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Alberta Masiello

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Alberta Masiello (born November 20, 1915;[1] died 25 December 1990),[2] was an assistant-conductor and opera coach at the Metropolitan Opera; a panelist in the Saturday afternoon Metropolitan Opera Quiz on the Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts, and teacher at the Juilliard School and at Mannes School of Music.

Family

Alberta Masiello was born in Milan, Italy. Her grandfather Giuseppe La Puma (1870-1940), was a Basso buffo opera singer who created the role of Cornelius in the world premiere of Pietro Mascagni’s opera Isabeau (1911). La Puma also founded the Mascagni Centre of Culture. Giuseppe La Puma's daughter (Masiello's mother), was Giuseppina La Puma, who moved to New York in 1933 with Masiello. La Puma became impresario and changed her name to Josephine La Puma. Her 'La Puma Opera Workshop' in New York was an alternative to the established mainstream opera companies in the city, providing young artists, including Alberta Masiello, with professional opportunities.[3] Alberta Masiello's father was the opera singer Ottavio Masiello.[4]

Life

Alberta Masiello studied piano with Renzo Lorenzoni at the Milan Conservatory,[5] (Conservatorio di musica “Giuseppe Verdi” di Milano), with a diploma, 1932[6] and at The Juilliard School. Ernest Hutcheson, the president of Juilliard, took an interest in Masiello and helped her start a carrier as a pianist. In 1934 Masiello worked as part of a twelve piano ensemble billed as the "twelve Grands" in Radio City music hall.[7] She later performed using her married name - Alberta Bosco or Alberta Masiello Bosco.[8] Numerous recitals as pianist and accompanist, an activity spanning from 1939 when she performed at the White House,[9] performances in Carnegie hall[10] as well as recordings and broadcasts with singers till the 70's. Her husband, Joseph Bosco, died in 1966.[11] In the early 1940s Masiello performed in clubs with Lys Bert Simonette (later Kurt Weill’s assistant) as the two-piano team, "Yola and Lisa" (the Mexican sisters).[12] Between 1944 and 1949 Masiello sang mezzo-soprano roles in regional companies, including Amneris, Herodias[13] and Azucena [14] and Carmen at the New York City Opera Company.[15][16] Her vocal career was brief. "I never liked my voice tremendously", she claimed.[17] Between 1949 and 1959 she worked at the New York City Opera, the Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Dallas Opera (where Masiello collaborated with Maria Callas in her capacity as chorus conductor).[18] Masiello joined the Metropolitan Opera in 1959, retiring in 1981 and continuing to teach opera singers, pianists and conductors until her death in 1990. In 1979 Masiello received the Award for Professional Excellence from the National Opera Institute (San Francisco).[19] Her archive is at the New York Public Library.[20]

Professional activity

During her lifetime Masiello prepared singers and conductors, such as Franco Corelli, Renée Fleming, Marko Lampas (Lamas),[21] Paul Plishka[22] and Marilyn Horne.[23] Masiello was instrumental in coaching Maria Callas during a vocal crisis, teaching her daily in her studio at the Juilliard School.[24][25][26] As a pianist, she worked with June Anderson, Karan Armstrong[27] Gilda Cruz-Romo,[28] Gianna Rolandi, Katherine Ciesinski, Mario del Monaco, Jessye Norman and Samuel Ramey.[29]

Masiello did not conduct opera performances,[30] but worked with coaches and pianists at her master classes at the Juilliard School[31] and running the opera department at Mannes.[32] Among her coaching students are David Leighton, Ann Lewin, Ben Malensek,[33] Nic Muni[34] and Eytan Pessen.

Personality

Masiello was known to be a chain-smoker. She kept this habit to the end of her life, sitting in a wheelchair giving master classes in her studio, located a block away from the Juilliard School.[35] As a teacher she would avoid first names, addressing students formally. Referring to Alberta Masiello's radio appearances, the New York Times critic John Rockwell wrote[36] that Masiello's "store of knowledge and imperious manner beguiled listeners for more than 30 years".

References

  1. ^ Social security death index
  2. ^ NY Times Obituary: Alberta Masiello, An Opera Coach And Panelist, 75, retrieved July 19, 2013
  3. ^ Victoria Etnier Villamil, From Johnson's Kids to Lemonade Opera: The American Classical Singer Comes ..., Northeastern, 2004, ISBN 1555536352, p.159
  4. ^ William Murray, Fortissimo: backstage at the opera with sacred monsters and young singers see preface (no page): 'The golden age of La Puma', Crown, 2005, ISBN 978-1400053605
  5. ^ Newspaper announcment of a piano recital February 10, 1940 in Highland Hall Holidaysburg, The Altoona Mirror, February 2, 1940, p. 17
  6. ^ New York Public Library, Alberta Masiello papers, 1894-1990
  7. ^ Bonner, David, Revolutionizing Children's Records,Scarecrow Press, 2008, p.25
  8. ^ Newspaper announcment of a piano recital February 10, 1940 in Highland Hall Holidaysburg, The Altoona Mirror, February 2, 1940, p. 17
  9. ^ NY Times from Jan. 11, 1939
  10. ^ NY Times of June 3, 1951
  11. ^ NY Times death notice, March 7, 1966
  12. ^ Kurt Weil Foundation information about Symonette, retrieved July 19, 2013
  13. ^ NY Times, October 18, 1948
  14. ^ Paul, Jackson, Startup at the Met,Amadeus Press, 2006, p.448
  15. ^ NY Times, October 11, 1948, p. 28
  16. ^ Music Reporter, Volume 2, P. 27 (1948)
  17. ^ Paul, Jackson, Startup at the Met,Amadeus Press, 2006, p.448
  18. ^ John Ardoin, The Callas Legacy: The Complete Guide to Her Recordings on Compact Discs, Encore Editions, 1984, ISBN 978-0931340901, p.129
  19. ^ Front Matter, Music Educators Journal , Vol. 65, No. 6 (Feb., 1979), p.15
  20. ^ Content: New York Public Library, Alberta Masiello papers, 1894-1990
  21. ^ Masiello as vocal coach, Marko Lampas, My Life in America and What Maria Callas Taught Me, ISBN 9780557429080, Lulu.com, 2010, pp. 153-164
  22. ^ Evaluation of Masiello, retrieved July 19, 2013
  23. ^ Autographed photo of Marilyn Horne retrieved July 19, 2013.
  24. ^ Tenor Giuseppe di Stefano mentions Masiello's 'secret coachings' with Callas in La Stampa, August 16, 1996, p. 19
  25. ^ Ariana Stassinopoulos, Maria Callas: The Woman Behind the Legend, Huffington, ISBN 978-0815412281, p.299
  26. ^ Jacques Lorcey, Maria Callas, d'art & d'amour, pp.464-466 (Alberta is mistakenly referred to as 'Alberto')
  27. ^ Barton Silverman, NY Times news item, March 28, 1966
  28. ^ Paul, Jackson, Startup at the Met,Amadeus Press, 2006, p.478
  29. ^ Metropolitan Opera Online Performance Archives retrieved July 19, 2013
  30. ^ Opera News, Feb.14, 1976, Deborah Seabury, La Maestra quoted in: Christine Ammer, Unsung: A History of Women in American Music, New Century, 2003, ISBN 1574670611. Masiellos refusal to conduct at the Metropolitan Opera.
  31. ^ A Renowned Divo Speaks, Wallace Cheatham and George Shirley The Black Perspective in Music, Vol. 18, No. 1/2 (1990), p. 149
  32. ^ Changing Scene, Music Educators Journal, Vol. 68, No. 2 (Oct., 1981), pp. 67-68, pp. 73-74
  33. ^ http://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/arts-and-theatre/vocal-coach-wants-otsl-singers-to-find-feeling-in-music/article_bc82682f-8f1f-52cc-b260-306522e527a8.html
  34. ^ http://www.journalnow.com/relishnow/the_arts/fletcher-opera-institute-presenting-la-trag-die-de-carmen/article_b0f1aa5c-f418-5ad4-9722-d12859f4fd8c.html
  35. ^ First hand account of work with Masiello, retrieved July 19, 2013
  36. ^ NY Times Obituary
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