Annie Louise Cary
Encyclopedia
Annie Louise Cary was an American
singer.
, the daughter of Nelson Howard Cary and his wife, Maria Stockbridge. After an early education in the common schools, she attended the female seminary at Gorham, Maine
, and graduated in 1862. In 1866, her natural gifts as a singer becoming evident, she went to Italy and studied in Milan
with Giovanni Corsi until January 1868. That year, she made her debut in Italian opera
as a profundo contralto
in Copenhagen
under the direction of Achille Lorini.
in study with Pauline Viardot, and in the autumn she began an engagement for Italian opera at Stockholm
under the direction of Ferdinand Strakosch. After two months, she was engaged to sing at the Royal Swedish Opera
, and sang her part in Italian
to the Swedish
of the other artists. The following summer she spent in Paris
, studying with Giovanni Bottesini
, a conductor and contra-bassist. In the autumn she went to Brussels
to sing in Italian opera, and there made a contract with Messrs. Maurice and Max Strakosch for three years in the United States. In the winter of 1869/70 she studied in Paris, and during the spring in London
with Henry C. Deacon, and sang at Drury Lane Theatre
.
She made her first New York
appearance in September 1870 in concert at Steinway Hall
with Nilsson, Vieuxtemps, and Brignoli. For twelve years from that time she was constantly engaged for opera or concerts, appearing with Carlotta Patti
, Mario, Albani, and others in America, until the winter of 1875/76, when she visited Moscow
and St. Petersburg, and repeated the tour in the following winter.
Returning to America for the seasons of 1877-78 and 1878-79, she sang in opera with Clara Louise Kellogg
and Marie Rose, under the management of director Strakosch. The three seasons following were given to opera with the Mapleson company, and to concerts and festivals in great variety. During the most active part of her professional career she sang at all the festivals given in New York, Boston
, Cincinnati, Chicago
, and Worcester
. She also sang frequently in oratorio, and regularly participated in the concerts of the Brooklyn Philharmonic
Society.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer.
Origins and education
She was born in Wayne, MaineWayne, Maine
Wayne is a town in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,112 at the 2000 census. The town was named after Revolutionary War General Anthony Wayne...
, the daughter of Nelson Howard Cary and his wife, Maria Stockbridge. After an early education in the common schools, she attended the female seminary at Gorham, Maine
Gorham, Maine
Gorham is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 16,381 at the 2010 census. In addition to an urban village center known as Gorham Village or simply "the Village," the town also encompasses a number of smaller, unincorporated villages and hamlets with distinct...
, and graduated in 1862. In 1866, her natural gifts as a singer becoming evident, she went to Italy and studied in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
with Giovanni Corsi until January 1868. That year, she made her debut in Italian opera
Italian opera
Italian opera is both the art of opera in Italy and opera in the Italian language. Opera was born in Italy around the year 1600 and Italian opera has continued to play a dominant role in the history of the form until the present day. Many famous operas in Italian were written by foreign composers,...
as a profundo contralto
Contralto
Contralto is the deepest female classical singing voice, with the lowest tessitura, falling between tenor and mezzo-soprano. It typically ranges between the F below middle C to the second G above middle C , although at the extremes some voices can reach the E below middle C or the second B above...
in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
under the direction of Achille Lorini.
Operatic career
The following summer was spent at Baden-BadenBaden-Baden
Baden-Baden is a spa town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on the western foothills of the Black Forest, on the banks of the Oos River, in the region of Karlsruhe...
in study with Pauline Viardot, and in the autumn she began an engagement for Italian opera at Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
under the direction of Ferdinand Strakosch. After two months, she was engaged to sing at the Royal Swedish Opera
Royal Swedish Opera
Kungliga Operan is Sweden's national stage for opera and ballet.-Location and Environment:...
, and sang her part in Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
to the Swedish
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
of the other artists. The following summer she spent in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, studying with Giovanni Bottesini
Giovanni Bottesini
Giovanni Bottesini was an Italian Romantic composer, conductor, and a double bass virtuoso.-Biography:Born in Crema, Lombardy, he was taught the rudiments of music by his father, an accomplished clarinetist and composer, at a young age and had played timpani in Crema with the Teatro Sociale before...
, a conductor and contra-bassist. In the autumn she went to Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
to sing in Italian opera, and there made a contract with Messrs. Maurice and Max Strakosch for three years in the United States. In the winter of 1869/70 she studied in Paris, and during the spring in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
with Henry C. Deacon, and sang at Drury Lane Theatre
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane is a West End theatre in Covent Garden, in the City of Westminster, a borough of London. The building faces Catherine Street and backs onto Drury Lane. The building standing today is the most recent in a line of four theatres at the same location dating back to 1663,...
.
She made her first New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
appearance in September 1870 in concert at Steinway Hall
Steinway Hall
Steinway Hall is the name of buildings housing concert halls, showrooms and sales departments for Steinway & Sons pianos. The first Steinway Hall was opened 1866 in New York City. Today, Steinway Halls and Steinway-Häuser are located in world cities such as New York City, London, Hamburg, Berlin,...
with Nilsson, Vieuxtemps, and Brignoli. For twelve years from that time she was constantly engaged for opera or concerts, appearing with Carlotta Patti
Carlotta Patti
Carlotta Patti was a nineteenth century operatic soprano and sister to famed soprano Adelina Patti. Various sources list her birth year as 1835, 1840, and 1842. Born into a musical family, Patti studied the piano in her youth before following her younger sister's inclination toward singing...
, Mario, Albani, and others in America, until the winter of 1875/76, when she visited Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
and St. Petersburg, and repeated the tour in the following winter.
Returning to America for the seasons of 1877-78 and 1878-79, she sang in opera with Clara Louise Kellogg
Clara Louise Kellogg
Clara Louise Kellogg was an American singer.She was a daughter of George Kellogg and Jane Elizabeth , born at Sumterville, South Carolina, and was educated in New York for the musical profession, singing first in opera there in 1861. Her fine soprano voice and artistic gifts soon made her famous...
and Marie Rose, under the management of director Strakosch. The three seasons following were given to opera with the Mapleson company, and to concerts and festivals in great variety. During the most active part of her professional career she sang at all the festivals given in New York, Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Cincinnati, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, and Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
. She also sang frequently in oratorio, and regularly participated in the concerts of the Brooklyn Philharmonic
Brooklyn Philharmonic
The Brooklyn Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, commonly known as the Brooklyn Philharmonic, is an American orchestra based in the borough of Brooklyn, in New York City...
Society.