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 126-150 of 193 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | B-20331 | 10-in. | 7/10/1917 | The star spangled banner | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with mixed vocal quartet and orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-20332 | 10-in. | 7/10/1917 | The star spangled banner | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | C-22575 | 12-in. | 2/10/1919 | Je viens célébrer la victoire | Enrico Caruso ; Louise Homer ; Marcel Journet | Vocal trio (contralto, tenor, and bass), with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | C-22627 | 12-in. | 3/17/1919 | Printemps qui commence | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with piano and orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-22628 | 10-in. | 3/17/1919 | When the roses bloom | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | C-22629 | 12-in. | 3/17/1919 | O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-22630 | 10-in. | 3/18/1919 | Oh, boys, carry me 'long | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with male vocal quartet and orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-22631 | 10-in. | 3/18/1919 | Hard times, come again no more | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with male vocal quartet and orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-22632 | 10-in. | 3/18/1919 | I love to tell the story | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with male vocal quartet and orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-23974 | 10-in. | 4/29/1920 | Last night | Louise Homer ; Louise Homer Stires | Vocal duet (soprano and contralto), with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-23975 | 10-in. | 4/29/1920 | Banjo song, op. 22, no. 4 | Louise Homer ; Louise Homer Stires | Vocal duet (soprano and contralto), with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-23976 | 10-in. | 4/29/1920 | Go, pretty rose | Louise Homer ; Louise Homer Stires | Vocal duet (soprano and contralto), with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | C-23977 | 12-in. | 4/29/1920 | Quis est homo | Louise Homer ; Louise Homer Stires | Vocal duet (soprano and contralto), with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-23979 | 10-in. | 4/30/1920 | Oh morning land | Louise Homer ; Louise Homer Stires | Vocal duet (soprano and contralto), with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | C-23980 | 12-in. | 4/30/1920 | My sweet repose | Louise Homer ; Louise Homer Stires | Vocal duet (soprano and contralto), with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-25326 | 10-in. | 6/1/1921 | My ain folk | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-25327 | 10-in. | 6/1/1921 | Just for to-day | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | C-25328 | 12-in. | 6/3/1921 | But the Lord is mindful of his own | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | C-25329 | 12-in. | 6/3/1921 | Mother Goose songs | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-25330 | 10-in. | 6/4/1921 | The auld Scotch sangs | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-26430 | 10-in. | 4/25/1922 | Hark! the herald angels sing | Louise Homer ; Louise Homer Stires | Vocal duet (soprano and contralto), with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-26432 | 10-in. | 4/26/1922 | The lane to Ballybree | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-26433 | 10-in. | 4/25/1922 | Venetian song | Louise Homer ; Louise Homer Stires | Vocal duet (soprano and contralto), with harp and orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-26434 | 10-in. | 4/25/1922 | My ain countrie | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-26435 | 10-in. | 4/26/1922 | Christ the Lord is risen today | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Homer, Louise," accessed April 23, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/101986.
Homer, Louise. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 23, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/101986.
"Homer, Louise." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 23 April 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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