Thursby, Emma Cecilia

1857-

 

One of the leading concert-singers of America; born in Brooklyn. Her general education was received at Moravian Seminary at Bethlehem, Pa. Her early musical training was given her by Julius Meyer and Signor Errani, of New York, and Madam Rudersdorff, of Boston, and in 1873 she went to Milan to study under San Giovanni and Lamperti. She returned to this country and made a most successful debut at Plymouth Church, and in 1875 signed an engagement to sing at the Summer Night concerts of O. S. Gilmore, with whom she afterwards traveled through the United States and Canada. For a time she sang at Dr. Taylor's Church in New York at a salary of three thousand dollars a year. She made her London debut at a Philharmonic concert in 1878 with such success that she was engaged to sing again that season. She remained in England throughout the following year, singing at the Popular concerts and the Crystal Palace and even Leslie's Choir, and during the summer she appeared in Paris and the French provinces. In 1880 and 1881 she toured Europe, singing in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Holland, Norway, Denmark and Spain. On returning to America she made a tour through the United States and Canada, and during her last concert tour in this country she was soloist for Theodore Thomas' Orchestra. In 1903 she gave concerts in Japan and China. Her voice is a soprano of a remarkable range and beauty of timbre, which she manages most skilfully.