Genevieve Rowe

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Genevieve Rowe
BornAugust 28, 1908 (1908-08-28)
Fremont, Ohio
DiedFebruary 26, 1995 (1995-02-27) (aged 86)
New York, New York
Alma materWooster College
Juilliard Graduate School of Opera
SpouseAlbert Payson Hill

Genevieve Rowe (August 28, 1908 - February 26, 1995) was a coloratura soprano in the era of old-time radio. [1]

Contents

Early years

Rowe was born in Fremont, Ohio. [1] In her hometown of Wooster, Ohio, [2] both of her parents were music educators; her father was dean of music at the Wooster College Conservatory, and her mother taught piano and music theory there. [3] Although she began studying piano at age 4, she eventually came to prefer singing. She was a graduate of Wooster College [4] with degrees in arts and music [5] and studied on scholarship at the Juilliard Graduate School of Opera. [3]

A 1939 newspaper article about Rowe noted, "Miss Rowe had the happy habit of winning every musical competition she entered." [3] Those contests included the 1929 Atwater Kent national auditions, the 1932 McDowell Club Award, [6] the 1933 National Federation of Music Clubs contest, and the 1938 Rising Musical Star competition on NBC radio. [3]

Rowe gained early experience in radio when she sang over WTAM while she was a student at Wooster. [5]

Career

In 1938, [7] Rowe had the role of Beauty in Vittorio Giannini's Beauty and the Beast on CBS, radio's first commissioned opera. [8] She also was one of the featured vocalists on The First American Opera Festival, a sustaining program that was broadcast on WOR in 1942. The one-hour program presented adaptations of seven operas and promoted sales of savings bonds and stamps for the U.S. Treasury Department. [9]

On radio, Rowe was the female vocalist on Gaslight Gayeties [10] and Harvest of Stars,. [3] She performed regularly on Johnny Presents, [11] the Burl Ives Coffee Club [12] : 56  and the Gay Nineties Revue . [12] Other shows on which she was heard included Melody Hall. [13] In 1945 she used the pseudonym Irene Hill on one radio show because she was singing regularly on two network programs. [14]

Rowe sang with the Montreal Opera, the Westchester Philharmonic Society, and other groups. [15]

In 1947, Rowe and Glen Burris, accompanied by Paul Baron's orchestra, recorded The Student Prince Album (Majestic MZ-4), containing six discs. [16] In 1948, Rowe — along with Lillian Cornell and Lawrence Brooks, accompanied by Sigmund Romberg's orchestra and chorus — recorded Gems From Sigmund Romberg Shows Vol. II (Victor MO 1256). The album contained four discs. [17]

Personal life

Rowe was married to Albert Payson Hill, a teacher. He was a pianist who often accompanied her in concerts. [8]

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References

  1. 1 2 DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN   978-0-7864-2834-2. P. 233.
  2. ↑ "Rowe-ing in Harvest". Cincinnati Enquirer. Ohio, Cincinnati. July 13, 1947. p. 70. Retrieved August 9, 2016– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Miss Rowe Joins Summer Series". Naugatuck Daily News. Connecticut, Naugatuck. July 5, 1947. Retrieved August 9, 2016– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  4. ↑ "Genevieve Rowe, Soprano, to Sing in Second Community Concert Here". The Record-Argus. Pennsylvania, Greenville. March 14, 1951. p. 4. Retrieved August 9, 2016– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  5. 1 2 Doran, Dorothy (December 10, 1936). "'Met' Opera Audition Opens Another Door For Genevieve Rowe". The Akron Beacon Journal. p. 28. Retrieved July 7, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "Genevieve Row Sings: Commands Ringing Top-Notes in Recital at Town Hall" . The New York Times. December 8, 1934. p. 19. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  7. ↑ Villamil, Victoria Etnier (2004). From Johnson's Kids to Lemonade Opera: The American Classical Singer Comes of Age. UPNE. p. 16. ISBN   9781555536350 . Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  8. 1 2 "Community Concert Soloist Radio Star". The Evening Sun. Pennsylvania, Hanover. February 26, 1952. p. 4. Retrieved August 9, 2016– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  9. ↑ "WOR's Lavish Opera Series Sustainer". Billboard. May 9, 1942. p. 10. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  10. ↑ Secon, Paul (March 17, 1945). "How 6 Shows Pick Poppers In N.Y. Airing". Billboard. p. 13. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  11. ↑ "Sings in Radio Show". The Evening News. Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. March 19, 1938. p. 14. Retrieved August 9, 2016– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  12. 1 2 Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN   978-0-7864-4513-4. P. 128.
  13. ↑ Burr, Eugene (October 24, 1942). "Program Reviews: Melody Hall". Billboard. p. 7. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  14. ↑ "(untitled brief)". Radio Mirror. October 1946. p. 10. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Genevieve Rowe to Be Presented Here By Community Concert Association". The Rutherford Courier. Tennessee, Smyrna. November 14, 1952. p. 4. Retrieved July 7, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ "Classical and Semi-Classical". Billboard. August 9, 1947. p. 121. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  17. ↑ "Advance Record Releases". Billboard. September 11, 1948. p. 117. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
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