Elizabeth Fischer Monastero is an American

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...

tic mezzo-soprano and

voice teacher A voice teacher or singing teacher is a musical instructor who assists adults and children in the development of their abilities in singing. Typical work A voice teacher works with a student singer to improve the various skills involved in singi ...

Life and career

Born Elizabeth Fischer and raised in Dubuque, Iowa, Fischer Monastero graduated with a bachelor's degree in vocal performance from the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

in 1956. She also studied with tenor Richard Miller at the Interlochen Center for the Arts and with Clara Bloomfield of Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. In 1962 Fischer Monastero won the Euclid McBride Memorial Scholarship in the finals of the

Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions The Metropolitan Opera Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition (formerly the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions) is an annual singing competition sponsored by the Metropolitan Opera. Established in 1954, its purpose is to discover, assist ...

. That same year she won the

American Opera Auditions The American Opera Auditions was a non-profit organization located in Cincinnati, Ohio that organized an annual singing contest in both the United States and Italy from 1956-1990. The organization was founded by Cincinnati businessman and philanthro ...

which enabled her to study opera in Italy. Before leaving for Italy, she attended the

Music Academy of the West The Music Academy is a classical music training program in Montecito in Santa Barbara County, California. Overview The academy hosts an annual eight-week summer music festival, highlighted by concerts and workshops directed by famous composer ...

's summer conservatory. Shortly after she made her European debut at the Teatro Nuovo in Milan in September 1962 as Suzuki in

Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Puccini ( Lucca, 22 December 1858Bruxelles, 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long ...

's '' Madama Butterfly''; a role which she repeated that year at the

Teatro Comunale Florence The is an opera house in Florence, Italy. It was originally built as the open-air amphitheatre, the Politeama Fiorentino Vittorio Emanuele, which was inaugurated on 17 May 1862 with a production of Donizetti's ''Lucia di Lammermoor'' and which ...

. Fischer Monastero made her debut at the

Lyric Opera of Chicago Lyric Opera of Chicago is one of the leading opera companies in the United States. It was founded in Chicago in 1954, under the name 'Lyric Theatre of Chicago' by Carol Fox, Nicola Rescigno and Lawrence Kelly, with a season that included Maria ...

in October 1962 as the Shepherd Boy in ''

Tosca ''Tosca'' is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It premiered at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome on 14 January 1900. The work, based on Victorien Sardou's 1887 French-language drama ...

'' with Régine Crespin in the title role. She appeared in several more roles with the company over the next three seasons, including Giovanna in ''

Rigoletto ''Rigoletto'' is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. The Italian libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on the 1832 play '' Le roi s'amuse'' by Victor Hugo. Despite serious initial problems with the Austrian censors who had co ...

'' and Kate Pinkerton in '' Madama Butterfly'' among other roles. In 1963 she won the

National Federation of Music Clubs The National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC) is an American non-profit philanthropic music organization that promotes American music, performers, and composers. NFMC endeavors to strengthen quality music education by supporting "high standards o ...

' Vocal Competition which led to her invitation to perform at the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in ...

for First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and other dignitaries with members of the National Symphony Orchestra. While working at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Fischer Monastero met her husband, Salvatore Monastero, a successful Chicago restaurateur who was also a member of the Lyric opera chorus. Together they founded the Chicago Bel Canto Foundation; an organization which operates an international singing competition whose prize affords winners the opportunities to study opera in Italy with important artists. Past teachers associated with the organization include opera legends

Tito Gobbi Tito Gobbi (24 October 19135 March 1984) was an Italian operatic baritone with an international reputation. He made his operatic debut in Gubbio in 1935 as Count Rodolfo in Bellini's '' La sonnambula'' and quickly appeared in Italy's major oper ...

, Carlo Bergonzi, and Renata Tebaldi. The couple have four children and several grandchildren together. In 1973 Fischer Monastero joined the voice faculty at

Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Charte ...

where she taught for more than 30 years. Her notable pupils include baritone Victor Benedetti, mezzo-soprano Edyta Kulczak, contralto Helen Tintes-Schuermann and sopranos Dara Hobbs and Maria Russo among others.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fischer Monastero, Elizabeth American opera singers Northwestern University faculty Operatic mezzo-sopranos Musicians from Milwaukee University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance alumni Voice teachers Winners of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Living people Place of birth missing (living people) Year of birth missing (living people) Classical musicians from Wisconsin Music Academy of the West alumni