Thebom, Blanche (b. 1918)

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Thebom, Blanche (b. 1918)

American mezzo-soprano. Born Sept 19, 1918, in Monessen, PA, to Swedish-American parents; studied under Margaret Matzenauer and Edyth Walker.

Made professional debut at a recital in Sheboygan, WI (1941); sang with the Philadelphia Orchestra as well as in countless small towns, followed by contracts with Minneapolis Symphony (1943) and NY's Town Hall (1944); appeared in musical sequence in film When Irish Eyes Are Smiling (1944); debuted at Metropolitan Opera (1944), then performed regularly at the Met, usually in dramatic roles, to rave reviews; made numerous recordings and was frequently featured on classical radio programs; was the 1st American to sing with Bolshoi Opera in Moscow; joined music faculty of University of Arkansas (1960s); retired from stage (1970); named director of Hot Springs National Park Foundation for Performing Arts (1973); founded Opera Arts Training Program in San Francisco (1988) and served as its director.

See also Women in World History.