Footnotes

• Ms. Blanche Thebom was one of the great operatic mezzos of the postwar
  era. Making her concert debut in 1941, she became the leading dramatic
  mezzo-soprano of the Metropolitan Opera for 22 years and created the
  American premiere performances of Baba the Turk in Igor Stravinsky's
  The Rake's Progress, the Mother in Strauss' Arabella, and Mére Marie in
  Francisc Poulenc's Dialogues of the Carmelites.
  
  In her impressive 22 seasons with the Met she appeared in 356
  performances, 28 roles and 27 works. She performed in various opera
  houses in America and Europe with great success. Ms. Thebom was the
  first American artist to sing at the Bolshoi Opera in Moscow, and had two
  command performances before the Queen of England.
  
  Blanche Thebom is also remembered for her Dorabella in the historic
  production directed by Alfred Lunt of Mozart's Cosi fan Tutte, and for her Brangäne on Flagstad/Wilhelm Furtwängler recording of Tristan und Isolde.
  
  In 1967, Ms. Thebom was appointed head of the Southern Regional Opera
  Company in Atlanta; then in 1968, she was appointed director of the opera
  workshop of San Francisco State University. She had an elegant presence
  that impressed everyone who met her.
  
  Blanche Thebom was admired during her illustrious career for the rich
  maturity of her voice, her face and figure, her profound acting ability
  and innate musical intelligence, and even her beautiful tresses (which
  reached a length of 6 ½ ft.!). She left an indelible memory as one of
  the last great Divas.

Lot heading

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Category: Jewellery

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