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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 76-100 of 120 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Edison 8217 10-in. 9/14/1921 A song of thanksgiving Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 8218 10-in. 9/14/1921 Dearie Anna Case Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 8227 10-in. 9/26/1921 Nuit d'étoiles Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 8228 10-in. 9/28/1921 Le beau rêve Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 8341 10-in. 1/16/1922 Will you come back to me Anna Case Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 8457 10-in. 5/18/1922 Love is the wind Anna Case Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 8458 10-in. 5/18/1922 Primavera Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 8473 10-in. 5/31/1922 These are they Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 8480 10-in. 6/7/1922 Rejoice greatly Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 8481 10-in. 6/19/1922 Cuncette Anna Case Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 8491 10-in. 6/14/1922 A night in Venice Anna Case ; Ralph Errolle Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 8496 10-in. 6/19/1922 Verranno a te sull'aure Anna Case ; Ralph Errolle Vocal duet (soprano and tenor), with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 8505 10-in. 6/26/1922 E il sol dell' anima Anna Case ; Ralph Errolle Vocal duet (soprano and tenor), with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 8680 10-in. 12/4/1922 Leonora's lullaby Anna Case Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 8766 10-in. 10/8/1923 Charmant oiseau Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 8984 10-in. 5/16/1923 Jerusalem Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with piano vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 8987 10-in. 10/2/1914 Twilight dreams are dreams of you Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 9004 10-in. 6/1/1923 Villanelle Anna Case ; Charles Gilbert Spross Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 9009 10-in. 6/5/1923 Amoureuse Anna Case Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 9010 10-in. 6/5/1923 Dear land of home Anna Case ; Charles Gilbert Spross Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 9030 10-in. 6/13/1923 Our paradise Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 9035 10-in. 6/15/1923 The valley of laughter Anna Case Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 9039 10-in. 6/21/1923 Le mal du pays Anna Case ; Robert Gayler Soprano vocal solo, with piano vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 9054 10-in. 6/29/1923 Printemps Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Edison 9059 10-in. 7/5/1923 Open thou, my love, thy blue eyes Anna Case Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
(Results 76-100 of 120 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Case, Anna," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108838.

Case, Anna. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108838.

"Case, Anna." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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