Wikipedia

Claude Albright

Claude Elwood Albright Roberts (June 5, 1873 – June 26, 1923) was an American opera singer, generally classified as a mezzo-soprano. She grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico Territory, and was recognized as New Mexico's most famous singer during the early 20th century.[1] She performed with various opera companies during her career, most notably the Carl Rosa Opera Company in the United Kingdom.

Claude Albright
Black and white portrait photograph of opera singer Claude Albright
Claude Albright in 1903
Born(1873-06-05)5 June 1873
Howard, Kansas
Died26 June 1923(1923-06-26) (aged 50)
Saint Helena, California
NationalityAmerican
EducationVassar College
Occupationopera singer

Early life edit

Albright was born in Howard, Kansas in 1873. Her parents were John G. Albright, a newspaperman who later owned the Albuquerque Journal, and Franc Luse Albright, a photographer. The family moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1880, and then Albuquerque in 1882.[2] She attended St. Vincent's Academy in Albuquerque, the Kenwood Institute in Chicago, and Vassar College.[3]

Opera career edit

After leaving Vassar, she went with her mother to Paris, where she took voice lessons from Anna de La Grange[4] and then joined the Opéra-Comique in 1901.[5] At the time, she was one of only five Americans to have performed there, along with other notable singers like Mary Garden and Sibyl Sanderson.[6] In 1903, she returned to the United States and joined Henry Wilson Savage's Castle Square Opera Company,[7] where she toured nationally in various productions, mostly English-language versions of famous operas. Her best-known roles with the company were as Kundry in Parsifal and Brünnhilde in Die Walküre.[8][9][10]

In 1910 she returned to Europe, joining the Stadtheater Bremen and then the influential Carl Rosa Opera Company in London.[11] In Britain she received favorable reviews in a number of leading roles including Azucena in Il trovatore, Ortrud in Lohengrin, and the title role in Mignon.[12][13][14] She then came back to the United States in 1912, spending a season with the Aborn Opera Company.[15] Albright's mother and aunt both died in 1912–13 and she had to take time away from the opera to help settle their estates.[16]

She performed at the Panama–California Exposition in San Diego in 1915[17][18] and then joined the La Scala Grand Opera Company in Los Angeles for the 1916 season.[19] In 1917 she married Edward W. Roberts, a construction engineer, and largely retired from touring.[20] She died in 1923 of suspected heart failure and was buried at Fairview Memorial Park in Albuquerque.[21]

Recordings edit

In 1918, Albright made three recordings for Edison Records, which were released as Edison Disc Records under the name Claudia Albright:[22]

  • La Partida (Edison 6046)
  • Clavelitos (Edison 6051)
  • Habanera (Edison 6057)

References edit

  1. ^ "Thousands Hear Miss Claude Albright in an Open Air Concert Tonight". Albuquerque Journal. October 2, 1915. Retrieved September 28, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "J. G. Albright, Pioneer Here, Dies, Aged 82". Albuquerque Journal. February 23, 1931. Retrieved September 23, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Mrs. Claude Albright Roberts Dies Suddenly in California; Body Will Arrive Here Sunday". Albuquerque Journal. June 28, 1923. Retrieved September 25, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Madame de la Grange, Paris". Musical Courier. December 26, 1895. Retrieved October 3, 2020 – via Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ "Praise for Albuquerquean". Albuquerque Journal. August 25, 1901. Retrieved September 25, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "The Stage". Munsey's Magazine. 26 (5). Frank A. Munsey Company: 738. February 1902.
  7. ^ "Castle Square Opera Company to Offer New Prima Donna". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. January 29, 1903. Retrieved September 25, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Still Another Kundry: Miss Albright's Impressive Performance of the Role Yesterday". Kansas City Star. March 19, 1905. Retrieved September 27, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Simpson, George E. (January 24, 1915). "Miss Claude Albright Has Succeeded in Many Parts". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Retrieved September 27, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "'Faust' and the 'Valkyrie'". Kansas City Star. April 1, 1906. Retrieved September 27, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Carl Rosa Opera Company". Opera Scotland. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  12. ^ "The Carl Rosa Opera Company in 'Lohengrin'". The Guardian. December 5, 1911. Retrieved September 27, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Press of England Warmly Praised Miss Albright". Albuquerque Journal. August 21, 1912. Retrieved September 27, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Claude Albright's Splendid Career". Pacific Coast Musical Review. 30 (12): 8. June 17, 1916. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  15. ^ "Claude Albright Is Home for Vacation". Albuquerque Evening Herald. July 19, 1913. Retrieved September 28, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Grand Opera Star Here for Settlement of Estate". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. January 12, 1914. Retrieved September 28, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Fair Throng Won by New Mexico Songbird". San Diego Union. October 1, 1915. p. 7. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  18. ^ Amero, Richard W. "Chapter 4: 1915—San Diego's Year of Glory". Balboa Park History (PDF).
  19. ^ "Eminent Artists to Appear Here in La Scala Company". Los Angeles Express. January 8, 1916. Retrieved September 28, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Claude Elwood Married". Los Angeles Times. June 3, 1917. Retrieved September 28, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "Mrs. Claude Albright Roberts' Funeral Is To Be Held Tomorrow". Albuquerque Journal. July 3, 1923. Retrieved September 28, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "Claudia Albright". Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
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