Alberta Masiello
Alberta Masiello, was an assistant-conductor and opera coach at the Metropolitan Opera; a panelist in the Saturday afternoon Metropolitan Opera Quiz on the Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts, and teacher at the Juilliard School and at Mannes School of Music.
Family
Alberta Masiello was born in Milan, Italy. Her grandfather Giuseppe La Puma, was a Basso buffo opera singer who created the role of Cornelius in the world premiere of Pietro Mascagni’s opera Isabeau. La Puma also founded the Mascagni Centre of Culture. Giuseppe La Puma's daughter, was Giuseppina La Puma, who moved to New York in 1933 with Masiello. La Puma became impresario and changed her name to Josephine La Puma. Her 'La Puma Opera Workshop' in New York was an alternative to the established mainstream opera companies in the city, providing young artists, including Alberta Masiello, with professional opportunities. Alberta Masiello's father was the opera singer Ottavio Masiello.Life
Alberta Masiello studied singing with Fernanda Rapisardi in Milan, and piano with Renzo Lorenzoni at the Milan Conservatory,, with a diploma, 1932 and at The Juilliard School. Ernest Hutcheson, the president of Juilliard, took an interest in Masiello and helped her start a career as a pianist. After graduating from Juilliard, Masiello studied voice with Paul Althouse, Desire Defrere and Mme. Anna Schön-René.Margaret Mara describes Masiello in 1932 as "simple, unaffected in manner. Tall, lithesome, brown haired. Her dark eyes are eloquent as are her graceful hands which flutter expressively as she talks. She has not yet mastered our language and many times during our visit she called upon her mother for conversational assistance. For her mother has had eight years of residence in the United States while Alberta stayed in Milan with her maternal grandmother to finish her studies."
In 1934 Masiello worked as part of a twelve piano ensemble billed as the "twelve Grands" in Radio City music hall. She later performed using her married name, Alberta Masiello Bosco. Numerous recitals as pianist and accompanist, an activity spanning from 1939 when she performed at the White House, performances in Carnegie hall as well as recordings and broadcasts with singers till the 70s. Her husband, Joseph Bosco, died in 1966. In the early 1940s Masiello performed in clubs with Bertlies Weinschenk as the two-piano team, "Yola and Lisa". Between 1944 and 1949 Masiello sang mezzo-soprano roles in regional companies, including Amneris, Herodias and Azucena and Carmen at the New York City Opera Company and in Fort Worth. Her vocal career was brief. "I never liked my voice tremendously", she claimed.
Between 1949 and 1959 she worked at the New York City Opera, the Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Dallas Opera. Masiello joined the Metropolitan Opera in 1959. During her twenty-one-year tenure there she became an icon of what an assistant conductor can do. Osie Hawkins, Met executive stage manager, referred to her as 'an orchestra in herself', "for she had the reputation of being able to play the score of Pelléas et Melisande note perfect, not to mention a very convincing hot jazz repertory". At the Met she was also known for her wry humour. During a rehearsal for Carmen with the conductor Leonard Bernstein, "when the first verse of the "Habanera" ended and a break was called, she head-snappingly startled everyone on that stage by quietly breaking into the strains of the Chopin Funeral March. "An opinion or a prophecy?" someone inquired. "An opinion" was her enigmatic reply. She retired from the Met in 1981 and continued teaching opera singers, pianists and conductors until her death in 1990. In 1979 Masiello received the Award for Professional Excellence from the National Opera Institute. Her archive is at the New York Public Library.
Professional activity
During her lifetime Masiello prepared singers and conductors, such as Franco Corelli, Renée Fleming, Marko Lampas, Paul Plishka and Marilyn Horne. Masiello was instrumental in coaching Maria Callas during a vocal crisis, teaching her daily in her studio at the Juilliard School. As a pianist, she worked with June Anderson, Karan Armstrong Gilda Cruz-Romo, Gianna Rolandi, Katherine Ciesinski, Mario del Monaco, Jessye Norman, Samuel Ramey, Renata Tebaldi and Christine Weidinger.Masiello did not conduct opera performances, but worked with coaches and pianists at her master classes at the Juilliard School and running the opera department at Mannes. Among her coaching students are David Leighton, Ann Lewin, Ben Malensek, Anthony Manoli, Nic Muni and Eytan Pessen.