Mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade continues to be extolled as one of the music world’s most beloved figures. Known to family, friends, and fans as “Flicka,” she has enriched the world of classical music for four and a half decades. Her career began at the top, when she received a contract from Sir Rudolf Bing during the Metropolitan Opera auditions, and since her debut in 1970 she has sung nearly all of her great roles with that company. In 1995, as a celebration of her 25th anniversary, the Metropolitan Opera created a new production of Pelléas et Mélisande for her.
She has appeared with every leading American opera company, and her career in Europe has been no less spectacular, with new productions mounted for her at Teatro alla Scala, Royal Opera Covent Garden, the Vienna State Opera, and the Paris Opera. She is invited regularly by the finest conductors to appear in concert with the world’s leading orchestras, and her ability as a singing actress has allowed her to portray wonderful works in operetta and musical theater. Her 70+ recordings have garnered six Grammy nominations and two Grand Prix du Disc awards, and in 1983 she was honored at The White House by President Reagan in recognition of her significant contribution to the arts.