Reri Grist Opera singer, coloratura soprano Date of Birth: 29.02.1932 Country: USA

Biography of Reri Grist

Reri Grist, an opera singer and coloratura soprano, was born in 1932 in New York City, United States, into an African American family. From a young age, her parents noticed her exceptional acting talent, which combined with her beautiful voice promised a bright future for the young girl. However, the family did not have high hopes for her success, as the chances for a modest African American girl to become famous were extremely slim.

After graduating from the High School of Music and Art, Grist enrolled at Queens College, part of the City University of New York. After five years of studies, she obtained a Bachelor's degree in Arts. While studying at college, Grist also performed on Broadway, though she mostly received small roles. Nevertheless, she was not discouraged by this, as she had the opportunity to meet directors, screenwriters, and actors, including legends such as Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis, Lawrence Tibbett, and Eartha Kitt.

In her free time from studying and working, Grist took private vocal lessons from the renowned opera diva, Claire Gelda. Her first appearance on stage in an opera production was as Madame Herz in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera "Der Schauspieldirektor." Shortly after, in 1956, she appeared as Cindy Lou in the musical "Carmen Jones," directed by Oscar Hammerstein II. However, no role at that time brought Grist as much fame as the role of Consuelo in Leonard Bernstein's original production of the musical "West Side Story." The musical, which was considered a modern adaptation of the classic tragedy "Romeo and Juliet," was highly popular in the United States and remained on theater stages for a long time. The actors who participated in the first production of the musical became overnight sensations. For Grist, this success was even greater, as she became the performer of the song "Somewhere," which gained significant radio airplay after the musical's tremendous success.

In 1960, Grist performed the soprano part in Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 4 with the New York Philharmonic. The performance was recorded and released on one of the "Bernstein Century" series discs. By that time, Grist had developed a friendly relationship with Leonard Bernstein. He frequently invited her to perform in his musicals and introduced her to key figures in the music and theater industry in New York.

In 1959, Grist made her first appearance at the Santa Fe Opera as Adele in Johann Strauss's operetta "Die Fledermaus." She soon appeared on the same stage in a production of "Die Entführung aus dem Serail" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. After her performance, Igor Stravinsky, the famous Russian pianist and conductor, approached Grist and invited her to sing the lead role in his opera "The Nightingale" with the Washington Opera Society. At that time, Grist became the first African American singer to achieve such success, but she was determined not to stop there. In her debut European performance, she portrayed the Queen of the Night in Mozart's "The Magic Flute."

From 1960 to 1966, Grist performed with the Zurich Opera. Her most notable performances during this period included Gaetano Donizetti's "L'elisir d'amore," Richard Strauss's "Der Rosenkavalier," and Strauss's opera "Ariadne auf Naxos." Following her successful performances in Zurich, Grist appeared at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, singing the lead role in Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's opera "The Golden Cockerel."

In 1964, Grist made her debut at the Salzburg Festival, where she performed multiple times with various conductors. On February 25, 1966, she made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in "Barbiere di Siviglia." Other memorable performances included "Don Pasquale," "Les contes d'Hoffmann," and Giuseppe Verdi's famous opera "Rigoletto."

In 1991, Grist ended her opera career with a solo performance of Morton Feldman's opera "Neither." She currently serves as a vocal professor at Indiana University and the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Munich. Grist frequently participates as a judge in various vocal competitions and conducts masterclasses, such as the "Metropolitan Opera's Lindemann Young Artist Development Program" and other similar events.

Throughout her career, Grist has received numerous awards and honors, including the "Legacy Award" from the American Opera Association, the "Lifetime Achievement Award" from the Licia Albenese Foundation, and the title of "Bayerische Kammersängerin" from the Bavarian region in Germany.

It is known that Grist currently resides in Hamburg, Germany, with her husband, Dr. Ulf Thomson, who has held leadership positions in German opera theaters throughout his life.