Just let her do what divas do
A century ago, Mary Garden parlayed an interview with the New York Times on the subject of her bizarre attire into blatant promotion for an upcoming tour date. Miss Garden truly was the Lady Gaga of her day. [The Awl]
Cher Public
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My air of gayety is often accented y a vivid red necktie.
shameless hussy!! You probably even tie it as a four-in-hand instead of a Windsor!
Sometimes, I even tie it around my neck…
Wasn’t it Mary Garden who said: ” Who needs a husband when you have a career and happen to live out of a suitcase?”
Henceforward I AM Cavalieri! My bark may be worse – but certainly more annoying – than my bite.
My late voice teacher attended Mary Garden’s master classes (all French rep), and said she was a lot harder on her female charges than she was on the men. Bubbles and Glady Swarthout would attest to that. She sounded as if she could be very intimidating. Remember her famous line, “[Melba] was always Melba, she had to be, she had such a beautiful voice . . . not like me. I was dramatic!” I have no idea who Mary Garden’s counerpart would be today. Think they broke the mold.
I agree with WCO that to some extent, Garden was sui generis. Very much the kunst diva; sexy on stage by the standards of the day; like several of her colleagues/rivals, something of a courtesan in private life; and one very smart cookie.
I don’t know who that suggests today. Stratas had some of it. Ewing? Moffo, particularly if some of the rumors are true about the porn pic and even if they aren’t — she remarried wealth and influence that got her recordings late in her career that would not have happened otherwise given her then vocal condition.
The name Callas comes up. She was fascinating in life and an accomplished actress on stage; glamorous; famous for couture and controversy; and for most of her career there were debates raging about the voice.
But today? Is there anyone as colorful as Garden, as fascinating, as daring?