PRICE Leontine (Price Leontyne)

(p. 1927)
Gorgeous voice, extremely flexible, with a huge range of To the small octave D up to a third, combined with that of the performer with the outstanding acting talent. The biggest creative successes Price associated with Verdi's operas, especially with Aida.
Mary Leontine Price was born February 10, 1927 in Laurel (pc. Mass.). Studied at the Central College of Ohio, graduated from the Juilliard School of Music in New York. In 1952, American composer V. Thomson invited her to participate in the Broadway production of his musical Four saints in three acts, was also shown at the International Festival of Arts. As a result, Price was a party Bess in Porgy and Bess G. Gershwin and toured around the world, speaking in this role. Way Price as classical opera singer began in 1955 on television, where she sang the part in the opera Tosca by Puccini. On the opera stage, she first appeared in 1957 - in the American premiere of Poulenc's Dialogues des Carmelites F. (Party of Madame Liduan), carried out by the San Francisco Opera Association. At the invitation of H. von Karajan took part in productions of operas by Verdi and Mozart in Vienna State Opera and the Salzburg Festival.

In 1961, Price made her debut on the stage of 'Metropolitan Opera' in the party of Leonora in Verdi Il Trovatore, and soon became one of the brightest stars of the theater. In 1966 she performed the role of Cleopatra in the opera S. Barber Antony and Cleopatra, which was written specially for the opening of the new building 'Metropolitan Opera' at Lincoln Center.

By mid-1990's Price became the winner of 20 Grammy Awards, awarded for the best record, and won an award Performing Arts Center behalf Dzh.Kennedi.