Donald Morgan

Biography / Administrative History

The mezzo-soprano Belva Kibler (1914-1983), was born in California and trained at the Cincinnati Conservatory. Her early appearances in Los Angeles included the West Coast premiere of Prokofieff?s Alexander Nevsky under the baton of Otto Klemperer. In New York she was consistently successful as a soloist with Arthur Mendel?s Cantata Singers with whom she performed Bach?s St. Mathew and St. John Passions, the Christmas Oratorio and the Mass in B minor. In 1951 she undertook a recital tour through Germany and Austria, and was very favorably received. Kibler was the chosen performer for several productions of contemporary works such as Benjamin Britten?s Rape of Lucretia in which she sang the coveted role of Lucretia for the American premiere and as Ann in Virgil Thomson?s Mother of us all. She also appeared in the film of Gian Carlo Menotti?s The Medium as Mrs. Gobineau and performed and recorded Schoenberg?s F?nfzehn Gedichte aus Das Buch der h?ngenden G?rten.

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