Research Catalog

Title

Alberta Masiello papers, 1894-1990.

Author

Masiello, Alberta.

Supplementary Content

Finding Aid

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Callas, Maria, 1923-1977.
• Chapin, Schuyler.
• McArthur, Edwin.
• Cruz-Romo, Gilda, 1940-
• Metropolitan Opera Guild.
• Metropolitan Opera (New York, N.Y.)
• Metropolitan Opera (New York, N.Y.). National Council.
• National Opera Institute (U.S.)

Description

4.5 linear ft. (12 boxes)

Summary

The Alberta Masiello papers Masiello's personal correspondence and clippings, photographs and scrapbooks pertaining to the careers of her grandfather, Guiseppe La Puma and mother Giuseppina La Puma.

Subjects

• Clippings
• Baritones (Singers)
• Opera companies
• Vocal coaches
• La Puma, Giuseppe
• Correspondence
• La Puma, Giuseppina
• Photographs
• Masiello, Alberta
• Scrapbooks

Genre/Form

• Correspondence.
• Photographs.
• Clippings.
• Scrapbooks.

Source (note)

• Laurance, Tammi

Biography (note)

• Alberta Masiello (c.1916-1990), best know as a vocal coach and accompanist, was born in Milan, Italy, to a family of opera singers.

Language (note)

• The collection contains a substantial amount of correspondence and clippings in Italian.

Indexes/Finding Aids (note)

• Finding aid available in repository and on internet.

Call Number

JPB 03-13

OCLC

NYPT04-A20

Author

Masiello, Alberta.

Title

Alberta Masiello papers, 1894-1990.

Biography

Alberta Masiello (c.1916-1990), best know as a vocal coach and accompanist, was born in Milan, Italy, to a family of opera singers. Her grandfather, Giuseppe La Puma, worked with many famous opera singers and conductors. In addition to singing, he founded the Mascagni Center of Culture, where he taught piano and voice with his daughter (and Masiello's mother), Giuseppina La Puma.

Masiello was considered a child prodigy on piano and earned a degree from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Milan in 1932. She intended to follow in her mother's footsteps as a singer in America and she attended Juilliard for several years. She also taught there as an assistant instructor and accompanist, working with Paul Althouse and Mme. Anna Schoen-René, while doing private vocal coaching at home. During World War II she found some success in New York City as a folk singer, adopting a Spanish persona named "Yola." Her singing career continued after the war with major mezzo-soprano roles at the New York City Opera, Fort Worth Opera, and Wagner Opera Company. Within a few years she turned to the coaching and accompaniment side of opera, and worked for the Dallas Civic Opera and Chicago Opera (where she established a professional relationship with Maria Callas). She then began a long tenure at the Metropolitan Opera House. She earned the title of assistant conductor and worked there as a vocal coach. She continued to give private lessons, and taught master classes at the Mannes College of Music and Juilliard. Alberta Masiello was perhaps best know to opera audiences as a guest panelist on the Texaco Opera Quiz, a radio program that ran during intermission of Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts.

Language

The collection contains a substantial amount of correspondence and clippings in Italian.

Indexes

Finding aid available in repository and on internet. http://digilib.nypl.org/dynaweb/ead/music/musmasie

Connect to:

Request Access to Music & Recorded Sound Division Special Collections material

Finding Aid

Occupation

Baritones (Singers)

Added Author

Callas, Maria, 1923-1977.

Chapin, Schuyler.

McArthur, Edwin.

Cruz-Romo, Gilda, 1940-

Metropolitan Opera Guild.

Metropolitan Opera (New York, N.Y.)

Metropolitan Opera (New York, N.Y.). National Council.

National Opera Institute (U.S.)

Research Call Number

JPB 03-13