Boatwright, Helen (née Strassburger)
Boatwright, Helen (née Strassburger)
American soprano and teacher; b. Sheboygan, Wise, Nov. 17, 1916. She began her training with Anna Shram Irving, and later studied with Marion Sims at Oberlin (Ohio) Coll. After making her operatic debut as Anna in an English language production of Nicolai’s Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor at the Berkshire Music Center in 1942, she appeared in opera in Austin and San Antonio (1943–5). In 1943 she married Howard Boatwright, with whom she often appeared in concert. She taught in New Haven (1945–64), and in 1965 became adjunct prof. of voice at Syracuse Univ. In 1967 she made her N.Y. recital debut at Town Hall. She was prof. of voice at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. (1972–79) and at the Peabody Cons, of Music in Baltimore (1987–89); also gave master classes.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire