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In a career that spanned opera houses, concert halls, television screens, and even international diplomacy, Roberta Peters emerged as one of America’s most enduring classical performers. Best known for her dazzling coloratura soprano and magnetic presence, Peters helped bring opera out of the concert hall and into the living room, most memorably through her numerous appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.
Born Roberta Peters in the Bronx, in 1930 to Jewish immigrant parents, Peters grew up in a modest household with big dreams. Her gift for singing was recognized early, and at just 13, she began voice lessons with renowned vocal coach William Herman, whose disciplined training laid the technical foundation for her rising career.
That foundation would soon be put to the test, and launch her into the spotlight. Though her official Metropolitan Opera debut was scheduled for early 1951, in the role of the Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute, fate intervened. On November 17,1950, soprano Nadine Conner fell jill, and Peters was asked, with little notice and no rehearsal, to step into the role of Zerlina in Mozart’s Don Giovanni. She stepped onto the stage that night, a virtual unknown, and walked off a star.
What followed was one of the most remarkable operatic careers of the 20th Century. With Peters singing in more than 500 performances at the Metropolitan Opera over 20 different roles, she became one of the most frequent female performers in the company’s storied history. Her voice, known for its clarity, pinpoint accuracy, and effortless high notes, was perfectly suited to the challenging coloratura roles. Vocally, she could navigate those demanding arias filled with runs and impossible vocal leaps with ease and control.
She brought to life roles like Golda in Rigoletto, Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor, Susanna in the Marriage of Figaro, and of course, the Queen of the Night, each performance reinforcing her reputation as a vocal technician of the highest caliber. She sang not only opera but also operettas and musical comedy, performing around the world and representing the United States on cultural missions, including tours of the former Soviet Union. In Moscow, she made history as the first American born singer to be awarded the Bolshoi Medal.
While opera lovers revered her for her vocal gifts, it was television that helped make Roberta Peters a national treasure. She made 41 appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, more than any other classical performer. At a time when opera was still considered elite and inaccessible, Peters made the art form more welcoming and approachable. Whether performing arias by Mozart or Bellini,or singing lighter, less demanding songs for TV audiences, she brought technical brilliance and charm to every performance.
Peters had a rare ability to make audiences feel like she was singing just for them, even through a TV screen. Off stage, she was just as dynamic, admired for professionalism, near perfect attendance, and also her generosity. She championed arts education, performing for U.S. presidents and advocating for public funding of the arts, and establishing the Roberta Peters Scholarship Fund at Ithaca College’s School of Music, which supports outstanding young vocalists.
Peters was also active in Jewish community causes, and regularly gave benefit performances for medical research, including AIDS and cystic fibrosis. Her service earned national recognition, in 1991, President George H.W. Bush appointed her to the National Council on the Arts, and in 1998, President Bill Clinton awarded her the National Medal of Arts at the White House. She also served on the boards of the Metropolitan Opera Guild at Carnegie Hall,and remained deeply involved in the arts world even after retiring from full-time performances.
When Roberta Peters passed away in 2017 at the age of 86, the Metropolitan Opera issued a heartfelt statement mourning the loss of its most cherished artist. “We extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to her family and friends,” the Met said, “and to the millions of opera lovers whose lives she touched with her performances.” Her passing was felt not only in the opera world, but by generations of television viewers who first discovered her through The Ed Sullivan Show. Appearance after appearance, she brought classical music into American homes with elegance and unmatched talent, helping to make opera more accessible, familiar and loved.