Arleen Auger’s elegant, fleet Rossinian coloratura

THE SONGBIRD: Arleen Auger (1939 - 1993) is one of the most respected sopranos of the 20th century, and was one of the most recorded. She is known for her impeccable musicianship, interpretive expressivity, and versatility. Auger was born in Los Angeles and played violin and piano as a child. She graduated from college in Long Beach, and after privates studies and competition wins, relocated to Europe. The Vienna State Opera signed her with a debut in 1967 as Queen of the Night, followed by 47 more performances of the role over five seasons. Additional roles in Vienna included Konstanze, Gilda, and Olympia. In the U.S., her debut came in 1969 at New York City Opera, again as Queen of the Night, and she sang just four performances at The Met (Marzelline in "Fidelio" in 1978). Countless operatic, concert, and recital appearances all over the world made up Auger's career, but her largest audience (estimated at 700 million!) was singing "Exsultate, Jubilate" at the royal wedding of Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew, which was televised worldwide in 1986.
THE MUSIC: Rossini's "Semiramide" is based on a Voltaire play and premiered in Venice in 1823. It was not his last opera, but was his last original opera written in Italian, as he moved to Paris after its premiere. The leading role was written for his wife, the great soprano Isabella Colbran and was his last opera for her (her voice was in considerable decline at this point). Despite success in the decades following its premiere and occasional diva-driven productions here or there (in Cincinnati in 1882 for Adelina Patti, at The Met in 1894 for Nellie Melba), it faded far into the background. It was produced anew at La Scala in 1962/63 as a showcase for Joan Sutherland and has since become a more frequently produced, though still rare, vehicle for the top-tier of accomplished bel canto divas. "Bel raggio lusinghier" is sung by Semiramide, Queen of Babylon, in the famed Hanging Gardens as she waits for Arsace, the object of her affections.

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The exhaustive discography in Ralph Zedler's German-language book about Auger lists numerous Bel Canto scenes and arias done in radio broadcasts, including Sonnambula, Don Pasquale, L'Elisir D'Amore, La Fille du Regiment, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, a complete Le Comte Ory, and Rigoletto. Sadly, her complete performance of La Fille du Regiment (In German, as 'Regimentstochter') appears not to survive. Hope all of this material eventually shows up on RUclips.

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She was very versatile stylistically- but not much of the Italian rep seems to have surfaced. She was very prolific in the studio, but mostly Mozart and baroque things.