Elsie Houston
Encyclopedia
Elsie Houston was a Brazilian singer.
Elsie Houston was born in Rio de Janeiro
in 1902. She was the descendent of confederados
, southern plantation owners that had come to Brazil after the American Civil War. Elsie's father was James Frank Houston, a prominent Rio dentist and Elsie Houston's mother, Arinda Galdo, was a native of Rio de Janeiro, and had Portuguese roots in the Madeira Islands.
Elsie Houston figured in the Brazilian literary/art/music scene during a critical time in its history. It was an era of tremendous creative energy. In addition to Mário de Andrade
and Patricia Galvão ( Pagu), Elsie Houston knew others famous members of this artists movement, including the composer Heitor Villa-Lobos
, the painters Flavio de Carvalho, Anita Malfatti
and Tarsila do Amaral
, and the leader of Brazilian modernism, Oswald de Andrade
.
Elsie moved to Germany and studied with Lilli Lehmann
a renowned voice teacher. She then studied with another famed soprano, Ninon Vallin
, first in Argentina and then in Paris. Houston's relationship with Heitor Villa Lobos began in her teens. Houston was definitely a soloist at Villa Lobos's 1927 Paris concerts. In 1928 she married Benjamin Péret
, French surrealist poet, with whom she lived in Brazil from 1929 to 1931. Their son, Geyser, was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1931.
By the late 1930s, Elsie Houston had moved to New York
. She was a brilliant singer, particularly skilled in the interpretation of Brazilian songs. The New York Times during this era praised for her performances. She was also an active supporter of young Latin American composers, performing early pieces by composers such as Jayme Ovalle and Camargo Guarnieri
. She died in 1943, her death was listed as an apparent suicide.
Elsie Houston was born in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
in 1902. She was the descendent of confederados
Confederados
The Confederados are an ethnic sub-group in Brazil descended from some 10,000 Confederate Americans who immigrated chiefly to the area of the city of São Paulo, Brazil after the American Civil War...
, southern plantation owners that had come to Brazil after the American Civil War. Elsie's father was James Frank Houston, a prominent Rio dentist and Elsie Houston's mother, Arinda Galdo, was a native of Rio de Janeiro, and had Portuguese roots in the Madeira Islands.
Elsie Houston figured in the Brazilian literary/art/music scene during a critical time in its history. It was an era of tremendous creative energy. In addition to Mário de Andrade
Mário de Andrade
Mário Raul de Morais Andrade was a Brazilian poet, novelist, musicologist, art historian and critic, and photographer. One of the founders of Brazilian modernism, he virtually created modern Brazilian poetry with the publication of his Paulicéia Desvairada in 1922...
and Patricia Galvão ( Pagu), Elsie Houston knew others famous members of this artists movement, including the composer Heitor Villa-Lobos
Heitor Villa-Lobos
Heitor Villa-Lobos was a Brazilian composer, described as "the single most significant creative figure in 20th-century Brazilian art music". Villa-Lobos has become the best-known and most significant Latin American composer to date. He wrote numerous orchestral, chamber, instrumental and vocal works...
, the painters Flavio de Carvalho, Anita Malfatti
Anita Malfatti
Anita Catarina Malfatti is heralded as the first Brazilian artist to introduce European and American forms of Modernism to Brazil...
and Tarsila do Amaral
Tarsila do Amaral
Tarsila do Amaral, , known simply as Tarsila, is considered to be one of the leading Latin American modernist artists, described as "the Brazilian painter who best achieved Brazilian aspirations for nationalistic expression in a modern style." She was a member of the Grupo dos Cinco , which...
, and the leader of Brazilian modernism, Oswald de Andrade
Oswald de Andrade
José Oswald de Andrade Souza was a Brazilian poet and polemicist. He was born and spent most of his life in São Paulo....
.
Elsie moved to Germany and studied with Lilli Lehmann
Lilli Lehmann
Lilli Lehmann, born Elisabeth Maria Lehmann, later Elisabeth Maria Lehmann-Kalisch was a German operatic soprano of phenomenal versatility...
a renowned voice teacher. She then studied with another famed soprano, Ninon Vallin
Ninon Vallin
Ninon Vallin was a French soprano who achieved considerable popularity in opera, operetta and classical song recitals during an international career which lasted for more than four decades. [Note: Vallin's birthday is sometimes given as September 7 or September 9.]-Career:Ninon Vallin was born...
, first in Argentina and then in Paris. Houston's relationship with Heitor Villa Lobos began in her teens. Houston was definitely a soloist at Villa Lobos's 1927 Paris concerts. In 1928 she married Benjamin Péret
Benjamin Péret
Benjamin Péret was a French poet, Parisian Dadaist and a founder and central member of the French Surrealist movement with his avid use of Surrealist automatism.-Biography:...
, French surrealist poet, with whom she lived in Brazil from 1929 to 1931. Their son, Geyser, was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1931.
By the late 1930s, Elsie Houston had moved to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. She was a brilliant singer, particularly skilled in the interpretation of Brazilian songs. The New York Times during this era praised for her performances. She was also an active supporter of young Latin American composers, performing early pieces by composers such as Jayme Ovalle and Camargo Guarnieri
Camargo Guarnieri
Mozart Camargo Guarnieri was a Brazilian composer.-Name:He was registered at birth as Mozart Guarnieri, but when he began a musical career, he decided his first name was too pretentious and subject to puns. Thus he adopted his mother's maiden name Camargo as a middle name, and thenceforth signed...
. She died in 1943, her death was listed as an apparent suicide.