The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-11
MADAME NORD|CA, FAMOUS SINGER, IS
 DEAD IN BATAVIA
American Vocalist of World Wide Fame Succumbs to Pneumonia In Java
 Last Night

Batavia, Java. May 10.-Madame Lillian Nordica, the singer, died here tonight.
 Mime. Nordica had been Ill since the steamer Tasman. on which she was a passenger. went ashore in the Gulf of Papua. December 2S last Nervous pros- tration was followed by pneumonia
 The Tasman was floated in three days and put into Thursday island. There Mme Nordlca was placed under the care of physician who remained in constant attendance upon her until April when she sailed for Batavia.
 Arriving here the singer recovered some- what after stay of three weeks. A rela pse occurred, however, and physicians gave up all hopes of her recovery.
 Lillian Nordica was an American singer of worldwide fame. Her admirers rangc1 from the men of the Bowery section of New York where she had sung at mis- sion meetings, to the most critical box holders of grand opera houses in all of the worlds greatest musical centers. The purity of her voice, employed in many tongues, had delighted hundreds of thou sands since the day, 40 years ago. she
 
 at Grace church in Boston.
 Ncrdica and Eames-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 operatic world. A farm house built by the prima donna S great grandfather on a hill just outside the village of Farmingtcn. Me. was Nordioafc irtb bf,i in, name was Lillian Norton. She changed it to the Italian. Nordica, 20 years later when she began to study in Italy for an operatic career.
 After her graduation from the New England Conservatory of Music at Bos- ten. and successful singing of the lead ing roles in several Of tile oraioios given by the Haendai md Haydn society, she went tc Europe, in 1S1s as a soloist with Gilmcre's band She clung tenaciously to clsssical music, and was well received by great audiences. in the Crystal Palace. London, and the Troeacero, Paris. She decided to remain in Europe and attempt an operaHc career She went to Milan and became pupil of Sargiovanni, and within six months she had mastered 10 operas.
 Her debut in opera was at Breseia in 1879 in La Traviata.' After a trip to
  fore Ambrose Thomas and the impress sario, VancorbeiL who engaged her for the grand opera house in Paris. Her first appearance there, in 1882, as Mar guerte' in Faust" was triumph The critics observed her American accent. but said it gave piquancy to her tone. and her acting was lauded as equal to her singing
 She returned to America and toured this country with great success. In the succeeding years she appeared in opera or concert in almost every city of musical culture in the world. Eer repertoire in- cluded more than 50 operas. Her success with Wagnerian roles became the pinnacle of her fame. At Bayreuth # in 1884 she appeared as Elsa in "Lohengrin' and sheNs. perhaps. pest 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.