Samuel Margolis
Encyclopedia
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. He initially intended to pursue a career as an opera
singer, but a throat injury forced him to change career paths.
Margolis was hired as a singing teacher by the Metropolitan Opera
where he worked for several decades, first at the "Old Met"
and later at the Metropolitan Opera House
at Lincoln Center. He taught many leading singers as well as comprimario
singers at the Met, including Robert Merrill
and Jerome Hines
. Merrill studied voice with him for more than four decades.
Margolis's voice studio also attracted students from outside the Met. He often worked with Broadway actors and stage personalities like Jose Ferrer
and Gertrude Lawrence
. He taught young aspiring singers, some of whom, such as Robert Moulson
and Lucy Kelston
, went on to have successful singing careers. President Jimmy Carter
bestowed upon him a Presidential Citation in 1979 that praised him for his lengthy teaching career. He continued to give voice lessons up through 1981. He died in Englewood, New Jersey
at the age of 99.
Voice teacher
A voice teacher or singing teacher is a musical instructor who trains adults and children in the art of singing. This generally involves training in breath control and support, proper tone production, pitch control and musical intonation, proper formation of vowels and consonants as well as...
. Born in Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
, Margolis moved to the United States as a young child and grew up in New York City. He initially intended to pursue a career as an 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...
singer, but a throat injury forced him to change career paths.
Margolis was hired as a singing teacher by 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...
where he worked for several decades, first at the "Old Met"
Metropolitan Opera House (39th St)
The Metropolitan Opera House was an opera house located at 1411 Broadway in New York City. Opened in 1883 and demolished in 1967, it was the first home of the Metropolitan Opera Company.-History:...
and later at the Metropolitan Opera House
Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center)
The Metropolitan Opera House is an opera house located on Broadway at Lincoln Square in the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City. Part of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the theater opened in 1966. It replaced the former Metropolitan Opera House at Broadway and 39th St...
at Lincoln Center. He taught many leading singers as well as comprimario
Comprimario
A Comprimario is a supporting role in an opera. Derived from the Italian "con primario", or "with the primary", the term refers to a performer who sings small role pieces....
singers at the Met, including Robert Merrill
Robert Merrill
Robert Merrill was an American operatic baritone.-Early life:Merrill was born Moishe Miller, later known as Morris Miller, in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, New York, to tailor Abraham Miller, originally Milstein, and his wife Lillian, née Balaban, immigrants from Warsaw, Poland.His mother...
and Jerome Hines
Jerome Hines
The American Jerome A. Hines was a basso opera singer who performed at the Metropolitan Opera from 1946 to 1987...
. Merrill studied voice with him for more than four decades.
Margolis's voice studio also attracted students from outside the Met. He often worked with Broadway actors and stage personalities like Jose Ferrer
José Ferrer
José Vicente Ferrer de Otero y Cintrón , best known as José Ferrer, was a Puerto Rican actor, as well as a theater and film director...
and Gertrude Lawrence
Gertrude Lawrence
Gertrude Lawrence was an English actress, singer and musical comedy performer known for her stage appearances in the West End theatre district of London and on Broadway.-Early life:...
. He taught young aspiring singers, some of whom, such as Robert Moulson
Robert Moulson
Robert Moulson was an American classical tenor who had an active international career in operas and concerts from the late 1950s through the 1980s...
and Lucy Kelston
Lucy Kelston
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...
, went on to have successful singing careers. President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
bestowed upon him a Presidential Citation in 1979 that praised him for his lengthy teaching career. He continued to give voice lessons up through 1981. He died in Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 27,147.Englewood was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of...
at the age of 99.