Geraldine Farrar

Alice Geraldine Farrar (February 28, 1882 – March 11, 1967) was an American soprano and film actress known for her beauty, acting skill, and the intimate timbre of her voice; young women who admired her were called “Gerry‑flappers.” She began studying music at age five in Boston and gave recitals by fourteen, later continuing vocal studies in New York City, Paris and Berlin. Farrar debuted at the Berlin Hofoper as Marguerite in Charles Gounod’s *Faust* in 1901, creating a sensation and remaining with the company for three years while furthering her training; she also performed the title roles in Ambroise Thomas’ *Mignon* and Jules Massenet’s *Manon*, and sang Juliette in Gounod’s *Roméo et Juliette*. After three seasons at the Monte Carlo Opera, she made her New York Metropolitan Opera debut in *Romeo et Juliette* in 1906, appeared in the Met’s first performance of Giacomo Puccini’s *Madama Butterfly* in 1907, and stayed with the company until retiring in 1922, singing 29 roles in 672 performances. Farrar created several title roles: Pietro Mascagni’s *Amica* (Monte Carlo, 1905), Puccini’s *Suor Angelica* (New York City, 1918), Umberto Giordano’s *Madame Sans‑Gêne* (New York, 1915), and the Goosegirl in Engelbert Humperdinck’s *Königskinder* (New York, 1910). She recorded extensively for the Victor Talking Machine Company, featured prominently in its advertisements, and participated in a 1907 publicity broadcast over Lee De Forest’s experimental AM transmitter in New York City. Between opera seasons she acted in silent films, starring in more than a dozen productions from 1915 to 1920, including Cecil B. De Mille’s 1915 adaptation of Bizet’s *Carmen* and the 1917 film *Joan the Woman*, in which she played Joan of Arc. Farrar retired from opera in 1922 at age 40 after a final performance as Leoncavallo’s *Zazà*, her voice having declined prematurely from overwork. She then focused on concert recitals, continued recording and performing throughout the 1920s, and published her autobiography *Such Sweet Compulsion* in 1938. In 1960 she received two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for music and film at 1620 and 1709 Vine Street. Farrar died at age 85 in Ridgefield, Connecticut, in 1967.