Garden, Mary 1874-1967
Scottish soprano

Born in Aberdeen, she was taken to the USA as a child. She studied singing in Chicago and then in Paris, and her career began sensationally when in 1900 she took over in mid-performance the title role in Gustave Charpentier's new opera Louise at the Op�ra-Comique, when the singer was taken ill. In 1902 she created the role of M�lisande in Debussy's Pell�as et M�lisande at the composer's request, and in 1903 she recorded songs with Debussy. Jules Massenet and Fr�d�ric d'Erlanger also wrote leading roles for her. She sang at Covent Garden (1902-03), starring in roles such as Tha�s, Salom�, Carmen and Juliet (Charles Gounod). She made her US debut as Tha�s (1907), and in 1910 she began a 20-year association with Chicago Grand Opera, which she also briefly directed (1921-22). She returned to Scotland in 1939.

Bibliography: Michael T R B Turnbull, Mary Garden (1996)