Country

:

Belgium

Birth

:

February 18, 1926 in Zelzaete

Death

:

January 22, 2012

Period

:

Romantic

Genre

:

Opera

 

Rita Gorr was a Belgian mezzo-soprano who was born on February 18, 1926, in Zelzate, Belgium. She was born as Marguerite Geirnaert and later adopted the stage name Rita Gorr. She was known for her powerful voice and her ability to portray dramatic roles on stage. Gorr began her musical training at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent, where she studied piano and voice. She made her operatic debut in 1949 at the Royal Opera House in Ghent, where she sang the role of Maddalena in Verdi's Rigoletto. She quickly gained recognition for her powerful voice and her ability to portray dramatic roles. In 1952, Gorr made her debut at La Monnaie in Brussels, where she sang the role of Amneris in Verdi's Aida. This performance was a turning point in her career, as it led to engagements at major opera houses throughout Europe. She went on to perform at the Paris Opera, the Royal Opera House in London, the Vienna State Opera, and the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Gorr was known for her powerful voice and her ability to portray dramatic roles. She was particularly renowned for her performances in the operas of Richard Wagner. She sang the role of Brangäne in Wagner's Tristan und Isolde at the Bayreuth Festival in 1958, and she went on to perform the role at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1960. She also sang the role of Fricka in Wagner's Die Walküre at the Bayreuth Festival in 1960. In addition to her performances in Wagner's operas, Gorr was also known for her performances in the operas of Giuseppe Verdi. She sang the role of Azucena in Verdi's Il trovatore at the Royal Opera House in London in 1957, and she went on to perform the role at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1960. She also sang the role of Amneris in Verdi's Aida at the Paris Opera in 1962. Gorr received numerous awards and honors throughout her career. In 1964, she was awarded the title of Kammersängerin by the Austrian government, in recognition of her contributions to the arts. She was also awarded the title of Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres by the French government in 1985. Gorr retired from the stage in 1987, after a career that spanned nearly four decades. She continued to teach voice at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels until her death on January 22, 2012, at the age of 85. In conclusion, Rita Gorr was a Belgian mezzo-soprano who was known for her powerful voice and her ability to portray dramatic roles on stage. She made her operatic debut in 1949 and went on to perform at major opera houses throughout Europe and the United States. She was particularly renowned for her performances in the operas of Richard Wagner and Giuseppe Verdi. Gorr received numerous awards and honors throughout her career, and she continued to teach voice until her death in 2012.

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