Price Family History & Genealogy

Leontyne Price: A Legendary Met Career By Peter Clark Metropolitan Opera audiences began an extraordinary love affair with American soprano Leontyne Price immediately upon her debut on January 27, 1961. She was by then an internationally heralded singer and an experienced, refined musician and artist. But more than anything, it was the sheer beauty of her voice that excited her listeners. What they heard was a vibrant, glowing, yet never metallic tone that called forth adjectives like velvety, soft-grained, and elegant. Her vocal production seemed effortless, free, and soaring, with plentiful volume and an amazing dynamic control. And the timbre of her voice was unique, personal, and immediately identifiable—she sounded like no one else. At the age of 90, in a charming interview for the documentary film The Opera House, she commented on her own voice, remembering when she heard the reverberations for the first time in the new Met auditorium, saying, it was “so beautiful you just wanted to kiss yourself!” This was not a prima donna’s vanity, but a mere statement of fact. And the audiences wanted to kiss her too, for hearing Leontyne Price live was an experience not to be forgotten. Price was a known entity by the time of her Met debut. She had been brought to the attention of General Manager Rudolf Bing as early as 1952 when the young Juilliard graduate starred in a touring company of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess that also played on Broadway. Her vocal qualities had drawn critical admiration, and in 1953 she was invited to sing “Summertime” for a radio broadcast Met fundraising event, held at the Ritz Theater. Her growing career in Europe included debuts at the Vienna State Opera, London’s Royal Opera, the Salzburg Festival, and the Verona Arena. It was at the last of these that Bing heard her as Leonora in Il Trovatore and offered her a contract backstage afterwards, together with her co-star, tenor Franco Corelli. (Price and Corelli are pictured above with Bing.) Price’s Met debut, again as Leonora, met with critical approval as well as sensational public success. From Harold Schoenberg’s New York Times review: “Her voice, warm and luscious, has enough volume to fill the house with ease, and she has a good technique to back up the voice itself. She even took the trills as written, and nothing in the part as Verdi wrote it gave her the least bit of trouble … Voice is what counts, and voice is what Miss Price has.” Her triumphs continued as she took on new roles in the same season as her debut: the title roles in Aida (pictured at the top of this page from a 1965 performance) and Madama Butterfly (pictured above), and Donna Anna in Don Giovanni. Her performances were the phenomenon of the season as indicated in a Time magazine review of her Donna Anna: “If anybody was unhappy about her success, it was the Manhattan ticket brokers: obtaining Price tickets these days, they report, is about like wangling a reserved seat beside the first astronaut.” For her second Met season, Price was given the honor of a season opening new production of Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West (pictured above). Reaction to her first performance was positive, but at the second, she had to cancel after Act II. It was the only setback in her career, but the role of Minnie was perhaps a step too heavy for the still-young soprano. She carefully returned to more congenial repertory, wisely took a few months rest, and dropped the role of Minnie. Soon, she was back with new successes: Elvira in Ernani (1962), Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte (1965), and Amelia in Un Ballo in Maschera (1966). Then followed the greatest honor of all: Price was chosen to open the new Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center in 1966 as Cleopatra in the world premiere of Samuel Barber’s Antony and Cleopatra, composed specifically for the occasion. (Price is pictured above as Cleopatra, with Justino Díaz, who sang Antony.) While the opera did not garner much favor, Price had a personal triumph, and her status was confirmed as the company’s leading American soprano. But Leontyne Price was first and foremost a Verdi singer. More than half her 204 Met performances were as Verdi’s leading ladies. She added Leonora in La Forza del Destino (pictured above)—another of her finest roles—in 1967, and often repeated the Trovatore character of the same name. But it was as Aida that she was most famous and for which she set the standard still in force today. Her ability to shape Verdi’s melodies with a smooth legato and to approach the role’s high climatic notes without strain made her the unrivalled interpreter of the Ethiopian princess. She sang Aida for the opening night in 1969, again for a 1976 new production premiere, and finally for her own farewell performance in 1985. Price’s Met repertory of course included other composers as well. In addition to Don Giovanni and Così fan tutte, she sang Mozart’s Pamina in Die Zauberflöte. Puccini’s vocal style suited her less well than Verdi’s, but she was a notable Tosca (pictured above, with Cornell MacNeil as Scarpia), Butterfly, Liù in Turandot, and Manon Lescaut. She sang Tchaikovsky’s Tatiana in Eugene Onegin in English in 1964, and the title role in Richard Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos in 1979. Whenever Leontyne Price sang, it was an event. Among her most ravishing concerts were three performances she gave at the Met of Verdi’s Requiem, twice in 1964 in memory of the recently assassinated John F. Kennedy, and once in 1982 in memory of long-time Met assistant manager Francis Robinson. She also sang a special televised concert partnered by mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne with the Met Orchestra conducted by James Levine in 1982. It is impossible to speak of Price’s Met career without noting that she was the first African American superstar singer—one who was indispensable and around whom the company planned its season repertory. The legendary black contralto Marian Anderson had broken the Met’s color barrier in 1955, but she was at the end of her distinguished career and only sang one role in a handful of performances. As one of the company’s leading prima donnas, Price accompanied the Met on tour, including to several Southern cities where theaters were segregated. Her presence there was an important factor in changing the discriminatory policies. In fact, the rise of her Met career coincided with the Civil Rights Movement in the United States, and she was proud to be a part of it. Along with her exceptional artistic achievements, it remains part of her remarkable legacy. Peter Clark is the Met’s Director of Archives

Tabitha Dyann (Price) Putnam of Lawton, Oklahoma United States was born on September 23, 1990.

Elswin Porter Price (Dunn) Jr. was born on November 18, 1917, and died at age 87 years old on May 17, 2005.

Marli Lorane Price was born on July 19, 2011 to Lacy Lorane Reynolds and Cory Price, and has siblings Ashton James Zoucha-Price and Stella Vastine Price. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Marli Lorane Price.

Ashton James Zoucha-Price was born on May 15, 2009 to Lacy Lorane Reynolds and Cory Price, and has siblings Marli Lorane Price and Stella Vastine Price. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Ashton James Zoucha-Price.

Cory Price was born on September 15, 1982. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Cory Price.

Edythe Georgianna (Knight) Price of Michigan was born on November 11, 1888 in Prescott, Ogemaw County, and died at age 83 years old on June 6, 1972 in Pontiac, Oakland County.

Ida Price was in a relationship with Thomas Lutrick, and has children Lola Lutrick, Nola Lutrick, and Golda Lutrick. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Ida price.

Charles Rex Price of Michigan was born on September 13, 1888 in Warren, Macomb County, and died at age 76 years old in November 1964.

Helena Gertrude (Sheehan) Price of Inglewood Australia was born on October 18, 1912 in Bridgewater, Loddon Shire County, VIC, and died at age 101 years old in 2013 in Sandringham, City of Bayside County.

Sarah Barbara (Price) Gray of Corowa, Federation Council County, NSW Australia was born in 1879 in Echuca, Campaspe Shire County, VIC. She was married to George Gray in 1885, and had children Clifford George Edward Gray, John Edward George Gray, Vera Isabella Sarah Gray, and Alma Evelyn Margaret Gray. Sarah Gray died at age 65 years old in 1944 in Corowa, Federation Council County, NSW.

Elizabeth Ann (Price) Ford of Benalla, Benalla Rural City County, VIC Australia was born on November 5, 1855 in Gerang Gerung, Hindmarsh Shire County. She was married to William Henry Ford in 1871, and had children John Thomas Ford, Eliza Ann Ford Beattie, James Robert Ford, William Walter Ford, Herbert Ernest Ford, Sarah Jane Ford, Mary Ada Ford, Elizabeth Grace Ford, Emmie Ellen Ford, Hannah Olive Ford, George Richard Ford, and Daisy May Ford. Elizabeth Ford died at age 83 years old on December 29, 1938 in Benalla, Benalla Rural City County.

Michael Charles Price of Harrogate, England United Kingdom was born on September 25, 1964 in Harrogate to Jack Erwin Southers and Linda M Southers.

Alfred James Amos Price of Parkville, City of Melbourne County, VIC Australia was born on October 1, 1914 in Yeungroon, Buloke Shire County to Edith Amelia (Trigg) Price and James Amos Price. He had siblings Lavinia Rose Trigg, Myrtle Pearl Irene Trigg, Leslie Rupert Trigg, Mabel Doris Evelyn Trigg, Keith Owen Walter Price, Cecil William John Price, George Reuben Clarence Price, Percy Reginald Trigg, Ruby Ivy Rebecca Fanny Price Willoughby, and Elsie Irene Trigg. Alfred Price died at age 60 years old on October 14, 1974 in Parkville, City of Melbourne County.

Ruby Ivy Rebecca Fanny (Price) Willoughby of Morwell, Latrobe City County, VIC Australia was born on November 2, 1914 in Charlton, Buloke Shire County to Edith Amelia (Trigg) Price and James Amos Price. She had siblings Lavinia Rose Trigg, Myrtle Pearl Irene Trigg, Leslie Rupert Trigg, Mabel Doris Evelyn Trigg, Keith Owen Walter Price, Cecil William John Price, George Reuben Clarence Price, Percy Reginald Trigg, Alfred James Amos Price, and Elsie Irene Trigg. Ruby Willoughby married John Henry Palmer in 1939, and died at age 55 years old on June 4, 1970 in Morwell, Latrobe City County.

George Reuben Clarence Price of Foster, VIC Australia was born on June 21, 1920 in Charlton, Buloke Shire County to Edith Amelia (Trigg) Price and James Amos Price. He had siblings Lavinia Rose Trigg, Myrtle Pearl Irene Trigg, Leslie Rupert Trigg, Mabel Doris Evelyn Trigg, Keith Owen Walter Price, Cecil William John Price, Percy Reginald Trigg, Ruby Ivy Rebecca Fanny Price Willoughby, Alfred James Amos Price, and Elsie Irene Trigg. George Price died at age 60 years old on September 15, 1980 in Foster.

Cecil William John Price of Toora, South Gippsland Shire County, VIC Australia was born on June 27, 1919 in Charlton, Buloke Shire County to Edith Amelia (Trigg) Price and James Amos Price. He had siblings Lavinia Rose Trigg, Myrtle Pearl Irene Trigg, Leslie Rupert Trigg, Mabel Doris Evelyn Trigg, Keith Owen Walter Price, George Reuben Clarence Price, Percy Reginald Trigg, Ruby Ivy Rebecca Fanny Price Willoughby, Alfred James Amos Price, and Elsie Irene Trigg. Cecil Price died at age 89 years old on September 11, 2008 in Toora, South Gippsland Shire County.

Kathleen Mary (Tatt) Price of Meeniyan, South Gippsland Shire County, VIC Australia was born on December 5, 1922, and died at age 82 years old on October 15, 2005 in Meeniyan.

Keith Owen Walter Price of Meeniyan, South Gippsland Shire County, VIC Australia was born on May 19, 1918 in Charlton, Buloke Shire County to Edith Amelia (Trigg) Price and James Amos Price. He had siblings Lavinia Rose Trigg, Myrtle Pearl Irene Trigg, Leslie Rupert Trigg, Mabel Doris Evelyn Trigg, Cecil William John Price, George Reuben Clarence Price, Percy Reginald Trigg, Ruby Ivy Rebecca Fanny Price Willoughby, Alfred James Amos Price, and Elsie Irene Trigg. He married Kathleen Mary Tatt Price, and had a child Brenda Gail Price. Keith Price died at age 62 years old in 1980 in Meeniyan, South Gippsland Shire County.

Rebecca (Price) Gillies of Ballarat, City of Ballarat County, VIC Australia was born in 1871 in Ballarat to James Price and Francis Stella Kemp Price. She had siblings William John Price, Susannah Price Bennett, Alfred Price, and James Amos Price. Rebecca Gillies died at age 78 years old on February 28, 1950 in Ballarat.