Fraydele Oysher (October 3, 1913 – January 5, 2004) was an American Yiddish theater actress and musical performer. She was one of the first female singers to publicly perform cantorial music.[1][2] She was the mother of American actress and comedian Marilyn Michaels and Michael Sternberg, the sister of American actor and cantor Moishe Oysher, and the wife of Harold Sternberg, a Broadway and Metropolitan Opera performer.[1] Throughout her career, she performed in the United States, Canada, South America, and Cuba.[3]
Fraydele Oysher | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | October 3, 1913 Lipkon, Bessarabia, Imperial Russia |
| Died | January 5, 2004 (aged 90) |
| Genres | Hazzan |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, singer |
Life and work
editEarly life
editOysher was born in Lipkon, Bessarabia, Imperial Russia, which is now part of Moldova.[1] She was the daughter of a cantor.[1] As a child, Fraydele and her brother Moishe were taught synagogue chants[2] by their father, Selig Oysher,[3] and were immersed in religious music.[2] The Oysher family immigrated to the United States when Fraydele and Moishe were children.[4]
Performance career
editOysher worked as a child actress, performing in musicals written specifically for her at Yiddish theaters in New York City, among them The Little Queen, The Golden Girl, and Fraydele's Wedding.[1] Frequently, she played the role of the Yeshiva boy who is later revealed to be a girl.[1][2]
After moving to New York, Oysher performed in Louis Kramer's acting troupe at the Amphion Theatre, on radio, and in concerts.[5]
Personal life
editShe and Harold Sternberg married in 1935.[5] Sternberg performed at the Metropolitan Opera as a basso profundo opera singer.[5] Oysher had two children, daughter Marilyn Michaels and son Michael Sternberg.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g Lavietes, Stuart (2004-01-10). "Fraydele Oysher, 90, Actress Who Starred in Yiddish Theater". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-06-07.
- ^ a b c d "- Judaica Sound Archives". faujsa.fau.edu. Archived from the original on 2016-03-18. Retrieved 2016-06-07.
- ^ a b "oysher/fraydele/v8". www.museumoffamilyhistory.com. Retrieved 2016-06-07.
- ^ "Fraydele Oysher". www.marilynmichaels.com. Retrieved 2016-06-07.
- ^ a b c "Fraydele Oysher". yivoarchives.org. Retrieved 2016-06-07.
External links
edit- Guide to the Papers of Fraydele Oysher, YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, New York