The Other Swedes"
~ Honoring Her and Her Works ~
Ms. Rebecca Copley
~ Honoring her as Bethany College's “first” graduate to become an International Opera Singer
~ Honoring Her and Her Works ~
Ms. Rebecca Copley
~ Honoring her as Bethany College's “first” graduate to become an International Opera Singer
Bethany College graduate Rebecca Copley‘s critically acclaimed professional debut was in Giuseppe Verdi's Otello with the New Jersey State Opera in 1987. Here, she played the role of Desdemona opposite James McCracken, a pillar of the Metropolitan Opera and its most successful dramatic tenor in the 60s and 70s. As reported by English Opera then, "Desdemona‘s prayer was exquisite." She debuted, just weeks later, in Verdi's Requiem with the Paris Opera; then at New York City Opera as Puccini‘s Turandot, at Carnegie Hall with the New Jersey Symphony as Wagner‘s Isolde and at the Metropolitan Opera as Amelia in Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera. Thus, she began her career as being applauded by the critics, as “one of America’s most gifted vocalists.”
Ms. Copley's career in opera and symphonic works has been characterized as "singing the most demanding repertoire for soprano." This, she performed gallantly in North and South America, Europe, Asia and South Africa, while working with some of the most renowned conductors of her time such as James Levine, Valery Gergeiv, Hugh Wolff, Robert Shaw, Philippe Entremont, Theo Alcantara, and Lawrence Leighton Smith.
In addition, of course, she made special soloist appearances at Lindsborg’s Bethany College Oratorio Society Messiah performances.
Of special note was her debut in Bilbao, Spain. It was there that she performed and recorded the title role, Amaya, in Jesus Guridi's, Basque opera, Amaya, sung in Basque. Amaya was released in Spain as a private limited premier addition recording which was followed by the international Marco Polo release in October 2000. To learn more, go HERE to Ms. Copley's website section titled "Music on CD."
Historically, she received rave reviews from the Press, that can be seen HERE in her website section titled "Reviews."
Some of her opera and symphonic works are listed below that are found HERE in her website section titled "Repertoire," that also lists the "leading lady" operatic roles she played.
Of her Operatic Repertoire are listed 7 European Composers and 28 operas:
Beethoven - 1; Bellini - 1; Mozart - 4; Puccini - 3; Rossini - 1; Verdi - 15; Wagner - 3.
Of her Orchestral Repertoire are listed 25 European Composers and 49 works:
Bach - 5; Barber - 1; Beethoven - 3; Berlioz - 3; Brahms - 1; Britten - 2; Bruckner - 1; Durufle - 1; Dvorak 3;
Elgar - 1; Gorecki - 1; Handel - 3; Haydn - 1; Mahler 3; Mendelssohn - 4; Mozart - 4; Penderecki - 1; Ravel - 2;
Rossini - 1; Shostakovich 1; Strauss, R. - 1; Verdi - 1; Vaughn-Williams - 2; Villa-Lobos - 1; Wagner - 2.
Ms. Copley's career in opera and symphonic works has been characterized as "singing the most demanding repertoire for soprano." This, she performed gallantly in North and South America, Europe, Asia and South Africa, while working with some of the most renowned conductors of her time such as James Levine, Valery Gergeiv, Hugh Wolff, Robert Shaw, Philippe Entremont, Theo Alcantara, and Lawrence Leighton Smith.
In addition, of course, she made special soloist appearances at Lindsborg’s Bethany College Oratorio Society Messiah performances.
Of special note was her debut in Bilbao, Spain. It was there that she performed and recorded the title role, Amaya, in Jesus Guridi's, Basque opera, Amaya, sung in Basque. Amaya was released in Spain as a private limited premier addition recording which was followed by the international Marco Polo release in October 2000. To learn more, go HERE to Ms. Copley's website section titled "Music on CD."
Historically, she received rave reviews from the Press, that can be seen HERE in her website section titled "Reviews."
Some of her opera and symphonic works are listed below that are found HERE in her website section titled "Repertoire," that also lists the "leading lady" operatic roles she played.
Of her Operatic Repertoire are listed 7 European Composers and 28 operas:
Beethoven - 1; Bellini - 1; Mozart - 4; Puccini - 3; Rossini - 1; Verdi - 15; Wagner - 3.
Of her Orchestral Repertoire are listed 25 European Composers and 49 works:
Bach - 5; Barber - 1; Beethoven - 3; Berlioz - 3; Brahms - 1; Britten - 2; Bruckner - 1; Durufle - 1; Dvorak 3;
Elgar - 1; Gorecki - 1; Handel - 3; Haydn - 1; Mahler 3; Mendelssohn - 4; Mozart - 4; Penderecki - 1; Ravel - 2;
Rossini - 1; Shostakovich 1; Strauss, R. - 1; Verdi - 1; Vaughn-Williams - 2; Villa-Lobos - 1; Wagner - 2.
In 1992, the Alumni Association of Bethany College awarded her with the Gold Award for Achievement, the first of its kind to be awarded. This award is presented to graduates of the last two decades who have made outstanding contributions to society, and whose achievements to date, demonstrate a person who shows promise, has high aspirations and has made a difference in the lives of people around them." * Ms. Copley was the first alumnus to be presented with this award.
She was honored as "Musician of the Year" from the Kansas Federation of Music Clubs in 2004.
Ms. Copley grew up in the shadow of her most musically gifted and to-be acclaimed parents, Bethany College Oratorio Society Messiah Conductor Dr. Elmer Copley, and pianist and organist Ruth Marie Anderson Copley, who, no doubt, mentored her from birth as they lived in New York City and worked at Augustana College and at Bethany College. As a Bethany graduate, she continued her studies at the University of Colorado, the University of Texas and in New York City.
When she retired from performing as an opera singer, she was found teaching at Bethany College and several years later at Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina, Kansas, where she held the position as Director of Vocal Studies. Regional colleges and universities, such as the University of Oklahoma, Colorado's Fort Lewis College and Bethany College have found and continue to find her professor/artist visits in the the capacity of music and voice instructor and music clinician most worthwhile, as they gain much knowledge from her vast experience and eagerness to teach. The overflow of this mentoring of others continues with serious students coming to her private home studio at the Smoky Valley farm near Lindsborg that she shares and enjoys with her husband Don Johnson whose forebears immigrated from Sweden.
She was honored as "Musician of the Year" from the Kansas Federation of Music Clubs in 2004.
Ms. Copley grew up in the shadow of her most musically gifted and to-be acclaimed parents, Bethany College Oratorio Society Messiah Conductor Dr. Elmer Copley, and pianist and organist Ruth Marie Anderson Copley, who, no doubt, mentored her from birth as they lived in New York City and worked at Augustana College and at Bethany College. As a Bethany graduate, she continued her studies at the University of Colorado, the University of Texas and in New York City.
When she retired from performing as an opera singer, she was found teaching at Bethany College and several years later at Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina, Kansas, where she held the position as Director of Vocal Studies. Regional colleges and universities, such as the University of Oklahoma, Colorado's Fort Lewis College and Bethany College have found and continue to find her professor/artist visits in the the capacity of music and voice instructor and music clinician most worthwhile, as they gain much knowledge from her vast experience and eagerness to teach. The overflow of this mentoring of others continues with serious students coming to her private home studio at the Smoky Valley farm near Lindsborg that she shares and enjoys with her husband Don Johnson whose forebears immigrated from Sweden.
* * *
Swedes: TheWayTheyWere
~ restoring lost local histories ~
reconnecting past to present
* * *
All color photography throughout Swedes: The Way They Were is by Fran Cochran unless otherwise indicated.
Copyright © since October 8, 2015 to Current Year
as indicated on main menu sections of
www.swedesthewaytheywere.org. All rights reserved.
Swedes: TheWayTheyWere
~ restoring lost local histories ~
reconnecting past to present
* * *
All color photography throughout Swedes: The Way They Were is by Fran Cochran unless otherwise indicated.
Copyright © since October 8, 2015 to Current Year
as indicated on main menu sections of
www.swedesthewaytheywere.org. All rights reserved.
