Edith Mason

Edith Mason (March 22, 1892 – November 26, 1973) was an American soprano.

She was born Edith Barnes on March 22, 1892, in St. Louis, Missouri and studied in Boston, Philadelphia, and Paris. She made her singing début on January 27, 1912, as Nedda in Pagliacci with the Boston Opera Company. During the next three years, she sang in Europe at Nice, Marseilles, and Paris. In 1914 she was singing at the Opera Comique in Paris when the war terminated her engagement. Returning to America, she made her debut at the Metropolitan as Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier on November 20, 1915. From 1917 to 1919, she was a member of the Metropolitan Opera Company.

In 1919, she married Giorgio Polacco. In 1921 she became one of the leading singers of the Chicago Opera Association. She divorced Polacco on July 21, 1929, and was married to Dr. Maurice Bernstein, guardian of the young Orson Welles.

She remarried Polacco on May 15, 1931. They divorced in 1937. She later married William E. Ragland.

She died of a stroke in San Diego, California, on November 26, 1973, at age 80.

Birth and Death Data: Born March 22, 1892 (Boston (capital and largest city of Massachusetts, United States) ), Died November 26, 1973 (San Diego (seat of San Diego County, California, United States; second-largest city in California) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1922 - 1928

Roles Represented in DAHR: soprano vocal

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 71 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor [Trial 1922-02-08-01] 12-in. 2/8/1922 Caro nome Edith Mason Soprano vocal solo, with piano vocalist, soprano vocal  
Victor [Trial 1922-02-08-02] 12-in. 2/8/1922 Entrance song Edith Mason Soprano vocal solo, with piano vocalist, soprano vocal  
Victor [Trial 1922-02-08-03] Not documented 2/8/1922 Last rose of summer Edith Mason Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist, soprano vocal  
Brunswick 12872-12873 10-in. 4/14/1924 Serenade Edith Mason Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Brunswick 12874-12875 10-in. 4/14/1924 Mighty lak’ a rose Edith Mason Female vocal solo, with orchestra and violin obbligato vocalist, soprano vocal  
Brunswick 12876-12877 10-in. 4/15/1924 Dreamin’ time Edith Mason Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Brunswick X12878-X12879 12-in. 4/15/1924 The last rose of summer Edith Mason Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Brunswick 12880-12882 10-in. 4/15/1924 Goodbye Edith Mason Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Brunswick 14111-14112 10-in. 11/3/1924 Romeo and Juliet Edith Mason Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Brunswick 14113-14114 10-in. 11/3/1924 Jewel song Edith Mason Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Brunswick 14115-14116 10-in. 11/3/1924 Butterfly’s entrance Edith Mason Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Brunswick X14117-X14118 12-in. 11/3/1924 Goodbye! Edith Mason Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Brunswick 14119-14120 10-in. 11/4/1924 Kashmiri song Edith Mason Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Brunswick 14121-14122 10-in. 11/4/1924 My old Kentucky home Edith Mason Female vocal solo and male vocal trio, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Brunswick 14123-14125 10-in. 11/4/1924 Carry me back to old Virginny Edith Mason Female vocal solo and male vocal trio, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Brunswick 14126-14128 10-in. 11/4/1924 By the waters of Minnetonka Edith Mason Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Brunswick X14305-X14306 12-in. 11/28/1924 Good-bye Edith Mason Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Brunswick 14307-14308 10-in. 11/28/1924 Air des bijoux Edith Mason Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Brunswick 14309-14310 10-in. 11/28/1924 Ancora un passo Edith Mason Soprano vocal solo and male vocal trio, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Brunswick 14311-14312 10-in. 11/28/1924 Kashmiri song Edith Mason Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Brunswick 14313-14314 10-in. 11/28/1924 Carry me back to old Virginny Edith Mason Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Brunswick 14315-14316½ 10-in. 11/28/1924 My old Kentucky home Edith Mason Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Brunswick 14878-14880 10-in. 2/9/1925 From the land of sky-blue water Edith Mason Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Brunswick X14881-X14882 12-in. 2/9/1925 Un bel di vedremo Edith Mason Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Brunswick 14883-14884 10-in. 2/9/1925 Dreamin’ time Edith Mason Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
(Results 1-25 of 71 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Mason, Edith," accessed January 5, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/330157.

Mason, Edith. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 5, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/330157.

"Mason, Edith." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 5 January 2026.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/330157

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