Grace Hoffman
The American mezzo-soprano Grace Hoffman was born in Cleveland Ohio in 1925 and was educated at Western Reserve University in her native city. She then studied voice with Friedrich Schorr in New York and Mario Basiola in Milan. After her stage debut in the United States as Lola in Cavalleria rusticana, she sang in Florence (1951) and Zurich (1953-55) before becoming a member of the Württemberg State Theatre in Stuttgart in 1955. In March 1958 she made her Metropolitan Opera debut in New York as Brangäne in Tristan und Isolde. She also appeared at La Scala in Milan, Covent Garden in London (regularly between 1959 and 1971), Bayreuth (1957-70), and the Vienna State Opera. In 1978 Grace Hoffman became professor of voice at the Hochschule für Musik in Stuttgart. She was noted for her performances of the music of Wagner and Verdi, particularly for her roles of Brangäne, Kundry (Parsifal), and Eboli (Don Carlo). She also sang extensively in the concert hall.
