Louise Homer
Louise Beatty Homer (April 30, 1871 – May 6, 1947) was an American operatic dramatic contralto who had an active international career in concert halls and opera houses from 1895 until her retirement in 1932. After a brief stint as a vaudeville entertainer in New England, she made her professional opera debut in France in 1898. She then became a member of the Metropolitan Opera from 1900 to 1919 and again from 1927 to 1929. She was also active as an opera singer in Boston, Chicago, and California. She recorded extensively for Victor Records and Columbia Records in the early decades of the 20th century. She was married to composer Sidney Homer for 52 years. The composer Samuel Barber was her nephew. Homer sang a broad repertoire which encompassed works from the French, German, and Italian repertoires. She enjoyed particular success in the operas of Giuseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner. She often stated in interviews that her favorite role to perform was Amneris in Verdi's Aida. At the Met she sang in several United States premieres and created roles in two world premieres: the witch in Engelbert Humperdinck's Königskinder and the title role in Horatio Parker's Mona. Soprano Nellie Melba once hailed her as "the world's most beautiful voice". In 1923 and 1924 she was listed as one of the 12 greatest living women by the National League of Women Voters. |
Birth and Death Data: Born April 30, 1871 (Pittsburgh), Died May 6, 1947 (Winter Park)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1903 - 1929
Roles Represented in DAHR: contralto
Notes: Wife of composer Sidney Homer. Their daughter Louise Homer Stires also made recordings.
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 151-175 of 193 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | B-26436 | 10-in. | 4/27/1922 | Worship of God in nature | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-27766 | 10-in. | 4/20/1923 | Summer night | Louise Homer ; Louise Homer Stires | Vocal duet (soprano and contralto), with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-27767 | 10-in. | 4/20/1923 | The gypsies | Louise Homer ; Louise Homer Stires | Vocal duet (soprano and contralto), with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | C-27965 | 12-in. | 5/21/1923 | Calvary | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-27966 | 10-in. | 5/21/1923 | Ring out, wild bells | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with chimes and orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-27967 | 10-in. | 5/21/1923 | Mignon : Gavotte | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-28009 | 10-in. | 5/16/1923 | Sheep and lambs, op. 31 | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with piano | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-30016 | 10-in. | 4/24/1924 | America the beautiful | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-30017 | 10-in. | 4/24/1924 | Connais-tu le pays? | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-30018 | 10-in. | 4/24/1924 | Battle hymn of the republic | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-30019 | 10-in. | 4/25/1924 | Little orphant Annie | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-30020 | 10-in. | 4/25/1924 | The barnyard song | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-30937 | 10-in. | 9/25/1924 | If I but knew | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with violin and orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | B-30938 | 10-in. | 9/25/1924 | Home song | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with harp and orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | BVE-33796 | 10-in. | 11/24/1925 | My faith looks up to Thee | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with pipe organ | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | BVE-33934 | 10-in. | 11/24/1925 | Just as I am | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with pipe organ | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | BVE-33935 | 10-in. | 11/24/1925 | Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with male vocal quartet and pipe organ | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | BVE-33936 | 10-in. | 11/24/1925 | It is well with my soul | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with male vocal quartet and pipe organ | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | CVE-38062 | 12-in. | 5/31/1927 | Serenade | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | BVE-38066 | 10-in. | 6/1/1927 | I think when I read that sweet story | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with pipe organ | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | BVE-38067 | 10-in. | 6/1/1927 | God be with you | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with pipe organ | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | BVE-38068 | 10-in. | 6/1/1927 | Where is my boy to-night? | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with male vocal quartet and pipe organ | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | BVE-38069 | 10-in. | 6/1/1927 | I love to tell the story | Louise Homer | Contralto vocal solo, with male vocal quartet and pipe organ | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | CVE-41232 | 12-in. | 12/16/1927 | Lucia : Sextette | Angelo Bada ; Giuseppe De Luca ; Amelita Galli-Curci ; Beniamino Gigli ; Louise Homer ; Ezio Pinza | Vocal chorus (soprano, contralto, 2 tenors, baritone, and bass), with orchestra | vocalist, contralto | |
Victor | CVE-41233 | 12-in. | 12/16/1927 | Rigoletto : Quartet | Giuseppe De Luca ; Amelita Galli-Curci ; Beniamino Gigli ; Louise Homer | Vocal quartet (soprano, contralto, tenor, and baritone), with orchestra | vocalist, contralto |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Homer, Louise," accessed May 3, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/101986.
Homer, Louise. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 3, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/101986.
"Homer, Louise." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 3 May 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Louise Homer
Discogs: Louise Homer
Allmusic: Louise Homer
Grove: Louise Homer
Britannica: Louise Homer
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Homer, Louise, 1871-1947 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n50028675
Wikidata: Louise Homer - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q589719
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/32183497
MusicBrainz: Louise Homer - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/f42059e0-4a8b-4657-a6e0-623b9b5e8136
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