(b St Louis, 4 Jan 1937). American mezzo-soprano, latersoprano. After study at Boston University and with Lotte Lehmann, she sang Amneris at the Paris Opéra in 1960. Wide attention came with her Venus at Bayreuth in 1961. At Covent Garden and the Met, her warm voice, commanding presence and acting ability have been admired as Eboli, Carmen, Tosca and Salome.

The Concise Grove Dictionary of Music. Copyright © 1994 by Oxford University Press, Inc.. All rights reserved.