Eva Leoni (Soprano) (Berlin, Germany 1895 † New York, USA 1972)

She was the daughter of Hungarian parents. At the age of 16 she went to Milano where she studied with several Maestri. In 1913 she made her debut in Italy in the operetta ‘’The Geisha’’ of  S. Jones. In the 1913-1914 season she undertook a South America tour with the Marchetti Opera Company appearing among other things in "Lustigen Witwe", "Zigeunerbaron", "Fledermaus", "Boccacio" and in Offenbach’s "Schöner Helena". In 1913 she had her first success at the Teatro Victorio, then at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires as Gilda in ‘’Rigoletto’’. In the 1913-1914 season she appeared in Italian theaters in operas and operettas, among other things in Rome, Turin, Genoa and Naples. In 1914 she was surprised in South America by the First World War and went to the USA. She went to New York for further studies with Gabriele Sibella and in 1918 she sang the part of Nedda in ‘’Pagliacci’’at the Academy of Music in New York. Then she appeared in the Stuyvesant Park of New York as Rosina in ‘’Il Barbiere di Siviglia’’. In 1922 she sang in the New York Broadway in the French opera ‘’Galathée’’ of Massé. She was known in North America by her concerts, her radiorecordings and sound recordings. In 1923 she appeared in the american premiere of of Schönberg’s "Herzgewächse". In 1924 she sang at the Manhattan Opera in New York the part of Oscar in ‘’Un Ballo in maschera’’. In 1926 she appeared in Montreal as Gilda. In 1929 as a member of the Franchetti Opera Company she appeared as Rosina. In  1931 in Los Angeles she sang in the operetta ''The Geisha''. In 1929 she gave a concert in New York. Then she took her residence in San Francisco, later in New York, where she arranged opera performances for children. In 1946 she married thr actor A. J . Herbert, worked as a pedagogue in Vienna, however, came in 1964 again to New York, where she devoted herself once more to the children's operas.

Chronology of some appearances

1913-1914 South America tour Marchetti Opera Company

1913 Buenos Aires Teatro Colón Rigoletto (Gilda)

1918 New York Academy of Music Pagliacci (Nedda)

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Columbia, New York 1926-05-25
Parysatis (Saint-Saëns): Le rossignol et la rose L1988 W98267

Columbia, New York 1926-07-26
Lakmé (Delibes): Où va la jeune Hindoue L1988 98283