Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-05-14
NINE. LILLIAN
N0RO|CA DIES
At BATAVIA, JAVA

Nordica, the singer, died here tonight
Madame Nordica had been Ill since the
steamer Tasman. on which she was
passenger, went ashore on Bramble Cay
Ia the Gulf OF Papua, December % last
Nervous prostratlon due to her expert
ences was followed by pneumonia.
The Tasman was foated in three days
and put into Thursday island. There
Nine Nordica was placed under the care
of physician who remained in consta 1T
attendance upon her until April 1 whom
she sailed for Batavia. 1t was against
the advice of her physicians that she
made the trip.
Arriving here the singer seemed very
i'll, but recovered somewhat after q
stay of three weeks. The improve
ment however. was only temporary
and when relapse occurred the ply
scians gave up all hopes of her re-
covery.
1t was the intention of Nine. Nordica
when she came here to sail for Genoa
where she was to meet her husband.
George w. Young, New York banker.
She already had secured passage for
the voyage when the relapse occurred.
THE SINGERS CAREER.
~
of Worldwide fame. Her admirers ranged
from the man of the Bowery section Of
New York where she had sung at mis-
sion meetings. to the most critical box
holders Of grand opera house in all OF the
worlds great musical centers. The purity
Of her voice, employed in many tongues.
had delighted hundreds of thousands since
the dav. 40 wears ago. she first appeared in
public as soprano soloist at Grace Church
in Boston.
Nordica and Eames-althoush 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
thev made I'm A notable American contri-
button TO the operatic world A farm
house built by the prima donna's great
grandfather on a hill lust outside the vii
lape of Pennington. Me. was Nordica q
birtbnIace IN 1850 Her true name was
Lillian Norton She changed II 70 the
Italian. Nordica 90 wears later when she
bepap 70 studv in italy for an oneratic
career
After her graduation from the New Eng
land Conservatory of Mua,c Of Roston
and successf,,l singing OF tho loading roles
In several NJ tbe orotorios given nv tho
Handel and Havden society she wont 10
rurore in 1878 as a soloist with Cilnore.s
band She chung t.nacio,slv 70 classical,
music and was we'll received nv great
audiences in tho CRYSTAL Palace T.ondon
and the Trocadero. Paris She decided IN
remain in F,urone and attemnt an oneratc
career She wont IN MILAN and hec,ma
punil of Sarpiovanni and Within civ
months she had ma stered ten oneras
| Her debut in opera was ar Rrescio In
1879 In ola Traviate" After a trim 70 81
Petersburg she appeared for trial before
| Ambrose Thomas and the imnressario
Vancorbeil who engaged her for the era nd
opera house in Paris Her first anneor.
ance there in 1852 as Marguerite" in
Faust" was a triumph. The critics OH
served her American accent. but said II
gave niouan to her tone. and her acting
was Landed rs equal to her singing
| She returned to America and toured this
country with great success. In the sue
ceeding years she appeared in opera or
concert in almost every city of musical
culture in the world. Her repertoire In
cluded more than fifty operas. Her sue
cess with Wagnerian roles became the
| pinnacle OF her fame. At Bayreuth in lSsi
she apnered as Elsa in 'Lohengrin' and
she is perhaps' best remembered in that
, part She received decorations or various
sorts ABROAD ana gifts without number
from friends at nome. The stockholders
OF the metropolitan opera house pre-
sehteu her win diamond uafa'
| iier matrimonial ventures numbered
t,rodorict . C.on,ar r.ot,.t,,. oIoo,-,o,a -
| ,a '''''
she met in par,s Sbor+,,, ,f,ar -ho ia
hepun senaration nroceedirge in 1874
Cover disanneared He attemntod y hoI.
loon trim across tho English channel Al
though the balloon was later found. moth
| ing was ever heard or seen OF him.
/ In 1896, Nine. Nordica married FOL
tan Doeme; a Hungarian army officer
and singer from whom she secured a
divorce in 1906.
| Her third marriage was in Landau
in 1909, to George w. Young. a wealthy,
New York banker If was announced
tire from the stage, but after a honey
moon spent in part at the old Norton