to the Netherlands. She made her first big appearance at the Dutch National Opera in 1975. Later that year, she helped create a new role, Bubikopf, in the first-ever performance of Viktor Ullmann's Der Kaiser von Atlantis. She also played other early roles like Princess Ninetta in Prokofiev's The Love for Three Oranges. Roberta often performed as Mozart heroines at the Berlin State Opera and the Zürich Opera. These roles included Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte and Countess Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro.
International Performances and Key Roles
In 1980, Roberta Alexander made her first appearance in America. She sang as Pamina in The Magic Flute with the Houston Grand Opera. She also debuted at the San Francisco Opera that same year. In 1981, she took on the main role in Strauss's Daphne at the Santa Fe Opera. Her debut at the world-famous Metropolitan Opera was in 1983, where she played Zerlina in Don Giovanni. She returned to the Met many times for important roles. These included Bess in Porgy and Bess, the main character in Jenůfa, and Mimì in La bohème. She also performed as Countess Almaviva and Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni.
Roberta also performed in Europe. In 1982, she sang Mimì in Berlin, a role she later performed at The Royal Opera in London. She appeared at the Theater an der Wien as Cleopatra in Handel's Giulio Cesare in 1985. Her debut at the Vienna State Opera was in 1986. In 1989, she received praise for her role in Jenůfa at the Glyndebourne Festival. She also performed in the world premiere of Péter Eötvös's Angels in America in Paris in 2004. Even in recent years, she continued to perform. She sang at La Scala in 2014 and the Royal Opera House in London in 2019.
Recordings and Collaborations
Roberta Alexander made many recordings throughout her career. She worked with various record labels, including Etcetera Records and Philips. She performed with some of the world's most famous orchestras. These included the Vienna Philharmonic, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. She also collaborated with many renowned conductors. Some of these great conductors were Nikolaus Harnoncourt, James Levine, Zubin Mehta, and Sir Simon Rattle. Her work with these groups and conductors helped share her beautiful voice with audiences everywhere.
See also
In Spanish: Roberta Alexander para niños
