Harolyn Blackwell
Feeling that she was being "type cast" into one particular kind of role, Blackwell strove to establish herself within the lyric coloratura repertoire beginning in the mid-1990s.
Her father, Harold Blackwell (for whom she was named), was also a redevelopment specialist with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development in Washington, D.C. for many years, and her mother taught physical education and health at the University of the District of Columbia.
[2][5] Blackwell's first professional engagements were with Toby Orenstein's the Young Columbians with whom she performed in 1976-1977 singing songs like "After the Ball," "Summertime" and "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes".
[6] In 1979, while preparing a recital program for her master's degree, Blackwell auditioned for the Broadway revival of West Side Story.
Impressed with her audition, Leonard Bernstein hand picked her for the role of Francisca (formerly named Consuela in the original 1957 production) and the understudy for Maria in the 1980 revival.
"[9] At the show's premiere, critics remarked how similar Blackwell sounded to opera singer Reri Grist who originated the role of Consuela.
After singing with the company in small parts for a year, Blackwell left the program and moved back to New York to study vocal technique more intensely with Shirlee Emmons.
She has appeared several more times with the Metropolitan Opera in productions such as Un ballo in maschera, Le nozze di Figaro, Die Fledermaus, and Werther among others.
[13] In 1989 Blackwell performed and recorded the role of Clara in a critically acclaimed production of Gershwin's Porgy and Bess with the Glyndebourne Festival Opera.
[15] That same year she gave a highly praised performance as Oscar in Verdi's Un ballo in maschera with the Metropolitan Opera opposite Luciano Pavarotti.
[11] This has inevitably caused critics to compare the two singers, and indeed both women have played many of the same roles and share a similar vocal quality.
Impressed with her voice, the company rehired Blackwell periodically throughout the 1990s and 2000s giving her opportunities to sing new repertoire such as the title roles in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor and Delibes' Lakmé.
She has also sung Norina in Donizetti's Don Pasquale, Gilda in Verdi's Rigoletto, and Olympia in Les contes d'Hoffman with the company among other roles.
Most critics blamed the productions flaws on Hal Prince's interpretation and direction that caused a lack of overall focus within the show.
Throughout her career Miss Blackwell has had the privilege of singing under some of the world's finest conductors including Herbert Blomstedt, James Conlon, Christoph von Dohnányi, Plácido Domingo, Charles Dutoit, Erich Kunzel, James Levine, Andrew Litton, Zdeněk Mácal, Kurt Masur, Trevor Pinnock, André Previn, Simon Rattle, Gerard Schwarz, Leonard Slatkin, and David Zinman.
She recalls about her years spent teaching in the late 1970s, "I taught at two parochial schools, one in Washington, D.C., and the other in Bethesda, Maryland, and I had to fight for my children to be able to go down to the Kennedy Center to see an opera.
For many years, Blackwell participated in a program called the "Affiliate Artists" where she went into the community and talked to people one-on-one to educate them about and inspire interest in opera.
"[3] In 2002, Blackwell's work as an educator took on a more official form when she became an adjunct faculty member at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore.
"[20] At the beginning of her career, Blackwell played mostly soubrette roles and has since moved more into the lyric coloratura soprano repertoire.
Blackwell has commented that she felt opera houses were initially uncertain as to how to cast her because of her musical theater background.
In addition, her small frame and 5'1" stature in combination with girlish looks made her a perfect physical casting choice for soubrette roles.
It wasn't until Blackwell studied in Busseto with Carlo Bergonzi, Renata Tebaldi, and Sylvia Barrachi in the late 1980s that she finally was given direction into the lyric coloratura repertoire.
Blackwell recalls, "At the end of the program Mrs. Barrachi and Renata Tebaldi sat down with me and told me what roles I should sing if I wanted to have a major career.
Her linguistic grasp was secure, and her intonation likewise... Miss Blackwell's personality on the stage is warm and likable, and in one of Roland Hayes's spiritual arrangements she showed an unexpected comic gift.
"[28] In 1994, the New York Times said, "Her performances at the Met since her 1987 debut as Pousette in "Manon" have won consistent praise, both for the purity and suppleness of her voice and for her poised, persuasive acting.
"[30] A 2005 Seattle Times article said in their review of her portrayal of Olympia in Les contes d'Hoffman, "Another scene-stealer was Harolyn Blackwell, who brought down the house with her perfect coloratura fireworks.
"[18] Ms. Blackwell is a recipient of numerous awards and honors, one of which provided her the opportunity to study in Italy with Renata Tebaldi and Carlo Bergonzi.
