Jean Fenn(1928-2021)
- Actress
American lyric soprano of Swedish and English parentage, noted for her wide range and polished technique. She was the daughter of George Fenn and Maurine Louise Hansen. Her sister, Marie Story (née Fenn), likewise, pursued an operatic career. Jean graduated from Stephens College in Missouri with a B.A. and subsequently moved to Los Angeles, where she completed further studies in opera at Los Angeles City College. In addition, she was privately tutored by the Italian coloratura soprano Amelita Galli-Curci and received voice training under the auspices of Sigmund Romberg and Erich Wolfgang Korngold.
Fenn made her professional singing debut in 1952 as Musetta in Puccini's opera La Bohème at the San Francisco Opera. She reprised this role after joining the ensemble of the Metropolitan Opera in November of the following year. During her tenure with the Met (1953-70), she headlined in Massenet's Manon, Puccini's Tosca, and, as Rosalinde, in Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss. With the Seattle Opera, she performed as Desdemona in Othello and, again as Tosca, with the Philadelphia Grand Opera Company (both in 1967). In the 50s and 60s, Fenn was also a regular cantatrice with the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera.
Her screen work was sparse. It consisted of an appearance in the Mario Lanza musical drama Sérénade (1956) and the lead in an episode of Producers' Showcase (1954), entitled Rosalinda (a comedy-operetta of mistaken identity, based on Die Fledermaus, produced by Edwin Lester for the Los Angeles-San Francisco Light Opera Association). She also featured several times as a guest on variety and musically-themed shows
Despite the substantial body of her work, Jean Fenn never succeeded in becoming one of the preeminent divas of opera.
Fenn made her professional singing debut in 1952 as Musetta in Puccini's opera La Bohème at the San Francisco Opera. She reprised this role after joining the ensemble of the Metropolitan Opera in November of the following year. During her tenure with the Met (1953-70), she headlined in Massenet's Manon, Puccini's Tosca, and, as Rosalinde, in Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss. With the Seattle Opera, she performed as Desdemona in Othello and, again as Tosca, with the Philadelphia Grand Opera Company (both in 1967). In the 50s and 60s, Fenn was also a regular cantatrice with the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera.
Her screen work was sparse. It consisted of an appearance in the Mario Lanza musical drama Sérénade (1956) and the lead in an episode of Producers' Showcase (1954), entitled Rosalinda (a comedy-operetta of mistaken identity, based on Die Fledermaus, produced by Edwin Lester for the Los Angeles-San Francisco Light Opera Association). She also featured several times as a guest on variety and musically-themed shows
Despite the substantial body of her work, Jean Fenn never succeeded in becoming one of the preeminent divas of opera.
