Lillian Blauvelt (1873–1947) was a popular opera singer in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

and internationally in the first decade of the 20th century. Her voice was a lyric

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hertz, Hz to A5 in Choir, choral ...

with a very pure timbre and dramatic distinction. Her vocal range was from G to D. She was from

Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

, and eventually toured every country in Europe."Lillian Blauvelt, Stage Beauty", ''

Newport Daily News ''The Newport Daily News'' is a six-day daily newspaper serving Newport County, Rhode Island. It publishes in the mornings on weekdays (Monday through Friday) and in the morning on Saturdays. The ''Daily News'' was the state's largest family-own ...

'', May 22, 1905, pg. 3.

Opera diva

She was a graduate of the National Conservatory of Music. Blauvelt sang in concerts in New York City and Brooklyn prior to becoming the soprano of the West Presbyterian Church,

42nd Street 42nd Street most commonly refers to: *42nd Street (Manhattan), a major crosstown street in the New York City borough of Manhattan It may also refer to: *42nd Street (film), ''42nd Street'' (film), a 1933 American Warner Bros. musical film with lyri ...

between

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and

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, in 1893."Changes In Dr. Paxton's Choir", ''New York Times'', February 12, 1893, pg. 10. In January 1893 she sang the

air (music) An air (; also ''air'' in French language, French) is a song-like vocal or instrumental Music, composition. The term can also be applied to the interchangeable Melody, melodies of Folk music, folk songs and Ballad, ballads. It is a variant of the ...

for ''

Aida ''Aida'' (or ''Aïda'', ) is a tragic opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. Set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt, it was commissioned by Cairo's Khedivial Opera House and had its première there on 24 De ...

'' from Act I, and the duet for ''Aida'' and ''Amneris'' from Act II, with Mrs. Luckstone-Myers, a

contralto A contralto () is a classical music, classical female singing human voice, voice whose vocal range is the lowest of their voice type, voice types. The contralto's vocal range is fairly rare, similar to the mezzo-soprano, and almost identical to ...

. The Sunday concert was held at Music Hall. In 1898 she sang under Sir

Henry Wood Sir Henry Joseph Wood (3 March 186919 August 1944) was an English conductor best known for his association with London's annual series of promenade concerts, known as the Proms. He conducted them for nearly half a century, introducing hundr ...

at the

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London, England. It has a seating capacity of 5,272. Since the hall's opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists from many performance genres ...

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. Forty years later his list of the finest artists he had ever worked with included

Ferruccio Busoni Ferruccio Busoni (1 April 1866 – 27 July 1924) was an Italian composer, pianist, conductor, editor, writer, and teacher. His international career and reputation led him to work closely with many of the leading musicians, artists and literary ...

Fritz Kreisler Friedrich "Fritz" Kreisler (February 2, 1875 – January 29, 1962) was an Austrian-born American violinist and composer. One of the most noted violin masters of his day, he was known for his sweet tone and expressive phrasing, with marked por ...

Pablo Casals Pau Casals i Defilló (Catalan: ; 29 December 187622 October 1973), known in English as Pablo Casals,New York Symphony The New York Symphony Orchestra was founded as the New York Symphony Society in New York City by Leopold Damrosch in 1878. For many years it was a rival to the older Philharmonic Symphony Society of New York. It was supported by Andrew Carnegie, w ...

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhattan), 57t ...

. In the ninth season of Symphony Concerts for Young People, 1904, the program was devoted to works by

Bizet Georges Bizet (; 25 October 18383 June 1875) was a French composer of the Romantic era. Best known for his operas in a career cut short by his early death, Bizet achieved few successes before his final work, '' Carmen'', which has become ...

Gounod Charles-François Gounod (; ; 17 June 181818 October 1893), usually known as Charles Gounod, was a French composer. He wrote twelve operas, of which the most popular has always been ''Faust (opera), Faust'' (1859); his ''Roméo et Juliette'' (18 ...

Verdi Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi ( ; ; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for his operas. He was born near Busseto, a small town in the province of Parma, to a family of moderate means, recei ...

, and

Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, essayist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most o ...

. Blauvelt and Edward P. Johnson were soloists with the orchestra conducted by

Frank Damrosch Frank Heino Damrosch (June 22, 1859 – October 22, 1937) was a German-born American music conductor and educator. In 1905, Damrosch founded the New York Institute of Musical Art, a predecessor of the Juilliard School. Life and career Damrosch ...

. She sang before an audience numbering 3,000 at the

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Casino in July 1904. The following month

Alice Roosevelt Longworth Alice Lee Roosevelt Longworth (February 12, 1884 – February 20, 1980) was an American writer and socialite. She was the eldest child of U.S. president Theodore Roosevelt and his only child with his first wife, Alice Hathaway Lee Roosevelt. Lo ...

attended a concert given by the

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, Choral Society, during which Blauvelt sang. She replaced Ella Russell in a solo quartet at a Christmas 1904 performance of ''The Messiah''. It was presented by the Oratorio Society at Carnegie Hall. In 1905 Blauvelt signed a six-year contract with Fred Whitney to appear in

comic opera Comic opera, sometimes known as light opera, is a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending and often including spoken dialogue. Forms of comic opera first developed in late 17th-century Italy. By the 1730s, a ne ...

. She reportedly received $504,000 for her services or $2,000 per week. Her first venture after the pact was made was a production of ''The Rose of Alhambra'', written by Charles Emerson Cook and Lucius Hosmer. Cook was a close affiilliate of

David Belasco David Belasco (July 25, 1853 – May 14, 1931) was an American theatrical producer, impresario, director, and playwright. He was the first writer to adapt the short story ''Madame Butterfly'' for the stage. He launched the theatrical career of ...

. She was a soloist for a February 1905 New York Symphony Concert given at Alexander Hall on the campus of

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...

. She sang ''Una Voce Poco Fa'' by

Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. He gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano p ...

. Five first violins were added to the orchestra to restrain the brass effect. The same year she sang in a production of Dvořák's ''

Stabat Mater The Stabat Mater is a 13th-century Christian hymn to the Virgin Mary that portrays her suffering as mother during the crucifixion of her son Jesus Christ. Its author may be either the Franciscan friar Jacopone da Todi or Pope Innocent III.Saba ...

''. Her solo was part of a tribute to Dvořák held at Carnegie Hall on March 14. Blauvelt was chosen to sing the soprano portion of a Verdi composition at a memorial concert to the composer held in

Rome, Italy Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

, in 1905. She appeared at the Lyceum Theatre in

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, in November 1905, for the first production of ''The Rose of the Alhambra''. The comic opera was written by Charles Emerson Cook and directed by F. C. Whitney. It was her first work in

light opera Comic opera, sometimes known as light opera, is a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending and often including spoken dialogue. Forms of comic opera first developed in late 17th-century Italy. By the 1730s, a ne ...

after working for years in

grand opera Grand opera is a genre of 19th-century opera generally in four or five acts, characterized by large-scale casts and Orchestra, orchestras. The original productions consisted of spectacular design and stage effects with plots normally based on o ...

. Blauvelt received encores ''until she was compelled to refuse further acknowledgements.'' In 1906, she starred in

Victor Herbert Victor August Herbert (February 1, 1859 – May 26, 1924) was an American composer, Cello, cellist and conducting, conductor of English and Irish ancestry and German training. Although Herbert enjoyed important careers as a cello soloist and co ...

's ''

The Magic Knight ''The Magic Knight'' is a one-act Victorian burlesque with music by Victor Herbert and a libretto by Edgar Smith. The piece parodies Wagner's opera ''Lohengrin''. The original production opened at Weber's Music Hall in New York City on December ...

''. In December 1912 she returned from Europe and performed in a solo quartet in ''

Messiah In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias (; , ; , ; ) is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of '' mashiach'', messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a ''mashiach ...

'' at the Aeolian Hall. This marked her first participation in a New York City concert for a number of years. A review said that her superb voice and style had changed very little, but that by rushing the air in ''Rejoice Greatly'', she diminished its importance to the audience.

Marriages

Harvard Theatre Collection - Smith and Blauvelt TCS 1

Blauvelt was married a number of times. Her first husband was Royal S. Smith, a Brooklyn organist. By 1907 she was married to William F. Pendleton. On June 30, 1910, she wed Dr. Walter Carpenter in Brooklyn."Married", ''New York Times'', July 4, 1910, pg. 7.

References

External links

Lillian Blauvelt

New York Public Library The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second-largest public library in the United States behind the Library of Congress a ...

Digital Gallery photos
Lillian Blauvelt
photo at North Country Digital History
Lillian Blauvelt
on the cover of

Springfield, New York Springfield is a Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town in Otsego County, New York, Otsego County, New York (state), New York, United States. The population was 1,358 at the 2010 census. It is located at the northern county line of Ots ...

Music Festival program from 1901 {{DEFAULTSORT:Blauvelt, Lillian American operatic sopranos 19th-century American actresses American stage actresses Singers from Brooklyn 1947 deaths 1873 births 20th-century American actresses Classical musicians from New York (state)