Eleanor La Mance
American singer (1898–1985) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eleanor La Mance Longone (July 31, 1898[1] – June 27, 1985), also known as Elen Longone, was an American mezzo-soprano or contralto[2] singer in opera and in musicals. She joined the Metropolitan Opera in 1929.
Eleanor La Mance | |
|---|---|
Eleanor La Mance, from a 1929 publication | |
| Born | July 31, 1898 Brunswick, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | June 27, 1985 St. Petersburg, Florida, U.S. |
| Other names | Nell Lamance, Eleanor Longone, Elen Longone |
| Occupation(s) | Opera singer, Broadway performer |
Early life and education
La Mance was born in Brunswick, Georgia, and raised in Jacksonville, Florida,[3] the daughter of Reed Ervine La Mance and Sarah Elizabeth Cherry La Mance. She trained as a singer in France and Italy.[4]
Career
La Mance performed in Europe, South America, and Egypt as a young woman.[5] She was with the William Wade Hinshaw Company in 1925 and 1926.[6][7] and was a visiting artist at the Mayflower Hotel in 1926.[8] La Mance was considered a stage beauty.[9][10]
La Mance joined the Metropolitan Opera in 1929.[11][12] At the Met, she appeared in Rigoletto (1929), Manon Lescaut (1929),[13] Cavalleria rusticana (1929), and several special concerts.[14] After her recital at Town Hall in 1930, The New York Times reported that she had "ample range and power and unusually brilliant timbre".[15] On Broadway, she played Alan-a-Dale in the 1932 revival of Robin Hood.[16]
La Mance sang with the Chicago City Opera in the 1930s,[17] including roles in Aida, Il trovatore and La fiamma (1936).[2][4][18] She played Azucena in Il trovatore in 1940 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in a production that included Leonard Warren and Arthur Carron.[19]
During World War II, she traveled with the United Service Organizations to entertain American troops in Italy, North Africa, and Alaska.[20] After the war, she worked in radio in New York City.[4]
Personal life
La Mance married Chicago City Opera director Paolo (Paul) Longone in 1935, in Chicago.[21] Her husband died in 1939. She died in 1985, at the age of 86, in St. Petersburg, Florida.[4]
References
External links
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