Background
Costa, Mary was born on April 5, 1930 in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States.
Costa, Mary was born on April 5, 1930 in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States.
Student, Los Angeles Conservatory of Music. Doctor of Philosophy (honorary), Hardin-Simmons University, 1973. Doctor in Fine Arts (honorary), Carson-Newman College, Jefferson City, Tennessee, 2007.
Film voice of Aurora Disney's Sleeping Beauty, 1959. Appeared television commercials, 1955—1957. Debut Los Angeles Opera, 1958.
Appeared Glyndebourne Opera House, 1958. Vice president California Institute Arts. In La Boheme, San Francisco Opera, 1959.
Recorded "La Boheme" for Radio Corporation of America Victor from the stage of Rome Opera House, 1961. Soloist John F. Kennedy Memorial Service at Sports Arena, Los Angeles, 1963. As Violetta in La Traviata Metropolitan Opera, New York City, 1964.
Appeared Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Teatro Nacional de San Carlos, Grand Theatre de Geneve, Vancouver, Lisbon, Kiev, Leningrad, Tbilisi, Boston, Cincinnati, Hartford, Newark, Philadelphia, San Antonio, Seattle. Toured United States with Bernstein's Candide. Appeared English production Candide.
Tour Soviet Union, 1970. Bolshoi debut in La Traviatta, 1970. Revival Bernstein's Candide at John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, 1971.
Starring role motion picture The Great Waltz, 1972. Vice president Hawaiian Fragrances, Honolulu, 1972. Appeared international recitals, orchestras.
Command performance at the White House, 1974. Metropolitan Opera history tour of Japan as Musetta in La Boheme, 1975.