Caption: Marni Nixon regales students with tales of her career. Photo by Karen TapiaDownload Photo
Songbird in Residence
Marni Nixon to Coach and Perform at Cal State Fullerton
Oct. 14, 2011 | Updated Oct. 18, 2011 :: No. 45
Who/When: Legendary American soprano Marni Nixon, who gained fame for providing the singing voice of leading ladies of the day starring in the big box-office movie musicals “West Side Story,” “My Fair Lady,” and “The King and I,” will be in residence at Cal State Fullerton Oct. 17-22, conducting master classes and coaching students individually.
Marni Nixon tells about her life and about singing. Photos by Karen Tapia
Performance: Her residency will culminate with an 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, performance by students in the Meng Concert Hall of the university’s Clayes Performing Arts Center. As the evening’s special guest, Nixon also will perform. Tickets are available at 657-278-3371.
Background: Nixon billed herself as “The Voice of Hollywood” in one-woman cabaret shows stemming from her movie musical journey of the 1950s and 1960s. Hers is the songbook of ‘the greatest generation,’ and her voice is the one recognized on such stage-to-movie hit melodies as “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” and “Tonight.”
Road to Hollywood: Early on, the Altadena-born former child actress and violinist was a soloist with the Roger Wagner Chorale and made her Broadway debut in 1954. Though trained in opera, her versatility paved the way to recordings of light standards, as well as classical music, and to the silver screen’s recording studios, where she provided the singing voice for film stars Deborah Kerr, Natalie Wood and Audrey Hepburn. Though her cinematic vocal roles went uncredited at the time, her fame grew as she performed with various orchestras, and toured widely with Liberace and Victor Borge. She recorded for Disney, starred in her own Seattle television show for children and returned to the Broadway stage. Earlier this year, she received a George Peabody Medal, in recognition of her distinguished career and contribution to music.
On Video: Watch Marni Nixon tells what went on behind the scenes leading up to her recording songs for the film “The King and I” and other Hollywood musicals.
Tickets for Oct. 22: $10 for the public; $8 for CSUF students, faculty and staff. Available from the box office by calling 657-278-3371 or purchasing online.
Media Contact: Paula Selleck, Public Affairs, 657-278-4856 or pselleck@fullerton.edu
