Bampton, Rose (1909—)

American soprano and mezzo-soprano, well known on radio and in recordings. Born in Lakewood, Ohio, on November 28, 1909; daughter of an English father and a German pianist mother; married Wilfrid Pelletier (a conductor), in 1937; trained at the Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she studied with Horatio Connell and Queena Mario; also studied with Martha Graham,Elena Gerhardt , andLotte Lehmann .

Made debut as Siebel in Faust at Chautauqua (1929); made Metropolitan opera debut as Laura in La Gioconda (1932); sang with the New York CityOpera; retired in 1950, then taught at the Manhattan School, North Carolina School of the Arts, Drake University, and the Juilliard School.

Born in Lakewood, Ohio, near Cleveland, on November 28, 1909, Rose Bampton was the daughter of an English father and German mother. Since both parents were music lovers (her mother was an accomplished pianist), it is not surprising that Bampton began to study music after the family moved to Buffalo, New York. Her first teacher, Seth Clark, suggested she attend the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia where she studied with Horatio Connell and Queena Mario . Judged too tall for opera roles at Curtis, she did not receive much training in this area.

Her first success was at the Chautauqua Opera House in 1929 where she sang Siebel in Faust. This, in turn, brought her to the Philadelphia Opera Company, where she remained for three years, singing some concerts with the Philadelphia Orchestra under the direction of Leopold Stokowski. At first, Bampton appeared

to be a coloratura soprano, but she also sang contralto in some concerts. Finally, at an audition at the Metropolitan Opera, Bampton's voice was diagnosed as a soprano. On her 23rd birthday, November 28, 1932, she made her debut at the Met as Laura in La Gioconda; 68 other appearances would follow. While there, she met conductor Wilfrid Pelletier whom she married in 1937, and his coaching proved invaluable in her career. During this period, she also worked with dancer Martha Graham who influenced her stage performance. Bampton successfully toured Europe in 1937–38 and South Africa in 1939.

Bampton's large voice easily filled spacious halls like the Metropolitan and Covent Garden where she performed such roles as Aïda, Leonora in Il Trovatore, and Donna Anna in Don Giovanni. She was chosen by Arturo Toscanini for his broadcasts of Fidelio on NBC in 1944, later released on recordings. From these records, it is possible to judge Bampton's musicianship but not the size of her voice. She adhered to the composer's original concept of the music while displaying ample feeling and temperament. From 1945 to 1949, she was the leading soprano at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and at the Opera in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1948. An intelligent musician who adapted easily to different musical styles, Bampton was increasingly well known after World War II, and she performed extensively on the radio, in the theater, and in recital. As a teacher, she passed on her broad-based knowledge to a future generation of musicians.

John Haag , Athens, Georgia