James, (Mary) Frances
James, (Mary) Frances
James, (Mary) Frances, Canadian soprano and teacher; b. Saint John, New Brunswick, Feb. 3, 1903; d. Victoria, British Columbia, Aug. 22, 1988. She studied with Walter Clapperton at the McGill Cons, in Montreal, and with Emmy Hein at the Toronto Cons, of Music (1934), then was a student of Jeanne Dusseau (1936), had lessons with Enrico Rosati and Maria Kurenko in N.Y., and worked with Roland Hayes in Boston. She became well known to Canadian audiences via radio, and as a soloist and recitalist; in 1940 she made her first appearance in the U.S. From 1952 to 1973 she taught at the Univ. of Saskatchewan, and then in Victoria at the Cons, of Music and at the Univ. In 1931 she married Murray Adaskin. She was especially admired for her championship of the 20th-century vocal repertoire.
Bibliography
G. Lazarevich, The Musical World of F. J. and Murray Adaskin (Toronto, 1987).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire