Rita Shane

Rita Shane (born in New York, on August 15, 1940) is an internationally-known dramatic coloratura soprano. She studied at Barnard College and under Beverly Peck Johnson, and made her operatic debut as the doll Olympia in "Les contes d'Hoffmann", at Chattanooga in 1964. The next year found her appearing with the New York City Opera, as Donna Elvira in "Don Giovanni", with Norman Treigle in the name part.

With the City Opera, Miss Shane went on to sing in "Dialogues des Carmélites" (as Mme Lidoine), "L'amour des trois oranges" (as Fata Morgana), "Don Giovanni" (now as Donna Anna) and "Die Zauberflöte" (Queen of Night). The soprano debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in 1973, as the Queen of Night. Over eight seasons, she also sang in "La bohème" (as Musetta, with Katia Ricciarelli and José Carreras), "Un ballo in maschera" (as Oscar), "Le siège de Corinthe", "La traviata", "Lucia di Lammermoor" (with Nicolai Gedda), "Le prophète" (as Berthe, in John Dexter's production), and "Rigoletto".

She returned to the City Opera in 1979, creating the name part in Argento's "Miss Havisham's Fire", and singing in "La traviata", as well. Later, she sang Dircé in "Médée" (in the Italian version) and Giselda in "I lombardi alla prima crociata" with that company. For the New Orleans Opera Association, she was seen in "La Juive" (with Richard Tucker) and "Les Huguenots" (opposite Marisa Galvany and Susanne Marsee). Abroad, Shane performed in Milan (Teatro alla Scala), Vienna and Munich. At Salzburg, in 1972, she was applauded for her performance in Schönberg's "Erwartung", with Michael Gielen conducting. The soprano has recorded excerpts from Handel's "Athalia" and "Rinaldo".

Since 1989, Miss Shane has been on the faculty of the Eastman School of Music.

References

* "The Metropolitan Opera Encyclopedia", edited by David Hamilton, Simon and Schuster, 1987. ISBN 0-671-61732-X

External links

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6BFHvkyCvc] YouTube: Rita Shane in an excerpt from "Les Huguenots", with Nicolai Gedda (audio only, 1971).