Dame Genevieve Ward DBE

Order of the British Empire

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...

 (27 March 1837–18 August 1922), born Lucy Genevieve Teresa Ward, was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

-born British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 soprano

Soprano

A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...

 and actress.

She was created a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire

Order of the British Empire

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...

 (DBE) in 1921.

Life and career

Genevieve Ward was born in the city of New York, the daughter of Samuel Ward and the grand-daughter of Gideon Lee, formerly Mayor of that city. At the age of three she accompanied her parents to Europe. She began to display a preference for the arts, and devoted herself by turns to the study of painting, sculpture, and music. By degrees, music absorbed her entirely, and her proficiency on the piano attracted attention. After a few years' stay in Europe, the family returned to New York, and soon afterward made the acquaintance of Henriette Sontag

Henriette Sontag

Henriette Sontag was a German operatic soprano of great international renown. She possessed a sweet-toned, lyrical voice and was a brilliant exponent of florid singing.-Life:...

.

Sontag encouraged Genevieve to study singing formally and when the family returned to Europe, she gave her a letter of introduction to Rossini.