TidBits

That Rise Stevens directed the Met's National Council Auditions from 1980 to 1988. Hollywood loved her and wrote a number of musicals for her to appear in, including "Going My Way" with Bing Crosby. Her last performance was, Carmen, at the Met in 1961. After her retirement Stevens served as General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera Touring Company until 1966. Stevens recorded and sang as Carmen almost exclusively at the Met throughout the 1950s

That Swedish tenor, Nicolai Gedda's English diction is clearer than most Americans'. Gedda's first job was as a bank teller, and he is fluent in Italian, German, French, Latin, Hebrew, Pan-Scandinavian, and his native languages of Russian and Swedish. He studied at the Royal Academy of Music at the opera school in Stockholm.

That Jose Carreras, received the Sir Laurence Olivier Award for his performance in Giuseppe Verdi's, "Stiffelio".

That Luigoi Alva, tenor, is the founder of Peru's "Pro Lirica" an opera association. Alva is noted as one of the world's Rossini-Mozart specialists. His recordings are said to have set the standard for roles such as Almaviva (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), Don Ottavio in (Don Giovanni) and Fenton (Falstaff).

That as a teenager Cecilia Bartoli was more interested in Flamenco dancing than singing.

That Teresa Berganza was born in Madrid Spain on March 16, 1935 -- and her real name is Teresa Vargas. She also studied piano, singing, organ, composition and conducting.

That in 1932 Maria Callas took her first piano lessons. She made her professional operatic debut as Beatrice in "Boccaccio" in 1941 and divorced her husband for Aristotle Onasis, who later married Jackie Kennedy.

That both of Renee Fleming's parents were voice teachers.

That Denyce Graves also has appeared on the children's television show Sesame Street.

That Natalie Dessay was 20 when she realized she had potential as a singer.

That with 2 days notice Renata Scotto replaced Maria Callas as Amina in Bellini's "La Sonnambula".

That in 1993 Cheryl Studer was chosen by an international jury as the first recipient of the International Classic Music Awards.

That Jussi Bjorling died on September 9, 1960 at the age of 49. It is reported that Dorothy Caruso, widow of Enrico Caruso, once said to him: "You are the only one worthy to wear his mantle, bear Rico's crown!"

That Mirella Freni was born in Italy on February 27, 1935.

That Joan Sutherland made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 1961. In August 1947 she made a significant concert debut in Sydney as Purcell's, Dido.

That Marilyn Horne is the vocal program director of the Musical Academy of the West at Santa Barbara California.

That Denyce Graves is a native of Washington, D.C.

That in 1987 Jose Carreras was diagnosed with acute Leukemia -- and survived.

That Agnes Balso recorded "Opera Duets" in 1991 with Jose Carreras.

That in 2001 the American Iris Society announced that an Iris would be named in Renee Fleming's honor.

That Renee Fleming has two daughters.

That in his spare time Jose Cura enjoys photography.

That at age 22 Jane Eaglen became a member of the English National Opera.

That in the 1960s Helen Doneth married quire coach and conductor Klaus Donath.

That at age 6 Richard Tucker sang as boy alto at the Lower East Side Manhattan Synagogue.

That in the early 1960s Anna Moffo was voted one of the ten most beautiful women in Italy.

That Rise Stevens was honored by the National Opera Institute in 1982.

That Renata Scotto sang her first Marschallin in "Derrosenkavalier".

That in 1988 Renee Fleming got her big break when she became the Countess at the Houston's Grand Opera.

That in 1969 Marilyn Horne teamed with Joan Sutherland and stared as Zerlina in "Don Giovanni".

That Placido Diomingo has received two Latin Grammy Awards. He was born in Madrid and moved to Mexico at the age of 8.

That Joan Sutherland had a three octave voice range. In 1959 she began singing the title role in Donizetti's "Lucia Di Lammermoor".

That Cheryl Studer debuted at the Metropolitan Opera House in 1988 as Micaela in "Carmen". She also received several awards during her career, including a Grammy.

That in 2000 Deborah Voight assumed the title role in Puccini's Tosca with the Florida Grand Opera.

That (Sir) Rudolph Bing, director of the Metropolitan Opera fired Maria on November 6, 1958. Bing authored "5000 Nights at the Opera" published in 1972 and "A Knight at the Opera". Why was she fired, you ask? For refusing to sing three performances of Traviata during a 26-performance contract. Callas responded that if her enemies ever stopped hissing, she would consider herself slipping.

That Roberto Alagna's recording of Puccini's "La Rondine", earned him two Gramophone Awards.

That Marcelo Alverez claims it is his son who is his inspiration to sing.

That in 1991 Cecilia Bartoli made her Paris debut as Cherubino in the "Marriage of Figaro" and that Bartoli's mother was her only voice teacher and vocal coach.

That Placido Domingo and Debora Voight joined to perform on a recording of Wagnerian duets.

That Anna Moffo hosted the "Anna Moffo Show" from 1960 to 1973. Not a bad run.

That Jane Eaglen took piano lessons from age 5 to 16.

That Jussi Bjorling's American debut was in 1937 as the Duke in "Rigoletto".

That in 1952 Joan Sutherland was cast as the First Lady in Mozart's, "The Magic Flute". She married Richard Bonynge in 1954.

That "Carmen" was one of Rise Steven's greatest achievements at the Met.

That Renee Fleming studied music education at the State University of New York.

That Mirella Freni's relationship with conductor Vaughn Caragan ended after she refused the role of Turandot.

That Marilyn Horne has been called the greatest Rossini interpreter - ever!

That Anna Moffo performed in "Lucia Di Lammermoor" nearly 500 times.

That Sergey Prokofiev who began his studies in St. Petersburg in 1905. He died March 6 1953, the same day Stalin died. Stalin banned his music in 1948 for non-conformity.

That Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf" is one of his most remembered works and that he started writing opera at age nine.