SUZANNE BALQUERIE : FRENCH OPERA STAR : PHOTO BY HENRI MANUEL : RPPC

This vintage real photo postcard features French opera singer, Suzanne Balguerie (1888-1973). She is considered one of the best sopranos performing between the two World Wars. She studied singing at the Conservatoire de Paris. Her debut was at the Opera-Comique in 1921. She received rave reviews. She made a career at the Opera-Comique. When the Nazis occupied France during World War II, there was little opportunity for her to work and she became impoverished. She retired in 1950 and in 1953 she became a professor at the Conservatories in Grenoble and Geneva. For an unknown reason, she did not pursue an international opera career. Mlle Balquerie’s photo portrait seen on this postcard was taken by esteemed photographer, Henri Manuel. The card was published by Alfred Noyer (Paris, France).  (SOLD)

Published in: on April 20, 2024 at 12:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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PORTRAIT OF SOPRANO ETELKA GERSTER, BY NEW YORK CITY CELEBRITY PHOTOGRAPHER, JOSE MORA

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This cabinet card portrait features Hungarian soprano Etelka Gerster (1855-1920). She debuted in Italy in 1876. In 1878 she performed at the Academy of Music in New York City. She earned great international acclaim during her singing career. She unfortunately lost her voice after the birth of her daughter and never sang again. She became a voice instructor and taught singing in Berlin, Germany between 1896 and 1917. She died in Bologna in 1920. This cabinet card portrait was produced by celebrity photographer Jose Mora of New York City. To learn more about him and to view more of his photographs, click on the category “Photographer: Mora”.

Published in: on October 16, 2014 at 10:35 pm  Leave a Comment  
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MISS HOWELL: PRETTY AND CURVACEOUS STAGE ACTRESS

miss howell_0004Miss Howell is the subject of this Newsboy cabinet card. Presumably, the busty and thin waisted  Miss Howell was a stage star. This photograph is number 64 of a series of theater cabinet cards. It is unknown why someone erased the Newsboy logo from the front of the photograph. Newsboy cabinet cards were distributed as premiums accompanying tobacco products. Miss Howell is quite attractive. She is wearing long gloves and a fancy hat.  An attempt to find further information about Miss Howell was unsuccessful. There was an opera singer named “Miss Howell” but it could not be confirmed that she was the appropriate age to be the woman in this photograph. Newspaper accounts reveal that Miss Dicie Howell was an American soprano who performed in many American and International cities during the 1920’s. This cabinet card was  published significantly before 1900. To view other Newsboy cabinet cards, click on the category “Photographer: Newsboy”.

Published in: on January 8, 2013 at 12:01 am  Comments (3)  
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MINNIE HAUK: AMERICAN OPERA STAR

This cabinet card features Amalia Mignon Hauck (1851-1929). She was best known as Minnie Hauk and she was a celebrated American opera soprano. Minnie Hauk was born in New York City and as a child also lived in Rhode Island and Kansas. She studied voice with Achille Errani and had her debut in Brooklyn at age 14. Her New York City debut occurred when she was fifteen years of age. She sang Juliette in the American premiere of “Romeo et Juliette” in 1867. She performed in London in 1868 and in Paris the following year. She was the first American “Carmen” (1878). Unfortunately her fame and success did not last throughout her life. By 1918 she was in poverty and nearly blind. To see other photographs by Alfred S. Campbell and to learn more about him, click on the category “Photographer: Campbell”.

Published in: on September 14, 2012 at 12:01 am  Comments (1)  
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Marie Tempest: English Singer and Actress

Marie Temptest (1864-1942) was a famous soprano in late Victorian light opera and Edwardian musical comedies. She later became a a leading comic actress. She toured in North America and  other parts of the world. She was also a significant force behind the founding of the actors union Actors’ Equity in England. She was born in London, England and educated in Belgium. Her later musical education took place in Paris and London. She had her debut in 1885 in the operetta Boccaccio in London. After a few years in other performances, she performed on Broadway over a three year span. She was in numerous productions including The Tyrolean, and The Fencing Master.  She was considered on the few rivals to Lillian Russell. Tempest was a difficult star but mellowed in middle age. She was a very active actress and performed in numerous productions over the years. She was created a Dame Commander of the British Empire in 1937. The top Cabinet Cafd was photographed by famous celebrity photographer Falk, of New York City.  The bottom Cabinet Card was produced by A. Bassano of London, England.

Published in: on February 11, 2010 at 12:01 am  Leave a Comment  
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ALWINA VALLERIA: OPERA STAR

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Alwina Valleria (1848-1925) is seen in full costume in this cabinet photograph by Cooper of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Valleria was the first American-born singer to appear in principal roles with the Metropolitan Opera. She was a soprano.  Born in Baltimore, she attended the Royal Academy of Music in London. She made her operatic debut in St Petersburg in 1871 and sang in Europe until 1879 when she first appeared in America singing Marguerite in Faust with the James Henry Mapleson company. In 1883 she first appeared at the Metropolitan Opera and she was New York City’s first Micaela in Carmen in 1878. She retired from the stage in 1886 and died in France in 1925.

Published in: on December 13, 2008 at 6:41 pm  Leave a Comment  
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