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A lyric road to yesterday -- A note on nationality -- The background. Ballad opera from England ; Some French voyageurs ; "Home, sweet home" ; Garcia and Da Ponte ; Malibran on the bowery -- The emergence. Julia Wheatley and Charlotte Chushman ; Eliza Biscaccianti, Juliana May, Lucy Estcott -- Adelaide Phillipps and an era of full-blown song. European preparation and adventures as Signorina Fillippi ; The discovery of Matilde, a Cinderella of sisterly love -- Elise Hensler. The Boston tailor's daughter who became (almost) a queen ; "La spia," an "American" opera of the eighteen-fifties -- Bellum and Ante-bellum. Cora de Wilhorst and the count who broke the bank ; Isabella Hinckley, Van Zandt-Vazini, Genevieve Ward and others -- Clara Louise Kellogg. From Sumterville to Her Majesty's ; Aida when the role was new ; Early campaigning for English opera -- Annie Louise Cary. America's first Amneris and its first women interpreter of Wagnerian roles ; A contralto befriends a contralto -- Two who blazed a trail for tenors. Charles R. Adams, for nine years a mainstay of the Vienna opera ; William Candidus and a career largely in Germany -- Minnie Hauk. A debut at fourteen, America's first operatic Juliet at fifteen, world triumphs before twenty, retirement at forty, in a fabulous career -- Emma Juch and her day. Being born on the fourth of July ; Helene Hastreiter, a notable Orpheus ; Marie Litta, Emma Abbott and some of Mapleson's Americans -- Men of many companies. Tenors and basses at home and afield ; Castle, Hedmondt, Perugini, Scovelli, Bassetti ; Perkings, Broccolini, Foli, Whitney and others -- Alwina Valleria. The first American to sing at the Metropolitan ; Zelie de Lussan, Sophie Traubman and Marie Engel -- Emma Albani. A born diva who soon ran away from her years ; Tumults in Italy, triumphs in England, tours and a first Desdemona in America -- Lillian Nordica. The Maine farmer's daughter who was paid not to sing ; Hard work in Italy, hard work thereafter ; Isolde and the conquest of fame -- Emma Eames. The illusions and the delays of a Paris debut ; To America, in a star cluster with the de Reszkes ; Aida and Tosca where first came Juliet -- Marie Van Zandt. The original Lakme and the great disturbance in Paris ; Pauline L'Allemand ; Emma Nevada ; Frances Saville -- Edyth Walker. Contralto and soprano, too ; Marion Weed ; Susan Strong ; Suzanne Adams ; Bessie Abbott -- David Bispham. A Philadelphia Quaker who began late but was not long in reaching the top ; Beckmesser by virtue of Planchette -- Louise Homer. Steady growth to eminence after a debut that caused no stir ; Orfeo under Toscanini and some notable casts -- Olive Fremstad. A gift of the Vikings to the new world ; A mezzo in Munich, a Brunnhilde in New York ; Kundry and Isolde on the heights -- Some baritones and basses. The brothers Devries ; Robert Blass ; Putnam Griswold ; Clarence Whitehill ; Allen C. Hinckley ; Basil Ruysdael ; Thomas Chalmers and others -- Geraldine Farrar. Personality-plus in the world of the Prima Donna ; The era of the Geryflappers and an amazing record of achievement -- Mary Garden. Melisande ; Le Jongleur ; Thais ; Louise ; Salome ; Carmen ; Monna Vanna ; Fiora ; And some opinions -- Tardy, the tenors. Riccardo Martin ; Lloyd D'Aubigne ; Paul Althouse ; Orville Harrold ; Charles Hackett ; Mario Chamlee ; Frederick Jagel and others -- Two singers who became managers. Herbert Witherspoon's career as an opera bass ; Edward Johnson's record as a tenor, with reference also to Niki and one Edoardo di Giovanni -- Some contraltos. Eleanora de Cisneros ; Florence Wickham ; Kathleen Howard ; Marion Telva ; Merle Alcock ; Doris Doe ; Gladys Swarthout and others -- Mostly abroad. Sybil Sanderson ; Maude Fay ; Marcella Craft ; Mme. Charles Cahier ; Felice Lyne ; Dusolina Giannini and others -- Florence Easton. Isolde without rehearsal ; Holidays for the prompter ; Lessons in diction and a memorable Marschallin -- Rosa Ponselle. One way of beginning at the top ; Leonara and Rachel with Caruso ; Norma, Violetta and Giulia, before Carmen -- Among Sopranos. Alice Nielsen, Luisa Villani, Louise Edvina, Marie Rappold, Bernice de Pasquali, Mabel Garrison, Edith Mason, Marion Talley, and many others -- Lawrence Tibbett. A printer's contribution to a career ; The son of a sheriff who had to sing one ; From the Ford sensation to Simon Boccanegra -- Baritones of the day. John Charles Thomas and Richard Bonelli ; Some singers who have made their contribution in lesser companies -- The screen and a new public for the American opera singer -- Some reflections and arguments. An interview with Giulio Gatti-Casazza ; His views on the American singer, in the light of what a century has gone to prove. |
