Louise Homer
Louise Beatty Homer (April 30, 1871 – May 6, 1947) was an American operatic dramatic contralto who had an active international career in concert halls and opera houses from 1895 until her retirement in 1932. After a brief stint as a vaudeville entertainer in New England, she made her professional opera debut in France in 1898. She then became a member of the Metropolitan Opera from 1900 to 1919 and again from 1927 to 1929. She was also active as an opera singer in Boston, Chicago, and California. She recorded extensively for Victor Records and Columbia Records in the early decades of the 20th century. She was married to composer Sidney Homer for 52 years. The composer Samuel Barber was her nephew. Homer sang a broad repertoire which encompassed works from the French, German, and Italian repertoires. She enjoyed particular success in the operas of Giuseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner. She often stated in interviews that her favorite role to perform was Amneris in Verdi's Aida. At the Met she sang in several United States premieres and created roles in two world premieres: the witch in Engelbert Humperdinck's Königskinder and the title role in Horatio Parker's Mona. Soprano Nellie Melba once hailed her as "the world's most beautiful voice". In 1923 and 1924 she was listed as one of the 12 greatest living women by the National League of Women Voters. |
Birth and Death Data: Born April 30, 1871 (Pittsburgh), Died May 6, 1947 (Winter Park)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1903 - 1929
Roles Represented in DAHR: contralto
Notes: Wife of composer Sidney Homer. Their daughter Louise Homer Stires also made recordings.
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 1-25 of 193 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | C-490 | 12-in. | 10/5/1903 | Nobil signori, salute! | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | C-491 | 12-in. | 10/5/1903 | O toi qui m'abandonnes | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-492 | 10-in. | 10/5/1903 | Faites-lui mes aveux | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | C-493 | 12-in. | 10/5/1903 | He shall feed his flock | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-494 | 10-in. | 10/5/1903 | Annie Laurie | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with piano (take 1); with orchestra (takes 2 and 3) | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-620 | 10-in. | 11/2/1903 | May Day | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | C-621 | 12-in. | 11/2/1903 | Mon coeur s'ouvre | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | C-622 | 12-in. | 11/2/1903 | Away with mourning and crying | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | C-623 | 12-in. | 11/2/1903 | Che farò | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-624 | 10-in. | 11/2/1903 | Sing me a song of a lad who is gone | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-2237 | 10-in. | 2/11/1905 | Ariosa | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | C-2238 | 12-in. | 2/11/1905 | O don fatale | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with instrumental accompaniment | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | C-2239 | 12-in. | 6/6/1905 | O rest in the Lord | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with piano (take 1); with orchestra (takes 2 and 3) | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-2239 | 10-in. | 2/11/1905 | Oh rest in the Lord | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | C-2240 | 12-in. | 2/11/1905 | Turn ye to me | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | C-2601 | 12-in. | 6/6/1905 | Les filles de Cadiz | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-2601 | 10-in. | 6/6/1905 | Les filles de Cadiz | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | C-2602 | 12-in. | 6/6/1905 | Ah! Mon fils | Louise Homer ; Victor Orchestra | Contralto vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-2603 | 10-in. | 6/6/1905 | Old folks at home | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-2604 | 10-in. | 6/6/1905 | Habanera | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | C-3861 | 12-in. | 10/9/1906 | He shall feed his flock | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | C-3862 | 12-in. | 10/9/1906 | Stride la vampa | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | BVE-3862 | 10-in. | 5/31/1927 | Stride la vampa! | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-3862 | 10-in. | 10/9/1906 | Stride la vampa | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | C-3863 | 12-in. | 10/9/1906 | Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with cello and orchestra | vocalist, contralto |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Homer, Louise," accessed November 21, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/101986.
Homer, Louise. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 21, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/101986.
"Homer, Louise." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 21 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Louise Homer
Discogs: Louise Homer
Allmusic: Louise Homer
Grove: Louise Homer
Britannica: Louise Homer
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Homer, Louise, 1871-1947 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n50028675
Wikidata: Louise Homer - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q589719
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/32183497
MusicBrainz: Louise Homer - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/f42059e0-4a8b-4657-a6e0-623b9b5e8136
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