Author: McCormic, Mary (1889-1981). American Opera Soprano and later professor of opera at the University of North Texas College of Music.
Title: Original Matte-Finish Photograph of the American Operatic Soprano Mary Mccormic, Inscribed & Signed by Her.
Description: April 20, 1935. 1935. - An original 10 inch high by 8 inch wide matte-finish sienna-toned photograph of the soprano by Melbourne Spurr of Los Angeles. The photograph, a head and shoulders portrait of Mary McCormic portrays her in a dark jacket over a matching dark blouse with a brooch in the lapel of the jacket. The singer gently smiles straight at the camera. The photographer's name "Melbourne Spurr, Los Angeles" is embossed in blind at the bottom left of the image and his credits are stamped in blue on the verso. The photograph is inscribed diagonally at left to the Nashville Golden Glove Boxing referee Fitz Waldrip, and signed and dated by the singer: "To Fitz Waldrip with best wishes / Mary McCormic / April 20, 1935". The first 2 letters in "April" are slightly smudged. The top edge of the photograph is roughed, possibly from having been removed from an album as would be indicated by rubbing evident along the top edge of the verso. The bottom corners are very lightly bumped. Very good.

Said to have been among most famous sopranos in the world during the 1920's and 30's, Mary McCormic (1889-1981) was known for her leading roles with the Paris National Opera, the Opera Comique, the Monte Carlo Opera, and the Chicago Civic Opera. Born in Belleville, Arkansas, McCormic became interested in becoming an opera star at the age of 9 years old. She first studied voice with Emil Frey Myers and her potential became known to others by way of a singing contest sponsored by Mary Garden. She would become a protege of Mary Garden. Following her opera career, the dean of the University of North Texas College of Music, Wilfred Bain, convinced her to create an Opera Workshop at the school in 1944. McCormic founded, directed and defended the school's workshop which she built from scratch on a shoestring budget. She went on to mold the school's opera workshop over 16 years. The only opera company in existence in the Southwest, the North Texas Opera Workshop was the first collegiate touring opera workshop west of the Mississippi and McCormic pioneered an approach to low-cost opera in an era of dwindling funds. Upon its founding in 1957, the Dallas Opera drew on the North Texas Opera Workshop for a steady supply of gifted singers for its chorus. Very good .

Keywords: MUSIC; OPERA; SOPRANO; MARY McCORMIC; ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPH; MELBOURNE SPUR; PHOTOGRAPHER; PHOTOGRAPHY; PORTRAIT; SIGNED; INSCRIBED; AUTOGRAPH; INSCRIBED TO NASHVILLE GOLDEN GLOVE BOXING REFEREE; FITZ WALDRIP; UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF MUSIC; NOR

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