Mary Carson (-1951)
Last updated: 08.07.23
p_carsonmary.jpgAs reported in the Texas Observer issue of January 19, 2018, Mary Carson was an American opera singer born in the late 1800s in Millican, Texas.
Both of her parents were musicians who sent her to New England Conservatory, New York where she was classically trained as a soprano.
After her education, Carson travelled to Europe performing in operas with famous composers such as Richard Strauss. Some of her roles included Gilda in Rigoletto, Juliet in Romeo and Norina in Don Pasquale.
She went to Milan and Florence, toured widely and sang probably about 30 operas in Italian, German, French and English. She released her debut recording in 1912 of O Dry Those Tears (1901) words & music by Teresa del Riego, and published by Chappell & Co., New York, USA. In 1917 she became the first artist to sue her record label, Thomas Edison's Blue Ambero because the label refused to pay her when she was not booked, yet was forbidden to work for any other employer. She won her suit and was granted $250,000 in damages.
After the lawsuit, Carson taught music in Houston, where she lived, until her death in 1951.
  Title Composer Instruments/Issue
       
  MP3 File(s)
audioextmp315.gif Il Bacio L. Arditi Edison Blue Amberol: 2665
audioextmp315.gif Simple Melody I. Berlin Edison Blue Amberol: 2607
audioextmp315.gif Violet I. Caryll Edison Blue Amberol: 2521
audioextmp315.gif The Lover and the Bird P.D. Guglielmo Edison Blue Amberol: 2418
audioextmp315.gif Alone at Last F. Lehár Edison Blue Amberol: 2800
audioextmp315.gif Spring Flowers R. Mattiozzi Edison Blue Amberol: 2733
audioextmp315.gif O Dry Those Tears T. del Riego Edison Blue Amberol: 1593
audioextmp315.gif Spring's Awakening W. Sanderson Edison Blue Amberol: 2706
audioextmp315.gif Won't You Come and Waltz With Me A. Sirmay Edison Blue Amberol: 2260
audioextmp315.gif La Paloma S. Yradier Edison Blue Amberol: 1751
This list is arranged by composer and contains 10 works performed by Mary Carson who is featured on sheet music covers. It does not claim to be complete and represents only the number of items located. Keys: (w&m)
     Title Composer Attribution Remarks
         
perf15.jpg Il Bacio (1861) Luigi Arditi Mary Carson (perf.) wvicon.gifaudioextmp315.gif
perf15.jpg Simple Melody (1914) Irving Berlin(w&m) Walter Van Brunt (perf.)
Mary Carson (perf.)
wvicon.gifaudioextmp315.gif
perf15.jpg Violet (1914) Ivan Caryll Mary Carson (perf.)
Helen Falconer (perf.)
wvicon.gifaudioextmp315.gif
perf15.jpg Lover and the Bird (1906), The Pasquale D. Guglielmo Joseph Belmont (perf.)
Mary Carson (perf.)
Florence Hinkle (perf.)
perf15.jpg Alone at Last (1916) Ferencz Lehár Mary Carson (perf.) audioextmp315.gif
perf15.jpg Spring Flowers (1915) Rodolfo Mattiozzi Mary Carson (perf.) audioextmp315.gif
perf15.jpg O Dry Those Tears (1901) Teresa del Riego(w&m) Mary Carson (perf.)
Alice Gomez (perf.)
Leyland Langley (perf.)
Pub.audioextmp315.gif
perf15.jpg Spring's Awakening (1913) Wilfred Sanderson Maud Cunningham (words)
Mary Carson (perf.)
wvicon.gifaudioextmp315.gif
perf15.jpg Won't You Come and Waltz With Me (1914) Albert Sirmay Adrian Ross (words)
Mary Carson (perf.)
Harvey Hindermeyer (perf.)
audioextmp315.gif
perf15.jpg La Paloma (1901) Sebastian Yradier Mary Carson (perf.) wvicon.gifaudioextmp315.gif