Mezzo-soprano FREDERICA VON STADE (Old Lady) – known to family, friends, and fans by her nickname “Flicka” – has enriched the world of classical music for three decades. Her career, which began with her 1970 Metropolitan Opera debut, has taken her to the stages of the world’s great opera houses and concert halls. In January 2000, the Met celebrated the 30th anniversary of her debut with a new production of The Merry Widow specifically for her.

She is invited regularly by conductors such as Charles Dutoit, James Levine, Kurt Masur, and Leonard Slatkin to appear in concert with the world’s leading orchestras, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the Orchestra of La Scala. Also unparalleled in her artistry as a recitalist, von Stade combines her expressive vocalism and exceptional musicianship with a rare gift for communication, enriching audiences throughout the world.

Von Stade’s television appearances include the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics; performances on Live from the Met; Christmas with Flicka, shot on location in Salzburg; A Carnegie Hall Christmas with Kathleen Battle; and an evening of operatic and musical theater selections titled Flicka and Friends. Her more than seventy recordings span every major label and have earned such distinctions as two Grand Prix du Disc awards and the Deutsche Schallplattenpreis.

Frederica von Stade holds honorary doctorates from Yale University, Boston University, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, the Georgetown University School of Medicine, and her alma mater, the Mannes School of Music. In 1998 she was appointed as an officer of France’s Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, and in 1983 she was honored with an award given at The White House by President Reagan in recognition of her significant contribution to the arts.