Alberta Masiello

Alberta Masiello
Alberta Masiello in operatic costume
Background information
Born	(1915-11-20)20 November 1915 Milan, Italy
Died	25 December 1990(1990-12-25) (aged 75) New York
Genres	Classical
Instruments	Piano, Voice
Years active	1932–1989

Alberta Masiello (20 November 1915 – 25 December 1990), 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.

Alberta Masiello was born in Milan, Italy. Her grandfather Giuseppe La Puma (1870–1940), was a Basso buffo opera singer who created the role of Cornelius in the world premiere of Pietro Mascagni’s opera Isabeau (1911). La Puma also founded the Mascagni Centre of Culture. Giuseppe La Puma's daughter (Masiello's mother), 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.

Alberta Masiello studied piano with Renzo Lorenzoni at the Milan Conservatory, (Conservatorio di musica "Giuseppe Verdi" di Milano), 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 worked with Paul Althouse and Mme. Anna Schoen-Rene. 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 (also known by her married name as Lys Simonette, and after 1945 Kurt Weill’s assistant) as the two-piano team, "Yola and Lisa" (the Mexican sisters). 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. 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 (where Masiello collaborated with Maria Callas in her capacity as chorus conductor). 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 (San Francisco). Her archive is at the New York Public Library.