Diane Curry
Diane Curry (February 26, 1938 – November 2016) was an American mezzo-soprano known for her work in the operas of Strauss, Wagner, and Verdi. She sang the mezzo solo on the 1987 Verdi Requiem recording with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra conducted by Robert Shaw; the recording won the 1988 Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance.
She studied at Westminster Choir College, earning a B.M. in 1960 and an M.M. in 1961. She taught voice at Westminster and the University of Delaware before joining the New York City Opera, where she performed regularly from 1972 to 1981.
At the NYCO, Curry sang many roles, including Annina, Berta, Emma Jones, Enrichetta, Magdalena, Mama Lucia, Mary, Neris, Olga, the Second Lady, Suzuki, and the title role in Carmen, among others. In 1976 she created Mildred in the world premiere of Menotti’s The Hero with the Opera Company of Philadelphia, and she returned to Philadelphia regularly through 1995 in roles such as Geneviève, Herodias, La Frugala, Mistress Quickly, the Princess, and Zita.
Her career also included debuts at the Opera Theater of Saint Louis in 1979 (The Voice in Lucrezia) and the Lyric Opera of Chicago (Madelon in Andrea Chénier), with further Chicago appearances as Federica, Katisha, and La Cieca. From 1981 to 1986 she sang in Seattle Opera’s Ring Cycle, performing Fricka and Waltraute. She made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 1989 as The Nurse in Die Frau ohne Schatten, returning in later years in roles such as the Innkeeper in Boris Godunov, the Mother in Lulu, the Housemaid in War and Peace, and the Aunt in Jenůfa. She debuted at the San Francisco Opera in 1990 as Ulrica.
Curry also appeared on international stages, including La Scala, the Bavarian State Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Hamburg State Opera, the Paris Opera, and others. Her repertoire included Amneris in Aida, Meg Page in Falstaff, Cieca and Laura in La Gioconda, Frugola in Il Tabarro, Zita in Gianni Schicchi, the Principessa in Suor Angelica, and Dalila in Samson et Dalila.
Diane Curry died in November 2016 at age 78.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 00:35 (CET).