Nell Tangeman (21 December 1914 – 15 February 1965) was an Americanmezzo-soprano.
Tangeman was born inColumbus, Ohio. After earning a degree in violin performance fromOhio State University, she pursued vocal studies at theCleveland Institute of Music. She studied withFriedrich Schorr,Margaret Matzenaur, andNadia Boulanger. In 1946, she made her New York debut singing the role of Jocasta inIgor Stravinsky'sOedipus rex with theNew York Philharmonic under conductorLeonard Bernstein.[1] In 1947, she sang the New York premiere ofAaron Copland'sIn the Beginning with theCollegiate Chorale and conductorRobert Shaw.[2]
In 1951, Tangeman created the role of Mother Goose in the world premiere of Stravinsky'sThe Rake's Progress atLa Fenice in Venice.[3] The following year, she performed the role of Dinah in the world premiere of Bernstein'sTrouble in Tahiti at Berstein's Festival of the Creative Arts on the campus ofBrandeis University inWaltham, Massachusetts, to an audience of nearly 3,000 people.[4] In 1955, she performed the role of Teresa in theAmerican Opera Society's production ofVincenzo Bellini'sLa sonnambula atCarnegie Hall.[5] As a recitalist, she championed new works by American composers, most notablyNed Rorem, who wrote several works with her voice in mind.
She died in Washington, D.C., aged fifty, of unknown causes.[6] She made one recording during her career, performingArnold Schoenberg'sGurre-Lieder with conductorRene Leibowitz in 1951.[7]
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