Frances Bible

Frances Bible as Octavian in Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier with the New York City Opera. Frances Lillian Bible (January 26, 1919 – January 29, 2001) was an American operatic mezzo-soprano who had a thirty-year career at the New York City Opera between 1948 and 1978. She also made a number of opera appearances with other companies throughout the United States, but only made a limited number of appearances abroad. Martin Bernheimer wrote in Opera News that, "Frances Bible was cheated by destiny. She never quite achieved the international recognition she deserved. Bible had it all—a mellow, wide-ranging mezzo-soprano, an attractive stage presence, genuine theatrical flair, a probing mind and a technique that allowed her to sing bel-canto filigree one night, Verdian drama the next. She was one of the rare American singers who savor the English language. She understood the value of economy, never stooping to easy effects. Perhaps she was too versatile, too tasteful and — dare one say it? — too intelligent for her own good."

Biography Bible was born and raised in Sackets Harbor, New York. She studied opera at the Juilliard School in New York City under Queena Mario and Belle Julie Soudant before making her professional opera debut in 1948 at the New York City Opera as the Shepherd in Giacomo Puccini's Tosca. Possessing a warm voice and vibrant stage presence, she became a favorite at that house during the time when Beverly Sills and Norman Treigle were also fixtures at the NYCO. She sang Cornelia to Sills's Cleopatra in the NYCO's 1967 production of Handel's Giulio Cesare which made Sills an international opera star.

In 1949 Bible appeared in the world premiere of William Grant Still's Troubled Island. Her first major successes at the NYCO were in 1950 as Amneris in Aida and Cherubino, a trouser role, in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro. Another major early triumph at the house was her first portrayal of Angelina in La Cenerentola in 1953. Her other appearances in San Francisco included Bersi in Andrea Chénier (1955), Octavian (1955, 1960), Elizabeth Proctor (1965), Siebel (1955), and the Watercress Vendor and the Chair Mender in Louise (1955). Two triumphs from the latter part of her career were performances of Mélisande in Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande at the Caramoor International Music Festival and Eglantine in a concert performance of Weber's Euryanthe with the New York Philharmonic, both in 1970.

On the international stage Bible made appearances at the De Nederlandse Opera and the Vancouver Opera. She sang in one production with the Vienna State Opera, the role of Amneris in 1963. She was on the roster of principal singers at the Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe during the 1963-1964 season, and she sang the role of Cherubino with the Scottish Opera in 1964. Her biggest success on the international stage were three lauded performances at the Glyndebourne Festival: the role of Cherubino in 1955 and the role of Ottavia at both the 1962 and 1963 festivals.

After her retirement from the stage, Bible taught on the voice faculty at Rice University in Houston. She later retired to Hemet, California where she died at the age of 82.