Jean Madeira (née Jean Browning, on November 14, 1918, in Centralia, Illinois; died on July 10, 1972, in Providence, Rhode Island) was an American mezzo-soprano, particularly known for her work in late-romantic German repertoire such as the operas of Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss. She studied at The Juilliard School, and made her debut in opera in Chatauqua, as Nancy in Martha, by von Flotow. In 1955, the singing-actress successfully sang the title role in Carmen with the Vienna State Opera. She sang approximately 300 times at the Metropolitan Opera in forty-one roles, from 1948 to 1971. Her last appearance there was in Elektra, opposite Birgit Nilsson. Jean Madeira is the second-cousin of composer Amy Beth Kirsten. Her family moving to East St. Louis as a child, she attended East St. Louis High School.
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