Basilides, Mária

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Basilides, Mária

Basilides, Mária, Hungarian contralto; b. Jolsva, Nov. 11, 1886; d. Budapest, Sept. 26, 1946. She was a student of József Sík at the Budapest Academy of Music. In 1911 she made her debut in Nougues’s Quo vadis? at the opening of the Budapest Municipal Theatre, and sang there until 1915. From 1915 until her death she was a member of the Budapest Opera. She also sang in various other European music centers and made frequent appearances as a concert artist, becoming especially known for her idiomatic performances of Bartók and Kodály. Her operatic repertoire was extensive, ranging from Monteverdi to contemporary scores. She was especially admired for her portrayals of roles in operas by Verdi and Wagner.

Bibliography

J. Molnár, B. M. (Budapest, 1967).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire