Description

FLORENCE MARY MACBETH (MANKATO, MINNESOTA, JANUARY 12, 1889 – HYATTSVILLE, MARYLAND, MAY 5, 1966)

 

 

 

 

After completing her education in New York and Paris, she gave her first concert in Scheveningen in 1912. The following year, she took part in a concert conducted by Thomas Beecham in London. In 1913, she made her stage debut at the Court Theater in Brunswick as Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia. She then appeared as a guest at the Court Theater in Darmstadt and sang the role of Olympia in Les contes d’Hoffmann at the Court Opera of Dresden in 1913.

In 1914, she joined the Chicago Opera, where she remained (with an interruption during the 1916–1918 seasons) until 1930. She made her debut there again as Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia and achieved great success in roles such as Amina in La sonnambula, Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor, Gilda in Rigoletto, Adina in L’elisir d’amore, Martha, Ophélie in Hamlet, Micaëla in Carmen, Mimì in La bohème, Violetta in La traviata, Eudoxia in La Juive, and Zerlina in Fra Diavolo.

In 1919, she sang the role of Anna in the American premiere of A. Catalani’s Loreley in Chicago. During the 1921–1922 season, she toured North America as a member of the Cosmopolitan Opera. Until 1931, she continued to make guest appearances at the Ravinia Festival, performing with great success as Lisetta in Puccini’s La rondine during the 1928–1929 season.

In the 1927–1928 season, she appeared at the San Francisco Opera in Martha, Il barbiere di Siviglia, and Fra Diavolo. After her retirement, she devoted herself to teaching. In 1950, she married the author James M. Cain.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1913 Brunswick Court Theater

1913 Dresden Court Opera

1914-1930 Chicago Opera

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini) Una voce poco fa A6233 98088-3 Columbia, New York 1923-06-02

Carnevale di Venezia (arr Benedict) A6173 49868-1 Columbia, New York 1920-07-20

Contes d’Hoffmann (Offenbach) Doll song 5044-M 98135-2 Columbia, New York 1924-03-18

Dinorah (Meyerbeer) Ombra leggiera A6219 49992-1 Columbia, New York 1921-10-06

Faust (Gounod) Jewel song 5044-M 98089-5 Columbia, New York 1924-03-10

Gondoliers (Sullivan) In a contemplative fashion (w. Keyes, Kingston & Croxton) A5891 48837-3 Columbia, New York 1916-06-23

I’ve been roaming (Horn) A5811 48578-1 Columbia, New York 1916-02-03

Kom Kjyra (Norwegian Echo Song) (Thrane) A3895 80523-3 Columbia, New York 1922-08-11

Lakmé (Delibes) Ou va la jeune hindoue A6189 49849-2 Columbia, New York 1920-06-21

Lazy Song (Lawson) 30003-D 81065-2 Columbia, New York 1923-06-04

Linda di Chamounix (Donizetti) O luce di quest’anima A6173 49848-2 Columbia, New York 1920-06-21

Lo, here the gentle lark (Bishop) A5867 48579-2 Columbia, New York 1916-02-03

Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) Mad scene A6233 98086-3 Columbia, New York 1923-05-31

Mignon (Thomas) Io son Titania (Polonaise) A6219 49993-1 Columbia, New York 1921-10-06

Mikado (Sullivan) Madrigal (w. Keyes, Kingston & Croxton) A5861 48834-2 Columbia, New York 1916-06-22

Parla Waltz (Arditi) A5867 48684-2 Columbia, New York 1916-04-07

Pierrot (Roberts) 30003-D 81063-2 Columbia, New York 1923-06-01

Rigoletto (Verdi) Caro nome A6189 49944-2 Columbia, New York 1921-03-04

Robin Adair (Old Celtic Air) A3733 80525-2 Columbia, New York 1922-08-12

Roméo et Juliette (Gounod) Je veux vivre A6163 49667-7 Columbia, New York 1919-10-01

Spring voices (Voci di primavera) (Strauss) A5811 48630-1 Columbia, New York 1916-03-05 (15?)

Villanelle (dell’Acqua) A6163 49855-1 Columbia, New York 1920-06-22

When I was seventeen (Swedish folk song) A3733 80522-7 Columbia, New York 1922-09-30

Yeoman of the Guard (Sullivan) Strange adventure (w. Keyes, Kingston & Croxton) A5861 48833-3 Columbia, New York 1916-06-22