Gloria Lane (Gussie Siet)

From her Wikipedia page:

Gloria Lane (born June 6, 1930 (sic), Trenton, New Jersey) is an American operatic mezzo-soprano who had an active international performance career from 1949 to 1976. In her early career she distinguished herself by creating roles in the world premieres of two operas by Gian Carlo Menotti, the Secretary of the Consulate in The Consul(1950) and Desideria in The Saint of Bleecker Street (1954); both roles which she performed in successful runs on Broadway and on international tours. For her performance in The Consul she was awarded a Clarence Derwent Award and two Donaldson Awards.

Lane was also a regular performer at the New York City Opera from 1952 to 1960, and was heard as a guest artist with several important American opera companies during the 1950s. After 1960, Lane’s career was primarily centered in Europe. She made appearances in leading roles at many of the most important European opera houses during the 1960s, including La Scala, The Royal Opera, and the Vienna State Opera among others. She was particularly admired for her portrayal of the title heroine in Georges Bizet‘s Carmen. In the 1970s she performed briefly as a dramatic soprano in performances at the Glyndebourne Festival, Hawaii Opera Theatre, and Vancouver Opera. After retiring from singing in 1976, she taught voice out of a private studio in Los Angeles.

According to the US Census (see below), Siet was actually born around 1925. She grew up in an area of Trenton known as “Jewtown” near Broad and Market streets where the Justice complex now stands. According to a profile on the Masterworks B roadway website, her introduction to music came by way of her father’s singing in her local synagogue, and listening to opera recordings at home. Her career began with a non-paying weekly gig on WTTM radio, where she sang for Ernie Kovacs. Kovacs, one of Trenton’s most famous exports, went on to fame as a pioneering radio and television star.

Art Finkle, who directs the Trenton Jewish History Project, captured this vignette about Gussie Siet from her former neighbor, Michael Kuzma.