profile

    Patrice Munsel

    1925-05-04 (99 years old) in Spokane, Washington, USA

    Patrice Munsel (born Patrice Beverly Munsil) was an American coloratura soprano. Nicknamed "Princess Pat", she was the youngest singer ever to star at the Metropolitan Opera. Munsel first sang at the Metropolitan at age 17 in March 1943. She made her official Metropolitan debut on December 4, 1943, aged 18, singing Philine in Mignon, for which won popular praise but poor critical reviews. Her first opera contract was for three years at $40,000 per year; with other appearances she was making around $100,000 annually. Perhaps best known for the roles of Adele in Die Fledermaus and Despina in Cosi Fan Tutte, Munsel sang 225 times at the Metropolitan Opera. Sir Rudolf Bing called her a "superb soubrette" and implied that she was the world's best. Her opera roles also included Rosina in The Barber of Seville and Gilda in Rigoletto. Her husband Robert C. Schuler (1917–2007) conceived and produced the ABC-TV primetime variety series The Patrice Munsel Show, which starred his wife, and was broadcast in the 1957–1958 season. Munsel appeared on many other TV shows during her career, including the role of Marietta (Countess d'Altena) in the January 15, 1955 live telecast of the operetta Naughty Marietta. She portrayed the title role in the 1953 film Melba, which chronicled the life of the great opera singer, Dame Nellie Melba. Munsel made frequent television appearances on The Bell Telephone Hour, and was the central singer in the Camp Fire Girls' famous TV commercial and song "Sing Around the Campfire (Join the Camp Fire Girls)", aired in the mid-1960s. A former Camp Fire Girl herself, she was also a spokeswoman for the organization. Munsel made her final performance for the Metropolitan Opera on January 28, 1958, in the title role in La Périchole. She appeared on stage as a guest during the 1966 Gala Farewell to the old opera house at Broadway and 39th Street. Munsel ended her career as an opera singer in 1981, and began to perform in musical comedies. She retired from performing in 2008.

    Movies

    actor
    Naughty Marietta
    0 %|Jan 1, 2003
    poster
    The Stingiest Man in Town
    35 %|Dec 23, 1956
    Fantasy, Drama, Family, TV Movie
    poster
    The Great Waltz
    0 %|Nov 4, 1955
    poster
    Melba
    0 %|Aug 7, 1953
    Drama, Music

    Series

    poster
    The Wild Wild West
    75 %|Sep 17, 1965
    Action & Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Western, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
    poster
    The Merv Griffin Show
    53 %|Oct 1, 1962
    Talk
    poster
    The Mike Douglas Show
    54 %|Dec 11, 1961
    Comedy, Talk
    actor
    The Big Party
    0 %|Oct 8, 1959
    actor
    The Bell Telephone Hour
    60 %|Jan 12, 1959
    poster
    The Steve Allen Show
    40 %|Jun 24, 1956
    Comedy
    poster
    The Colgate Comedy Hour
    70 %|Sep 10, 1950
    Comedy
    poster
    Your Show of Shows
    55 %|Feb 25, 1950
    Comedy
    poster
    What's My Line?
    66.19 %|Feb 2, 1950
    Family, Comedy