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Helen Vanni
Helen Vanni (January 30, 1924 - March 5, 2023) was an American opera singer who performed mezzo-soprano and soprano roles.

Early Life
Helen Spaeth was born to German parents in Davenport, Iowa, where she studied piano voice before attending college at St. Catherine University in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Career
Vanni made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in 1956 in the role of the page in Rigoletto, and she appeared in over 400 performances at the Met from 1956 to 1970. She shared the stage with notable singers such as Leontyne Price, Renata Tebaldi, Jussi Björling, Victoria de los Angeles, and Licia Albanese. She performed regularly with the Santa Fe Opera from 1960 through 1977. In her debut Santa Fe Opera season she sang three leading roles: Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro, the title role in Rossini’s La cenerentola, and Tessa in The Gondoliers. In addition to her performing career, she taught at the Manhattan School of Music and the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she was head of the voice faculty.

Personal Life
Helen Vanni was married to Mario Vanni, who died in 2015. They had three children.