Sybil Sanderson

Sybil Sanderson (December 7, 1865 - May 16, 1903), born in Sacramento, California, in the United States, was a famous operatic soprano during the Parisian Belle Époque.

Her father, a wealthy gold miner who later became the Chief Justice of California, died while she was still a child. Using the money left to them, she and her mother moved to Paris and became transplanted socialites. Sanderson proved to be a remarkably gifted singer and began to appear on the stages of the Opéra and Opéra-Comique in Paris, most notably in the works of Jules Massenet. She was his favorite soprano and appeared in the premieres of a number of his operas, the roles having been created for her unique talents.

She was also a famous interpreter of "Manon", Massenet's most enduring opera. Sanderson was also admired by Camille Saint-Saëns, who wrote the title role in "Phryné" for her. Success outside of Paris was elusive for Sanderson, appearing at Covent Garden and the Metropolitan Opera to lackluster reviews. Her last professional years were marred by illness and she died suddenly of pneumonia (complications from influenza) at the age of thirty-seven. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9C06E7D61F30E733A25754C1A9639C946297D6CF Sibyl Sanderson Dead: Singer Passes Away in Paris, New York Times, May 16, 1903.] ] Sanderson was responsible for helping launch the career of another soprano made famous in the French repertoire, Mary Garden.

Roles created

*The title role of "Esclarmonde" by Massenet, on 14 May 1889
*The title role of "Thaïs" by Massenet on 16 March 1894

Further reading

*Hansen, Jack Winsor, "The Sybil Sanderson Story: Requiem For A Diva", Amadeus Press (1574670948)

References