Opera Singer. A dramatic soprano, she sang leading roles in Europe for almost two decades then returned home to become a distinguished voice teacher. Born Martha Helen Pender, she was raised in north central Texas, graduated from Abilene High School, earned a degree from North Texas State University in 1949, then relocated to Rome where for the next 17 years she specialized in such 'heavyweight' soprano roles as Verdi's Ethopian Princess "Aida", Vincenzo Bellini's Druid Priestess "Norma", Puccini's doomed and jealous "Tosca", and perhaps most significantly the tragically ambitious Lady Macbeth of Verdi's Shakespearean "Macbeth". Over her time in Rome Martha was heard throughout the continent at such major venues as Paris, Frankfurt, Turin, and Naples but she then returned to America and obtained a graduate degree from the University of Texas. After holding faculty appointments at Indiana University and at Texas Tech University she relocated to her hometown where in 1981 she founded, and was to run for 13 years, the Abilene Opera Association. She appeared as a soloist with the San Antonio Symphony, the Lubbock Symphony, and other ensembles, was active in the local community and in the First Baptist Church, lived out her days in Abilene, and died of the effects of advanced age. Her art is documented on a number of "live" recordings.
Opera Singer. A dramatic soprano, she sang leading roles in Europe for almost two decades then returned home to become a distinguished voice teacher. Born Martha Helen Pender, she was raised in north central Texas, graduated from Abilene High School, earned a degree from North Texas State University in 1949, then relocated to Rome where for the next 17 years she specialized in such 'heavyweight' soprano roles as Verdi's Ethopian Princess "Aida", Vincenzo Bellini's Druid Priestess "Norma", Puccini's doomed and jealous "Tosca", and perhaps most significantly the tragically ambitious Lady Macbeth of Verdi's Shakespearean "Macbeth". Over her time in Rome Martha was heard throughout the continent at such major venues as Paris, Frankfurt, Turin, and Naples but she then returned to America and obtained a graduate degree from the University of Texas. After holding faculty appointments at Indiana University and at Texas Tech University she relocated to her hometown where in 1981 she founded, and was to run for 13 years, the Abilene Opera Association. She appeared as a soloist with the San Antonio Symphony, the Lubbock Symphony, and other ensembles, was active in the local community and in the First Baptist Church, lived out her days in Abilene, and died of the effects of advanced age. Her art is documented on a number of "live" recordings.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
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