The Tulsa star. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1913-1921, 1914-05-16
N0RDICh DIES
IN FAR OFF JAVA
PNEUMONIA, RESULTING FROM
sHlPWREck, FATAL TO
AMERICAN SINGER. a
OPERATIC CAREER FOR 35 YEARS
Famous Star Had Three Matrimonial
.u Ventures, Her Last Husband
.fF., Being Geo. w. Young a
70. New York Banker.


Batavia, Java MADAME Nordica is
dead. Pneumonia, contracted from
the Shock and exposure of ship
wreck on Thursday Island in the An
tipodes, ended the career of one of
{ the worlds most famous singers, just
as she had started upon, what she had
planned would be her farewell tour
of the world.
Lillian Nordica was an American
singer of worldwide fame. Her ad-
mirers ranged from the men of the
Bowery section of New York, where
she had sung at mission meetings. to
tho most critical box holders OF grand
opera houses in all of the worlds
great musical centers. The purity OF
her voice, employed in many tongues,
had delighted hundi eds of thousands
since the day, forty years ago, she
first appeared in public as soprano
soloist at Grace church in Boston.
A farm house built by the prima
donna's grandfather on hill Just out.
side the village of Pennington, Me-,
was Nordica's birthplace in 1859. Her
true name was Lillian Norton. She
changed 1t to the Italian Nordica.
twenty years later when she began to
study in Italy for an operate career.
Her debut in opera was at Brescia,
in 1879 in La Traviate" After a trip
to st. Petersburg she appeared for
trial before Ambrose Thomas and the
impressario, Vancorbell, who engaged
her for the Grand opera House in
Paris.
Trlumphs at Home.
She returned to America and toured
this country was great success. In
the succeeding years she appeared in
grand opera or concert in almost ev.
cry city of musical culture in the
world. Her repertoire included more
than fifty operas. Her success with
Wagnerian roles became the pinnacle
of her fame. At Bayreuth in 1894 she
appeared as Elsa in "Lohengrin," and
she is, perhaps, best remembered in
that part. gShe received decorations
Of -various sorts saDroads and gifts
without number from friends at home.
Her matrimonial ventures num-
bered three. She was first married in
1882 to Frederick A. Cover, a wealthy
electrician and a native of her state
OF Maine, whom she met in Paris.
Shortly after she had begun separa-
tion proceedings in 1884. Cover dis
appeared. He attempted balloon trip
across the English channel Although
the balloon was later found. nothing
was ever heard or seen OF him.
Accident Causes Pneumonia.
In 1896. Nine. Nordica married Zol-
tan Doeme, Hungarian army officer
and singer from whom she secured
a divorce in 1905. .,l... -. ,....,
Her third marriage was in London
in 1909 to Geo. w. Young, wealthy
New York banker. II was announced
at that time that Nordica would re.
tire from the stage, but after a honey.
moon spent in part at the old Norton
homestead in Maine, she decided upon
a farewell concert court of the world
II was while making one leg of this
trip on the Dutch steamer Tasman,
that the vessel ran ashore on Thurs.
day Island in the Antipodes. The
shock OF the accident and exposure
brought on pneumonia Nine. Nor.
dicas admirers felt It to be partic.
ularly tragic. circumstance that the
famous singer should have fallen dan.
gerously i'll on the other side OF the
world. 1t