.
Known as the "non-diva", our friend FREDERICA
von STADE, was just inducted into the Opera Hall of Fame. Her ex- agent
is a nun in our Mother Abbey. (I have done a Blog in the past on her, but at
present have no way to access past Blogs, due to a mess on new computer.)
We
have been most fortunate to hear "Flicka" twice in our area: once years ago when
she appeared at the famed. Mt Baker theater in Bellingham and more recently on
Orcas Island at the Orcas Island Chamber Festival.
Best known for her work in opera, this mezzo-soprano, was also a recitalist and concert artist, having recorded more than a hundred albums and videos. She was especially associated with operas by Mozart and Rossini, and with music by French and American composers.
She is a practicing Catholic, who has given herself to extensive charitable work, especially with education, health issues and the homeless. She retired from the operatic and concert stage in 2010 and now is furthering efforts to bring classical music to disadvantaged youth.
The main beneficiary of her philanthropy has been (for 20 years) the
Young Musicians Choral Orchestra, an East Bay (CA) organization that provides
children from low income families with musical tuition, academic reinforcement
and assistance in their personal development in order to help them to win a
place at university.
In 1998 she was awarded France’s highest honor, an officer of L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. In 1983 President Reagan honored her with an award at the White House in recognition of her contributions to the arts.
If you want to hear her, I recommend going to Youtube, and listening to Dvorak, “Song to the Moon” from Rusalka. Heavenly!