Mabel Garrison (Soprano) (24. 4. 1886 Baltimore, † 15. 8. 1963 Northampton (Massachusetts)

She studied under Lucien Odenthal in Baltimore, then at the Peabody Conservatory in Boston with E. Heimendahl. Additionally she perfected her vocal technique under Oscar Saenger and Herbert Witherspoon in New York. She made her debut in 1912 as a member of the Aborn Opera Company in Boston as Philine in ‘’Mignon’’. In the 1913-1920 seasons she appeared at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. During the first season in this house she sang only in a Saturday Night concert and only in November, 1914 she made her debut as Frasquita in ‘’Carmen’’. Here her repertoire included bell-boy Urbain in ‘’Huguenots’’, Gretel in ‘’Hansel and Gretel’’, the principal roles in ‘’Martha’’ and ‘’Lucia di Lammermoor’’, Adina in ‘’Elisir d'amore’’, bell-boy Oscar in ‘’Ballo in maschera’’, Gilda in ‘’Rigoletto’’, Biancofiore in ‘’Francesca da Rimini’’. In 1916 she performed at the New York Empire Theatre in the American première of Mozart’s ‘’Schauspieldirektor’’, which took place within the scope of an USA tour. The soprano Lucy Gates and three other singers were also involved in this tour, which lasted till 1919. In 1921 she made guest appearances at the State Operas of Berlin and Hamburg and at the Opera of Cologne. In 1921 she undertook a world-concert tour. In the 1925-1926 season she was member of the Chicago Opera, where she was celebrated above all as Rosina in ‘’Il Barbiere di Siviglia’’. Since 1933 she taught singing at the Smith College in Northampton (Massachusetts).

Chronology of some appearances

1912  Boston Aborn Opera Company
1913-1920 New York Metropolitan Opera
1916 New York Empire Theatre
1916-1919 USA tour
1921 Berlin State Opera
1921 Hamburg State Opera
1921 Cologne Opera
1925-1926 Chicago Opera

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Victor, 1916-06-06

Erminie (Jacobowski): Dear Mother in dreams I see her (Lullaby) with Victor Chorus: Baker, Macdonough, Murphy, Werrenrath & Hooley 74481 C17803

Contes d'Hoffmann (Offenbach): Les oiseaux dans la charmille 74482 C17804 

Victor, 1916-06-15
Mignon (Thomas): Je suis Titania 74489 C17816
Lakmé (Delibes): Où va la jeune Hindoue? 74491 C17833

Victor, 1917-01-08
Dixie (Emmett) with Victor Male Qt: Macdonough, Werrenrath, Murphy & Hooley 64637 B18971

Victor, 1917-06-13
Norwegian Echo Song (Kom Kjyra) (Thrane) 64714 B18981
Perle du Brésil (David): Charmant oiseau 74542 C20036

Victor, 1920-02-18
L'Éclair (Halévy): Call me thine own 74612  C23742

Victor, 1921-04-28
Swing low, sweet Chariot (arr Guion) 64969 B24244

Victor, 1921-04-29
Parysatis (Saint-Saëns): The nightingale and the rose  64978 B25247

Gramophone, 1923-05-05
Huguenots (Meyerbeer): Lieti Signori, Salute!  AGSB70 C27798