Kathleen Battle (b. August 13, 1948) is an American Lyric Soprano. She is particularly known for her pure timbre, exceptional technique and musicianship, and ability to connect with her audience. is the 225th day of the year (226th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Soprano. ...

Life and career

Early life

Battle was born in Portsmouth, Ohio, the youngest of seven children. Her father was a steelworker, and her mother was an active participant in the gospel music of the family's African Methodist Episcopal church. It was through Battle's musical experiences with her mother and at church that she first grew to love music.^[1] Portsmouth is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Scioto County. ...

Battle attended Portsmouth High School where her music teacher and mentor was Charles Varney. In a Time magazine interview with reporter Michael Walsh, he told of his wonder at first hearing the eight-year old Battle sing, describing her as "this tiny little thing singing so beautifully." "I went to her later," Varney recalled, "and told her God had blessed her, and she must always sing." ^[2] (Clockwise from upper left) Time magazine covers from May 7, 1945; July 25, 1969; December 31, 1999; September 14, 2001; and April 21, 2003. ...

Battle was a good student and was awarded a scholarship to the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music where she studied voice with Franklin Bens and also worked with Italo Tajo.^[3] She majored in music education rather than performance in undergraduate school and went on to get a master's degree in Music Education as well. In 1971 Battle embarked on a teaching career in Cincinnati, even though she was encouraged to seek a vocal career. Battle took a teaching position at a Cincinnati inner-city public school. She taught music to students aged 10 through 12 and thus fulfilled her desire to give back to the African-American community. While teaching 5th and 6th grade music, she studied voice privately.^[4]

Career

Battle's professional career was launched after an audition with Thomas Schippers (then conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Battle was hired and made her professional debut singing the soprano solos in Brahms' Ein Deutsches Requiem at the 1972 Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy. During the next several years, Battle would go on to sing in several more orchestral concerts in New York, Los Angeles, and Cleveland.^[5] In 1974 conductor James Levine selected Battle to sing the Mater Glorioso in Mahler's Symphony No. 8 at the Cincinnati Symphony's May Festival. This was the beginning of a close professional association between Battle and Levine that would last for years. ^[6] In 1975, Battle made her stage debut in Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia as Rosina with the Michigan Opera Theater in Detroit. She would make her New York City Opera debut the following year as Susanna in Mozart's Le nozze de Figaro. In 1978, she made her Metropolitan Opera debut as the Shepherd in Wagner's Tannhäuser, largely due to the influence of James Levine in forwarding Battle's career. In 1979 Battle made her debut at the Glyndebourne Festival.^[7] Although Battle is known for her stellar opera performances, she has devoted the majority of her time to concert pieces and recitals. Thomas Schippers (1930-1977) was a prominent American orchestral conductor. ... As the fifth-oldest orchestra in the United States, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) has a legacy of fine music making as reflected in its performances in historic Music Hall, recordings, and international tours. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ein deutsches Requiem For the short story by Jorge Luis Borges, see Ein deutsches Requiem (short story). ... James Levine (born June 23, 1943 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is an American orchestral pianist and conductor and most well known as the music director of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. ... Cincinnati Music Hall As the fifth-oldest orchestra in the United States, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) has a legacy of fine music making as reflected in its performances in historic Music Hall, recordings, and international tours. ... The Barber of Seville is a theatre play by Beaumarchais, written in 1775, and originally entitled Le Barbier de Séville in French. ... The New York State Theater at Lincoln Center, seen from Lincoln Center Plaza New York State Theater The New York State Theater at Lincoln Center, interior, as seen from the stage The New York City Opera (NYCO) is based in Philip Johnsons New York State Theater at Lincoln Center. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, the lead section of this article may need to be expanded. ... In the Venusberg by John Collier, 1901: a gilded setting that is distinctly Italian quattrocento. ... Glyndebourne is a country house near Lewes in East Sussex, England. ...

Battle's success and fame grew in the 1980s. She made her first appearance at Salzburg in 1982 at an all-Mozart concert, and she often returned in concert, recital and opera to the city. Her important opera roles at Salzburg were Susanna, Zerlina, and Despina, three Mozart roles with which she has been associated at many opera houses around the world. She has appeared at most of the major opera houses of the world including San Francisco Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, Royal Opera, London, English National Opera, Grand Théâtre de Genève, Vienna State Opera, and Deutsche Oper Berlin. In 1985, she was the soprano soloist in Mozart's Coronation Mass at St. Peter's Cathedral at the Vatican, in a performance conducted by Herbert von Karajan. She sang Handel's Semele in a highly acclaimed performance in 1985 at Carnegie Hall and later recorded the role. ^[8] On January 1, 1987, Karajan invited Battle to sing a waltz during Vienna's New Year's Day concert, the only time Karajan conducted the internationally televised annual event and the first time a singer had been engaged for such a contribution. San Francisco Opera (SFO) is the second largest opera company in North America. ... Exterior of the Civic Opera House Lyric Opera of Chicago is one of the leading opera companies in the United States. ... The Floral Hall of the Royal Opera House, home of the Royal Opera The Royal Opera is London and the United Kingdoms most famous and most wealthy opera company. ... The London Coliseum, home of English National Opera English National Opera (ENO), located at the London Coliseum in St. ... Grand Théâtre de Genève is an opera house in Geneva, Switzerland. ... Vienna State Opera (German: Wiener Staatsoper), located in Vienna, Austria, is one of the most important opera companies in Europe. ... Deutsche Oper Berlin The Deutsche Oper Berlin is an opera house located in Berlin, Germany (in what was formerly West Berlin). ... Herbert von Karajan (April 5, 1908 – July 16, 1989) was an Austrian conductor. ... is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ...

Battle has worked with many of the world's most renowned conductors including Herbert von Karajan, Riccardo Muti, Zubin Mehta, Seiji Ozawa, Claudio Abbado, Georg Solti, Carlo Maria Giulini, and Battle's fellow Ohioan James Levine, music director at New York's Metropolitan Opera. She has performed with many of the world's finest orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic, and the Orchestre de Paris. She has also appeared at the Salzburg Festival, Ravinia Festival, Tanglewood Festival, Blossom Festival, the Hollywood Bowl, Mann Music Centre Festival and the Caramoor Festival, and at Cincinnati's May Festival.^[9] She has also made many recordings and videos. Herbert von Karajan (April 5, 1908 – July 16, 1989) was an Austrian conductor. ... Riccardo Muti (born July 28, 1941, in Naples) is an Italian conductor best known for being the Music Director of Milans La Scala opera house, a position he held from 1986 to 2005, and of The Philadelphia Orchestra from 1980 to 1992. ... Zubin Mehta (b. ... Seiji Ozawa , born September 1, 1935) is a Japanese conductor. ... Claudio Abbado (born June 26, 1933) is a noted Italian conductor. ... Sir Georg Solti, KBE (pronounced IPA: ) (21 October 1912 – 5 September 1997) was a world-renowned Hungarian-British orchestral and operatic conductor. ... Carlo Maria Giulini (May 9, 1914 – June 14, 2005) was an Italian conductor, and violist. ... James Levine (born June 23, 1943 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is an American orchestral pianist and conductor and most well known as the music director of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, the lead section of this article may need to be expanded. ... The New York Philharmonic is the oldest active symphony orchestra in the United States, organized during 1842. ... The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, based in Chicago, Illinois, is one of the leading orchestras in the world. ... The Boston Symphony Orchestra is one of the worlds premiere orchestras. ... The Philadelphia Orchestra, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is one of the Big Five symphony orchestras in the United States and usually considered among the finest in the world. ... The Cleveland Orchestra is one of the major symphony orchestras in the United States. ... The Los Angeles Philharmonic is an orchestra based in Los Angeles, California, USA. From 1964-2003, the orchestra played its concerts in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion of the Los Angeles Music Center. ... The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the worlds leading orchestras. ... The Vienna Philharmonic (in German: Wiener Philharmoniker) is an orchestra in Austria, regularly considered as one of the finest in the world. ... The Orchestre de Paris is a French orchestra created in 1967, based in Paris, whose current Music Director is Christoph Eschenbach. ...

Later Career, Challenges, and Continued Successes

A perfectionist in her own work, some feel that she is the consummate professional, extremely prepared, and gracious. in a New York Times Magazine interview, Matthew A. Epstein, a noted music producer who has worked with her and produced Handel's Semele at Carnegie Hall (in which Battle starred to huge success), said, "She is not a pushover; she's a professional liberated woman." ^[10] The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... HANDEL was the code-name for the UKs National Attack Warning System in the Cold War. ... Stimula redirects here. ... Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street. ...

However, others who have worked with her feel that her behavior was unreasonable and erratic and difficult. In 1994, while she was scheduled to appear in a production of Donizetti's La Fille du Regiment, Metropolitan Opera General Manager Joseph Volpe dismissed her for "unprofessional actions" calling Battle's conduct "profoundly detrimental to the artistic collaboration among all the cast members" and indicating that he had "canceled all offers that have been made for the future." The New York Times reported that some crew and cast of Donizetti's La Fille du Regiment said that Battle had been "difficult" and "uncooperative after rehearsal schedules were changed to accommodate her demands" and she had upset other members. Categories: People stubs | 1797 births | 1848 deaths | Opera composers | Romantic composers | Italian composers | People born in Bergamo, Italy ... The Daughter of the Regiment is a comic opera in two acts by Gaetano Donizetti. ... Joseph Volpe (born Brooklyn, New York on July 2, 1940) was general manager of the Metropolitan Opera from 1990–2006. ...

Metropolitan Opera Artistic Director James Levine advised against the firing at the time, and Volpe's successor Peter Gelb has said that he would not have fired her had he been in Volpe's position. When asked, "Is it likely that her relationship with the Met would have continued to flourish if he had been in charge? The emphatic answer arrives without pause. “Yes.”"^[11] James Levine (born June 23, 1943 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is an American orchestral pianist and conductor and most well known as the music director of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. ... Peter Gelb (born 1953[1]) is an American arts administrator. ...

Kathleen Battle continues to appear in concerts and recitals, as well as lending her voice to recordings and television appearances. In 2006 she appeared in an All-Star Tribute to Steview Wonder ^[12] On July 14 2007 she debuted at the Aspen Music Festival performing an all Gershwin program as part of a season benefit on the recommendation of David Zinman, Music Director and respected conductor. ^[13]

Opera roles

Battle portrayed opera ingenues, soubrettes and heroines, such as Pamina in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, and Adina in Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore. She has also portrayed Zerbinetta in Strauss' Ariadne Auf Naxos, Sophie in Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier, Oscar in Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera, Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare, Blonde in Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail, Rosina in Rossini's The Barber of Seville, and the title role of Handel's Semele. Mary Pickford, a perpetual ingenue The Ingenue is a stock character in literature and film and a role type in the theatre, generally a girl or a young woman who is endearingly innocent. ... Soubrette is a term to describe a leggiero soprano in classical music. ... This article is about the type of character. ... Die Zauberflöte (en: The Magic Flute) is an opera in two acts composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. ... Don Giovanni (K.527; complete title: Il dissoluto punito, ossia il Don Giovanni, literally The Rake Punishd, or Don Giovanni) is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte. ... Lelisir damore (The Elixir of Love) is a comic opera in two acts by Gaetano Donizetti to an Italian libretto by Felice Romani, based on Eugène Scribes Le Philtre. ... Ariadne auf Naxos (Ariadne on Naxos) is an opera by Richard Strauss with libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. ... Der Rosenkavalier (The Cavalier of the Rose) is a comic opera in three acts by Richard Strauss to an original German libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. ... Un ballo in maschera, or A Masked Ball, is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi with text by Antonio Somma. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Die Entführung aus dem Serail (K. 384; in English The Abduction from the Seraglio; also known as Il Seraglio) is an opera Singspiel in three acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. ... The Barber of Seville (Il barbiere di Siviglia) is an opera buffa in two acts by Gioachino Rossini with a libretto (based on Beaumarchaiss comedy Le Barbier de Séville) by Cesare Sterbini. ...

Selective discography

Andr Previn (born April 6, 1929) is a prominent pianist, orchestral conductor, and composer. ... Plácido Domingo José Plácido Domingo Embil KBE (born January 21, 1941)[1] better known as Plácido Domingo, is a world-renowned operatic tenor. ... Wynton Learson Marsalis (b. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Choral, recital repertoire, soundtracks, and collaborations

Battle's repertoire embraces the classical music of Bach, Barroso, Brahms, Bishop, Dowland, Charpentier, de Falla, Faure, Gounod, Granados, Handel, Michael Head, Valdemar Henrique, Liszt, Martinu, Mendelssohn, Mompou, Mozart, Obradors, Ovalle, Poulenc, Purcell, Rachmaninov, Rameau, Roussel, Saint-Saens, Schubert, Richard and Johann Strauss, Turina, and Villa-Lobos; the jazz and musical theatre compositions of Ellington, Gershwin, Bernstein, and Previn. (Previn collaborated with the Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison to create the song cycle "Honey and Rue" for her.) Kathleen Battle´s repertoire also includes African-American Spirituals, for which she is particularly known. In 2006, she added the music of Stevie Wonder, 22-time grammy award winner, to her repertoire. ^[14] She sang the title song, "Lovers," for the Chinese action movie, House of Flying Daggers Stevie Wonder (born Stevland Hardaway Judkins on May 13, 1950, name later changed to Stevland Hardaway Morris),[1] is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. ... House of Flying Daggers (Chinese: ; pinyin: ), is a 2004 action/romance movie directed by Zhang Yimou. ...

Kathleen Battle has worked with and collaborated with some the world's most respected artists, including flautist Jean-Pierre Rampal, Sopranos Jessye Norman, Frederica Von Stade, and Florence Quivar, violinist Itzhak Perlman, Baritone Thomas Hampson, Tenors Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo, and guitarist Christopher Parkening. In 1992 she and trumpeter Wynton Marsalis collaborated on the album "Baroque Duet" showcasing their virtuosic technique in the baroque repertoire. She was also soprano co-lead in Vangelis' project Mythodea. Jean-Pierre Louis Rampal (7 January 1922 – 20 May 2000) was a celebrated French flautist, seen by many as the most influential of the 20th century. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Frederica von Stade (b. ... Itzhak Perlman playing during the entertainment portion of the White House State Dinner in honor on Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on May 7, 2007 Itzhak Perlman (born August 31, 1945 in Jaffa) is an Israeli-American virtuoso violinist and teacher. ... Luciano Pavarotti performing on June 15, 2002 at a concert in the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille Luciano Pavarotti, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI[1] (October 12, 1935 – September 6, 2007) was a celebrated Italian tenor in operatic music, who successfully crossed into popular music becoming one of the most... Plácido Domingo (born January 21, 1941) is a world-renowned opera singer, conductor, and general manager. ... Christopher Parkening (born 14 December 1947) is an American classical guitarist. ... Wynton Learson Marsalis (b. ... Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou (Greek: Ευάγγελος Οδυσσέας Παπαθανασίου IPA: ) is a world-renowned Greek composer of electronic, new age and classical music and musical performer, under the artist name Vangelis Papathanassiou (Βαγγέλης Παπαθανασίου) or just Vangelis (a diminutive of Evangelos) [IPA: or ]. He is best known for his Academy Award winning score for the film Chariots... Cover of DVD-video Mythodea: Music for the NASA Mission: 2001 Mars Odyssey is an oratorio by Greek electronic composer and artist Vangelis. ...

On the less classical side, she has worked with vocalists Al Jarreau and Bobby McFerrin, Jazz Saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr., Jazz Pianists Cyrus Chestnut and Herbie Hancock, and pop singer Janet Jackson. Bobby McFerrin Robert Bobby McFerrin Jr. ... Grover Washington, Jr. ... Cyrus Chestnut is a jazz pianist. ... Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an Academy Award and multiple Grammy Award-winning jazz pianist and composer from Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Hancock is one of jazz musics most important and influential pianists and composers. ...

Awards/Honors

• Grammy, Best Classical Vocal Soloist Performance for Kathleen Battle Sings Mozart, 1986
• Grammy, Best Classical Vocal Soloist Performance for Salzburg Recital, 1987
• Grammy, Best Opera Recording for Richard Strauss: Ariadne Auf Naxos, 1987
• Laurence Olivier Award, Best Performance in a New Opera Production (debut at London's Royal Opera House, Covent Garden)^[15]
• Grammy, Best Classical Vocal Soloist Performance for Kathleen Battle at Carnegie Hall (Handle, Mozart, Liszt, Strauss, etc.), 1992
• Emmy, Outstanding Individual Achievement - Classical Music/Dance Programming - Performance (For the Metropolitan Opera Silver Anniversary Gala), 1992
• Grammy, Best Opera Recording for Handel: Semele, 1993

• Battle is a the recipient of six honorary doctorates from American universities. They include: the University of Cincinnati, Westminster Choir College, Ohio University, Xavier University, Amherst College, and Seton Hall University.^[16]

• NAACP Image Award - Hall of Fame Award, 1999

The University of Cincinnati is a coeducational public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio. ... Westminster Choir College is a residential college of music located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. ... Ohio University (OU) is a public university located in Athens, Ohio that is situated on a 1,800 acre (7. ... Xavier University is a name common to several education institutions found around the world. ... Amherst College is a private liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts, USA. It is the third oldest college in Massachusetts. ... “Seton Hall” redirects here. ... The NAACP Image Award winners for the Hall of Fame Award: Category: ...

References

External links

• Kathleen Battle - Short Biography
• Discography at SonyBMG Masterworks