 Clara
Louise Kellogg
Clara Louise Kellogg was a
nineteenth century female vocalist. Though her
career was fraught with numerous failures, she
was determined to become a professional singer.
She continued to cultivate her voice until she
was considered one of the finest singers in
American. She also was the first American singer
to win recognition in Europe.
Clara Louise Kellogg was born in
1842 at Sumpterville, South Carolina, but her
childhood was spent in the North. Both of her
parents were of considerable note, her father
being inventor George Kellogg, and her mother
being an excellent musician. She was evidently
born a singer, for at nine months old she could
hum a tune correctly.
When she was fourteen years old,
Clara's parents move the family to New York for
Clara to begin a thorough course of musical
studies. A professional career was in the minds
of both parents from the start and all her
training had that end in view.
Sarah studied both the French
and Italian methods of singing and made a
special study of Marguerite in Gounod's "Faust",
and in that no one has ever equaled her. Beriloz
was in the United States at the time and heard
her. He was astonished at the skill with which
se interpreted the subtler shadings of the poet,
which he believed were beyond the reach of lyric
art.
Upon appearing in Her Majesty's
Theater in London, as Marguerite, she won a
brilliant victory. She also sang in the Handel
Festival held in the great Crystal Palace, a
great honor for an American.
When she returned to America,
the public was ready to receive her and she was
met by crowds everywhere she performed. In one
winter she sang over one hundred and fifty
nights. After some years she accepted an
engagement in Austria, where she sang in Italian
with a German opera company. She even journeyed
to Russia and sang in St. Petersburg.
Clara had a good heart and was
always offered help to struggling artists. She
was quite wealthy by the end of her career and
spent much of it on philanthropic enterprises.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Patricia Chadwick is a freelance
writer and has been a stay-at-home mom for 15
years. She is currently a columnist in several
online publications as well as editor of two
newsletters. Parents & Teens is a twice-monthly
newsletter geared to help parents connect with
their teens. Subscribe at
www.parentsandteens.com. History's Women is
weekly online magazine highlighting the
extraordinary achievements of women. Subscribe
at www.historyswomen.com/subscribe.html.
|
