Mme. Frances Alda was born at Christ Church, New Zealand, May 31st,
1883. She was educated at Melbourne and studied singing with Mathilde
Marchesi in Paris. Her debut was made in Massenet's _Manon_, at the
Opera Comique in Paris in 1904. After highly successful engagements in
Paris, Brussels, Parma and Milan (where she created the title role in
the Italian version of _Louise_), she made her American debut at the
Metropolitan Opera House in New York as Gilda in Verdi's _Rigoletto_.
Since her initial success in New York she has been connected with the
Metropolitan stage every season. In 1910 she married Giulio
Gatti-Casazza, manager of the Metropolitan Opera House, and is probably
better able to speak upon the subject herewith discussed than any one in
America. She has also appeared with great success in London, Warsaw,
Buenos Aires and other cities, in opera and in concert. Many of the most
important leading roles in modern opera have been created by her in
America.
[Illustration: MME. FRANCES ALDA.
(C) Underwood & Underwood.]