The Canadian Nightingale: Bertha Crawford and the Dream of the Prima DonnaApril 4, 1915, Bertha Crawford bowed to tumultuous applause before a glittering audience at the Tsar’s Imperial Mariinsky Theatre. How had a young soprano from Ontario become a darling of the Russian capital eight months into the First World War? The Canadian Nightingale vividly resurrects the forgotten life of Bertha Crawford, a determined Canadian singer who chased the celebrity dream of her time to find unprecedented success on the opera stages of Russia and Poland. Meticulous historical research and compelling dramatic vignettes restore Crawford and her era to life. After a rollercoaster ride to fame that was ultimately derailed by broken trust, one big question remains: how was a Canadian story this fascinating left untold for more than eighty years. |
Contents
Chapter Two Music in the Family 18951903 | |
Chapter Three The First Rungs on the Ladder 19031907 | |
Entracte Competing for the Metropolitan Prize | |
Chapter Five Riding the Rails 19091911 | |
Chapter Six Crossing the Atlantic 19111912 | |
Chapter Seven An Italian Interlude 19121913 | |
Chapter Eight A Year in Warsaw 19131914 | |
Chapter Thirteen Choosing Poland 19241926 | |
Chapter Fifteen An Uneasy Return 19341937 | |
Epilogue | |
Notes | |
Chapter NineA Canadian Nightingale Takes Flight 1915 | |
Picture credits | |
Other editions - View all
The Canadian Nightingale: Bertha Crawford and the Dream of the Prima Donna Jane Cooper Limited preview - 2017 |
The Canadian Nightingale: Bertha Crawford and the Dream of the Prima Donna Jane Cooper Limited preview - 2017 |
Common terms and phrases
American appearances arias artists audience Barber of Seville Bertha and Zofia Bertha Crawford Bertha sang building Canada Canadian Encyclopedia Canadian Encyclopedia Online career Charlesworth Cherepanov choir daughter debut Director donna earned Elmvale Elmvale Presbyterian Church Emma Albani Entr’acte Europe father friends German girls guest Hauke Internet Archive Italian opera Italy John Crawford Karol living London looks Lucia MacDonald Concert Party Massey Hall Metropolitan Methodist Church Montréal Music in Canada Musical Canada musicians Nevosky newspaper Nieswiez North America Ontario Opera Company opera singer opera stars Orchestra Paul Mably People’s House performances perhaps Petersburg Petrograd piano Poland Polish Poznan prima donna probably professional recital reputation Rigoletto roles Russian Ruthven MacDonald Concert Schuch Shalyapin singing soloist stage story Street success Suckling Taskin teacher Toronto Daily Star tour train travelled voice Warsaw Great Theatre Warsaw Philharmonic Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra woman women York young Zofia