Lucy Kelston
Encyclopedia
Lucy Kelston is an American operatic soprano
, primarily active in Italy during the 1950s.
Born in New York City, she studied at New York College of Music with Giuseppe de Luca
and Samuel Margolis
, and made her stage debut in 1947, as Madama Butterfly
.
Noticed and helped by Arturo Toscanini
, she entered the Vocal Contest of America, which led to her debut at La Scala
in Milan, as Leonora in La forza del destino
, opposite Mario Filippeschi
, in 1949. The same year she sang Lady Macbeth
on Italian radio, and in 1951, during the celebration of Verdi's death anniversary, she sang the title role in Luisa Miller
, opposite legendary tenor Giacomo Lauri-Volpi
. She sang widely in Italy, notably at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
in 1955, where she sang Norma
, alternating with Anita Cerquetti
.
She also made guest appearances at the Royal Opera House
in London, the Liceo in Barcelona, the Teatro Nacional Sao Carlos in Lisbon, the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. She was also very active in concert, appearing in New York, Amsterdam
, Vienna
, Budapest
.
She was married to Italian conductor Franco Ferraris, and was also known as Lucy Kelston Ferraris. She can be heard on record in the aforementioned radio broadcast of Luisa Miller.
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
, primarily active in Italy during the 1950s.
Born in New York City, she studied at New York College of Music with Giuseppe de Luca
Giuseppe de Luca
Giuseppe De Luca , was a famous Italian baritone who achieved his greatest triumphs at the New York Metropolitan Opera...
and Samuel Margolis
Samuel Margolis
Samuel Margolis was a renowned American voice teacher. Born in Latvia, Margolis moved to the United States as a young child and grew up in New York City...
, and made her stage debut in 1947, as Madama Butterfly
Madama Butterfly
Madama Butterfly is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. Puccini based his opera in part on the short story "Madame Butterfly" by John Luther Long, which was dramatized by David Belasco...
.
Noticed and helped by Arturo Toscanini
Arturo Toscanini
Arturo Toscanini was an Italian conductor. One of the most acclaimed musicians of the late 19th and 20th century, he was renowned for his intensity, his perfectionism, his ear for orchestral detail and sonority, and his photographic memory...
, she entered the Vocal Contest of America, which led to her debut at La Scala
La Scala
La Scala , is a world renowned opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the New Royal-Ducal Theatre at La Scala...
in Milan, as Leonora in La forza del destino
La forza del destino
La forza del destino is an Italian opera by Giuseppe Verdi. The libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on a Spanish drama, Don Álvaro o la fuerza del sino , by Ángel de Saavedra, Duke of Rivas, with a scene adapted from Friedrich Schiller's Wallensteins Lager. It was first performed...
, opposite Mario Filippeschi
Mario Filippeschi
Mario Filippeschi was an Italian tenor, particularly associated with the Italian repertory, renowned for his ringing upper register....
, in 1949. The same year she sang Lady Macbeth
Macbeth (opera)
Macbeth is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi, with an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave and additions by Andrea Maffei, based on Shakespeare's play of the same name...
on Italian radio, and in 1951, during the celebration of Verdi's death anniversary, she sang the title role in Luisa Miller
Luisa Miller
Luisa Miller is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Salvadore Cammarano, based on the play Kabale und Liebe by Friedrich von Schiller. The first performance was given at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples on December 8, 1849...
, opposite legendary tenor Giacomo Lauri-Volpi
Giacomo Lauri-Volpi
Giacomo Lauri-Volpi was an Italian tenor with a lyric-dramatic voice of exceptional range and technical facility. He performed throughout Europe and the Americas in a top-class career that spanned 40 years....
. She sang widely in Italy, notably at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino is an annual opera festival which was founded in April 1933 by conductor Vittorio Gui with the aim of presenting contemporary and forgotten operas in visually dramatic productions. It was the first music festival in Italy. The first opera presented was Verdi's early...
in 1955, where she sang Norma
Norma (opera)
Norma is a tragedia lirica or opera in two acts by Vincenzo Bellini with libretto by Felice Romani after Norma, ossia L'infanticidio by Alexandre Soumet. First produced at La Scala on December 26, 1831, it is generally regarded as an example of the supreme height of the bel canto tradition...
, alternating with Anita Cerquetti
Anita Cerquetti
Anita Cerquetti is an Italian dramatic soprano who had a short career in the 1950s.Cerquetti was born in Montecosaro, near Macerata, Italy. She was first a student of the violin, she trained eight years with Luigi Mori. After a mere one year of vocal study at the Conservatory of Perugia she made...
.
She also made guest appearances at the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
in London, the Liceo in Barcelona, the Teatro Nacional Sao Carlos in Lisbon, the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. She was also very active in concert, appearing in New York, Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
.
She was married to Italian conductor Franco Ferraris, and was also known as Lucy Kelston Ferraris. She can be heard on record in the aforementioned radio broadcast of Luisa Miller.