Linda Lee Kelm

Linda Lee Kelm, 71, passed away on October 2, 2016. She was born to Robert Gordon and Hettie Wight Kelm on December 11, 1944. As a young woman she was an active member of Bethel # 1, International Order of Job's Daughters and later became a Guardian of Bethel # 7. She made many life-long friends through her association with the IOJD, and in her last years was a devoted member of Lybia Temple, Daughters of the Nile, where she served as Queen and many other offices. She was deeply committed to the extended Masonic family in Utah.
A 1963 graduate of Highland High, she attended Westminster College of Salt Lake City, where at age 18, she began her vocal studies with the late Elizabeth Simpson, developing a full, rich contralto voice. She won a scholarship to the Aspen Summer Music Festival where she studied with the late Jennie Tourel. After winning the district round of the Metropolitan Opera auditions in 1974, she moved to New York City to pursue further training and opportunities. She studied voice with Judith Oas and repertoire with Maestro Walter Taussig. Shortly thereafter she made the astounding change from contralto to dramatic soprano.
In 1977, two years after making that change, her professional debut came with Seattle Opera's Pacific Northwest Festival production of Wagner's Ring Cycle, singing Helmwige and the Third Norn. She repeated these roles each summer until 1983, singing in both the English and the German cycles. In 1985 she was given the lead soprano role of Brϋnnhilde in her first fully staged performance in Seattle. She performed that role for a number of subsequent years. She shared a Grammy© for her recording with James Levine and the Metropolitan Opera in 1987, singing in "Die Walkϋre". In 1988 she appeared as Brϋnnhilde at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.
In 1979 she conquered the role considered the most taxing and difficult in the Italian repertory, that of Puccini's Turandot. She sang with the Wilmington Opera Society in Delaware and inspired one critic to describe her as "a combination of Kirsten Flagstad and Maria Callas." She also performed the role with the Seattle Opera and Houston Grand Opera, and a critically acclaimed performance with the San Francisco Opera in 1983. Her debut with New York City Opera was the same year, appearing on the stage of Carnegie Hall.
She sang with the St. Louis Symphony under the direction of Leonard Slatkin in the title role of Salome. She also performed in Miami, Portland, Detroit, Milwaukee, Salt Lake City and many opera houses in Europe. She continued to enchant opera goers worldwide in performances with Deutsche Oper (Berlin), the Umbra Festival in Perugia, Italy, RAI Orchestra of Rome, and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. In 1982, Opera Guide wrote: "The audience was rapt in the presence of an uncommon force. Linda Kelm is an incredible find, a true phenomenon of nature."
Linda traveled the world doing what she loved to do and when she came home to Salt Lake City she became a caring companion to her now 95 year old Mother. Her family, friends and fans will truly miss her.