Traubel, Helen

Traubel, Helen

▪ American opera singer
born June 20, 1899, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
died July 28, 1972, Santa Monica, California
 American opera singer, remembered as one of the finest Wagnerian sopranos of her day, who also enjoyed success in popular-music venues.

      At age 13 Traubel began taking vocal lessons. She left high school a short time later to devote herself full-time to singing, and in 1925 she made her concert debut with the St. Louis Symphony. She toured Midwestern and Southern cities with the orchestra, sang with the New York Philharmonic in 1926, and later sang a concert series with the Philadelphia Orchestra.

      Thereafter Traubel's singing was confined largely to church choirs until 1937, when the conductor-composer Walter Damrosch (Damrosch, Walter) invited her to create the role of Mary Rutledge in his opera The Man Without a Country, which was premiered by the Metropolitan Opera (Met) in May of that year. For the next two years she continued her training in New York while singing frequently on the radio. She made her New York concert debut at Town Hall in October 1939, and she made her debut in the Met's regular season as Sieglinde in Richard Wagner (Wagner, Richard)'s Die Walküre in December 1939.

      With the departure of Kirsten Flagstad (Flagstad, Kirsten) in 1941, Traubel became the Met's leading Wagnerian soprano, a distinction she held for a dozen years. To a magnificent voice, controlled throughout its range and capable of fine emotional shading, she added a dignified and strong dramatic presence. She made several national and European concert tours and was a popular recording artist. She also sang frequently on radio and television and in nightclubs. In addition to singing, she privately published her first book, a mystery entitled The Ptomaine Canary, in 1950; her second novel, The Metropolitan Opera Murders, appeared in 1951.

      In 1953 the Met's general manager, Rudolf Bing, objected strenuously to Traubel's appearances in New York nightclubs, whereupon she resigned her contract. She subsequently appeared on Broadway in the Rodgers (Rodgers, Richard) and Hammerstein (Hammerstein, Oscar, II) musical Pipe Dream (1955) and in several motion pictures. Her autobiography, St. Louis Woman, written with R.G. Hubler, appeared in 1959.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Traubel — Helen Traubel (* 20. Juni 1899 in St. Louis; † 28. Juli 1972 in Santa Monica) war eine US amerikanische Sopranistin. Leben Nach ihrem Gesangsstudium in St. Louis und New York debütierte Traubel 1923 als Konzertsängerin mit dem St. Louis Symphony… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Helen Traubel — (June 16 1899 July 28 1972) was an American operatic dramatic soprano, best known for her Wagnerian roles, especially those of Brünnhilde and Isolde. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, she made her debut as a concert singer with the St. Louis Symphony… …   Wikipedia

  • Helen Traubel — (* 20. Juni 1899 in St. Louis; † 28. Juli 1972 in Santa Monica) war eine US amerikanische Sopranistin. Leben Nach ihrem Gesangsstudium in St. Louis und New York debütierte Traubel 1923 als Konzertsängerin mit dem St. Louis Symphony …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Helen Traubel — (née le 16 juin 1899 ; morte le 28 juillet 1972 à Santa Monica en Californie) était une soprano américaine, réputée pour ses interprétations des grands rôles wagnériens, en particulier celui de Brunehilde dans L Anneau du Nibelung. Née à… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Helen Traubel — fue una soprano dramática norteamericana nacida en Saint Louis, Missouri el 16 de junio de 1898 y fallecida en Santa Mónica, California en 1972. Considerada una de las voces mas caudalosas e imponentes del siglo XX. Trayectoria De medios… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Traubel — noun United States operatic soprano (1903 1972) • Syn: ↑Helen Traubel • Instance Hypernyms: ↑soprano * * * /trow beuhl/, n. Helen, 1903 72, U.S. soprano …   Useful english dictionary

  • Helen Traubel — noun United States operatic soprano (1903 1972) • Syn: ↑Traubel • Instance Hypernyms: ↑soprano …   Useful english dictionary

  • Traubel — biographical name Helen 1903 1972 American soprano …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Traubel — /trow beuhl/, n. Helen, 1903 72, U.S. soprano. * * * …   Universalium

  • Hollywood Walk of Fame/Kategorie Musikaufnahmen — A Name Adresse Paula Abdul 7021 Hollywood Boulevard Roy Acuff 1541 Vine Street Lou Adler 6901 Hollywood Boulevard Antonio Aguilar 7060 Hollywood Boulevard Alabama 7060 Hollywood Blvd. Licia Albanese 6671 …   Deutsch Wikipedia

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