Reorganizing musician projects

I guess since nobody responded, nothing's been done about this. Frankly, opera is a sufficiently specialized area that it can be left alone. Neither would I advise subdividing it, because then you get into arguments over who fits into which category. ("Falcon" soprano/mezzos and bass-baritones are the two most obvious where-do-you-put-'ems.)

At present there are two questionable profiles: Maria Scoville Brainerd, who I don't think ever sang on the operatic stage at all, and Sarah Brightman (PRIVATE PROFILE - this is BAD), who hasn't yet taken her "crossover" all the way. (If she ever pulls a Marian Anderson and appears in a bonafide opera on a bonafide operatic stage, or if anything she has appeared in is redesignated as "opera" in the official sense, *that* objection will be withdrawn.)

Other profiles that are Private and should NOT be (they should be Mastered):
Montserrat Caballé
Mirella Freni
Kiri Te Kanawa

https://www.geni.com/projects/Great-Opera-Singers/688

Private User

Maria Scoville Brainerd:

Maria Scoville Brainerd

She went to Waterbury, Conn., about 1849. and sang in St. John's choir under the direction of L. T. Downs and T. L. Driggs. G. H. Curtiss, an accomplished musician of that period, hearing her sing, advised her to go to New York to study. She began work about 1853, with Dr. C. W. Beams, then organist of the church of the Ascension. She sang for several years in this church, and nine years in St. "Bartholomew's, and during this period was constantly in demand for concert and oratorios, and unquestionably ranked as the leading American soprano.

Maria Scoville Brainerd

https://books.google.com/books?id=pvq65z0MTz8C&pg=PA806&lpg...

This source lists where she sang as a soprano.

That's all very well, but an OPERA Singer is someone who sings in OPERA on the OPERATIC stage. I see nothing like that for Ms. Brainerd.

Singer, undoubtedly - Opera singer, not so much.

For the record, Marian Anderson would not have qualified, had she not agreed to appear at the Metropolitan Opera as Ulrica in "Un Ballo in Maschera" for the few times she did. She sang a lot of concerts and recitals in the US and Europe, but *no* other appearances in opera. (No confidence in her acting ability, or so she said.)

https://www.musicingotham.org/person/757

This is a list of some of her performance including the New York Harmonic Society and Philharmonic Society of New York. If this is not stage then what is it?

She's a near-miss (as, for related reasons, is Sarah Brightman). The closest she seems to have come to opera is cantatas/oratorios, which generally don't involve costumes or stage directions (and sometimes not even plot).

An instructive comparison is Mendelssohn's "Elijah" (an elaborate oratorio) and Verdi's "Nabucco" (most definitely an opera). They are roughly contemporary, both drawing on the Old Testament, both making extensive use of a chorus - but "Elijah" doesn't require costumes, or movement, or intense interaction between the characters. Boy howdy, "Nabucco" DOES!

https://books.google.com/books?id=pvq65z0MTz8C&pg=PA381&dq=...

She performed in Mozart's opera Idomeneo.

Nope, that was a lecture-concert, featuring EXCERPTS from "Idomeneo" along with *excerpts* from other operas.

Close, but no cigar. I don't know why you're making such a fuss about this unless she's a relative of yours.

Remember that I said the only reason Marian Anderson qualifies as a "Great Opera Singer" instead of "just" a "Great Singer" is her eight performances in "Un Ballo in Maschera", 1955-1956.

There have been a lot of Great Singers who *never* sang opera.