The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-11-07
The Life Of Annis Montague, the
Soprano.
KNOWN THE WORLD OVER.
The sister Of 4. VI. and y. r. Cooke-TO
Return To- HonoIuIu--A Pupil Of the
Great Masters Her Record in the
states - \ FavOrItc In Australia.
From sydney MornIng Herald. /

From Sydney Morning Herald.
sydney opera-goer bade fare
we'll 10 a weIl-knOwn and popular
prima donna AT the Lyceum on
Thursday Afternoon. for no singer
who has visited Australia has Is
saved greater number of grand
opera roles with the same com
pIete and long continued success.
Miss Annis Montague. whose ca
reer was broken by the untimely
death of her husband. Mr.. Charles
Turner. sails towards the end of
next month for Honolulu. where
her mother. Mrs. Cooke, still flour
iShcs at the age of -. and where
TOO she has other relatives. Miss
Montague comes, indeed, of a mus
frat family. Her grandmother
Mrs. Montague. who died at Balti-
more at the great age of 81, was Il
fine singer. and Mrs. Cooke. who
was known throughout the Ha-
waiian Islands as "The Singing
Missionary" retained her beauti-
full voice so many years that at
the age of IS she sang a rOulade,
closing in a trill with so much
brilliancy that Mr.. Charles Turn
or mistOOk her voice for that of
his wife. Born in an atmosphere
of music. il is not surprising that
early in her teens Miss Montague
left Honolulu to study singing in
Paris. Her first master there was
WartelI. the great tenor who
taught both Christine Nilsson and
Trebelli-Bettini. and her second
teacher was Bellari, Il famous
Spanish tenor from Madrid. Her
debut was at a concert given by
the latter at the ROssini Theatre,
Paris. as the outcome of her sue
cess at which Victor Masse-
whose opera, paul and Virginia"
she was destined to Introduce in |
Australia-gave her free admis- |
sion TO all the Sundey concerts at /
the Conservative. This was in
1874. when Miss Montague was
awarded the prize at great pub
lie competition for the most per
feet execution and trill. the GER
tificate accompanying which was
signed by Charles GOunOd. Am
brOiSe Thomas. CarvalhO. Halan-
Zier. Begier and Nianesi-the last
named being the since famous con-
ductOr of COvent Garden Opera.
After this Miss Montague made
her professional debut at Booths
Theatre. New York, appearing in
the high soprano role of the Queen
in Les HuguenOtS,' with Marie
ROZe as Valentine. Miss MOnta-
que sang in Italian opera for two
years QS75-6). one of her best
parts being that of Filina in
- MignOn," and she made Il great
success as Lucia. with Joseph
Mas. the young English tenor
who would have rivalled Sims
Reeves had he lived. as EdgardO.
In 1878 Miss Montague entered
upon Il long engagement with the
Kellogg American Opera
Company, the foremost operate
in the States. 1t
was then that the prima donna be-
gan To sing dramatic roles as well
rs the flOrid light soprano charac-
tiers in which she had first made
her name. In 1880 the soprano
to her mothers house at
for her marriage with
Mr.. Charles Turner. who followed
her there from America. The
pair then paid their first visit To
\ australia, and founded the Mon
Opera Company.
which afterwards endured so
many years. Their debut was at
the Sydney Gaiety Theatre. with
I cast which included Mr.. Edward
Farley as baritone. Miss Lambert l
as contraltO. and Mr.. Gordon as
bass. VI. Leon Caron conducted .
his season. which lasted two
and during which. to
.rOwded houses. mariana" and
bohemian Girl each ran three
weeks. The tenor and the so
IranO sang together every night
or four years with hardly a break.
md early in 1885 they returned TO :
Iew York and filled important Y
with Madame Thur 6
Der'S lannon's ODera cOmOaOv 2