Nina Bertini-Humphreys

This article is about the opera singer born in Ireland before 1900; for the British film composer with a similar name, see Nina Humphreys.

Nina Bertini-Humphreys
Nina Bertini-Humphreys
Born	Ireland
Other names	Lena Bertini Humphreys, Nina Bertini-Humphrys, Nina Bertini, Nina Bertini-Humphries
Occupations	Actress, opera singer

Nina Bertini-Humphreys was an Irish-born operatic soprano, active in the United States in the 1890s, and in Britain and Ireland after 1900.

Early life and education

Nina Humphreys (or Humphrys) was born in Ireland. ^{[1] [2]} She studied voice in Italy with Francesco Lamperti and Teresa Brambilla, and made her debut there as Amina in La sonnambula . ^{[3] [4]} She used the name "Nina Bertini" early in her career on the stage, ^[5] then added her family name to the stage name. ^[6]

Career

Bertini-Humphreys was a prima donna operatic soprano. ^{[7] [8]} She toured in the United States as a member of Emma Abbott's Company in the 1880s, ^{[4] [9]} and of the Marie Tavary Grand English Opera Company, the Metropolitan Grand English Opera Company, ^[10] and the Hinrichs Grand Opera Company in the 1890s. ^[11] Her roles included Michaela in Carmen , ^[12] Gilda in Rigoletto , ^[13] Marguerite in Faust , ^[14] the title role in Mignon , ^[15] and Juliette in Roméo et Juliette . ^[16] "Miss Humphreys possesses a high soprano voice of much purity, good range and extreme flexibility, her trill being especially remarkable for its brilliancy," wrote an 1893 reviewer. ^[3]

Bertini endorsed Dr. Greene's Nervura Nerve Tonic in 1888. ^[17] Bertini-Humphreys performed in England and Ireland after 1900. ^{[18] [19] [20]}

References

1. "Two Artistic Singers; Voice Has Meant Money to Both of These Ladies; Nina Bertini and Alice Hosmer". The Marion Star. 1893-03-08. p. 2. Retrieved 2024-08-17– via Newspapers.com.
2. "The Musical World". The Peterson Magazine. 7: 500. May 1897 – via HathiTrust.
3. "In Frisky Titipu". The Savannah Morning News. 1893-06-16. p. 3. Retrieved 2024-08-17– via Newspapers.com.
4. "The Life of a Singer; It is not Half So Pleasant as It is Usually Painted". Akron Evening Times. 1894-02-15. p. 2. Retrieved 2024-08-17– via Newspapers.com.
5. "The Bertini Concert". Yankton Press and Dakotan. 1891-09-18. p. 8. Retrieved 2024-08-18– via Newspapers.com.
6. "Nina Bertini Humphrys". The Pomeroy Herald. 1896-05-21. p. 8. Retrieved 2024-08-18– via Newspapers.com.
7. "A Prima Donna's Suit". The San Francisco Examiner. 1896-09-11. p. 14. Retrieved 2024-08-17– via Newspapers.com.
8. "At the Playhouses". The Los Angeles Times. 1896-09-16. p. 7. Retrieved 2024-08-17– via Newspapers.com.
9. "Music Hath Charms; The Abbott Opera Season a Success in Los Angeles". Los Angeles Evening Express. 1888-12-29. p. 13. Retrieved 2024-08-18– via Newspapers.com.
10. "An Opera Company Disbands; It Gave Its Last Performance Last Night In Toronto". The New York Times. December 13, 1896. p. 5. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2024-08-17.
11. "Our Baltimore Letter". The Opera Glass. 1 (7): 102. August 1894.
12. "'Carmen' at the Grand Opera House". The Times-Picayune. 1895-02-13. p. 7. Retrieved 2024-08-17– via Newspapers.com.
13. "At the Playhouses". The Los Angeles Times. 1896-09-16. p. 7. Retrieved 2024-08-17– via Newspapers.com.
14. "Grand Opera House". The Philadelphia Times. 1895-07-14. p. 15. Retrieved 2024-08-17– via Newspapers.com.
15. "Beatriz Michelena in Film, Fantasy and Fact/Walter Anthony". San Francisco Chronicle. 1915-01-16. p. 68. Retrieved 2024-08-17– via Newspapers.com.
16. "Midweek Theater Notes; Crowds Go to See 'Romeo and Juliet' at the Tivoli Opera-House". The San Francisco Call and Post. 1896-07-09. p. 10. Retrieved 2024-08-17– via Newspapers.com.
17. "Of interest to everybody (advertisement)". The Evening World. 1888-04-06. p. 3. Retrieved 2024-08-18– via Newspapers.com.
18. "Occasional Notes". The Norwood News. 1902-03-01. p. 4. Retrieved 2024-08-17– via Newspapers.com.
19. "A Musical Entertainment". The Times. 1911-01-02. p. 12. Retrieved 2024-08-17– via Newspapers.com.
20. Joseph Holloway Collection, Ancient Concert Rooms program collection, National Library of Ireland.

External links

• Sheet music for M. E. Nagle's "The New Ireland Over the Ocean, as sung by Miss Nina Bertini Humphrys" (1893), in the Ward Irish Music Archives