A Quintessential American Opera Singer
VAI Introduction of Ellen Faull - by David R. Maier
One bit of advice occasionally dispensed by
veteran singers to novices eager for success is that a singing career should be
pursued only if the singer would die otherwise. While most who hear this wisdom
view it as little more than hyperbole, for Ellen Faull it rings with a powerful
note of truth.
Born into a blue collar Pittsburgh family on October 14, 1918, Ellen Faull was
the youngest of five children, only three of whom survived early childhood. Her
childhood was troubled and isolated, made worse by her family’s destitution
brought on by the Depression. With the onset of adolescence, her difficulties
ripened into deeply entrenched phobias which severely limited her activities and
prevented her from attending high school until she was 18 years old.
Ms. Faull began to sing in early grade school. As early as 10 years old she was
rewarded for her musicality when she was selected as soloist and section leader
in her grade school choir. In the midst of all of her other difficulties, she
continued to sing through her teen years. As she did, her sense of self, and her
belief in life and its meaning and purpose, began to coalesce around her
singing. It was this she believes, that helped her to risk, to put all that she
was into her singing, and, ultimately, to succeed so brilliantly in her career
as a singer.
When she was 16, she had the opportunity to sing for Mildred Lissfelt, a
Pittsburgh vocal teacher and wife of a prominent music critic. It was through
the patronage of the Lissfelts that Ellen Faull received her first voice
lessons, was encouraged to attend the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia, and was
introduced to Eugene Ormandy. Ormandy, who heard her sing at the Lissfelts’
house, was so impressed with her artistry that he made his box available to her
at all of the Philadelphia Orchestra concerts, and hired her to sing with the
orchestra, while she was studying at Curtis.
After leaving Curtis, Ms. Faull moved to New York where she began to study with
Joseph Regnas. In the spring of 1947 she auditioned for Erich Leinsdorf, who was
seeking singers for work in Germany. Her audition, which occurred at New York
City Opera, was overheard by City Opera staff who invited her to return to sing
for the artistic director, Laszlo Halasz. She debuted as Donna Anna in Don
Giovanni that fall, beginning her 35-year association with City Opera.
Ms. Faull initially won wide acclaim for her Mozart roles, such as Donna Anna,
Countess Almaviva (Le Nozze di Figaro), and Firordiligi (Così fan
Tutte). But, through the insistence of Halasz’s successor, Julius Rudel, she
expanded her repertoire to include such bel canto and verismo
roles as Leonora (Il Trovatore), Mimi (La Bohème), Eva (Die
Meistersinger)and the title roles in Madama Butterfly and Aïda.
She portrayed Abigail in the premiere of Lizzie Borden, the mother in the
premiere of Carrie Nation, and Lady Billows in the U.S. premiere of
Albert Herring. Ms. Faull performed under the batons of many other notable
conductors, including Kousevitsky, Serafin, Krips, DeSabata, Goldovsky, and, in
a joint debut at San Francisco Opera, Georg Solti. She became one of the premier
American opera singers, performing in opera houses all over the country, and was
a frequent performer on nationwide Mutual Network radio broadcasts.
As her acclaim as a performer increased so did the call for her to teach. She
began teaching at Sarah Lawrence College, then at the Manhattan School of Music,
and, starting in 1980, she taught at the Julliard School of Music. Shortly after
her arrival at Julliard, she became the chair of the voice department, a
position she held until her departure in 1990. Her studio has included numerous
singers who now have prominent national and international careers, including
Faye Robinson, Veronica Villaroel, Jianyi Zhang, Hei-Kyung Hong, Dawn Upshaw,
Gianna Rolandi, Michaela Gurevich, Juliana Rambaldi, Tracey Welborn, and Victor
Benedetti.
It was at a post-performance party in 1951 that Ms. Faull met Dr. Maurice
Gordon, a well known New York psychiatrist whom she married in 1954. It was out
of their apartment on Central Park West in New York City that Ms. Faull
maintained her vocal studio and Dr. Gordon maintained his practice, with their
respective clients sharing the reception area.
In addition to being a devoted husband, Dr. Gordon was Ms. Faull’s staunchest
fan. It is solely because of his archival efforts that these recordings have
survived. The song I Know Where I’m Going, a favorite of his and included
on this disk, was performed for him as an encore at a Town Hall recital on
February 8, 1964.
In 1978 Ms Faull devoted herself to her teaching full-time. In 1990, she moved
to Camas, Washington to be closer to her daughter, Judith, and now enjoys
spending time with her infant twin granddaughters, Rachel and Sarah. At the age
of 80, and far from retirement, Ms. Faull has a full studio of vocal students,
and maintains ongoing relationships with prior students who travel from all over
the world to continue their work with her. In addition, she regularly accepts
offers to provide master classes for students as well as for vocal teachers.
Ms. Faull firmly believes in, and continues, the tradition of patronage that
made her own career possible, by generously dedicating her time and resources to
young singers. In October of each year she funds and produces the Ellen Faull
Gordon Vocal Competition, for singers who reside in the western United States.
In 1992 she founded, and has continued to participate in, the Bel Canto
Northwest Vocal Institute, held each summer at Portland State University in
Portland, Oregon.
As evidenced in these recordings, Ellen Faull’s soaring and crystalline voice
carried her passionate spirit and unsurpassed vitality, making her a
quintessential American opera singer. In most, this would be enough. But the
legacy of Ellen Faull is more than her own voice; it lives in the voices of
singers who, through her teaching and patronage, are now performing in opera
houses and concert halls around the world. Ellen Faull has dedicated herself to
the craft which saved her life.
For information about purchasing - ELLEN FAULL An American Soprano
(VAIA #1173)
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