Marguerite d'Alvarez

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Marguerite d'Alvarez
A black-and-white portrait of a dark-haired woman in profile, wearing an elaborately beaded costume and headpiece
Marguerite d'Alvarez
Born
Margarita Amelia Alvarez de Rocafuerte

1880s
Bootle, England
Died1953
Alassio, Italy
Other namesMarguerite Alvares de Rocafuerte

Marguerite d'Alvarez (c. 1884 – 18 October 1953) was an English contralto, born Margarita Amelia Alvarez de Rocafuerte. She sang on the opera and concert stages, for recordings, and in radio concerts, and appeared in three films.

Early life[]

D'Alvarez was born in Bootle, though she is sometimes mentioned as being born in Peru.[1] Her father, Benjamín Álvarez de Buenavista,[2] was a Peruvian diplomat,[3] and her mother was French. Her brother was also a diplomat.[4] She studied at the Brussels Conservatoire.[5]

Career[]

D'Alvarez made her debut in Rouen in 1907, singing in Samson and Delilah.[6] After further studies in Paris she made her first American appearances with the Manhattan Opera Company in 1909[6] as Fidès in Giacomo Meyerbeer's Le prophète. Following her season in New York City, she went to London to help Oscar Hammerstein inaugurate his London Opera in 1911; that year, she scored great successes in French roles.[7]

D'Alvarez subsequently appeared at leading European opera houses such as Covent Garden, and also sang in Chicago and Boston, and made a tour of Australia after World War I.[5] In 1923, she was praised by Queen Mary after a recital at London's Queen's Hall.[3] She was guest soloist at a concert in Indianapolis in 1925.[8] She sang in radio concerts in 1926 and 1927.[9] In 1929, she headlined in a "Pan-American Program" in Washington, D.C.[10]

In 1926, d'Alvarez defended jazz from its European detractors, including composers Richard Strauss and Pietro Mascagni. "I want to live to the tunes of Irving Berlin and go to my grave while Whiteman's orchestra plays the Gershwin 'Rhapsody in Blue'", she said in response. "It is the twentieth century itself — energy, spice, sparkle and flavor. Those who deplore it belong in the mummy case. It is speed and fun."[11]

D'Alvarez made several acoustic recordings in New York, including arias from her operatic repertoire and Spanish songs by Falla, Chapi and Tabuyo.[6][12] She also made three films, Till We Meet Again, in 1944, An Angel Comes to Brooklyn (1945) and Affair in Monte Carlo (1952).[13] Her autobiography, Forsaken Altars, was published in 1954.[5]

Later life[]

D'Alvarez died in 1953, in Alassio, Italy.[14]

Bibliography[]

  • David Ewen, Encyclopedia of the Opera, Hill and Wang; enlarged edition (1963), ISBN 978-1135528751

References[]

  1. ^ "A London Fog Started Marguerite D'Alvarez on her Singing Career". The Baltimore Sun. 1921-12-18. p. 89. Retrieved 2021-06-12 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ Molinari, Miguel (2009-06-27). "Margarita de Álvarez". La Republica (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-06-12.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b "D'Alvarez Praised by Royalty". Musical Courier. 87: 7. November 8, 1923.
  4. ^ "Peruvian Official Dies at Embassy". Evening Star. 1930-08-03. p. 7. Retrieved 2021-06-12 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c DMH (1955-05-14). "A Cool Contemporary of Dame Nellie Melba". The Age. p. 20. Retrieved 2021-06-12 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b c Potter T. Ladies of low repute - Part 7. Classical Recordings Quarterly, Autumn 2014, No 78, p. 45
  7. ^ Macy, Laura (2009-01-01), "Alvares de Rocafuerte, Marguerite", The Grove Book of Opera Singers, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-533765-5, retrieved 2021-06-12
  8. ^ "Mendelssohn Choir to Give Concert Tomorrow Evening". The Indianapolis Star. 1925-04-26. p. 62. Retrieved 2021-06-12 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "In Blue Network Concert Friday". Hartford Courant. 1927-03-20. p. 67. Retrieved 2021-06-12 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Principals in Pan-American Program to be Given Tomorrow Night". Evening Star. 1929-12-29. p. 58. Retrieved 2021-06-12 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Jazz War Rages Over D'Alvarez". Times Colonist. 1926-07-10. p. 24. Retrieved 2021-06-12 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "D'Alvarez, Marguerite". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved 2021-06-12.
  13. ^ [1]American Film Institute search page for Marguerite d'Alvarez, accessed 17 January 2015.
  14. ^ "Madame D'Alvarez Dies; Famed French Contralto". The Berkshire Eagle. 1953-10-22. p. 5. Retrieved 2021-06-12 – via Newspapers.com.
Retrieved from ""