Turn of the Century Divas
Pictures and autographs of famous songbird divas from the early portion of the 20th Century. A glimpse at some great divas-gone-by -- most of whom made recordings, so we are somewhat familiar with their voices.
Lina Cavalieri was known primarily for her astonishing good looks; her voice was a light, flexible lyric soubrette.
Selma Kurz had the most perfect and stunning trill -- a gorgeous decoration that she would hold forever.
Marcella Sembrich is considered one of the greats, and was unbelievably famous and powerful in her prime. Frankly, in my view her records don't play well to modern ears; too many "golden age" eccentricies for my taste.
Maria Barrientos was a star in the early decades of the 20th Century, with a bright timbre and considerable skill in florid passages.
Erzi Sandor was a Hungarian coloratura star in the 1920's. Unknown outside her own country, but legendary within it. She is pictured here as Lakme.
Australia's Evelyn Scotney was a bit in Melba's shadow, but had a lovely, sweet voice and marvelous artistry.
Blanche Arral recorded some wild coloratura pieces in her prime (and after).
Born in Poland in 1877, Bella Alten trained in Germany and sang Gretel and Adele (in Die Fledermaus) in their Met premieres.
The lovely Anna Case was a lyric-coloratura famous for her pure tone.
Amelita Galli-Curci, one of the greatest of all time. Her records hold up considerably well in my view.
Elvira de Hidalgo is more famous for being Callas' teacher than for her own career. Her records are not flattering in my view.
Frances Saville sang at the met in the early 1900's. Her niece was the more famous lyric soprano, Frances Alda.
Lotte Schoene -- pictured as Liu in Turandot, I wager. She sang the most delightful Viennese waltzes and operetta.
Rosina Storchio was the first Butterfly, but also gained prominance in coloratura/soubrette roles like Norina and Rosina. She created the "other" Mimi (in Leoncavallo's La Boheme).
The amazing, intimidating Luisa Tetrazzini. She was quite a character (read her incredible biography "The Florentine Nightingale" by Charles Nelson Gattey) and it comes sailing through in her most miraculous recordings. She was very prolific in the early studio.
Erika Wedekind was the sister of German playwright, Frank Wedekind, and principal coloratura at Dresden for the first decade of the 1900's. She made only a few records in 1906 and 1908.
Two terrific color posters of Marion Talley. A big publicity splash built up to her "hometown-girl-makes-good" Met debut, but the voice and talent were disappointing and the critics had a field day. She continued to concertize to a popular public for a few more years. A recent CD compilation proves she wasn't THAT bad...
Maria Ivogun was one of the best of the German coloraturas in a long line that continued through Erna Berger and Ingeborg Hallstein.
Lise Landouzy is here pictured as Thais. She sang and recorded most of the arias of French coloratura heroines.
Fritzi Scheff was very famous in the early 1900's after she retired from opera and made a splash on Broadway. Victor Herbert wrote "Mlle. Modiste" for her (the charming score has plenty of coloratura elements in addition to the famous "Kiss Me Again").
Alice Verlet may not have been the "world's greatest coloratura" as this ad claims, but she was very good. I have an old, rare LP compilation of some of her early sides.
Emma Calve was one of the brightest stars of the era, she sang a wide range of roles from light coloratura pieces, to lyric, even to mezzo. A beautiful oil painting.
Ada Sari is so well-respected in her native Poland, that she was given her own stamp.
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