Description

EMMA EAMES (SHANGHAI, CHINA, AUGUST 13, 1865 – NEW YORK CITY, US, JUNE 13, 1952)

Emma Eames was born to a lawyer father who worked in China, while her upbringing was under her mother’s guidance in Bath, Maine. Her early vocal training began with her mother, followed by Clara Mungen in Boston, and later, the esteemed Mathilde Marchesi de Castrone in Paris. Eames made her professional debut in 1889 at the Paris Grand Opéra as Juliette in Roméo et Juliette, performing alongside Jean de Reszke, with guidance from Charles Gounod himself for her roles as Juliette and Marguerite in Faust. She remained at the Grand Opéra for two years, premiering the operas Ascanio by Saint-Saëns (1890) and Zaïre by Véronge de la Nux (1890).

In 1891, she debuted at Covent Garden in London, where she performed until 1901, singing iconic roles such as Marguerite in Faust, Desdemona in Otello, Elisabeth in Tannhäuser, and Eva in Die Meistersinger. She was part of the world premiere of Isidore de Lara’s The Light of Asia in 1892. That same year, Eames joined the Metropolitan Opera in New York, first performing as Juliette, and she became one of its most celebrated sopranos for 18 years. She sang in 258 New York performances (420 including the Met’s U.S. tours), participating in premieres including Micaela in Carmen (1893) and Pamina in The Magic Flute (1900), and created the title role in the U.S. premiere of Mascagni’s Iris (1907). Her portrayals of Tosca in 1902 and Alice Ford in Falstaff (1905) were also major successes.

Beyond New York, she graced international stages: the Teatro Real in Madrid (1892-93), Queen Victoria’s jubilee festival in London (1897), and the Monte Carlo Opera as Desdemona in Otello (1896). She created the title role in Ero e Leandro by Mancinelli at Covent Garden and the Met (1898-99) and premiered Ghiselle by César Franck (1896).

Her personal life included marriage to painter Julian Story in 1891, with a publicized divorce in 1907, and a later marriage to baritone Emilio de Gogorza in 1911, from whom she eventually separated. In 1911-12, she returned to the Boston Opera, reprising roles such as Tosca and Desdemona, and later retired to Maine, where she continued occasional concerts. Her memoirs, Some Memories and Reflections, were published in 1927. Emma Eames passed away, remembered as a significant figure in opera’s golden age.

TRACKLIST

1. Ave Maria (Gounod) (vlc Hollman) 03067 G&T New York 1906-02-01
2. Carmen (Bizet) Je dis que rien ne m’épouvante 88036 C3386 Victor, USA 1906-05-14
3. Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) Voi lo sapete 88037 C3388 Victor, USA 1906-05-14
4. Chanson d’amour (Hollman) (vlc Hollman) 85097 C3074 Victor, New York 1906-02-01
5. Crucifix (Faure) (w. de Gogorza) 89004 C3172 Victor, 1906-03-09
6. Don Giovanni (Mozart) Là ci darem la mano (w. de Gogorza) 89005 C4263 Victor, New York 1907-05-22
7. Dopo (Tosti) 88344 C11307 Victor, USA 1911-11-27
8. Élégie (Massenet) 88014 C2402 Victor, New York 1905-03-16
9. Faust (Gounod) Ah! Je ris de me voir 85053 C2317 Victor, New York 1905-02-20
10. Faust (Gounod) Alerte! Alerte! (w. Dalmores & Plançon) 95300 C4332 Victor, USA 1907-03-25
11. Faust (Gounod) Il était un roi de Thulé 88045 C4066 Victor, USA 1906-11-27
12. Goodbye (Tosti) 85058 C2400 Victor, New York 1905-03-16
13. Gretchen am Spinnrade (Schubert) 88367 C11312 Victor, USA 1911-11-28
14. Lakmé (Delibes) Dôme épais de jasmine (w. Homer) 89020 C6225 Victor, USA 1908-05-25
15. L’Incrédule (Hahn); Year’s at the Spring (Beach) 85057 C2314 Victor, New York 1905-03-16
16. Lohengrin (Wagner) Du Ärmste (w. Homer) 89021 C6226 Victor, USA 1908-05-25
17. Love in May (Parker); I once had a sweet little doll (Nevin) 88131 C6201 Victor, USA 1908-05-18
18. New Microsoft Word Document
19. Nozze di Figaro (Mozart) Che soave zeffiretto (w. Sembrich) 95202 C5040-3 Victor, 1908-01-25
20. Otello (Verdi) Ave Maria 88035 C3385 Victor, USA 1906-05-14
21. Roméo et Juliette (Gounod) Je veux vivre  88011 C2419 Victor, New York 1905-03-28
22. Star spangled banner (Key); Dixie (Emmett) (Two American Patriotic Airs) 88012 C2421 Victor, New York 1905-03-28
23. Still wie die Nacht (Böhm) 88005 G&T New York 1905-02-20
24. Trovatore (Verdi) Mira d’acerbe lagrime (w. de Gogorza) 89022 C6233 Victor, Camden NJ 1909-04-07
25. Who is Sylvia (Schubert) 88013 C2316 Victor, New York 1905-03-28
26. Zauberflöte (Mozart) Là dove prende (Bei Männern) (w. de Gogorza) 89003 C3171 Victor, 1906-03-09