Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, November 11, 1994 TAG: 9411110037
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
The collection of songs by such composers as Bellini, Ravel, Mahler, Pfitzner and Tchaikovsky is sponsored by the Fine Arts Center of the New River Valley as the first in a planned Winter Concert series. There is no charge for attending, although contributions to defray expenses will be accepted.
Kettler had studied with a number of vocal talents throughout the world.
She first studied voice at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and, later, in New Orleans with Marjorie Lawrence. Lawrence, a star of the Paris Opera and New York Metropolitan Opera, was teaching at the Sophie Newcomb College of Tulane University.
While in New Orleans, Kettler sang with the New Orleans Symphony and New Orleans Opera.
She later moved to Milan, Italy, where she studied music with Lina Narducci for seven years. When Narducci moved to Canada, so did Kettler, and studied with Narducci for another three years. She changed her focus from soprano to mezzo-soprano during that time.
Kettler went to Vienna, Austria, and coached voice with Hans Peter Schilly. She toured for two months with the Vienna Academy Kammerchor in the United States and Canada.
During those years, she was also alto soloist with the San Antonio Mastersingers, had a part in ``Aida'' in Carbondale, Ill., sang a concert in Carbondale, and performed several operatic roles at the Piccolo Scale in Milan as well as Monza and Piacenza, Italy.
In Richmond, Kettler was active as a church soloist with the Richmond Choral Society. She sang in Manotti's ``Amahl and the Night Visitors'' at the Mosque in Richmond. She and her husband, Arthur, moved from Richmond to Rural Retreat last fall.
The Concert Series reflects an effort by the Fine Arts Center to present classical talent that exists in the New River Valley area to people living there.
by CNB