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Maria Louise Ewing, Lady Hall (March 27, 1950 – January 9, 2022) was an American opera singer. In the early part of her career she performed solely as a lyric mezzo-soprano; she later assumed full soprano parts as well. Her signature roles were Blanche, Carmen, Dorabella, Rosina and Salome. Some critics regarded her as one of the most compelling singing actresses of her generation.[1]

Key Information

Early life and education

[edit]

Maria Louise Ewing was born in Detroit, Michigan, on March 27, 1950.[2] She was the youngest of four daughters of Hermina Ewing, née Veraar, a Dutch-born homemaker, and Norman Isaac Ewing, an electrical engineer at a steel company.[2][3] Her father claimed to be of Sioux descent,[2][3] but he was the son of parents who were each mixed-race, part European and part African.

An episode of the genealogical television show Finding Your Roots devoted to Ewing's daughter, the actress Rebecca Hall, revealed that Norman was the son of John William Ewing, born into slavery, and as an adult a prominent figure in the African-American community of Washington, DC. He was a descendant of Bazabeel Norman, a notable Black veteran of the American Revolutionary War.[4]

(Rebecca Hall's interest in her mother's ethnicity inspired her to make a film, Passing, adapted from a 1920s novel by Nella Larsen. The two African-American women protagonists are each of mixed race, but one has chosen to pass as white and has a white husband who does not know of her African ancestry.[2]) According to Ewing's former husband, her father's African roots caused her family so much anxiety that a particularly dark-skinned relative of theirs was forbidden from visiting their home during the hours of daylight.[5] Ewing was unembarrassed by her racial make-up, regarding her African roots not with shame but with pride.[5]

Ewing's parents were both musical enthusiasts: her mother was a keen collector of classical recordings, and her father played the piano well enough to attract an audience of admiring neighbors.[6] Ewing's own musical education began with piano lessons when she was thirteen.[6] As well as playing solo piano pieces, she sometimes acted as an accompanist for one of her sisters, Frances, occasionally singing duets with her; their mother was sufficiently impressed by her voice to encourage her to complement her keyboard work by studying singing too.[6] Coached by a local voice teacher, Ewing joined the alto section of the chorus at her Detroit high school—Jared W. Finney High School[3]—and was soon participating in and winning singing competitions.[6]

When she was seventeen, she became a pupil of Marjorie Gordon, a coloratura soprano (not to be confused with an English Gilbert and Sullivan soprano of the same name).[6] After only a year of teaching Ewing, Gordon suggested that she should apply to take part in Oakland University's Meadow Brook Music Festival.[6] She auditioned for the role of Maddalena in a production of Rigoletto that was to be conducted by a young James Levine.[6] Their meeting proved to be wonderfully serendipitous: Levine was so struck by her expressive power that he assured her that she had the potential to become a major artist.[6] For her part, she found in him a teacher, mentor, guide, champion and friend.[6] In order to study with Levine, she sought and won a scholarship at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where her other instructors included soprano Eleanor Steber.[6] After she graduated in 1970, Levine urged her to continue her training in New York City as a private pupil of the great mezzo-soprano Jennie Tourel. Ewing supported herself by working in offices and clothing stores.[6]

Career

[edit]
James Levine in 2013

Ewing began her professional life as a lyric mezzo-soprano. Her debut was as Rosina in an English-language production of Il barbiere di Siviglia in Detroit in 1970, staged by a company now known as the Michigan Opera Theatre.[7] (She returned to the role many times, including at Houston Grand Opera in 1976 and 1983,[8] at Glyndebourne Festival Opera in 1981 and 1982[9] and at the Metropolitan Opera in 1982.[10]) After three years of gradually building a career as a recitalist, concert artist and opera performer, she made her first appearance at a high-profile venue on June 29, 1973, when she starred at the Ravinia Festival singing a program of songs by Alban Berg accompanied by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and conducted by Levine. "I cannot remember a young singer who has excited me more on a first hearing", wrote the Chicago Tribune's Thomas Willis. "Still in her early twenties, she has the clear stamp of greatness in every movement and tone".[11]

The first leading opera company that engaged Ewing was San Francisco's. She was their Mercédès in Carmen in 1973, and their Sicle in Francesco Cavalli's Ormindo in 1974.[12] In 1975, Santa Fe Opera presented her in Così fan tutte as Dorabella,[13] one of the parts with which she became most closely associated: she was highly praised in the role both at Glyndebourne in 1978[9] and at the Metropolitan Opera, with Levine on the podium, in 1982.[10] In his history of Glyndebourne, Spike Hughes remembered Ewing's Dorabella as "a particular joy, with a natural gift of timing and an enchantingly comical face",[14] while for Levine, Ewing was "the funniest, most stylish Dorabella you could imagine, absolutely sensational".[15]

It was as Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro that Ewing first appeared in Europe, playing the farfallone amoroso at Salzburg in 1976; she repeated the role there in 1979 and 1980.[16] It was as Cherubino too that she first sang at the Metropolitan Opera on October 14, 1976, in a production to which she returned in 1977.[10] In his autobiography, the director Lotfi Mansouri remembered Ewing at this stage in her career as "an alluring mezzo who could convince audiences possibly better than anyone else that her enchantingly sung Cherubino was really a boy".[17] She offered another Mozart trousers role in 1977, when she sang Idamante in his opera seria Idomeneo at the San Francisco Opera.[12] In 1980 and 1984, she appeared in his second da Ponte work when she was Zerlina in Don Giovanni at the Geneva Opera[18] and the Met respectively.[10] Her other bel canto mezzo-soprano role was Angelina in La Cenerentola (Houston Grand Opera, 1979;[19] Geneva Opera, 1981[18]).

As Ewing's career in opera progressed, her choice of parts became ever more eclectic, spanning the gamut from seventeenth century works by Monteverdi and Purcell to twentieth century pieces by Shostakovich and Poulenc. Ultimately she went so far as to adventure beyond the boundaries of her mezzo Fach and sing as a soprano too. Among the parts that she assumed were the title role in La Périchole (San Francisco Opera, 1976;[12] Geneva Opera, 1982 and 1983[18]); Blanche in Dialogues des Carmélites (Metropolitan Opera, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1987[10]); Mélisande in Pelléas et Mélisande (La Scala, 1977;[20] San Francisco Opera, 1979[12]); Charlotte in Werther (San Francisco Opera, 1978[12]); the Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos (Glyndebourne Festival Opera, 1981;[9] Metropolitan Opera, 1984 and 1985[10]); Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro (Geneva Opera, 1983;[18] Lyric Opera of Chicago, 1987[21]); Poppea in L'incoronazione di Poppea (Glyndebourne Festival Opera, 1984 and 1986[9]); the title roles in Carmen (Glyndebourne Festival Opera, 1985 and 1987;[9] Metropolitan Opera, 1986;[10] Royal Opera House, 1991[22]), Salome (Los Angeles Opera, 1986;[23] Royal Opera House, 1988;[22] Lyric Opera of Chicago, 1988;[21] San Francisco Opera, 1993[12]), Die lustige Witwe (Lyric Opera of Chicago, 1986 and 1987[21]), Tosca (Royal Opera House, 1991[22]) and Madama Butterfly (Los Angeles Opera, 1991[1]); Didon in Les Troyens (Metropolitan Opera, 1993 and 1994[10]); Katerina Ismailova in Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk (Metropolitan Opera, 1994[10]); Dido in Dido and Aeneas (Hampton Court, 1995[24]); Marie in Wozzeck (Metropolitan Opera, 1997[10]); the title role in Fedora (Los Angeles Opera, 1997[1]); and the Queen of the Fairies in Iolanthe (Gielgud Theatre, London, 2008[3]). It was for her performance in Salome that she attracted the warmest plaudits, not least for the succès de scandale that she achieved in the opera's notorious Dance of the Seven Veils. At Los Angeles in 1986, she ended Salome's strip-tease with her modesty protected by a gold lamé G-string, but at Covent Garden two years later, she dispensed with even that minimal concession to prudery and became one of the few opera singers to dare full-frontal nudity.[3] "I felt the G-string was vulgar," she said. *I think the nudity is more pure. It's a mixture of purity and decadence, that's what's so fascinating."[3]

The non-operatic music that Ewing performed was as diverse as her theatrical repertoire: it included Berg's Sieben Frühe Lieder,[16] Berlioz's La damnation de Faust,[20] Debussy's La damoiselle élue and Trois ballades de François Villon [fr],[16] Mozart's Great Mass in C minor[25] and Verdi's Quattro pezzi sacri.[25] She could be as dramatic in concert as when performing as a singing actress—the conductor Simon Rattle recalled her interpretation of Ravel's Shéhérazade as "easily the most X-rated Shéhérazade you can imagine".[3] Her recital repertoire extended from an aria by Handel to art songs by Debussy, Duparc, Schubert and Wolf.[18] As regards genres of music outside the classical realm, she had an especial affection for jazz ever since being introduced to it by Dave Brubeck's Take Five at the age of eight;[3] she sometimes spent an entire night compulsively listening to one jazz record after another.[26] During the BBC Proms festival of 1989 she performed cabaret numbers with Richard Rodney Bennett,[3] and her videography includes a DVD of her performing with the band Kymaera at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London.[27]

Personal life

[edit]
Ewing's daughter, Rebecca Hall, photographed in 2016

Ewing's relationship with the English director Sir Peter Hall began when they worked together in a production of Così fan tutte at Glyndebourne in 1978.[5] He found her "delightful, provocative and very, very attractive; formidable too, but wonderfully funny".[26] For her, "it was a meeting of minds and sympathies".[6] "We played piano duets", Hall recalled, "and found that we both hated the dead conventions, the laziness and the silliness of much opera production".[26] When Hall visited her in New York the following year, their friendship metamorphosed into romance:[28] "I am deeply in love with Maria Ewing", he confided to his diary on Christmas Day. "We plan to make our life together in the new year when she will come to London".[29] They married on Long Island on Valentine's Day, 1982.[6] Their only child, Rebecca – who grew up to become a successful actress – was born three months later.[30] Hall described his time with Ewing as "years of passion, of highs and lows, excitements and despair".[28] "Her blazing integrity and refusal to compromise do not make her an easy person to live with", he wrote.[28] "The mixture of our two volatile natures and our two careers... made for a turbulent life, sometimes gloriously happy, sometimes acutely miserable".[31] They separated in 1988 and Hall began a relationship with Nicki Frei, a press officer at London's National Theatre.[3]

Hall and Ewing were divorced in 1990.[32] Ewing never remarried, but in her later years she had a platonic relationship with Amir Hosseinpour, a Tehran-born director and choreographer.[3]

In 2003, Ewing lived in Sussex, England.[33]

Reputation

[edit]

Opinions of Ewing were extremely diverse. Lotfi Mansouri thought her "highly gifted", but described her conduct in San Francisco Opera's 1993 production of Salome as "a nightmare...She became difficult, stubborn, and wrongheaded. In the easier sections, she would drag the rhythms, then rush like crazy in the more difficult parts... Married to Sir Peter Hall at the time, she expected to be addressed as 'Lady Hall', then put a sign on her dressing room saying that she was not to be spoken to at all".[17] The critic and musical historian Peter G. Davis condemned her 1986 Metropolitan Opera Carmen as "a loopy Gypsy who might have just landed from the moon as she lurched spastically from one scene to the next without allure, consistency, credibility, or vocal distinction. That Ewing continued to be taken seriously over the next decade in the face of ongoing vocal collapse, whooping and scooping through one part after another, only indicated how decadent the Farrar-Garden tradition had become".[34]

On the other hand, Simon Rattle praised her as "the most interesting singing actress of the stage".[6] Despite a six-year hiatus in their friendship when he broke a promise to cast her in a new production of Carmen at the Met,[6] James Levine never ceased to admire her: "She had the whole gift: brilliant on the stage, brilliant musician, brilliant linguist, very striking timbre. Maria started off with maybe the most full-scale and versatile gifts of any artist I ever worked with, able to sing every language, every style, recital, oratorio, opera, the whole business".[15]

Peter Hall too always remained as enthusiastic about Ewing's art as he was when he first collaborated with her. "Her whole being is about performing, and truthful performing. She can only work with complete commitment and honesty... Her performances are incandescent. Even if you don't like them you cannot ignore them... Some people cannot take her highly personal approach; they say she pulls the music about, remaking it in her own image. This is not true; she is a meticulous musician. But her need to express leads her to emphasise and inflect outside the well-bred norm...She is a disturbing performer, a star".[28] "She is not a well-mannered artist and does not live her life calmly. I love her for that."[31]

Death

[edit]

Ewing died of cancer at her residence near Detroit on January 9, 2022, at the age of 71.[2][35]

Recordings

[edit]

Videography

[edit]

Discography

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Maria Ewing

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Maria Louise Ewing (March 27, 1950 – January 9, 2022) was an American opera singer of African-American and Dutch parentage, celebrated for her and roles at major venues including the , Festival, , and . Born in to an African-American father, engineer Norman Ewing, and Dutch-born mother Hermina Maria Veraar, she debuted professionally under and built a career spanning Mozart's Cherubino and Dorabella to more dramatic figures like and . Ewing's performances drew acclaim for their dramatic intensity and physical commitment, often pushing boundaries with nudity and unreserved emotional expression, as in her , which elicited both praise and debate. Her vocal versatility allowed transitions from lyric mezzo roles like Rosina in to parts such as Mélisande in Debussy's , performing in works by composers including Puccini, Berlioz, and Berg. She made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 1976 as Cherubino in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro, accumulating 96 appearances there through 1997. In , Ewing married British theater director Peter Hall in 1982, collaborating with him on productions like and Le nozze di Figaro; they divorced in 1990. Their daughter, actress , has publicly reflected on family heritage involving racial identity. Ewing retired from in the late , succumbing to cancer at her home.

Early life

Family background and childhood

Maria Louise Ewing was born on March 27, 1950, in , , the youngest of four daughters born to Hermina Veraar, a Dutch immigrant, and Norman Ewing, an African-American who worked as an and amateur . Her sisters were Norma, Carol, and Frankie, with an additional half-brother, Pierre, from her father's prior marriage. The family resided in a modest amid 's industrial landscape, reflecting a working-class setting shaped by her father's employment in the steel sector. Ewing's early exposure to music stemmed from her father's avocation as an and painter, fostering a creative home environment. At age eight, she encountered her first jazz recording, the Dave Brubeck Quartet's "," which ignited her musical curiosity. As a child in a mixed-race household during the 1950s, Ewing navigated racial hostilities, including prejudice from neighbors directed at her father and the necessity for his darker-skinned relatives to visit only after dark to evade tensions. This context of secrecy and indeterminate family identity marked her formative years in a city marked by industrial growth and social divides.

Education and initial training

After graduating from Finney High School in in 1968, Ewing pursued formal vocal training at the , attending from 1968 to 1970. There, she studied voice primarily with soprano Eleanor Steber and mezzo-soprano Jennie Tourel, honing her technique during this foundational period. Her training emphasized lyric repertoire, aligning with her early and preparing her for operatic demands without yet venturing into professional engagements. Following her departure from the Institute in 1970, Ewing continued private instruction with Jennie Tourel in , extending her mezzo-soprano specialization into the early 1970s. This phase built on her foundation, focusing on interpretive depth and technical precision under Tourel's guidance, though specific scholarships or competition wins from this era remain undocumented in primary accounts.

Career

Debut and breakthrough roles

Ewing made her professional operatic debut in 1973 at the Ravinia Festival near Chicago, performing with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under James Levine. She subsequently appeared at regional U.S. houses including those in Miami, Boston, and Cologne before singing Dorabella in Così fan tutte at the Santa Fe Opera from August 9 to 22, 1975. In 1976, she debuted at the as Cherubino in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro, marking her entry into major international venues. That same year, Ewing entered the European opera circuit with the role of Cherubino at the , a part she reprised there in 1979 and 1980, indicating early repeat engagements. Her 1978 Glyndebourne Festival debut as Dorabella in Così fan tutte further solidified her trajectory, leading to ongoing appearances at the venue through the early 1980s. These foundational roles as a lyric mezzo-soprano, particularly in Mozart repertory, positioned her for broader recognition while still in her twenties.

Major opera performances

Ewing portrayed the title role in Bizet's at the in a new production directed by her husband Peter Hall, opening on March 10, 1986, which highlighted her commanding stage presence and physical commitment to the gypsy character's sensuality and defiance. Her assumption of Salome in Richard Strauss's opera, first in Hall's production at Opera in 1986—where she performed the entirely nude, stripping away veils and costume to embody the character's erotic obsession—drew widespread notice for its raw intensity and was revived at in 1988 under the same direction. Throughout the 1990s, Ewing essayed Puccini's in multiple venues, including the Royal Opera House in on July 8, 1991, with Justino Díaz as Scarpia, and again there on December 11, 1995; she also appeared as Floria Tosca opposite in on April 24, 1991, emphasizing the role's emotional volatility and tragic heroism. In Shostakovich's Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, she sang Katerina Ismailova at the Metropolitan Opera during the 1994–1995 season, delivering a portrayal of the adulterous protagonist's descent into murder and despair that underscored her affinity for psychologically complex antiheroines. These roles, often in collaboration with Hall's stagings and paired with conductors like Edward Downes for Salome revivals, solidified her reputation at major houses including the Met, where she accumulated 96 performances from 1976 to 1997, and extended her reach through international engagements such as Salome at San Francisco Opera in 1993.

Later career and transitions

In the 1990s, amid signs of vocal strain from years of demanding dramatic soprano and mezzo-soprano roles, Ewing shifted toward less physically taxing formats such as recitals and orchestral concerts, emphasizing repertoire like Mahler, Brahms, and Broadway standards. Her final appearance at the Metropolitan Opera occurred on December 13, 1997, as Marie in Alban Berg's Wozzeck, marking the end of her 96 performances there spanning two decades. Ewing diversified her output with a 1990 recording of American songbook standards, From This Moment On, accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under Neil Richardson and featuring arrangements by Richard Rodney Bennett; the album included a Cole Porter medley, "All the Things You Are" by Jerome Kern, and "Come Rain or Come Shine" by Harold Arlen. This foray highlighted her interpretive versatility beyond opera, though it drew mixed responses for blending her operatic timbre with lighter material. By the early 2000s, Ewing had largely retired from major operatic productions, with her voice retaining emotional depth but diminished power, as observed in recitals at London's in 2002 and in 2004. One of her last stage appearances came in 2008 as the Queen of the Fairies in a gala at House, signaling a graceful transition away from full-scale performances.

Artistic approach

Vocal technique and range

Maria Ewing began her career as a lyric , characterized by a rich, warm lower register and powerful middle voice that lent emotional depth to roles like Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro. Her training at the from 1968 to 1970 under Jennie Tourel, a renowned mezzo-soprano known for expressive phrasing, and Eleanor Steber, a emphasizing vocal flexibility, contributed to her technical foundation in seamless register transitions and dynamic control. This allowed her to cultivate a distinctive smoky with precise pianissimos and forceful fortes, enabling extended phrasing without breath interruptions. Ewing's vocal range extended sufficiently to encompass both mezzo-soprano and soprano repertoire, a versatility uncommon for voices starting in the lower female category. In mezzo roles, her technique emphasized chest-dominant resonance for dramatic intensity in the lower octave, while soprano extensions relied on head voice blending for highs up to high C, though critics occasionally noted unevenness or strain in sustained top notes due to the lighter inherent mezzo quality. By the mid-1980s, she transitioned to heavier soprano parts such as Salome and Tosca, restructuring her light mezzo production—likely through intensified support and resonance adjustments—to achieve greater projection and durability in larger houses, sustaining a career into the 1990s despite the physical demands. This evolution prioritized vocal stamina over pristine ease in upper passages, reflecting a pragmatic adaptation informed by empirical feedback from repeated performances rather than unaltered natural endowment.

Dramatic interpretation and innovations

Ewing's dramatic approach to prioritized the integration of vocal delivery with physical and psychological realism, viewing the medium as a unified form where directly informed musical interpretation. She argued that the manner of singing a role inherently shaped its dramatic execution, rejecting compartmentalized classifications of in favor of holistic character embodiment. In her performances of , Ewing eschewed the conventional "sexy-gypsy" archetype, instead portraying the protagonist as a multifaceted, brooding figure whose volatility and inner turmoil drove the , a choice that provoked polarized reactions for its departure from clichéd seductiveness. This interpretation extended to her physicality, emphasizing raw psychological intensity over stylized allure, as evidenced in her productions where she conveyed seduction through brooding menace rather than overt charm. A hallmark innovation came in her 1986 Salome at the Los Angeles Opera, directed by her then-husband Peter Hall, where Ewing culminated the Dance of the Seven Veils in full nudity to expose the character's primal vulnerability and obsession, aligning with a psychological reading of the role as one of unshielded emotional nakedness. This decision, supported by her physical suitability for the demands of the choreography, marked a bold escalation in operatic staging toward literal realism, though it ignited debate over boundaries in performance authenticity.

Personal life

Marriages and relationships

Maria Ewing married English theatre director Peter Hall on February 14, 1982, following their meeting during collaborations at the Glyndebourne Festival Opera. The union, which produced one child born later that year, ended in divorce in 1990 amid reports of Hall's affair with his assistant Nicki Frei. Despite the acrimonious split, Ewing and Hall maintained a friendship until his death in 2017. No subsequent marriages or long-term partnerships for Ewing are documented in public records.

Family and heritage

Maria Ewing was born on March 27, 1950, in , , to Hermina Maria Veraar, a homemaker of Dutch origin born in , and Norman Isaac Ewing (1894–1968), an electrical engineer of African American descent who worked at McLouth Steel. Her paternal lineage included African American ancestry, with genealogical research later revealing connections to enslaved forebears, including a great-great-grandfather owned by his own father, debunking Norman Ewing's long-held self-presentation as having Native American heritage. This mixed heritage—European maternal and African American paternal—shaped her background amid Detroit's mid-20th-century racial dynamics, though her light skin often led to ambiguous perceptions of her identity. Ewing herself identified strongly with her Black roots, expressing pride in her African ancestry despite her appearance and her father's earlier claims to Native American identity, which she later clarified as inaccurate based on family history. She alluded publicly to both potential and American Indian elements in her lineage but emphasized her unembarrassed embrace of African heritage, viewing it without shame. As the youngest of four daughters, Ewing grew up with sisters Norma Koleta, Carol Pancratz, and Francis Ewing, who remained part of her extended family network into adulthood; all three outlived her. The family home fostered an environment of musical enthusiasm from both parents, influencing her early exposure to the , though siblings pursued non-performing paths post-childhood.

Reception

Acclaim and achievements

Ewing garnered critical praise as a compelling singing actress, renowned for her seductive portrayals and idiosyncratic intensity in roles like , , and the title character in Shostakovich's Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk. Her performances emphasized dramatic commitment, earning descriptions as daring, original, and electrifying from outlets including the and . A hallmark achievement was her sustained presence at the , where she delivered 96 performances across leading roles from her 1976 debut as Cherubino in Mozart's through her 1997 farewell as Marie in Berg's , spanning over two decades despite a mid-career hiatus. The company hailed her as a highly compelling of the late , particularly for interpretations like Blanche de la Force in Poulenc's Dialogues des Carmélites, which she originated in the Met's 1977 premiere production. In recordings, Ewing received a 1995 Grammy nomination for Best Opera Recording for her portrayal of Katerina Ismailova in Shostakovich's Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, underscoring her versatility across and repertory. Her discography, featuring roles in , Bizet, and Debussy, has endured as exemplars of integrated vocal and theatrical artistry, with selections routinely cited in retrospective recommendations for their interpretive depth.

Criticisms and controversies

Critics have frequently noted limitations in Ewing's vocal technique, particularly its perceived lack of power and technical precision in demanding soprano roles. Reviewers described her voice as not always equal to the strenuous demands of parts like , where it sometimes strained under pressure despite her dramatic commitment. Some observed an idiosyncratic approach to phrasing, "touching on notes rather than hitting them foursquare," which prioritized expressive nuance over conventional firmness but alienated listeners expecting unyielding vocal security. Ewing's interpretations often emphasized raw physicality and intensity, leading detractors to argue that her acting overshadowed vocal shortcomings, with one commentator dismissing her style as compensatory "glaring and writhing" in roles like to mask instrumental inadequacies. This approach clashed with traditionalist expectations of as primarily a vocal , prompting accusations of over-dramatization that verged on excess in pursuit of psychological realism. A notable controversy arose from Ewing's performances in Richard Strauss's , where she stripped to full during the in Peter Hall's production, first implemented around 1986 and reprised in 1992 at . Ewing defended the choice as her own, essential for the character's authentic vulnerability and rejecting a "vulgar" alternative in favor of what she likened to the elegance of ; however, it provoked public backlash for its explicitness, generating a sensation and debate over boundaries between artistic truth and indecency in staging. While some praised the boldness as integral to the opera's themes of obsession and , others viewed it as gratuitous, contributing to walkouts and amplifying divisions between modernist interpreters and audiences favoring restraint.

Death

Final years and passing

Ewing resided in her later years at her home in , near her birthplace of . She died there on January 9, 2022, at the age of 71. The cause was cancer, according to statements from family spokeswoman Bryna Rifkin and a representative for her daughter . Some reports described the illness preceding her death as brief.

Public response and legacy impact

Following her death on January 9, 2022, Maria Ewing received widespread tributes in major outlets emphasizing her dramatic intensity and innovative fusion of acting with vocal performance. The New York Times obituary highlighted her as a "dramatically daring opera star" who brought an actor's sensibilities to roles, refusing to merely stand and sing, while NPR described her as known for "dramatic intensity" in operas by Strauss and Bizet. The Guardian noted both acclaim and controversy for her "seductive portrayals and frequently idiosyncratic" style, underscoring a legacy marked by bold risks rather than uniform consensus. A family statement released via her representatives described Ewing as "an extraordinarily gifted artist who by the sheer force of her talent and will catapulted herself to the most rarefied heights of the international stage," reflecting personal acknowledgment of her self-made ascent from roots. Industry figures echoed this, with praising her as a "distinctive and striking singer" whose rare acting-singing hybrid created "compelling stage presence," influencing perceptions of operatic heroines. No large-scale public memorials were widely reported, though her daughter drew indirect legacy ties, as Ewing's intensity partly inspired Hall's 2021 film Passing. Ewing's long-term impact persists in discussions of actor-singer integration, with post-2022 analyses citing her as a pioneer who redefined complex roles through physical and emotional commitment, inspiring hybrid performers in and beyond. Her heritage also amplifies regional pride, as local opera communities in 2025 continue to reference her "electrifying stage presence" in educational and commemorative contexts, measuring influence via sustained citations in critiques rather than quantifiable metrics. Variances in tributes highlight selective emphasis—some prioritize vocal daring over technical purity—yet her model of immersive interpretation endures as a benchmark for authenticity in vocal art.

Recordings and media

Discography

Maria Ewing's audio discography features select studio recordings of operatic roles spanning and repertory, issued primarily by , (later Warner Classics), and Chandos, with emphasis on dramatic interpretations in works by Mozart, Debussy, Shostakovich, and Purcell. Her contributions include parts in sacred and orchestral vocal works, alongside full portrayals captured in the and before her from the stage around 1997.
YearWorkRoleConductorOrchestra/ChorusLabel
1989Mozart: RequiemSoprano ILeonard BernsteinBavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and ChorusDeutsche Grammophon
1991Debussy: Pelléas et MélisandeMélisandeClaudio AbbadoVienna Philharmonic OrchestraDeutsche Grammophon
1994Shostakovich: Lady Macbeth of MtsenskKaterina IsmailovaMstislav RostropovichLondon Philharmonic Orchestra and Ambrosian Opera ChorusWarner Classics (EMI)
1995Purcell: Dido and AeneasDidoRichard HickoxCollegium Musicum 90Chandos
Posthumous compilations and reissues, such as selections from her operatic roles on and , appeared in streaming catalogs like by 2010, drawing from earlier masters but adding no new material. These releases highlight her versatility but remain secondary to the core studio operas listed above, with no full audio recordings of roles like Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro identified in primary label catalogs despite live performances.

Videography and filmed performances

Ewing's videography captures her distinctive physicality and theatrical commitment, allowing analysis of her fluid, animalistic movements and unreserved emotional exposure, which distinguished her from more restrained interpreters. These recordings, often derived from live stage productions, preserve her emphasis on visceral embodiment over vocal polish alone, as seen in roles demanding or raw sensuality. A landmark filmed performance is her in the House's 1992 production directed by Peter Hall, conducted by and released on DVD by Opus Arte. Ewing's portrayal features a controversial fully nude , stripping away veils progressively to reveal the character's unbridled obsession, a choice that intensified the opera's erotic horror and drew both acclaim for authenticity and debate over excess. This video, sourced from live stagings originating in 1988 and refined through 1992, remains widely available for streaming and purchase, offering detailed views of her contorted gestures and hypnotic gaze during the final scene's decapitation fixation. Her appears in a 1989 arena from London's , directed for video with Luis Lima as Don José, emphasizing her seductive hip isolations and predatory prowling in the Habanera and card scene, formats that highlight her unamplified physical dominance in a non-theatrical space. This release, available on DVD, underscores her gypsy's feral allure without orchestral intimacy, prioritizing visual spectacle. A 1991 video further documents similar traits, though less circulated. Additional filmed excerpts include her Rosina in the 1982 Festival production of Il barbiere di Siviglia, where agile pairs with playful physicality in "Una voce poco fa," accessible via archival clips, and her Sister Constance in Dialogues des Carmélites from the , a 1970s-1980s era broadcast snippet revealing restrained piety contrasting her bolder roles. These, alongside , form core visual archives for studying her range, with no major posthumous releases announced by 2025 but sustained availability through databases and streaming platforms like Video Library.

References

  1. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/12/arts/music/maria-ewing-dead.html
  2. https://www.npr.org/sections/deceptivecadence/2022/01/11/1072186661/opera-singer-maria-ewing-dead
  3. https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-59952356
  4. https://www.rogerebert.com/tributes/maria-ewing-1950-2022
  5. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/jan/12/maria-ewing-obituary
  6. https://www.gramophone.co.uk/classical-music-news/article/the-singer-maria-ewing-has-died
  7. https://www.thestage.co.uk/obituaries--archive/obituaries/obituary-maria-ewing-distinctive-and-striking-opera-singer
  8. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/jan/10/maria-ewing-dies-aged-71-peter-hall
  9. https://people.com/music/maria-ewing-opera-singer-mom-of-actress-rebecca-hall-dead-age-71/
  10. https://operawire.com/obituary-mezzo-soprano-maria-ewing-passes-at-71/
  11. https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/maria-ewing-obituary-fdvddcjx8
  12. https://www.vogue.com/article/rebecca-hall-passing-film
  13. https://open.spotify.com/artist/3r1sV9kpvfuoCj2tjBSUll
  14. https://www.santafeopera.org/bio/maria-ewing/
  15. https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/music/news/maria-ewing-death-tributes-dan-stevens-b1990921.html
  16. https://archives.metopera.org/MetOperaSearch/search.jsp?q=%2522Maria%2520Ewing%2522&PERF_ROLE=Carmen&src=browser&sort=PDATE
  17. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1986/03/11/Carmen-returns-to-Met-Opera/4325510901200/
  18. https://www.deseret.com/1995/1/22/19154795/new-laser-video-preserves-ewing-s-classic-salome/
  19. https://www.wqxr.org/story/five-notorious-performances-dance-seven-veils
  20. https://www.rohcollections.org.uk/performance.aspx?performance=17988
  21. https://www.rohcollections.org.uk/performance.aspx?performance=6568
  22. https://www.operaonvideo.com/tosca-sevilla-1991-maria-ewing-placido-domingo-justino-diaz/
  23. https://www.operaclick.com/speciali/tribute-maria-ewing-1950-%25E2%2580%2593-2022
  24. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2022/01/11/maria-ewing-opera-singer-revered-dramatic-talents-thrilled-covent/
  25. https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/articles/4476--obituary-maria-ewing-1950-2022
  26. https://www.metopera.org/information/memorial/maria-ewing/
  27. https://www.avpress.com/news/newsline/opera-singer-maria-ewing-71-dead/article_60d5a592-74ed-11ec-8d74-8b032680b318.html
  28. https://www.discogs.com/release/8529405-Maria-Ewing-Royal-Philharmonic-Orchestra-Richard-Rodney-Bennett-Neil-Richardson-From-This-Moment-On
  29. https://countermelodypodcast.com/index.php/2023/01/12/episode-179-the-pop-stylings-of-maria-ewing/
  30. https://app.studyraid.com/en/read/41623/1915923/analyzing-ewings-mezzo-soprano-to-soprano-transition
  31. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-11-08-ca-1-story.html
  32. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-04-18-ca-1967-story.html
  33. https://www.nytimes.com/1989/04/20/arts/review-opera-maria-ewing-in-strauss-s-salome-in-los-angeles.html
  34. https://www.dailynews.com/arts-and-entertainment/20170221/review-los-angeles-opera-reprises-a-steamy-salome/
  35. https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2022/01/12/maria-ewing-multifaceted-opera-singer-dies-71/
  36. https://www.rogerebert.com/chazs-blog/passing-director-rebecca-hall-learns-the-truth-of-her-family-history-on-finding-your-roots
  37. https://ethnicelebs.com/maria-ewing
  38. https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2021/11/13/rebecca-hall-passing-netflix/
  39. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2022-01-12/opera-singer-maria-ewing-dies-at-71
  40. https://grammy.com/artists/maria-ewing/12406
  41. https://www.classical-music.com/features/recordings/maria-ewing-the-singers-best-recordings
  42. https://parterre.com/2019/03/27/say-it-soft-and-its-almost-like-praying/
  43. https://www.vanfuneral.com/obituaries/Maria-L-Ewing?obId=23652740
  44. https://www.facebook.com/detroitoperahouse/posts/maria-ewing-was-a-detroit-born-opera-icon-whose-performances-captivated-audience/1055216653308904/
  45. https://www.discogs.com/release/9700356-Mozart-Marie-McLaughlin-Maria-Ewing-Jerry-Hadley-Cornelius-Hauptmann-Chor-Symphonie-Orchester-Des-Ba
  46. https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN%200586
  47. https://music.apple.com/us/artist/maria-ewing/294090
  48. https://www.operadis-opera-discography.org.uk/CLMONOZZ.HTM
  49. https://www.naxosvideolibrary.com/title/OAR3108D
  50. https://www.opusarte.com/catalogue-detail?projectcode=5207
  51. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0256363/
  52. https://www.ebay.com/itm/256799478088
  53. https://www.operaonvideo.com/singer/ewing-maria/
  54. https://www.metopera.org/discover/video/?videoName=maria-ewing-in-dialogues-of-the-carmelites&videoId=6291282464001
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