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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 26-50 of 120 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia W98648 12-in. 4/2/1929 Angels ever bright and fair Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Columbia W98649 12-in. 4/2/1929 Non so più, cosa son Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Columbia W98659 12-in. 5/10/1929 Angels ever bright and fair Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 2460 10-in. 9/16/1913 Charmant oiseau Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 2463 10-in. 9/23/1913 Depuis le jour Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 3172 10-in. July 1914 Mi chiamano Mimì Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 3173 10-in. July 1914 Ah! Non credea mirarti Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 3174 10-in. July 1914 Musetta waltz Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 3347 10-in. Oct. 1914 Depuis le jour Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 3348 10-in. 10/2/1914 Mi chiamano Mimì Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 3351 10-in. Oct. 1914 Quando me'n vo Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 3547 10-in. 1/28/1915 My laddie Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 3707 10-in. 4/14/1915 A song of India Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 3796 10-in. 5/18/1915 Charmant oiseau Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 3805 10-in. 5/20/1915 Mad scene Anna Case ; Julius Spindler Soprano vocal solo, with piano vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 3936 10-in. 7/2/1915 Comin' thro' the rye Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 3968 10-in. 7/14/1915 Bonnie sweet Bessie Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 4877 10-in. 7/14/1916 Cradle song 1915 Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 4878 10-in. 7/14/1916 Annie Laurie Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 4882 10-in. 7/17/1916 Old folks at home Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 4883 10-in. 7/17/1916 Home, sweet home Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 4897 10-in. 7/21/1916 Mighty lak' a rose Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 4898 10-in. 7/21/1916 Little Boy Blue Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 4925 10-in. 8/16/1916 Carry me back to old Virginny Anna Case ; Criterion Quartet Female vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 5012 10-in. 9/20/1916 Les oiseaux dans la charmille Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
(Results 26-50 of 120 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Case, Anna," accessed April 25, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108838.

Case, Anna. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108838.

"Case, Anna." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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