Biography
Farrar emerged early among the Metropolitan Opera’s leading figures, her striking vocal timbre complemented by a commanding stage appearance and her repeated assertion that she functioned not merely as a vocalist but as a singing actress. Her discs enjoyed broad circulation, and she appeared in multiple silent pictures, among them the well-known 1915 Carmen directed by Cecil B. DeMille. Although her technique could shift from dazzling precision to noticeable shortcomings, the innate appeal of her timbre, her compelling persona, and an almost uncanny flair for promotion secured her lasting renown.
She first sang in public at twelve, impersonating the legendary soprano Jenny Lind during a spring carnival, after which she undertook serious vocal instruction. Following studies in Boston she moved to New York, where Emma Thursby became her teacher and she met Lillian Nordica and Nellie Melba. A promising audition at the Met succeeded, yet her mother advised declining the offer until her preparation was complete. Her stage debut occurred as Marguerite at Berlin’s Court Opera; despite performing the role in Italian against a German-speaking cast, her youthful appeal and bright sound created an immediate sensation. One cherished goal was fulfilled when Lilli Lehmann invited her to study. In 1905 she appeared at the Munich Opera under Richard Strauss’s baton; he proposed that she undertake Salome and offered to adjust the vocal line as needed, certain that her “Dance of the Seven Veils” would prove triumphant.
Her Metropolitan Opera debut took place in 1906 as Juliette in Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette, opening the season. She quickly became the company’s dominant soprano, at times courting controversy through naturalistic details such as performing the bedroom scene in Juliette while reclining in a nightgown. Younger enthusiasts flocked to her performances and were soon dubbed “Gerry flappers.” In 1910 she originated the Goose Girl in Humperdinck’s Königskinder, generating further excitement by appearing onstage with live geese she had trained herself. Her initial Carmen came in 1914; the following summer she filmed the DeMille version and went on to make Maria Rosa, Temptation, Joan the Woman (concerning Joan of Arc), The Woman God Forgot, and The World and Its Woman. Film critics have frequently singled out her performances for commendation, an uncommon accolade for opera singers in cinema and especially in silent films. She created the title role in Puccini’s Suor Angelica in 1918. Her farewell appearance at the Met occurred in 1922 in Leoncavallo’s Zazà, marking one of the house’s most charged evenings as admirers drew her limousine back to her hotel. Her final public concert took place in 1931.
She first sang in public at twelve, impersonating the legendary soprano Jenny Lind during a spring carnival, after which she undertook serious vocal instruction. Following studies in Boston she moved to New York, where Emma Thursby became her teacher and she met Lillian Nordica and Nellie Melba. A promising audition at the Met succeeded, yet her mother advised declining the offer until her preparation was complete. Her stage debut occurred as Marguerite at Berlin’s Court Opera; despite performing the role in Italian against a German-speaking cast, her youthful appeal and bright sound created an immediate sensation. One cherished goal was fulfilled when Lilli Lehmann invited her to study. In 1905 she appeared at the Munich Opera under Richard Strauss’s baton; he proposed that she undertake Salome and offered to adjust the vocal line as needed, certain that her “Dance of the Seven Veils” would prove triumphant.
Her Metropolitan Opera debut took place in 1906 as Juliette in Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette, opening the season. She quickly became the company’s dominant soprano, at times courting controversy through naturalistic details such as performing the bedroom scene in Juliette while reclining in a nightgown. Younger enthusiasts flocked to her performances and were soon dubbed “Gerry flappers.” In 1910 she originated the Goose Girl in Humperdinck’s Königskinder, generating further excitement by appearing onstage with live geese she had trained herself. Her initial Carmen came in 1914; the following summer she filmed the DeMille version and went on to make Maria Rosa, Temptation, Joan the Woman (concerning Joan of Arc), The Woman God Forgot, and The World and Its Woman. Film critics have frequently singled out her performances for commendation, an uncommon accolade for opera singers in cinema and especially in silent films. She created the title role in Puccini’s Suor Angelica in 1918. Her farewell appearance at the Met occurred in 1922 in Leoncavallo’s Zazà, marking one of the house’s most charged evenings as admirers drew her limousine back to her hotel. Her final public concert took place in 1931.
Singles
