Death of Juilliard’s voice legend
OperaThe death has been made public of Marlena Kleinman Malas, dean of admission at Chataqua, also known comically as ‘the diva of rejection’. She was 87.
Marlena, a mezzo, taught in the voice faculty at Juilliard for three decades. She also founded the summer programme for young singers at the Chautauqua Institution. Her star students included Susan Graham, Neil Shicoff and Tatiana Troyanos. She touched many lives.
She was married to the bass-baritone Spiro Malas, who died in 2019.
James Gandre, president of Manhattan School of Music, writes:
It is always heartbreaking to lose a long-standing and valued faculty member, but this
loss is very personal to me as Marlena was my last teacher. Because of that personal
relationship, I wanted to take a moment to share some of my foundational experiences
with her.
I met and worked with her in 1984 at the Blossom Music Festival. At that time, I was
living in San Francisco where I had completed my master’s degree. In several lessons
that summer, I realized I had found the person who would bring to my singing
heightened technique, critical skills that I desperately needed. Four months later I was
living in NYC and studying with her here at MSM as a non-degree student. Although my
life ultimately went in a different direction, that decision to study with her over a longer
term changed my life, as my connection with MSM started because of her.
We stayed in touch and became friends over what was to become a 39-year
relationship, and when I was later a college dean in Chicago, I brought her to my college
annually to teach master classes. More recently, when Neidorff-Karpati Hall was being
renovated, Mrs. Neidorff asked that Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy be performed at the
Hall’s 2018 re-opening and that I sing. Although I initially resisted the idea – mainly
because I hadn’t sung on stage in several years – Mrs. Neidorff persisted. So, the
only route I had was to go to Marlena for lessons, this after not having seen her in the
studio for more than three decades. We worked together and she got me in shape to
sing that concert. It was a joy to once again work with her in that teacher/student
relationship.
I would posit that Marlena loved teaching as much or more than anything else in her
life. Even as she battled cancer four times, she kept teaching through most of her
treatments. The last time I saw her was about three months ago, and we had dinner
along with my husband Boris and her long-time and dearest friend Claudia Catania (an
MSM alumna and current member of the Musical Theatre voice faculty). We had a
lovely time chatting and laughing, but when a performance of one of her long-time
students was about to begin at the Aspen Music Festival, she went right to her iPad and
listened, analyzing each moment with great clarity and laser focus.
She was an amazing person and extraordinary pedagogue. MSM is that much better
because she came here to teach 41 years ago. Personally, I will miss her greatly, but I
am also so very thankful that she was part of my life, and that she quite literally brought
me to MSM.
This is inaccurate. She was not the Dean of Admissions at Juilliard. She was a former voice faculty member. Her last role at the school was as Senior Vocal Advisor.
Correct. Also she was at least in my day also on the faculty of Manhattan School and Curtis. Maybe NL will update this when a proper obit is written.
While your information may be correct, you failed express any condolence. Certainly just an oversight… Rest in peace, Ms. Malas.
May she rot in hell.
I suggest you read the article again. It is you who are misinformed since it clearly states that Marlena was dean at Chataqua.
The post says Dean of admissions at Chatauqua, not Juilliard.
So many voice teachers become “flavors of the month” and come in and out of glory. This was never the case with Marlena. She had a tremendous, solid, and consistent career for many decades. The amount of great singers to come out of her studio is extraordinary. She was truly one of the best and will be greatly missed.
This is devastating to a great many singers as she was one of the most trusted instructors in the USA.
“Chautauqua”
Marlena was a very lovely lady, always cheerful, passionate with a very busy work schedule, because she loved teaching! She will be tremendously missed by everybody who knew her!
except the times she threw chairs at students.
That’s Trish McCaffrey you’re thinking of, not Marlena Malas.
Except by the many she abused.
Just out of curiosity, who are those trolls giving a thumbs-down to all those who share their memories? What is their point exactly?
Anyway, R.I.P. Diva-maker.
Jealous colleagues.
Gatekeeper? Tell us how you really feel Norman. She was pragmatic and realistic about the industry. Supremely dedicated to her students.
She was a ghastly see-you-next-Tuesday.
I was one of Marlena’s first students in 1974. I was introduced to her by Marilyn Horne. She was one of the most inspiring teacher’s of all time for singing and life. I’ve been singing since then with her solid technique suggestions. I’m now 71 and am singing in Carnegie Hall on Jan 7th… Beethoven’s 9th and let me tell you the tenor lines are brutal and I thank God at every rehearsal I’ve got a Malas vocal foundation. There were times I had 3 lessons a week ! and take Nicki to school in exchange ! What an inspiring soul who will be greatly missed by all the people whose lives she touched ! I think God needed some vocal coahings from the best ! R.I.P. to a glorious artist and person !
She was an evil twat.
good riddance, horribly mean and awful teacher. a little dictator. Yeah, I met her and her little proteges were like North Koreans trapped in a brainwashed haze.
Good riddance indeed. The world is better without her in it. Fewer voices will be wrecked as well.