Coe Glade
Coe Glade | |
|---|---|
 Coe Glade in costume for "Carmen", from a 1928 newspaper | |
| Born | Florence Coe Johnston August 12, 1900 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | September 23, 1985 (aged 85) New York, New York, U.S. |
| Known for | Mezzo-soprano opera singer |
Coe Glade (August 12, 1900 – September 23, 1985), born Florence Coe Johnston, was an American opera singer, best known for singing the title role of Carmen.[1][2]
Early life
[edit]Glade was born in Chicago,[1] and raised in Tampa, Florida,[3][4][5] the daughter of Ira William Johnston and Mabel Caroline Albrecht Johnson.[6] Her parents divorced in 1907.[7] Her stepfather was Frederick Glade, who died in 1917.[8]
Career
[edit]Glade sang in the mezzo-soprano[1] and contralto[9] ranges. She began singing professionally in St. Louis,[10] and was discovered by Fortune Gallo.[11] She joined the Chicago Civil Opera Company in 1929.[12] She also sang with the Cincinnati Zoo Opera.[13][14] "She has been hailed by leading critics as an artist of crystalline quality, possessing not only a gorgeous, rich voice but a brain that thinks, that seeks the composer's innermost thought, that grasps his most delicate subtlety", according to one 1931 report.[9] She sang in the opening program at Radio City Music Hall in 1932[1] and at the Hiram Walker Canadian Club at the Chicago World's Fair in 1934.[15]
Glade sang the lead role in Carmen more than 2,000 times.[15][16][17] Her repertoire also included Amneris in Aida, Delila in Samson and Delilah, and Azucena in Il trovatore.[3][10][18] She taught voice students in her later years.[10]
Glade was considered an "exotic" beauty,[18][19] and her appearance was often reported on, including her hair color, makeup, wardrobe, and jewelry.[3][9][20] Her braless performances as Carmen in the 1930s were famous enough to be mentioned in at least one obituary, over fifty years later.[21]
Personal life
[edit]Glade lived with her mother until Mabel Glade died in 1959.[22] Coe Glade died in 1985, at the age of 85, at her home in New York City.[15][21] Her gravesite is in Myrtle Hill Memorial Park in Tampa, Florida.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Coe Glade, 85, Dead; Sang in Many Operas". The New York Times. September 25, 1985 – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ Mintzer, Charles. "Coe Glade Remembered". Opera Nostalgia.
- ^ a b c Garretson, Joseph Jr (1938-07-19). "Coe Glade Keeps Reporter Waiting, But He Discovers It Is Worthwhile". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. 22. Retrieved 2025-03-09 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Coe Glade's Concert Here Set for Feb. 6". The Tampa Tribune. 1932-12-07. p. 5. Retrieved 2025-03-09 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Coe Glade Realizes Dream of Singing Role of Carmen". The Tampa Times. 1928-05-22. p. 9. Retrieved 2025-03-09 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Brillian Reception Given in Honor of Miss Coe Glade, Grand Opera Star". The Tampa Times. 1933-02-10. p. 14. Retrieved 2025-03-09 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Son-in-Law Demands $100,000; Ira W. Johnston Sues Wife's Father for Big Sum". Chicago Tribune. 1907-05-28. p. 4. Retrieved 2025-03-09 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Obituary for Fred P. Glade". Chicago Tribune. 1917-12-26. p. 13. Retrieved 2025-03-09 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "Glade-Baggiore Concert Musical Peak of Season; American Contralto, Italian Tenor are Hailed as Marvel Artists". The Courier. 1931-03-29. p. 9. Retrieved 2025-03-09 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c Goldstein, Alvin H. (1961-05-03). "Coe Glade, 'Free Spirit' of Grand Opera". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 61. Retrieved 2025-03-09 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Coe Glade Coming to Asheville--This Time in a Pullman". The Asheville Times. 1927-07-20. p. 6. Retrieved 2025-03-09 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Hill, H. R. (1929-03-15). "Convent Girl Takes Place Beside Raisa in Chicago Opera Company". The Oakland Post Enquirer. p. 11. Retrieved 2025-03-09 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Production of 'Mignon' to Feature Coe Glade". The Cincinnati Post. 1936-07-18. p. 12. Retrieved 2025-03-09 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Coe Glade to Hear Mary Garden Sing". The Cincinnati Post. 1932-06-29. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-03-09 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c Heise, Kenan (26 September 1985). "Coe Glade, Sang Lead in Carmen 2,000 Times". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ "Coe Glade, Tampa Singer, Adds to Her Success Story". The Tampa Tribune. 1936-09-14. p. 12. Retrieved 2025-03-09 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Caldwell, Lily May (1937-09-19). "Famous 'Carmen' Swirls into Birmingham; Coe Glade Arrives to Sing Lead in City's First Outdoor Opera". The Birmingham News. p. 14. Retrieved 2025-03-09.
- ^ a b Aston, Frank (1933-03-23). "Miss Coe Glade--the Soloist; She Drops in for her Rehearsal at Emery Auditorium". The Cincinnati Post. p. 8. Retrieved 2025-03-09 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Cooper, L. E. (1928-08-15). "Glade and Bertini, New Tenor, Head Opera Cast for 'Carmen'". The Asheville Times. p. 1. Retrieved 2025-03-09 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Brillian Reception Given in Honor of Miss Coe Glade, Grand Opera Star". The Tampa Times. 1933-02-10. p. 14. Retrieved 2025-03-09 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Coe Glade, Famous as Alluring Carmen". The Cincinnati Enquirer. 1985-09-24. p. 29. Retrieved 2025-03-09 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Mrs. Mable C. Glade". The Tampa Tribune. 1959-11-05. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-03-09 – via Newspapers.com.
