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Opera
singer earns
honorary doctorate
Opera
luminary Pamela South was awarded an honorary doctorate
of fine arts degree from UM during May 18 Commencement ceremonies.
A
native of Salmon, Idaho, and a UM alumna, South left the
University for the stages of the world's great opera companies,
beginning her career with the San Francisco Opera.
While
in Montana in the late 1960s and early 1970s, South sang
country-western music at local venues before being discovered
and recruited as a student by UM voice Professor Esther
England. A former rodeo queen, South performed in many musical
theater and opera productions in Missoula.
The
New York Times has described South as a "strong, sure
and ... compelling actress with nothing short of vocal brilliance."
In
March 2001, South returned to UM to headline the inaugural
production of Odyssey of the Stars, a School of Fine Arts
gala event celebrating the artistic successes of past and
present students. At that time she was inducted into the
School of Fine Arts Hall of Honor.
Since
hitting the big time, South has performed with opera companies
throughout the United States and Europe and has been featured
in such places as New York's Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center
and Washington, D.C.'s Kennedy Center for Performing Arts.
She
has sung key roles in operas including "Carmen,"
"La Boheme," "Don Giovanni," "The
Merry Widow" and "Madama Butterfly."
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