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[Preface] [Orville's Worlds] [Family] [Young Orville ] [To New York] [To London, and back] [The Second Marriage, 1913 – 1917] [The Third Marriage, Rehabilitation] [The Met Years, Two careers 1920-1924] [Photogallery]

 

To London, and Back

Oscar Hammerstein sailed to London in early 1910 with his second fortune and a new dream, strikingly akin to the old one. He intended to build a new opera house and opera company, competing directly with London’s venerable opera at Covent Garden. While friends and associates suggested that this might be rash, he insisted that his money, life, and passion were his to spend as he pleased. A 26,000 square foot theatre was begun in Kingsway, between Portugal and Batavia Streets, which likely cost over $500,000, as it was London’s third largest opera house behind the Lyceum and Palladium1. London theatre had never seen such a massive project where one person controlled the building, production company, cast, scene painters, orchestra, and every detail. Hammerstein must be granted his ability to organize and deliver, as this was a large and aggressive plan with much to be accomplished in order to open by the end of 1911.

Hammerstein reiterated during 1911 that Orville had studied in America, primarily with Oscar Saenger in New York2. Hammerstein was grooming an American image for several of his newly found voices, and to some extent for his new opera. Architect’s renditions of his London Opera House appeared in January, 1911, while Orville was engaged in Naughty Marietta, along with brief statements that the opera company would include Orville Harrold and Felice Lyne3. Another of Hammerstein’s discoveries, Felice was a twenty one year old from Kansas City, Missouri, possessing an excellent soprano voice with an exciting mastery of runs and trills. There was also American basso, Henry Weldon, who was the son of a navy admiral. Two others from the old Manhattan Opera were baritone, Maurice Renaud, and Italian soprano, Lina Cavalieri, the latter of whom had performed at Covent Garden several years previously. Hammerstein had obtained rights to three French successes not yet heard in London, including Quo Vadis, planned for opening night4.

Covent Garden was perhaps vulnerable to such an attack, as it relied as much on traditional support from London aristocracy as on current talent and presentations. Melba and Caruso were popular there, but were not there. Tetrazzini had thrilled London audiences, but was not there either. However, British tradition and its social caste system were there and impenetrable in pre-WWI days. Sir Thomas Lipton could be self-made wealthy and be knighted for indefatigably challenging New York to regain America’s Cup, but British aristocrats would still not personally go yachting with their “grocer”. And, although Hammerstein wore a top hat among their top-hatted society, his was of a Parisian style, while his grandiose hubris looked awfully American.

Orville had been busy following the closing of Naughty Marietta in 1911, first with a trip home through Muncie, where he performed mid-May at his old Wysor Grand Opera House5. He then traveled to Paris, where he may have made an operatic appearance, as  Oscar had announced the previous fall, and where Oscar apparently had him study with a Frederick Boyer6. Orville arrived in London just as activity was becoming hectic. Chorus singers went on strike a few days before opening night, claiming that they had been overworked. The London county council informed Hammerstein that his new building did not conform to safety regulations without certain alterations, required immediately. They granted his occupancy license only hours before the opening performance7.

Opening night was November 13, 1911, with Maurice Renaud and Madame Olchanski in Quo Vadis. It was described as “one of the most gorgeously mounted operatic productions that ever graced the British stage”, and was received with a “tumult of applause” by an audience that glittered with the titled of a European capital8. Orville followed two days later as Arnold in William Tell, which served well to display his high tenor voice. The opera was seldom heard because few tenors could navigate the high C’s and D’s without distress and fatigue. At the time, Hammerstein declared, “He is the first man in twenty years who can sing that role. Caruso tried it, but had to quit at the end of the first act. 8.5” Also debuting in London that night, at the bottom of the playbill, the role of Hedwige was sung by an aspiring soprano named Lydia Locke9. From the scrapbook of Effie Kiger Harrold:

The New York Times, November 16, 1911

HARROLD’S LONDON DEBUT    American Tenor Receives Ovation in “William Tell” at Hammerstein’s  ..let it be said at once that Harrold sang magnificently the part of Arnold, receiving an ovation at the end of the third act….He is certainly a heroic tenor of rare force, with a voice of remarkably fine singing quality, some of his upper notes being of extremely beautiful quality and big volume. What is more, he knows how to act. His singing roused the audience to great enthusiasm.

The Standard, London, 1911

All the flattering things we heard about Mr. Harrold’s voice were abundantly justified.

The Observer, London, 1911

Mr. Harrold has a voice of real value, with an extraordinary range and “staying power”. His fine ringing notes are intrinsically well produced and he sings with fine artistic discipline. His physique is unquestionably suited to Grand Opera and he is an accomplished actor.

Within days, Orville had cabled Effie, “Great success and will expect you soon10.” Not only is it unlikely that Effie was inclined to join him in London, but the trans-oceanic trip would have been difficult and probably have kept her away over Christmas. By the end of November, 1911, Orville’s photo had adorned the cover of Musical Courier magazine, the photo carrying a dedication “To my teacher, Oscar Saenger”, with a subtitle “Orville Harrold, Tenor, Oscar Hammerstein’s Great London Success.”

Shortly thereafter Orville and Felice Lyne starred in Rigoletto, Felice’s London debut, in which she caused a sensation as Gilda. Orville later explained that London was accustomed to stodgy old productions featuring 200-pound Gilda’s, so that audiences were captivated and thrilled by this fresh and exciting young American11. Diminutive Miss Lyne had a remarkable coloratura soprano voice, plus a sparkling and intelligent stage presence, despite having relatively little theatrical experience at that point.

Born in Slater, Missouri in 1887, Felice Lyne (true name Felicie, pronounced Faylicie) had spent her early years in Kansas City and Allentown, Pennsylvania, where her parents were both osteopathic doctors. She did not blossom early or publicly, but with family support sought voice training in Allentown that elicited strong recommendations to train abroad. Friends were thus surprised when she left for Paris with her mother in 1906, diligently studying singing and language there, with the sole aim of grand opera. Hammerstein discovered her in Paris, quickly determining to recruit her at nearly any cost. Many thought her slight stature (92 pounds when Hammerstein signed her) suited to light opera and opera comique, which she never considered, and she rejected Hammerstein’s inducements in early 1910 because he had contracted to remove himself from American grand opera. She refused his ever-escalating offers until he divulged to her his plan for grand opera in London. She then agreed to perform “Lizbeth” in Hans the Flute Player for Hammerstein’s fall season at his Manhattan Opera House, in preparation for England. She afterward returned to Paris, sang at the Grand Casino at San Sebastian, Spain, attracting the attention of the king and queen, and then arrived in London, to appear with Orville in late 1911, still accompanied by her mother 12.

The New York Times, December 3, 1911

AMERICAN STAR WON FAME IN A NIGHT          Felice Lyne Draws the London Crowds That Hammerstein Longed to See  ……Felice Lyne, the young American soprano whose Gilda in “Rigoletto” created such a furor in Oscar Hammerstein’s London Opera House, has been the most sought-after person in London during the week.  …..The result has been seen in the dailies and weeklies, which devote an almost absurd amount of space to such subjects as what Miss Lyne eats, what she doesn’t, and other similarly important and interesting details.

Orville remained popular, (“he enhances his already big reputation every time he appears 13), Rigoletto continued to play, and Faust debuted with Orville singing the title role. However, Quo Vadis did not continue to draw, and William Tell was generally a bore (part of the reason that it was not often produced), as some of the initial public excitement began to wane. Felice and Orville starred together in debuting Lucia di Lammermoor during December, again with acclaim.

The New York Times, December 13, 1911

Orville Harrold and Felice Lyne Add to Their London Fame  ….Hammerstein’s production of “Lucia” at the London Opera House tonight, with Orville Harrold and Felice Lyne in the leading roles, proved a further step toward that conquest of the British metropolis which the impresario has set out to accomplish. Harrold more than confirmed the impression he had already created that he is one of the greatest tenors of the age, while Miss Lyne’s rendering of the mad scene simply brought down the house.

Hammerstein then had his burgeoning American stars open in Tales of Hoffman, as box office receipts were satisfactory and special train services were arranged for operagoers from other English cities. There were also some concerns. Orville lamented being handicapped by performance rights prohibitions that prevented Hammerstein from producing Tosca and La Boheme, which would have nicely displayed to his voice, but looked forward to soon appearing in La Traviata and La Favorita, which would improve his opportunities14. Hammerstein himself had concerns, for box office receipts continued but subscriptions were not coming in, subscriptions being essential for the financial survival of any opera company15. A disappointment in that regard had been that the king had unexpectedly departed for India the day before Hammerstein’s London opening, dragging away many influential persons whom Hammerstein had hoped would attract support16. He was looking for improvement after the holidays, but spoke of not giving summer opera if subscriptions were not forthcoming.

Hammerstein opened La Traviata in January, 1912, headlining Orville Harrold and Victoria Fer, plus Romeo & Juliet with Orville and Felice Lyne. Oscar also introduced several new lead singers in January, because Lina Cavalieri had prior engagements in St. Petersburg and likewise Maurice Renaud in Boston17. Orville thus finally got to sing La Favorita, opposite Lydia Locke as Inez18, who had been elevated to replace Lina Cavalieri. But attendance continued to flag, as Covent Garden sought exciting tenors to compete with Orville, and Hammerstein moved ahead with plans to present operas on which Covent Garden claimed exclusive rights for London production19.

It was perhaps more important and reassuring to Orville than to Hammerstein that they were visited in January by Otto H. Kahn, the wealthy board chairman of the New York Metropolitan Opera, and a convivial companion in operatic passion despite their recent New York City competition. He took in an afternoon performance of Rigoletto, being impressed with Orville Harrold and Felice Lyne. He encouraged Hammerstein, between acts, commenting that Miss Lyne’s voice was remarkable, while only one singer in the world (Caruso) could compete with Harrold20. “If they don’t draw, nothing will” he continued, kiddingly telling Hammerstein that he should turn them into stock, being as “I know good security when I see it.”

Hammerstein hung on for the remainder of the winter season, keeping London guessing as to what he would do. When asked by a London reporter how business was going, Oscar replied, “Business? Opera is not a business, it’s a disease!”21. When another reporter asked if there was money in opera, Oscar quipped, “Yeah, mine!”. His self-deprecating wit never left him, no matter what the travails, which continued unabated. The Duke of Fife died, putting the court into mourning and curtailing social events such as opera. Despite it all, Hammerstein decided on a twelve-week summer opera season, beginning in late April. That proved to fall about a week after the Titanic sank, a national tragedy for England that stalled box office activity. Hammerstein’s response was to organize a Titanic relief fund performance, the first to occur in London theatres22.

On April 29th, 1912 Orville, Felice Lyne, and others sang before King George and Queen Mary at Hammerstein’s benefit concert for the League of Mercy. The cast included Lydia Locke (Talbot), purportedly the widow of English army officer, Reginald Talbot23. She was a tall American soprano who had been drawn to the opportunity of Hammerstein’s London Opera House, and who was getting to know Orville well. As the king and queen entered the benefit, Oscar greeted them by stepping forward with his hand extended and exclaiming, “Glad to see you, King!” To this startlingly casual breech of royal etiquette, King George smoothly replied, “I am delighted to meet you, Mr. Hammerstein”, followed by a similarly gracious exchange with the queen24. According to Orville, Oscar could never see the humor in this incident. To the extent that aristocrats confidently understand their superiority, Orville perceived Hammerstein to conduct himself as one, feeling equal to other aristocrats. He had respectfully removed his top hat, but otherwise viewed the king as a merely a younger gentleman who spoke better English, but had less knowledge of opera25.

The summer season was performed, if in slightly abbreviated fashion, with a few of Hammerstein’s gambits to attract audiences. In June, The Chimes of Normandy featured three new “wild card” pieces composed by Hammerstein to enliven the show. They had something of the desired musical effect, with a waltz sung by Orville being particularly melodious and endearing, but much of the other cast and presentation were unremarkable. The summer season closed, scattering the cast into an unknown future.

On Wednesday July 17, Orville sailed for New York aboard the Olympic26, sister ship to the Titanic and later having the distinction of ramming and sinking the Nantucket lightship while approaching New York Harbor in 1933. He headed home to Indiana for the short term, then to New York to begin various engagements for Hammerstein. Through thirty-two weeks in London, he had sung 112 times, in nine different roles, in French, Italian, and English, in a beautiful opera house, having been treated well by Hammerstein and by the British public and critics27, who dubbed him an American Caruso. Orville Harrold had become a known and respected opera performer.  From Effie Harrold’s scrapbook:

Vanity Fair, London, 1911

Mr. Harrold as “Faust” was in splendid form. The more I hear of this artist the more do I feel confirmed in my original opinion that in Mr. Harrold is born one of the four greatest tenors living. His wonderful gift of crescendo on the highest notes is remarkable, but he does not substitute mere noise for artistry. A beautiful tone always, whether it be loud or soft, seems to be his aim. Mr. Harrold’s “Faust” is one of the best ever seen in London.

For “Lucia Di Lammermoor”, Evening News, London, 1912

Mr. Orville Harrold, who took the part of Edgar, is one of Mr. Hammerstein’s greatest finds. His voice is really remarkable and he sings and acts with great sense of style. He is easily classed as one of the greatest tenors of today.

Weekly Times, London, 1912

The new tenor, Orville Harrold, was the hero of the evening. His singing of Una Furtiva Lagrima, from Donizetti’s sparkling Elisir D’Amore was rapturously encored. The singer easily reached the high D flat in the English ballad which he substituted, the last verse of which he had to repeat.

From Sunday night concert, The Standard, London, 1912

The feature of the concert was Mr. Harrold’s wonderful reception after his singing of the aria from “Aida”.

Upon reaching New York in late July, 1912 Orville stated that Hammerstein may quit London opera, as mass-support was not there at the prices Oscar had to charge to cover his expenses28, and the company might thus tour the United States. Orville then spent August and September with his family in Muncie, giving concerts in several towns around central Indiana29 that were arranged by his old Muncie singing teacher, Harry Paris. While growing up in Greencastle, Indiana, Harry had injured his back in a diving accident, leaving him in pain throughout much of his life. Despite this, he had been directing choruses and had become entrepreneurial, arranging concerts and singing engagements in the region. He paired Orville with a Muncie accompanying pianist named Agnes Monroe, who deftly blended with the range and moods of Orville’s selections. While many pieces were from opera, there were popular songs that suited Orville’s voice, including The Secret and Mother McCree, the latter a 1910 Irish song by Chauncey Olcott, with lyrics by Rida Johnson Young. Young also wrote the story and lyrics for Naughty Marietta, including I’m Falling In Love With Someone, which had become another popular Orville standard. It was common for Orville to then to appear in costume as Canio from Pagliacci, explaining the story and singing and acting the part for a bit of opera experience. They developed a popular standard presentation, and Harry Paris began acting as Hammerstein’s agent in arranging Orville’s mid-western concert tours29.5, which conveniently allowed Orville to frequent Indiana to see his parents and family.

Orville had reached a pinnacle, whatever Hammerstein’s London fate, from where his emotions had drifted from Effie since his London-opening cablegram to her the previous November. They had consequently separated before he returned to New York in September. This unfortunate turn was understandable, and probably inevitable. Effie knew that there had been other women in Orville’s life away from Muncie, but she had accommodated their circumstances apart. But Patti was now thirteen years old and could be headstrong and argumentative. (Based on family accounts of later years, which may have been tainted by events more specific to that period.) She knew of her father conquering distant stages, and that he had just returned from New York, Paris, and London, places of notice on downtown perfume bottles. For the moment, the glamour of her father’s life was certainly more apparent than the cost. However the discussions transpired, Patti returned to New York with Orville.

It was unclear what awaited Orville, whose future depended on Hammerstein. Orville was probably aware that Oscar had finally and fully abandoned London opera in late August, embracing a new plan to build a chain of twenty opera houses in significantly sized American cities (the largest cities already had opera) that would support a limited opera season plus other theatre activities for the remainder of the year30. A traveling opera company would appear for two weeks at each, in initial years, then expand to a month-long season, finally becoming a permanent opera company at each, as was then found in many towns of France and Germany. Oscar had come to understand that one percent of American homes had a (expensive) piano and wanted music, justifying “the most stupendous undertaking I have ever attempted31.” The plan relied on organizations in each town to incorporate independently funded companies that would support their local opera house and theatre activities. Because these were not Hammerstein’s and were not in New York, opera franchises appeared exempt from Oscar’s non-compete contract with the Met. On the other hand, while individual theatres were independent, Oscar’s plan depended on all of them, which likely contributed to its ultimate demise.

Under the franchise plan, Oscar had contracted with eight of his London performers, including Orville, Felice Lyne, and Henry Weldon, stipulating that they were to appear in either opera or concerts, in either London or touring in America32. While Orville thus had some security, theatre remained a shifting lifestyle. The franchise scheme ultimately faded, but Oscar’s contracts with his performers did not. Having returned to Paris after the London Opera, Felice Lyne and her mother reached New York in mid-September, 1912, with plans to spend about six weeks in her old hometown of Kansas City before returning to Europe. Her comments to ship news reporters immediately antagonized Hammerstein, with whom she had had several disputes. One comment was that she had slapped Oscar in London, after he had grievously insulted her33, to which he responded with a $100,000 libel suit34. He claimed that she had not even been in the room when the event occurred, and that she was simply seeking advertising at the expense of his reputation. Oscar had actually been thumped on the head with a score from Faust35 (Rigolleto by another account), and Orville stated years later that Felice’s mother had done the thumping36. The incident had occurred when Felice had been practicing in London, and refused to stop when Oscar had summoned her to work on another piece. Oscar had become angry, Felice stomped out, and her mother defended her honor. (Hammerstein’s account of the incident agreed, in large, with Orville’s.)

A more serious statement of Felice’s at the New York pier was that she was under no contract regarding American appearances37, and expected to do little singing while here. Hammerstein filed suit in Kansas Federal Court during mid-October, 1912 after Felice had netted about $3000 ($150,000 today) from a benefit concert arranged by the Shriners at the Kansas City Convention Hall. Oscar claimed half of the proceeds, based on his contract with Miss Lyne, and sought an injunction either preventing future American appearances or yielding half the proceeds38 Miss Lyne’s attorney claimed that the contract did not prevent her American appearances, and both Hammerstein suits were ultimately decided in favor of Miss Lyne. Meanwhile, concert promoters had sought to have Felice Lyne’s London co-star, Orville Harrold, perform with her at the concert, doubly popular in Kansas City because of Orville’s Kansas background. Thwarting this, Oscar had Orville appear, beginning October 7, at a music festival in Toronto, Canada, also featuring Met soprano Alice Nielsen, popular New York orchestra conductor, Nathan Franko (sometime Met conductor 1899-1913), and others39. Felice returned to Europe after spending a brief period in her other hometown, Allentown, Pennsylvania, and in New York, continuing to give concerts in these and other locations.

Keeping Orville busy and profitable, Oscar next rented him to the Chicago Opera Company, which was formed in 1910 after Hammerstein’s Manhattan Opera had closed, and included such former Hammerstein artists as Mary Garden, Armand Crabbé, and conductor Cleofonte Campanini. This likely served Orville well, placing him near Indiana and allowing other regional engagements. Orville once traveled overnight from Chicago to Lafayette, Indiana for a 1912 concert arranged by Harry Paris under agreement with Hammerstein40. The Chicago Opera Company also performed periodically at the (now) Metropolitan Opera House in Philadelphia, under the name Chicago-Philadelphia Opera Company. In late 1912 they had Orville appear there in Rigolleto, supporting the American debut of famed Italian baritone, Titta Ruffo41. As with Orville, Ruffo sang for some time with the Chicago Opera, which was attracting notable European talent. While Chicago had worked for Orville on his 1910 tour with Tetrazzini, he does not seem to have connected well with the Chicago Opera or audiences, so that this venue did not remain for long among his standard engagements.

Completing 1912, the year of Hammerstein’s London Opera closing, Arthur and Oscar Hammerstein had Orville perform a concert with Emma Trentini between Christmas and New Years (Dec. 29) at the New York Hippodrome, their first appearance together since Naughty Marietta42. The Hippodrome was New York’s largest theatre, capable of seating 5000, and the concert featured a 75-chair orchestra. Trentini was then appearing at the Lyric Theatre in a Hammerstein production named The Firefly, for which Victor Herbert was originally to have written the score. Herbert had quit the project over a major dispute with Trentini (operatic prima donnas had some tendency toward emotional volatility), after which Arthur Hammerstein had recruited relatively unknown Czech composer, Rudolf Friml, because of his classical background. Composed in only a month, The Firefly launched Friml into a career of light operettas that sustained him for a quarter century.

Meanwhile, Oscar had scaled down to a more modest plan, strikingly akin to his old ones, to build a new opera house and opera company presenting grand opera in English. Most of his endeavors aimed at popularizing opera, and he drew more common audiences than did traditional venues. (His passion apparently overlooked the fact that this was functionally a philanthropy.) This new idea was percolating in various circles, based on occasional English-scripted operas already being presented by the traditional houses, and second tier opera companies frequently performed opera in English. The financial engine behind this venture was nearly a million dollars Hammerstein raised by selling his vaudeville rights in the Times Square area to B. F. Keith (the Keith organization in RKO: Radio Keith Orpheum), included those to his lucrative Victoria Theatre43. Under agreement of the owners’ association, Hammerstein owned vaudeville rights in the area between 29th and 59th Streets, in the heart of the New York performance district43.5.

With his third fortune, Oscar began the massive Lexington Opera House on the corner of Lexington Avenue and 51st Street, although the specifically intended use may not have been immediately made public. Construction advanced through 1913, toward an opening in January of 1914. This was all too much for the Met, which had paid dearly to be free of Mr. Hammerstein. The courts upheld the Met’s injunction suit44, so that Oscar sold out his interests in 1915 without ever having presented opera in his new theatre.

Oscar was down, but not without assets. He spent the mid-teen years in his office over the Victoria Theatre, once again conceiving cigar manufacturing machines such as had made in first fortune, to be ready for opera at the expiration of his non-compete contract with the Met45. Several years before his death, a sore opened on his foot, which never healed. Orville was with him on one occasion when they were visited by a well known musical manager named Max Rabinoff, who replied enthusiastically when Oscar asked if he were going to continue presenting opera. After a brief moment Oscar said, “Max, keep on giving opera, and in a few years your foot will be as bad as mine46!” Oscar had seen the hopelessness of the game, as perhaps his son, William, had also. Willie had reportedly originated the “pie-in-your-face” routine while managing vaudeville at the Victoria, but had forbidden his son, Oscar Hammerstein II, from entering the theatre and music business. Insisting on a regular paying profession, Willie had his son attend Columbia University and then Columbia Law School. Only after Willie had died did Oscar Hammerstein II drop out of law school and begin seriously pursuing drama and music.

Orville and Oscar had always remained cordial, despite some strident disagreements. Shocked at Oscar’s deteriorating health during mid-1919, Oscar took Orville’s hand and said, “Mike, we’ve been good friends, but I guess this is about the last time we’ll see each other. I’m alive from the neck up47!” Orville remained convinced that Hammerstein was driven purely by passion for grand opera, and that were personal aggrandizement his motive, there would surely have been cheaper and more certain methods of achieving it.

Oscar Hammerstein died on August 1, 1919, having presented no more operatic productions after his London invasion. Ultimately, even his competitors had to grant him his accomplishments. An Oscar Hammerstein Memorial Association held a presentation on Sunday morning, March 28, 1920 at the 71st Regiment Armory, followed by a memorial service at Oscar’s Manhattan Opera House that afternoon. Among others, the organizing committee included Met Board Chairman, Otto Kahn, Met director, Giulio Gatti-Casazza, Met tenor, Enrico Caruso, Met sopranos, Geraldine Farrar and Frances Alda, Mary Garden, the Hammerstein discovery who was then directing presentations of the Chicago Opera Company, and Orville Harrold, then a tenor at the Met48.

Orville’s fondness for his patron is described in his memoir of Hammerstein49:

Some singers declared that Hammerstein was impossible to deal with, that he was egoistic, vindictive, insulting. Perhaps he was the first, the third he might have been when he was angry, the second he never was. He discovered me, he made me, and I never had but one quarrel with him, and for this he apologized twenty-four hours afterwards. I look back on him with gratitude, with admiration, even with love. ….. Before he came opera had sunk into the plaything of society; he opened the doors and let in the crowd.

 

While the Met has far outlasted Hammerstein’s Manhattan Opera Company, his opera houses, where Orville first performed grand opera, have outlasted theirs and are entering their second century of life. The original Metropolitan Opera House, built at 39th St. and Broadway in 1883, was demolished in 1967, when the Met moved to the new Lincoln Center at old Lincoln Square. Hammerstein’s Manhattan Opera House on West 34th Street went through various ownerships, as a large Masonic Temple among other things, to become today’s Manhattan Performance center. It houses numerous performing and recording studios, as well as the Hammerstein Ballroom, the main performance stage. His Philadelphia Opera House was operated by the Met until 1920 and is still known as the Metropolitan Opera House, also having seen such later uses as cinema and sports, and is now on the National Register of Historic Places. Through some strange twist, in separate purchases, Hammerstein’s two opera houses are now owned by churches.

As 1912 closed on Orville, amid a late flurry of concerts and engagements through Indiana, Chicago, Philadelphia, and New York, it is easy to lose track of daughter, Patti. She was probably in New York to start school during the fall, where she was enrolled in an academy on the Hudson River50 to study voice51. This was certainly a boarding school, given Orville’s absences, and it is difficult to understand just how he envisioned his new family situation to work. Orville likely inherited a relatively unstructured view of parenting, and some form of this arrangement apparently went on for much of the following year. Patti would have had general access to Orville’s lifestyle, which would have been among New York theatre and music personalities. She would also have become aware of his personal life and relationships as she had never previously known them. It all was most certainly an eye-opener for the young Indiana girl.


Fame and operatic success had finally arrived for Orville. His voice was as good as early mentors had hoped, and he had demonstrated personal dedication and attributes to achieve acclaim with it. The solitary trek from his boyhood mid-west had paid returns, but at a cost to his family and to his home connections. Effie still loved Orville, but had also built a social existence in her life without him. The future was in new directions, and theatre continued to be a life of constant change.

1. Hammerstein Ready To Build In London, New York Times, October 15, 1910, describing start of London construction, and 1911 plans for Orville in Paris & London, also Hammerstein’s London Opera House, New York Times, January 24, 1911

2. Orville Harrold Studied Here, New York Times, November 15, 1911

3. Hammerstein’s London Opera House, New York Times, January 24, 1911

4. ibid.

5. The Hoosier Hot Shots, Dick Stodghill (D. Stodghill, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, 2007) pg. 26

6. From Plow-Boy to Parsifal, Orville Harrold (Etude Magazine, New York, July, 1922) pg. 444, corroborated by New York Times, January 28, 1914

7. Lina Cavalieri, Paul Fryer & Olga Usova (McFarland & Co., Jefferson, North Carolina, 2004) pg. 132

8. ibid.

8.5 Orville Harrold’s Voice Takes All London By Storm, New York American, November 16, 1911, pg 4

9. Concert program, from the scrapbook of Lydia Locke, provided by Nancy A. Locke

10. Orville Harrold’s Career Reviewed, Muncie Sunday Star, November 26, 1911, from the scrapbook of Effie Kiger Harrold

11. My Memories of Oscar Hammerstein, Orville Harrold (Theatre Magazine Company, New York, April, 1923) pg. 64

12. Young American Singer Who Has Captured London, New York Times, Dec. 3, 1911

13. American Star Won Fame In A Night, New York Times, December 3, 1911, separate article from above

14. Americans’ Success In London Opera, New York Times, December 17, 1911

15. ibid.

16. Ready For London Opera, New York Times, April 21, 1912

17. Hammerstein After Caruso, New York Times, January 7, 1912

18. Review from unnamed English newspaper, provided by Nancy A. Locke

19. Hammerstein Faces Covent Garden Suit, New York Times, February 4, 1912

20. Hammerstein Has London Guessing, New York Times, January 21, 1912

21. My Memories of Oscar Hammerstein, Orville Harrold, pg. 66

22. Ready For London Opera, New York Times, April 21, 1912

23. Birmingham Daily Mail, April, 1912, provided by Nancy A. Locke, March 12, 2010

24. My Memories of Oscar Hammerstein, Orville Harrold, pgs. 10 & 64

25. ibid. pg. 64

26. Orville Harrold Coming, New York Times, July 21, 1912

27. ibid.

28. Orville Harrold Returns, New York Times, July 25, 1912

29. Unknown Ft. Wayne, Indiana newspaper, from the scrapbook of Effie Kiger Harrold, also The Ft. Wayne News, August 31, 1913, pg. 10

29.5. Harry Paris arranges Midwest concerts, while Orville remains under the direction of Oscar Hammerstein, stated in numerous news clippings in Patti Harrold’s scrapbook

30. Hammerstein Gives Up Opera In London, New York Times, August 20, 1912

31. ibid.

32. ibid.

33. Hammerstein Asks $100,000 In Libel Suit, New York Times, September 24, 1912

34. ibid.

35. My Memories of Oscar Hammerstein, Orville Harrold, pg. 66

36. ibid.

37. Felice Lyne Coming Home, New York Times, September 4, 1912

38. Hammerstein Sues Star, New York Times, October 16, 1912

39. Brilliant Assemblage of Musical Artists, Toronto World, October 5, 1912, and World’s Best Musicians Thrill Crowd at Arena, Toronto Daily, October 8, 1912, both from Patti Harrold’s scrapbook

40. Orville Harrold Worked And Sang His Way To Fame, un-attributed news clipping in Patti Harrold’s scrapbook, concerning appearances in Chicago and Lafayette, Indiana

41. Famous Baritone In Rigoletto, un-attributed Philadelphia news clipping in Patti Harrold’s scrapbook, describing Ruffo’s debut at the Chicago-Philadelphia Opera, under Andrea Dippel

42. Trentini and Harrold in Concert, New York Times, December 9, 1912

43. My Memories of Oscar Hammerstein, Orville Harrold, pg. 66

43.5 Hammerstein Sails; Is Weary of London, New York Times, July 28, 1912

44. Hammerstein Gives Up His Opera Plans, New York Times, January 6, 1914

45. My Memories of Oscar Hammerstein, Orville Harrold, pg. 66

46. ibid.

47. ibid.

48. For Hammerstein Memorial, New York Times, January 18, 1920

49. My Memories of Oscar Hammerstein, Orville Harrold, pg. 68

50. Orville Harrold Divorced, New York Times, February 18, 1913

51. Success For Harrold, The Hutchinson News, February 16, 1913

Next ...

[Preface] [Orville's Worlds] [Family] [Young Orville ] [To New York] [To London, and back] [The Second Marriage, 1913 – 1917] [The Third Marriage, Rehabilitation] [The Met Years, Two careers 1920-1924] [Photogallery]

 
 


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