Elena Nikolaidi
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Elena Nikolaidi (Greek: Έλενα Νικολαΐδη; June 15, 1909 – November 14, 2002) was a Greek-American opera singer and teacher. She sang leading mezzo-soprano roles with major opera companies worldwide and made numerous recordings.
Her birth year is given as 1906 in some sources.
Early life and musical study
Elena Nikolaidi was born in Smyrna,
Nikolaidi married Mellos, her voice instructor, in 1936. However, she would retain "Elena Nikolaidi" as her professional name.
Career
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In 1936, Nikolaidi traveled to Vienna to compete in the Belvedere vocal competition. She placed fourth but earned a second hearing with the great conductor Bruno Walter, which resulted in her being cast as Princess Eboli, a leading role, in Verdi's opera Don Carlos with the Vienna State Opera on December 16, 1936.
In 1948, Nikolaidi went to the United States with her husband and their son, Michael. She made her
She made her American operatic debut as Amneris in Verdi's Aïda with the San Francisco Opera and reprised the role for her Metropolitan Opera debut in 1951 alongside the debut of George London.[1][2] In the early 1960s she retired from opera but continued concertizing extensively for a number of years.
Teaching career
In 1960, Nikolaidi accepted a position on the voice faculty of
Nikolaidi's pupils included Linda Zoghby, Bruce Fowler, Erie Mills, Glay Posch, and Jan Grissom.[3]
Death
Madame Nikolaidi retired from teaching in 1994 and moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she died, aged 92, in 2002.
Recordings
Elena Nikolaidi made numerous recordings. A small selection is listed below:
- Legendary Voices (CD, . (Recorded 1943, 1949, 1950; released 2003)
- Elena Nikolaidi: In Recital (DVD, Video Artists International). Nikolaidi with Guy Bourassa, piano, performing music of Gluck, Wolf, Canteloube, and traditional Greek songs. (Recorded 1961; released 2005)
- Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde, recorded live in 1953 with Bruno Walter and the New York Philharmonic and released on an Archipel CD in 1997 and 2003.
- Richard Strauss: Elektra with the New York Philharmonic conducted by Dimitri Mitropoulos; Nikolaidi sang the role of Klytemnestra. (Recorded 1949)
References
- ^ "BiblioTech PRO V3.2b". Archives.metoperafamily.org. November 13, 1951. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
- ^ "BiblioTech PRO V3.2a". Archives.metoperafamily.org. November 23, 1945. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
- ISBN 978-0-02-872411-9.
Sources
- Ward, Charles (May 8, 1994). "Ciao, Niki". Houston Chronicle.
- "Elena Nikolaidi (1909–2002)". Beautyinmusic.com
- Mattison, Ben (November 19, 2002). "Mezzo-Soprano Elena Nikolaidi Is Dead at 96". Houston Chronicle.
- Social Security Death Index
- "Tenna Kraft - Elena Nikolaidi" Archived October 30, 2006, at the Wayback Machine. Classical CD Review.
- "Music: Velvet". Time, January 31, 1949