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Anna Case

Anna Case (October 29, 1887 - January 7, 1984) was an American operatic lyric soprano. She recorded with Thomas Alva Edison, who used her voice extensively in "tone tests" of whether a live audience could tell the difference between the actual singer and a recording. In addition to recordings for Edison Records on both phonograph cylinder and Diamond Disc, Case recorded for Victor and Columbia Records, and made sound film for Vitaphone.

She was born in Clinton, New Jersey, on October 29, 1887. and educated by vocal trainer Augusta Öhrström-Renard in New York. She made her debut in 1909 at the New Theatre in New York as the Dutch Boy in Werther, and from 1909–1916 was a member of the Metropolitan Opera Company. In first American performances, she created the roles of Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier (1913) and Feodor in Boris Godunov (1913). She sang Olympia in Tales of Hoffmann, Mimi in La Boheme, and Micaela in Carmen.

She wrote music and lyrics to several songs during the 1910s and '20s. She made her film debut in the 1919 silent drama film The Hidden Truth, and sang one of her original songs in the 1926 Vitaphone short La Fiesta. She also appeared in documentaries about sound recording. In 1930 she recorded "Just Awearyin' for You" by Frank Lebby Stanton and Carrie Jacobs-Bond.

On July 18, 1931, she married ITT Corporation executive Clarence H. Mackay at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Roslyn, New York, and retired from the stage shortly afterwards. She began write songs more prolifically in 1936, penning over 50 in two years, and sang occasionally at social events. Her husband died in November, 1938, and Case died in New York City on January 7, 1984. Upon her death she bequeathed her 167.97-carat (33.59 g) Colombian emerald ring and Cartier necklace containing more than 2,000 diamonds, 35 emeralds and an oval cabochon-cut Columbian emerald of 167.97 carat to the Smithsonian Institution.

Birth and Death Data: Born January 1, 1888 (Clinton), Died January 7, 1984 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1913 - 1930

Roles Represented in DAHR: soprano vocal, composer, lyricist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 101-120 of 120 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Edison 9088 10-in. 10/2/1914 Bye and bye you will forget me Anna Case Soprano vocal solo and vocal ensemble, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 9165 10-in. 9/18/1923 Hear how the sweet sound Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 9609 10-in. 7/10/1924 How long wilt Thou forget me Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 9624 10-in. 7/17/1924 Imi au ia oe Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with instrumental duet vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 9639 10-in. 7/23/1924 Na lei o Hawaii Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with instrumental duet vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 9640 10-in. 7/23/1924 Sweet lei lehua Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with instrumental duet vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 9647 10-in. 7/28/1924 Beautiful Kahana Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with instrumental duet vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 10110 12-in. 8/13/1926 September sample record no. 10 Anna Case ; Glen Ellison ; Arthur Hall ; Ernest Hare ; Billy Jones ; Jerry Macy ; John Ryan ; Ed Smalle Dubbed recordings vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 10287 10-in. 3/31/1925 Indian love call Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 10296 10-in. 4/3/1925 Indian dawn Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 10297 10-in. 4/3/1925 Open the gate of your heart Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 10301 10-in. 4/7/1925 The mocking bird Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 10302 10-in. 4/7/1925 Good-bye! Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 10312 10-in. 4/10/1925 Beneath the summer skies Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 10314 10-in. 4/10/1925 For all eternity Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 10318 10-in. 4/14/1925 Cuckoo, shall I grow old? Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 11070 10-in. 6/24/1926 Only a rose Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 11071 10-in. 6/24/1926 A night of love Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 12043 12-in. July 1927 or later Carry me back to old Virginny André Benoist ; Anna Case ; Criterion Quartet LP compilation : Instrumental and vocal vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 12044 12-in. 7/31/1927 or later The mocking bird André Benoist ; Anna Case LP compilation : Instrumental and vocal vocalist, soprano vocal  
(Results 101-120 of 120 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Case, Anna," accessed November 18, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/108838.

Case, Anna. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 18, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/108838.

"Case, Anna." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 18 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/108838

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