Marcia Van Dresser (1877 – July 11, 1937) was an American

opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...

tic

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 ...

, recitalist and actress. She was sometimes referred to as a

mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano (, ), or mezzo ( ), is a type of classical music, classical female singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A bel ...

Biography

Van Dresser spent her early life in Memphis and later studied for opera with

Hermine Bosetti Hermine Bosetti ''née'' von Flick (28 September 1875, Vienna – 1 May 1936, Hohenrain or Munich), was a German coloratura soprano. Bosetti sang her debut in Wiesbaden (1898) as "Ännchen" in ''Der Freischütz''. In 1900, she was a member of t ...

and

Jean de Reszke Jean de Reszke (born Jan Mieczysław Reszke; 14 January 18503 April 1925) was a Polish dramatic tenor and opera star. Reszke came from a wealthy Polish family with classical and operatic musical traditions. His mother gave him his first singing ...

. She was a member of the Famous Original Bostonians before joining

Alice Nielsen Alice Nielsen (June 7, 1872 – March 8, 1943) was an American Broadway theatre, Broadway performer and operatic lyric soprano. She starred in several Victor Herbert operettas and performed with her own Alice Nielsen Opera Company. Background ...

Company in 1898 for

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 Fortune Teller ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' ...

'' and ''Singing Girl''. She studied voice in New York City with

Sarah Robinson-Duff Sarah Robinson-Duff (May 1, 1868 – May 11, 1934) was an American operatic soprano and celebrated voice teacher of many important opera singers, including Mary Garden and Alice Nielsen. She wrote the vocal pedagogy book '' Simple Truths Used b ...

, herself trained in Paris by

Mathilde Marchesi Mathilde Marchesi (; 24 March 1821 – 17 November 1913) was a German mezzo-soprano, a singing teacher, and a proponent of the bel canto vocal method. Biography Mathilde Graumann was born in Frankfurt. Her aunt was the pianist Dorothea von Er ...

.''Alice Nielsen and the Gayety of Nations'', by Dall Wilson, 2016 edition. Van Dresser appeared as an actress in 1902 with

Otis Skinner Otis A. Skinner (June 28, 1858 – January 4, 1942) was an American stage actor active during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Early life and education Skinner was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on June 28, 1858, the middle of three b ...

in a revival of

George Henry Boker George Henry Boker (October 6, 1823 – January 2, 1890) was an American poet, playwright, and diplomat. Early years and education Boker was born in Philadelphia. His father was Charles S. Boker, a wealthy banker, whose financial expertise w ...

's ''Francesca da Rimini''. Apparently she never recorded for the gramophone industry. Van Dresser joined New Yorks's

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera is an American opera company based in New York City, currently resident at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center), Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Referred ...

company, and sang across Europe before joining the

Chicago Opera Lyric Opera of Chicago is an American opera company based in Chicago, Illinois. The company was founded in Chicago in 1954, under the name 'Lyric Theatre of Chicago' by Carol Fox (Chicago opera), Carol Fox, Nicola Rescigno and Lawrence Kelly, w ...

in 1915 for her major opera roles. In April 1918 she appeared at Aeolian Hall singing

Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( ; ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions ...

in Italian,

Debussy Achille Claude Debussy (; 22 August 1862 – 25 March 1918) was a French composer. He is sometimes seen as the first Impressionism in music, Impressionist composer, although he vigorously rejected the term. He was among the most influe ...

and Fauré in French. The Haydn work had been arranged by

Pauline Viardot Pauline Viardot (; 18 July 1821 – 18 May 1910) was a French dramatic mezzo-soprano, composer and pedagogue of Spanish descent. Born Michelle Ferdinande Pauline García,FitzLyon, p. 15, referring to the baptismal name. Thbirth recorddigitized a ...

. She died in London on July 11, 1937, after a long illness."Marcia Van Dresser Is Dead in London; American Soprano Had Sung with the Bostonians and Metropolitan Opera"
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', July 12, 1937

References

External links

*
Early portrait
(held by the Billy Rose Theatre Division,

New York Public Library for the Performing Arts The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, is located at 40 Lincoln Center Plaza, in the Lincoln Center complex on the Upper West Side in Manhattan, New York City. Situated between the Metropolitan O ...

)
Portrait from the early 1900s
(University of Florida,

George A. Smathers Libraries The George A. Smathers Libraries of the University of Florida constitute one of the largest university library systems in the United States. The system includes eight of the nine libraries of the University of Florida and provides primary support ...

) {{DEFAULTSORT:Van Dresser, Marcia 1877 births 1937 deaths Actresses from Memphis, Tennessee American stage actresses American operatic sopranos 19th-century American women opera singers 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American women opera singers Singers from Memphis, Tennessee Classical musicians from Tennessee