For Immediate Release

 

Obituary: Carla Wood, a.k.a. CJ
Williamson, Mezzo-Soprano and Ed.-in-Chief, Classical Singer magazine

 

Draper, UT - July 14, 2005 - Mezzo-Soprano and champion of singers Carla Wood, 50, also known as C.J. Williamson, passed away yesterday after a battle with cancer. She will long be remembered for her sensitive and warm mezzo voice and her founding role as Editor-in-chief of Classical Singer magazine.

 

Ms. Wood's work as a singer carried her to New York City Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, and many regional houses. Her work at New York City Opera included such roles as Meg Page in Falstaff and Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro. She sang Flora in Renata Scotto's Emmy Award winning "Live from Lincoln Center" telecast of La traviata. She made her debuts at Utah Opera, El Paso and Seattle Opera singing Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia and her San Diego debut as Meg Page in Falstaff.

 

In 2003, her last season before retiring, Ms. Wood sang the role of the old Shepherdess in Janácek's Jenufa at the Metropolitan Opera, and performed Mozart's c minor mass with the Fort Myer's Symphony. Previous to this, she joined the Met's roster covering roles such as Javotte in Manon and the Lady Comme-ci-comme-ca in Prokovief's The Gambler. Ms. Wood sang at Carnegie Hall with Opera Orchestra of New York as Roggiero in Tancredi, Teresa in La Sonnambula, Queen Enrichetta in I Puritani, Maddalena and Pierotto in Linda di Chamounix, Romeo in I Capuleti e i Montecchi and Imelda in Verdi's La Battaglia di Legnano. She was the featured soloist on the world premiere recording of the Villa Lobos Symphony #10 with the Santa Barbara Symphony.

 

As a young singer in New York City, frustrated at the lack of career information available to singers, Ms. Wood began the New York Opera Newsletter in 1988. On advice from her manager, she used her maiden name, CJ (Carla Jean) Williamson, as a pen name. Due to Ms. Wood's inspired vision and pulse on the classical singing world, in just 10 years the newsletter expanded beyond a New York City audience and became the national publication Classical Singer magazine.

 

While Ms. Wood might have viewed fellow singers as competition, instead she saw them as colleagues and set out to help them succeed. As one singer and friend said of her, "Using [her] as the example, I try to uplift a singer everyday for when one falls, we all fall. Because of [her] example, I know that vocal music can change lives".

 

During 18 years as Editor-in-chief Ms. Wood made a dramatic impact on the profession of classical singing. Her deep commitment to helping singers succeed, coupled with her creativity, courage, and drive led to an international publication with over 6000 readers in 50 states and 25 countries. Always brainstorming for new and better ways to help singers, Ms. Wood began a first ever Classical Singer Convention in 2004 and College Expo for university vocal programs and prospective students in 2005, both now annual events.

 

Her humor, wit, and graciousness—hallmarks of this great woman—were present to the end. She kept nurses, family, and friends laughing and lifted the spirits of those who came to lift hers. She will be sorely missed as she begins (in her own words) "the next great adventure."

 

Ms. Wood is survived by her husband, David D. Wood, and two children, David (NJ) and Lindsey. A viewing will be held Sunday, July 17 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Larkin Sunset Gardens Funeral Home located at 1950 East 10600 So in Sandy, Utah. Funeral proceedings are scheduled for Monday, July 18 at 11:00 AM at the LDS Stake Center located at 2450 West 10400 South in South Jordan, Utah. Friends may come at 10 AM. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Carla Wood Vocal Scholarship c/o Brigham Young University. The Carla Wood Vocal Scholarship is being created to provide full tuition assistance to a vocal performance major at BYU. More information on the scholarship will be available soon.

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About Classical Singer magazine: Classical Singer magazine provides information for a classical singer's career, support for a singer's life, and englightenment for a singer's art. It began in 1988 as the New York Opera Newsletter. For years it provided in-depth insights about the New York opera scene to its subscribers. Interest in the newsletter grew rapidly and the demand for more information by opera and classical singers from around the world stimulated a transformation and Classical Singer magazine was born. Now an international publication with 6000 readers, each monthly issue contains practical trade related articles for singers and over 30 pages of audition and competition listings. Classical Singer is published in Draper UT. For more information visit www.classicalsinger.com.

 

 

Note: Photo available upon request.

Contact: David Wood or Sara Thomas at (801) 254-1025