Signature of Emma Albani Gye
Date Published: ND
Binding: No binding
8 x 6 inch folded to 6 x 4 inch monographed (EAG) paper, dated November 1st and signed E Albani Gye. Very good condition.
LAJEUNESSE, EMMA (also called Marie-Louise-Cécile-Emma) (Gye), known as Emma Albani, singer, pianist, harpist, and teacher. She was a leading soprano of the 19th century and early 20th century, and the first Canadian singer to become an international star performing across Europe and North America. In 1890, Alban performed in two complete operas at the Academy of Music in Montreal, Lucia di Lammermoor and Verdi’s La Traviata. That year she lent her support to a benefit concert for Notre-Dame Hospital. At the Victoria Skating Rink an audience of 6,000 cheered her, as well as pianist and composer Salomon Mazurette, violinist Alfred De Sève, and the Montreal City Band under the direction of Ernest Lavigne*. Albani was always generous to charitable organizations.
In that same year, 1890 lbani’s career reached its peak when she gave a spirited performance at the most famous and respected opera house in North America, the Metropolitan Opera in New York. She became the first French Canadian woman to perform in this theatre when she sang the role of Desdemona in Verdi’s Otello, a work that marks an important stage in the history of Italian opera. Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables (1908) was inspired by Albani. Montgomery later wrote a profile of the singer for Courageous Women (1934). Canada Post commissioned a postage stamp honoring her on the 50th anniversary of her death. The stamp was released on 4 July 1980 with 11,700,000 stamps printed.
Item #4921
$45.00 USD
$61.60 CAD