Edna Garabedian Edna Garabedian Edna Garabedian is an American operatic mezzo-soprano, voice teacher, and opera director. Born to Armenian immigrants to the United States in Fresno, California, Garabedian studied singing with William Vennard at the University of Southern California, Lotte Lehmann at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Anna Hamlin in New York City, and Rosa Ponselle in Baltimore. In 1961 she won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. She made her professional opera debut in 1965 as Santuzza in Pietro Mascagni's "Cavalleria rusticana" with the New York City Opera. She went on to sing leading roles with the Baltimore Opera Company,
Cavalleria rusticana in 1945, the opera had been performed more than 14,000 times in Italy alone. In 1890, following its run of sold-out performances at the Teatro Costanzi, the opera was produced throughout Italy and in Berlin. It received its London premiere at the Shaftesbury Theatre on 19 October 1891 and its Covent Garden premiere on 16 May 1892. American producers vied with each other (sometimes through the courts) to be the first to present the opera in that country. "Cavalleria rusticana" finally had its American premiere in Philadelphia at the Grand Opera House on 9 September 1891, followed by a performance