Bible was born and raised in
Sackets Harbor, New York. She studied opera at the
Juilliard School in
New York City under
Queena Mario and
Belle Julie Soudant before making her professional opera debut in 1948 at the New York City Opera as the Shepherd in
Giacomo Puccini's
Tosca. Possessing a warm voice and vibrant stage presence, she became a favorite at that house during the time when
Beverly Sills and
Norman Treigle were also fixtures at the NYCO. She sang Cornelia to Sills's Cleopatra in the NYCO's 1967 production of Handel's
Giulio Cesare which made Sills an international opera star. In 1949 Bible appeared in the world premiere of
William Grant Still's
Troubled Island. Her first major successes at the NYCO were in 1950 as Amneris in
Aida and Cherubino, a
trouser role, in Mozart's
Le nozze di Figaro. Another major early triumph at the house was her first portrayal of Angelina in
La Cenerentola in 1953. Her other appearances in San Francisco included Bersi in
Andrea Chénier (1955), Octavian (1955, 1960), Elizabeth Proctor (1965), Siebel (1955), and the Watercress Vendor and the Chair Mender in
Louise (1955). Two triumphs from the latter part of her career were performances of Mélisande in
Debussy's
Pelléas et Mélisande at the
Caramoor International Music Festival and Eglantine in a concert performance of Weber's
Euryanthe with the
New York Philharmonic, both in 1970. On the international stage Bible made appearances at the
De Nederlandse Opera and the
Vancouver Opera. She sang in one production with the
Vienna State Opera, the role of Amneris in 1963. She was on the roster of principal singers at the
Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe during the 1963-1964 season, and she sang the role of Cherubino with the
Scottish Opera in 1964. Her biggest success on the international stage were three lauded performances at the
Glyndebourne Festival: the role of Cherubino in 1955 and the role of Ottavia at both the 1962 and 1963 festivals. After her retirement from the stage, Bible taught on the voice faculty at
Rice University in
Houston. She later retired to
Hemet, California where she died at the age of 82. ==References==