Marietta Simpson (Mezo-soprano)

Born: Phildelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

The American mezzo-soprano, Marietta Simpson, graduated from Temple University and received her Master's Degree in Music from SUNY in Binghamton, New York.

Marietta Simpson is one of the most admired and sought-after mezzo-sopranos on the music scene today, and is greatly admired for the rich beauty of her deeply expressive voice. She has sung under many of the world's great conductors and with leading symphony orchestras throughout the USA and Europe. She has performed at the world's most prestigious festivals, including Tanglewood, Blossom, Glyndebourne in England, Bregenz in Austria, the Edinburgh Festival and New York's Lincoln Center Arts Festival, and the Baldwin-Wallace College Bach Festival. She has sung in Covent Garden's Royal Opera House, Milan's La Scala, Houston Grand Opera and New York City Opera. She is an acclaimed recitalist and has given recitals in many major cities.

Marietta Simpson's performances with The Bach Choir of Bethlehem have included last season’s concerts at the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall. Highlights of her 2000-2001 season include performances with the Berlin Philharmonic under Sir Simon Rattle; the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra under Esa-Pekka Salonen in L.v. Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony; the Cleveland Orchestra under Jahja Ling in L.v. Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9; Atlanta Symphony under Roger Norrington in L.v. Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis; Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra under Robert Porco in W.A. Mozart’s Requiem and Houston Symphony Orchestra under Claus Peter Flor in Dvorak’s Stabat Mater.Simpson also performs in Boston’s Symphony Hall in Felix Mendelssohn’s Elijah under Christopher Hogwood; in the Kennedy Center in Dvorjak’s Stabat Mater under Robert Shafer, also recorded for Naxos; and at the Grand Teton Festival in Verdi’s Requiem under Eiji Oue. Marietta Simpson can be seen on Video Artists International’s complete version of G.F. Handel’s Messiah with Robert Shaw and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, which has been shown on PBS national telecasts.

Marietta Simpson has recorded for Telarc and EMI and is featured on The Bach Choir of Bethlehem’s releases of J.S. Bach's Mass in B Minor (BWV 232) and Christmas Oratorio (BWV 248) on the Dorian label.

In the spring of 1994, Temple University awarded Marietta Simpson its Certificate of Honor as a distinguished alumnus, and Philadelphia's National Political Congress of Black women presented her with their second annual Chisholm Award as an outstanding African-American woman in music.

Source: Liner notes to Dorian Recordings CD DOR-93183-H (Christmas Oratorio - conducted by Funfgeld - 1999); Global Bach Commnunity Website; Colorado Symphony Website
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (February 2001)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Sergiu Comissiona

Alto

BWV 243

Greg Funfgeld

Alto

BWV 232, BWV 248

Alan Harler

Alto

[V-2] (2015): BWV 244 [F. Mendelssohn's 1841 version]

Blanche Moyse

Alto

BWV 54, BWV 85, BWV 93; Aria from BWV 170

Dwight Oltman

Alto

BWV 21, BWV 78 [3^rd], BWV 80 [2^nd], BWV 172
BWV 243 [3^rd], BWV 244 [4^th], BWV 244 [5^th], BWV 245 [5^th], BWV 245 [6^th], BWV 248 [4^th], BWV 248 [8^th]

Robert Shaw

Alto

BWV 232, BWV 243

Links to other Sites

The Global Bach Community: Marietta Simpson Info Page
Marietta Simpson, Mezzo-soprano (Bethlehem)
Marietta Simpson (Huntsville Symphony Orchestra)
Chancellor's Distinguished Fellows: Marietta Simpson (UC Irvine Libraries)
American Bach Soloists: Marietta Simpson
New York Philharmonic: Marietta Simpson
Marietta Simpson - Mezzo (Boris Orlob) [English/German]
Schubert & Brahms Festival (97/98 Library of Congress Concerts)
Herbert Barrett: vocalists
Opera singer Marietta Simpson joining UCI orchestra for Brahms' Alto Rhapsofy (Irvine World News) [N/A]
World Outreach Church: The Simpson Family Sings
May Festival - Festival - Artists [N/A
Gaian Variations - Biographies
Marietta Simpson (Colorado Symphony) [N/A]
Marietta Simpson, Mezzo Soprano (Global Bach Community) [N/A]
Marietta Simpson, mezzo-soprano (Handel & Haydn Society) [N/A]
Marietta Simpson, Mezzo-Soprano (Singing City) [N/A]
Marietta Simpson, mezzio-soprano (Philadelphia Chamber Music Society) [N/A]