Anna Case (October 29, 1887 - January 7, 1984) was an American operatic lyric soprano. She recorded with Thomas Alva Edison, who used her voice extensively in "tone tests" of whether a live audience could tell the difference between the actual singer and a recording. In addition to recordings for Edison Records on both phonograph cylinder and Diamond Disc, Case recorded for Victor and Columbia Records, and made sound film for Vitaphone.
Biography
Case was born in Clinton, New Jersey, on October 29, 1887,[1][2][3][4] and educated by vocal trainer Augusta Öhrström-Renard in New York. Case made her debut in 1909 at the New Theatre in New York as the Dutch Boy in Werther, and from 1909 to 1916 was a member of the Metropolitan Opera Company. In her first American performances, she created the roles of Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier (1913) and Feodor in Boris Godunov (1913).[5] She sang Olympia in Tales of Hoffmann, Mimi in La Boheme, and Micaela in Carmen.[6]
On July 18, 1931, Case married ITT Corporation executive Clarence H. Mackay at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Roslyn, New York, and retired from the stage shortly afterwards.[10][11] She began to write songs more prolifically in 1936, penning over 50 in two years,[12][7] and sang occasionally at social events. Her husband died in November, 1938, and Case died in New York City on January 7, 1984, aged 96.[11]
Upon her death, she bequeathed her 167.97-carat (33.59 g) Colombian emerald ring and Cartier necklace containing more than 2,000 diamonds, 35 emeralds and an oval cabochon-cut Columbian emerald of 167.97 carat to the Smithsonian Institution.[13]
1915 Edison recording of "La sonnambula. Ah! Non credia mirarti", performed by Case
References
^"United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JT1B-FY6 : 20 May 2014), Anna Mackay, Feb 1984; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
^"United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV5B-DZFC : 16 March 2018), Anna Case, 1920; citing Passport Application, New York, United States, source certificate #174387, Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925, 1077, NARA microfilm publications M1490 and M1372 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
^"United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV5Y-TSDW : 16 March 2018), Anna Case, 1922; citing Passport Application, New York, United States, source certificate #196201, Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925, 2039, NARA microfilm publications M1490 and M1372 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
^"Hawaii, Honolulu Passenger Lists, 1900-1953," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVR9-2C6H : 8 March 2021), Anna Case, 1925-1926; citing Ship Niagara, NARA microfilm publication A3422 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
^"American Premiere of 'Boris Godounoff' Wednesday". The New York Times. March 12, 1913. Retrieved 2011-03-09. Boris Godounoff, the Russian opera by Moussorgsky, will be the feature of next week's repertoire at the Metropolitan Opera House, where it will have its first American hearing on Wednesday evening. It will be conducted by Mr. Toscanini, and the cast will include Madames Homer, Case, Sparkes, Maubourg, and Duchene, and Messrs. Didur, Althouse, Rothier, Reiss, Bada, De Segurola, Rossi, Audisi, Reschiglian, and Kreidler.
