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Born: July 25, 1930 - Montreal, Canada
Maureen Forrester is the great contralto of her time, Canada's grande dame of song and one of this country's musical ambassadors to the world.
Maureen Forrester (Kathleen Stewart) was one of four children, and grew up poor, in East-end Montreal. Encouraged by her mother, she began studying piano and theory and sang in various church choirs. She dropped out of high school at the age of thirteen to help support the family. She worked as a secretary, receptionist and Bell Telephone operator and financed her own vocal lessons, which began at the age of 16 with Sally Martin, continued with Frank Rowe, and culminated with her most important teacher, baritone Bernard Diamant.
Maureen Forrester's 1953 debut recital at Montreal's YWCA marked the beginning of a lifelong collaboration with pianist John Newmark. That recital led to her debut with the Montreal Symphony, singing in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony under Otto Klemperer. She toured extensively for Jeunesses Musicales, first in Canada and then in Europe. Forrester made her New York debut at Town Hall in 1956. Her reputation began to spread and Bruno Walter invited her to sing for him. He was looking for the right contralto for a performance and subsequent recording of Mahler's Resurrection Symphony. Maureen Forrester sang at Walter's farewell performances with the New York Philharmonic in 1957. Theirs was a rare musical rapport, requiring few words. With Walter, who had been a student of the composer, Forrester emerged as the consummate Mahler interpreter. Her effortless technique, superb German diction and infallible dramatic sense served her especially well in Lieder recitals, but she performed regularly in oratorio and opera as well. A singer of tremendous stamina and consistency, she regularly gave 120 performances a year, while raising five children.
Maureen Forrester has always championed Canadian composers and regularly devoted generous portions of her programmes to their works, especially when she toured abroad. She has premiered compositions by Jean Coulthard, Srul Irving Glick, Harry Freedman, Jean Papineau-Couture, R. Murray Schafer and Harry Somers. Between 1983 and 1988, she served as the chair of the Canada Council, continuing her commitment to the quality of Canada's artistic life. She is a Companion of the Order of Canada, the recipient of over 30 honorary degrees and a member of the Juno Hall of Fame. In 1986, she published her memoirs, Out of Character.
Source: CBC Records Website
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Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works |
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Alto |
Arias from BWV 79, BWV 102 |
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Brian Prisetman |
Alto |
BWV 3, BWV 102; Mvts. From BWV 132, BWV 138, BWV 205 (w/ Bach Aria Group) |
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Pablo Casals |
Alto |
BWV 244 [NYR] |
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Alto |
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Antonio Janigro |
Alto |
BWV 53, BWV 54, BWV 169, Arias from BWV 232, BWV 244, BWV 245, BWV 248 |
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Alto |
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Alto |
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Short Biographies: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | Explanation | Acronyms |
Last update: ýOctober 22, 2004 ý23:00:33