Soprano Adele Addison around the time of her debut with New York City Opera, 1955. Photograph by Carl Van Vecten, courtesy of the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Yale University.
Tanglewood Student Days: 1947, 1948, 1950
One of Adele Addison's three applications to the Berkshire Music Center (former name of the Tanglewood Music Center), for the summer of 1948. Addison attended Tanglewood in 1947, 1948, and 1950. This application includes a headshot portrait of the talented soprano.
Concert program for the 1947 Tanglewood Music Center production of Mozart's Idomeneo. Adele Addison played a minor role as a Cretan woman.
Adele Addison with other Tanglewood Music Center students in 1948. From left: Ernest Simms (Boston), Kermit Moore (Athens, OH), Harry Smyles (Cleveland), Wayne Lazarus (San Leorardo, CA), James Fleetwood (Collingswood, NJ), Mrs. Smyles, David Abel, (New York), Adele Addison (Springfield, MA), Jay Dietzer (Shelbyville, IN), Cynthia Sweeney (New Bedford, MA). Photograph by Howard S. Babbitt, Jr.
Concert program for the 1948 Tanglewood Music Center production of Rossini's The Turk in Italy. Adele Addison played Zaida.
Playing a countess disguised as a gardener, Adele Addison peeks around the corner in a 1950 Tanglewood Music Center production of Mozart's La Finta Giardiniera. Photograph by Heinz Weissenstein (Whitestone Photos).
Adele Addison in a 1950 Tanglewood Music Center production of Mozart's La Finta Giardiniera. Photograph by Heinz Weissenstein (Whitestone Photos).
Concert program for the 1950 Tanglewood Music Center production of Mozart's La Finta Giardiniera. Ms. Addison played Countess Violanta Belfiore in disguise as a gardener.
Appearances with the BSO
Leonard Bernstein at piano, rehearses with singers Adele Addison, Eunice Alberts, James Pease, and David Lloyd for the August 9, 1951 performance of Beethoven's Missa Solemnis in memory of Serge Koussevitzky. When former BSO conductor and Tanglewood Music Center founder Serge Koussevitzky passed away in June 1951, the BSO performed Beethoven's Solemn Mass in his honor, featuring TMC alumni as soloists and conductor. Photograph by Will Plouffe.
Concert program for the world premiere of Poulenc's Gloria on January 21, 1961. A Koussevitzky Music Foundation commission, the Gloria was performed by Adele Addison, the Chorus Pro Musica, and the BSO under the baton of Charles Munch. The Friday afternoon performance was cancelled due to a blizzard, and the premiere took place at the Saturday night performance.
Concert review printed in the Boston Morning Globe on January 23, 1961, praising the premiere performances of Poulenc's Gloria.
The review covered the January 22, 1961 performance, which had been postponed from January 20th due to a blizzard. Addison's performance was described as "celestial."
Adele Addison performing Poulenc's Gloria with Charles Munch and the BSO at Tanglewood on July 21, 1961, about seven months after premiering the Koussevitzky Music Foundation commission with the BSO at Symphony Hall. Photograph by Heinz Weissenstein (Whitestone Photo).
Concert program for Adele Addison's performance in Lukas Foss' Time Cycle conducted by the composer with the BSO at Tanglewood on August 19, 1962.
Soprano Adele Addison and composer-conductor Lukas Foss after the performance of Foss' Time Cycle at Tanglewood on August 19, 1962. Addison had premiered the work in 1960 with Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic before performing it with BSO at Symphony Hall and then Tanglewood. Photograph by Heinz Weissenstein (Whitestone Photo).
Listen: Adele Addison performs the third movement, "Domine Deus," from Poulenc's "Gloria" with Charles Munch, the BSO and the Berkshire Chorus on July 21, 1961 at Tanglewood
Charles Munch's Last Concert: August 26, 1962
Attend a BSO Musical Tribute
Additional Adele Addison Celebrations/Tributes
99-year-old Springfield opera star Adele Addison is celebrated (WAMC)
Celebrating Springfield soprano Adele Addison, now 99 years old (New England Public Media)