Neblett, Carol
Neblett, Carol
Neblett, Carol, American soprano; b. Modesto, Calif., Feb. 1, 1946. She studied voice privately with William Vennard, then with Lotte Lehmann and Pierre Bernac at the Univ. of Southern Calif, in Los Angeles. Quitting school before graduating (1965), she toured as a soloist with the Roger Wagner Chorale, then made her operatic debut as Musetta with the N.Y. City Opera (March 8, 1969). She garnered wide public exposure when she appeared as Thais with the New Orleans Opera (1973), choosing to disrobe at the close of Act 1; subsequently made debuts with the Chicago Lyric Opera (Chrysothemis in Elektra, 1975), the Dallas Civic Opera (Antonia in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, 1975), the Vienna State Opera (1976), and London’s Covent Garden (1977); also sang widely as a soloist with U.S. orchs. On March 8, 1979, she made her Metropolitan Opera debut in N.Y. as Senta. She made occasional appearances there in subsequent years, and also sang with various opera houses in North America and Europe. In 1975 she married Kenneth Schermerhorn.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis Mclntire