John Moriarty (Conductor)
Encyclopedia
John Moriarty is a conductor
and stage director of productions at opera companies throughout the USA, and a noted vocal coach
and accompanist. He was born in Fall River, Massachusetts
He served the Central City Opera
for twenty years through the 1998 season. He was artistic director from 1982 to 1998; he has been artistic director emeritus since. He has been artistic administrator at the Santa Fe Opera
and the Washington Opera Society, and administered apprentice artist programs at Santa Fe, Lake George, Wolf Trap
, and Central City. He has been conductor and/or stage director with these companies and with Opera Theatre of St. Louis, the Colorado Symphony, Boston Lyric Opera
, and Oklahoma City Opera.
Moriarty received Bachelor of Music (1952) with highest honors and honorary Doctor of Music (1992) from the New England Conservatory of Music
. He studied at Brandeis University
and Mills College
. He studied piano with Egon Petri
and Carlo Zecchi
and French vocal literature with Pierre Bernac
. He was chairman of the Opera Department at the New England Conservatory from 1989 to 2001.
John Moriarty is known as one of the USA's most distinguished vocal coaches and accompanists. He has conducted master-classes and workshops across the United States and at the National Association of Teachers of Singing
national convention. He has been piano soloist with the Boston Pops, the Boston Civic Symphony, and the Radio Éireann Orchestra of Dublin.
John Moriarty has published numerous articles and is the author of Diction. Together with Professor Duane A. Smith of Fort Lewis College
in Durango, Colorado
, he is co-author of the book The Ballad of Baby Doe, a study of the Central City Opera and its production history (University Press of Colorado, 2002).
He has made several recordings, including conducting the first recording of Händel
’s opera Tamerlano
and others of orchestral works. He accompanied Carole Bogard on three recital records covering Fauré, Debussy, Bizet, Gounod, Charpentier and Le Groupe des Six. Most recently he conducted the Central City Opera digital recording of The Ballad of Baby Doe
.
The John Moriarty Presidential Scholarship, which supports the studies of opera singers at the New England Conservatory, and the John Moriarty Encouragement Award are named in his honor. The John Moriarty Award of the Central City Opera is named in his honor and annually presented by him at the final performance of the festival. Colorado Governor Roy Romer declared June 17, 1998 as John Moriarty Day "for his uncompromising dedication to artistic excellence."
On August 10, 2008; "A" Street in Central City was renamed Moriarty Lane by the Mayor of Central City.
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
and stage director of productions at opera companies throughout the USA, and a noted vocal coach
Vocal coach
A vocal coach is a music teacher who instructs singers on how to improve their singing technique, take care of and develop their voice, and prepare for the performance of a song or other work. Vocal coaches may give private music lessons to singers, or they may coach singers who are rehearsing on...
and accompanist. He was born in Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
He served the Central City Opera
Central City Opera
Central City Opera is the fifth-oldest opera company in the United States, founded in 1932. Each festival is presented in the 550-seat historic Central City Opera House built in 1878 in the gold mining era town of Central City, Colorado. Pelham G...
for twenty years through the 1998 season. He was artistic director from 1982 to 1998; he has been artistic director emeritus since. He has been artistic administrator at the Santa Fe Opera
Santa Fe Opera
The Santa Fe Opera is an American opera company, located north of Santa Fe in the U.S. state of New Mexico, headquartered on a former guest ranch of .-General history:...
and the Washington Opera Society, and administered apprentice artist programs at Santa Fe, Lake George, Wolf Trap
Wolf Trap
Wolf Trap may refer to:* Wolf Trap, Virginia* Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts in Wolf Trap, VA* Wolftrap anglerfish , a family of anglerfish* A microbiology experiment of Wolf Vishniac...
, and Central City. He has been conductor and/or stage director with these companies and with Opera Theatre of St. Louis, the Colorado Symphony, Boston Lyric Opera
Boston Lyric Opera
Boston Lyric Opera is an American opera company based in Boston, Massachusetts, founded in 1976.Each season, BLO produces three mainstage productions at the Citi Performing Arts Center Shubert Theatre in Boston and a fully staged, one-hour English language version of a popular opera for school...
, and Oklahoma City Opera.
Moriarty received Bachelor of Music (1952) with highest honors and honorary Doctor of Music (1992) from the New England Conservatory of Music
New England Conservatory of Music
The New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, is the oldest independent school of music in the United States.The conservatory is home each year to 750 students pursuing undergraduate and graduate studies along with 1400 more in its Preparatory School as well as the School of...
. He studied at Brandeis University
Brandeis University
Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...
and Mills College
Mills College
Mills College is an independent liberal arts women's college founded in 1852 that offers bachelor's degrees to women and graduate degrees and certificates to women and men. Located in Oakland, California, Mills was the first women's college west of the Rockies. The institution was initially founded...
. He studied piano with Egon Petri
Egon Petri
Egon Petri was a classical pianist.-Biography:Petri's family was Dutch and he was born a Dutch citizen, but he was born in Hanover in Germany and was brought up in Dresden. His father was a professional violinist who taught his son that instrument. Petri played in the Dresden Court Orchestra and...
and Carlo Zecchi
Carlo Zecchi
Carlo Zecchi was an Italian pianist, music teacher and conductor.Zecchi was born in Rome. He led pianistic courses in Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Rome, and in Salzburg. Highly acclaimed performer of Domenico Scarlatti, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Claude Debussy works, and of Romantic...
and French vocal literature with Pierre Bernac
Pierre Bernac
Pierre Bernac was a French baritone.Born Pierre Bertin in Paris on January 12, 1899, he studied with Reinhold von Wahrlich in Salzburg. he came to music relatively late and gave his first recital in 1921....
. He was chairman of the Opera Department at the New England Conservatory from 1989 to 2001.
John Moriarty is known as one of the USA's most distinguished vocal coaches and accompanists. He has conducted master-classes and workshops across the United States and at the National Association of Teachers of Singing
National Association of Teachers of Singing
The National Association of Teachers of Singing is a professional organization for singing teachers, and is the largest association of its kind in the world. There are more than 6,500 members mostly from the United States...
national convention. He has been piano soloist with the Boston Pops, the Boston Civic Symphony, and the Radio Éireann Orchestra of Dublin.
John Moriarty has published numerous articles and is the author of Diction. Together with Professor Duane A. Smith of Fort Lewis College
Fort Lewis College
Fort Lewis College is a public liberal arts college in Durango, Colorado.-History:Military FortThe original site of Fort Lewis College began southwest of its present location back in 1880. Set up originally as a Military Fort for the 22nd Regimental Infantry which occupied the land from...
in Durango, Colorado
Durango, Colorado
The City of Durango is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of La Plata County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau said that the city population was 16,887 in 2010 census.-History:...
, he is co-author of the book The Ballad of Baby Doe, a study of the Central City Opera and its production history (University Press of Colorado, 2002).
He has made several recordings, including conducting the first recording of Händel
George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel was a German-British Baroque composer, famous for his operas, oratorios, anthems and organ concertos. Handel was born in 1685, in a family indifferent to music...
’s opera Tamerlano
Tamerlano
Tamerlano is an opera in three acts written for the Royal Academy of Music , with music by George Frideric Handel to an Italian text by Nicola Francesco Haym, adapted from Agostin Piovene's Tamerlano together with another libretto entitled Bajazet after Nicolas Pradon's Tamerlan, ou La Mort de...
and others of orchestral works. He accompanied Carole Bogard on three recital records covering Fauré, Debussy, Bizet, Gounod, Charpentier and Le Groupe des Six. Most recently he conducted the Central City Opera digital recording of The Ballad of Baby Doe
The Ballad of Baby Doe
The Ballad of Baby Doe is an opera by the American composer Douglas Moore that uses an English-language libretto by John Latouche. It is Moore's most famous opera and one of the few American operas to be in the standard repertory...
.
The John Moriarty Presidential Scholarship, which supports the studies of opera singers at the New England Conservatory, and the John Moriarty Encouragement Award are named in his honor. The John Moriarty Award of the Central City Opera is named in his honor and annually presented by him at the final performance of the festival. Colorado Governor Roy Romer declared June 17, 1998 as John Moriarty Day "for his uncompromising dedication to artistic excellence."
On August 10, 2008; "A" Street in Central City was renamed Moriarty Lane by the Mayor of Central City.
External links
- http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Moriarty-John.htm