FAMOUS SING ERS OF TO-DAY AND YESTERDAY THE MU SIC LOVER S’ SER IES T o ll o i he f w n g, each, GREAT COMPOSERS A ND THEIR WORK By Loui s C . E lson FAMOUS PIANIS TS OF TO-DAY A ND YE S TER DAY B en r C Lahee y H y . The ll w ach fo o ing, e , A HI STORY OF OPER A New Revised E dition By Arthur E lson MODERN COMPOSERS OF EUROPE New Revised E dition By Arth ur E lson ORCHE S TR AL I N S TRUME NTS A ND THE IR U SE New Revised E di ti o n By Arthur E lson S HA KE S PEAR E IN MU S IC By Louis C . Elson FAMOUS VIOLINISTS OF T0 -DAY A ND YE S TERDAY New Revised E dition B en r C Lahee y H y . FAMOU S S INGE RS OF TO-DAY A ND YE S TERDAY New Revised E dition B n y He ry C . Lahee THE NATIONAL MU S IC OF AMERI CA A N D I TS S CE OUR S . New Revised E dition B Loui s C an d r hur E son y . A t l The ll w ach fo o ing, e , AMERICAN COMPOSERS By R up er t Hughes an d Arthur Elson THE GRAND OPER A S I NGER S OF TO-D A Y New Revised E dition B en r C Lahee y H y . THE ORGAN A ND I TS MAS TER S New Revised E dition B en r C Lahee y H y . ’ WOMAN S WORK IN MU S IC C r h 18 8 opy ig t, 9 B Y E A ND L . C . PAG COMPANY ( I NCOR POR A TE D ) A ll r ights r eser ved Co r i h t [ py g , 9 36 E A ND L. C . PAG COMPANY ( I NCOR POR A TE D ) i a e n U S A . M d . PRINTE D IN THE UNITE D S TATE S OF AMER ICA BY THE C I R E S S I NC OLON AL P . FORE ‘ WOR D TO NE W ED I TI ON T H E t m o f S i n o t - C sa re ire ent g r Gat i a zza , en d o f 1 - s e so n f o m th e at the the 9 34 5 a , r ar ti s ti c directi o n o f the M etro p o litan Opera o m New o f w -five s C pany , Y rk , a ter t enty year o f s t n u s an d o s s di i g i hed pr gres ive ervice , m s o f s e s t ark the end an era , and pre nt a fi ting o ppo rtu nity fo r a review o f no ted S ingers wh o have appeared s ince this bo o k was first pub i h d l s e . The field o f o peratic Singers was pretty well “ o as 1 2 a c vered as far 9 5, in Gr nd Opera ” S s o f o n o w o n inger T day , and is carried in f o o o r o d . this b k , an ther deca e Alth o u gh the space av ail able i s very limit ed the o pp o rtu n ity o i reco rding al so s o me o f o o an d G s in s the great Orat ri , Lieder , enre ger c o m S do s o t e m o f n m is wel e . pace e n p r it i ti ate details an d exp eriences leading to their s u c s s bu t r ef o u o f h m a ce , the b i acc nt eac y lead e d o u e A n d t s tu d . so the r a er f rth r y , per nal reco llecti o ns o f alm o s t every o n e o f thi s o u h d m u c su to gr p ave ad ed h plea re the wo rk . E N Y LA H E E H R C . c o 1 O t ber 9 35 . F PRE ACE . I T has been the desire Of the au th o r t o o o of mo m o s give, in a b k dest di ensi n , as complete a reco rd as po ssible Of the ” Famous Singers fro m the establish ment Of Italian Opera down t o the present m o S but day. The aj rity are Opera ingers , in a few cases o rato rio and c o ncert Singers Of exceptio nal celebrity have been mentio ned o als . To give co mplete biographical sketches o f all S ingers Of reno wn wo uld require a wo Vo um rk Of several large l es, and all that can be attempted here is to give a mere “ ’ ’ bird s -eye view Of tho se who se names x o u e e ist as singers Of internati nal rep t . Fo r m uch info rmatio n co ncern ing the earlier celebrities the au tho r is indebted ’ “ “ o o s u s S o t Clayt n Q een Of ng, Great “ s F s S inger by erri , and The Prima D o S u r s w nna by the land Edward , in hich interes ting vo lu mes m u ch will be fo u nd at length which i s greatly c o nden sed in this ’ m To M u t r little vo lu e . a rice S ako s c h s ’ S o u d u n m s o ' o venirs I pre ari , and t ’ ” a les on s M mo w M p e irs, the riter o we s so mething al s o in t he way. Of anecdo te and fact c o ncernin g man y s ingers Of the latter u half Of this cent ry . As it i s imp o ssible t o give bio gr aphical S ketches o f m o re than . a comparatively small number o f singers who have achieved o w wo u m ren n , the rk is s pple ented by a chro n o lo gical table which is mo re co mpre i v NO u ow h en s e. s ch table can, h ever, be Fo r o f o perfect . singers the past the f llo w “ ’ i n g au tho rities have been u sed : Gro ve s ” D o M u M u icti nary Of sic and sicians, C . ’ “ Egerto n Lo we s Chro nological Cyc lOp ae CONTENTS PA RT I CHA PTE R PRE FACE F 1600 1800 A ROM TO . D . PAS TA TO MAR IO MAR IO TO TI E TI E NS PRIMA DONNAS OF THE FIFTIE S PR IMA DONNA S OF THE SI XTIE S PRIMA DONNAS OF THE S EVE NTIE S PR IMA DONNAS OF THE EIGHTIE S TE NOR S A ND BAR ITONE S CONTR ALTOS A ND BA S SOS PA RT I I ORATOR IO SI NGE RS LIEDER A ND GE NRE SI NGERS POST WA R SINGERS LI ST O F I LLU STRATI ONS PA GE LILY PON S Fr on ti spi ece JE NN Y LI ND JEAN DE RE S ZKE as Ro meo CALVE as Car m en ADE LINA PATTI NI LS SON as V alen ti n e LILLI AN NORDI CA MELBA as Mar guer i te EMMA EAME S EDOUARD DE RE S Z K E as M ephi s topheles A LVA R Y i n Rigo letto 2 80 PLA NCON as R amfis i n Ai da LAWR E NCE M ER VI L TIBBE TT FAMOUS SING ERS OF TO DAY AND YESTERDAY Fa mous S i n ers 12 g . es t u o of u m o w r c ltivati n the h an v ice, he ein mu sic exerts its greatest p o wer of fascina o but o u o w u o f ti n , have br ght f r ard h ndreds co mpetito rs fo r the artistic laurels which are the reward Of tho se who reach the highest o f mu o state sical perfecti n . For nearly a centu ry oppra was co nfined o o u o but 16 1 t the c ntinent Of E r pe, in 9 ’ M L E i n e of u argarita de p , a native T scany, o o She m a appeared in L nd n . was re ark ble for of u her plainness speech and Of feat res, o u m w her r gh anners and s arthy appearance, and she mu st indeed have been po ss essed Of a fine vo ice t o have been able t o retain o o n u o 16 2 her h ld p blic fav r.