KATHLEEN BATTLE
Name: Kathleen Battle
Born: 13 August 1948
Kathleen Battle (b. August 13, 1948) is an American lyric soprano. She is
particularly known for her pure timbre, exceptional technique and musicianship,
and ability to connect with her audience.
Battle was born in Portsmouth, Ohio, the youngest of seven children. Her father
was a steelworker, and her mother was an active participant in the gospel music
of the family's African Methodist Episcopal church. It was through Battle's
musical experiences with her mother and at church that she first grew to love
music.
Battle attended Portsmouth High School where her music teacher and mentor was
Charles Varney. In a Time magazine interview with reporter Michael Walsh, he
told of his wonder at first hearing the eight-year old Battle sing, describing
her as "this tiny little thing singing so beautifully." "I went to her later,"
Varney recalled, "and told her God had blessed her, and she must always sing."
Battle was a good student and was awarded a scholarship to the University of
Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music where she studied voice with Franklin
Bens and also worked with Italo Tajo. She majored in music education rather
than performance in undergraduate school and went on to get a master's degree in
Music Education as well. In 1971 Battle embarked on a teaching career in
Cincinnati, even though she was encouraged to seek a vocal career. Battle took a
teaching position at a Cincinnati inner-city public school. She taught music to
students aged 10 through 12 and thus fulfilled her desire to give back to the
African-American community. While teaching 5th and 6th grade music, she studied
voice privately.
Battle's professional career was launched after an audition with Thomas
Schippers (then conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Battle was hired
and made her professional debut singing the soprano solos in Brahms' Ein
Deutsches Requiem at the 1972 Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy.
During the next several years, Battle would go on to sing in several more
orchestral concerts in New York, Los Angeles, and Cleveland. In 1974
conductor James Levine selected Battle to sing the Mater Glorioso in Mahler's
Symphony No. 8 at the Cincinnati Symphony's May Festival. This was the beginning
of a close professional association between Battle and Levine that would last
for years. In 1979 Battle made her debut at the Glyndebourne Festival.
Battle's success and fame grew in the 1980s. Her important opera roles at
Salzburg were Susanna, Zerlina, and Despina, three Mozart roles with which she
has been associated at many opera houses around the world. She has appeared at
most of the major opera houses of the world including San Francisco Opera,
Chicago Lyric Opera, Royal Opera, London, English National Opera, Grand Théâtre
de Genève, Vienna State Opera, and Deutsche Oper Berlin. In 1985, she was the
soprano soloist in Mozart's Coronation Mass at St. Peter's Cathedral at the
Vatican, in a performance conducted by Herbert von Karajan. She sang Handel's
Semele in a highly acclaimed performance in 1985 at Carnegie Hall and later
recorded the role. On January 1, 1987, Karajan invited Battle to sing a
waltz during Vienna's New Year's Day concert, the only time Karajan conducted
the internationally televised annual event and the first time a singer had been
engaged for such a contribution.
Critical response to Battle's performances has rarely varied throughout the
ensuing years following her debut. Time magazine, among others, pronounced her "the
best lyric coloratura soprano in the world" in 1985.
In 1972, she made her professional debut singing the soprano solos in Brahms'
Ein Deutsches Requiem at the Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy
In 1975, Battle went to New York when she was offered an understudy part in
Scott Joplin's opera Treemonisha.
In 1976 she made her operatic debut at the Michigan Opera Theatre in as Rosina
in Rossini's Barber of Seville. That same year, she returned to New York in her
debut with the New York City Opera as Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro.
In 1978 (September 18, 1978), she made her debut under Levine's direction as the
shepherd in Wagner's Tannhauser.
In 1983, she made her first appearance at Salzburg at an all-Mozart concert, and
she often returned in concert, recital and opera to the city.
In 1991, She made her Carnegie Hall solo recital debut as part of the 100th
anniversary season celebrations at Carnegie Hall, for which she won a Grammy.
Kathleen Battle first gained the tag "difficult" in 1983 when working with Kiri
Te Kanawa in a production of Arabella. Some production staff advised her to
request restoring of parts of Zdenka (Kathleen Battle's part) that were cut. Te
Kanawa denied the requests, and their relationship subsequently deteriorated.
However, "Those who have found her occasionally difficult," noted Holland "usually
agree that her skirmishes are fought in the name of the music rather than
personal aggrandizement." Matthew A. Epstein, a noted music producer who has
worked with Ms. Battle in a production of Handel's Semele at Carnegie Hall, also
stated "She is not a pushover; she's a professional liberated woman."
In 1994 Metropolitan Opera General Manager Joseph Volpe dismissed Battle for "unprofessional
actions." At the time of the dismissal, The New York Times reported that a
number of people involved with the upcoming production of Donizetti's La Fille
du Régiment said that Battle had been "difficult" and "uncooperative even after
rehearsal schedules were changed to accommodate her demands, and that she had
upset other members of the cast." Volpe called Battle's conduct "profoundly
detrimental to the artistic collaboration among all the cast members" and
indicated that he had "canceled all offers that have been made for the future."
Battle was replaced by soprano Harolyn Blackwell for the remainder La Fille du
Régiment.
In a statement released by her management company, Columbia Artists, Miss Battle
said: "I was not told by anyone at the Met about any unprofessional actions. To
my knowledge, we were working out all of the artistic problems in the rehearsals,
and I don't know the reason behind this unexpected dismissal. All I can say is I
am saddened by this decision."
In his 2006 memoirs, Volpe wrote that James Levine had advised against the
dismissal at the time and went on to write, "[I've] wondered whether it was
partly prompted by my desire to establish my authority at the Met. Perhaps it
was.
Since the dismissal from the Met, Kathleen Battle has not appeared in opera
performances. However Kathleen Battle continues to appear in concerts and
recitals, as well as lending her voice to recordings and television appearances.
In 2006, she appeared in an All-Star Tribute to Stevie Wonder. On July 14,
2007, she debuted at the Aspen Music Festival performing an all Gershwin program
as part of a season benefit on the recommendation of David Zinman, Music
Director and respected conductor.
Name: Kathleen Battle
Born: 13 August 1948
Kathleen Battle (b. August 13, 1948) is an American lyric soprano. She is
particularly known for her pure timbre, exceptional technique and musicianship,
and ability to connect with her audience.
Battle was born in Portsmouth, Ohio, the youngest of seven children. Her father
was a steelworker, and her mother was an active participant in the gospel music
of the family's African Methodist Episcopal church. It was through Battle's
musical experiences with her mother and at church that she first grew to love
music.
Battle attended Portsmouth High School where her music teacher and mentor was
Charles Varney. In a Time magazine interview with reporter Michael Walsh, he
told of his wonder at first hearing the eight-year old Battle sing, describing
her as "this tiny little thing singing so beautifully." "I went to her later,"
Varney recalled, "and told her God had blessed her, and she must always sing."
Battle was a good student and was awarded a scholarship to the University of
Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music where she studied voice with Franklin
Bens and also worked with Italo Tajo. She majored in music education rather
than performance in undergraduate school and went on to get a master's degree in
Music Education as well. In 1971 Battle embarked on a teaching career in
Cincinnati, even though she was encouraged to seek a vocal career. Battle took a
teaching position at a Cincinnati inner-city public school. She taught music to
students aged 10 through 12 and thus fulfilled her desire to give back to the
African-American community. While teaching 5th and 6th grade music, she studied
voice privately.
Battle's professional career was launched after an audition with Thomas
Schippers (then conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Battle was hired
and made her professional debut singing the soprano solos in Brahms' Ein
Deutsches Requiem at the 1972 Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy.
During the next several years, Battle would go on to sing in several more
orchestral concerts in New York, Los Angeles, and Cleveland. In 1974
conductor James Levine selected Battle to sing the Mater Glorioso in Mahler's
Symphony No. 8 at the Cincinnati Symphony's May Festival. This was the beginning
of a close professional association between Battle and Levine that would last
for years. In 1979 Battle made her debut at the Glyndebourne Festival.
Battle's success and fame grew in the 1980s. Her important opera roles at
Salzburg were Susanna, Zerlina, and Despina, three Mozart roles with which she
has been associated at many opera houses around the world. She has appeared at
most of the major opera houses of the world including San Francisco Opera,
Chicago Lyric Opera, Royal Opera, London, English National Opera, Grand Théâtre
de Genève, Vienna State Opera, and Deutsche Oper Berlin. In 1985, she was the
soprano soloist in Mozart's Coronation Mass at St. Peter's Cathedral at the
Vatican, in a performance conducted by Herbert von Karajan. She sang Handel's
Semele in a highly acclaimed performance in 1985 at Carnegie Hall and later
recorded the role. On January 1, 1987, Karajan invited Battle to sing a
waltz during Vienna's New Year's Day concert, the only time Karajan conducted
the internationally televised annual event and the first time a singer had been
engaged for such a contribution.
Critical response to Battle's performances has rarely varied throughout the
ensuing years following her debut. Time magazine, among others, pronounced her "the
best lyric coloratura soprano in the world" in 1985.
In 1972, she made her professional debut singing the soprano solos in Brahms'
Ein Deutsches Requiem at the Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy
In 1975, Battle went to New York when she was offered an understudy part in
Scott Joplin's opera Treemonisha.
In 1976 she made her operatic debut at the Michigan Opera Theatre in as Rosina
in Rossini's Barber of Seville. That same year, she returned to New York in her
debut with the New York City Opera as Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro.
In 1978 (September 18, 1978), she made her debut under Levine's direction as the
shepherd in Wagner's Tannhauser.
In 1983, she made her first appearance at Salzburg at an all-Mozart concert, and
she often returned in concert, recital and opera to the city.
In 1991, She made her Carnegie Hall solo recital debut as part of the 100th
anniversary season celebrations at Carnegie Hall, for which she won a Grammy.
Kathleen Battle first gained the tag "difficult" in 1983 when working with Kiri
Te Kanawa in a production of Arabella. Some production staff advised her to
request restoring of parts of Zdenka (Kathleen Battle's part) that were cut. Te
Kanawa denied the requests, and their relationship subsequently deteriorated.
However, "Those who have found her occasionally difficult," noted Holland "usually
agree that her skirmishes are fought in the name of the music rather than
personal aggrandizement." Matthew A. Epstein, a noted music producer who has
worked with Ms. Battle in a production of Handel's Semele at Carnegie Hall, also
stated "She is not a pushover; she's a professional liberated woman."
In 1994 Metropolitan Opera General Manager Joseph Volpe dismissed Battle for "unprofessional
actions." At the time of the dismissal, The New York Times reported that a
number of people involved with the upcoming production of Donizetti's La Fille
du Régiment said that Battle had been "difficult" and "uncooperative even after
rehearsal schedules were changed to accommodate her demands, and that she had
upset other members of the cast." Volpe called Battle's conduct "profoundly
detrimental to the artistic collaboration among all the cast members" and
indicated that he had "canceled all offers that have been made for the future."
Battle was replaced by soprano Harolyn Blackwell for the remainder La Fille du
Régiment.
In a statement released by her management company, Columbia Artists, Miss Battle
said: "I was not told by anyone at the Met about any unprofessional actions. To
my knowledge, we were working out all of the artistic problems in the rehearsals,
and I don't know the reason behind this unexpected dismissal. All I can say is I
am saddened by this decision."
In his 2006 memoirs, Volpe wrote that James Levine had advised against the
dismissal at the time and went on to write, "[I've] wondered whether it was
partly prompted by my desire to establish my authority at the Met. Perhaps it
was.
Since the dismissal from the Met, Kathleen Battle has not appeared in opera
performances. However Kathleen Battle continues to appear in concerts and
recitals, as well as lending her voice to recordings and television appearances.
In 2006, she appeared in an All-Star Tribute to Stevie Wonder. On July 14,
2007, she debuted at the Aspen Music Festival performing an all Gershwin program
as part of a season benefit on the recommendation of David Zinman, Music
Director and respected conductor.