Beverly Wolff (Mezzo-soprano)

Born: November 6, 1928 - Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Died: August 14, 2005 - Lakeland, Florida, USA

The American mezzo-soprano, Beverly Wolff, studied music in her native city and in Philadelphia.

Beverly Wolff made her professional debut as Dinah in Leonard Bernstein's Trouble in Tahiti, on television (CBS) in 1952. Dinah was also her debut role at the New York City Opera in 1958. Other roles at that house included, Cherubino in Nozze di Figaro, Siebel in Faust, the title role in Carmen. She took part in two Tito Capobianco 's landmark productions there, George Frideric Handel 's Giulio Cesare in which she sang Sesto, opposite Norman Treigle, Beverly Sills and Maureen Forrester, in 1966, and Donizetti 's Roberto Devereux, in which she sang Sara, opposite Beverly Sills, Plácido Domingo, Louis Quilico, in 1970, both operas were conducted by Julius Rudel. She also took part in the creation of Douglas Moore's Carry Nation, in 1966, in Lawrence, Kansas.

Beverly Wolff was also active as a recitalist, appearing in numerous cities around the USA. She also sang abroad, notably in Spoleto, Florence, Venice, in roles such as Brangäne in Tristan und Isolde, Dalila in Samson et Dalila, and Benjamin Britten 's Lucretia in The Rape of Lucretia.

Beverly Wolff was married to businessman, John Dwiggins, with whom she had two sons. Early on in her career, she established a measured pace for her professional and personal life, in general, for every two weeks of work, she would spent three weeks at home. She retired from performing in 1981, and began teaching at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, where she remained until shortly before her death.

Selected Recordings: George Frideric Handel's Giulio Cesare (w/ Norman Treigle, Beverly Sills, Maureen Forrester, NYCO Chorus and Orchestra conducted by Julius Rudel - 1967, RCA); Donizetti's Roberto Devereux (w/ Beverly Sills, Robert Ilosfalvy, Peter Glossop - Ambrosian Opera Chorus & Royal Philarmonic Orchestra conducted by Charles Mackerras - 1969, DGG).

Source: Wikipedia Website (based on The Metropolitan Opera Encyclopedia, edited by David Hamilton, (Simon and Schuster, New York, 1987) & Opera News Magazine, Obituaries, November 2005 issue)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (December 2008)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Brian Priestman

Mezzo

G.F. Handel: Opera Alcina, HWV 34 [Ruggiero]

Links to other Sites

Beverly Wolff (Wikipedia)

Obituaries: Beverly Wolff - Article from Opera News (HighBeam)