Abbott, Emma
Abbott, Emma
Abbott, Emma, American soprano; b. Chicago, Dec. 9, 1850; d. Salt Lake City, Jan. 5, 1891. She was a pupil of her father, a singer and music teacher. After vocal training from Achille Errani in N.Y., she sang with Chapin’s choir there (1870–72). She then pursued vocal studies in Milan with Sangiovanni and in Paris with Marchesi, Wartel, and Delle Sedie. On May 2, 1876, she made her professional debut as Maria in La Fille du régiment at London’s Covent Garden. On Feb. 8, 1877, she made her U.S. debut in the same role in N.Y. From 1878 she toured with her own company in the U.S. giving performances of operas and operettas in English. She made a habit of interpolating hymns into her performances of operas by Bellini and Donizetti as a specialty.
Bibliography
S. Martin, The Life and Professional Career of E. A. (Minneapolis, 1891).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire