LISTEN TO THE RIVER WANDA WEISKOPF
A native of Jefferson City, Missouri, Wanda Weiskopf has written poetry since her childhood, when she learned an early love of nature from that beautiful countryside on the edge of the Ozarks.
She showed an early talent for writing and was editor of her Junior and Senior High School Newspapers. Her "baseball" poems were regularly read on the state-wide network of the St. Louis Cardinals.
An operatic mezzo-soprano, she met, fell in love with and married the European opera and symphony conductor, Herbert Weiskopf. He was a refugee from Czechoslovakia when Hitler took over that country. They lived in St. Louis during the war years, except for the period when Wanda was a WAAC, stationed in Des Moines, Iowa, and Memphis, Tennessee.
In 1946, the adventurous couple, feeling like two gypsies, made the long journey in their 1939 Chevy Coupe, across Route 66 to Los Angeles. There, Maestro became an integral part of the musical life of the city. He was head of the opera and symphony departments of the Los Angeles Conservatory, and Musical Director and Conductor of the Beverly Hills Symphony Orchestra. Wanda sang leading roles in opera and concert as well as studio work with the movie industry. Many of the leading singers and actors of that time coached their roles in the Weiskopf's Hollywood home.
In 1966, they moved the family, by then including son Douglas and daughter Marta, to Portland, Oregon, where Maestro started the professional opera company. Wanda sang leading roles like Amneris, in "Aida," and Suzuki, in "Madama Butterfly," and wrote publicity for the company, as well.
Maestro Weiskopf collapsed while taking his final bow after conducting the opera, "Lucia di Lammermoor," starring Anna Moffo in 1970. He was pronounced dead two hours later. Courageously, Wanda continued her work with the Portland Opera for another year while singing and teaching. For many years, she was Activities Director for the prestigious Portland Center complex and editor of their monthly newsletter, SKYLINES. She enjoyed interviewing such luminaries as pianist Vladimir Horowitz and prophetess Tenny Hale.
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It was during this time that she wrote and published her first collection of poetry, "All Is Not Winter," with beautiful illustrations by Gideon Potter, (Encore Publishing). The book received high critical praise, such as: "Wanda has given us a book of pure joy.....the poetry is exquisite!" --World of Poetry.
Wanda now resides in Burbank, California, and is a member emerita of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. She recently had a memoir published, "On the Wings of Song: My Life with the Maestro," which also includes her poetry. (Excellence Enterprises, publishers). This book is available through Amazon.com.
For a number of years, Wanda has been Secretary for the Los Angeles Chapter of the National Writers Association. A few years ago, the organization published a highly successful anthology, "L.A. My Way," for which she contributed 12 poems. The book was the expression of 17 authors on the subject of Los Angeles, in short stories and poetry.
Her new collection of poems, "Listen to the River," published by Buy Books on the Web.com (www.buybooksontheweb.com), contains 84 poems, with 15 sketches by Arizona artist Kay M. Burke.
Her poetry shows deep insight and a love for nature. Reading "Listen to the River" makes one aware of the interconnection between man and the universe. Her Native American poems, like "The Migration" and Song of the Sioux" are especially memorable. Poems like "The Homeless" and "A String of Pearls" show deep compassion. Each poem brings an inner experience and speaks directly to the heart. As expressed in her sonnet, "The Journey," she finds that "life is a gift to cherish, not to squander."
The last third of the book is entitled "Poems From The Northwest." It contains poems which speak to the special beauty and interest in the northwest corner of our great country, like "The Willamette River" and Song of the Wild Geese," ending with the dramatic and historic natural disaster, "The Eruption of Mount St. Helens." For all those who love poetry, this book is a classic!
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