The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1914-05-15
SINGERS VOICE
STILLED FOREVER
Nine. Lillian Nordica Passes Away.
Nervous Prostration Caused by
Ships Mishap is Followed Ly
Attack of Pneumonia.


Batavia, Java, May 1O.-Mme. lii
nan Nordlca, the singer, died here TO-
night.
Nine. Nordica had been i'll since
the steamer Tasman, on which she
was passenger, went ashore in the
Gulf of Papua, December %, last.
Nervous prostration was followed by
pneumonia.
Ihe Iasman was fioated i'm three
days and put into Thursday Island.
There Nine. Nordica was placed un-
der the care of physician, who re-
NAMED In constant attendance upon
her until April I, when she sailed for
Batavia
Arriving here, the singer recovered
somewhat after stay of three weeks.
A relapse occurred, however, and phv
slclans soon gave up all hopes of her
recovery.
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
the most criticnl box holders of grand
opera houses in all of the worlds
greatest musical centres. The purity
of her voice, employed in MANY
tongues, had delighted hundreds of
thousands since the day, 40 years ago,
she first appeared in public as So
prano soloist at Grace church in Bos-
ton.
Nordica and although the
latter was born of American parents
IN far off China-were of old New
England stock, both claimed by the
State of Maine, and they made up a
notable American contribution to the
operate world. A farm house built
by the prima donna's great-grand-
father on hill just outside the vii
lage of Pennington, Maine, was Nor
dica's birthplace, in 1859. Her true
name was Lillian Norton. She
changed it to the Italian, Nordica. 20
years later when she began to study
in Italy for an operate career.
Her debut In opera was at Brescia
In 1879 in "La Traviata." After
trlp to st. Petersburg she appeared
for trial before Ambrose Thomas and
tfe impressario, Vancorbeil, who en-
CARED her for the grand opera mousse
in Paris. Her first appearance there
in 1882 as Marguerite in Faust;
was triumph. The critics observed
her American accent, but said it gave
piquancy to her tone, and her acting
was lauded aSequal to her singing. :
she returned to America and tt -, :, !,
ed TINS cocstIy ,}ith great 2suc.. .a .ne, u
In the succeeding years she appeaM.
IN opera or concert in almost every
city of musical culture in the world.
Her repertoire included more than so
operas Her success with Wagnerian
roles became the pinnacle of her
fame At Bayreuth in 1894 she ap
peared as Elsa in "Lonengrin" and
she is, perhaps, best remembered in
that part She received decorations
OF various sorts abroad and gifts
without number from friends at home.
The stockholders of the Metropolitan
opera house presented her with a
diamond tiara.
Her matrimonial ventures number
ed three. She was first married in
1852 to Frederick A. Cover, a wealthy
eiectrlclan and 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. AL
though the balloon was later found.
nothing was ever heard or seen of
him.
In 1896 Nine. Nordica married
Loltan Doeme, a Hungarian army of
ficer and singer, from whom she Sc
cured divorce in 1905.
Her third marriage was in London.
in 1909, to George w. Young,
wealthy New York banker. 1t was
announced at that time that Nordica
would retire from the stage, but af
ter honeymoon spent in part at
the old Norton homestead in Maine,
she decided upon farewell concert
tour of the world. 1t was while max
ing one leg of this trip on the Dutch
steamer Tasman that the vessel ran
ashore on Thursday Island in the
Antipodes. The shock of the accident
and exposure brought on pneumonia.
Nine. Nordica's admirers felt it to
be particularly tragic circum-
stance that the famous singer should
have fallen dangerously i'll on the
other side of the world.