Edward Zambara
Encyclopedia
Edward Zambara was a Canadian-American bass-baritone
singer and leading music educator. He studied opera
with Boris Goldovsky
and Sarah Caldwell
, as well as lieder with Felix Wolfes
, Frederic Popper, Jörg Demus
, and Eric Werba. Most significantly, Zambara was the pupil of Professor William L. Whitney at the New England Conservatory of Music at which he earned bachelors and masters degrees in vocal performance in 1950 and 1952, respectively. Uncle of Giuseppe Zambara.
Zambara gained from Whitney a thorough knowledge of the training methods and performance traditions of the Italian bel canto
. This Whitney himself received as the pupil of Luigi Vannuccini of Florence
, who, in addition to being a master voice teacher, conducted the Italian premiere of Gounod
's Faust
, and worked closely with the opera composers Rossini
, Vincenzo Bellini
, Donizetti
, and Verdi
. Thus, the lineage of Zambara's vocal training can be traced to the Italian vocal maestri of the early 19th-century.
Following Whitney's death in 1950, Zambara, while continuing to perform, resolved to continue his teacher's legacy by training singers in bel canto, and by passing on to others the style and performance traditions of classical singing as taught to him by Professor Whitney.
Zambara's teaching career began at the University of Tennessee
in 1952. Between 1958 and 1960, he taught at the University of Oregon
. In 1961, he returned to the University of Tennessee as the chair of the voice department, teaching there until 1981. During that tenure, Zambara also founded the Knoxville Opera, and in 1980, he received the Tennessee Governor's Award in the Arts. Subsequently, Zambara was appointed to endowed voice professorships at the St. Louis Conservatory of Music, the New England Conservatory of Music, Curtis Institute, and the Juilliard School
. In 1997, he was inducted into the American Academy of Teachers of Singing, a select group of nationally recognized teachers. At the time of his death, Zambara was on the faculty of the New England Conservatory of Music. He had also served on the faculty of the Metropolitan Opera
Young Artists Program, the Music Academy of the West, the Lyric Opera Center for American Artists, and the Franz Schubert Institüt. Zambara often was asked to serve as a judge at district and regional Metropolitan Opera auditions.
For many years, Zambara had been one of the most sought-after voice professors in the United States. Many of his pupils are successful performers in the opera houses of Europe and the United States. As well, many are successful teachers who follow his example by training young singers in the bel canto vocal tradition.
Bass-baritone
A bass-baritone is a high-lying bass or low-lying "classical" baritone voice type which shares certain qualities with the true baritone voice. The term arose in the late 19th century to describe the particular type of voice required to sing three Wagnerian roles: the Dutchman in Der fliegende...
singer and leading music educator. He studied opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
with Boris Goldovsky
Boris Goldovsky
Boris Goldovsky was a Russian conductor and broadcast commentator, active in the United States. He has been called an important "popularizer" of opera in America...
and Sarah Caldwell
Sarah Caldwell
Sarah Caldwell was a notable American opera conductor, impresario, and stage director of opera.- Life :Caldwell was born in Maryville, Missouri, and grew up in Fayetteville, Arkansas. She was a child prodigy and gave public performances on the violin by the time she was ten years old...
, as well as lieder with Felix Wolfes
Felix Wolfes
Felix Wolfes was an American educator, conductor and composer.-Biography:...
, Frederic Popper, Jörg Demus
Jörg Demus
Jörg Demus is an Austrian pianist.At the age of six, Demus received his first piano lessons. Five years later, at the age of 11, he entered the Vienna Academy of Music, studying piano and conducting. He graduated in 1945, then 17 years old...
, and Eric Werba. Most significantly, Zambara was the pupil of Professor William L. Whitney at the New England Conservatory of Music at which he earned bachelors and masters degrees in vocal performance in 1950 and 1952, respectively. Uncle of Giuseppe Zambara.
Zambara gained from Whitney a thorough knowledge of the training methods and performance traditions of the Italian bel canto
Bel canto
Bel canto , along with a number of similar constructions , is an Italian opera term...
. This Whitney himself received as the pupil of Luigi Vannuccini of Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, who, in addition to being a master voice teacher, conducted the Italian premiere of Gounod
Charles Gounod
Charles-François Gounod was a French composer, known for his Ave Maria as well as his operas Faust and Roméo et Juliette.-Biography:...
's Faust
Faust (opera)
Faust is a drame lyrique in five acts by Charles Gounod to a French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré from Carré's play Faust et Marguerite, in turn loosely based on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust, Part 1...
, and worked closely with the opera composers Rossini
Gioacchino Rossini
Gioachino Antonio Rossini was an Italian composer who wrote 39 operas as well as sacred music, chamber music, songs, and some instrumental and piano pieces...
, Vincenzo Bellini
Vincenzo Bellini
Vincenzo Salvatore Carmelo Francesco Bellini was an Italian opera composer. His greatest works are I Capuleti ed i Montecchi , La sonnambula , Norma , Beatrice di Tenda , and I puritani...
, Donizetti
Gaetano Donizetti
Domenico Gaetano Maria Donizetti was an Italian composer from Bergamo, Lombardy. His best-known works are the operas L'elisir d'amore , Lucia di Lammermoor , and Don Pasquale , all in Italian, and the French operas La favorite and La fille du régiment...
, and Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century...
. Thus, the lineage of Zambara's vocal training can be traced to the Italian vocal maestri of the early 19th-century.
Following Whitney's death in 1950, Zambara, while continuing to perform, resolved to continue his teacher's legacy by training singers in bel canto, and by passing on to others the style and performance traditions of classical singing as taught to him by Professor Whitney.
Zambara's teaching career began at the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
in 1952. Between 1958 and 1960, he taught at the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
. In 1961, he returned to the University of Tennessee as the chair of the voice department, teaching there until 1981. During that tenure, Zambara also founded the Knoxville Opera, and in 1980, he received the Tennessee Governor's Award in the Arts. Subsequently, Zambara was appointed to endowed voice professorships at the St. Louis Conservatory of Music, the New England Conservatory of Music, Curtis Institute, and the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
. In 1997, he was inducted into the American Academy of Teachers of Singing, a select group of nationally recognized teachers. At the time of his death, Zambara was on the faculty of the New England Conservatory of Music. He had also served on the faculty of the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
Young Artists Program, the Music Academy of the West, the Lyric Opera Center for American Artists, and the Franz Schubert Institüt. Zambara often was asked to serve as a judge at district and regional Metropolitan Opera auditions.
For many years, Zambara had been one of the most sought-after voice professors in the United States. Many of his pupils are successful performers in the opera houses of Europe and the United States. As well, many are successful teachers who follow his example by training young singers in the bel canto vocal tradition.
Notable pupils
Notable pupils of Edward Zambara include:- Laurence Albert
- Mary Gayle Greene
- Randall Outland
- James Daniel Frost
- Cheryl Studer
- Denyce GravesDenyce GravesDenyce Graves is an American mezzo-soprano opera singer.-Early life:Graves was born on March 7, 1964, to Charles Graves and Dorothy Graves-Kenner. She is the middle of three children and was raised by her mother on Galveston Street, S.W., in the Bellevue section of Washington...
- Deborah Cole