Gwendolyn Jones
{{short description|American operatic mezzo-soprano}}
Gwendolyn Jones is an American operatic mezzo-soprano who has had an active career in concerts and operas since the late 1960s. From 1972–1980 she was a resident artist with the San Francisco Opera, and was afterwards a regular performer with the New York City Opera and New Orleans Opera.
Life and career
Born in Oklahoma, Jones studied singing with Inez Lunsford Silberg at Oklahoma City University.{{cite news|url=http://m.newsok.com/article/2106472|title=Popular OCU Voice Coach Leaves Memorable Legacy|date=April 25, 1985|author=Mary Sue Price|work=The Oklahoman}}{{Dead link|date=July 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} In 1968 she won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions at the age of 19.{{cite web|url=http://www.naxos.com/person/Gwendolyn_Jones/129138.htm|title=Gwendolyn Jones|work=naxos.com|access-date=November 6, 2015}} In 1972 she made her debut at the San Francisco Opera (SFO) as Wellgunde in Das Rheingold. She appeared regularly at the SFO over the next eight years, portraying such roles as Albine in Thaïs, Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor, Anna in L'Africaine, the Charwoman in The Makropulos Affair, Clotilde in Norma, Countess Ceprano in Rigoletto, Curra in La forza del destino, Dryade in Ariadne auf Naxos, Emilia in Otello, Flora in La traviata, Flosshilde in Das Rheingold, Fyodor in Boris Godunov, Geneviève in Pelléas et Mélisande, Glasha in Káťa Kabanová, Isaura in Tancredi, Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, Laura in Luisa Miller, Mirinda in Ormindo, the Second Lady in The Magic Flute, Sextus in Giulio Cesare, Siebel in Faust, Siegrune in Die Walküre, the Voice From Above in Die Frau ohne Schatten, and Wowkle in La fanciulla del West among others. Her final appearance at the SFO was in 1980 as Rychtarka in Jenůfa.{{cite news|url=http://archive.sfopera.com/qry3webcastlist_l.asp?start=1|title=Gwendolyn Jones|work=The San Francisco Opera Archives|access-date=November 4, 2015}}
In 1973 Jones sang the role of Wellgunde in Götterdämmerung with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Georg Solti at Carnegie Hall.{{cite news|url=http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1973/05/04/79854822.html?pageNumber=24|title=Ovation for Solti 'Gotterdammerung'|author=Harold C. Schonberg|author-link=Harold C. Schonberg|work=The New York Times|date=May 4, 1973|page=24}} In 1976 she portrayed Tisbe in La Cenerentola at the Seattle Opera.{{cite news|url=http://seattleopera50.com/tag/gwendolyn-jones/|title=Gwendolyn Jones|work=The Seattle Opera Archives|access-date=November 4, 2015}} In 1978 she sang several songs by Gustav Mahler in concert with the San Francisco Ballet at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.{{cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1978/11/06/112800933.pdf|title=Dance: San Francisco Ballet Conquers New York|date=November 6, 1978|page=69|work=The New York Times|author=Jennifer Dunning|author-link=Jennifer Dunning}} In 1981 she portrayed the title heroine in Rossini's La Cenerentola at the Virginia Opera.{{cite news|url=http://www.cpanda.org/pdfs/csob/2204.pdf|title=Forecast|work=Central Service Opera Bulletin|page=19|volume=22|number=4|date=Spring 1981|access-date=2015-11-06|archive-date=2015-09-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923210851/http://www.cpanda.org/pdfs/csob/2204.pdf|url-status=dead}} In 1982 she portrayed Nerillo in Ormindo with the Chamber Opera Theater of New York.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/08/20/arts/opera-l-ormindo.html|title=Opera: 'L'Ormindo'|author=Donal Henahan|author-link=Donal Henahan|work=The New York Times|date=August 20, 1982}} In 1984 she sang Hedwige in William Tell with the Opera Orchestra of New York.{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IeYCAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Gwendolyn+Jones%22+%22opera%22&pg=PA89|title=Putting On the Doge|author=Peter G. Davis|work=New York|date=December 10, 1984|pages=88–89}} That same year she performed Nerillo again for her debut at the Festival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto, Italy.{{cite book|title=Nuova rivista musicale italiana|publisher=Edizioni Rai Radiotelevisione Italiana|year=1984|page=707}} In 1985 she made her debut with the Pennsylvania Opera Theater as Isabella in L'italiana in Algeri at the Walnut Street Theatre.
In 1988 Jones made her debut at the New York City Opera as Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro; a part she repeated with the NYCO in 1993 and 1995.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/07/arts/review-opera-newcomers-in-figaro.html|title=Review/Opera; Newcomers in 'Figaro'|author=Allan Kozinn|author-link=Allan Kozinn|date=November 7, 1988|work=The New York Times}} In 1994 she appeared as Venus in Tannhäuser at the New Orleans Opera. In 1996 she portrayed Octavian in the NYCO's production of Der Rosenkavalier.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/11/arts/opera-review-casting-light-on-heartfelt-essentials.html|title=Opera Review; Casting Light on Heartfelt Essentials|author=Bernard Holland|author-link=Bernard Holland|date=March 11, 1996|newspaper=The New York Times}} In 2000 and 2004 she appeared as Marcellina in The Marriage of Figaro at the NYCO.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/09/19/arts/opera-review-a-comedy-of-errors-complete-with-sight-gags.html|title=Opera Review; A Comedy of Errors, Complete with Sight Gags|author=Allan Kozinn|author-link=Allan Kozinn|date=September 19, 2000|newspaper=The New York Times}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/26/arts/music/how-to-energize-the-familiar.html|title=How to Energize the Familiar|author=Anthony Tommasini|author-link=Anthony Tommasini|date=October 26, 2004|newspaper=The New York Times}} In 2001 she portrayed the role of Alma March in the Houston Grand Opera's production of Mark Adamo's Little Women which was broadcast on PBS's Great Performances.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/29/arts/television-review-lyricism-but-few-modern-bits-for-the-march-sisters.html|title=Television Review; Lyricism but Few Modern Bits for the March Sisters|author=Anthony Tommasini|author-link=Anthony Tommasini|date= August 29, 2001|newspaper=The New York Times}} She reprised the role of Alma March at the Central City Opera (CCO) in 2001, Opera Pacific in 2001, Opera Omaha in 2002, the NYCO in 2003, Opera Delaware in 2008, and the Pensacola Opera in 2011.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/26/books/opera-review-alcott-s-sisters-grow-from-page-to-stage.html|title=Opera Review; Alcott's Sisters Grow from Page to Stage|newspaper=The New York Times|date=March 26, 2003|author=John Rockwell|author-link=John Rockwell}}{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-may-14-ca-63175-story.html|title=Opera Review: Opera Embellishes the Endearing Charm of Little Women|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=May 14, 2001|author=Daniel Cariaga}} She was also seen at the CCO in 2001 as Queen Elizabeth I in Britten's Gloriana.{{cite web|url=http://duarchives.coalliance.org/repositories/2/archival_objects/122980|title=Gwendolyn Jones|work=University of Denver Library|access-date=November 6, 2015}}
In 2001 Jones appeared at the New Orleans Opera (NOO) as the Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos.{{cite news|url=http://www.ambushmag.com/is801/trod.htm|title=Ariadne auf Naxos Beguiles|author=George Patterson|date=2001|volume=19|issue=8|work=AMbush Online Theater Reviews|access-date=2015-11-06|archive-date=2016-03-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305005916/http://www.ambushmag.com/is801/trod.htm|url-status=dead}} She has returned to the NOO several times since, including performances of Marcellina (2006), Berta in The Barber of Seville (2006), La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi (2007), Mary in The Flying Dutchman (2010), Herodias in Salome (2012), and Suse Blunt in Heinrich Marschner's Der Vampyr (2013).{{cite news|url=http://tulane.edu/news/newwave/100506_mcalister_rocks_with_culture.cfm?RenderForPrint=1|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230715074308/https://tulane.edu/news/newwave/100506_mcalister_rocks_with_culture.cfm?RenderForPrint=1|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2023|title=McAlister Rocks With Culture|date=October 5, 2006|work=Tulane University Press}}{{cite news|url=http://www.nola.com/arts/index.ssf/2012/03/no_opera_unveils_a_sultry_stro.html|title=N.O. Opera unveils a sultry, strongly sung 'Salome'|author=Theodore P. Mahne|date=March 3, 2012|work=The Times-Picayune}}{{cite web|url=http://operabase.com/listart.cgi?name=Gwendolyn+Jones&acts=+Schedule+|title=Gwendolyn Jones|work=operabase.com|access-date=November 6, 2015}} In 2002 she portrayed the title role in Bizet's Carmen at the Nevada Opera, and later returned to that company in 2007 as Amneris in Aida.{{cite news|url=http://www.go-reno.com/noa/season.php|title=Nevada Opera Announces 40th Season Repertory|work=go-reno.com}} In 2004 she appeared as the Mother in Hansel and Gretel at the Utah Opera.{{cite news|url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/590037008/Hansel-and-Gretel-sure-to-delight.html?pg=all|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304080224/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/590037008/Hansel-and-Gretel-sure-to-delight.html?pg=all|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 4, 2016|title=Opera review: Hansel and Gretel sure to delight|newspaper=Deseret Morning News|date=January 19, 2004|author=Rebecca Howard}} In 2005 she portrayed Augusta Tabor in The Ballad of Baby Doe at the Des Moines Metro Opera.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wHuC8Lpx5dMC&q=%22Gwendolyn+Jones%22+%22ballad+of+baby+doe%22&pg=PA195|title=Douglas Moore: A Bio-bibliography|author= Jerry L. McBride|page=195|publisher=A-R Editions|year=2011|isbn=9780895796660}} She returned to Des Moines in 2008 to portray the title role in Blitzstein's Regina.
References
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Category:American operatic mezzo-sopranos
Category:Oklahoma City University alumni
Category:Musicians from Oklahoma
Category:Winners of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions