Farrar, Geraldine

1883-

Young American soprano singer, who scored a great success in Berlin and in New York in 1906, when she was heard in Tannhauser and in the title role of Puccini's Madame Butterfly. Miss Farrar is the daughter of Sidney Farrar, once a Boston baseball star, and was born in Boston. As a young child she showed a decided fondness for singing, and when she was fifteen was taken to hear Emma Thursby, who was so enthusiastic over her voice that she accepted her as a pupil, and with her Miss Farrar remained two years. She studied at the same time dramatic action with Capoul, once a famous operatic singer, and French and German with other teachers. Mrs. Bertram Webb, a wealthy woman of Salem, Mass., supplied the funds necessary for a course of study in Paris, and in that city Miss Farrar began her studies with Trabadello. She later went to Germany and studied with Gratziani. In was in Paris that she gained her first hearing, but it was in Germany that she was and is most popular, especially in Berlin. Here she first met Mme. Lilli Lehmann, who became her teacher and coached her in the role of Elizabeth in Tannhauser, which she has since sung so admirably. After five years spent in Berlin, where many favors and honors were showered upon her, the young American went to Monte Carlo, Munich and other cities in Europe, where she was heard with great success in many important roles. Miss Farrar has a life engagement at the Royal Opera, Berlin. She came back to her native country in 1906 on a leave of absence, singing in New York, Boston, Chicago and the other cities where the Metropolitan Opera Company appeared in the roles of Elizabeth, ChoCho San in Madame Butterfly and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. Her repertory includes beside Mimi in La Boheme, Marguerite in Faust, and Manon in Manon Lescaut.