Sylvia McNair (born June 23, 1956) is an American

opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...

singer and classical recitalist who has also achieved notable success in the Broadway and

cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, casino, hotel, restaurant, or nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, ...

genres. McNair, a

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hertz, Hz to A5 in Choir, choral ...

, has made several critically acclaimed recordings and has won two

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...

Early life and musical training

Sylvia McNair was born in

Mansfield, Ohio Mansfield is a city in Richland County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. The population was 47,534 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located approximately from Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio, Columbus via Interstate 71, it i ...

, the daughter of George and Marilou McNair. She attended and graduated from Lexington High School, just south of Mansfield. As a youth, she studied violin. She originally enrolled in the undergraduate music program at Wheaton College in Illinois as a violin major, but was encouraged by a violin instructor there to study voice as well. She commenced vocal studies at Wheaton with Margarita Evans, and finding herself more suited to singing, discontinued violin as her major. She earned a

Bachelor of Music A Bachelor of Music (BMus; sometimes conferred as Bachelor of Musical Arts) is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of a program of study in music. The degree may be awarded for performance, music ed ...

degree in 1978 from Wheaton and subsequently a

Master of Music The Master of Music (MM or MMus) is, as an academic title, the first graduate degree in music awarded by universities and conservatories. The MM combines advanced studies in an applied area of specialization (usually performance in singing or i ...

with Distinction in 1983 from Indiana University School of Music (now the Jacobs School of Music), where she studied voice with Virginia MacWatters, John Wustman, and Virginia Zeani.

Career

McNair made her professional concert debut in 1980 with the

Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra (ISO) is a major American orchestra based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The largest performing arts organization in Indiana, the orchestra was founded in 1930 and is based at the Hilbert Circle Theatre in downtown ...

. Her operatic debut, in 1982, was as Sandrina in

Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( ; ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions ...

's '' L'infedeltà delusa'' with the Mostly Mozart Festival. She appeared regularly at the

Vienna State Opera The Vienna State Opera (, ) is a historic opera house and opera company based in Vienna, Austria. The 1,709-seat Renaissance Revival venue was the first major building on the Vienna Ring Road. It was built from 1861 to 1869 following plans by ...

, the

Salzburg Festival The Salzburg Festival () is a prominent festival of music and drama established in 1920. It is held each summer, for five weeks starting in late July, in Salzburg, Austria, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Mozart's operas are a focus of ...

Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House (ROH) is a theatre in Covent Garden, central London. The building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. The ROH is the main home of The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet, and the Orch ...

Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist sit ...

, the

Santa Fe Opera Santa Fe Opera (SFO) is an American opera company, located north of Santa Fe, New Mexico. After creating the ''Opera Association of New Mexico'' in 1956, its founding director, John Crosby (conductor), John Crosby, oversaw the building of the f ...

, the

San Francisco Opera The San Francisco Opera (SFO) is an American opera company founded in 1923 by Gaetano Merola (1881–1953) based in San Francisco, California. History Gaetano Merola (1923–1953) Merola's road to prominence in the Bay Area began in 1906 wh ...

, and at the

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera is an American opera company based in New York City, currently resident at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center), Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Referred ...

, and has soloed with many major European and American orchestras. Since the late 1990s, McNair has changed the focus of her singing career to Broadway and

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

styles. In these genres she has achieved considerable critical acclaim and commercial success. From 2006 to 2017, McNair was part of the voice faculty of the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, her

alma mater Alma mater (; : almae matres) is an allegorical Latin phrase meaning "nourishing mother". It personifies a school that a person has attended or graduated from. The term is related to ''alumnus'', literally meaning 'nursling', which describes a sc ...

. At Indiana University, Sylvia was hired to teach English diction (IPA), and opera workshop. She also had a small studio and taught a few female singers (including soprano Paloma Friedhoff Bello) and one male student (Rafa Campos Salles). From 2012 to 2017, McNair has served as a judge and mentor for the Songbook Academy, a summer intensive for high school students operated by the Great American Songbook Foundation and founded by

Michael Feinstein Michael Jay Feinstein (born September 7, 1956) is an American singer, pianist, and music Revivalist artist, revivalist. He is an archivist and interpreter for the repertoire known as the Great American Songbook. In 1988, he won a Drama Desk Spec ...

Critical commentary

"Her phrasing is exemplary. Her modulations are inspired. Her time is enviable. . . . I could get used to this kind of ecstasy." — Rex Reed, 2005

Personal

McNair married conductor Hal France in 1986. The couple are now divorced. She was diagnosed with

breast cancer Breast cancer is a cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a Breast lump, lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, Milk-rejection sign, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipp ...

in 2006. Her treatments have included

mastectomy Mastectomy is the medical term for the surgical removal of one or both breasts, partially or completely. A mastectomy is usually carried out to treat breast cancer. In some cases, women believed to be at high risk of breast cancer choose to have ...

chemotherapy Chemotherapy (often abbreviated chemo, sometimes CTX and CTx) is the type of cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs (list of chemotherapeutic agents, chemotherapeutic agents or alkylating agents) in a standard chemotherapy re ...

and

radiation therapy Radiation therapy or radiotherapy (RT, RTx, or XRT) is a therapy, treatment using ionizing radiation, generally provided as part of treatment of cancer, cancer therapy to either kill or control the growth of malignancy, malignant cell (biology), ...

. In December 2017, McNair came forward as one of several women accusing the famous conductor Charles Dutoit of sexual assault. McNair said that Dutoit "tried to have his way" with her after a March 1985 rehearsal with the

Minnesota Orchestra The Minnesota Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Founded originally as the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1903, the Minnesota Orchestra plays most of its concerts at Minneapolis's Orchestra Hall. History Th ...

Recorded repertoire

Sylvia McNair has made over 70 recordings, including many complete operas (including Ilia in

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition and proficiency from an early age ...

's '' Idomeneo, re di Creta'', Poppea in Monteverdi's ''

L'incoronazione di Poppea ''L'incoronazione di Poppea'' (Stattkus-Verzeichnis, SV 308, ''The Coronation of Poppaea'') is an Italian List of operas by Claudio Monteverdi, opera by Claudio Monteverdi. It was Monteverdi's last opera, with a libretto by Giovanni Francesco Buse ...

'', both under the direction of Sir

John Eliot Gardiner Sir John Eliot Gardiner (born 20 April 1943) is an English conductor, particularly known for his performances of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach, especially the Bach Cantata Pilgrimage of 2000, performing Church cantata (Bach), Bach's church ...

with the

English Baroque Soloists The English Baroque Soloists is a chamber orchestra playing on authentic performance, period instruments, formed in 1978 by English Conducting, conductor John Eliot Gardiner, Sir John Eliot Gardiner. Its repertoire comprises music from the early B ...

for the ARCHIV label), and

Samuel Barber Samuel Osmond Barber II (March 9, 1910 – January 23, 1981) was an American composer, pianist, conductor (music), conductor, baritone, and music educator, and one of the most celebrated composers of the mid-20th century. Principally influenced ...

's '' Knoxville: Summer of 1915''. She has also recorded a number of recitals, ranging from "

arias" with Sir Neville Marriner and the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields to CDs with

André Previn André George Previn (; born Andreas Ludwig Priwin; April 6, 1929 – February 28, 2019) was a German-American pianist, composer, and conductor. His career had three major genres: Hollywood films, jazz, and classical music. In each he achieved ...

of music by

Jerome Kern Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in over ...

and

Harold Arlen Harold Arlen (born Hyman Arluck; February 15, 1905 – April 23, 1986) was an American composer of popular music, who composed over 500 songs, a number of which have become known worldwide. In addition to composing the songs for the 1939 film ' ...

(''Sure Thing'' and ''Come Rain or Come Shine''). The Previn collaboration also yielded a CD of Andre's works called ''From Ordinary Things'', including: ''Four Songs'' and ''Two Remembrances'' with lyrics by

Toni Morrison Chloe Anthony Wofford Morrison (born Chloe Ardelia Wofford; February 18, 1931 – August 5, 2019), known as Toni Morrison, was an American novelist and editor. Her first novel, ''The Bluest Eye'', was published in 1970. The critically accl ...

, ''Vocalise'' with cellist Yo Yo Ma, and well as the ''Cello Sonata'', again with Yo Yo Ma and the composer at the piano throughout.

Awards and honors

McNair's awards and honors include the following: *National Metropolitan Opera Auditions, first place, 1982 *

Marian Anderson Marian Anderson (February 27, 1897April 8, 1993) was an American contralto. She performed a wide range of music, from opera to spirituals. Anderson performed with renowned orchestras in major concert and recital venues throughout the United S ...

Award, 1990 *Grammy Awards, 1993 and 1996 *Honorary

Doctor of Music The Doctor of Music degree (DMus, DM, MusD or occasionally MusDoc) is a doctorate awarded on the basis of a substantial portfolio of compositions, musical performances, and/or scholarly publications on music. In some institutions, the award is a ...

degrees from Westminster Choir College, 1997, and

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a state university system, system of Public university, public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. The system has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration o ...

, 1998 *Governor's Award for Outstanding Achievement in Arts and Entertainment from Ohio Governor

Bob Taft Robert Alphonso Taft III (born January 8, 1942) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 67th governor of Ohio from 1999 to 2007. A member of the Taft family, Taft political dynasty and Republican Party (United States), Republic ...

, 1999 *Command recital performances for Justice

Sandra Day O'Connor Sandra Day O'Connor (March 26, 1930 – December 1, 2023) was an American attorney, politician, and jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1981 to 2006. Nominated by President Ronald Reagan, O' ...

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...

Discography

Solo albums *'' Mozart: Exsultate Jubilate - Handel, Mozart / Mcnair, Gardiner'' (Philips, 1993) *'' Love's Sweet Surrender'' (Philips, 1998) *'' Rêveries'' (Philips, 2007) *'' Sylvia Mcnair - The Echoing Air'' (Philips, 2008) *''

Peace Peace is a state of harmony in the absence of hostility and violence, and everything that discusses achieving human welfare through justice and peaceful conditions. In a societal sense, peace is commonly used to mean a lack of conflict (suc ...

'' (2011) *'' Romance: A Collection Of Latin Love Songs'' (Lumusic, 2012) *'' Subject to Change!'' (Harbinger, 2016) Appears on *'' Mozart Great Mass in C minor'' (Decca, 1987) *'' Mozart: Il Re Pastore'' (Philips, 1991) *'' Beethoven: The Symphonies'' (Philips, 1993) *'' Christmas in Leipzig'' (Dorian Recordings, 1988) *'' Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 1-4, Overtures, Ein deutsches Requiem'' (Warner Classics) *'' Berlioz: Béatrice et Bénédict'' (Erato, 1991) *'' Orff: Carmina Burana'' (Rca, 1992) *'' Handel: Messiah'' (Philips, 1992) *'' Music of Samuel Barber'' (Telarc Digital, 1992) *'' Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 2 - Vocalise'' (Telarc Digital, 1992) *'' Mahler: Symphony No. 4'' (Decca, 1993) *'' Handel: Semele'' (Deutsche Grammophon, 1993) *'' Gluck: Orfeo ed Euridice (Vienna Version, 1762 - Sung in Italian)'' (Decca, 1993) *'' Rossini: Il Viaggio a Reims'' (Sony Classical, 1993) *'' Mahler: Symphony No. 2'' (Decca, 1994) *'' Fauré: Requiem'' (Philips, 1995) *'' Purcell: The Fairy Queen'' (Teldec, 1995) *'' Monteverdi: L'Incoronazione di Poppea (Complete)'' (Archiv Produktion, 1996) *'' Britten: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 64'' (Philips, 1996) *'' Stravinsky: The Rake's Progress'' (Philips, 1997) *'' Ravel: Shéhérazade'' (Philips, 1998) *'' The Faces of Love - The Songs of Jake Heggie'' (RCA, 1999) *'' Tonight - Hits from the Musicals'' (Philips, 2000) *'' The Land Where the Good Songs Go'' (Harbinger, 2001) *'' Grieg: Peer Gynt - Incidental Music'' (EMI Classics, 2005) *'' Haydn: The Creation'' (Archiv Produktion, 2007) *'' Fauré: Requiem; Pavane'' (Decca, 2008) *'' Mozart: Requiem'' (Decca, 2011) *'' Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro'' (Deutsche Grammophon, 2011) With

*'' Sure Thing: The Jerome Kern Songbook'' (Philips, 1994) *'' Come Rain or Shine: The Harold Arlen Songbook'' (Philips, 1996) *'' From Ordinary Things; Cello Sonata, Four Songs, Two Remembrances, Vocalise'' (Sony Masterworks, 1997)

References

;Sources *"McNair, Sylvia" in ''Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians'', Eighth Edition, ed. Nicolas Slonimsky. New York: Schirmer Books, 1992. *"Sylvia McNair Recovering From Breast Cancer, Joining Indiana University Faculty" by Matthew Westphal. ''Playbill Arts'', 7 August 2006.
link

from Indiana University Media Relations *"Michael Feinstein, Sylvia McNair, et al. to Judge Songbook Vocal Competition, 6/12" by BWW News Desk. ''broadwayworld.com'', 4 June 2012.
link
*"High School Vocalists Set for Michael Feinstein's 2014 Great American Songbook Competition Tonight" by BWW News Desk. ''broadwayworld.com'', 25 July 2014.
link
*"Songbook Academy Mentors, Clinicians, and Musical Directors". ''The Great American Songbook Foundation''
link

External links

*

USA Today Article {{DEFAULTSORT:McNair, Sylvia 1956 births Living people 21st-century American women American operatic sopranos Jacobs School of Music alumni Jacobs School of Music faculty People from Mansfield, Ohio Grammy Award winners American musical theatre actresses Wheaton College (Illinois) alumni American music educators American women music educators Singers from Ohio Classical musicians from Ohio