Description

CYRENA VAN GORDON (CAMDEN, OHIO, SEPTEMBER 4, 1892 – NEW YORK CITY, APRIL 4, 1964)

She was born Cyrena Pocock. She studied singing at the Cincinnati Conservatory under the pedagogue Louise Dotti. In 1913, she was engaged by conductor Cleofonte Campanini for the Chicago Opera, where she made her debut as Amneris in Aida. On December 26, 1917, she appeared there in the premiere of the opera Azora by Henry Hadley. In 1921, she sang the part of Brünnhilde in Walküre at the same opera house; however, this remained her only soprano role.

On November 4, 1929, she performed as Amneris in the opening gala of the new Chicago Opera House. At the Chicago Opera, her repertoire included Ortrud in Lohengrin, Fricka, Erda, Marina in Boris Godunov (1920, with Fedor Chaliapin), Dalila in Samson et Dalila, Ulrica in Un ballo in maschera, Azucena in Il trovatore, and the Principessa in Suor Angelica. In 1933, she joined the Metropolitan Opera in New York for a season, where she performed only as Amneris in Aida. At the Philadelphia Opera in 1935, she also sang in the American premiere of Gluck’s Iphigénie en Aulide. Later, she resided in New York, where she remained active as a pedagogue.

Chronology of some appearances

1913-1920’s Chicago Opera

1933 Metropolitan Opera New York

TRACKLIST

1. Favorita (Donizetti) O mio Fernando Edison 82180 6901-C
2. From the land of the sky blue water (Cadman) 132-M W142232 Columbia, New York 1926-09-08
3. Homing (del Riego) 132-M W142238 Columbia, New York 1926-09-09
4. I love to tell the story (Fischer) A3561 79405 Columbia, New York 1921-05-15
5. I need Thee every hour (Lowry) A3308 79404 Columbia, New York 1920-09-07
6. Irish love song (Lang) A3617 79924 Columbia, New York 1921-07-01
7. Lead, kindly light (Dykes) A3308 78991 Columbia, New York 1920-02-21
8. My Laddie (Thayer) A3617 79925 Columbia, New York 1922-02-10
9. One sweetly solemn thought (Ambrose) A3561 79403 Columbia, New York 1922-01-09
10. Rock of Ages (Hastings) A3398 79743 Columbia, New York 1921-03-01
11. Shall we gather at the river (Lowry) A3398 79744 Columbia, New York 1921-03-01
12. Trovatore (Verdi) Stride la vampa Edison 82180 6959-C
13. The old road (Scott) A3865 80908 Columbia, New York 1923-03-16
14. The old refrain (Kreisler) A3865 80909 Columbia, New York 1923-03-16
15. Orfeo ed Euridice (Gluck) Che faro senza Euridice 49820 A6221 Columbia, New York 1920-05-01
16. Aida (Verdi) L’abborrita rivale A6221 98014 Columbia, New York 1922-02-23