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Patricia Neway

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Vocalist

The Resume

    (September 30, 1919-January 24, 2012)
    Born in Kensington (Brooklyn), New York
    Operatic soprano
    Made her debut with the New York City Opera in 'The Dybbuk' (April 10, 1951)
    Originated the roles of Magda Sorel in Gian Carlo Menotti's 'The Consul' (1950-51) and the Mother Superior in Broadway's ‘The Sound of Music’ (1959-60)
    Other Broadway credits include 'La Vie Parisienne' (1942-43), 'The Rape of Lucretia' (1948-49) and 'Maria Golovin' (1958-59)
    Won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical (1960)
    Performed in NBC's 'Carousel' telecast as Cousin Nettie (1967)

Why she might be annoying:

    At six feet, she towered over most of her co-stars - man or woman.
    When 'The Sound of Music' was adapted for film, she was unavailable to reprise her role as the Mother Abbess or just was never asked in the first place (because Peggy Wood was cast instead of her).
    Peggy Wood went on to receive an Oscar nomination for her performance in the movie, even though her singing had to be dubbed by Margery McKay (well, that had to be an awkward conversation).
    Her whereabouts in the last decades of her life were a mystery for years (her family had to reach out to the Internet confirm she was still alive).

Why she might not be annoying:

    She sang opposite Beverly Sills and Leontyne Price.
    She was one of the few performers of her day to enjoy equal success both on Broadway and in the Opera.
    Her performance in the original Broadway run of 'The Consul' was critically acclaimed and ran for 269 performances at The Ethel Barrymore Theater throughout 1950.
    She was a favorite of Rodgers' and Hammerstein's - playing three of their shows' pivotal 'mother figure' roles.
    She was the first performer to ever sing the iconic 'Climb Every Mountain' (for many, it remains the song's quintessential recording).
    She performed at the Opera-Comique in Paris, both in the title role of Puccini's 'Tosca,' and as Katerina in Alfano's 'Risurrezione' (widely accepted to be the two greatest performances of her career).
    She retired relatively early in 1970, spending the next forty years living comfortably in rural Vermont with her second husband.

Credit: BoyWithTheGreenHair


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