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Mary Carson

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Mary Carson. Published in Musical America in 1915.

Mary Carson, also known as Mary Carson Kidd, (February 5, 1876 – August 21, 1951) was an American soprano, opera director, and voice teacher. She had an active performance career from 1899 into the 1920s. A native of Texas, she grew up in Houston. Trained at the New England Conservatory and with private teachers in Italy, she first worked as a concert soprano in the United States, England, and Italy until making her opera debut at the Teatro Sociale in Pallanza in 1908. She sang in operas in Italy for the next four years.

Carson was a recording artist for Edison Records among other labels during the 1910s, making records both as herself and under the pseudonym Kathleen Kingston. She worked as a principal soprano for the Century Opera Company in New York City from 1913 to 1915 and with the Boston Grand Opera in 1916. She also toured with the Aborn Opera Company and Giuseppe Creatore's opera company. She performed with American orchestras under conductors such as Victor Herbert, Ralph Lyford, and Oscar Spirescu; including performances at Carnegie Hall. She returned to Houston frequently during her career to give recitals; usually with her brother, the composer, pianist, and conductor Aldridge Kidd, as her accompanist.

Carson was active as an opera impresario and director in Houston during the 1920s and 1930s. By 1924 she had opened a private voice studio in Houston which she continued to operate until she retired due to ill health sometime in the 1940s. She was appointed head of the voice department at the Houston of Conservatory of Music in 1936 and taught there for several years.

Biography

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Early life and studies at the New England Conservatory

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The daughter of George Kidd and Katherine Bledsoe Aldridge,[1][2] Mary Carson Kidd was born on February 5, 1876, in Millican, Texas.[1][3] Her father worked as an accountant and auditor for the Houston and Texas Central Railway.[4] Her mother was a patron of the arts in Houston,[5] and also founded and was principal of a school in that city known as the Young Ladies' and Children's Institute.[6][7] One of her brothers was the pianist, conductor, and composer Aldridge Kidd.[5][8]

Carson studied singing at the New England Conservatory (NEC).[9] Both she and her brother Aldridge were studying there simultaneously as early as 1896.[10] She was a member of the NEC's chapter of the music fraternity Alpha Chi Omega.[11] Her voice teacher at NEC was William L. Whitney.[12] She graduated from the NEC in June 1899;[13] earning a Bachelor of Music in Voice.[14] She performed the coloratura soprano aria "Ombre légère" from the opera Dinorah at the commencement ceremony, and was handed her diploma by George Whitefield Chadwick.[15] In November 1899 she gave her first public recital in Houston at Bryan Hall with her brother as her accompanist.[16]

Early career and studies in Europe

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Mary Carson in Paris, 1908

In May 1900 Carson sang the mad scene from Donizetti's opera Lucia di Lammermoor at the 23rd annual German-Texas Saengerfest held in Austin, Texas,[17] and gave a recital at Phoenix Hall in Dallas sponsored by the Dallas Quartet Club.[18] She soon after traveled to Europe to continue her music education; arriving there in August 1900.[19] Her aunt Clara Aldridge accompanied her.[20] She studied music in Florence,[12] and returned to Houston in the autumn of 1901.[21] Shortly after this she served as the first music director of the Womans' Choral Club of Houston which was founded in 1901.[22] She conducted the group's first concert which was given at Bryan Hall in April 1902,[23] and was later a guest soloist with this chorus in April 1907.[24]

In September 1902 Carson gave a farewell recital in Houston with her brother before departing for another study period abroad in Europe.[25] She studied with Mario Braggiotti in Florence, and made her debut recital there in March 1904 at the Palazzo di De Fabris at 83 Via Ghibellina.[26] A month earlier she had sung at a "musicale" held in the Florence home of soprano Irma Wright-Heims where she appeared with fellow performers including baritone Vittorio Carpi, Norina Bellincioni (daughter of Gemma Bellincioni), and Clara Clemens (daughter of Mark Twain).[27] Other teachers she studied with in Italy included Isadore Vraggiotti, Rafaele del Ponte, and Adolgesa Moffi.[2]

By July 1904 Carson was in England where she sang in a private concert given at Swan House, Chelsea Embankment under the auspices of Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein.[28] The following month she was a featured soloist in a concert at the Bideford Public Rooms with a local critic writing "possessing a voice of peculiar sweetness and power, Miss Kidd, in many of her efforts enthralled her hearers, the audience following almost breathlessly the exquisite gradations of her voice in the more tender passages of her songs."[29] In September 1904 she performed a benefit concert at Barnstaple Music Hall to raise funds for the North Devon Infirmary on Litchdon Street in Barnstaple.[30] She was a soloist in a London concert sponsored by the Freemasons in March 1905.[31]

By August 1905 Carson was back in the United States where she performed a concert at the New Ocean House in Swampscott, Massachusetts.[32] In November 1905 she was a guest soloist with the Washington Saengerbund at the New National Theatre in Washington D.C.[33] In December 1905 she gave a concert at Madison Hall on the campus of the University of Virginia sponsored by The Arcadians music and dramatic club.[34] In the press it was reported at this time that she had moved to New York City.[35] In November 1906 she sang at an event organized by the American Playgoers at the Hotel Astor in Manhattan.[36] She returned to Texas to give a recital with her brother at the Houston Theater on April 4, 1907 which was enthusiastically reviewed in the local press.[37] This was followed by another recital later that month at the Hancock Opera House in Austin.[38]

Opera career and other performances

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Mary Carson in 1915

Carson made her opera debut in 1908 at the Teatro Sociale in Pallanza, Verbania, Italy as Amina in La sonnambula.[39][40] In 1909 she appeared at the Teatro Alessandro Bonci in Cesana as Norina in Don Pasquale,[41] and at the Teatro Galletti in Domodossola as Rosina in The Barber of Seville.[42] Other engagements in Italian provincial theaters followed as Marguerite in Faust and Gilda in Rigoletto.[43] She returned to Houston in December 1909 to give a concert at the recently built Prince Theatre.[44] She sang Rosina again for her debut in Milan in 1910 at the theatre of the Kursaal Diana [it].[45][46] That same year she appeared at the Teatro Fossati [it] in Milan as Norina,[45] and gave concerts in several provincial Italian towns.[47]

In 1911 Carson sang the dual roles of Jane and Jebbel in Alberto Franchetti's Germania at the Teatro Amilcare Ponchielli in Cremona,[48] and gave her first performance at the Teatro Regio in Turin replacing an ailing singer as Amina La sonnambula.[49] In early 1913 she was back in New York City studying singing with tenor J. H. McKinley.[50] In 1913 and 1916 she toured the United States as a prima donna with the Aborn Opera Company.[51][52] In the summer of 1913 Carson sang a concert with Victor Herbert and his orchestra at the music festival held at the Skidmore School of Arts;[53] also performing with that orchestra as a soloist in the oratorio The Song of Hiawatha.[54]

On November 16, 1913, Carson sang excerpts from La traviata in a concert at the Century Opera House in New York.[55] She gave her first performance in a staged opera in New York on Thanksgiving Day 1913 with the Century Opera Company (COC) as Gretel in Hansel and Gretel with Kathleen Howard as the Witch and Carlo Nicosia conducting.[56] She was committed to the COC for the 1913–1914 season with her other repertoire with that company including Gilda in Rigoletto and the title role in Massenet's Cendrillon.[57] In December 1914 she gave a recital at Houston's City Auditorium with a portion of the proceeds being given to aid the poor in Houston as distributed by mayor Ben Campbell.[58]

In January 1915 she gave a recital at Houston City Auditorium attended by a minimum of 2000 people.[59] In March 1915 she gave her first recital in New York at Aeolian Hall with pianist André Benoist.[60] She toured to Boston with the COC in 1915 to perform the role of Gretel at the Boston Opera House with Maggie Teyte as Hansel and Ralph Lyford conducting.[61] That same year she was a soloist with the Schubert Chorus led by Arthur Henry Turner [ca] at the Springfield Municipal Auditorium.[62] In 1916 she sang with Boston Grand Opera and gave a recital tour with pianist George Roberts and tenor John Finnegan.[63]

In 1917 Carson was a soloist at Carnegie Hall singing "Inno di Garibaldi" under conductor Oscar Spirescu.[64] In 1918 she performed in a special concert at the Wanamaker Auditorium, New York City with members of the cast of Yip Yip Yaphank and fellow soloists Marie Sundelius and Riccardo Martin.[65] In the summer of 1919 she was a soloist with the Lewisohn Stadium Symphony Orchestra;[66] including singing Luigi Arditi's famous vocal waltz Il bacio" with conductor Arnold Volpe to a crowd of approximately 8,850 people.[67] She also toured with Giuseppe Creatore's opera company in 1919 as Gilda with Giorgio Puliti as Rigoletto.[68]

Recording artist

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Carson sings "The Kiss" ("Il bacio") by Luigi Arditi and Gottardo Aldighieri. Edison Records, 1915.

Carson made a couple of early recordings with Victor Talking Machine Company in 1912–1913.[69] She came under contract with Edison Records with whom she made classical music recordings as Mary Carson and popular entertainment recordings as Kathleen Kingston.[70] An early successful recording for her was “Oh Dry Those Tears” (1912, Edison).[2] She made recordings with Edison in the early to mid 1910s; and was active with the company until at least 1915.[69]

Carson sued Thomas Edison in 1917 over refusal to pay her.[2] Carson's contract with Edison had been made through his manager, a Mr. Fuller, who had made a standard recording contract with Carson rather than hiring her on the terms Edison had instructed Fuller to follow. Edison argued that the contract was not enforceable because Fuller had not followed his instructions. Carson won the court case which was concluded in her favor in a ruling by Learned Hand.[71] In August 1917 she made a couple of recordings with Brunswick Records.[69]

Opera impresario and teacher

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In 1921 Carson performed with the De Feo Opera Company in Houston,[72] both managing the company and starring in productions of Rigoletto and The Barber of Seville.[73] The company was reformed as the Mary Carson Opera Company in 1922.[74] It presented seven opera's that year under Carson's direction with her brother serving as the company's opera chorus director.[75] In 1925–1926 she organized and produced a season of light operas at the City Auditorium in Houston.[76] From 1930 to 1933 she directed and organized opera productions in Houston such as Pagliacci, Roméo et Juliette, Faust, and Carmen; some of which were supported financially by the Foley's department store.[77][78][79][80]

By 1924 Carson was working as a music teacher and Houston, but continued to perform in recitals in that city with her brother until as late as 1929.[81][82] She originally operated a private voice studio at 808 Polk Ave. in Houston.[83] In 1933 she moved to new premises in Westmoreland, Houston.[84] In 1936 she was appointed head of the voice department at the Houston Conservatory of Music.[85] She taught there for several years until ill health forced her into retirement.[86]

Death

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Carson died on August 21, 1951, in Houston.[87]

References

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  1. 1 2 Mary Carson Kidd in Texas, U.S., Death Certificates, 1903–1982
  2. 1 2 3 4 Jasinski, Laurie E. "Mary Carson: A Celebrated Soprano from Texas". Handbook of Texas. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved October 4, 2026.
  3. ↑ Mary Carson Kidd in U.S., Passport Applications, 1795–1925
  4. ↑ "George Kidd Sr., Aged 75, Dies Early Thursday". The Houston Post, June 27, 1919. p. 12.
  5. 1 2 Gillespie, Don C. (1996). The Search for Thomas F. Ward, Teacher of Frederick Delius. University Press of Florida. p. 140.
  6. ↑ "Young Ladies' and Children's Institute". The Houston Post. August 15, 1889. p. 6.
  7. ↑ "Mrs. Kidd's School". The Houston Post. August 11, 1889. p. 12.
  8. ↑ "Illness Fatal to Aldridge B. Kidd, Houston Pianist". The Houston Post. February 26, 1944. p. 1.
  9. ↑ "Another American Prima Donna Wins Laurels On Operatic Stage in Milan". Musical America. 12 (6). June 18, 1910.
  10. ↑ "Personal Mention". The Houston Post. September 2, 1896. p. 6.
  11. ↑ "Zeta". The Lyre of Alpha Chi Omega. IV (1): 8. March 1899.
  12. 1 2 "Society". The Houston Post. January 6, 1901. p. 19.
  13. ↑ ""Class Night" an Innovation". The Boston Globe. June 16, 1899. p. 12.
  14. ↑ "Just 96 of Them. Bachelors of Music from N. E. Conservatory". The Boston Globe. June 21, 1899. p. 6.
  15. ↑ "96 Receive Diplomas". Boston Evening Transcript. June 21, 1899. p. 6.
  16. ↑ "Society". The Houston Post. November 12, 1899. p. 23.
  17. ↑ "Texas Saengerfest". Austin American-Statesman. May 6, 1900. p. 11.
  18. ↑ "The Dallas Quartet Club". The Musical Courier. Vol. 40, no. 1050. May 9, 1900. p. 20.
  19. ↑ "Reached Gibraltar Safely". The Houston Post. August 18, 1900. p. 10.
  20. ↑ "Ladies Abroad". The Houston Post. September 2, 1900. p. 3.
  21. ↑ "In Music's Realm". The Houston Chronicle. November 1, 1901. p. 7.
  22. ↑ Carroll, B. H. (1912). Standard History of Houston, Texas: From a Study of the Original Sources. H.W. Crew. p. 382.
  23. ↑ "Woman's Choral First Concert". The Houston Chronicle. April 9, 1902. p. 8.
  24. ↑ "Reception Musicale". The Houston Chronicle. April 18, 1907. p. 6.
  25. ↑ "Week in Houston Society". The Houston Chronicle. September 27, 1902. p. 8.
  26. ↑ "Miss Kidd's Concert". The Houston Post. April 3, 1904. p. 33.
  27. ↑ "Letter From Mrs Heims". The Ohio Democrat. March 3, 1904. p. 3.
  28. ↑ "Miss Kidd's Success Abroad". The Houston Post. July 24, 1904. p. 14.
  29. ↑ "Concert at Bideford". The North Devon Journal-Herald. September 1, 1904. p. 2.
  30. ↑ "Barnstaple Music Hall". The North Devon Journal-Herald. September 8, 1904. p. 5.
  31. ↑ "Freemasonry". The Daily Telegraph. March 27, 1905. p. 7.
  32. ↑ "Sunday Evening Concert". The Daily Item. August 28, 1905. p. 2.
  33. ↑ "Saengerbund's Opening Concert". The Baltimore Sun. November 27, 1905. p. 2.
  34. ↑ "The Arcadians". The Daily Progress. December 8, 1905. p. 2.
  35. ↑ "Laurels to Houston Lady". The Houston Post. December 17, 1905. p. 46.
  36. ↑ "Playgoers Hit at Shaw". New York Herald. November 26, 1906. p. 3.
  37. ↑ "Miss Kidd's Concert". The Houston Post. February 5, 1907. p. 4.
  38. ↑ "Miss Kidd's Recital". The Houston Post. April 16, 1907. p. 10.
  39. ↑ "Mary Carson's Success". The Musical Courier. 57 (22): 12. November 25, 1908.
  40. ↑ "A Houston Girl Makes Good". The Houston Post. June 3, 1908. p. 10.
  41. ↑ "A Houstonian's Success". The Houston Post. April 16, 1909. p. 1.
  42. ↑ "Mary Kidd's Further Success". The Houston Post. May 18, 1909. p. 9.
  43. ↑ "A Metropolitan Possibility". Musical America. Vol. 11, no. 18. March 12, 1910. p. 21.
  44. ↑ "Mary Carson's Concert". The Houston Post. December 14, 1909. p. 10.
  45. 1 2 "Mary Carson's Success". The Houston Chronicle. May 11, 1910. p. 3.
  46. ↑ "Italian Critics In Chorus of Praise for Mary Carson". Musical America. Vol. 12, no. 13. August 6, 1910. p. 15.
  47. ↑ "Mary Carson's Summer in Italy". Musical America. Vol. 12, no. 24. October 22, 1910. p. 16.
  48. ↑ "Mary Carson Wins Favor Abroad". Musical America. Vol. 13, no. 20. March 25, 1911. p. 19.
  49. ↑ "Milan Teacher Gives Her Views On Vocal Instruction in Italy". Musical America. Vol. 13, no. 26. May 6, 1911.
  50. ↑ "Bowert Mission Concert". The New York Times. April 16, 1913. p. 4.
  51. ↑ "Miss Carson With the Aborns". The Houston Post. September 28, 1913. p. 40.
  52. ↑ "Houston Girl Sings With Aborn Opera Company". The Houston Post. April 9, 1916. p. 57.
  53. ↑ "Mary Carson Soloist at Big Festival". The Houston Post. June 1, 1913. p. 57.
  54. ↑ "Nearly 4,000 Hear Local Vocalists". The Post-Star. June 12, 1913. p. 7.
  55. ↑ "MARY CARSON HEARD.; New Century Opera Singer Makes Debut at Sunday Night Concert". The New York Times. November 17, 1913. p. 9.
  56. ↑ "THREE OPERAS SUNG THANKSGIVING DAY; Wagner's "Parsifal" Excellently Given Before Holiday Matinee Throng at Metropolitan. MANON LESCAUT" AT NIGHT Puccini's Opera, with Caruso, Mme. Bori, and Scotti, a Delight ;- "Haensel and Gretel" at Century". The New York Times. November 28, 1913. p. 15.
  57. ↑ "Mary Carson (Kidd) With the Century". The Houston Post. March 8, 1914. p. 34.
  58. ↑ "Recital By Miss Carson". The Houston Chronicle. December 17, 1914. p. 11.
  59. ↑ "Houston Choral Club to Open 15th Season". Musical America. Vol. 21, no. 12. January 23, 1915.
  60. ↑ "Mary Carson in First Recital". The New York Times. March 31, 1915. p. 11.
  61. ↑ "Opera and Ballet". The Boston Globe. December 12, 1915. p. 4.
  62. ↑ "Big Audience Charmed". The Springfield Daily Republican. November 8, 1915. p. 5.
  63. ↑ "George Roberts to Tour with Mary Carson and John Finnegan". Musical America. Vol. 24, no. 21. September 23, 1916.
  64. ↑ "Message Sent to Front". The New York Times. June 24, 1917. p. 1.
  65. ↑ "Many Artists Spur the Records Drive". Musical America. Vol. 29, no. 3. November 16, 1918.
  66. ↑ "Stadium Concerts Ending". The New York Times. August 17, 1919. p. A47.
  67. ↑ "8,850 AT STADIUM CONCERT; August Average of 3,900 Doubles Record Last Year". August 25, 1919. p. 8.
  68. ↑ "Opera and Concert Fill St. Louis Week". Musical America. Vol. 29, no. 18. March 1, 1919.
  69. 1 2 3 "Mary Carson". Discography of American Historical Recordings. University of California, Santa Barbara. Retrieved October 5, 2026.
  70. ↑ "Multiple Successes of a Houston Girl". The Houston Post. April 12, 1914. p. 34.
  71. ↑ Moeran, Brian; Malefyt, Timothy de Waal, eds. (2018). Magical Capitalism: Enchantment, Spells, and Occult Practices in Contemporary Economies. Springer International Publishing. pp. 55–56. ISBN 9783319743974.
  72. ↑ "De Feo Opera Company in Houston". The Musical Courier. Vol. 83, no. 18. November 3, 1921. p. 26.
  73. ↑ "Hard Luck Attends Houston's Week of Opera". The Musical Courier. 83 (21). November 24, 1921.
  74. ↑ "Houston, Texas Preparing For Its Second Opera Season". The Musical Courier. Vol. 85, no. 2. July 13, 1922. p. 16.
  75. ↑ "Houston Enjoys Opera Week". The Musical Courier. Vol. 85, no. 21. November 23, 1922.
  76. ↑ {{cite news|title=Christmas Week Brings Opera Season in Houston|page=32|work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard|date=December 19, 1925|volume=37|number=51}}
  77. ↑ " Pagliacci to Be Presented By Foley Bros". The Houston Post. p. 42.
  78. ↑ "Opera Etching Given at Town Hall Wednesday". The Houston Post. January 11, 1931. p. 22.
  79. ↑ "Operas Will Be Presented". The Houston Post. October 30, 1932. p. 21.
  80. ↑ "Drury Opera Guild to Present Faust". The Houston Post. December 17, 1933. p. 41.
  81. ↑ "Large Audience Is Pleased By Recital of Song and Piano". The Houston Chronicle. November 30, 1924. p. 44.
  82. ↑ "Mary Carson to Be Heard at Foley Brothers". The Houston Post. September 26, 1929. p. 16.
  83. ↑ "Distinguished Artists Endorse". The Houston Post. February 15, 1925. p. 31.
  84. ↑ "Mary Carson Kidd". The Houston Post. March 26, 1933. p. 11.
  85. ↑ "M. B. Hammond to Return to Music School". The Houston Chronicle. September 13, 1936. p. 46.
  86. ↑ "Mary Carson Kidd, Opera Soprano, Dies". The Houston Chronicle. August 22, 1951. p. 54.
  87. ↑ "Mary Carson Kidd, Ex-Opera Star, Dies". The Houston Post. August 22, 1951. p. 18.
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