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Ludwig, Christa

(Encyclopedia)Ludwig, Christa lo͞otˈvĭkh [key], 1928–, German mezzo-soprano, b. Berlin. The daughter of opera singers, she debuted (1946) as Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus at the Frankfurt State Opera and ...

Garbo, Greta

(Encyclopedia)Garbo, Greta, 1905–90, American film actress, b. Stockholm, Sweden, as Greta Gustafsson. Garbo's success in the Swedish film The Atonement of Gösta Berling (1923) brought her to Hollywood. Possessi...

Corigliano, John Paul

(Encyclopedia)Corigliano, John Paul kôrˌĭlyänˈō, kərĭgˌlē-änˈō [key], 1938–, American composer, b. New York City. The son of New York Philharmonic first violinist and concertmaster John Corigliano, h...

Mario

(Encyclopedia)Mario märˈyō [key], 1810–83, stage name of Giovanni Matteo, Cavaliere di Candia, Italian tenor. An officer of the Piedmontese guard, he went to Paris in 1836 and studied at the Paris Conservatory...

Streisand, Barbra

(Encyclopedia)Streisand, Barbra, 1942–, American singer and actress, b. New York City. Streisand first gained a relatively small but select audience singing in New York City cabarets, and she received her first w...

James, Etta

(Encyclopedia)James, Etta, 1938–2012, American singer, b. Los Angeles as Jamesetta Hawkins. She began singing in church and had her first hit record, “Roll with Me, Henry” (or “The Wallflower”), at 15. Ja...

Ferrer, José Vicente

(Encyclopedia)Ferrer, José Vicente hōsāˈ vēsānˈtā fərârˈ [key], 1912–92, American actor, director, and producer, b. Santurce, Puerto Rico. Ferrer made his debut in 1935 and in 1940 gained acclaim in Ch...

Sills, Beverly

(Encyclopedia)Sills, Beverly, 1929–2007, American coloratura soprano, b. Brooklyn, N.Y., as Belle Silverman. Her childhood career as a radio singer (when she was first nicknamed “Bubbles”) led to voice studie...

Cantor, Eddie

(Encyclopedia)Cantor, Eddie, 1892–1964, American entertainer, b. New York City, originally named Edward Israel Isskowitz. Cantor became one of the best-known theatrical figures of his day. His style was typified ...

Peters, Roberta

(Encyclopedia)Peters, Roberta, 1930–2017, American coloratura soprano, b. New York City as Roberta Peterman. Discovered by Jan Peerce, she auditioned for the Metropolitan Opera in 1950. Scheduled to debut as the ...