Opera Singer Maria Ewing Dies at 71

BroadwayWorld is saddened to report that opera singer Maria Ewing has died at age 71. Ewing sang soprano and mezzo-soprano, and was also the mother of actress Rebecca Hall.

Ewing made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in 1976 in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro. Her repertoire includes Carmen, Dorabella in Mozart's Cosi fan tutte, Salome, the title role in L'incoronazione di Poppea, Marie in Berg's Wozzeck and Shostakovich's Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk.

Ewing's discography includes video versions of Salome, L'incoronazione di Poppea, and Carmen and audio versions of Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk and Pelléas et Mélisande. She has also recorded concert music by Ravel, Berlioz and Debussy and programs of popular American song. She played Rosina in a Glyndebourne production of Il barbiere di Siviglia (1982), available on DVD. Her starring performance in the Metropolitan Opera's 1987 production of Dialogues of the Carmelites was also recorded and made available as a stream.

Ewing has also sung jazz in live performance, including appearances with the band Kymaera at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London.