Frances Alda, soprano

Frances Alda (born Fanny Jane Davis) (May 31, 1879? - September 18, 1952) was a New Zealand operatic soprano. Fanny Jane Davis was born in Christchurch in 1879. Alda's maternal grandparents, Martin and Fanny Simonsen, were also singers. Alda's mother died at an early age. Alda's first stage name was "Francie Adler," after her stepfather's surname. At 22, Alda, now renamed "Frances Jean Davies" to hide her Jewish background, set forth for Europe and studied with the famous teacher Mathilde Marchesi, who had taught Nellie Melba and Emma Eames. It was Marchesi who gave Alda her final stage name of Frances Alda. Alda debuted at Covent Garden but Nellie Melba, who tolerated no rivals, said to the management, "It's either Alda or me." However, her performances captured the attention of Arturo Toscanini and Giulio Gatti-Casazza of La Scala, two of the most powerful figures in world opera, and she sang at La Scala for three seasons from 1906-1908.

Alda eventually married Giulio Gatti-Casazza, and followed him when he became general manager of the Metropolitan Opera. The feisty Alda claimed to have "a temper as red as her hair," and anecdotes of her fill many an opera book. Alda remarried in 1941 to Ray vir Den, and remained happily married to him until her death.

Alda's voice was a very beautiful one, with a fast but unintruding vibrato, and like all of Marchesi's students her singing had polish, and a wonderful trill.

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A recording of Frances Alda singing from "La Boheme". Link

Thanks to Bassocantante.com for the recording.