Stephanie Blythe
Encyclopedia
Stephanie Blythe is an American mezzo-soprano
opera singer.
High School in 1987 and the Crane School of Music
at the State University of New York at Potsdam
in 1992. She was the recipient of the prestigious Richard Tucker
Award in 1999. SUNY Potsdam awarded her the degree of Doctor of Music honoris causa in 2006.
In 1996, Blythe's career was transformed, standing in for Marilyn Horne
at the Metropolitan opera
as Mistress Quickly in "Falstaff." Her breakthrough performance came three years later when she sang Cornelia in Handel
's Giulio Cesare
.
Blythe starred in the world premiere of the opera The Sailor-Boy and the Falcon, performed by the Crane School of Music
Opera Ensemble in November 2006. The opera was written by two SUNY Potsdam professors (music by Paul Siskind and libretto by Alan Steinberg
) and was performed at the Crane School's Sara M. Snell Theater. The opera is based on The Sailor-Boy's Tale by Isak Dinesen.
In the 2007/08 season at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Ms. Blythe has sung supporting roles in both Un Ballo in Maschera and Die Walkure. In each, she has stolen the show with ovations exceeding those given to the singers of the lead roles. In 2010, Blythe played Katisha in The Mikado
at the Lyric Opera of Chicago
. The Chicago Sun-Times
reviewer wrote, "Blythe explodes onto stage ... an enormous woman with enormous talent, a big, powerful voice and an elastic comic face". Chicago Classical Review added, "Blythe ... steals the entire show. ... It’s unlikely that this supporting role has ever been sung with this caliber of gleaming operatic voice. She ... threw off the rapid-fire patter duet "There is beauty in the bellow of the blast" with blazing speed and crystal-clear diction. Blythe also displayed a great comedian’s timing making every punch line register. And, for a woman of such imposing physique, she showed herself a graceful and light-footed presence with her little victorious dance steps."
In 2011, Ms. Blythe premiered the Mezzo Soprano role in John Corigliano
's "One Sweet Morning" at Avery Fisher Hall
for the New York Philharmonic
, a composition commemorating the 10th anniversary of the September 11th Attacks.
Mezzo-soprano
A mezzo-soprano is a type of classical female singing voice whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above...
opera singer.
Biography
Blythe graduated from MonticelloMonticello, New York
Monticello is a village located in the Town of Thompson in Sullivan County, New York, United States. The population was 6,512 at the 2000 census. It is the seat for the Town of Thompson and the county seat of Sullivan County...
High School in 1987 and the Crane School of Music
Crane School of Music
The Crane School of Music is located in Potsdam, New York, and is one of three schools which make up the State University of New York at Potsdam....
at the State University of New York at Potsdam
State University of New York at Potsdam
The State University of New York at Potsdam, also known as SUNY Potsdam, or, colloquially, Potsdam, is a public university located in the Village of Potsdam in St. Lawrence County, New York. Founded in 1816, it is among the 50 oldest colleges in the United States...
in 1992. She was the recipient of the prestigious Richard Tucker
Richard Tucker
Richard Tucker was an American operatic tenor.-Early life:Tucker was born Rivn Ticker in Brooklyn, New York, into a family of Romanian immigrants from Bessarabia. His father, Shmul Ticker, and mother Fanya-Tsipa Ticker had already adopted the surname "Tucker" by the time their son entered first...
Award in 1999. SUNY Potsdam awarded her the degree of Doctor of Music honoris causa in 2006.
In 1996, Blythe's career was transformed, standing in for Marilyn Horne
Marilyn Horne
Marilyn Horne is an American mezzo-soprano opera singer. She specialized in roles requiring a large sound, beauty of tone, excellent breath support, and the ability to execute difficult coloratura passages....
at the Metropolitan opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
as Mistress Quickly in "Falstaff." Her breakthrough performance came three years later when she sang Cornelia in Handel
HANDEL
HANDEL was the code-name for the UK's National Attack Warning System in the Cold War. It consisted of a small console consisting of two microphones, lights and gauges. The reason behind this was to provide a back-up if anything failed....
's Giulio Cesare
Giulio Cesare
Giulio Cesare in Egitto , commonly known simply as Giulio Cesare, is an Italian opera in three acts written for the Royal Academy of Music by George Frideric Handel in 1724...
.
Blythe starred in the world premiere of the opera The Sailor-Boy and the Falcon, performed by the Crane School of Music
Crane School of Music
The Crane School of Music is located in Potsdam, New York, and is one of three schools which make up the State University of New York at Potsdam....
Opera Ensemble in November 2006. The opera was written by two SUNY Potsdam professors (music by Paul Siskind and libretto by Alan Steinberg
Alan Steinberg
Dr. Alan L. Steinberg is an American author. He wrote the libretto for the opera The Falcon and the Sailor Boy, which was performed at SUNY Potsdam in 2006, starring Stephanie Blythe.-Education and career:...
) and was performed at the Crane School's Sara M. Snell Theater. The opera is based on The Sailor-Boy's Tale by Isak Dinesen.
In the 2007/08 season at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Ms. Blythe has sung supporting roles in both Un Ballo in Maschera and Die Walkure. In each, she has stolen the show with ovations exceeding those given to the singers of the lead roles. In 2010, Blythe played Katisha in The Mikado
The Mikado
The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, their ninth of fourteen operatic collaborations...
at the Lyric Opera of Chicago
Lyric Opera of Chicago
Lyric Opera of Chicago is one of the leading opera companies in the United States. It was founded in Chicago in 1952, under the name 'Lyric Theatre of Chicago' by Carol Fox, Nicolà Rescigno and Lawrence Kelly, with a season that included Maria Callas's American debut in Norma...
. The Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
reviewer wrote, "Blythe explodes onto stage ... an enormous woman with enormous talent, a big, powerful voice and an elastic comic face". Chicago Classical Review added, "Blythe ... steals the entire show. ... It’s unlikely that this supporting role has ever been sung with this caliber of gleaming operatic voice. She ... threw off the rapid-fire patter duet "There is beauty in the bellow of the blast" with blazing speed and crystal-clear diction. Blythe also displayed a great comedian’s timing making every punch line register. And, for a woman of such imposing physique, she showed herself a graceful and light-footed presence with her little victorious dance steps."
In 2011, Ms. Blythe premiered the Mezzo Soprano role in John Corigliano
John Corigliano
John Corigliano is an American composer of classical music and a teacher of music. He is a distinguished professor of music at Lehman College in the City University of New York.-Biography:...
's "One Sweet Morning" at Avery Fisher Hall
Avery Fisher Hall
Avery Fisher Hall is a concert hall, in New York City and is part of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts complex. It is the home of the New York Philharmonic, with a capacity of 2,738 seats.-History:...
for the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
, a composition commemorating the 10th anniversary of the September 11th Attacks.