{{Short description|American soprano}} '''Barbara Thorne''', also known by her married name '''Barbara Stevenson''' and as '''Barbara Thorne Stevenson''', (26 December 1909 – 23 October 1985) was an American soprano who had an active performance career from 1930 through 1959. She made her professional singing debut in 1930 as a soloist with the Portland Symphony Orchestra while an undergraduate music student at Pacific University. She performed in several more oratorios with that orchestra in the 1930s. She continued to perform professionally while pursuing further vocal studies at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia from 1935–1938 where she was a pupil of Harriet van Emden and Estelle Liebling. She was a leading soprano of the Philadelphia Opera Company from 1939–1942, and also performed with other American opera companies during the 1940s and 1950s. She also worked as an oratorio soloist, mainly in the cities of Philadelphia and New York City, but also on stages throughout the United States. In 1939 she recorded Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's ''Requiem'' with the Philadelphia Orchestra for RCA Victor. In the 1950s she taught on the voice faculties of the University of North Texas and Southern Methodist University.
==Early life, education and early career in Oregon== Barbara Jane Thorne was born on December 26, 1909 in Portland, Oregon.<ref name="birth">Barbara Jane Thorne in the Oregon, U.S., State Births, 1842–1922; certificate number 2-65</ref><ref name="death">Barbara Stevenson in the U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935–2014</ref> She was the daughter of Norman Campbell Thorne and Clara Isabell Thorne (née Blakeney).<ref name="birth"/> Her father was the assistant superintendent of Portland Public Schools.<ref name="Pacific">{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1930-10-25_50_16/page/38/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Jane+Thorne%22|title=Winners Announced for Atwater Kent Contest in Oregon|author=J. F.|journal=Musical America|date=October 25, 1930|volume= 50|issue=16}}</ref> As a teenager she studied singing in her native city with Edith Collais Evans (1884–1970), and as a part of Evans' studio gave a recital sponsored by the Sherman Clay music company on October 26, 1928 at the age of 18.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-cJqd73BnFAC&dq=Barbara+Thorne+%22soprano%22&pg=PA19|title=Portland|author=Emil Enna|page=18|date=November 1928|work=Musical West}}</ref> Evans would later become both the head of the music department and the Dean of Women at the University of Alaska.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fairbanks-daily-news-miner-u-of-alaska-s/2935231/|title=University of Alaska Opens Doors Next Week|work=Fairbanks Daily News-Miner|date= September 13, 1941|page= 8}}</ref> Thorne attended Franklin High School in Portland where she starred in the title role of the school's November 1928 production of Franz Schubert's ''Rosamunde''.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=04YthAw_4_oC&dq=%22Barbara+Jane+Thorne%22+%22high+school&pg=RA10-PA16|title=Music in Portland|author=Eleanor Allen|page=16|date=December 1928|journal=Music and Musicians}}</ref>
After graduating from high school in 1929, Thorne studied music at Pacific University (PU) in Forest Grove, Oregon. While a student at PU she won a vocal contest sponsored by the Portland Symphony Orchestra (PSO) which led to a contract to perform with the symphony.<ref name="Pacific"/> In April 1930 she was the soprano soloist in Ludwig van Beethoven's ''Symphony No. 9'' with the PSO;<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1930-04-10_50_7/page/39/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Jane+Thorne%22|title=Portland Players Conclude Series|journal=Musical America|author=Jocelyn Foulkes|date=April 10, 1930|volume= 50|issue= 7}}</ref> a work she later repeated with the orchestra in January 1935.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_music-magazine-and-musical-courier_1935-01-26_110_4/page/44/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Jane+Thorne%22|title=Van Hoogstraten Leads Ninth Symphony and Messiah For Portland Throngs|page=44|journal=The Musical Courier|date=January 1, 1935|volume= 110|issue= 4|editor=Leonard Liebling}}</ref> She also appeared as a soloist with the PSO in George Frideric Handel's ''Messiah'' in December 1931<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1932-01-10_52_1/page/27/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Jane+Thorne%22|title=Hoogstraten Conducts Messiah|page=27|journal=Musical America|date=January 10, 1932|volume=52|issue= 1|author= Jocelyn Foulkes}}</ref> and Johannes Brahms' ''A German Requiem'' in February 1938.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1938-03-25_58_6/page/43/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|title=Brahms' Requiem Played in Portland|work=Musical America|author= Jocelyn Foulkes|page=32|date=March 25, 1938}}</ref>
In October 1930 Thorne won the Oregon state division of the Atwater Kent Foundation's national singing competition,<ref name="Pacific"/> and the following December 1930 she placed third in the Western division of that competition.<ref>{{cite news|title=California Singers Win in Audition|page=3|work=Los Angeles Times|date=December 1, 1930|volume= 49}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/pacificcoastmusi5531sanf/page/n175/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|title=Two California Singers Win District Audition|work=Pacific Coast Musical Review|date=December 6, 1930|page=8}}</ref> She also won the Oregon state division in 1932.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1932-10-10_52_15/page/29/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|title=Portland Engages Symphony Soloists|author=Jocelyn Foulkes|page=30|work=Musical America|date=October 10, 1932|volume=52|issue= 15}}</ref> In 1933 she won first place in the Oregon Federation of Music Clubs singing competition.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1933-05-10_53_9/page/25/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|title=Contest for Young Artists|journal=Musical America|date=May 10, 1933|volume= 53|issue= 9}}</ref>
In March 1932 she starred in a production of ''The Mikado'' with the Portland Opera Association.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1932-03-10_52_5/page/24/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|title=Mozart Novelty By Portland Symphony; Local Opera Association in "Mikado"—Argentina Delights |page=24|work=Musical America|date=March 10, 1932|volume= 52|issue=5}}</ref> In April 1933 she sang the role of Gilda in ''Rigoletto'' with the KGW Opera Club for a radio broadcast of the opera on local Portland radio stations.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Portland Applauds Junior Musicians|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1933-04-25_53_8/page/20|journal=Musical America|page=21|author= Jocelyn Foulkes|date=April 25, 1933}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_music-magazine-and-musical-courier_1933-04-29_106_17/page/n14/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Jane+Thorne%22|title=Portland, ORE|journal=The Musical Courier|date=April 29, 1933|page=15}}</ref> She performed in several more radio broadcasts with the KGW Opera Club for radio broadcasts on KGW (radio) and KEX (AM) in Portland; including the role of Violetta in Giuseppe Verdi's ''La traviata'' in December 1933,<ref>{{cite journal|title=HOOGSTRATEN GIVES ADMIRED NOVELTIES|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1933-12-25_53_20/page/30|author= Jocelyn Foulkes|journal=Musical America|date=December 25, 1933|page=30}}</ref> and the role of Micaëla in ''Carmen'' in July 1934.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Portland, ORE|journal=The Musical Courier|date=July 1934|page=12}}</ref> In January 1934 she was a soloist with the Lawrence Turn Verein Orchestra for concerts in Portland.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1934-01-10_54_1/page/32/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|title=Portland Artists Reap New Success|author= Jocelyn Foulkes|work=Musical America|date=January 10, 1934|page=32}}</ref> In March 1934 she appeared in recital at Pythian Hall in a concert sponsored by the Portland Artist's Association.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1934-03-10_54_5/page/30/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|title=Artistic Recitals Heard in Portland|journal=Musical America|date=March 10, 1934|volume=54|issue=5|author= Jocelyn Foulkes}}</ref> She performed new works by Oregon composers at the convention of the Oregon Federation of Music Clubs in July 1934.<ref>{{cite journal|page=6|date=July 1934|journal=Musical America|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1934-07_54_12/page/6/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22 |author= Jocelyn Foulkes|title=Convention Held By Music Clubs In Oregon}}</ref>
In August 1935 she was a soloist with Eddy Duchin and his orchestra on a national NBC Radio broadcast.<ref>{{cite news|title=Radio Programs for Today|work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|date=August 13, 1935|volume= 87|issue=342|page=5D}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=In the World of Radio|work=Somerset Daily Herald|date=August 13, 1935|page= 6}}</ref> Later, while studying in Philadelphia, she returned to Portland to give a recital at Lincoln High School on September 15, 1936.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1936-10-10_56_15/page/23/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|title=Portland Attends Numerous Recitals|journal=Musical America|date=October 10, 1936|volume= 56|issue= 15|author= Jocelyn Foulkes|page=23}}</ref>
On February 18, 1938 she gave a recital in Logansport, Indiana under the auspices of the Logansport Cooperative Concerts Association.<ref>{{cite news|title=Noted Singer Pleases Music Lovers|work=Logansport Pharos Tribune|date=February 19, 1938|page= 10}}</ref>
==Musical training and career in Philadelphia== Thorne pursued further studies at the Curtis Institute of Music where she was a pupil of Harriet van Emden in the 1935–1936 academic year.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/overtones1937curt/page/n63/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|title=The Current Year of the Curtis Institute|page=54|journal=Overtones|date=May 1936|volume=VI|number=I}}</ref> On December 9, 1936 she sang three songs by Franz Liszt on a Philadelphia radio program dedicated to featuring Curtis students.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_music-magazine-and-musical-courier_1937-01-02_115_1/page/23/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|title=Curtis Institute of Music|page=23|journal=The Musical Courier|date=January 2, 1937|volume=115|issue=1}}</ref> That same day she gave a recital at the Sylvania Hotel in Philadelphia.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Overtones|date=January 1937|editor=Elsie Hutt|title=The Curtis Symphony Orchestra|pages=41–42}}</ref> By the 1937–1938 academic year she was a voice student of Estelle Liebling at Curtis.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/overtones1940curt/page/n59/mode/2up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|page=53|title=Graduates and Students|journal=Overtones|date=March 1938|volume=8|number=2|editor=Elsie Hutt}}</ref> She graduated from Curtis on May 17, 1938.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_music-magazine-and-musical-courier_1938-06-01_117_11/page/13/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Jane+Thorne%22|title=Institute Commencement Program|author=M.M.C.|page=13|journal=The Musical Courier|date=June 1, 1938}}</ref> After her graduation she continued to be involved with Curtis, notably singing on a Curtis radio broadcast on CBS Radio on October 31, 1938 in which she performed music by Giacomo Puccini, Antonio Guarnieri, Félix Fourdrain, Mary Evelene Calbreath, Gustave Charpentier, and Sergei Rachmaninoff.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Curtis Institute of Music Radio Program|page=180|journal=Recital Programs 1938–1939|publisher= Curtis Institute of Music|year=1939|url=https://archive.org/details/recitalprograms1939curt/page/n179/mode/2up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22}}</ref>
While a student at Curtis she sang the part of the Widow in Felix Mendelssohn's ''Elijah'' given in performances on multiple Sunday afternoons at the Second Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia in October 1936,<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1936-11-10_56_17/page/22/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|title=Recital Prominent in Philadelphia|journal=Musical America|date=November 10, 1936|volume= 56|issue= 17|author=William E. Smith}}</ref> and repeated that work at the First Baptist Church in Philadelphia the following December.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1936-12-10_56_19/page/17/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|journal=Musical America|author=William E. Smith|date=December 10, 1936|volume=56|issue= 19|page=17|title=Crowded Calendar for Philadelphia}}</ref> She previously had worked as a soloist in other oratorios given at the Second Presbyterian Church under the music direction of Alexander McCurdy in the 1930s, including Brahms' ''A German Requiem'', Gioachino Rossini's ''Stabat Mater'', and Johann Sebastian Bach's ''St Matthew Passion''.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/overtones1937curt/page/93/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|pages=93–94|title=Professional Engagements|date=January 1937|editor=Elsie Hutt|journal=Overtones}}</ref> She continued to perform works under McCurdy at the Second Presbyterian Church, including working as the soprano soloist in Bach's ''Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott, BWV 80'' (November 1938),<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1938-11-25_58_18/page/29/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|title=Quaker City Hails Many Recitalists|page=29|author=William E. Smith|work=Musical America|date=November 25, 1938|volume= 58|issue= 18}}</ref> Richard Purvis's ''Mass of Saint Nicholas'' (March 1940),<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1940-03-25_60_6/page/34/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|title=Choral Concerts Plentiful|work=Musical America|page=34|date=March 25, 1940|volume= 60|issue= 6}}</ref> Frances McCollin's ''Sleep, Holy babe'' (December 1940<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_music-magazine-and-musical-courier_1941-02-01_123_3/page/123/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|title=Frances McCollin's Works Heard in Philadelphia|journal=The Musical Courier|page=123|date=February 1, 1941|volume= 123|issue= 3}}</ref> and December 1942),<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_diapason_1943-02-01_34_3/page/n5/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|title=Ms. McCollin's New Works Heard in Church and On Air|work=The Diapason|date=February 1, 1943|volume=34|issue=3}}</ref> and Verdi's ''Requiem'' (April 1943).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1943-05_63_8/page/39/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|title=Philadelphia|work=Musical America|page=39|date=May 1943|volume=63|issue= 8}}</ref>
In the late 1930s, Thorne was a contracted singer at WCAU radio in Philadelphia and was utilized by the station on a variety of different programs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/radiodailyjanmar03radi/page/n465/mode/2up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|title=Radio daily (Jan–Mar 1938)|author= Alicoate, J. W.|year=1938|publisher= Radio Daily Corp|location=New York City}}</ref> In January 1939 she made her professional opera debut at the Academy of Music with Sylvan Levin's Philadelphia Opera Company (POC) as Mimì in Giacomo Puccini's ''La bohème'' with Fritz Krueger as Rodolfo and Frances Greer as Musetta.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_music-magazine-and-musical-courier_1939-02-01_119_3/page/12/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|title=Philadelphia Opera Company Bows in La Boheme|pages=12, 17|date=February 1, 1939}}</ref> She performed with that company again the following April in the title role of Puccini's ''Suor Angelica'' with Elsie MacFarlane as The Princess.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1939-04-10_59_7/page/6/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|title=Puccini's "Triptych" Sung in English, Ends Philadelphia Opera Company Season|journal=Musical America|author=William E. Smith|date=April 10, 1939|page=6}}</ref> She continued to perform with the POC, appearing as Violetta in ''La traviata'' (1940),<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_music-magazine-and-musical-courier_1940-03-01_121_5/page/40/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|title=Resident Opera Forces In Traviata|work=The Musical Courier|date=March 1, 1940|volume= 121|issue= 5|page=40}}</ref> Micaëla in ''Carmen'' (1940),<ref>{{cite news|title=Philadelphia Opera Ends Second Year|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1940-04-10_60_7/page/17/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|page=17|author=William E. Smith|work=Musical America|date=April 10, 1940|volume= 60|issue= 7}}</ref> Marie (Americanization of Mařenka) in ''The Bartered Bride'' (1940),<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_opera-news_1940-11-18_5_5/page/22/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|work=Opera News|title=Smetna from Prague to Philadelphia|pages=21–22|date=November 18, 1940|volume= 5|issue= 5}}</ref> Mimì (1941),<ref>{{cite news|title=Boheme and Lucia By Local Organizations|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_music-magazine-and-musical-courier_1941-01-01_123_1/page/24/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|page=24|work=The Musical Courier|date=January 1, 1941|volume=123|issue= 1}}</ref> and Lia in ''L'enfant prodigue'' (1941).<ref>{{cite news|title=Philadelphia|page=29|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1941-11-25_61_18/page/28/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|work=Musical America|date=November 25, 1941|volume= 61|issue= 18}}</ref>
In October 1938 Thorne was the soloist in a concert sponsored by the Adath Jeshurun Women's Association of the Congregation Adath Jeshurun in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania.<ref>{{cite news|title=Women's Association Adath Jeshurun Holds Annual Musicale|work=Philadelphia Jewish Exponent|date=October 21, 1938|page= 14}}</ref> On April 20, 1939 she was the soprano soloist in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's ''Requiem'' with the Philadelphia Orchestra at the Academy of Music; a performance recorded live for RCA Victor.<ref name="PO"/> In the summer of 1939 Thorne was a guest soloist with Duke University's choir.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/dukeuniversityal03duke/page/164/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|title=Duke Summer Choir in Special Musical Program in Chapel|journal=Duke Alumni Register|date=July 1939|page=164}}</ref> In December 1941 she portrayed Frasquita in ''Carmen'' with the Trenton Opera Association at the Trenton War Memorial with Carolina Segrera in the title role and Raoul Jobin as Don Jose.<ref>{{cite news|work=Musical America|date=December 10, 1941|page=37|title=Trenton Opera Association}}</ref>
In May 1940 Thorne was the soloist in Bach's ''Trauerode'' at the Philadelphia Bach Cantata Festival under the direction of James Allan Dash.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_music-magazine-and-musical-courier_1940-06-01_121_11/page/19/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|title=Bach Cantata Festival in Philadelphia Magnet|page=19|work=The Musical Courier|date=June 1, 1940|volume= 121|issue= 11}}</ref> The following October she joined the voice faculty of the Granoff Music Studios on Chestnut St.<ref>{{cite news|page=34|title=Philadelphia Schools|work=Musical America|date=October 25, 1940|volume= 60|issue= 16}}</ref>
By 1942 Thorne was working as the resident soprano soloist at the First Baptist Church in Philadelphia.<ref>{{cite news|title=Baptist Pastor Performs Rites for Son and Bride|work=Our Town|date=August 6, 1942|page=3}}</ref> That year she starred in a touring production of ''La traviata'' with Giorgio D'Andria's National Opera Company.<ref>{{cite journal|page=26|title=D'Andria and Mills Form National Opera Company|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1942-01-10_62_1/page/26|journal=Musical America|date=January 10, 1942|volume= 62|issue= 1|editor=John C. Freund}}</ref> On March 25, 1942 she was the soprano soloist in Bach's ''St Matthew Passion'' at the Church of the Divine Paternity in New York.<ref>{{cite news|title=Neighborhood Chorus Offering Bach|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1942-03-25_62_6/page/28/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|work=Musical America|page=28|date=March 25, 1942}}</ref> In July 1942 she gave a recital at the Young People's Temple in Ocean Grove, New Jersey with tenor Fritz Krueger.<ref>{{cite news|title=Here Tomorrow Night|work=Neptune Ocean Grove Times|date=July 24, 1942|page= 1}}</ref> On December 27, 1942 she performed the world premiere of Lazare Saminsky's ''Rye Septet'' at a concert presented by the League of Composers in New York.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_music-magazine-and-musical-courier_1942-12-01_126_8/page/7/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|title=Saminsky to Direct His New Work with League of Composers|page=7|work=The Musical Courier|date=December 1, 1942|volume= 126|issue= 8}}</ref> She was a guest soloist with Syracuse University's chorus for their 1943 spring concert.<ref>{{cite news|title=Soloist With S.U. Chorus|work=Syracuse Herald|date= April 11, 1943|page= 20}}</ref>
In 1945 and 1946 she once again performed as a soloist under James Allan Dash in oratorios with the Philadelphia Bach Festival Chorus and 70 members of the Philadelphia Orchestra accompanying.<ref>{{cite news|title=New Series Slated for Philadelphia|work=Musical America|page=21|date=September 1945}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1946-02_66_3/page/376/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|title=Bach Society of Philadelphia|page=376|work=Musical America|date=February 2, 1946|volume= 66|issue= 3}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_music-magazine-and-musical-courier_1946-12-15_134_9/page/16/mode/2up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|title=Philadelphia Season Offers Rare Music|page=16|work=The Musical Courier|date=December 15, 1946|volume=134|issue=9}}</ref>
==New York, Texas, and beyond== Beginning in 1944, newspaper accounts began referring Barbara Thorne as either Barbara Thorne Stevenson or Barbara Stevenson. By this time she had moved to New York City where she was studying singing with the well known voice teacher and contralto Amy Ellerman.<ref name="Ellerman">{{cite news|title=Amy Ellerman Singers Will Appear in Oratorios|work=The Musical Courier|date=December 15, 1944|page=25}}</ref> In New York she was a paid soprano soloist at the Temple Emanu-El.<ref name="HALL">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1946/04/24/archives/stevenson-heard-in-a-song-recital-temple-emanuel-soprano-in-program.html|title=STEVENSON HEARD IN A SONG RECITAL; Temple Emanu-El Soprano in Program of Saminsky Music --Baker, Wightman Assist|work=The New York Times|date=April 24, 1946|page=33}}</ref> In April 1944 she appeared at The Town Hall in New York City in a concert of Russian music with the choir of the Temple Emanu-El of New York.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1944-05_64_8/page/21/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Stevenson%22|title=Concert in Honor of Russia|work=Musical America|date=May 1944|volume= 64|issue= 8}}</ref>
In December 1944 Thorne Stevenson was the soprano soloist in Ernest Bloch's symphony ''Israel'' with the New York Philharmonic under conductor Artur Rodziński;<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archives.nyphil.org/index.php/artifact/bb1f4eb1-e561-4434-b837-cc7eff8431c7-0.1/fullview#page/2/mode/2up|title=The Philharmonic Symphony Society of New York|work=New York Philharmonic Archives|date=31 December 1944 |access-date=July 22, 2024}}</ref> a performance which was broadcast on American radio.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/per_st-louis-post-dispatch_1944-12-31_97_117/page/n25/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Stevenson%22|title= Eric Morini, Nathan Milstein Concert Soloists|page=5D|work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|date=December 31, 1944|volume= 97|issue= 117}}</ref> She was a soloist with the Norwalk Oratorio Society in Connecticut on December 12, 1944, and with the Oratorio Society of New York (OSNY) at Carnegie Hall on December 23, 1944 in performances of Handel's ''Messiah''.<ref name="Ellerman"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1945-01-10_65_1/page/22/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Stevenson%22|title=Messiah Sung By Oratorio Society|page=22|work=Musical America|date=January 10, 1945|volume=65|issue= 1}}</ref> She repeated the work again with the OSNY at Carnegie Hall in December 1945<ref>{{cite news|title=Messiah By Oratorio Society|author=M.C.|work=The Musical Courier|page=30|date=January 15, 1946|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_music-magazine-and-musical-courier_1946-01-15_133_2/page/30/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Stevenson%22}}</ref> and April 1949.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1949-05_69_7/page/n15/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Stevenson%22|title=Oratorio Society, Carnegie Hall|work=Musical America|date=May 1949|volume= 69|issue= 7}}</ref> She also performed as a soloist in the ''Messiah'' with the Washington Choral Society at Constitution Hall (December 1948),<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/per_washington-post_1948-12-15_26480/page/n31/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Stevenson%22|title=Society's Messiah|newspaper=The Washington Post|page=12B|date=December 15, 1948}}</ref> Salt Lake Oratorio Society under conductor Alfred M. Greenfield (December 1947<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1948-01-15_68_2/page/11/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Stevenson%22|title=Messiah Sung in Salt Lake City|page=11|work=Musical America|date=January 15, 1948|volume= 68|issue= 2}}</ref> and January 1949),<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1949-02_69_3/page/271/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Stevenson%22|date=February 1949|page=271|work=Musical America|title=Salt Lake City Hears 33rd Annual Messiah}}</ref> the Apollo Chorus of Chicago (December 1949)<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_music-magazine-and-musical-courier_1950-01-15_141_2/page/17/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Stevenson%22|title=Chicagoans Led by Ormandy; Apollo Club in Handel Score|author=Rene Devries and Dosha Dowdy|work=The Musical Courier|page=17|date=January 17, 1950}}</ref> and the National Symphony Orchestra under Paul Callaway with the combined choirs of the Washington National Cathedral and the Washington Choral Society (December 1949).<ref>{{cite news|title=National Symphony Programs Directed by Howard Mitchell|author=Charlotte Villanyi|page=95|date=January 15, 1950|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1950-01-15_70_2/page/95/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Stevenson%22|work=Musical America}}</ref>
In 1945 she performed the soprano solos in Bach's ''St Matthew Passion'' at Symphony Hall, Boston with the Handel and Haydn Society in February,<ref>{{cite news|title=Boston Concerts|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1945-03-10_65_4/page/29/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Stevenson%22|work=Musical America|date=March 10, 1945|volume= 65|issue= 4|page=29}}</ref> and at the Kiel Auditorium for the St. Louis Bach Festival in May.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/per_st-louis-post-dispatch_1945-05-06_97_243/page/n7/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Stevenson%22|title=Impressive Passion Ends Bach Festival|work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|date=May 6, 1945|volume= 97|issue= 243|page=9A}}</ref> She later performed this work with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in March 1958.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_music-magazine-and-musical-courier_1958-05_157_6/page/33/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Stevenson%22|title=Dallas|work=The Musical Courier|volume=157|date=May 1958|page=33}}</ref>
In May 1945 Thorne Stephenson starred in a concert version of Richard Wagner's ''Tannhäuser'' with the Chattanooga Civic Opera in Tennessee.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_music-magazine-and-musical-courier_1945-07_132_1/page/n14/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Stevenson%22|title=Chattanooga Chorus Ends 15th Season|page=22|work=Musical America|date=September 1945|volume= 65|issue= 12}}</ref> The following July she was the soprano soloist in Mendelssohn's ''Elijah'' with the Easton Oratorio Society in Pennsylvania.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_music-magazine-and-musical-courier_1945-07_132_1/page/n14/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Stevenson%22|title=Choir Notes: Elijah at Easton|journal=The Musical Courier|page=15|date=July 1945}}</ref> In February 1946 she performed in a concert at the Glebe Collegiate Institute in Canada with the Ottawa Choral Union.<ref>{{cite news|title=Miscellaneous|url=https://archive.org/details/musicaltimessing8719unse/page/126/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Stevenson%22|date=April 1946|work=The Musical Times}}</ref> On April 23, 1946 she gave a concert of Lazare Saminsky's music at Times Hall in New York City.<ref name="HALL"/> She repeated that program at the Philadelphia Music Academy on May 2, 1946.<ref>{{cite news|title=Philadelphia Groups Complete Season|work=Musical America|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1946-05_66_7/page/27/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Stevenson%22|page=27|date=May 1946}}</ref>
In late 1946 Thorne Stephenson began working as a resident soprano at Riverside Church in Morningside Heights.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_music-magazine-and-musical-courier_1946-12-01_134_8/page/57/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Stevenson%22|title=Studio Notes|work=The Musical Courier|date=December 1, 1946|page=57}}</ref> In 1950 she was the soprano soloist in Bach's ''Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern, BWV 1'' at The Town Hall in the inaugural concert of the Trinity Chorus of New York which was founded by the organist and conductor Walter Baker (1910–1988) of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Manhattan.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1950-03_70_4/page/20/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Stevenson%22|title=Trinity Chorus of New York|work=Musical America|date=March 1950|page=20}}</ref>
By the 1949–1950 academic school year, Thorne Stevenson was teaching on the voice faculty University of North Texas (then North Texas State College).<ref>{{cite journal|page=28|journal=The Southwestern Musician|volume=16|issue= 4|year=1950|title=Messiah}}</ref> In March 1950 she sang the role of Marguerite in Charles Gounod's ''Faust'' at the Fort Worth Opera.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-daring-innovati/89988163/|title=Daring Innovation of Actor and Singer Teaming in 'Faust' Role Great Success|work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram|date=March 23, 1950}}</ref> By 1953 she was teaching on the voice faculty of Southern Methodist University.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_diapason_1953-02-01_44_3/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Stevenson%22|title=Texas Cities Hosts to Guild Conclave|author=James M. Gunn|date=February 1, 1953|page=1|work=The Diasporon}}</ref> In March 1953 she was the soprano soloist in Gustav Mahler's ''Symphony No. 2'' with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Walter Hendl.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1953-05_73_7/page/25/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Stevenson%22|title=Fort Worth Opera Season Closes|page=25|date=May 1953|work=Musical America}}</ref>
In 1954 Thorne Stevenson was an advisor to the board of the Tulsa Opera.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_music-magazine-and-musical-courier_1954-10_150_4/page/12/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Stevenson%22|title=Tulsa Opera Plans News Season|work=The Musical Courier|page=12|date=October 1954}}</ref> In 1956 she performed in concert with the Midland Symphony Orchestra at Midland, Michigan's 12 Annual Spring Music Festival.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1956-07_76_9/page/32/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Stevenson%22|title=Music Festival Ends Dow Series in Midland|work=Musical America|page=32|date=July 1956}}</ref> In 1959 she performed the title role in Vincenzo Bellini's ''Norma'' with the Arkansas State Opera in Little Rock with Lili Chookasian as Adalgisa.<ref>{{cite news|title=Norma Heard in Little Rock|work=Musical America|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_musical-america_1959-06_79_7/page/n28/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Stevenson%22|page=29|date=June 1959}}</ref>
==Later life== The '' U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935–2014'' states that Barbara Thorne Stevenson died on 23 October 1985. It does not indicate where she died but states her last known residence was in Redmond, Oregon.<ref name="death"/>
==Recordings== *Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's ''Requiem''; soloists: Barbara Thorne, Elsie MacFarlane, Donald Coker, and Lester Englander; Philadelphia Orchestra, University of Pennsylvania Choral society, and conductor Harl McDonald (1939 RCA Victor;<ref name="PO">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WPU1BgAAQBAJ&dq=%22Barbara+Thorne%22+%22philadelphia+Orchestra%22&pg=PA477|page=84|title=The Philadelphia Orchestra: An Annotated Discography|author=Richard A. Kaplan|year=2015|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers|isbn=9781442239166}}</ref> re-released in 1941 on Voice of Music)<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/guidetorecordedm0000unse/page/282/mode/1up?q=%22Barbara+Thorne%22|title=A Guide to Recorded Music|page=282|year=1941|author=Irving Kolodin|publisher=Doubleday, Doran & Company}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thorne, Barbara}} Category:1909 births Category:1985 deaths Category:American operatic sopranos Category:American radio singers Category:Curtis Institute of Music alumni Category:Pacific University alumni Category:Singers from Portland, Oregon Category:Southern Methodist University faculty Category:University of North Texas faculty