Florence Quivar
Florence Quivar (born March 3, 1944, in
Early life and education
Quivar first became interested in music as a child. Her mother was a piano and voice teacher who also formed the gospel group the "Harmonic Choraliers". Quivar studied piano and voice with her mother as a child and began singing solos at church by age six. As a teenager she became interested in
Quivar returned to Philadelphia to study in master classes with
Career
In 1976, Quivar portrayed Serena in the
Quivar's other opera credits include performances at the
She has also performed with many of the world's premiere orchestras, including the
Quivar has taken on the task of rescuing the works of forgotten composers, concentrating on those of African-American composers of the 19th and 20th centuries. Her stated goal is "to compile a program of these neglected composers and someday record them."[8] She has also performed in productions of African-American composers' works, as well as a 1981 revival of Virgil Thomson's Four Saints.[9]
She has also been a champion of new music. In 1999 she performed the role of The Goddess of the Waters in the world premiere of Anthony Davis' opera Amistad at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. She also premiered William Bolcom's song cycle From the Diary of Sally Hemings at the Library of Congress in 2001. She has since performed the cycle in recitals throughout the United States in a tour with Harolyn Blackwell in 2002-2003.
Quivar remained active in opera performances until the mid-2000s, when she retired from the operatic stage. She remains active as a concert and recital performer.
Watch and listen
- To hear Quivar sing Ulrica in YouTube
Discography
Choral and symphonic
Opera recordings
| Year | Title | Role | Cast | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Grammy Award winner)
|
Serena | Barbara Conrad (Maria) (Robbins)
Arthur Thompson |
London Records |
| 1982 | Thomson: Four Saints in Three Acts | St Teresa II | Joel Thome (conductor) Orchestra of Our Time Betty Allen (Commère) Benjamin Matthews (Compère) Arthur Thompson (St. Ignatius) Clamma Dale (St. Teresa I) William Brown (St. Chavez) Gwendolyn Bradley (St. Settlement) |
Elektra/Nonesuch |
| 1989 | Verdi: Un ballo in maschera
|
Ulrica | Herbert von Karajan Vienna State Opera Chorus and Orchestra Josephine Barstow (Amelia) Plácido Domingo (Riccardo) Sumi Jo (Oscar) Leo Nucci (Count Anckarström) Jean-Luc Chaignaud (Christian Sailor) Goran Simic (1st Noble) Kurt Rydl (2nd Noble) Wolfgang Witte (Judge) Adolf Tomaschek (Servant to Amelia) |
Deutsche Grammophon |
| 1991 | Verdi: Un ballo in maschera (DVD)
|
Ulrica | James Levine The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus Aprile Millo (Amelia) Luciano Pavarotti (Riccardo) Harolyn Blackwell (Oscar) Leo Nucci (Count Anckarström) Gordon Hawkins (Christian) Terry Cook (Count de Horn) Jeffrey Wells (Count Ribbing) Charles Anthony (Judge) Richard Fracker (Servant to Amelia) |
Deutsche Grammophon |
| 1992 | Verdi: Luisa Miller
|
Federica | James Levine (conductor) Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra Plácido Domingo (Rodolfo) Vladimir Chernov (Miller) Aprile Millo (Luisa) Wendy White (Laura) Jan-Hendrik Rootering (Walter) |
Sony |
| 1993 | Stravinsky:Oedipus rex
|
Jocasta | Chicago Symphony Orchestra (Messenger)
Philip Langridge (Oedipus) James Morris (Creon) Jan-Hendrik Rootering (Teiresias) Donald Kaasch (Shepherd) Jules Bastin |
Deutsche Grammophon |
| 1996 | James Levine's 25th Anniversary Metropolitan Opera Gala | Giuletta in an excerpt from Les contes d'Hoffmann | James Levine (conductor) Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus Rosalind Elias (Niklausse) Alfredo Kraus (Hoffmann) Charles Anthony (Pitichinaccio) James Courtney (Schlémil) Paul Plishka (Dapertutto) |
Deutsche Grammophon DVD |
Solo recordings
| Year | Title | Genre | Collaborators | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Ride on, King Jesus! | Traditional Spirituals | [Joseph Joubert] (piano) Larry Woodard (piano) Boys Choir of Harlem |
EMI Records |
References
- ^ All Media Guide, LLC (2006). "Florence Quivar Allmusic Biography". Retrieved September 6, 2016.[dead link] through Google cache. Retrieved on February 8, 2007.
- ^ New York Times Company (August 25, 2001). Understated Elegance Spiced With Surprises by Anthony Tommasini. Retrieved on February 8, 2007.
- ^ New York Times Company (May 29, 1999). Masur Adds Some Curves To the Angles Of the Missa by Bernard Holland. Retrieved on February 8, 2007.
- ^ New York Times Company (July 31, 1998). Classical Music and Dance Guide (various authors). Retrieved on February 8, 2007.
- ^ a b c Forbes, Grove Music Online
- ^ Allmusic
- ^ Metropolitan Opera Archives
- ^ ISBN 0-8442-4327-2.
- ISBN 0-393-03843-2.
Sources
- Elizabeth Forbes: "Florence Quivar", Grove Music Online ed. L. Macy (Accessed September 21, 2008), (subscription access) Archived 2008-05-16 at the Wayback Machine
See also
- CAMI page
- Interview with Florence Quivar, August 24, 1992
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