Dr. Graciela Rivera is the first Puerto Rican to sing a lead role at the Metropolitan Opera in New York
Rivera, who was born on April 17, 1921, in Ponce, Puerto Rico, enjoyed singing as a child. Her father was a church pastor who would often play in his record player the opera music of Caruso. He owned a piano and when he played she would sing church hymns with her mother. she was considered very talented by her family and teachers alike.
Her family moved to Cataño and later to Santurce, a section of San Juan, where she finished her primary and secondary education. She was a student at Santurce Central High School when she auditioned and participated in school productions of “The Magic Flute”, “Il trovatore”, “Rigoletto”, “Lucia di Lammermoor” and “Aida” (Ms. Rivera believes these were the only operas ever produced by a high school anywhere in the world). She delighted audiences in Puerto Rico with her soprano voice in concerts which she organized. She planned to use the money obtained from these concerts to pay for her studies at the Juilliard School of Music in New York City.[1]
[edit]Broadway
Rivera moved to New York after she graduated from high school. She enrolled at Juilliard’s and took voice classes, piano lessons, music theory, harmony and composition, graduating in 1943. Upon the outbreak of World War II, she sang for the American troops overseas as a member of the Red Cross.
In 1945, she was given the role of Adele in the musical “Rosalinda”, a Broadway version of Johann Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus. Rivera traveled to France and Germany with the production. That very same year she made her operatic debut as Rosina in “The Barber of Seville” by Gioachino Rossini at the New Orleans Opera.
[edit]New York Metropolitan Opera
In December 1951, she became the first Puerto Rican to sing a lead role at the New York Metropolitan Opera as Lucia in the production of Lucia di Lammermoor. She earned accolades for her performance from critics around the world. In 1953, Rivera was proclaimed “Citizen of the Year” by the City of New York.
In 1954 Rivera was featured as a guest singer in Name That Tune. In 1956, she performed at the Theater of the University of Puerto Rico and one of her back-up singers was a young fellow Puerto Rican by the name of Justino Diaz, who would someday also become a renowned opera singer. That same year Rivera was presented with a special recognition by the Government of Puerto Rico.
In 1959, Rivera returned to New York where she had a weekly radio show at WHOM. She traveled regularly between New York and Puerto Rico, in Puerto Rico she participated in the IV Pablo Casals Festival.
[edit]Later years
In 1992, she was appointed Assistant Professor at the Hostos Community College. She taught Puerto Rican music, Italian and Spanish. She also held conferences at Hunter College, Rutgers College and Lehman College.
In 1993, Rivera earned her Doctorate Degree in Humanities from the Catholic University of Ponce and in 1996 she was bestowed with a Honoris Causa from Lehman College.
I lived next to her brother in Queens he was like a grandfather/father to to me. I met Graciela Rivera twice.
With all that she has done in her life, god called her to sing in front of all nations in unity.
I was very touched by your account of Graciela Rivera’s life on my computer. Would be nice to know where, when, and what she died of. Thanks so much,
José A Buil
PD,
Would like to see some pictures of her in youth and career.
I could very easily be a bit confused… but I seem to have the impression that the first opera I ever attended was probably at the age of 14 or 15. The opera was The Magic Flute performed at the Civic Opera in Chicago by the (touring) San Carlo Opera Company — probably in 1944 or 1945.
I have the impression that Graciela Rivera performed as Papagena in this production.
She made a lasting impression.
Can anyone confirm the accuracy of this distant memory?
There seems to be some confusion about this Graciela Rivera. My mother is Graciela Rivera, the one that was the first Puerto Rican to sing at the Met, the one that was on Name that Tune (although perhaps not in the year referenced), the one that later taught at Hostos Community College, but NOT the woman pictured with a Grammy (which my mother was never honored with).
My mother is very much alive and resides with me in New Jersey and will be celebrating her 90th birthday this April.
I’m a bit disturbed by the confusion.
Hello Ginny,
I was wondering about Da. Graciela and found the previous comment of yours. I’m glad she is doing well with you. Give her a big birthday wish from us. She came to our home in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico with a friend of hers (Sockie Colon) to sing and play our piano several years ago. We have a picture of her signing our piano. She is great!!
Hola Ginny,
I went to Wikipedia’s page on your beloved mother and made the corresponding corrections (eliminated the erroneous reference to her “death”) but a few days later the changes were reverted…
Glad your Mom is alive and looking forward to her 90th birthday next April.
As part of my ongoing research for the upcoming page on your illustrious mother on my Ponce website (www.travelponce.com) I went to the municipal archives and to my surprise there I found (and photographed) her handwritten (short) autobiography in their “Plaza Graciela Rivera” files.
Blessings!
It was so wonderful to hear of Graciela Rivera, and the probable corrections and confusions in the commentary. I’d love to see a realpicture of her. Does someone have one? Thanks from the bottom of my heart.
I would like to know the date when she passed. A friend told me about her passing and I was surprised that I did not see a report on El Nuevo Día or the New York Times.
She was loved by many in Puerto Rico and in New York!!!!!
My Mother, Graciela Rivera, on July 17, 2011 went to be with the Lord. She is at peace now. Her obituary can be found at boakesfuneralhome.com.