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From Johnson's Kids to Lemonade Opera: The American Classical Singer Comes of Age

From Johnson's Kids to Lemonade Opera: The American Classical Singer Comes of Age

List Price: $40.00
Your Price: $37.00
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Wonderful Story
Review: I'm not what you would consider an opera buff, and I'm a little young to have lived through the era that Ms. Villamil so deftly describes, but a family member gave me a copy of this book for Christmas with such a glowing recommendation that I launched right in. What a wonderful story of the arrival of the American singer to claim his and her place in the spotlight of the operatic stage. I loved all the detail -- particularly the vignettes of the singers who didn't quite make it (I'm not a singer, but how I can identify!) -- and the way the author wove it all together with the events of the times. I think this book is a performance worthy of one of those rave reviews the New York Times might have given one of those American rising stars who sang with such charm that the applause rang on and on. Brava!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A fascinating era of American opera history
Review: Victoria Etnier Villamil's "From Johnson's Kids to Lemonade Opera: The American Classical Singer Comes of Age" documents the period of American opera between 1935 and 1950. As the title implies, the book is heavily focused on the tenureship of Edward Johnson as the Metropolitan Opera's GM. Johnson was a different GM from the severe, old-World impresarios like Giulio Gatti-Casazza or Maurice Grau. He was for one Canadian, and a former tenor. The operatic scene was also changing -- radio was bringing opera to the masses in their very own living rooms. Sound films were popular, further blurring the line between fine art and popular music. The Great Depression and world turmoil made the US a less hospitable place for European artists to sing. It was at this time that the American opera singer finally came "of age".

Villamil's book attempts to cover a huge range of singers and subjects, but it also purposely avoids the feel of an encyclopedia. The tone is even chatty and casual at times, perhaps replicating the down-to-earth, girl/boy-next-door personas that the American artists of the time painstakingly created. Sometimes, it seems as if Villamil is trying to digest a seven-course meal. The book could be better-organized: it's (roughly) chronological but some very important topics come out in bits and pieces, when perhaps one long detailed chapter would have made more of an impact. An example would be the remarkable stories of several African-American singers like Dorothy Maynor, Marian Anderson, or Robert McFerrin.

There are two wonderful things about Villamil's book: one of them is the remarkable index of American singers at the time. Original names, as well as brief biographical and career outlines, are provided. The other value of the book is that it makes a spirited defense for an era that's often derided even among opera connoseuirs. Johnson was accused, perhaps fairly, of unimaginative repertoire, uneven musical standards, and repetitive casting. By writing so colorfully about a whole cohort of American singers "Johnson's Kids" seem undeservedly forgotten. Villamil restores their place within operatic history. American artists did not have to affect Old World airs -- suddenly, their midwest charm (Helen Traubel), Jewish immigrant story (Beverly Sills, Richard Tucker, Robert Merrill), or facility with different styles and languages (Eleanor Steber) became a boon.

Like all "kids," adulthood was not so easy for the Johnson kids. Within a few years, Rudolf Bing took over, and his old-world European prejudices were reinstated at the Met. Some (Richard Tucker) survived the change, others (Helen Traubel, Astrid Varnay) did not. But if Johnson's "kids" grew up, their impact was long-lasting. Today, American stars like Renee Fleming and Susan Graham are sought after on all stages of the world.


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