Carmen Balthrop (left) as Pamina in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Michigan Opera Theatre, 1984.
UCarmen Balthrop (ekhohlo) njengoPamina kwiDie Zauberflöte kaMozart, eMichigan Opera Theatre, ngo-1984.
American soprano and voice professor, Carmen Balthrop, passed away on 5 September 2021 at the age of 73.
Inspired by legendary American soprano, Leontyne Price, Balthrop achieved her childhood dream of becoming an opera singer. She studied voice at the University of Maryland and Catholic University in Washington, D.C.
Balthrop made her opera and Broadway debut in 1975 as the title role in Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha (excerpt below). The production premiered at the Houston Opera and premiered on Broadway later that same year. This debut was Balthrop’s first major project after winning the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 1974.
Balthrop went on to have an illustrious and global performance and academic career. In addition to performing across the United States, she also performed in Canada, Europe, China, the Bahamas, Mexico, and Russia. In addition to opera, her extensive repertoire included Baroque concert works and contemporary art songs.
Balthrop worked as a Professor of Voice and Opera at the University of Maryland, where she was beloved by her students.
Recordings of Balthrop’s are available on her website, including the original cast recording of Treemonisha, as well as John Knowles Paine’s Mass.
NgesiXhosa:
I-soprano yaseMelika kunye nonjingalwazi welizwi, uCarmen Balthrop, wabhubha nge-5 kaSeptemba 2021 eneminyaka engama-73.
Wakhuthazwa yi-soprano yaseMelika emangalisayo, uLeontyne Price, uBalthrop ufezekise iphupha lakhe lobuntwana lokuba yimvumi yeopera. UBalthrop wafunda ilizwi lokucula kwiDyunivesithi yaseMaryland nakwiYunivesithi yamaKatolika eWashington, D.C.
UBalthrop baqala ukwenziwa kwengoma yakhe ye-opera kunye ye-Broadway ngo-1975 njengendima yesihloko kwi-Treemonisha kaScott Joplin (isicatshulwa esingesentla). Le opera yaqala kwi-Houston Opera kwaye yaboniswa kwi-Broadway kamva kwaloo nyaka. Lo mboniso wawuyiprojekthi yokuqala kaBalthrop emva kokuphumelela I-Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions ngo-1974.
UBalthrop wayenomsebenzi oncomekayo kunye nomsebenzi wokufunda. Ukongeza ekuculeni kulo lonke elaseMelika, wacula naseKhanada, eYurophu, eTshayina, eBahamas, eMexico naseRashiya. Ukongeza kwi-opera, i-repertoire yakhe ebanzi yayiquka iingoma zeBaroque kunye neengoma zobugcisa zangoku.
UBalthrop wayenguNjingalwazi weLizwi lokucula kunye neOpera kwiDyunivesithi yaseMaryland, apho wayethandwa ngabafundi bakhe. Ukurekhodwa kukaBalthrop kuyafumaneka kwiwebhusayithi yakhe, kubandakanywa nokurekhoda koTreemonisha, kunye ne-Mass kaJohn Knowles Paine.