Mary Garden (Opera Biographies (Amadeus)) [Hardcover]

Michael T. R. B. Turnbull (Author)

Book Description

Series: Opera Biographies (Amadeus) | Publication Date: March 1, 2003

Meticulously researched, this biography charts the mixed fortunes of Gardens career, describing her triumphant success on the Paris stage but also the moral outcry that followed her portrayal of Strausss Salome in the United States. The book includes a discography by James McPherson and William R. Moran and a chronology.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Garden (1874^-1967) was a singing actress dedicated to her art. Born in Scotland, raised in Chicago, she studied in Paris and debuted April 10, 1900, in Charpentier's Louise at the Opera-Comique. Debussy created Melisande for her, but she was most famous as Thais and Salome, roles she interpreted sensually, often to the point of scandal. Seldom acclaimed for vocal ability, she focused on characterization through gesture and vocal inflection. World War I interrupted her career (she volunteered to care for casualties in France). Later, she sang several seasons with the Chicago Opera Company and was its "Directra" in 1921; running up a large deficit, she lasted only one season. Her last operatic performance, in May_ 1934, was, like her first, at the Opera-Comique. Retired, she lectured and wrote an autobiography. Turnbull captures her essence--that of a private person who knew how to promote herself--and he helpfully includes notes from a Mary Garden master class to show how she interpreted various roles. Alan Hirsch

Product Details

• Hardcover: 250 pages
• Publisher: Hal Leonard Corporation; F edition (March 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1574670174
• ISBN-13: 978-1574670172
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,037,960 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)