Neblett, Carol (papers), 1954-2017

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Summary

Title:
Carol Neblett papers
Dates:
1954-2017
Creators:
Neblett, Carol and Schermerhorn, Stefan
Abstract:
This collection includes a select number of professional files of opera singer and Opera Chapman artist-in-residence Carol Neblett.
Extent:
3 Linear feet 8 containers total (6 legal-sized document boxes, 1 half legal-sized document box, and 1 flat box)
Language:
While a majority of the papers are in English, Series 3 and 4 include materials in Spanish, German, French, or Italian.
Preferred citation:

[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], Carol Neblett papers (2019.012.s.r), Frank Mt. Pleasant Library of Special Collections and Archives, Chapman University, CA. For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection includes a select number of Neblett's professional files: correspondence, business papers, season schedules, materials regarding the Opera Chapman program, her curriculum vitae (resume), TV appearance materials, papers regarding recordings, newspaper clippings of her in reviews and features, performance programs, and audio recordings of her performances.

Biographical / historical:

Carol Neblett (1946-2017) was a world-renowned American operatic soprano whose career spanned more than forty years. She was born in Modesto, California on February 1, 1946 and raised in Redondo Beach, California. Neblett attended classes at University of California at Los Angeles, University of Southern California, and El Camino College. At nineteen, she made her professional debut at Carnegie Hall in New York singing Handel's Esther and shortly after she sang the role of the Angel in Ottorino Respighi's Laud to the Nativity at the Los Angeles Music Center.

Neblett went on to appear around the world in major roles with opera companies in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Buenos Aires, Vienna, Salzburg, and Hamburg, as well as the Royal Opera in Covent Garden, London. Throughout her career, she sang leading and prominent roles in La Bohème, Manon Lescaut, Louise, Don Giovanni, Marriage of Figaro, Faust, and Tosca, among others. She also made countless recordings.

Neblett notably sang in Tosca in 1976 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago with Luciano Pavarotti. Another highlight of Neblett's career was singing the part of Minnie in La Fanciulla del West with Plácido Domingo in 1977 for Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee celebration in Covent Garden. She made her Metropolitan Opera (Met) debut in 1979 as Senta in The Flying Dutchman and continued to sing with the Met until 1993. In Neblett's varied career, she appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and on a televised tribute to George London at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

In the academic world, Neblett was associate director of Opera Chapman, as well as artist-in-residence and a faculty member of the Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music in Chapman University's College of Performing Arts in Orange, CA. She also conducted master classes for young artist programs across the United States.

Neblett studied under several prestiguious teachers and coaches, such as Lotte Lehmann, George London, Rosa Ponselle, Alice Ehlers, Esther Andreas and Jascha Heifetz, who was her musical mentor and friend for more than 30 years.

In her personal life, Neblett was involved with the National Association of the Teachers of Singing (NATS) and performed in charity concerts for causes including AIDS and homeless mothers. She was married and divorced three times. Carol Neblett passed away on November 23, 2017 and was survived by a son, Stefan Schermerhorn and a daughter, Adrienne Akre Spear. She was predeceased by daughter Marianne Akre.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Adrienne Akre and Stefan Schermerhorn, in July 2018 and July 2019. Transferred from Dr. Peter L. Atherton, Robert and Norma Lineberger Endowed Chair of Music in the Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music at Chapman University's College of Performing Arts.
Processing information:

Processed by Annie Tang and Claudia Horn in November 2019. Biographical note written by Horn. Last updated by Victoria Perez as of February 2023.

Files were left predominantly in Neblett's original organization.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged into four series:
  • Series 1, Correspondence, 1971-2012
  • Series 2, Project files, 1954-2017
  • Series 3, Ephemera, 1962-2016
  • Series 4, Audio recordings, 1972-1995

Folders within the series are predominantly arranged in chronological order.

Series 1's correspondence materials are further divided by type of correspondent into files on Opera colleagues, Columbia Artists Management, Inc. (CAMI), Fan mail, "Neblett correspondence," Children fan mail, and Business correspondence.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Bibliography:

Cariaga, Daniel. "From Budding Violinist to Operatic Diva: American Soprano Carol Neblett Sings Her First Aida Tonight." Los Angeles Times, January 29, 1988. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-01-29-ca-26449-story.html.

Chapman University, College of Performing Arts. "Meet Artist-in-Residence Carol Neblett." January 31, 2012. https://blogs.chapman.edu/copa/2012/01/31/meet-artist-in-residence-carol-neblett/.

Chapman University, College of Performing Arts. "Passing of Artist-in-Residence Carol Neblett." November 28, 2017. https://blogs.chapman.edu/copa/2017/11/28/passing-of-artist-in-residence-carol-neblett/.

Royal Opera House. "Carol Neblett, Performance Database Search." Accessed January 31, 2023. https://rohcollections.org.uk/SearchResults.aspx?searchtype=performance&performance=17170&person=carol%20neblett.

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Annie Tang, Claudia Horn
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-02-24 12:50:20 -0500 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

There are no restrictions on the use of this material except where previously copyrighted material is concerned. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain all permissions.

Preferred citation:

[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], Carol Neblett papers (2019.012.s.r), Frank Mt. Pleasant Library of Special Collections and Archives, Chapman University, CA. For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.

Location of this collection:
One University Drive
Orange, CA 92866, US
Contact:
(714) 532-7719
speccoll@chapman.edu
Website