Anna Hamlin
American singer
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Anna Hamlin (September 10, 1898[1] – May 24, 1988) was an American soprano singer associated with the Chicago Civic Opera Company. From 1939 to 1959, she was a professor of voice at Smith College, and "widely known as one of the most distinguished of voice teachers".[2]
September 10, 1898
Anna Hamlin | |
|---|---|
Anna Hamlin in costume, from a 1927 publication | |
| Born | Anna Mary Hamlin September 10, 1898 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | May 24, 1988 (aged 89) New York, New York, U.S. |
| Occupations | Opera singer, voice teacher |
| Parent | George Hamlin |
Early life and education
Hamlin was born in Chicago, the daughter of George Hamlin and Harriet Rebecca Eldredge Hamlin. Her father was a noted tenor singer.[3] She studied voice with Marcella Sembrich.[4]
Career
Hamlin was a lyric soprano who appeared in opera roles and gave recitals.[5] With the Chicago Civic Opera she played the Page in Masked Ball in 1927.[6] In 1928, she was a soloist at the Adirondack Music Festival[7] and sang in Monte Carlo.[8] Composer Amy Beach dedicated a song to Hamlin.[9] In 1931, she gave a recital in Cincinnati, including a song by local composer Louise Snodgrass.[10] She sang on radio in the 1930s.[11]
From 1939 to 1959, Hamlin was a music professor at Smith College.[12][13] She conducted summer master classes in Milan in 1956.[2][14] Her students included Judith Raskin,[15][16] music professor Lynn Clarke Meyers,[17] Lucy Kelston,[2] Daniel Ferro,[2] Nico Castel,[13] and actress Jane White.[18] In retirement she wrote a memoir, Father was a Tenor (1978).[12][19]
Publications
- Father was a Tenor (1978)[20]
Personal life and legacy
Hamlin died in 1988, at the age of 89, in a New York City nursing home. Her memorial service was held in a recital space at Carnegie Hall.[12] The George and Anna Hamlin Papers, including her diaries and concert programs, are in the collection of the New York Public Library.[21]