Stader (originally, Molnár), Maria
Stader (originally, Molnár), Maria
Stader (originally, Molnár), Maria, Hungarian-born Swiss soprano; b. Budapest, Nov. 5, 1911; d. Zürich, April 27, 1999. She was orphaned and while still young was sent to Switzerland by the International Red Cross, where she was adopted by a family named Stader. She studied with Ilona Durigo in Zürich, Hans Keller in Karlsruhe, Giannina Arangi-Lombardi in Milan, and Thérèse Behr- Schnabel in N.Y. In 1939 she won first prize in the Geneva International Competition, but the outbreak of World War II that year prevented her from actively pursuing her career. When the War ended in 1945, she began to tour in Europe, principally as a concert artist. During the 1949–50 season, she sang the Queen of the Night at London’s Covent Garden. In 1954 she made her U.S. debut as a soloist with the Little Orch. Soc. Her engagements also took her to other North American music centers, as well as to Israel and the Far East. Following her retirement in 1969, she taught voice in Zürich. Her autobiography appeared as Nehmt meinen Dank. Stader was especially admired for her interpretations of Bach and Mozart, but she also was esteemed for her performances of works by A. Scarlatti, Gluck, Bruckner, and Mahler.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire